alpal78

Not now. 2-3 weeks ago with the promise of that money being reinvested for a more proven striker and 1-2 squad players, yes very insightful icon response there

It all depends on what you use as your benchmark. If you use the silly Milner figure (would he fetch the same price now?), then yes I can see your point of Carroll going beyond $40M. But if you take Bent at 24M or the likes of Suarez and Dzeko as your benchmark, then Carroll would be closer to the $30m mark ($27m-$32m)

The three of them would be level on points with the sides in 13th, 14th and 16th had we beaten them of course. Yup those using their current positions (which could easily change after a few games) are just clutching at straws to defend Hughton. Like I said, it's not their positions (now or after a few matches) that matters, but whether we should be at least drawing if not beating them at home given the players in the respective teams. Most fans (Newcastle and neutral) would expect the answer to be yes

Not now. 2-3 weeks ago with the promise of that money being reinvested for a more proven striker and 1-2 squad players, yes

Some people on here are delusional, why not go the full stretch and say that he will break Ronaldo's transfer fees at $80m, just $30m more

wouldn't mind Honda coming here at all!

No the argument is about him taking money out of the club when it was wrongly claimed that he hadn't. It also wasn't $1 million, the £1 million difference is the amount that he'd put in by the end of the financial year and no reflection what he took out during the season as he'd put more in by the end. Effectively he never took anything out then. If I take a £5 out of my wallet on a wednesday and then on friday I put in a £10, ah never mind.. it's easy seen why NE5 was always arguing with you, I'm not going down that route. should have taken your advice to be honest Now I will

Fact is, it was claimed that he hadn't taken money out of the club, the accounts are proof that he has. Ya that point is conceded based on the accounts, was arguing your point though that "it also wasn't $1 million". Do you concede on that?

No the argument is about him taking money out of the club when it was wrongly claimed that he hadn't. It also wasn't $1 million, the £1 million difference is the amount that he'd put in by the end of the financial year and no reflection what he took out during the season as he'd put more in by the end. That's semantics at best. If there were 4 chocolates on the table, I took 3 and put back 2 in a given day, then by the end of the day, I've only taken 1. Nobody else would say it differently.

So all the argument was about $1 million?

At least someone willing to use actual numbers rather than spouting rubbish

Getting a bit pissed that we don't seem to be trying to get loans in. Both Bradley and Vela would have been good and don't think their wages are too high either!

One of them better be a striker if Carrol is gonna be out long term...West Brom just got Vela, Hammers got Ba and are closing in on Keane and we've got Best & Ameobi as our strike force

I'm getting nervous seeing teams below us all strengthening with strikers (Hammers got Ba and closing in on Keane, West Brom loaned Vela...etc) especially with Carrol out for God knows how long. Best was lucky with the hattrick, that's a one off, Ameobi will always be Ameobi on and off, Nolan can probably get 1 goal in 3 games, where else is our goals gonna come from? Despite the Everton goal, I don't think HBA is a high scoring winger and even then it will take some time for him to regain top form. Massive thumbs down from me for Pardew and the Board if the window closes with no reenforcement upfront and Carroll still out. Even after taking into account our current position, it will be a huge gamble

which was f***ing disgraceful btw, you'd have to be a c*** of epic proportions to come out with that unless you know the lassie well (mates) and it's considered a very 'in' joke between a small group anyone who'd say that to a lass you just work with Fair enough, if what he did/said re Charlott was supposed to be on air, then he has no excuse. I was referring to the lineswoman incident though

You can have a private conversation even in the premises of your employer. Do you only talk professional things at work? The recording was illegal and without consent because they were not supposed to be on air.

