Neil

Would you be happy with that?

I don't really know how he'd be happy to continue if he really is holding out for a better club's offer. Not that that's not what players will do but it all seems rather snide. Or would you accept him as part of your squad if he's still at Newcastle on September 1st, even after supposedly strongly wanting away?

They honestly think they're the ones taking the piss. Jesus Christ man. How can so many be so thick?

It hasn't though, yes the biggest/richest clubs have always signed the best players but with UEFA having created this abundance of Champions League clubs and these clubs needing much bigger squads than they did previously, every player who has a five minute purple patch is now standing outside Stamford Bridge shouting "Pick me, pick me!" Looking back through the 80s before the Premier League arrived (and even the early Premier League years before the CL was extended to include more than the Champions), the variation of the teams at the top is so refreshing. Players knew they could sign for one of so many clubs in the top flight and have a go at European football or even the title, now players know they have to go to a particular group of 4 or 5 clubs for that to be possible. Where once, the shop window for players to be signed by bigger clubs might have been the second division or even the third, now practically the entire Premier League has become a shop window. That is not the way things should be. The big 5 during the 80s were Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton & Spurs. The big 5 now are Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea & Man City...the latter two because of rich owners who have spent their way there (and Spurs & Everton are still in the top 7). You're wrong. Ipswich, Watford, Forest, West Brom, Leeds, QPR and Southampton all qualified in Europe during the 80s. Luton, Derby, Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich all also qualified for it via the League but were disqualified because of Heysel. Liverpool at this point had a stranglehold over the title but this was when the UEFA Cup was a major competition. European football was not this magical holy grail that only the elite were entitled to as it is now. I don't really want to talk about the event itself but it's strange to think how different things could have been up until this very day.

season before but Everton and City were in the middle of the Lescott row so Everton were kinda all over the shop I was away and was going to miss the game completely so for the first (and last) time for an Everton game I kept myself out of the loop until MOTD. That was a joyous Saturday night.

http://www.nme.com/news/morrissey/57412

Yep. And? £22m is not a good bid but it's not as derisory as Redknapp is trying to make out.

He's like Messi and Garrincha combined, but French. Get rid.

http://www.tamilbabynames.in/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Tamil-Baby-Names-1024x768.jpg and http://www.aspexdesign.co.uk/flags/england_flag_01.gif

So what's this bloke like? Not heard of him until now.

u jelly? http://www.fritogos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/troll-arms.gif Of course I am. I'm jealous of any club who has more to spend than what's inside a novelty toy pig.

Regarding Modric; although I'd hardly expect Redknapp/Levy to go "aye, go on then, you can have him", they need their heads tested if they seriously think £22m is an awful bid for Modric. However I must admit I enjoyed Redknapp's not at all subtle comment of "some players are being sold for £20m who aren't fit to lace Luka's boots."

Bullish noises. Looks like you're doing some excellent business at the moment; and not only that but vitally (IMO) you're doing it early on.

He's got a good engine.

Tbh, if you can't be optimistic now, then when can you be?

Start Game => Choose Team => Player Search => Filter: Contract - Expired

Every player has their price, Daniel.

Aye, it's truly stunned the footballing world. "Oh sh... oh no! Oh yes! Oh they have! They've only gone and done it! They didn't... they did!"

This is quite the humbling experience for Villa like. After the Wigan manager rejects you and you have to go for your relegated rival's manager (and that team is demanding significant compensation for it as well due to it being "tapping up"), you have to wonder what's gone wrong. Deary, deary me.

Yep, decent addition that.

Surely it's a bit unfair for you to play all 19 home games within 24 hours?

If any given manager isn't attempting to take their team as high as possible, then there's something gravely wrong.

Got any chants a la Tim Key?

Without knowing our squad for next season I've got this image of him spending 2 hours filling in the Predictor thing on the BBC website. I've got you getting 53 points. I've plucked that figure from my arse, it saves 2 hours.

There's every chance you can get something off Arsenal again. If you could choose a "top 4" fixture to have, it'd be Arsenal at home.