Minhosa

Ten kids for the development squad is it not? To boost up the second level of players? 1991-1993 would make them 21-19. Not really development kids. Perhaps the goalposts have been moved a little due to the younger kids not being up to it? Whichever way you look at it, it makes sense to spend £4m-£5m on kids with potential in the hope that one or two make it through the ranks. It's classic Ashley tbqh, sprat to catch a mackerel, type stuff. Spending £40-50m on 10 players in the hope 2 of them make it is very un-Ashley like. £4-£5m. Ashley wouldn't spend £40m on players if our whole squad committed mass suicide off Beachy Head.

Ten kids for the development squad is it not? To boost up the second level of players? 1991-1993 would make them 21-19. Not really development kids. Perhaps the goalposts have been moved a little due to the younger kids not being up to it? Whichever way you look at it, it makes sense to spend £4m-£5m on kids with potential in the hope that one or two make it through the ranks. It's classic Ashley tbqh, sprat to catch a mackerel, type stuff.

Fucking hell mate, do you not get bored of impersonating that daft twat?

Ten kids for the development squad is it not? To boost up the second level of players?

That's superb value. Stick that in a double with Norwich and you've got the bet of the weekend.

At some point it's safe to say HBA will erupt/combust/spit dummy out/demand a move. It's written in the stars. He's done that at pretty much every club he's been at. I love the guy (obv) but Cabaye just seems that bit more responsible/reliable.

Not read the whole thread but it can only be Cabaye. Hatem's not done it before and has a history of going off on one. You can't have a volatile captain, it's too unsettling. Cabaye's experience, position in the midst of everything during the game and all round good looks win's him the gig.

Then we should pin him down, shave that barnet of his and set fire to the bloody lot of it. We're in a relegation battle ffs. In all seriousness, there'll be more to it than that. Has to be. I agree, but it would be mental if it was him just wanting to go and play back home though. If that's what he wants then it'll be a total non-starter. This must be more than that. The very fact the club haven't made a statement speaks volumes. The club's silence is a funny one, if the issue is a serious illness in the family i've no doubt he would have been allowed home. It has to be something else that the club will think is ridiculous and not worthy of just going home. Just my opinion fwiw. Hmmm my gut feel is that the club will be looking at all avenues to maximise their commercial position (and rightly so) in the event he's adamant he wants to leave. Are we legally obliged to allow him to buy out his remaining contract?

Then we should pin him down, shave that barnet of his and set fire to the bloody lot of it. We're in a relegation battle ffs. In all seriousness, there'll be more to it than that. Has to be. I agree, but it would be mental if it was him just wanting to go and play back home though. If that's what he wants then it'll be a total non-starter. This must be more than that. The very fact the club haven't made a statement speaks volumes.

Then we should pin him down, shave that barnet of his and set fire to the bloody lot of it. We're in a relegation battle ffs. In all seriousness, there'll be more to it than that. Has to be.

I'm sure they could offer him a very good contract. We could offer Messi one too if we didn't have to buy the little argie cunt. FFS. The timing of this has pissed me right off. There better be a good reason for him unsettling everybody associated with the club and not just some shite about nobbing a bird.

I fucking hope so. He's not gonna win if he's after a run-in with Mike/Dekka though. No way. They'll fuck him over as soon as look at him. Also, when did he actually sign the new deal? It's not even been a year yet has it?

I'm with you all the way here Ian. This whole episode is just fucking bizarre. San Lorenzo: Alreet lads, you see that world class centre half you've got? Er, we'll have him if you don't mind. Cheers. MA: What's your offer? San Lorenzo: Eh? Pay for him? Are yee tekking the piss? Nah, we'll just take him thanks. This is just completely bizarre. I'm not bothered if the fucker wants to go home. He's under contract here. Tell him you'll release him in the summer if we have to and then, when we get there (hopefully still a Premiership Club) demand a fee for him. I'm truly not bothered about dicking him about in the summer, the priority has to be to keep him this window and then replace him urgently when we can. You just don't bring a pair of centre halves in during January and expect good things to happen.

Any good?

