Chris_R

If that's 668, then Derby's stadium must hold about 85,000.

Yeah, Obertan's not exactly brilliant, but I've seen far worse. Has pace, can finish, has set up goals. He really isn't THAT dreadful, I think opinions on him have been overly polarised by his competition in the early part of last season with Ben Arfa for the wide right spot. With Obertan keeping out the crowd favourite, he was always going to be the antichrist if he didn't get a hattrick every game.

No, he isn't. He's going to register with Fleetwood town whilst they play 12 games, then come straight back. He'll not play 1 single second for them.

It wasn't club's coming in that worried me though, that can happen with any player. It was the fact we had no power over it, he could have left for 7m ( supposedly) and we could have done nothing about it. Now the clause has expired we actually have a degree of a control over any Ba transfer and that makes me feel a lot more comfortable. Aye, assuming the reports are correct... Wonder if we'll now move to renegotiate his contract btw? No reason for us to. Renegotiating before today could have gotten rid of that clause. Now it's gone anyway, there's no point in us upping his wages for no gain to us.

I can't see Carroll playing well in a 4-3-3 unless he was in the middle, but surely Cisse will get that spot? I know we need cover but Cisse, Ba and Carroll all wanting the same one position isn't going to work. So if we DO get him I imagine we're back to 4-4-2. Carroll and Cisse/Ba in a 4-4-2 could be fucking lethal, but then you're looking at who will play on the wings. Jonas on the left and Ben Arfa on the right doesn't feel like it would work for me. Carroll needs good balls in, which Jonas has consistently proven he can't deliver, at least not from the left. Likewise with Ben Arfa on the right, he'd have to jink back inside onto his stronger foot all the time. Maybe switch them? But then is Ben Arfa really a winger at all? He couldn't play just behind the front 2 as we'd have Tiote and Cabaye in the middle, and we need width for Carroll. Not sure where I stand on this one at all.

That Shola stat always makes me smile. I'm hoping he bags a few more in Europe next year to further extend his lead.

If he's got to run with it he'll probably break down injured and drop the torch in a puddle.

Can't see AP being interested in 30-year-old Fanni. Next.

My problem with signing Carroll isn't the fee, but the wages. If he comes back on £40k, fair enough. But there's no way we should look to get anywhere near his alleged £80k/week Liverpool salary. And I'd only be happy with a loan if it included an option to buy at a set price, and knowing in advance that he'd agree to the wages we were offering.

I think we should offer Liverpool £15m cash. Then every week that passes without them accepting between now and deadline day, lower the amount by £500k

That's probably just how Schteeve talks now. Reckon Google translate has got it spot on.

I'm delighted with our current approach. And I can't see how it can backfire. After all, we're going for players who have release clauses a lot of the time, which means the "selling" club has to accept it. Doesn't matter one iota if they like us or not. As for the low offers, it's sensible. When haggling over something, if you don't offend the other person with your first offer, then you've offered too much.

I did wonder that myself. Not sure the SFA have thought this through, tbh. Surely if they say all the players are free agents because it's a new company, they have to say the signing ban isn't valid because it's a new company too? I mean, I'm all for laughing at Rangers and their plight but it seems a bit OTT to say they have to play games with no players.

The problem with us selling Carroll for £35m was not the fee, but that we sold him at all. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but at the time it felt like we were vulnerable. Carroll first, who next? We'd become a selling club. It was about the mentality, not the figure.

Nobody suggested a cheeky bid for Enrique as well? We still need a fullback and he wanted to be playing for a top six club, after all.

See, I don't reckon this SPL2 thing can work. After all, if all the clubs want Rangers in D3 and not in D1, then surely they'll all refuse to join a renamed D1 with Rangers in? It's just hot air and scare tactics from the SFA.

This, although if they come in for Debuchy and what ever striker we go for then i will start to get annoyed. What, like De Jong?

Not especially worried by who's gone. Smith, Kadar and Forster were irrelevant last season so won't be missed. That only leaves Guthrie, Simpson and Best. We've already signed Amalfitano, so that's Guthrie replaced and we're allegedly very close to signing Debuchy with strong rumours over Hoilett too. Admittedly, Hoilett is a different player to Best but if anything he'll fit into the 2 wide positions of our 4-3-3 better than Best did anyway. As well as signings, you've got to factor in player progression as well. Abeid, Tavernier and possibly some others might be able to make a step up next season and offer us more in-depth cover even though they won't be new signings as such. Plus I have started to trust the club again to get the right people in, they're aware of where we're short and what needs doing and I'm sure we'll get it done.

Nobody cares about the small clubs though. It's all about the SPL, and the TV deal they have with Sky could be in jeopardy if Rangers and Celtic aren't in the top flight together after next season. Putting Rangers in Division 1 means they're all but guaranteed promotion to the SPL and then you've got the Old Firm together to keep Sky happy.

Good luck to him. Always thought he was a decent player, and would have been more than happy going into next season with him in the squad. That said, he was never going to be first-choice here if we're going to progress as we want to or even maintain last season's performances. I just hope we replace him with someone better, which won't be that easy if we're going to stick to a budget.

We're probably stringing them along about De Jong, letting them think we might pay £15m or whatever, just so they let us have Douglas for £5m. Then once we sign Douglas, we'll pull the plug on De Jong.

I can't honestly see Rangers ending up in Div3. The SFA will put them in Division 1. Which is a disgrace.

Probably waiting to see if Debuchy can be persuaded to join. If not, doubtless we'll be back in for our other targets.

Not if he thinks he can get £20m+ Ashley's a very tough negotiator. I'd be shocked if he didn't extract every penny he could from a club looking to buy one of our best players, rather than just accepting a bid because it's a good deal for us.

I just hope nobody's stupid enough to offer them decent money for their ageing, wantaway squad and they're left with the choice of keep unhappy old players or sell for a pittance. Last thing I'd want to see is them getting £15m for Defoe or whatever.