The Prophet

Picking up on the the extremes point, it's spot on. I don't think you'll talk to many who'd argue we haven't improved the squad, with Cabaye and Ba we've added some real quality to the first team and we'll be a better side because of that. However we could be better still if we bothered to actually invest some of the cash we've raked in over the last six or so months. No one is asking Ashley to break the bank, no one is asking the scouts to stop searching for bargains, but the way we're currently operating is frankly unacceptable. The examples of N'Zogbia and Sturridge show there is real quality out there if you're willing to invest. Instead we're settling for players that might see us improve, instead of buying a couple of others on top of them which will see us improve. It sends a clear message to fans and players alike we're willing to settle and that simply isn't enough for the more ambitious lads such as Enrique. Instead we seem to have bought into his attitude that we're in financial woe in which any sort of investment will be overinflated and will subsequently lead to fianacial ruin, frankly it's ridiculous. What makes it more frustrating still is the smoke and mirrors coming form the powers that be. Why insinuate you're going to spend said money when you have no intention to what so ever. There's still time in this transfer window but so far there's nothing to suggest even a modicum of ambition from the board. Buy cheap, sell big, wonderful.

The whole we'd of had to pay over inflated fee x for player y is frankly ridiculous when there is genuine qulaity going for reasonable prices. Yes we've improved the squad this summer on a shoe string budget, but it could be improved further if we bother to invest substantially.

Good sides carry debt because they invest in quality. No one is asking them to break the bank but we're currently running at a profit this transfer winndow, which given previous assurances. is quite frankly unacceptable.

Again, I'm not condoning the amount of time it's taken to get a striker in, rather I don't believe for one minutes the current regime are considering names like Defoe and Crouch. They'll go for someone of the Erding ilk i.e. cheap with potenatial sell on value.

I'm not giving the benafit of the doubt to Mike and Llambias, I'm giving it to our scouting system that has discovered some real gems over the last couple of years.

he was on about scouting and targets having 7 months to do the work, we "moved" for 2 very well known and highly sought after players from france and have then basically been floundering like a fish out of water sinceif we were going to operate on such low funds as we evidently are i'd have expected the scouting to turn up some unknowns myself, at least 1 or 2 investments who may or may not make it...assuming that's the business model (buy cheap sell high) as it is we seem to have a bid in for someone pretty average to go with ba ar f*** it i give up, it is just moaning at the end of the day but so we f***ing should be moaning I share your sentiments on the lack of investment, I've complained about it elsewhere but the bit in bold is based on nothing but unfounded speculation, to me it seems like the press haven't a scooby and are subsequently pulling names out of the air. I'll wait to see who, if anyone, we sign before I become disgruntled with our scouting.

What's so Dowie about that? For a kick off the Erding transfer isn't done, but more importantly he either actively participates in our board meetings or he's based that list on pure press speculation. We've also been told by the press our other striking cadidates are on the continent, but why give that equal weight to the other unfounded rumours when you can have a bit of a moan?

It's become evident we're going to be spending very little this summer, with the sale of Routledge we're running into a profit for the summer. Now I've argued elsewhere about investment, or in our case the lack of it and the failure to spend the Carroll money and strangley enough it does not annoy me nearly as much as this sort of stuff. Why insiuate you're going to spend the Carroll money if you aren't? Why treat a manger you owe so much to with utter contempt? Why break a gentlemans agreement with your club captain? It's got nothing to do with football, it's got nothing to do with buisness, they're a series of cuntish acts that only a coward would commit. Courtesy and respect cost nothing, but these classless bastards quite clearly lack both.

We're short of versatile centre back (ideally one who can play left back), a right winger and a forward.

The way they treat the football club and its fans with such utter contempt is disgraceful.

Very provisional team: De Gea Luiz Senderos Lescott Nani Taarabt Silva Kuyt Suarez Ba Gervinho

Some people jumping the gun a bit, we don't know much about the lad yet.

An even more interesting debate is could the squad be stronger still if we bothered to invest some substantial cash into it.

Smith 'rubbed off' James while Jonas went past a man 'like a dog in a pool' Honourable shout out for Darlo too

To be fair we hammered them llast season without him, i'm sure we can do the same again Who scored a hat trick in that game again ? And is he still here ?

We had an endless caravan of substitutions apparently

A mention for Darlo

Ligue Oon Jesus tap dancing Christ

Like a dog in a pool?

Smith trying to rub James off apparently

Slips it into the canal?

We're in profit lads! Get in!

It means Leonardo you plank.

I think that's a rather simplisitc way of looking at it. We're a stones throw a way from being a half decent side but the lack of investment we're currently seeing means we'll be settling with mediocrity for some time, it grinds me and quite clearly grinds our more amibtious players. However claiming 'if we don't sign player x' or 'if players x and y don't score as many goals as Carroll' he wasn't worth selling is a bit of a bizarre stance to take.