Away Toon

I've thought for quite a while that we wouldn't get either Botman or Ekitike, should have said so earlier and claimed ITK status.

If Jesus is really going to get paid 220k a week by Arsenal, it illustrates how much money we are going to have to be prepared to pay especially on wages to ever compete with the so called top 6. What is the top wage at the club? Maybe a 100k. Bring on the salary cap and quickly.

Bailly has a touch of the Titus about him as he has all the tools to be a high class centre half. Rapid, aggressive, good on the ball etc. But like Bramble his brain and concentration seems to often go missing in action. Maybe Eddie feels he can do something with him.

No City fan doubts Sterling’s raw physical attributes: incredible pace and acceleration which create scoring opportunities. However, he is not a thinking footballer. He is reactive rather than proactive and panics whenever he has time to think meaning he almost always makes the wrong choice. Selling him now makes sense as once those raw attributes go he’ll be done as a footballer. From the BBC.

I've never seen a player miss so many easy chances apart from Werner. Pep doesn't start him in the big games anymore as he doesn't trust him. He wouldn't get many playing for us, unlike City we don't leave anything on a plate for any of our strikers.

He can't finish. The nearest competion he has is another fast as fuck sprinter who can't finish either. He already plays for Chelsea.

What's the plan for the millions of mad fuckers with guns all over the States and football supporters?

I'd have Barnes wide left over any of the other options. Quick, direct and scores goals.

So the reality is that both wide men are City reserves, Ward Prowse is slower and more innocuous than Harry Winks, Trippier is the only left back in England, Rice is overrated, Mount shouldn't be playing for England. Doesn't leave many that are actually any good.

Tony Green, Jimmy Smith, Irving Nattress. Later the first of the great Barcelona teams, used to love watching them play.

Watching Austria vs France. Deschamps is truly the most successful useless manager ever. France have done well despite his terrible selections and lack of tactics. Austria 1-0 up.

Offside and not a penalty. Fuck VAR.

Can't remember the last time I watched England and was entertained or they were half way decent. They are among the favourites to win the world cup in December a perfect illustration of how shit the standard of international football is. Brazil or France might be good enough to win the premier league, England wouldn't qualify for Europe.

Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 29, told close friends that he was willing to commit his future to Liverpool but performed a U-turn after Barcelona promised him a move to the Nou Camp next summer. (Mirror) Tottenham have no plans to sign Wales captain Gareth Bale for a third time as the 32-year-old winger contemplates where he will prepare for the this year's World Cup. (Telegraph) Senegal forward Sadio Mane, 30, has already asked Liverpool team-mate and former Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara if he can move into his house in Munich if he joins the Bundesliga champions this summer. (Mail) Barcelona are open to negotiating with Manchester United over the transfer of Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 25, to Old Trafford but the Spanish club has yet received a formal offer from United. (Sport - in Spanish) Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal says Dutch forward Steven Bergwijn, 24, needs to leave Tottenham and join Ajax "as soon as possible." (De Telegraaf via Evening Standard) Spurs want a fee of 30m euros (£25.6m) in order to let Bergwijn join another club this summer. The player is also a target for Premier League rivals Everton, with Dutch champions Ajax still working on an official bid. (Fabrizio Romano) Wales at the World Cup Chelsea are interested in Juventus's Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, 22, but Blues boss Thomas Tuchel's main defensive target is still 23-year-old Sevilla and France centre-back Jules Kounde. (talkSPORT) Manchester United and Bayern Munich are keen on singing Inter Milan's highly-rated Dutch right-back Denzel Dumfries, 26, this summer. (Calciomercato via Mail) Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth has reportedly made it a top priority to bring in a new right winger this summer, with Bayer Leverkusen and France international Moussa Diaby, 22, and Watford and Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr, 24, two players on the list. (Sky Sports) Dutch defender Sven Botman, 22, who has been linked with a move to Newcastle, says AC Milan are still working on a deal to complete his signing from Lille. (Football Italia) English centre-back James Tomkins, 33, has reportedly signed a new one-year contract with Crystal Palace, while Scottish midfielder James McArthur, 34, is also understood to have agreed a fresh deal at Selhurst Park. (Sun)

City are rumoured to want 50m for Ake, he's worth around 25m max.

Manchester United are hoping they can lure Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen on a free transfer with the 30-year-old's short-term deal at Brentford at an end. (Mirror) Arsenal are willing to offer Manchester City and Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus, 25, a weekly wage of £190,000 to move to the Emirates Stadium this summer. (Sun) Liverpool have joined the race for Leeds and Brazil winger Raphinha, 25, after growing resigned to losing Senegalese attacker Sadio Mane, 30, this summer. (Mirror) 'A display dripping with mediocrity' Mane is adamant he wishes to leave, with the forward, linked with Bayern Munich, not making any contract demands on the Anfield hierarchy. (Daily Telegraph) Chelsea are leading the race to sigh Barcelona and France forward Ousmane Dembele, who is available on a free transfer when the 25-year-old's contract expires in June. (Talksport) Roma manager Jose Mourinho, 59, has emerged as a rival to Zinedine Zidane to replace Mauricio Pochettino as Paris St-Germain boss. (Daily Mail) Tottenham, Newcastle and Aston Villa are all interested in taking 28-year-old Belgium winger Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid. (Fichajes - in Spanish) AC Milan and Juventus are monitoring Chelsea's 23-year-old United States international winger Christian Pulisic, who is frustrated by his lack of game time at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Mail) Tottenham are also interested in Newcastle's 25-year-old French attacker Allan Saint-Maximin. (Football London) Newcastle will need to stump up £50m to sign Manchester City's Dutch defender Nathan Ake, 27. (Sun) Crystal Palace are considering a move for Rangers and Nigeria midfielder Joe Aribo, 25. (The Athletic - subscription required) Wolves are close to a £30m deal for Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese centre-back Goncalo Inacio, 20. (Mirror) Wolves have also been linked with Benfica and Switzerland striker Haris Seferovic after manager Bruno Lage was pictured meeting the 30-year-old. (Semih Atlilar on Twitter)

He played on the right today against Argentina. He's tall and mobile a bit like Abraham. He did miss a relatively easy chance after a ball across the box, i think he thought the French player in front of him would score so he was a bit surprised when the ball got to him. Nice assist for the first goal. He's obviously very young but with good coaching and patience he's an interesting prospect. The French team looked full of good players and they hammered the Argentinians.

Assist for the french goal.

Real deserved to win, when it matters Liverpool's forwards not good enough, 3 finals and not a goal to be found.

Mane and Salah have been particularly poor

Anyhow Liverpool might be the better team, but my money's on Real to win it.

Why is this useless irrelevance the first thing I see when I come on here? Bin this thread off and forget our nasty past and look forward to whatever comes next.

Lodi and ASM on the left you would think is a non starter, maybe Harrison to replace ASM is the general idea. Lot of maybe's.

Creaking badly here

ASM is passing more often, unfortunately his passing is often not very good. and his finishing has never been great. Hopefully he can improve as we do, otherwise he'll be out or on the bench.