ExiledGeordie

Well said, he's had half a season in the prem league. It often takes players a full season to find their feet.

It can't be allowed to happen. Was it the Reading match that along with all the pathetic substitutions he made that day that he moved Shola out onto the wing? Must have been but I've tried to wipe it from memory it was so traumatic.

Hopefully. I still like him as a part of a midfield trio when required. Overall he's not as bad as people say, though he offers little going forward any more. Yeah he can certainly come into the midfield and do a job. He's "functional" more than anything these days but my worry is Pardews inability to dispense with routine in picking players he thinks should be in the team regardless of how they're performing.

Surely his appearances this season will be limited to the midfield "as and when" needed. Should be nowhere near the attacking 3rd.

The nature of football these days though. We were all p*ssed off when he turned us down in Jan but lets be honest they threw ridiculous money at him, he had the chance to go to London and he had no reason to have an affinity towards us. If he starts banging goals in nobody will care at what's happened before.

A speedster who can stretch defences and put chances away, something we've been crying out for. Hopefully the lad will work hard.

I think it's great that they've tried to go with something different to try and address fitness and injury issues. Only time will tell whether its a success though.

Yeah that's a good point about Tiote but surely that's where someone like Sissoko would come in handy if he was played in his proper position.

So it could it happen imminently but might not

Yeah this one is a long way from being done and dusted yet, sounds very uncertain.

Definitely, it's the ability to stretch a defence with real pace.

Sounds like go-er this one then (famous last words)

It really is the cherry on top that after everything we have this bafoon meeting prospective players and their agents.

So he was saying only the 8m buyout would get the player, no loan option. Now he's saying 2m for a loan option while the chairman is saying loans are a good viable option in their position,

Who's less mobile than Cisse, btw? Bent? Well I meant in terms of relying on service. Sure Cisse is guilty of missing chances but he can atleast grab something out of nothing. Bent relies totally on service into the box which currently we don't provide whatsoever (speaking hypothetically if we were to sign him which currently looks dead in the water)

We can't even get the ball to Cisse so how would we get the ball to someone who is even less mobile and involved in play than Cisse?

Well just think, now not are we only stingy but also have an utter cretin in JFK leading negotiations.

I hope you are right obviously. The thing that slightly, well more than slightly, worries me is the lack of clarity or planning that seems evident in our transfer startegy at the moment. I havent seen much of this Gomis lad tbh. Bent more so and Remy to an extent...but they all appear different kind of forwards. With Cisse staying, a big postive imo, then I would have thought we would have known what we want to supplimant him. its no use just randomly picking strikers out of thin air, or based on price ifwe havent a cohesive plan in place to enhance Cisse with the new signing. For instance. I wouldnt be going mental if the manager or powers signed Carlton Cole...now put the gun down and wait a bit! Lets say Pardew simply said.."I know 442. I know how to use a big un and a little un up front. I know I want wingers to supply them. I know my limitations, and so Cole and a small nippy type of strike partner it is. I also am gonna sign a Beagrie type of winger to supply em".. at least theres a plan. Maybe a very simple one!, but a kind of joined up thinking. Instead we get Sissoko being mooted as number 10, Cisse out wide, dear lord Ameobi out wide. Cabaye not deep enough (imo) and Tiote , well him on the pitch is bad enough for me. I can get the Remy idea, if he is happy with movement out wide being expected from him. I just worry we kinda just grab players without a thought of how we can utilise them. The managers apparent inability to utilise players properly and set the team up correctly is a major concern for me. He looked like a rabbit in head lights for mot of last season. A few bad results could see him press on with his panic defensive hoof ball and then the season really is thrown under a bus.

This is a good post - sums up the whole situation perfectly. The club will not improve until a) it gets an owner who is prepared to invest in it properly and b) employs a proven or very promising manager with a good record. May be some time happening.... Yeah excellent post

Exactly, I'm just surprised that some seem surprised/angry at this transfer window carry on. It's par for the course with this lot. Same old shit, I feel frustrated like the next person but it just feels like the norm these days.

Maybe a simplistic 2 + 2 comment to make but it all seems like manoevering putting more power in JFKs hands. Someone who has openly expressed a desire to return to management in a position above the current manager now with his assistant arriving. Hmmm

spot on Jesus talk about jobs for the boys, dear oh dear

Well they're certainly clearing the dead wood out, question is will they actually buy anyone

This is the first year I couldn't give two fucks about the transfer window, completely lost interest in what we do. Probably still the layover from last season and accentuated by JFKs arrival. Saw Mbiwa and Haidara in Waitrose earlier, Mbiwa isn't that big for a centre half.