The Prophet

If we had a bit more depth I'd snap your hand off if a twenty million plus bid came in for Tiote, as it stands we're short enough as it is.

Does it really need explaining again how this lots transfer policy works? We don't operate on a budget for fucks sake.

Aye, they'll do Copenhagen on their own patch.

Surely Anita won't play his third game in a week? Especially if Tiote is out for Villa.

I think we'll do this lot playing a slightly stronger side than last time out. Beat these and Villa and I'll be more than happy with our start to the season.

Aye his injury record is becoming a bit of a worry.

He clearly has far more ability on the ball than Tiote. I really like the look of him despite the clumsy challange leading to Chelsea's opener.

Given a striker is now a priority for me, I wouldn't mind this going through at all.

Taylor's posy match comments pretty much summed up my feelings. The damage was done in the first half, we gave them far too much respect. The midfield was ten yards too deep leaving Ba and Cisse completely isolated up top. This meant most service came to them in the form of a long ball. Even then you felt if we could go to ther break in a single goal behind we might have had a chance, the second goal really was a killer and it allowed Chelsea to take their foot off the gas in the second half. Having said that we were much better in the second half when we got Santon and Ben Arfa on the ball a bit more, Cabaye still looks knackered which considering his importance and influence is a bit of a worry. Bottom line is we lost 2-0 to the European Champions who've invested a significant amount over the summer, however the worry for me is we still look a team that doesn't know it's favoured formation and style, as well as having a couple of players that still look off the pace. If we beat Atromistos and Villa it'll have still of a been a more than satisfactory start to the campaign.

'...and what is Arbeloa trying to do there? Woeful, just woeful.'

Wow.

'If Valdes decdes he's going to cum, he cums' Ooo er...

Can see us going down to an late, undeserved, spawny goal.

For the 'would rather spend the money on a RB/CB/LSFAM' brigade. Has it not become obvious we don't operate like that? If a player becomes available in a position we're short we'll set so much money aside for that player, if the clubs valuation of the player exceeds our own then we back off (ala Debuchy). We're way past the days of, here's x amount of pounds, go and spend it.

If we absolutely had to sell one of our big players, Tiote is the most expendable. Not that I actually want to sell him.

Man City can go and f*** themselves.

Have, Ivanovic, Hazard, Torres and Pogrebnyak. Probably made more tonight than I did at the weekend.

Green. With. Envy.

Can't believe what I'm reading (from albeit a small minority). While fourth should be a legitimate target given our squad and performance last term, a handful of other sides will also be thinking along similar lines and it will take a monumental effort to finish in the CL spots after 38 games. Furthermore the willingness to berate the transfer strategy that has been the cornerstone of our relative success (without full knowledge of the facts) due to missing out on a talented but untested centre back is ludicrous. If the speculation is proved correct and he joins Fulham, fair play. They've got the pull factor of being based in London and a successful Dutch manager who is putting together a tidy little team. A small squad and a perpetually dreadful away records means they probably aren't properly equipped to challange for the Champions Leage spots but they could easily be looking to pick off any of last seasons top seven stragglers, which could easily turn out be ourselves. In that respect it would be little disappointing to lose out but it's hardly decisive, you can't win them all.

Pardew confirmed it at the talk in. Wouldn't suprised me if we at least matched the bid if we're that interested.

Have we ever had a genuine interest confirmed in this bloke? Not going for the 'we weren't even in for him' argument, I'm just curious.

I think the club (and I'd probably agree with them) are more interested in signing another striker than they are a centre back. With the emergence of Perch as very capable cover and Williamson and Good as options they may well consider the striking department as a priority, for the time being at least.

FT. Unlucky, dude. Seems such a waste not staking higher on 2/1, though. I honestly thought Vasco would get at least a point. Ah well, you win some you lose some.

Well played Dinho.