Dr Venkman

It's fine for now, but a poor season and it'll have backfired on us. Aye, but like Ian W said above; there are probably very few other managers around that would work with Ashley under these conditions. You could question Pardew's pride and morale, but as things stand, this way of running our club seems as if it's working to a suprisingly great extent. I'm happy with it for now. I just hope it doesn't turn ugly when Ashley decides it's time to cash in for sure. We've gone three windows without selling any player who hasn't expressed a will to leave. Should be about time within the next year. Doesn't this suggest that a window where we do 'cash in' is the exception?

So are you lot booking travel before match tickets? I don't know if I'll be able to get tickets on my own merit, not got many points on the season ticket.

That's a great draw. Gonna try my best to go to France or Belgium.

The thing is though, he can't pass the ball. Whether its along the ground or in the air he hasn't got the technique to place it or the judgement to weight it. While he's in possession plenty of opportunities arise for him to play the ball into someone and he can't do it. He's either got 'pass backwards on floor' or 'cross in direction of goal'. Thats his range of passing.

Get some fluidity going and we'll hammer these lot, in all likelihood it'll be a narrow 4-4-2 and a one goal win though, which is obviously fine too. Pardew knows the way to compete against the top 4 is to give nothing away and take what chances you get which is why we play like that 90% of the time. Still think we could achieve it with some better passing football though.

Delighted to be through to the group stages

Seen nothing to suggest he's any good tbh

Think Bigi's pressured them really well actually

Pretty shit losing Raylor and Perch in one night like.

Glad he didn't come back here tbh.

He's spilled a couple of those shots tonight.

I'm pretty satisfied with the transfer window but I have to say I find the Champions League talk baffling given the lack of investment. Is he trying to set himself to make the point at the end of the season?

Wearing a Sunderland shirt in pics on Google. Definitely a Newcastle fan, she's on five live every week with Danny Baker

I think we operate firmly in the sensible middle ground tbh

Ask Sam Allardyce. I swear the cunt gets paid every time he says Barclays.

He's always dedicated most of his time to talking about potential suitors for our players so why change now? It's basically the equivalent of a hooker in a window flashing a bit of leg. Baffles me why time after time it gets trotted out, "we fear a bid, someone might come in for one of our excellent players. We just have to hope no such bids come in. Teams can bid right up to the last minute and there's nothing we can do." Shut your face, man.

JUST FUCKING TURN THE BIDS DOWN MAN It's not really up to him though. I know mate, but he's talking about the sort of club we are. We should be the sort of club that turns down bids if they're too late to get a replacement in.

JUST FUCKING TURN THE BIDS DOWN MAN

Yep, it's not the end of the world. He's not as good as we ideally need, but he's not terrible either. Do think Perch should be given a chance at being first-choice right back though. Given how solid he's been filling in at various spots, I'm surprised he's not being given the opportunity to prove himself in his natural position. Perch is a good defender, probably better than Simpson, but he offers nothing going forward....which is why we were after Debuchy in the first place. Simpson is the best option we have who can do a job of sorts either way. Perch is significantly better at playing the ball out of defence.

I'd gladly take Enrique back, we REALLY need two full backs that can play football.

Ashley Williams

Regardless of whether that's true or not he hasn't played enough recently to judge them against each other.

Seconded.

Good point. I think we're about to find out if Ashley is the real deal or just not that arsed. This is said in every transfer window, we know exactly what the policy is. Yep was going to say it but couldn't be bothered, as you said that line must be posted every single window. Yes but in other recent windows had we just finished 5th in the league and only narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification, something which would increase the profile of the club and massively increase its revenue? It would appear that the policy doesn't change dependent on league position. what is the policy ? 1. Collect underpants it's just that people go on about this policy of us selling as soon as we can make a profit and apart from a ridiculous offer from liverpool there's little evidence to suggest that we do any different to all bar the sugar daddy clubs. Not me, I was talking about incomings. what's the policy as regards incomings then ? buy players with the idea that when they leave you make a profit and older players who'll possibly noit hold their value you pay less for, like just about everyone else. Well, it seems to be that we buy young and that we won't go much at all over our initial valuation. Also that purchases are based as much on value for money as what positions we need to fill. Do I really need to say all this? Our incoming transfer policy certainly isn't the same as every other club. we've bid for a 27yr old for a position we need and will quite possibly increase our bid. the only thing we seem to do differently to other clubs is be a lot more thorough in our scouting. True. The thing is though I class 27 as young, or at the top end of the young bracket, I said 'as much on value for money as what positions we need to fill'. The Debuchy thing bears that out, it doesn't contradict it. How you can say scouting is the only difference when Liverpool pay 20m for Henderson and Downing and the mackems pay 12-14m for Fletcher I'm not so sure, and that's without mentioning the super rich clubs. i don't see how, we pay what we think the player is worth, we had to agree fees for cisse and anita so obviously the selling clubs thought them as fair prices. I had centre midfield as a priority even more so than a forward or centre half fwiw. both those clubs you mentioned paid what they thought those players were worth. we aren't going to pay more than a players worth and not recruit elsewhere that's needed. do you want us to say " we wont buy a forward as we'll use some of that money to pay more than we think the defender we want is worth" re debuchy,27 isn't old but i doubt any club that buys him will make a profit on him when he's 30. thats putting off other suitors imo. I think you've got me wrong here like, I haven't complained about our policy. whereas i'm saying we don't have a policy as such like many make out. we just do exactly as the majority of other clubs are having to do. Ok, then respectfully I'm just going to have to say that I disagree and leave it at that.