Novocastrian

Too right, millions banked from player sales (and saved wages) and we are still standing around scratching our balls and scrabbling, seemingly, for a loan signing. Would not surprise me in the slightest to have Macheda brought in on loan. I don't want any player on loan, not even Sturridge. We are, realistically, still one of the richest clubs in the PL, therefore the world, and I cannot believe we can't affored to pay for a suitable striker to replace Carrol. It's fucking ridiculous!!!

Sturridge won't be loaned imho part of their 1st team plans "Sturridge is in my 1st team plans" *buys Lukaku* - Andre Trollas Boas. I'm sure Anderlecht asked to keep Lukaku on loan for this season and Chelsea refused. Can't see why they would loan him out. Even less chance with Drogba's injury.

I feel slightly sad for Wenger, he is obviously suffering and he is, in my opinion, a top class manager. Couldn't give a fuck about the Arsenal fans though. I was at the 3-0 at the Emirates a couple of seasons ago and they are the most arrogant bunch of tossers imaginable. Met another bunch of these chumps at Newcastle airport last season after they had played Sunderland. Their demise is delicious, more please!!!

What's Best v Carroll's goal record since Carroll signed for Liverpool? Sorry, can't be arsed to google it. I suspect it's something like Best 7 Carroll 2, anyone confirm?

If we don't sign anyone we've managed to unsettle quite a few players with our 'shadow boxing'. Impressive.

I can imagine the same angst and anxiety on here if anyone ever starts sniffing around Shola.

Being s***, people would have preferred him to sign for Lpool. novo was saying something like he quite like QPR and shame on them on this transfer?? I'd rather he went to a club I can't stand like West Ham. Makes it easier to take. I know people are lining up to take sides but, similar to the Carroll debacle, both Barton and Fat Ash & Co are equally culpable of turning a promising situation (for the player and the club) into what is another self inflicted injury to the team.

More concerned with the lack of another player who won't be replaced. The transfer fees and wages saved by shipping out Barton, Nolan, Carroll, Enrique etc should have meant the entire playing staff being reshaped into a side capable of pummelling anyone in the bottom half, challenging the for the top 6 and giving the top 4 a good game. Unfortunately it was just a huge money saving exercise by Fat Ash. Barton had a few good points but his constant whingeing was disingenuous to say the least. He has his nice long term deal so we should move on. Shame about QPR, I always quite liked them.

If Owen Lovenkrands started every week for Man Utd, staying injury free, while Lovenkrands Owen started every week for us, Owen Lovenkrands would probably have 3 times as many goals as Lovenkrands Owen. FYP, even Ranger would score in that Man Utd team.

I was quite impressed with Best last night. He looked a little off the pace, as did most of his team mates. However, he has good first touch, can hold the ball, make space for himself once he receives it and win his fair share of headers. He fluffed a couple last night but he is a good finisher. I like him.

I don't think it's because he desperately wants to stay with us; he wants a longterm Nolanesque deal and knows he won't get it here. I think he is getting twitchy because he was expecting QPR's interest to kick start interest from other, bigger, teams #wishfulthinking

I was at that match and it was terrifying, I was getting crushed against the concrete stanchions. God knows what was going on that day but the Gallowgate was dangerously overcrowded. I managed to climb out as did loads of others but nothing was really was said afterwards and it was quickly forgotten.

They are forcing Liverpool to waste £100m + on average players.

More pissed off with the lack of replacement than losing Barton. The 'Joey Barton Show' is in danger of overshadowing everything else the club does. However, I will always be grateful to him for staying and getting the club back in the PL. Not sure how many of those players (Jonas, Colo, Nolan, Enrique etc) had genuine offers from elsewhere but they stayed to right a wrong so fair play.

Because we've shown we're willing to sell crucial players without replacement, that our transfer policy revolves around resale value, he's quadrupled in value since we bought him, Man United need a defensive midfielder and possibly the only thing which has prevented him going to their rivals is a dislike of London, we've sold our best players around him and stranded him in Ghana in a staggering display of incompetence... Even if it's a rumour that's been pulled out of someone's ass, it's not hard to see why it pushes the right buttons. Hopefully there will be nothing in this but I remember how the initial Liverpool bid for Carroll was received on this board, 'he'll never leave', 'we will never sell him etc', 'complete load of bollocks' blah blah. As the story gathered pace and was reported in more outlets this board was swamped it became obvious there was something in it. By the end of the day he was gone.

