AyeDubbleYoo

I think Fergie will be affected more than most by a touchline ban, as his physical presence on the touchline and constant whinging is a big weapon against officials and the opposition.

Had the effect of rival fans mocking him but that's all it is really. And he got the media shifting the focus from his players to him, which is probably what he wanted. Can see him with a smirk on his face now. Someone told me it applies to the dressing room as well, although I'm not sure if that's true.

The rumor going round is barton is not injured but has said he wont play if he is not given a 3 year contract, Only a rumor but funny how his so called injury occured just after he was offered just 2 year. Make your own mind up on this one. I have, it's not true.

My sentiments are exactly, I know all managers are guilty of some hypocrisy and complaining bout refs, but I find Fergie to be the very definition of a sore loser. The fact that he is a 'Sir' which naturally comes with the expectation that he would uphold a certain degree of respectable behavior makes his behavior even more sickening and distasteful. My sentiments exactly as well, and the guy is in his 70s FFS. He's a successful football manager, but I really don't think he should have been knighted.

True, but at the same time a lot of clubs used player sales to gradually progress. Spurs have to a certain extent. I just hope we keep Enrique basically, that's the safest bet.

He gets put down, but he gets up again, ain't never gonna keep him down.

I also believe that's the ambitions and not the money that will cause him to leave us. Which is a bit daft really, because I think it's pretty clear we'll be signing 4-5 players in the summer, which if you add to Barton, Enrique, Ben Arfa, Coloccini, Tiote, and even the likes of Harper, Williamson, Nolan, Jonas, etc. you have a strong basis of a top 6 side. If he's looking for more than that then yeah, you can't blame him for looking to leave, but I don't think you can blame the club for that can you? Or are we expecting to finish top 4? Nah you're totally right, this is what I think might allow us to keep him. If we add the players you say, then only a move to a top 4 club would be a step up really... so we would have a good chance of keeping him.

It would be silly to pay him more than the players O Nut mentions. But equally silly to let him go if he's being paid less. At the end of the day I doubt money will be the deciding factor, he might just want to play for a more successful club.

I don't understand a word of that article!

All the best Bryan, absolute legend even thought he played for some hideous rival clubs.

How does the fact that our players were signed by Ashley affect how much we should be offering new players? Yes, he gave a few stupid contracts to Smith and co when he first arrived, but since then haven't the wages been reduced? Presumably we're now operating under a tighter policy regarding wages and contracts. A couple of mistakes at the beginning (I'm talking only to do with wages, obviously) don't invalidate any discussion about how much people should be paid in the future.

Is Airey a proper player then?

Not even worth responding to either of those questions. Eh, why not? You asked how many clubs have ceased to exist in the Premier League. Obviously none, but I was trying to get to the logic behind your point... it seems a pointless thing to raise unless that you mean a Premier League team will never go bust no matter how irresponsibly they manage their finances.

Dave, are you arguing that how we were spending before Ashley arrived was sustainable? Or that we should have just continued to get into more and more debt because banks are reluctant to force Premier League clubs out of existence?

Hope the reports of it being benign are true, must still be scary though. Good luck to the lad, awesome player.

I think the main reason must be that market conditions are established and there's no way a player would accept it.

Obviously I don't want us to put finances ahead of football, but at the same time I know the club has to be managed within its means. At the end of the day we should be trying everything to keep Enrique and get him a new deal, but any wages we offer him will be within strictly-defined limits. As to whether the limits are too low or whatever, then we're back in to the realms of opinion and speculation... it'll pretty much always be impossible to say. If he ends up leaving we'll be gutted, if he stays we'll be ecstatic.

No, we should be offering him a competitive salary but making him understand that there's more to life and football than $$$, especially in NE1. I think the problem we have is that we can't really offer him any of the other things (European football, trophies etc) - money used to be our main weapon in attracting players. They were the wrong players, but still.

I know what you mean Dave, but surely you can't want the club to be held to ransom by every player? I agree that it's impossible to say "he's worth £Xk a week" though, as all footballer's salaries are insane anyway.

He's staying, relax.

No more wearing your black and white to McDonald's eh?

Seriously? How many title winning sides do you see with a 20 year-old in goal? Not many, but every team only has one keeper and Man Utd win the title most seasons. Arsenal might win the title this year.

The actual club shops look OK when you go in though, the shiteness comes through much more because of the horrible web design and bad photography.

I don't think goalkeeper is really a problem for Arsenal, however you spell it seems a pretty decent young keeper.

Matt's more talented twin, younger by 3 minutes, plays for Wolves reserves because he slept with Mick McCarthy's wife.