Deckard 13

Him, Austin and Thauvin are going to be mint together.

Tbf, we have the same team now as we did this time last year minus Pardew and Carver. He has a point (however marginal it might be).

Does he play forward passes/move off the ball/take a decent set piece?

http://brianorndorf.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54ee7b6428833014e8a1961c2970d-500wi

The source is What Culture. I think that might be a rung below Goal.com

Are any of these coaching staff handy at CB?

Adds no size to an already light front line. Decent player but not what we need if we keep Cisse, as has been said.

Of course there is a legacy to the shirt but its historical significance means nothing to anyone outside of the club it self and yet I've read a couple of times in the press the idea that if we give him "the number 9" it would sway his decision in some way. I'm sure he'd rather an extra 5 grand a week and to play in number 34 given the choice. The whole idea of retiring shirts is a nonsense as well but that's another discussion all together. I dunno about that. MLB has retired a single number across the league (individual teams have retired their own in addition), the #42 of Jackie Robinson. It's a way of acknowledging achievements that go above and beyond in service of the game (and far more in Roninson's case), that no one will ever be fit to wear *this* number again because of whom it implicitly represents. If you're going to look at a shirt with reverence I think it should be seen as a mantle to hand down to others, not to be retired and to become an antique. I think it's slightly different in american sports where you have far more numbers to choose from. I can't comment on MLB or the player you've listed specifically but I understand why teams retire the shirts, I just don't really agree with doing so unless it's for truly exceptional reasons (incredible contribution, tragedy etc). It looks like it could get out of hand and one day you'd be missing a good chunk of the available numbers. I mean I'm sure there are some pretty questionable retired shirts in the MLB.

Of course there is a legacy to the shirt but its historical significance means nothing to anyone outside of the club it self and yet I've read a couple of times in the press the idea that if we give him "the number 9" it would sway his decision in some way. I'm sure he'd rather an extra 5 grand a week and to play in number 34 given the choice. The whole idea of retiring shirts is a nonsense as well but that's another discussion all together.

Aye, the former brick layer from down south is going to choose our shit show of a club over other because we're going to give him a shirt with a certain number on it. I assume if he joins West Ham its because they play "The West Ham Way" as well. It means nothing to anyone outside of Newcastle.

What's the deal with the constant comments about getting the 9 shirt? Who honestly gives a shit what number you have?

No one thinking the Burnley lad to spurs is an insta Fantasy Football shout? Although I was burnt las year with Davies.

Lets hope he paves the way for some lush wingers/attacking players to build off his solid, Giroud-esque footballing style. I'm sure that's what it is, not that he costs less in fees and wages and we'd again rather look at the potential bottom line than the potential to be bottom of the league. At this point in time I'll just be happy of he tries and he scores some goals, that would put him streets ahead of the current knackers. As far as I'm concerned we have 1 striker worth really keeping hold of so anyone in is fine by me. Even if we brought Austin in I still wanted to see a faster, wide forward style player and this signing wouldn't change that. I'll just remind my self that I thought Pelle would be similarly crap and that turned out ok for Southampton.

Maybe were gonna buy him and two ace wingers! Or well just hoof it at his head from half way line free kicks.

I think this is inevitable either way. The squad needs so much that I can't see how we realistically close that gap, especially to our "top 8" ambitions. I don't think we'll be as bad in the coming season now that Carver has gone but we've been so poor in so many transfer windows that teams above us just need to address one or two weak areas and can do so with their new TV money. We need to address of 5 or 6 positions and do so without TV money.

Liverpool are not going to spend £20M on 2 forwards from relegated sides. There will be pandemonium. I also doubt anyone fancies a go at displacing Sturridge from the side on their own, let alone with another player having just joined.

Looks like every goal is scored from a cross and quality from wide positions so he'll fit right in with Gouffran, Obertan and Sammy.

Think he might have already went on holiday if his twitter is up to date. But yeah, if it's any time it's this week.

He's basically Kevin Nolan but actually calls himself a striker. The wheel has turned full circle. I happen to think that's what we need at the moment fwiw.

I'll stop worrying when I see an honest to god defender standing pitch side holding a loft a shirt with Mike Williamson's number on the back of it and their name. Until then, nah.

Sadly, he is worth 15m easy. More the state of the game than anything mind.

Still as reliable?

Phil Jones at rb man. Just why. Tbf most of the back 4 are questionable. Oooh goal!

I am no accountant, but did it not look pretty suspicious that we had the highest wage bill considering how small our squad is and how crap most of our players are? I know there may be some hang over from the old days, the likes of Jonas and Colo being on big money and I reckon we probably got the likes of Sissoko/Cabaye/Remy/Debuchy to come in on big money as well but outside of that who is getting that £78.3 million? When the reporting came through didn't our operating costs go up hugely as well out of no where in a time where player trading was at a minimum? Either way, I'm sure losing the likes of HBA, MYM, Jonas and Santon will have cleared quite a bit of that expenditure.

Pelle and Austin up top? I don't see it personally. I don't think there are that many options out there for either Austin or Berahino. I reckon if this isn't sorted in the next week though it's probably dead.