Unbelievable

Wijnaldum is his replacement.

We've spent a bit more money than last year, but to me it's just the same as we've bought a few foreign blokes I've never heard of same as last year. I didn't know Cabella, Riviere or Ayoze and only Ayoze could really be considered a success. Obviously Janmaat I'd seen at the World Cup. I've never heard of the 3 kids we've signed this summer either. I'd say these three are a class above last year's buys, and do indicate a change in policy. How big a change (ie how many more signings), and whether it'll be the same every year, we don't know. But it does look like Ashley meant what he said. I respectfully disagree. Wijnaldum and Janmaat are both full internationals without being mainstays in our NT, so I would say they are roughly the same level. Then there is Mitrovic whose reputation is similar to Cabella's really, and he's come from a similar club in a smaller competition, which is also where it looks like we are getting Mbemba from. This is not to say I'm not pleased we've brought these in, but let's not pretend that these players come with huge pedigree, and as such are guaranteed to succeed and improve this club significantly.

We lost again!?

Not at all. Love JP Boetius me Woo hoo! Oh man, well we have to sign him now! What's his game like? Well, he's certainly not a traditional winger, more of a wide midfield player who likes to dribble, cuts inside often and has an eye for goal. As has been said, he is a little lightweight but that makes him nimble. He is one in a long line of talented players at Feyenoord who somehow make a big impression bursting on the scene but then subsequently fail to press on the next season and end up moving for less than they're (potentially) worth; Wijnaldum being an other example. I don't think EUR 2m will get him, but closer to 3-4m probably would. Crossing any good at all? Not especially.

Not at all. Love JP Boetius me Woo hoo! Oh man, well we have to sign him now! What's his game like? Well, he's certainly not a traditional winger, more of a wide midfield player who likes to dribble, cuts inside often and has an eye for goal. As has been said, he is a little lightweight but that makes him nimble, and he'a a bit raw, as in probably not quite ready for PL level. He is one in a long line of talented flair players at Feyenoord who somehow make a big impression bursting on the scene but then subsequently fail to press on the next season and end up moving for less than they're (potentially) worth; Wijnaldum being an other example. I don't think EUR 2m will get him, but closer to 3-4m probably would.

Not at all. Love JP Boetius me

WTF

Wijnaldum can do that role too, although it's a similar case of not being his best position. Maybe we will see them swapping positions during the game (if both are fit to play and eligible; it 's a squad game)?

Get in! I have a feeling I will absolutely loathe this bloke or love him to bits. Hoping for the latter!

Quite ironic that this player's strenghts and weaknesses are very similar to Yanga-Mbiwa's.

I read in a couple places that this doubt was started by some dodgy agent & in the end Mbemba had a bone scan that confirmed the 1994 date is the correct one. So that should really put this to bed. Source?

Sounds like a load of s*** and hopefully it is Doubt it. There must be an explanation for the fact he is taking his time with our proposal, so it stands to reason that he must have had some form of encouragement from other clubs.

Exactly. Those fan forum minutes were a shambles what with brushing "last season" under the carpet. A few remotely inoffensive and cliche laden emails from their new PR front man do not mean that they have fundamentally changed anything sadly.

Yep, anyone can talk a good game, but I still think he will be an improvement on Allardyce and Pardew. So do I, but I will reserve praise until I actually see some improvement on the pitch when it matters.

Don't see why everybody is so impressed with this. Loads of platitudes the kind of which any manager expresses during mid season.

Alreet then Unbelievable FFS

Indeed. He's too good for them really, and he's an idiot for going there.

Pace yes, creativity not so much

They have massive running costs IIRC. Is it not because they only own a fraction of the player themselves, with agents and investors owning a majority stake, in many cases?

I'm with HTT on this one. Ultimately we are still operating under Ashley's flawed model and it will once again fail to deliver what they promised.

You lot are funny. Deluded, but funny

There's no denying those RdB comments are a bit far fetched and uncalled for, but tbf to him he has not suggested that we think we are going to win the league now we have Wijnaldum. He said he thinks the fan reaction to Wijnaldum's signing has been over the top for the calibre of player that he is (i.e. not the calibre that can transform a mid table team into title contenders) and that it might mean that Georginho might find it difficult to live up to the high expectations. I can only assume he has been on Twitter to gauge the opinion about this transfer and has come across some over the top fan reactions, which you could do for anything in the world, so isn't really something worth mentioning, but if you have a football column to write in the summer with little else to talk about than transfers I can see why he would say it.