I think it's incredibly naive to act like there's no agenda here, completely and utterly naive. Sure Gray ultimately has to take responsibility for his own downfall in that he, and he only, made the comments. However, clips like these don't just get leaked on a whim, or in the 'public interest'. This wasn't a Ron Atkinson slip, where he was actually still on air in some countries (I believe it was still being broadcast in the middle east). What's happened here is essentially a secret recording that has then been used against them in public to not only smear them but to paint the picture that Sky had 'no choice'. If it was a criminal case, you wouldn't even be able to use it (recording) in court unless in extreme circumstances (ie. murder etc) which this isn't even close to being. They are in fact right when they say this is akin to the phone hacking scandal, it's practically identical in terms of end-product. It was the same when they did it with Gordon Brown, another one 'they' wanted out. I think it's good that more and more people are coming out in support of them, if not their views, then their right to have the private conversations kept private. Like I've said, I've no particular care for either of them, the whole things has been hilarious, at times baffling (the genuine sound of disgust in original clip) and entirely hypocritical from the masses. I've no doubt a lot on here don't share their views, and I know I don't, but I also know there will be a few nodding their heads in agreement with some that was said, with perhaps the exception of the Massey nonsense. Sadly, though, I think it's tragic that these media companies continue to pull the wool over the eyes of the public and they're only going to keep getting away with it because we all love a good distraction. Sorry, scandal. It's been pretty pathetic, the whole thing. At the end of the day, nothing that was said was that f***ing bad. Anyone acting like it were, like they're genuinely morally outraged really need to get a f***ing hold of themselves and be quite serious when they think "have I ever talked about women that way?" Cause I've seen plenty of it on here down the years. Like Indi said yesterday, where the f*** did all this moral superiority come from? Who the f*** are we kidding? Personally, I hope Gray gets every single penny he can from them. Like him or not, they're the scum, not him. He's just a tit, a tit that holds views no worse than the majority of peoples fathers on here. Well said Bluf Like I said earlier in the thread, I still don't understand why they are being attacked for what they said in private, fair eough if you disagree with their views (which we should), but nobody has a right to persecute them based on what they said in private, sexist remarks discussed in private happens all the time up and down the country.

hate long drawn out transfers like this. If we get him, it will be like meh...expected it already If we don't get him, people will be upset coz well we expected to get him by Monday

Too bad that Blackpool lost 2-3 then, spoke too soon mate The point is not where they are in the table, even now there is so much movement in the table positions. Wait a few more matches, these same teams could be in the bottom half fighting off relegation. 2 questions are relevant though 1) If our objective is to survive our first season back, should we be beating (or at least drawing) the likes of Stoke, Blackpool and Blackburn at home - the answer is yes 2) Has our form improved against these sort of teams (outside top 4-6) since Pardew took over - answer is yes too Under Hughton we had some great wins against the likes of Arsenal, and yes 3 points are 3 points against anyone, but if our objective is to secure safety and survive our first season back, then it's far more important not to be losing/dropping points against teams that are likely to be also fighting for the same position as us. We owe Hughton for bringing us back to the Premiership so convincingly, but the losses against the teams mentioned above will always remain a blemish on his record and no amount of twisting or turning from you or any of his fan club members is gonna change that. I'm out of here

we really need a new striker now, hope Pardew pulls something out of the hat

Other than the low risk part, that point to prove stuff is exactly what we said in the summer. He's out of his comfort zone, unfortunately, and he's not handling it well. I get the feeling it would have been like this had he gone anywhere - anywhere that isn't Man City, that's the issue. He's apparently dreadful in training, doesn't want to know. On more than one occasion, he's ruled himself out with iffy sounding illnesses - the last time it was a "virus" and the very same evening he was seen out boozing with Heskey and Ashley Young. When he came here, someone on the City staff said he was in the top 5 percent in terms of talent there, but the bottom 5 mentally. Houllier said that any loans out, the other club would have to pay all the wages, and that we'd rather players stayed in the stiffs rather than subsidise them to play somewhere else. So, five months of Ireland = 70 x 4 x 5 = 1.4m, add on NI, and you're looking at 1.6m. On top of that, there's win bonuses etc etc etc. So, whilst it could be more expensive otherwise, it certainly isn't free. It's great that Houllier said that "any loans out, the other club would have to pay all the wages", but if there's anyone who is gonna keep his wallet away till we get the right deal, it's Mike...double edge sword to be honest

Look Ireland is not ideal, obviously there are many better midfielders out there, perhaps some even available if we are willing to spend big money. But given our budgetary constraints and super thin midfield squad with the likes Gosling (who we've only seen for 3 minutes) and Guthrie (who many said were not suitable for this level), Ireland will be a much needed body as he can play in more than one midfield position and even off the striker.

"Heard?" Made up more like. Ya coz Liverpool is far likelier to make it to the CL than us...oh wait they are below us in the league!

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That's such an FM headline! :colo: Got to remember to praise those players Story, for the sake of it: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_6702172,00.html yup when I read it, I thought the same thing too...this must be from FM But good to know that Colocini is happy, hopefully he can whisper to Jose to sign a long term contract.