"When you're in the position we're in, you just can't compete with the big clubs. You are vulnerable." True, we should probably just give up and become a feeder club for Man City.

If Tiote is sold I can't wait to hear what Pardew has to say about it.

Why not? They have a multitude of attacking options. They are short of a top class DM.

£14M ? Makes sense: Aly Cissokho £7M Maiga £7M

It is cheating like. It's exactly like feigning and injury or taking a dive. Just because there was contact, it doesnt mean Barton throwing himself to the ground isnt cheating. By your logic, if a player goes down after minimal contact, it's not taking a dive, it's not simulation. Undeniably. Conning the ref has got absolutely f*** all to do with it - it's just so far away from the point it's untrue. Gervinho's actions, a million per cent, deserved a red card, whether Joey goes down or not. It brings up another question, too. If the ref had seen that it wasn't a foul (demonstrated by the play-on) - why wasn't the guy reprimanded for diving? All in all, it would have been a crazy injustice had Gervinho finished the match. Barton just made sure of it; well played lad. Conning the ref has everything to do with it. If Barton hadnt threw himself to the floor would Gervinho have been sent off? Debatable. Yes, Gervinho raised his hand, yes he deserved to go, but for me you cant deny Barton helped the ref make up his mind. I do Like Barton. He's a good player and integral part of the team for me. Think he gets too much stick for his comments at times but he cheated like, without a doubt. If he's helping the ref come to the correct decision I've absolutely no problem with it, in fact I'd probably encourage it. It's only if he was trying to con the ref into making the wrong decision that I'd take exception. Couldn't have put it better, i agree entirely. Zaius, if Barton's helping the ref come to the correct decision - how the hell is he 'conning' him? Dunno what planet you're on. Novocastrian, 'ruining the game' ffs. Players getting away with raising their hands to others' faces is more likely to bring the game into disrepute, like. Gervinho 'raised his hands' which is a sending off offence = he was sent off. Barton's histrionics contributed to Gervinho's sending off, he 'helped the referee make the correct decision'. I think Gervinho was so shocked to be grabbed by Barton that his first reaction was to confront him and try and strike him. If he had of dropped to the floor himself and 'exaggerated' the movement Barton would have been sent off. Now, if you are happy with our players 'helping the referee' make decisions by gamesmanship, then fair enough. As long as you realise that other players will/have done the same to us. If you believe it is 'part and parcel' of the modern game and players should exploit any advantage, including getting opposition players sent off, then that is your prerogative. For me, the sight of grown men grabbing their face and falling over at the slightest touch is embarassing and it is cheating. Players diving and rolling around on the ground make the referees job harder and often ruin the spectacle of the game (although I admit the controversy generated by these incidents is strangely compelling). So, I stand by what I said, gamesmanship (cheating-lite for want of a better word), diving, feigning injury and grown men waving imaginary cards and trying to get fellow professionals sent off is ruining the game, in my opinion.

That's brilliant, but later on in the season it will be someone like Nani 'exaggerating' and getting Barton or Tiote sent off. Read my lips: It's ruining the game.

Players faking injury, going down 'too easily', falling over as if the have been poleaxed and generally trying to con the ref are ruining the game. Doesn't matter if it's a Newcastle player are not; it's risible. Gervinho tried to cheat, Barton tried to con the ref, there's nothing to admire.

Not mongs who've done the sum total of f*** all when you're a premiership club. His appointment was no coincidence. Where did I say it was a coincidence? I didn't agree with the choice of manager, or the manner that he got the job at the time... But I don't get the blind hatred you're showing towards him, personally. And you didn't answer my earlier question... Are you going to hate every manager that this club has under this regime, because they are all going to be working under the same remit? Just asking, because it seems like a lot of hard work when you could just choose to get behind the manager instead. I hate Pardew and will continue to until he resigns when he's eventually broken by this regime. I'll also hate his replacement if I deem it appropriate. He's not worthy of the position he has and I've said that from day one. True, there has been no discernible improvement in the football at all from Hughton's team. Has he had any impact at all on the team? Does he influence transfer policy? I suspect he has little involvement (just my opinion.) All he has done is preside over a steady stream of sales as our most established players head out through the exit. He's not a manager, just a caretaker for the Ashley regime.

'...the purse-strings for Mevlut openers were reported'

Maybe he reads the papers and is aware that we have £35m to spend on new recruits whilst Everton can't scrabble the money together to buy half of N'Zogbia.