tmonkey

That shouldn't be overlooked but I'm sure it will by some. Just to balance out that argument shouldn't Ashley have sussed out the debt situation before buying the club. So if he found more debt than he expected then it's his own fault. Who spend hundreds of millions without thoroughly researching what they're buying ? "Who spends hundreds of millions without thoroughly researching what they're buying?" An impulse buyer like Ashley maybe? The debt was almost certainly hidden. Easy thing to do given how dodgey the financial structure was under Shepherd, eg the lack of independence from the auditors, practically the only people who would find out if the books had been doctored. In fact, im pretty sure Mort had said that they only discovered the true level of debt a few months after taking over, and were shocked at it. Shepherd had done a Risdale, but the sly cunt had managed to mask it well. This statement has absolutely confirmed all the suspicions that some of us on here had beforehand - no wonder John Hall was so desperate to sell that he offered his shares to a random hedge fund (who then didnt make a real bid - what did they find?) and then sold them to Ashley, who purchased them without Shepherd's approval at the time (hence why Shepherd milked him for every last drop).

I hope that statement clears up one thing - that Shepherd and Hall Jnr fucked the club over financially during their time here. Who gives a shit about a brief flirtation in the top four (a feat which they undid anyway within two years) when Shepherd has effectively done exactly the same thing as Peter Risdale, mortgaged the club's future on shit signings. The real criminal in our fall from grace is Shepherd. Fuck him.

Arteta's corners have been quality today.

If we're going to go for former players, I wouldn't actually mind us giving Tony Adams a shot. Hell of a risk, but theres something about him and his career since retiring that suggests the guy might know a few things. Ignoring the well publicised personal problems earlier on during his playing career, he's (imo) a legendary defender who worked under Arsene Wenger for over 5 years as his captain, has managed a lower league club and seen both success/failure, has gone abroad to coach in Holland, and has had, on the face of it, a successful stint as assistant manager under Harry Redknapp. Granted it might not be too popular a decision right now because he's another "cockney", but again, if we were to go down the route of getting in a former player and acknowledging that there's always going to be a big risk with going down that route, then he seems perfect to me - young without being too young, won numerous trophies, has worked under some top managers, prepared to work hard for his career, ready to take on a challenge, not insular in terms of where he's willing to work (unlike Shearer?), etc etc.

Looks like a damn good signing really All of the new siginings look good.

Awful defending at the corner from City. Where was the man on the line for the near post?

Carvalho equivalises.

RED...RUM. RED...RUM. RED...RUM.

Keane is starting to look like another potential expensive flop. He's made his career with Spurs by being consistently decent week in week out in a relatively settled frontline in a settled formation. It's hard to see Rafa giving him the chance to settle in any one position for Liverpool, and because he's not that talented a footballer, he's not that much of an asset in a team that chops/changes players and formations nearly every other game.

Kuyt hits a sitter directly at the keeper from 5 yards out. Robbie Keane

Led with his elbow and went for the man? Why not a direct red ref?

Blatant red if it was Stevie Taylor like.. Exactly what I was thinking.

Vidic brings down Keane as last man, Keane through on goal. Vidic gets yellow because Ferdinand is 7 yards to the left and in line with Vidic/Keane.. Type of decision where you think if it was a Newcastle defender fouling someone like that and not ManU, it would've been a red card.

Good play from Mascherano. Liverpool 2 - 1 ManU. Babel scorer, Kuyt assist.

£20m for Robbie Keane! £30m for Berbatov! Riera looks a good player. As for ManU, its strange to see a ManU side with little width.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/newcastle/2827688/Mike-Ashley-in-right-carry-on-at-Newcastles-Sid-James-Park---Football.html Noone knows what has gone on, but another article bashing Wise's role at the club is always comforting to read.

Based on last season, do people on here honestly believe Milner would have been that much of an improvement over Geremi or Duff? He was shit for us. We staved off relegation partly because he was out of the side, not in it. Amazing what a good game against a nearly relegated Championship side, along with a £12m fee, can do for one's reputation.

Damien son, RW is yours - now's your chance to prove that you're a cunt for a good reason.

Looked like he was doing a decent job at Milan for a few months imo, before the Milan board sacked him for Ancelotti. Nothing he could really do about that, Ancelotti was a Milan legend and the man the Milan hierarchy wanted first and foremost but previously unavailable, so they snapped him up as soon as he left Juve whilst ruthlessly saying "thank you, here's the door" to Terim. Could be good up here, but he'd throw a fit if he gets overruled on transfers by someone like Dennis Wise.

Souness, Roeder, Allardyce. That's who we appointed last time when the previous chairman decided to stick to British managers with Premier League experience. Just go for the manager with the best attributes, philosophies, and working style that will suit both what the fans want and the managerial setup Ashley wants at the club.

I watched Colo for Argentina in th WC match against Paraguay and he was immaculate. Anticipated everything and looked head and shoulders above Heinze who was rated so highly when he played here. Heinze has never been as good as what he used to be before he got injured. He was dogshite after his injury. Class before it though.

Except the one that says he needs to be a good player, i.e. someone who improves the team. Speaks volumes about his cablire that an arguement even exists about Geremi having better end product or the team as a whole playing better with him. £12m is daylight robbery for such an average, one-dimensional workhorse of a winger. That's exactly the type of player we should be selling.

People are making a mountain out of a molehill at this point in time. Or rather, convicting a thief of a murder he didnt commit just because hes a thief. The current board have merely overruled a manager in one or two player purchases/sales. Granted, thats a bad thing to do, they've gone back on their word and made it difficult for the manager to do his job as a result, but theres little to indicate at this point in time that they have no intention of improving the footballing squad. In fact, they've done that, but unfortunately its been done without the consent of the manager, along with trying to get rid of some dead wood/under performers/liabilities/wantaway players, again unfortunately without the manager's consent.

Really enjoyed that first half. Got to say that the thought of robinho running at steven taylor this year scares me, he's looked very good I think teams are going to have to stick a man on him. He's lightweight without a doubt, but he cant half run past players. Shame to see Ronaldinho playing like that. Finished unless Milan can work miracles. Diego has been excellent.

Good finish by Robinho, Chile 0 Brazil 2 (HT).