AyeDubbleYoo

Yep, I think we should remember that the media have their own agendas and aren't necessarily the impartial crusaders for the common man that some people seem to think.

Do you think it's a good idea to keep chopping and changing the back four like that?

Since they signing SWP, surely Barton will play in the middle.

Fair point, you're right to a degree. But even things that they're doing right, like restricting the amount they'll pay transfer fees, they can't actually come out and say because it will influence future deals. And things like the fact that Ashley would sell up to any decent buyer, they can't say because it will only cause more instability. Right or wrong, there are a lot of things that it would be very unwise to comment publicly about. How can "restricting the amount they'll pay transfer fees" be doing the right thing if it means we're not getting the players we need and want? Because there's more to it than what happens on the pitch. If paying whatever it took to get a player was always right we would be back to chaos. It's not always wrong either though, obviously. See quayside's post for a (as usual) clearer explanation!

Fair point, you're right to a degree. But even things that they're doing right, like restricting the amount they'll pay transfer fees, they can't actually come out and say because it will influence future deals. And things like the fact that Ashley would sell up to any decent buyer, they can't say because it will only cause more instability. Right or wrong, there are a lot of things that it would be very unwise to comment publicly about. Well, if the club make a point of saying that ALL the Carroll money will go back into the club and then 8 months later have a net transfer spend of about £500k i think there are some questions that are fair to ask. There's something strange about your defending of them on really quite minor points. I don't defend that promise about the Carroll money, I've always said they were wrong to promise it would all go on the team. IIRC the comment about it all being spent on 'the team' came from Pardew, not Llambias. His wording also led to the interpretation that it would all go on transfer fees, and nothing else. Now you may say that Pardew was only repeating, word for word, what he had been told - 'the owner's mouthpiece' line. However, I think we've seen more recently that Pardew tends to speak from some middle ground of his own devising, in between the owner on the one hand, and the fans and players on the other. Some of it may be literally what he's been told, some may be his interpretation of what's been said, and some may be his own slant in order to put pressure on the owner. Someone can dismiss it all in the word 'lies' if they want, but these sort of games are what goes on in the real world of a tough working environment. Personally, I think Pardew runs the danger of trying to appear to be all things to all men. It's too easy then to end up confusing the picture, or making yourself look dishonest. Yeah, very fair assessment. That promise I think was made in the heat of trying to defend a very unpopular decision, and in hindsight everyone can see it was an error. Managers don't always have the luxury of time and space to consider their responses to unexpected events, particularly when employed by Derek and Mike.

The Game is a horrific podcast though, surprised anyone still listens to that rubbish. It's the best one I've found TBH, I really like it. Don't agree with that view on Barton really, but that's just one contributor.

Mentioned as potentially the worst signing of the summer on this week's The Game podcast. Can't remember who said it now, was basically about the fact that he's bound to blow up and cause trouble for them eventually. Think that's a bit much, but interesting to hear that view.

If anything, he looks even sexier in the French kit.

Is this a rhetorical question?

Stuff like the Man City sponsorship will be a massive challenge to Financial Fair Play, and I basically think it will render the whole thing pointless. Unless they can ban sponsorship by companies related to the club owners (conflicts of interest, you could argue) how can they say what the fair market value of sponsorship is? Just like how companies move money around to avoid tax, they will use creative accounting to get enough money into the club to sustain their crazy spending. Who's to say that Man City's bins aren't worth £100m to a sponsor? I wish FFP would curb the crazy spending in football, but I can see clubs like Man City making a mockery of it.

I hope not too, the uproar will probably quell itself in a couple of weeks anyway.

Fair enough, I understand what leads people to look for reasons to criticise. I just don't think this particular one is worth spending any time or worry on.

Fair point, you're right to a degree. But even things that they're doing right, like restricting the amount they'll pay transfer fees, they can't actually come out and say because it will influence future deals. And things like the fact that Ashley would sell up to any decent buyer, they can't say because it will only cause more instability. Right or wrong, there are a lot of things that it would be very unwise to comment publicly about. Well, if the club make a point of saying that ALL the Carroll money will go back into the club and then 8 months later have a net transfer spend of about £500k i think there are some questions that are fair to ask. There's something strange about your defending of them on really quite minor points. I don't defend that promise about the Carroll money, I've always said they were wrong to promise it would all go on the team. This communication thing isn't a minor point, it's a discussion that's been going on for months over a number of threads. All I'm saying is that in principle I think it's pointless to criticise them for not answering things like these Chronicle questions... it's stupid to expect that they would, in other than very broad general terms. And FFS, can anyone not just respond to my arguments without adding on a little dig at the end? It's getting boring.

