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I really think we've left this to deadline day and OM will try and offload him for straight cash till then, if that doesn't happen we'll get him on the original terms. That is where I honestly think MA is with this. Agreed. We're playing hardball. It's risky and I'm not sure we're in a position to risk it when given the chance to sign a quality player like Ben Arfa but I sure as hell would not sign up to the buyout clause as well so I can see why Ashley and Llambias are playing hardball. Imagine if we did sign that clause that the guy is turbo shit for the whole season, comes on as a sub for 20-25 games but we still survive. To be forced to buy him would be reduce our transfer budget for next season and it would be an outlay which would not improve the team at all. If we're going to agree to a buyout clause, we have to stick in some other clauses like x amount of starts or x amount of games as well because otherwise we have no leverage come next season. Tbf to Ashley and Llambias, this buyout clause thing is the first time I've ever seen mentioned. I would understand a fee agree and first refusal because that's something that's quite common but for Marseilles to demand this shows that they're not really seriously entertaining our offer (yet).

I think we win 2-1 because of the home crowd.

Why is this stickied?

That's probably from when he bumped heads with Fletcher (?) when they both jumped for the ball. That was 30 or so minutes in, but he was shit from the start so I'd say no, that's not an excuse for his performance.

Nolan is a massive liability. What a fucking useless cunt. I couldn't have been more angry at that fat fuck ambling about the pitch like he's Zinedine fucking Zidane. He's a shitty midfielder with a shitty touch who can't run for fuck and offers absolutely nothing to the team when our play is not in and around the opposition box, which means he's going to be useless for half of our games this season. Jose was all right. He looked nervous and it showed in some of his wayward passes, but I thought he defender Valencia very well, which was why they barely attacked down our right. Williamson and Colo in the middle were decent as well and I thought that they both marked Berbatov and Rooney well enough, considering how Man Utd basically parked their team in our half, which was the fault of our midfielders. Our midfielders... fucking hell. Pathetic. Smith, Barton and Nolan in the middle. No touch, no composure, no movement, no urgency. Barton's set pieces were decent. I thought Carroll and Shola should have scored from his corners, so the fact that we created decent chances is a credit to him, but his hurried passes in the first half contributed to our inability to keep possession and just allowed them to up the pressure, which of course resulted in the goals. Our general play was decent. Routledge was all right. He seems to be our only outlet and against slower defenders he's going to be much more useful for us. Jonas was lazy as shit in the first half but I thought he improved in the second and again, against a weaker team he'll help us keep possession and relieve pressure. I would have taken the 3-0 before the match but I honestly thought that we could have done better considering Harper only had to make one real save (Berbatov's left-footed shot in the second half). Next Sunday can't come soon enough.

Given would have saved their third goal, and he would have made it look like a routine save as well.

He looked like he's more mobile than Shola so I agree with Kezman that he should be on before Ameobi.

Play it simple in the second half, fluke a goal then score from a set piece in the last minute. I believe.

Just blow the whistle. We're not tracking back anymore.

Harper hasn't had a save to make.

Cunt. Over.

Nolan is a useless cunt.

Fuck off

Valencia is getting owned by Jose.

Routledge has played well. He's been our only outlet in attack and has troubled evra.

Holy shit, was that 20 consecutive successful passes?

Nolan hasn't touched the ball.

That fucking tache We're pressing well. We're pressing as a team and it's working.

Good effort. Man, I love Carroll.

This match will never end.

We should be up.

Scared of their pace. Enrique will be able to handle Valencia but who's going to mark Rooney?

I'm in tears.

If we get Bellamy and Ben Arfa, we'd be pushing the top 10, imo.

I'm dreading this now. We can win, though. We can take these cunts. A corner, Carroll header, 1-0 lead after 10 minutes, then defend like the Swiss did against Spain for the rest of the match. It can be done.