Memphis

Just a quick song idea: To the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" 'atem ben Arf 'atem ben Arf 'atem ben Arf 'atem ben Arf He's Tunisian Left foot is pleasin' Ben Arfa scores tonight He'll dribble past ya Too slow, ya bastard Ben Arfa scores tonight 'atem ben Arf 'atem ben Arf 'atem ben Arf 'atem ben Arf

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/3481/0203720001283000804.gif

You have to give Hughton and as much as I hate to say it, Llambias credit. They stuck to their guns in the face of a bizarre transfer situation and took advantage of a great opportunity to sign a 23 year old French international who ticks every single box we need in terms of flair and creativity - and did so on very advantageous terms. I'm really not accustomed to seeing the club act this competent. It's kind of jarring.

Scott Wilson says deal is loan to purchase after 25 games played w/ fee of around £5m.

Clearly Ben Arfa's somehow gotten an amazingly favorable impression of Hughton and the club. Whether that's through direct conversation, indirect contacts, or just plain luck, I don't know. But he not only wants to play in the Premier League, he wants to play here - even if it's just for a season. If the deal goes ahead as rumored, it's an enormous coup. Very little risk if he turns into a gigantic problem - just drop him, he doesn't play 25 games, we have no obligations. If he plays 25 games, he will have by definition been good enough to help, and worthy of purchase. Look at Anelka with Bolton - stroppy prick played hard for Sammy Lee and scored crucial goals (23 in 61 games - 53 starts). It's possible Ben Arfa takes to the Premiership perfectly and loves it. No doubt we need creativity and pace and flair...he has the lot. And he might even love it here - he surely loves the airport already. Who knows?

It just wouldn't be the last week of a transfer window without Spurs ITKs dropping insider tidbits so nonchalantly as to assure everyone of their certainty.

Not bad, that. Seeing that image will seal the deal, I'd expect.

THIS IS ARFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Someone needs to photoshop a certain French player into that poster sometime over the next 7 pages of this thread.

http://www.the-butler-did-it.com/Quickstart/ImageLib/300_poster_crop.jpg It's coming...

Judging by the tone of the comments from Taylor's agent, I'd say the club's strategy has worked well. Taylor's on the defensive now in the negotiations process. And ultimately that's what this is all about - a player who's coming to a difficult realization: his value to the club isn't what he thought it was. That's difficult to swallow, but more and more players will be dealing with it soon enough. Either he accepts a contract in keeping with his value or he leaves. Regardless of your feelings about either side, I think we all can agree that a sensible wage structure is vital, and Steven Taylor isn't good enough to make the club rip up that structure for his contract. As many have written in this thread, this is going to be a difficult transition for a lot of our players. Taylor just happens to be the first. I doubt he's going to be the last.

I think this is what's driving it, pure financial prudence basically. We seem to have worked out what the wage structure needs to be and we're now seeing the effects of it being implemented. Yes, it will mean missing out on some transfer targets. Yes, it will mean some players leaving. On the other hand, it will mean an end to spunking untold millions on overpaid wasters. I don't think Taylor is one of those, but he has to fall into line as well. I, for one, am happy with this. And to use this cunt as an example (not that there haven't been masses more of his kind here) but every time I think about what Michael Owen 'earned' during his time here I feel fucking nauseous. Everyone should go ahead and prepare for the fact that if we sell him during the next week, we are not going to receive much of a transfer fee at all. I'd guess no more than 2 million, but likely less. Here's why: 1. He's injured until October - not only that, but it's a particularly worrisome injury in that it's easily recurring. 2. He wants stupidly high wages, apparently. 3. Any team that's poor enough to be interested in him as a first-choice CB is likely not anywhere good enough to be able to afford his wage demands. 4. He can negotiate a new deal with any other club in January and leave on a Bosman. Take all that into account and there aren't many options. So don't be shocked when he leaves for 500k or something.

He would be a decent CB option for a mid-table Premier League team. He would be an excellent CB for a Championship club. He would not sniff the pitch for a top 7 club. And he wants 60K/week. Absolutely ludicrous. Off to West Ham it is, then. Anything over 2 million I'd take gladly, especially if the alternative is paying 40k/week for the next 36 weeks then having him leave for nothing. And in terms of the contract stuff, the transition from a club paying stupidly high salaries to average players to paying average/below average salaries to young/upcoming players (with a few exceptions) was always going to be awkward for many. I won't be surprised if there are a few others who have difficult negotiations due to the change in sea level. C'est la vie. Prudence can be difficult.

Brilliant goals, cracking atmosphere - really good match

Samp 3-2 Werder Bremen (Bremen 5-4 on agg)

Brilliant Pizarro goal gives them the lead... Marko Marin has been sensational from what I've watched - his mazy dribble and pass set up Pizarro's goal. If Werder Bremen have that fella and still think they need Ben Arfa, Ben Arfa must be one hell of a player. I'd take Marin in a heartbeat.

Yep.

The latter. These NE journalists are getting absolutely trounced on transfer stories. If I was one of their editors, I'd be embarrassed.

In fairness, ripping Stephen Crainey a new arsehole isn't exactly the biggest test for a footballer. Not that we have anyone who could, mind. Except Ranger. Obviously.

Is Walcott upfront with Chamakh, or on the wing? He is absolutely destroying Crainey on the right. What he's doing is borderline criminal.

Hughton's handling this exactly the way you'd want someone in his uncomfortable position to do. Say very little outright, leave plenty of room for interpretation (or not), and don't allow your words to limit yourself unnecessarily. It's all a game - and he's playing it well. Remember how much everyone loved the fact that the Jonas signing and the Enrique signing, among others, came out of nowhere? "That's the way business should be done etc" The only way that's accomplished is by keeping everything close to the vest, no matter how frustrating it is for fans to hear nothing in the meantime. There would have been nothing on the Ben Arfa deal except for Dassier's mouth and Ben Arfa's lunacy.

I was pleasantly surprised with Carroll's performance in particular. Cannot fault his work rate at all - constantly fighting and winning headers, tracking way back to defend, he put in a hell of a 90 minutes of work. Shame about the missed header, though. Agree with those who say a creative attacking midfielder or a second striker working off him would do wonders for him. Better crossing would have netted us a goal, I feel. Would hope we could add someone who could pick a pass - we seem quite useful in the air in the box. Negatives - Perch was awful for the most part, Nolan and Smith offer nothing and do it slowly, still not convinced about Colo at this level. All in all, it was exactly what we should have expected.

Perch is so far out of his depth it's scary. Near red card, near handball for a penalty, all around dodgy play. He makes Stephen Carr look like Maicon.

Looks like one of our scouts must being scouting through FM, got him on my latest game is another wonderkid. Who next Iker Munian, Welliton or Lukaku ? Lukaku FTW Banging them in for my 2015 squad.

"Shearer...it's a good jump...Kieron Dyer, past van Wonderen - oooohhhhhh, Dyer blocked. BELLAMY - IT'S IN!!!!!!! OOOOOHHHHHH - EXTRAORDINARY!! HAS THERE EVER BEEN A MORE DRAMATIC NIGHT IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE??" Still gives me chills.