Stuy_O

If were getting results anything like last season I think players would be less likely to be homesick. It might not be the main reason, but it has to be a factor. So he's leaving as he does not fancy a relegation scrap and hates the manager, whilst on the biggest contract at the club? Absolute nonsense.

Back from, back into

3 f***ing points and lets sort this season out! Need to see some fight!

we've lost 11 out of the last 14. The ship of calmness sailed a while ago.

Needs to avoid defeat saturday imo. Another loss and the ground will erode beneath this club, what with all the bad press recently. The press will finally twig something is up.

After the Sunderland game Pardew lavished praise on him, it looked a very strong relationship then, as good as their was at the club. Something pretty catastrophic must have transpired for this to happen. Find it odd that his father is playing a key role in all of this when it was him who apparently pushed Colo into signing a new contract.

I fear you might be right. Can't see us signing two centre backs this window even if he does leave. Can't see us signing one.

Lets hope it fails to materialise. We need him.

Talking a seriously good game now is Pardew, wants to hope of even a semblance of a performance on saturday.

Oh come on tollemache, nobody expects us to spend absolute fortunes. You make it sound like we're all expecting an outlay of 30-40m. What people do expect is money spent to further the team to cover glaring weaknesses which have been there for all to see for ages. While they certainly bring in good players once signed the board's miserly approach to spending is actually harming the club's development. Given the players we sold and wages we cleared off the salary after last season, are you telling me they didn't have enough money to cough up the Debuchy money in the summer and money for a centre half? Norwich spent more money than us. We're two points off the relegation zone and the places we've dropped in the league will actually end up costing us money anyway. To me it's a false economy as well as a clear indication that there's basically very little ambition at all.

Nice! Getting his name on the green kit tomorrow. Had to be done

In know way am i sticking up for Ashley here. They have been willing to buy players, but only at their valuation, however commendable that appears, it shouldn't leave you weak, as it has us. We aren't talking about going mental, but it looks like we have not signed players because the sellers want a million or so more. Aye. Most frustrating part of it. Ashley and Llambias know f*** all about football, lets be honest. They are aided here by a renowned scout, and even with his help they are risking our status in this league by showing absolutely no middle ground. The comment above regarding Leeds / Portsmouth is ridiculous and the point I alluded to earlier.

The club 'model' is a myth imo. The club is ran on the cheap with zero ambition, with any expenditure reduction designed to benefit Ashley more than the club, although they always tell us it's the other way round. We bought well last season then Llambias comes as if we've been doing it for years, making it up as he goes along. Everyone harps on about the pro's of our policy, and indeed they are numerous, but the con's are clear aswell and they are in danger of sending us down (coupled with a manager running out of idea's) The one's who back Ashley seem to push the debate that those who want cash spent are wanting some sort of Man City style spending. Not the case at all. Middle ground in the policy, not a complete stubbornness to exceed ever so slightly with the spending.

No. It comes down to whether you think Ashley is being tight as f***, or merely sensible. "Tight as f***" shouldn't come into it anyway; the club makes enough money to compete and if Ashley is running it responsibly within that budget, we will do ok. Here's a question. If our scouting team are so talented and the considerations the club take when deciding to invest in a player so bulletproof, why don't the club trust them enough to put up the requisite money in the transfer market? We allegedly wanted Debuchy, a centre half and a striker in the summer, but wouldn't spend the money required to get any of them. As a direct result of this (and the manager agrees) we're two points above the relegation zone over halfway through the season, after finishing 5th last time out. I genuinely believed the Cisse signing was a sign that we were prepared to move in the right direction. Not simply because he cost more, but because we were already doing well. The summer showed once again that they value money in the bank over results on the pitch. It's the same reason that we're willing to jeopardise up to nine massively important points in January by continuing to play Williamson when he's not been good enough all season, and continuing to go without a replacement for our top scorer who's been widely expected to leave for months thanks to a clause we had no control over. Depends what you mean by the requisite money, as opposed to too much money. They backed the scouting department by going in for him. Again, the right direction in your book just seems to be spending more money. And how many million do you think you'd recommend lashing out on getting a centre half over the line right now, to play in these three January games? A short term vision if their ever was one.

Tbf a lot of managers use that term, cliche central that like. Sorta the reason I though Pardew would surely avoid using that line, as its the most bullshit cliche around. Especially given what isn't going on regarding transfers. But their we go, he's said it, earlier than I expected aswell.

Agree totally we should move onto other targets quickly. But if Remy is cheaper, then everyone knows the score. Our board will drag anything out if it means reducing final cost and saving some money. Ridiculous given our current plight, but its always balance sheet over ambition.

Its beyond frustrating. Actually trying to get my head round us going into the rest of the season with just what we've got.

And the point being, as it's always a possibility when the window is open, Remy may just bide his time and see what happens in Germany. All of a sudden it (d)evolves into a saga.

Funnily enough it says we're looking at him again in that Echo article. Anyway if this isn't happening, move on to Aubameyang; he has all the attributes Pardew wants. can play outwide and apparently is cheaper and younger. He's more expensive I thought? The reason we will tediously drag this out with Remy is coz he costs less. Unless i'm mistaken, but sure Crossan said Remy would cost less.

Villa are awful but they take better set pieces than us and carve out better chances. Pretty much says it all about how bad it is at the moment.

Get me down as a maybe. Will def be at stoke game but me knee is fucked at the min, so i'll see how it is closer to the game.

To my knowledge he hasn't done this, which is an indicator we're in his thoughts. I know we're all over the place in the league but we're still a decent pull for players, especially french ones. He's just assessing his options man, well within his right to do that.

Just a quote, and he hasn't instantly dismissed us like QPR. Need it done!

Just going back to the Dyer discussion. I don't think his ability or indeed technical attributes was ever in question, for me it was clearly his desire. Obviously he wasn't alone but he was one of the lead member's imo in players at the club were not bothered on iota. I remember the away game at the Reebok (4-3) when I was about 15, and I pillaged his performance as 'pathetic'. I got absolutely hammered by another fan for saying it, and that was part of the problem, he was untouchable in a lot of our supporters eyes, and I still back what I said. I wanted him to prove me wrong after that game, and although his injury record is abysmal, I never ever bought into the view he tried his best.

I have to agree..... we've generally been pretty good offensively but offensive defensively. Numbers are low either end of the field. If Cisse got injured and we do not get another striker in then we are in real bother.