Broadsword

Ive got to say that they have the perfect midfield balance. SWP Kompany Elano Petrov Excellent. Left footed left winger, right footed right winger, skillful playmaker and strong defensive midfielder. I know Kompany is a CB but he looked tidy in midfield the other day. Pace in abundance too. They have just shown Spurs (and us) how it should be done.

Well they must have had there meeting this morning. I expect some news coming out on .co.uk soon on other matters. It also explains the Malouda interest too. I think the request will have been in for at least a few days, explains Keegans reaction about him recently. I would be happy with either SWP or Malouda. However I doubt he will leave if we cant replace him. I would be sad to see him go to be honest but it serves us right the way we treat him a few summers back. I assume he feels justified because of that and fair play to him.

There is no "wow" signing. I like to think people on here really know that, but sometimes I wonder.

Weren't we all going on like this after the first game of last season?

I think their missing impact players, Ronaldo and Tevez would have made much more impact than ours. To say it would have been the same game had Tevez and Ronaldo started is very biased. Also a fit or available Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Hargreaves and Anderson would all of made a huge difference in the second half. We played very well, caught them a bit short and deserved to draw if not win. But thats all it was. Lets see what happens against Arsenal, if we do simialr then I may start getting a bit carried away.

Are you first in the notify list?

Someone send her the Rick Astley link cunningly disguised as a link to Sunderlands latest signing. Theres some hatred for us in that wench. Cant believe she can get away with it.

There are a lot of teams that have a keepers that wont play.

Ill give you aliadere or Luke Moore for either of those?

God you get dealt some serious shite in this game! As for the guy who got Stoor in his first round allocation.

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1367309,00.html

Probably old news and already posted but............ http://www.shieldsgazette.com/nufc/Toon-pair-on-their-way.4396393.jp Quotes from Keegan saying FAYE is going to Stoke.

nice one, ill have a go.

that true ?......sounds a great way of doing things. It sounds like some of the posts in here tbh so god knows if its true. http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1044415/THE-INSIDER-Blackburn-want-Zigic-loan-Rover--Annan-Gunners--Numbers-game-keeps-Kevin-keen-Faye--Aussie-keen-Rangers-switch--Plus-Chelsea-Tiago-Barone.html

Expect some movement of Italian-based players too after they held their ‘market’ on Tuesday. It is a day when they hire out a hotel in Milan and all the Serie A clubs have one floor with each club represented, the Serie B clubs have the second floor and Serie C the third. Each rep then has a portfolio of players available from each club and agents and clubs turn up to try and get mandates or do deals there and then. Former Chelsea midfielder Tiago is one name that could be returning to the Premier League as is Torino's Simone Barone who has interested Fulham and Portsmouth. As per The insider from the Mail today.

Brilliant, i could do that, would i get away with it if i called myself "Mr c***"? But surely you see the difference between an article written by THE HATCHETT MAN and one written by Louise Talyor, one taking the mickey and the other trying to be a serious reporter? Big Whoosh to all of you from THE HATCH MAN!

To be fair to that article, all his articles are like that about all clubs. I don't think its meant to be read as serious. Hence his name Hatchet man!

Lets not get too excited now! I would wait till Ashleys shirt confirms it before printing his name on your shirt. FYP

£26m up front now with no add ons is much much better than £28m over 4 years including £4m add ons. The interest alone on a up front £24m is well over £1.2 million per year. It will work out much better to take the upfront payment than the yearly drip payments. It also avoids any inflation over the 4 years too. If Spurs are offered £24m up front they would be foolish to not snap Man Uniteds hands off. However theres no way Man U would ever entertain offering a single payment of £24m for any transfer.

He now has his own newsnow tab! http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Premier+League/Manchester+City/Thaksin+Shinawatra Its a shame this has to happen to City though, there are far more deserving premiership clubs that I would wish this on.

It was never a problem for Chris Waddle, was it? He also looks like he hasn't got the ball fully under control, which means defenders jump in, he knocks it past them and wins plenty of freekicks. A bit like Kanchelskis used to do.

No thanks to Elano, Johnson yes please.

Secret striker revealed? http://footylatest.com/news/news.php?extend.1523 I wont believe it till its on wikipedia though.

nessy you do realise that a player with 1 year remaining on his contract is worth less than the same player with 3 or 4 years remaining? The £8m fee for Owen can't be compared to the £16m we paid. If he still had 3 years left at Liverpool Madrid would have paid a similar amount. Basics man, basics.

I would be wildly optimistic if we had a talented midfielder coming in. Thats why I hope todays rumours about Johnstone from Man City are true. Compare out squad and signings this summer so far to Villa, Everton, West Ham etc and we should finishing top 7 next year. We also need Owen and Martins fit and ready though.