Memphis

Says Aarons will be "on, in, and around the squad" this season. What a weird turn of phrase.

Milquetoast bullshit performance and a fucking wretched match to watch.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/1996459/everton-manager-roberto-martinez-on-the-premier-leagueeuropa-league-and-the-secrets-to-his-success Brilliant interview with Roberto Martinez in which he says: Meanwhile, our manager says:

If we sold Tiote, we'd better get someone like Stambouli in or else we'd be completely toothless in midfield. We've got no one in the current squad with anything like the required physicality and destructive potential of Tiote at his best - or even when he's merely average. I still remember the 3-0 against Man United when Tiote just bossed everything in the centre of the park, totally nullified Rooney and frustrated the hell out of him. He gets a lot of stick sometimes but Tiote can be a hell of a player on his day. Stambouli has a lot of similar characteristics, is friends with Cabella, younger, sell-on potential, ticks a lot of boxes. But it's incredibly risky to try to cash in on Tiote now even if Stambouli comes in.

Centimetre of height, fine, but what is a centimetre of muscle mass? Are we measuring bicep size? 24-inch pythons like Hulk Hogan?

Stambouli's big mates with Cabella, too, so that's something, I guess.

"I'm kind of pleased even though we've lost." Another beauty of a quote.

POSITIVES: - Surprised by how much I liked Colback's overall contribution. Typically hard working, but showed some quality as well especially in a midfield three. - Cabella looks like he's going to be the business. Few bad touches but overall excellent workrate, smart movement, promising link with midfield. - Sissoko's better in the center even if he had some very strange and wayward passing decisions. - Riviere looks quicker than expected, showed great strength at times, promising. - Ayoze and Aarons were lively and fearless (though Aarons dawdled on a pass which led to Aguero's 2nd); Ayoze unlucky not to score after that beautiful footwork NEGATIVES: - Coloccino (as David Pleat brilliantly called him) really is a worry especially as it seems like the manager doesn't see his vulnerabilities the way the rest of us do -- and opposing managers will. At fault for both goals and looking as if he's lost more pace than he'd already lost last season. A big, big concern if he's slotted in as an automatic starter. - Pace of play was far too slow for the vast majority of the game until the young lads came on and injected some pace. Looked a bit leggy and ponderous in the buildup which will never work against a side as good as City. - No shots on target tells its own story. - Dummett is awful. LB is a disgrace right now. - Goufftierrez INEVITABLES: - Though the other subs were decent, the first and most influential Pardew sub was idiotic and messed up the entire shape/flow. As per. - Obertan showed that sparkling regular season form that had his bony ass nailed to the bench. - Floated set piece to Williamson over and over. - Lost at home without scoring.

Why is it such a sin to want to see attractive football and results at what is, still, one of the biggest clubs in the country? I've read so many journalists and fans alike referencing the more attractive football we've played this preseason -- how fucking low are the standards for attractive football now? We still look scared shitless to try and control a game, even against teams against whom we should be asserting possessional superiority. We once again have to rely on a talisman to provide moments of magic; otherwise, we are as functional as it comes. Utterly bland. It isn't wrong to want to watch something entertaining. Football is supposed to be fun. Watching it certainly shouldn't be a chore. Self-defeating and self-limiting bullshit has turned a lot of our fans into sad mouthpieces for an even sadder regime.

Just watched the Skysports video again - the answer in full is: Only this genius would bring up just trying to get through the January window as part of an answer about the season expectations in August.

If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. He has one philosophy of management - fear. Fearing the opposition to the detriment of developing an actual attacking philosophy, fear of his own players getting too far forward to avoid losing shape. Fear of setting the bar too high in case he can't reach it. Fear of being found out -- again -- that he's out of his depth. Fear of any player he can't fully control. Fear of pulling a Portsmouth. Fear of spending big on the wrong player. No one respects a fearful leader. No one -- players or supporters alike -- can be inspired by a manager (and a Club) scared to try.

Against Blackpool though, not sure they have 11 actual professionals out there...

http://i.snag.gy/o5CbD.jpg From today's L'Equipe on Lyon. My French is terrible; I think the last few sentences say something to the effect of Lyon wanting to reduce losses so may well be forced to accept our offer on Lacazette. Could be totally wrong there. But they feature a prominent photo of him in their season preview pages and feature him in Lyon's projected starting XI, so...

Some more Stuart Pearce quotes from his interview on BBC Nottingham radio - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0240klv (starts at about 5 minutes in): "As I sit here now, I can't defend the decision to sell them because it wasn't my decision. I'm very disappointed that they've done that and the only upside I've got is I think the nature of the two boys is that they're outstanding kids and they'll want to do everything they possibly can to push us into the Premier League." "For me, it's not a great business decision. I've seen players like the Chambers of the world going to Arsenal for 16 million and we sell two of our better lads, in my opinion, at cut-price." "To be fair to both individuals, they're pretty loyal to Nottingham. I think they'll give their lot -- if they don't they won't be in the team. I get the impression that I've got two good kids on our hands and hopefully for our sake and for Newcastle's sake we can improve them as footballers." "Players were sold without my sanction. I'm pretty disappointed in that."

Judging by the shambles in his absence, very much the new Cabaye.

Seems like a waste of a good opportunity yet again. We have rarely, if ever, done anything productive in preseasons past under Pardew. Even prior to the 11-12 campaign, the preseason tour in America was a complete disgrace travel-wise and preparation-wise (and I was in Kansas City to see it). So today we set out a side with MYM yet again out of position despite having tons of evidence that he's never a fullback; we used a central defensive partnership that we've seen a lot and know is suspect, instead of using that chance to either see a younger player like Satka or MYM with one of Colo/Taylor/Williamson, which would be a useful thing to see given the unlikelihood of us signing another proper CB. Could have used Sissoko in the middle to see how that might work. Didn't. Played Abeid for some reason even though he's got no chance of featuring this season. Same with Armstrong. Put Perez and Armstrong up front and put a midfield behind them incapable of playing it on the ground, thus negating whatever they might provide. Obertan comes on to do whatever he does - good or bad - which doesn't matter as he isn't going to feature, either. Just a colossal waste.

"Facker" is nailed on

From Ryder's Twitter: "Facundo is a good presence on the pitch, a big guy at 6ft 2in, a player who has gone to the Ukraine and has been OK." Alan Pardew Boy, that's a hell of a compliment.

Due to differences in insurance policies, one club's medical may be far more stringent -- or may look for more specific conditions -- than another's. Certain providers have very particular things that must be seen before they'll sign off on a player; it may well be that a medical with us would be perfectly fine. Although there was this back in January 2013 after initially going to QPR... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/loic-remy-warns-qpr-he-can-1546337

I do find it hard to believe a Chilean paper would have a full spread complete with numbers and salary info if it weren't extremely sure there was something there. That wasn't a little transfer rumour blurb thing, that was a damn full detailed piece. It is an odd one but it fits our profile of wanting versatile players with a future increased value. He can play all over the pitch. We have tended to push the boat out a little farther for those types.

http://images.elmercurio.com/MerserverContents/NewsPaperPages/2014/jul/22/MERSTDP002PP2207_768.jpg

http://tvnz.co.nz/football-news/newcastle-utd-dedicate-nz-tour-fans-killed-mh17-video-6033470 Video of Pardew in NZ saying those above comments and more; turns off his usual smugness and conducts himself well there.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/389691/Newcastle-still-chasing-Sporting-Lisbon-star-Eric-Dier Still? Don't ever remember being linked with him... Would love to dare dream we'd be linked with a highly-regarded young CB but not a chance.