TRon

I can't wait for this game either. It's a worry that Raylor might be playing left back, otherwise I'm really looking forward to seeing Ba and Cabaye, and hopefully Obertan at some stage.

I think Pardew would like to play him but he wants Barton to be 100% committed to what's going on at Newcastle this season and he's waiting to get that reassurance from him. That's what he's said in interviews in any case.

"I lorv Liverpool, se city and se faans, sey are all fantastico etc..."

Is he injured? Would have thought he'd be a good option to fill in tomorrow at left back if not. Far better than Ryan Taylor who would struggle playing in his natural position never mind on his wrong side.

Why? Why? Well despite everyone claiming he was fully fit nearly two months ago, he missed most of the pre-season action and isn't fit enough to be involved yet. Not ideal is it? No not ideal, but a little harsh to say it isn't a great start to the season, when he could still make a huge impact coming off the bench for the first few games. Unless of course he isn't fit enough for that either? Nobody ever claimed he was fully fit two months ago either, Dave in talking shite shocker! nobody except sylvain marveuax He said he had no injury prroblems, not that he was fully fit. He even says in the same interview that even though he was training and could have played their last game he hadn't actually played a game since his injury months earlier. How could he be fully fit if he hadn't played a game for several months? Didn't he also pick up a knock during pre-season? That might have set him back a bit in getting match fit for the opener as well.

there does seem a curious lack of interest, maybe more to do with wage demands than anything else despite him being free Wage demands, plus his constant issues for the lower clubs. As for the big clubs which his agent was gob-shiting about, I always said that Barton is quite slow and that's the main reason the top teams wouldn't be in for him. CL teams tend to have pace in most key areas.

Being sceptical is fine, we certainly should be, I just don't see that Pardew should be vilified for saying those things when there is little else he can say. It's down to the board in the end as always. he shouldnt be vilified, he should be recognised for what he is. an average manager taken on by people who's motives are money related and nothing to do with football, with the understanding that he has no say in who comes or goes. he speaks on their behalf and picks the team,and i guarantee you 50% of the members of this board could do just as good a job. You could say that about most managers in English football tbh. We have paid massive salaries to some of the biggest con merchants in the game, like Souness and Fat Sam, then there was Gullitt. Why do you think so few managers last more than a year or two?

It should be mentioned that neither Fat Sam or Keegan really managed either player very well. It's easy to say it's the owners fault but playing Duff the Puff on left wing and using Zog at left back was a big factor in Zog leaving and obviously Enrique was frozen out despite most of us spotting his obvious quality almost from the first day. Basically it's all Duff's fault. What a crap signing he was. If that's how you read it despite both me and stottie explaining what we meant explicitly, then there's not a lot I can do. Nah Tron, I agree with you man. The face palm was in relation to how crap duff was. Ah ok

Pardew's quotes on why we sold Jose now instead of waiting. If we'd played him tomorrow he wouldn't have given 100%. He could have got injured and then we'd be left with a demoralised and bitter player who would feel we'd wrecked his move. In reality it would have been a bad idea. We knew he was going and SHOULD have had a new leftback signed, making Liverpool & Jose wait would not have been an issue if we had done things right. Again this club did things arse forward. What if he had got injured or not played with any commitment? I never said play him, I said we should have had a new leftback signed, that way we had a leftback to use, did not need to play Jose. I answered that earlier, the Enrique deal wasn't 100% with Ashley not agreeing terms with Liverpool. So we could have ended up with two senior left backs on the books.

Stoke must be unbelievably clueless then, Pulis has just said that they hope to bring in another 5 to 6 players before the end of the window. Poor deluded saps. "We could do with desperately getting those players in as quickly as possible" was also said. Why haven't they done it then? Because they haven't received about £45 million in transfer fees recently? I would think most clubs still need to work on a squad of 25 so will move players in or out based on that. £45m or not I think Stoke would work within those parameters. There might be clubs who don't, I don't know.

