The Prophet

He's got to be on the wind up.

Surely it's occured to Ashley making an investment now is a more profitbale long term startegy? I echo what Parky has to say about debt, I made a post about it last year but I can't be arsed to find it. I applaud Ashley for slashing the wage bill, etc but he has to realise well established clubs have a certian amount of debt, while the clubs at the top end of table have a massive amount of debt, perhaps with the exception of Arsenal. You can't climb the ladder serching the bargain bin for the odd Bosman here and a loan there, it doesn't work like that. Take Sunderland for example, what is they've spent something like £100 million on players in the last two or three years (I could be wrong there like)? And they're still struggling to break into the top half of the table. It's not like we're asking him to spend that much either, it's a case of screwing your loaf. I really don't know what Ashely's perogatives are, I've said in the Ben Arfa I'm not sure whether he's penny pinching because he feels it's necessay or because it's part of some pipe dream buisness plan in which we climb the league on a wing and a prayer but either way we're going to suffer for it. We'll stumble from season to season maybe scrapping through one and getting relegated the next, then the ultimate goal of breaking even will become longer and more painful. Surely it would occur to anyone with a modicum of sense that a reletively sized investment now will serve him better in the long term, even if we have to suffer as Premier League whipping boys for a few of years it's a hell of a lot more valubale the lurching from league to leage every other year.

Rising to 29m with addons, by all accounts. You must be a happy man.

Perhaps he fancied a bottle of dog and a natter in one of our fine alcohol serving establishments.

Should rip shit up in the Championship, would expects Chopra's goal tally to increase too. On second though I can see him being dumped out wide with Bothroyd and Chopra continuing up front. City surely realise they're going to have to flog him to a potential rival sooner or later?

Shame they didn't take you with them really.

Has he left yet?

No.

Aye so when you were sat at the table negotiating with our higher ups what did/didn't they do that was good enough for you? Give it up, they've f***ed up badly here. The guy was so desperate to join he flew off his own back to try to secure a deal. Yet they still let him slip through their fingers it seems. If that's doesn't constitute embarrassingly poor I don't know what does. We haven't covered ourselves in glory but I don't know why people are losing their rag over it. We knew from the outset we don't have/don't want to spend any money, it was always going to be loan or nothing. Marseille just want shot now so as soon as they get cash in hand you won't see his arse for dust, we'll be a last resort if no bids come in. It doesn't matter if he mooched here on camel back if we haven't agreed a deal for him we can't talk to him.

Aye so when you were sat at the table negotiating with our higher ups what did/didn't they do that was good enough for you?

As if we can afford Zarate.

So one of two things could happen if there's truth in this bid: Ashleys could match the bid. I know, I laughed too Or Ben Afra could dig his heels in for a move to England which I doubt because with a bid Marseille hold all the aces, he'd rather move full stop than stay put. Essentially if it's true we're fucked.

In face I'd go as far to say as we've got far bigger problems than our set pieces.

Harper 6 - Did well overall but went down in installments for the third. Perch 5 - Exposed by a quality left wing combination. Not as bad as some made out. Colo 5 - Worrying signs. Williamson 7 - Thought he was a beast bar the one error. Jose 5 - Below par. Routledge 4 - Went on some decent dribbles but didn't provide enough cover or end product. Barton 6 - Acceptable. Smith 4 - Would of given him a nine if he'd of continued his form from the first 15 minutes but he went missing after the booking. Jonas 4 - Sticky, and when he did pass he generally lost posession. Nolan 1 - Donned his invisibility cloak again. Carroll 7 - battled hard but should of burried that header.

As good as Carroll was he really has to put chances like that away regardless of the opposition.

Shagging the shop keeper.

Exactly the same.

Positives: Our heads didn't go down. Williamson looked the part for large periods of the game. Carroll grafted his bollocks off. We looked much better going 4-4-2. Negatives: Colo still looks unconvincing. Individual mistakes at the back. As captain Nolan is a guaranteed starter. End prduct in the final third.

They haven't been too bad tonight.

Sounds odd when we've lost 3-0 but I think we've played alright.

There have been so many positives, it's such a shame we let in two soft goals.

Don't think Perch has been as bad as people are making out. I'd single Colo, Jose, Jonas, and Nolan before I'd blame the lad. The gulf in quality is evident, it's just a shame the goals have been so simple.

Aye just heard that.. did he say we had enquired? Wasn't really listening, I was hoping someone else heard something.

Us and the mackems being linked with him on SSN.