Sir Toon

No chance we will have a net profit this summer.

Maybe not but a £80m spend isn't £80m if you sell £40m worth of players to do so.

In the usual dose of hand picked questions given the obvious or parliamentary answer, one thing stuck out for me.  This reply.

The club explained that it does not need, or intend, to sell key players in order to fund arrivals.  However it confirmed that any funds received during the summer would contribute to the overall transfer budget.

That doesn't say that any funds raised can be used on top of an agreed transfer budget.  To me it reeks of the Summer we just had in that our spend was well documented with the recoup hidden behind the propaganda.  Could well be another net profit ahead if we go up.

Of course the top, middle and bottom of it is that Rafa or anyone else with ambition will be reigned in.  The 10 year anniversary of Ashley this Summer is coupled with an expectation level that starts and ends on the propaganda themed financials.

The 'why cant we?' philosophy that the Kevin Keegan's of the world inbred in us older heads slowly drip fed and 'fake news' led corruption of the new breed has created a 'We cant because....'

For all of Ashley's 10 years we haven't improved anything.

The stadium has aged and with no plans to upgrade.

The squad worth less than the one inherited with debts levels hanging over the club of around £160m.

A 10 year spell that has seen a 'net' spend of just over £22m when cash is handed out like the league ladders once were like with your copy of match weekly.

If Ashley sees a potential profit in trying to compete then he will but first he needs a visit from them 3 ghosts and I wont hold my breath.  Meanwhile, the list of old fossils signing on at the dole may have something to get up for in the morning if they hang fire.

Bearing in mind that Shelvey was a bit hit and miss in the premier league, at the very least we need an equivalent partner for him if not an improvement in the next couple of years.

If we go up as it's not in cast iron yet but if we do then we'd do well to get someone in the mould of Kante to allow the likes of Shelvey to do their job instead of having to come deep or out of position at times.

I dont really rate Hayden but when he lines up with Shelvey, you get a better game out of both of them compared to when Ginger Jack is involved.

To add, we need at least one more decent striker, the left wing sorted once and for all, two centre backs, a left back and a new keeper.    That would be the Summer window sorted.  As for the Winter one........

Is there anywhere you can look at a list of penalties for and against each side in the championship?

https://www.statbunker.com/competitions/ForPenalty?comp_id=557

https://www.statbunker.com/competitions/AgainstPenalty?comp_id=557

Beyond belief that we have Gouffran spearheading a promotion assault.  Even more staggering that Colback is still in and the Sissoko clone in Diame.

If we go up with all these permutations then Rafa deserves a knighthood for foreigners

With the bottom teams still to play each other, we are mathematically safe from relegation now so there's at least one more to add as it stands, just not sure which side yet. 

Interesting. 

Seems a lot of faff for that Russian stadium to go to, to increase by 100 seats or so. 

We beat Huddersfield next week and their momentum ends. Simple as

Huddersfield have scored 11 goals in the last 15 minutes of games this season and conceded 5 in that time whilst Reading's is 15 scored, 8 conceded..  Our record is 12 scored, 6 conceded.

I had a dream last night in which we lost 11-3.  Fuck knows what that really means back in the real world. 

The flags the 2 lads hold up behind both goals at the start and every time we score at the front of the East Stand need these Rafa flags instead of the ones they have.

Have they painted the back of the gallowgate with black and white stripes?

Was done ages ago

Michael Martin from True Faith:    You've seen the new surfer to go on display on Monday but there's another as well. Get there early to see it @gallowgateflags #NUFC

Im sure I read somewhere that there is a surprise flag as well.  That'll probably be a Rafa one.

Have we spent more than £15m in the history of our football club on keepers?

 

Noticeable amounts...Beasant, Srnicek, Hooper, Hislop, Given, Darlow, Sels...can't be much more.

In respect of Beasant, it was a record between English clubs at the time if I remember rightly and in that case you can only measure it with the record of today which I think is £12m but im probably wrong.

I'd be all over Hart like if we get promoted. He's not world-class, but for me he's top-class. 3 mistakes a season usually and is easily one of the best in the PL IMO.

 

Its also been reported that Palace could be looking to offload Benteke, again I'd be all over that.

Thinking like the way the regime do then we can forget about the likes of Benteke and id agree in this case.  A minimum £20m transfer fee and a 5 or 6 year contract at a minimum of £80k a week on an average player is just daft.    You'd then be talking of a minimum £40m outlay on what would more than likely be a gamble on us targetting 17th and above.

Realistically I remember saying somewhere that we'd target Hart or at least have stories of us wanting him by January just gone.  I also expect us to concentrate on the usual model at getting players on the cheap with hidden release clauses not to mention players on their way back or having recovered from injury.    If promoted I reckon the first season back will be quite strict for Rafa but if he achieves the bullet points of Ashley's targets for the season then he'll be allowed a bit of leeway the season after as long as he sticks to the wage structure.

Realistically our biggest target this Summer is to keep Rafa again.

No less jumping the gun than the 'promotionometer' thread to be fair but aside from toys being hoyed oot the pram, keep on keeping on.   

*Goes off to check the book on how not to be a hypocritical contradictor.

Blame Sky, they started it.........

Some calm needs to be instilled here.  Yes Norwich have picked up and yes I thought myself that they'd be up in the promotion stakes but their recent upturn in form needs further analysis.

Amidst this improvement in points gained, theyve had a favourable run of fixtures with 4 of the last 7 games at home. This being their 5th of the calender year. 

They haven't faced anyone at the top with Derby being the closest you can get to challenging for anything and they lost to Rotherham away last month.  Their wins have came against teams of the calibre of Wolves, Cardiff and Birmingham so they're expected of a relegated premier league team at the least.

If we are as professional as we've been away all season then Delia will be kicking off again.

Breaking a Rafa rule by posting this early and not taking one game at a time but I feel that I may as well jump on the bandwagon as Sky are early plugging this game and have been for the past couple of days. 

That 6-0 aside, they always seem to do alright up here and their lot will see a result over us as an equivalent to the mackems when they get something off us in that it sweeps all other issues under their carpets for a bit.

Dare not predict a result but a negative one for them will end their season and get Broocey's record collection sent back to the loft for another season.

one game at a time. one game.........

As this is next, we owe these for the many fortunate results they've had at carrow road. Our luck must surely be due to change.

I like how they say this with authority

 

And the Spaniard will ask Gunners’ legend Thierry Henry to join him on the coaching staff.

 

Sounds like Rafa wrote this article tbh

I thought along the same lines.  If Ashley can play media games then why cant Rafa in order to get what he wants in the Summer here. Sounds like propaganda fuelled by Rafa's side for once.