Tiresias

Prolly why despite it all I still am still fond of him as a player

This, too many meek kicks close to keeper is the result.

Thing is storming out now would hurt his reputation a bit I think, some chairmen would probably want to avoid the risk of that. However Rafa also knows that if he lets Ashley not sign anyone, he won't ever, Ashley likes his underlings fighting a bit sadly. It's a ludicrous situation as it's clear the issue is the fault of Ashley's trust in Graham Carr, he should see the problem as his own fault and not burden Rafa with paying for it through underperformance. If we don't sign anyone else I think Rafa will struggle on enough to make clear that he was let down and leave the club later for another more ambitious premier league club who lose their manager mid season, his reputation enhanced for doing his best under a bad owner but knowing when to call it a day. If Rafa goes because of this, it will be a massive blow, one final knife in the back from the ownership. It will be confirmation that until Ashley sells or dies, there is no hope and never will be.

He's one of those between two stools players though, not enough of a finisher to be a no 9 not enough of a creator to be a no 10. Sounds like he was very good against Hellas, would be nice if that carried through maybe he can find a more lethal edge to his game and nail down that position even if it doesn't quite fit. Definitely think if he could learn to shoot a bit less predictably (think, may be wrong, too many of his shots are reasonably tame more than being off target or out) and toughen up. Big ifs now as he was pretty rubbish for too much of last season.

Pfft real men don't wear anything at all. Clothes are for the weak

Yeah think pardew return is unlikely. Also I should qualify my predictions with that I am always wrong about everything

Premiership Winners: Man United Runners Up: Man City 3rd-6th: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs Relegation: Huddersfield, Swansea, Burnley Overachievers: Crystal Palace Underperformers: Chelsea and Spurs towards the top, Stoke and West ham will continue to be rubbish Top Goal Scorer: Jesus Break Out Year: Tom Davis at Everton looks great, could start being proper regular Season to Forget: Morata PFA Player of the Year: Jesus PFA Young Player of the Year: Tom Davis Manager of the Year: Hoghton First manager to quit/be sacked: Craig Shakespeare Championship Winners: Middlesbrough Runners Up: Reading 3rd-6th: Fulham, Leeds, Aston Villa, Norwich Relegation: Burton, Birmingham, Bolton Newcastle United Where will we finish?: 15th Top Goalscorer?: Gayle How will we do in the cup competitions?: Get to one quarter final Will Rafa still be manager at the end of the season?: Yes Who will be the first player to be sent off for us?: Dummett (not going to pretend to have any league 1 and below insite) FA Cup: Man City League Cup: Spurs Europe La Liga winner: Real Madrid Serie A winner: Milan Bundesliga winner: Bayern Munich Champions League winner: Atletico Madrid Europa League winner: Sevilla World Player of the Year: Neymar Other: Where will Alan Pardew be managing at the end of the 2017/18 season?: Norwich Which player will be the most surprising pick in the England squad for the World Cup 2018?: Rooney Where will Sunderland finish?: 12th

I kinda think Man U have a good shot at the league tbh. Chelsea will suffer second season syndrome, Liverpool and Man City won't defend well enough to win the thing, Arsenal are Arsenal and Spurs are Spurs and Mourinho will grind out the 1-0s.

My everton mate is baffled too

He also wanted to swap alonso out for gareth barry at liverpool He's not flawless no but if he likes a player deserves to be given a shot. I don't rate mark hughes much so don't necessarily buy that if he's failed there he's rubbish

He shoots early, gets it on target reliably, is in the right place for the tap ins, if he isn't scoring it'll be the service. His issue I guess is he's not one who will often make a goal himself out of the blue. Also think top notch defenders may be able to prevent him ever getting the ball

I trust rafa's judgemet

Wanna very on how long before first bews of the season? 45mins?

Had enough of left backs who are massive defensive liabilities

Good knows if I was a millionaire footballer I wouldn't have my dad doing everything and paying him out, this is Neymar

The thing is the answer to most questions on here are: ashley is a cunt. There's not a damn thing anyone can do about it and got to hope Rafa find a way of working within the system. It is ludicrous we're having to sell shit to afford bargain basement players but sadly that's where we will be until ashley sells or dies

Yeah, fair enough, though then why sign that contract extension?

Asked why he made the move

I can understand wanting to be the centre of a team etc, but in the french league? He'll boost his stats playing in it for sure, and yes he could win the champions league with them and carry them too it, but league titles will basically be meaningless, Monaco won't win again for a while with their squad demolished and no-one else will come close. It's almost less about the money that bothers me, someone is stupid enough to offer that money of course you accept, it's what seems to be a modern streak of individuality players have now. More and more we will have fans of players who do not care about clubs. I can respect going to an outside traditional aristocracy of clubs to have a project to build up, but PSG seems just easy street.

Really think the club needs to maybe abandon hope of selling some of these players while they have a long time left on contracts and send them out on long term loan, share the wage bill with the other club and free up some wages that way.

Is that his struggle? Oh no wait that's a shoe.

Financial Fair Play has failed, this summer has to clearly lead to a change. I propose price cap of £10m just for a laugh

The problem we're likely having is that we gave these players wages that are very high for the level of football they belong and they're not willing to take a cut. Wonder if long term loans where we pay even half the wages would at least reduce the overall burden

Apparently fellaini isn't off now so everyone prepare for hoof it to fellaini and lukaku at the top all season