Fair point, you're right to a degree. But even things that they're doing right, like restricting the amount they'll pay transfer fees, they can't actually come out and say because it will influence future deals. And things like the fact that Ashley would sell up to any decent buyer, they can't say because it will only cause more instability. Right or wrong, there are a lot of things that it would be very unwise to comment publicly about.

Still think he'll come back strongly, the US injury was unlucky but it won't happen all the time. He will be the French number 10 for years to come, with Cabaye backing him up from midfield!

Just out of interest, what would actually be a satisfactory answer to these questions? Would it change anything if their response was "Yeah we fucked up, sorry about that..." And say their answer to "Is the club up for sale" question was "It's not up for sale but the moment a decent offer comes in I'll bite their hands off and be out of here in a flash", could you imagine the shit storm that would follow in the media? All of these questions are pointless because no matter what the answer, we aren't going to be satisfied. As far as club image goes, it's probably actually for the best that their answers are positive, airtight, vague stuff. It's a pointless exercise tbh. Spot on, this discussion about club communication is the biggest waste of bandwidth since ITVplayer. They can't reveal what we want them to, and to expect it is stupid. I know why people are pissed off the club, but this criticism isn't a valid one IMO.

Definitely not just you mate, IIRC most people were relieved that he was making such big improvements to his game and was showing his potential. I still think he's a fairly decent player going through a slightly bad patch - he's just the trendy person to have a go at on here at the moment.

We should club together and buy some advertising, it's dirt cheap.

My sentiments exactly.. Fuck me. Absolutely clueless. Well it remains to be seen doesn't it? He hasn't exactly set the world alight since his move. FWIW I think he'll do really well for Liverpool eventually, but if I was a fan of theirs I wouldn't be pleased that we spent £35m on him at the moment.

Has anything happened like? Are you for real man??? Yes, as far as I know they've taken down some of the letters but nothing new has gone up. Sorry if Imissed something, I haven't been reading every page of this thread. You do know that Sports Direct one is made up, right? awwww ian man, you're tops like but come on - what do you think is gonna go up like? they're not cleaning the letters ahead of putting them back or something Well we'll see, if it happens I'll be as angry as anyone. All I've seen so far is a photo of some of the letters take down, and others left up out of order, and nothing else. Oh, and lots of people on a forum going mental over something that hasn't happened. As far as I can see it's just as likely to be maintenance as an evil plan to destroy the heritage of NUFC, but as I've said if something does happen then I'll go mental too. The club have already confirmed it's not for maintenance ffs. Ah right, missed that, as I said I haven't read the whole of the thread in detail. Have they said what it is then? Bit daft to claim everyone's 'going mental over something that hasn't happened' if you've not even read the thread then. The club have said it's going to be replaced with 'new, identical lettering' but have refused to confirm or deny that there's going to be commercial stuff added. Well, I've read the thread title and the last couple of pages, so I assumed that if the story was "NU lettering to be replaced with 'Cockneyz Rule OK' " I would have picked it up. From what you've said there's identical lettering going up, and there may or may not be something else added. So as I said before, nothing to go mental about at all. It's shit on here at the moment, worst for a long time IMO.

I would of jizzed my pants if I was there. I saw Sammy walking past Baby Lynch, didn't know Shola was there as well!

what would that entail, out of interest Whinging about it on the internet, like everyone else.

Has anything happened like? Are you for real man??? Yes, as far as I know they've taken down some of the letters but nothing new has gone up. Sorry if Imissed something, I haven't been reading every page of this thread. You do know that Sports Direct one is made up, right? awwww ian man, you're tops like but come on - what do you think is gonna go up like? they're not cleaning the letters ahead of putting them back or something Well we'll see, if it happens I'll be as angry as anyone. All I've seen so far is a photo of some of the letters take down, and others left up out of order, and nothing else. Oh, and lots of people on a forum going mental over something that hasn't happened. As far as I can see it's just as likely to be maintenance as an evil plan to destroy the heritage of NUFC, but as I've said if something does happen then I'll go mental too. The club have already confirmed it's not for maintenance ffs. Ah right, missed that, as I said I haven't read the whole of the thread in detail. Have they said what it is then?

Has anything happened like? Are you for real man??? Yes, as far as I know they've taken down some of the letters but nothing new has gone up. Sorry if Imissed something, I haven't been reading every page of this thread. You do know that Sports Direct one is made up, right? awwww ian man, you're tops like but come on - what do you think is gonna go up like? they're not cleaning the letters ahead of putting them back or something Well we'll see, if it happens I'll be as angry as anyone. All I've seen so far is a photo of some of the letters take down, and others left up out of order, and nothing else. Oh, and lots of people on a forum going mental over something that hasn't happened. As far as I can see it's just as likely to be maintenance as an evil plan to destroy the heritage of NUFC, but as I've said if something does happen then I'll go mental too.