Shak

Fiver says he crashes his car and injures himself on the journey down, leading West Ham to pull the plug.

Depends on who else is available though.

Hopefully we'll see Kazenga Lua-Lua get a go at some point

Brilliant, keep him away from Spurs ideally. The end of a deeply unpleasant chapter in our club is coming to an end.

Milner's like the slowest winger ever. N'Zogbia and Owen would be our only two players I'd consider pacey, until Duff returns anyway.

People in glass houses... I don't rant on press stories, I rant on truth Aye, but you do seem one of the least chilled out people I've ever encountered, at least online that is.

People in glass houses...

If we sell Martins, it's IMPERATIVE that whoever replaces him has some pace as well. What if Owen gets injured? Viduka, Ameobi and Gudjohnsen as options? Fuck that. Anyway, like Oliver has a clue anyway.

Poorly dodged question, ya big fanboy ya.

Alberto, just a question. First game of the season vs Bolton, would you prefer - We win 3-1, Luque doesn't feature. - We lose 3-2, but Luque plays a blinder and scores both goals. No offence meant at all, just you do seem a tad obsessed.

The squad you idiot. Then why did you say team like? Having said that, it's nowt to get worked up about.

I don't know what people are expecting him to say. Anyone expecting a detailed explanation of what he plns to do in the transfer market is a bit naive/incredibly stupid. He's said he wants to bring in 3 or 4 new players, saying more than that would be foolish. Spot on. I did spell 'plans' wrong, to be fair.

Unless this left back is going to just emerge randomly in the next week or two then I wouldn't think that makes sense. We need a quality LB now. A proper DM would be nice, someone to really get stuck in and protect the back 4 and become the backbone of our team for years to come.

I don't know what people are expecting him to say. Anyone expecting a detailed explanation of what he plns to do in the transfer market is a bit naive/incredibly stupid. He's said he wants to bring in 3 or 4 new players, saying more than that would be foolish.

No need to spend big at the moment tbh, £10m on a couple of decent defenders and a replacement for Dyer if he goes and we'll be a good side. If MA is happy to give Allardyce big funds then yeah, fantastic. But we've good depth and quality up front and in the middle, which are the positions where you geenrally have to spend bigger. A small investment is all that's needed, and I'll be mighty sickened if we start the season still threadbare at the back as it's not gonna cost a lot to make us solid there.

You're still up on the summer overall though, on the bright side.

There's a guy where I work we call Walter Mitty, pissed myself laughing reading that. I've been frustrated a bit recently, cos I really feel we're only a few solid defenders away from being a pretty formidable team. Midfield is fine with Butt, Geremi, Emre, Barton and likely Smith a decent pool of players. Then there's Milner, Solano, N'Zogbia, Duff (eventually) and possibly even Luque looking to create from midfield. Viduka, Owen, Martins and Ameobi are a decent 4, and as Northern Monkey alludes to we have Andy Carroll looking a decent prospect. Reckon Carroll will be out on loan this season, and Ameobi has about two years to prove himself or Carroll could be taking his place in the squad. This experienced CB thing makes sense. Reckon Taylor and Rozenhal will be given the chance to play together at CB, with the new signing there to step in if one of them struggles. Only seen Rozenhal in two games, obviously, but he's seemed a calm head so far. The test will be when the season starts though, obviously. We need a LB, and I'll be disappointed if we don't have one as there's nobody in the squad at the moment who can play there as anything more than emergency apart from Babyaro, who's injured. After that, I'm fine. Happy enough with Carr, Geremi and Solano as options for RB. Ramage, Huntington and Edgar to step in in the case of injury crisis. Stear clear of an ijnury crisis at the back and there's no reason we shouldn't push for Top 6. Hopefully the new owners are getting on well with Sam, that's my only proper worry. Hell of a lot happier about things than I was two months ago though.

Dyer is the better player in my opinion, but it's time to just cut our losses and get rid of him. The club is having a clearout, and Dyer is a prime candidate to be gotten rid. Smith fills the hole in the squad left, not a spectacular player but another proven premier league player who'll do a job. Dyer has more potential to be a match winner, but I simply don't think he'll ever do it consistently enough to be someone we'll miss. He's a great representation of everything a lot of people have wanted out of the club for so long. Smith in, Dyer out. http://www.mtv.com/shared/media/news/images/s/Sin_City/sq_bruce_willis_hartigan.jpg Fair trade.

Never seen a ref in the Premiership as consistently shit as Rennie though, he's head and shoulders above the others.

Aye, God knows how he still gets to ref in the Premiership. Must be something different about him to all the other refs, a reason for him to still be reffing in the Premiership that I'm not seeing. Seems to just escape me at the moment as to what it could be...

With really top players it can give them that extra bit of edge, Gerrard and Carragher at Liverpool are great examples. It's only natural to put that extra in when you genuinely care for the club, and if your other players see such commitment it can only spur them on. Taylor could be that for us, in time. But, without the talent, it's pretty worthless. I'm sure we could assemble a team of 11 people from this board who care more for the club than anyone on the books. Wouldn't make them any use, it's why I'd start Babayaro ahead of Ramage at LB every time.

How often do you go up the training ground, Kev? once or twice a week in the holidays why? sad c***. tbh Why's that? He's only a young un' in fairness, nowt wrong with it. Aye, we've all done it. Not me! I see the sig has gone from one extreme to the other?

How often do you go up the training ground, Kev? once or twice a week in the holidays why? sad c***. tbh Why's that? He's only a young un' in fairness, nowt wrong with it.

Unless Rossi has changed almost entirely in the 6 months he's been away then I don't see him being a worthwhile signing. Better suited to a slower tempo of game, due to his lack of pace. Smith on the other hand plays the sort of high-tempo, in your face football Allardyce is known for. Seems a no-brainer to me in all honesty.