LoveItIfWeBeatU

Sorry if already posted but: - AC Milan have confirmed they will complete the signing of Ronaldinho on Wednesday http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3823828,00.html Ronaldinho to sign for AC Milan http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7505761.stm EDIT - See it was already posted. Sorry.

Thought Goma was canny. Also from earlier posts I thought John Barnes did okay for us - Rush was a f***ing disgrace though. Look - he scored for us in the FA Cup when he should have been using a f***ing zimmer framer. What more do you want? Rush was credited with the goal but I say it was an own goal. They only said it was Rush's goal because it got him an FA Cup goal scoring record or something.

Yes, there's nothing better than a rich man laughing at a policeman who is trying to do his job by getting a witness to a crime to turn up to a court case. The rich are above the law. Take that common man! A victory for the haves over the have nots.

I like the getting rid of Duff part but not the Anton Ferdinand part. £10million-rated? By who?

Do you have any sourceage Skirgey? http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3820846,00.html

You forgot Harper. Remember when he came on to play up front? That should put him ahead of Smith in the striker pecking order. When the team names are read out at St James' this coming season and the crowd cheer each name the club will need to get a tumble weed to roll across the pitch if Smith's name is read out.

"He's a bit lightweight" What do we consider as lightweight? Two examples off the top of my head, Juninho Paulista and Shaun Wright-Phillips are lightweight but did/do well in the Premier League.

Terrifying that some people want Smith to have another season at NUFC. Duff's had two seasons and is as shit now as when we bought him. The signing of Alan Smith by Allardyce is for Newcastle what the signing of Ali Dia by Souness was for Southampton. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Dia

It sounds ridiculous but I honestly think getting rid of Smith (and Duff) would be squad strengthening for the reasons you give. I'd much rather throw on Lua Lua to run at a tiring opposition than have Smith come on (In fact, I'd rather a keeper came on in an outfield position than bring Smith on). I'd love Smith to prove us all wrong but I'm afraid he'll prove us all right while pocketing his insane wages. That would be a good point if it weren't for the fact that he hardly ever scored for Man U and there he was surrounded by some of the best players in the Premier League.

My hope for Alan Smith is that we sell him. I wasn't happy when we were linked with him and I really wasn't happy when we bought him. He did even worse last season than I was expecting. I expected him to be a striker who didn't score but a striker who didn't shoot? I wasn't expecting that. Neither was I expecting the constant fouls he committed in dangerous positions. Jack of all trades, master of none. What Smith means to most NUFC fans was summed up when he came on as a sub against Chelsea. The score was 0 - 0 in the first half and then we saw Smith waiting to replace an injured Viduka at the start of the second half. The realisation that we were going to get nothing out of the game hit everyone watching. Playing Smith is like giving the other team an extra man. If we don't sell Smith I hope Keegan realises how diabolical he is and never uses him.

"Newcastle's spending capabilities were further highlighted when they captured young Liverpool midfielder Danny Guthrie for £2million. Kevin Keegan was dismayed at the amount he was told he could spend by owner Mike Ashley, believed to be in the region of £20 million, and desperately needs to add bodies to one of the smallest squads in the Barclays Premier League. He has been forced to re-evaluate his plans and was alerted to Guthrie’s availability when he was offered the player when Rafa Benitez enquired about James Milner earlier in the summer." A prize to the person who correctly said that Mike Ashley looking for investors would result in "Newcastle have no money" newspaper stories.

The media also say that Arsenal are after Barry who we know Aston Villa want £18m for. Not like Arsenal to spend that sort of money on anyone.

Fair enough if you think that but who would we get to replace him? I wouldn't be happy with someone of Johnson's quality for £11m. Unless the club pull off a miracle like Blackburn did with Santa Cruz I can't see us getting a cheap replacement who is as good as Martins.

Crouch went for £11m and he was mainly used as a sub by Liverpool (I'm not sure how long left he had on his contract). Clubs are supposedly bidding around £11m for Andrew Johnson. I consider Martins to be important to us so at least £13m. I don't know who we would be able to persuade to join us who is better than him for less money.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/gossip_and_transfers/7503890.stm Arsenal are lining up a £10m bid for Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins if Emmanuel Adebayor leaves the club to join AC Milan. (Sunday Express) £10m? I think our two word response to Arsenal would end in "off".

Keegan said we'd be going for 3 or 4 youngsters to push the first team and 3 or 4 players to go straight into the first team. That was after saying he didn't want to lose any of the squad so we can assume we'll be going for more than 4 for the first team now that a few players have left. Guthrie will probably be classed as one of the youngsters. The problem with this signing (for some people) is that it has come before the players who will go straight into the first team. If we'd signed 5 players for the first 11 and then signed Guthrie I doubt there would be much moaning. Good to see it's an undisclosed fee again. Why tell anyone what you've spent when you don't have to (now we are no longer a PLC).

Where did you get the years ago from? It was only last year. Link? I remember they were supposed to be interested (but for all we know that was media bullshit) when he started playing well in the first team. That was around 3 years ago.

Like I said last time he said he wanted to leave, who wants to buy him? Years ago there were rumours about Arsenal being interested but who knows if they really were? As far as I can remember, no team has ever put an actual, confirmed bid in for him. He also now limits the clubs he would like to go to as London clubs only. Keegan may talk him round. We'll see.

Mike Ashley saying he is looking for investors would have been a lot less worrying if he'd said it some time after we had brought in the players we desperately need for the first team squad. Now everyone will be worrying about our spending until we get those players (if we do).

Yes but starting with that as the main point was what annoyed me. Also the comment about leaking goals. We didn't leak as many goals once we actually started to attack other teams. Last season is hard to generalise considering it was two polar opposite managers in charge. I do hope this bit is true though: - "while Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff is set to leave"

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11096_3771132,00.html Some total crap said in this: - Yes, we are all crying out for "workmanlike performers".

I guarantee even if we never hear another thing about these supposed takeovers the commentators covering our matches on Sky and the BBC this season will say something like ".....of course their was talk of a takeover in the Summer" as if it was fact.

Sidwell went to Chelsea for the money. He can't possibly have thought he was going to displace any of their superstars and force his way into the regular first 11. In fact, wasn't it said by Mourinho when he joined that he would mostly play cup games? He was a free transfer too so Chelsea can go spin for that £5 million. Like Scott Parker and Shaun Wright-Phillips before him he has damaged his career by going to Chelsea. Maybe Sidwell won't turn out to be a one season wonder but I'd rather risk the money and wages on someone who played last season.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3781297,00.html

So Martins is asked obvious, leading questions which he answers with 'Yes but only if Newcastle wanted to sell me'. Fair answers from Martins. Give it a rest 'The Sun'. How likely are we to sell Martins when we haven't even got Owen tied to a new contract yet? Arsenal can have Smith and Ameobi instead. Two for the price of one Martins. Bargain!