AyeDubbleYoo

Just out of interest, why is he so bad? I haven't seen much of him, but I always thought he was decent.

Totally, he changes the whole feel of a game, teams have to dedicate a load of thought and manpower to stopping him. If he was a better crosser he'd be amazing, as he is he's very useful.

Jonas will be very much needed, even if Ben Arfa comes in we would only have three players who are competent in wide positions. Jonas might well be asked to fill in at RW when Routledge is unavailable.

What you say should be correct, but I fear there is a delusion at work of players getting games and even contracts on past reputation rather than form. What you say should be correct, but I fear there is a delusion at work of players getting games and even contracts on past reputation rather than form. I'd say this is one of the areas we've improved on. Only Campbell is a slight doubt on this score, and you can see why a newly-promoted and skint team would take a gamble in him.

Have they?

We're a better unit than before, but as people have said it will be a test when we start getting beaten more and more regularly. Should just about stay up though, even our worst season in recent times only just got us relegated last time.

I agree, but this happens very rarely. Diving is a much, much bigger problem.

The only thing we have excess of is poor central midfielders, so any other sales would have to be followed by buying replacements. Obviously if we could sell people then unearth some cheap gems to replace them it would be great. But otherwise I can't see us benefitting from selling to buy.

Weird decision: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/06/southampton-fc-bans-press-photographers Don't give Mike any ideas!

They said they won't appeal When two judges lets them off with paying money into off-shore tax havens and fiddling debt just because they're a football club there's not much point going through another I think they'll go for a full assault on the football creditors rule now they have to, it's a ridculous rule. Are 'football creditors' only football clubs, or do they also include companies like bakeries, breweries and coach hire companies who provide services essential for football functions?

There's no way every transfer window under Ashley has been an "utter embarrassment" Jason, we haven't made big signings but we have usually addressed weaknesses and done fairly well. Yes, some weaknesses remain, they will take time to solve with the right players at prices that are realistic for the current economy and state of the club.

Still nobody's managed to convince me why the club would be interested in making people think they were making signings and then not doing. We judge everything on sigings, don't we? We're not going to say, "we got relegated but fair play to Ashley for trying and failing to get Ben Arfa".

He's playing for Man Utd. Even Owen suddenly became highly rated again once he left us. Everyone is more highly rated once they leave us. Parker, Milner, Bramble, Duff... I could go on. The players you have mentioned all left in the last 5 years..perhaps that says more about the club than either the players or the media..! Let's be honest - there is no doubting the fact that Milner has DEF become a better player at Villa for a variety of reasons and Parker is being kept by W.Ham...as for the other 2, Duff had a good SPELL at Fulham under Hodgson and Bramble...well, let's see how he does at the SOS ! IMO all of those are very average players... yes Milner has improved, but we always knew he was better in the centre. He's certainly nowhere near as good as the media like to suggest.

Fergie doesn't actually get enough stick for buying Owen... I suppose his wage budget isn't as tight as some people's.

He must've played on a lot of dodgy pitches in his time.

How many signings did we expect to make though?

This is a good point, the problem with relying on youth is that they will leave if you don't achieve success in the meantime. They'd be better off selling Cesc for 20m in a couple of years time than selling him for 40m now. In that time they could win the Premiership and even the Champions League. Arsenal's problems are more about signing players than selling them though IMO, maybe Chamakh will turn out to be the striker they've been waiting for.

He's playing for Man Utd. Even Owen suddenly became highly rated again once he left us. Everyone is more highly rated once they leave us. Parker, Milner, Bramble, Duff... I could go on.

Diaby is quality though, he's different to Fabregas of course, but he'll turn out to be world class IMO (if he isn't already).

Don't see how failing to sign players could possibly help Mike Ashley. Think it's a bit mental to suggest he'd be bothering with stuff like making up fake bids... the press do enough of that on their own.

But premature, non?

WHO SAID WE HAD?

If they've been indulging in serious tax avoidance, they deserve everything they get... same goes for any other clubs.

Still hate Fat Sam that he sold Parker and brought in Barton. As much as I like Joey, Parker is 3 times the player at the moment. I agree in hindsight, but at the time I had no problem at all with selling Parker... thought he was average TBH.

Either is fine by me!