chicago_shearer

Oh yeah, our expectations are stopping us from signing these players that we probably don't have any interest in. Plonker. Wise: How about a 3 year deal, 70k p/w? Aimar: Unacceptable! The expectations of your supporters are so high, I DEMAND 90k p/w!

If there is any truth in the constant stream of fiction that this journo (all British journos to be fair) is coming out with, I still find it hard to believe that he will be earning an extravagant amount at Benfica compared to whatever we offered him. Which leads me to believe he was a) only considering us for the massive pay day for average talent that we have come to represent in recent years or b) as a way of getting more from Rui Costa & Benfica. If so, I hope he enjoys his retirement in Portugal.

MaethiS will have an excitement wee when he sees this thread.

De Jong & Aimar would be a tad better than Butt & Geremi I think.

It sounds like great work to me. Wake up tomorrow morning, decide that Van Der Vaart is signing for Arsenal. File a 250 word story citing "unnamed sources close to the club", write by 11am, spend rest of day in pub and nobody really cares when it turns out to be false. Repeat the next day.

Aimar

Good to know that everyone hates Spurs.

Bramble, Dyer, Bowyer, Jenas, Babayaro, Carr, Marcelino

Christ on a bike.

Not much new info, but it does seem like Benfica are having a bit of a panic. http://www.sportsya.com/english/news.php/SL_Benfica_officials_went_to_Zaragoza_to_sign_Pablo_Aimar_the_team_top_goal.html?id_estruc=283&id=182436

We finished on 43 points last season. I expect us to be at least 10-12 points better off at a minimum. I will be disappointed if we end up with less than 53-55 points. Whether that is good for 8th or 11th doesn't really bother me. Would all these people drawing an imaginary line under 10th place really be that bothered if we were 10 pts better off? I hope not. I'm not confident of that sort of improvement without further strengthening of the squad, but that should be the target. It shouldn't be too difficult. Don't lose to anyone but the top 4 at home, beat the bottom 4 away from home, obligatory six points from Spurs and you are there.

Derdiyok > Kevin Monnet-Paquet. Trust me. I have a DVD.

I still don't understand that bit from the agent about waiting for Benfica's money. Are the transfers of internationally renowned football stars really contingent on cheques clearing at the bank or something? It still sounds to me like he's still fishing for a better offer. I can't imagine players in the Portuguese league are on big money. If he had his heart set on Benfica, I don't see why the deal wouldn't have gone through by now. The Portuguese league is what happens to players who aren't wanted in England, Germany or Spain but aren't old enough/crap enough for Quatar, Japan or the USA. It is football limbo.

I hope this doesn't mean that the Derdiyok transfer is non-starter. I was getting my hopes up.

Greece 1 Italy 0, 25' gone. Zamblera OUT.

Why "board", and not "manager". Or does that go against everything since Keegan can do no wrong in your eyes. Keegan held talks with Modric and fact of the matter is, he wasn't able to attract him here...even though the board stumped up the cash. We'll see. I am going by the comments made by the current owner/chairman and the 2 managers we have had since they took over. Its not too promising, whatever you want to believe. Aimar has been a top player, but now he is just a cheaper version of Modric. Modric didn't come. We'll see how much competition for him, and the level of it, if we seriously attempt to sign Aimar. Fact is a big club like us is acting like a small club. Thats how I see it. I saw this crap for over 20 years under the shower that ran the club down to its knees which ended with foot in the 3rd division in 1992. I think Keegan will do a good job with what he has, but ultimately unless they do something spectacularly correct to change my mind, they are going to let him - and us - down, nd fail to realise the potential that Keegan has. Who would you like to see the club sign? Not being funny, just curious. Guthrie is underwhelming and hopefully just a squad signing but Aimar would seem like a quality signing to me.

I think we'll be signing him. Fills a requirement, shifts the replica shirts. Might not be suited for the Premiership, but worth the risk.

If we had to keep him, I'd put him in a special personal training program to undo the damage inflicted by his time at Man Utd. As a midfielder, he is worse than useless. But I remember thinking he was a useful striker during his time at Leeds. He needs to rediscover those instincts and forget the idea that he can play as some sort of half-defensive midfield, half-forward whose primary contribution is conceding dangerous free kicks. I'd also ban him from using the hair bleach. He's a 27 year old with the hair cut of a 16 year old.

I don't need big names, just some recognition that we aren't going into next season leaning on Butt, Geremi & Viduka as regulars. A big name might be nice for morale, but it's more important to address the positions we need filled in the best way possible.

Another day, another Southern newspaper lying about things they know nothing about.

I think we'll sign at least one more midfielder. Inler or Larsson in as a first teamer, Derdiyok as "cover" for Viduka, a two footed fullback and a big trophy signing midfielder to keep everyone happy and shift some replica shirts. That would suit me. That would suit you? It would mean we would fall further behind our rivals who either already have stronger squads and first teams or will show much more ambition than bringing in some decent Premiership and promising foreign youngsters and one signing to really strengthen the first team, which is what you mean when you refer to a siging as a trophy signing, i.e. somebody with a bit of class about them? Inler & Larsson are established internationals, either of whom would strengthen the team, as would the trophy signing (lets say Aimar, the big name that has been linked). If we went into next season with N'Zogbia - Inler - Aimar - Gutierrez as our first choice midfield in a 4-4-2, retaining Guthrie, Butt, Milner & Barton as backups, I would consider that job well done. The teams that have built better squads than us - Spurs, Everton, and especially Pompey - did so over the course of several seasons. We aren't going to make up all that ground in one go. But if we made the signings I suggested, we would take a big leap forward IMO.

I think we'll sign at least one more midfielder. Inler or Larsson in as a first teamer, Derdiyok as "cover" for Viduka, a two footed fullback and a big trophy signing midfielder to keep everyone happy and shift some replica shirts. That would suit me.

I think of them as the "Freddiementalists". LOL, that works.

Keegan just needs to pat him on the back, then sit him down in his office, offer him a coffee and then in a very calm and fatherly manner explain that if he doesn't buck his ideas up he will knock out his teeth with a motherfucking baseball bat. I'm convinced that is all the moody French git needs. The gentle threat of physical violence for inspiration.

Reading these posts you'd think we'd just signed Dean Windass, not agreed a fee for a 21 year old with a bit of Premiership experience.