Cronky

For the sake of Kevin MacDonald's long-term health, I hope they don't give him the job. He sounded absolutely shattered tonight, talking in a whisper. Same as on Sunday really.

Keane never seems to fulfil the hopes of the various clubs that have bought him. I think he's the kind of specialist finisher that's out of fashion at the top level in the modern game. Assuming we get Ben Arfa, I'd envisage him linking with Carroll as a withdrawn striker. That's the style we need to be looking at.

Having been concerned, I'm now very pleased. It's a gamble, but if it's a loan deal we've effectively got him on trial. I don't doubt the guy's talent. It's a question of whether Hughton can persuade him to use that talent wisely for the team, and also how well he can settle with the other personalities in the dressing room. (I suggest that someone makes him aware of Joey's police record.) I actually think it's a good opportunity for the player. We're not a top side, but we're on the way up and if he does well he'll be a hero. He seems the sort of lad that seeks out that kind of status, and providing he earns it rather than expects it as a right, he should do okay.

That opening sentence. I know I'm probably going a bit over the top, but it makes no fucking sense. It's the type of ill-fitting idiom that an 11 year would force into their pretend newspaper report for English class. He also comes out with this interesting opinion - 'If we get him then it would be great, but if we don’t then I couldn’t really care less.'

It sounded to me like most of the promising names - Lua Lua, Ranger, Vukcic, Donaldson, Kadar - will end up going out on loan. Despite their talent, they were all a bit naive and needed that maturing process that only comes from playing regular first team football amongst street wise, experienced professionals. The present combination of reserve team football and the occasional sub appearance isn't the same.

My hunch is that OM were waiting for when Bremen qualified for the Champions League, to see if Ben Arfa would then change his mind about not joining them and / or that Bremen would put in a bid. It looks like neither has happened, and they're resigned to losing him to us.

Ranger showed he had talent, but at times he seemed a bit immature. There were a couple of times when he seemed to turn getting hurt into a bit of a self-centred drama. An incident that sticks in the mind was the second half, where he had tracked back, but lost the ball to his opposite number. He then threw himself in front of his opponent, giving away a very obvious free kick in a dangerous position. It felt like restoring his own pride after losing a challenge was more important than making the right decision for the team. He needs to grow out of that.

I've followed the news of this transfer quite closely, and this isn't the first time when things have supposedly been about to happen only for some mix-up with the paperwork to thwart it all. Bullshit, I believe.

What makes you think ST will agree to go now just because the club have put him on the transfer list? Well he might not. But it's a clear statement from the club that he won't get any more money, and the ball is now in his court.

Yep, I think we're underappreciating how well the youngsters coped. Even Vuckic and Donaldson, who were probably underpar didn't exactly disgrace themselves. There wasn't really a bad performance. With a bit of luck we could have had a few more aswell. Yes, in fairness, they matched Accrington for effort and didn't allow themselves to be bullied.

I can see the club's position. If Taylor can't agree a contract now, then he may as well go rather us risking losing him for nothing. It's not as though he's an essential player. Taylor will never make a top class centre back. He's too clumsy.

The match was a great occasion. The spirit around the club has been bad ever since Sir Bob's 3rd place season, with lots of aggravation and bickering around the owners, players, managers and fans. Sunday felt like we were a club reborn, and it was strangely fitting that Barton, our wayward son, started it all off with that great strike. I'm a hopeless romantic, but I'm looking forward to the future now.

The ref obviously decided not to spoil Accrington's big night by booking their players. I've seen refs do this before with so-called underdogs and it annoys me. I think there was one card but it should been half a dozen. I like Lua Lua. He can be frustrating, but he does have the ability to trouble good defenders. Ranger did well considering he was out of position, but needs his head straightening. The big loser was Lovenkrands. Apart from his goal, he really struggled.

Has the transfer listing been made public by the club? I thought it was just an SSN scoop. Probably fed by his agent, I'd have thought.

If he's in the last year of his contract, we won't get much money for him, unless we can start an auction. He's not that good, he's injured, and rather than pay a large fee, most of the interested clubs will be prepared to wait.

Liverpool have also been linked with Carlton Cole, who seems a more likely target. They looked seriously short of muscle power up front against Man City. They already have Joe Cole for Ben Arfa's position.

Normally I'm not the paranoid type, but yes. For the first time in a while, this club is on a bit of a high, and suddenly we have Barton doing a nazi salute, the players in a battle with the board over bonuses, and Hughton falling out over his contract. The 'club in turmoil' headline is good copy, and it's an idea that dies hard.

I believe that the additional complication here is that Ben Arfa has fallen out with his agent / adviser and isn't co-operating with any efforts to find a club other than us. I'm sure that if Arsenal or Man U got involved then his interest might be re-awakened, but I can't see that happening. So I think all these random statements that are fed to the French press about this, that or the other club, are just covering up the fact that, at the moment, nothing is happening.

Man U will buy him and then we'll get him on loan. Mwahahahahaha.

Agreed, and it does sound like there was some kind of prior discussion before the offer to OM went in. And by the way, I like the term 'straws-clutchy'.

Yeah, it is. Still doubt the truth in it, but if Douglas has spoken to someone at the club (and maybe even Hughton) I'd be more tempted to believe it. Yup I guess, I'll never trust these NE journo fully like. Me neither, but hey. I don't think Hughton gives little 'tip-offs' to local journos.

Fully agree. Really seems to have gone backwards. You wonder about the effect on a player's confidence when they go from being a star at one club to being a bench warmer at a bigger club. Or from having a licence to express themselves in a free role at one club, to being restricted to a more minor role at the next one.

Same old 'just about to sign' story. I'm not sure how 'finalising the contract' ties in with him having a choice of two clubs. That implies that he's settled on one club.

Given the bunch of Godzillas that Mancini fielded last night, I don't think SWP is his type of player. Like Ireland, he's not the greatest defensively. I've not seen SWP in a central role behind a striker, but I've often thought that it could work.

The glaring gap that we should try to fill is for a fast, creative player who can operate between the main striker and midfield. Santa Cruz is a good player (although I'm not sure of his fitness), but he doesn't fit the bill.