It should be mentioned that neither Fat Sam or Keegan really managed either player very well. It's easy to say it's the owners fault but playing Duff the Puff on left wing and using Zog at left back was a big factor in Zog leaving and obviously Enrique was frozen out despite most of us spotting his obvious quality almost from the first day. Basically it's all Duff's fault. What a crap signing he was. If that's how you read it despite both me and stottie explaining what we meant explicitly, then there's not a lot I can do.

Stoke must be unbelievably clueless then, Pulis has just said that they hope to bring in another 5 to 6 players before the end of the window. Poor deluded saps. "We could do with desperately getting those players in as quickly as possible" was also said. Why haven't they done it then?

Could it be he said fuck you because he's never been given much opportunity here? Erm think you've missed my point like. The lads got to come back here in a year and he's telling the people who still own his registration to fuck off. Bit of a moronic thing to do no matter how he feels about his treatment here. He obviously doesn't give a toss about coming back here, he's never going to be considered so it seems he thinks he's got nothing to lose. I'm not saying I agree with it but just giving an insight as to why he said fuck you

Yes. Our chief scout Dennis Wise would no doubt be urging Ashley to push the deal through.

Pardew's quotes on why we sold Jose now instead of waiting. If we'd played him tomorrow he wouldn't have given 100%. He could have got injured and then we'd be left with a demoralised and bitter player who would feel we'd wrecked his move. In reality it would have been a bad idea. We knew he was going and SHOULD have had a new leftback signed, making Liverpool & Jose wait would not have been an issue if we had done things right. Again this club did things arse forward. What if he had got injured or not played with any commitment?

It should be mentioned that neither Fat Sam or Keegan really managed either player very well. It's easy to say it's the owners fault but playing Duff the Puff on left wing and using Zog at left back was a big factor in Zog leaving and obviously Enrique was frozen out despite most of us spotting his obvious quality almost from the first day.

We will probably baulk at the £6 million fee they want (speculating) I heard they wanted £8m. We'll not be paying that like That plus 50k a week is a fair commitment for a lad who's finishing is in question. But he's still only 23 so would be worth a punt IMO.

Pardew's quotes on why we sold Jose now instead of waiting. If we'd played him tomorrow he wouldn't have given 100%. He could have got injured and then we'd be left with a demoralised and bitter player who would feel we'd wrecked his move. In reality it would have been a bad idea. Also like Pardew says at least now we can go ahead and buy a left back rather than be left stranded like previous seasons.

We will probably baulk at the £6 million fee they want (speculating) I heard they wanted £8m.

Wasn't the Jose deal hinging on whether we could agree a fee with Liverpool? At one point the deal was thought to be off because "Ashley was being awkward". In which case there was a possibility that Jose would still be here this season so that would be why we didn't commit 100% to a new left back. All small details but crucial to the debate.

Could it be he said fuck you because he's never been given much opportunity here?

Agreed, quite an unnecessarily dickish thing to say. I'm glad he said it, it was obvious he was tapped up by the the scouse scum ages ago, despite the hand wringing going on in here. Fuck off and good riddance. So obvious and yet we were caught completely by surprise and couldn't get a replacement. I think we are trying to get a replacement. It could have been done better but getting players in for the fees and wages we are prepared to pay is not the easiest task. Whether we should be upping fees and wages is a different topic altogether. I'd like to think we could but I'm no accountant.

Agreed, quite an unnecessarily dickish thing to say. I'm glad he said it, it was obvious he was tapped up by the the scouse scum ages ago, despite the hand wringing going on in here. Fuck off and good riddance.

That's pretty much my take on it. He's not a good finisher from what I've seen but he is a handful and has power and pace, two attributes which are never bad in a forward. At this stage I just want someone in and unless we have other targets under the radar he seems the best of a fairly ordinary bunch.

According to the Mirror Bendtner and Barton are being lined up in a double swoop by Stoke. Make of that what you will, though the Mirror usually just invent most of their stories so I wouldn't read much into it.