AyeDubbleYoo

I don't think replacing Simpson is even on the cards now. The club has much too strict a spending policy and far too many weaker positions for that. Before this season I wouldn't have said that mind.

I just remembered this game actually happened.

Spot on. Same with illegal streams of games from abroad. If there was a decent quality and reasonably-priced way to watch your club's games when you can't attend, it wouldn't be so much of a problem. As with the music and film industries, the football industry just hasn't moved fast enough to supply people with what they want at a decent price.

That would be amazing.

We sold one player 4 35 Mil bloody hell, its not like we're selling anybody for just any old bid. The only player who has gone for less than he should have was Given. Trust me Tiote won't go for less than 15 mil and the Carroll bid may actually be good news as clubs will realise that we will only acceept big offers for our big players. I've been saying this for months mate, I wouldn't expect much joy with it!

Yeah, I don't think anyone thinks he's the new Ashley Cole, but he's had a good season and there are almost no good English RBs.

Has looked weaker than before in recent games. The soft goals we've given away are worrying, no idea what happened for Van Persie's header. Maybe would benefit from a period of being dropped, but sadly we've only got Sol Campbell.

Who is he, I assumed he was just some random bloke?

That article's hilarious, basically the more people hate Barton the better, I enjoy having some players that get up people's noses.

Nice to see we're getting some Frenchmen in, sadly lacking in recent seasons.

Well we won't be competing on wages, so hopefully he really fancies it here. No idea who he is or how good he is, but another body up front might be handy.

my chelsea worry is that he wants to play at the highest level ie champs league and stand a better chance of winning things. also i think even the likes of real madrid and barce will be looking at him. You know it is allowed for other teams to have good players. Every player that has a decent season doesn't end up at Barca.

The Harper People's Elbow was legendary.

Only nearly?

Will anything is thread ever be about anything other than him leaving?

Pardew doesn't say that, he just says we won't be able to resist massive bids like the one for Carroll.

Apparently Hulk's release clause is 100 million euros. Probably slightly out of our price range.

I waiting to see how Torres and Suarez do this week before making any major changes - in the Telegraph league you only get 30 transfers a season. I was decimated by injuries and the Asian Cup as well. Fucked Carroll off for Obinna in the meantime.

What's the difference? You don't get points for how good your players could be. Obviously, I know. But a player can't just be judged on a six-month period. Torres has been playing shit recently, but I still reckon he's better than Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Anyway, slightly pointless argument, I just think that on paper we had the players to stay up despite selling Milner and Given (although I personally think the Given sale should have been milked for much more money).

They weren't worse, they just performed worse for a while.

It was the form/motivation of the players rather than their quality. They couldn't give a fuck and it showed.... for whatever reason, possibly management.

Or one less in Duff's case.

Nah theyve only stuck 7 past us in their last two games here. Forgot about those, it was just my general feeling! Can definitely remember us putting in some good performances against them in recent years. Should learn to research these things.

They turned the bid down so Fabregas wouldn't have a clue. This is the most gutting thing about the Carroll sale TBH. He should never have been able to even speak to Liverpool, thus never finding out he was going to earn much more and never having a chance to ask to leave.