Lotus

Fair post. Nobody minds a stronger structure if the right people are in positions of responsibility and there are open lines of communication. Ashley has filled his shops with cheap crap and built it up. Maybe this is what he's good at. Should have stuck to the formula and bought a shitty little club in the championship that you don't need to spend money on. I just hope he sells asap to someone who actually wants to succeed at the top level of the game and understands that its only done by buying top footballers that the other top clubs want. Notably, that having bumped this post, it is seen that the usual culprit has opted out of replying to me when he was found lacking ............ Ok, thats a fair post. So just to make sure I'm getting this right, you don't consider Woodgate and Modric top footballers that other top clubs want? Also, did Chelsea show a lack of ambition in failing to land Robinho ahead of Man City? edit: i think it's laughable that you have a dig at Ashley for his private business strategy which has made him a billionaire from nothing. Enlighten me, I didn't realise Woodgate and Modric had signed for Newcastle ? Or even a top 4 club ? I don't give a toss how Ashley made his money, he came into this club, knew nothing about football, and proceeded to prove it. Quite amazing that anybody can still not see this after recent events. This has been coming for months, as obvious as the nose on your face. We apparently bid for Rooney but we didn't sign him either, i didn't think the last board were lying when that they bid for him and i don't believe this board is lying about Woodie and Modric. This board are making enough mistakes without you having to spout crap like that, just make rational NON EMOTIONAL observations because they're damming enough. At what ever level the fuck ups are happening i don't know, but they're definitely happening. I hope this rather sobering experience brings about a reorganisation at the club that supports the main man - the Manager.

There are no guarantees in life Lotus sweetie. The transitory nature of reality at this level of conciousness makes it impossible, i'm learning.

All i want to see out of this is that the relevant people learn from their mistakes, or be replaced by people who be unlikely to make them in the first place. As for those who want a change of ownership, what's the guarantee of getting someone better?

Amen

I'm guessing that when KK thinks Enrique's up to speed he'll start at LB (or we'll sign another one), Zoggy will play LW and Jonas will switch to the RW.

How about: ...................Shay............ Beye......Colo.....Talys....Enrique ....................Butt......................... ........Geremi........Guthrie.......... Jonas.....................................Zog ...................Owen................

Wonder if we could get Upson for a decent price from West Ham. Decent CB who can also play LB. Would rather have Lescott tbh but i'd be astonished if we managed to pry him away from Everton. I think we might be better off getting a good CB who's left footed and can cover LB than buying a LB outright as Enrique's good enough long term imo.

Don't think pace will be much use to us as i can't see their back 4 pushing up very far. We'll need to pass incisively. Unfortunately i don't think we can change our method of attack too much. If a team sits deep and tight then normally the attacking team will go wide to stretch them a bit. I think we've got good wingers but no one to cross to really. I can see us playing the ball around their box looking for an opening. If we have a player (maybe Guthrie) who can try the odd long range shot and look dangerous it will force them out to close him down, we might get an opening that way. They won't be looking to hit us on the break either imo, they'll be about set pieces. Probably more pressure on KK to get a result more than last week

...............Given............. Beye....Taylor..Colo.. Enrique Guti.....Guthrie..Geremi..Zog ......Owen/Duff..Martins........

£6m!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wouldn't pay half that tbh.

Be nice if it was Manuel Fernandes....

Will the players have trouble picking each other out a la Manure? Probably wouldn't notice tbh.

Atm we don't have good enough CM's to have just 2 of them in the middle on their own. If we don't sign any more then i think we'll be well beaten in the middle of the park with any 2 out of Butt/Geremi/Barton/Guthrie/Zog. Especially away. We might go back to the idea of only 1 winger away (sometimes under SBR), whatever gets a result i guess. Personally, i think we need a new DM pretty urgently.

We need a DM pretty urgently imo, and a target man. That's 2 right there. Then KK's talked about cover for the FBs and we appear to be after Coliccini. I hope we haven't put this this special Scout-Continental Contacts-Deal Closers on the payroll just to rush through a couple of transfers in the last week of August. Window has been open for 1 month and tbh, i'm underwhelmed. Players need pre-season with their new team-mates to hit the ground running.

Think of the Spurs players you'd wish we'd bought instead: Berbatov: Good player, will make a profit on him too. Carrick: Was good, they made good money on him to invest to the squad. Modric: I think he'll be a good player. Woodgate: Good defender Hutton: I like him but he's not £7m better than Beye So of the current crop, only 3. If they sign Bentley and Arshavin that will be 5. I reckon Berbs, Woodie and Modric would've cost them around £40m. Bentley and Arshavin will probs be around £20m each. £80m! I know they recovered £37m on Keane and Carrick but they've also lashed out on Bale, Bent and Kaboul as the more notable. Despite the money spent they've quite a way to go to get a 1st team out as good as Liverpool's imo, let alone a top 4 squad.

Ashley has already done something which the previous owners couldn't have done, they managed to get Keegan back. no, the old board also appointed Keegan. 2nd attempt. Do you think Keegan will do under Ashley that he did under the Halls and Shepherd. Do you want a wager on it ? Also, see my sig. YOU didn't want him back either mackems.gif I don't, because the league is a lot harder now than it was when he came in first time...nowt to do with the board, funds made available, tactics, etc. rubbish. Same teams. Same league. Its changed for everybody. You beat your competition, or you don't. No, on this point you're wrong.

Probably nothing in the link but i'm surprised a few of you seem to think he wouldn't be a useful addition. Looked better as a holding MF than that other lump the Dutch used and he's decent at RB so provides cover.

In Portuguese Monday is called segunda-feira which means second day. They're never wrong

Thought he should have been rotated rather than started. You're right about Zola though!!!!!! Couldn't say he was a poor signing because we DID get our money back (unusually ) I'm sure KK wanted Signori first though....

All i can say is that when i (rarely) saw him play for Bolton i thought he looked a tidy player. Caught the eye amongst that lot and it made me look him up. No surprise if the general state of play and circumstances of fighting a relegation battle prevented him from relaxing and developing a bit more. I'm happy enough as i guess we all know he's a punt and hope that he comes good accordingly. I'm sure he's not the limit of KK's ambition.....

I guess the really good players can do both, Viera, Keane, Gerrard, etc. Unless we find a jem we might have to settle for what we can afford.

Didn't he used to play for Cruzeiro?

De Jong Pavlyuchenko Turan

Shirley it would be more likely for Bentley to go to Liverpool and Blackburn to use some of the money to buy Milner. Seems more to everyones level tbh.

Well, here's a post that's genuinely worth the read. How increasingly rare!