We've had months to come up with a list of players and although we've got plenty of time, other clubs have shown that you don't have to leave your shopping until the last minute. Liverpool and Chelsea both needed a forward and they've both got them and we could easily have had things sorted long before now as you don't have to wait until the window opens to have your transfers sorted. I actually do think we'll bring a forward in but we could and should be further through the process than we appear to be and I can understand why some people are nervous. I'm not too concerned yet that we'll not get at least one forward. I’m concerned that we might forfeit points while appearing to dither in an attempt to get somebody on the cheap, rather than on time. It also appears that if we're to bring in a centre half it will be after we have our forward and know how much, if anything, we have left to spend on that position. Bang on Michael .

I saw that, apparently being seen as a best replacement. I'll believe that when i see it mind. As long as that's all he is, I'll be ok with the move. I wouldn't be happy at all if Graham was Cisse's deputy and no other fwd's were brought in.

Stop with that crazy panic talk.

Hello Derek, is that you?

He was looking a bit better I grant you that but he needs some aggression in his game, some drive and heart. I'd only ever use him from the bench when the other side are tiring.

You should have been sat in the Amex last weekend watching him if you think he's on better form that those 3. I only saw parts of the first half of that match, in which he played on the right side at times. I'll take your word he wasn't very good, but from what I've read on here nobody was. He was good vs Man U and Arsenal though, so on that basis I'd start him before the others at this point in time. He was diabolical. Anita did ok. Bigi half reasonable and the rest poor but there were things Obertan was doing that you don't want to see from a professional footballer wearing your clubs colours...........pulling out of challenges, not tracking back and generally just appearing half arsed about his job. You may be shit but at least make an effort, at least look busy ffs.

Why wouldn't CL Teams look at him though? If he's as good as his reputation indicates? Don't get me wrong, I'm over the moon that we've got him, I'd have just thought that there may have been more competition. Wait, so in one thread you are expressing your disbelief at getting a good French national team player relatively early in the window without much competition and in another you are expressing your dissatisfaction at not getting another? Have you considered that in Remy's case the selling club and player may be waiting to see if better options come their way, just as you apparently expected Debuchy to do? Don't really have the time to go into too much detail right now but I'm not expressing my disbelief at all, it's more a passing comment. My thoughts on Remy are that the Board should have had the deal tied up earlier to give us as much chance of picking up maximum points over the next few games. Also, Remy is a big fee (if the rumoured £10m+ is true) and not in great from hence a risk for any club. Debuchy is a low fee and has played consistently well for years. Which makes it even more understandable from our point of view that we haven't just gone in and bid whatever Marseille quoted without a second thought. As if our Board spend anything without a second thought . The difference between what OM want and what we'd pay is going to be what? A maximum of £2m? If we meet in the middle and find we've overpaid by £1m........so what? The signing, ahead of winnable games, would give great momentum to both the squad and fans, would give an extra option and would potentially enable us to let him play himself into the team and settle in. If we save £1m but sign him at the end of the month, we may be in the bottom 3 before he starts his settling in period.

You should have been sat in the Amex last weekend watching him if you think he's on better form that those 3.

Why wouldn't CL Teams look at him though? If he's as good as his reputation indicates? Don't get me wrong, I'm over the moon that we've got him, I'd have just thought that there may have been more competition. Wait, so in one thread you are expressing your disbelief at getting a good French national team player relatively early in the window without much competition and in another you are expressing your dissatisfaction at not getting another? Have you considered that in Remy's case the selling club and player may be waiting to see if better options come their way, just as you apparently expected Debuchy to do? Don't really have the time to go into too much detail right now but I'm not expressing my disbelief at all, it's more a passing comment. My thoughts on Remy are that the Board should have had the deal tied up earlier to give us as much chance of picking up maximum points over the next few games. Also, Remy is a big fee (if the rumoured £10m+ is true) and not in great from hence a risk for any club. Debuchy is a low fee and has played consistently well for years.

You've obviously not seen my many posts saying how pleased I am that we've signed the guy. Every post is positive. I'm sure he'll be a big success. I'm within my rights to wonder why there wasn't more interest in him. You'll find I've actually been balanced and given credit where it's been due in respect of both the board and management, so I don't need to be told to 'admit' anything.