Stuy_O

Real Madrid are ready to offer €10m which is €2m more than the €8m we thought Lille were holding out for? No... Lille were always hoping for €10m but some on here refused to accept it and insisted they only wanted €8m as fact... We'll find out for sure in next few days if the Madrid interest is genuine... Arbeloa has been in decent form of late but Debuchy has very similar qualities to Contrao so would make some sense having them playing either side... Hang on, no-one knows for sure what the official asking price is / was. Both €10m and €8m were quoted in equal doses off various different tabloids. If Real are intrested they could be offering €10m as they know we havnt got a hope in hell of competing with it. Blowing the competition out the water so to speak.

Thats the point though. Ashley gambled this time last year by not signing a striker, with the hope we could go through to Jan avoiding injuries and with the players we have delivering. It looks nailed on he's gonna do that again imo, only this time we have the prospect of more games and the squad bar one player is no different. Our squad is good agreed but im a little uneasy with all this reluctance to go that extra yard to get players. Time will tell, just want it out the way now. Basically the last thing you said. I just don't see the use in worrying until the deed is done so to speak. It's very possible that this time next week we'll be excited as hell because Debuchy and a striker have come in and we look set to make a real go at this season. Fair enough it'd be nice to get it done sooner, but no sense worrying just yet imo. That's a positive way of looking at it and it would be wonderful for us to repeat a Cisse-esque deal in the next few days. Personally, cant see it happening. Would love to be wrong on the matter obviously.

Well yeh, that whole summer was a throw of the dice. Dont think anyone envisaged our signings would have been as good as they were.

Thats the point though. Ashley gambled this time last year by not signing a striker, with the hope we could go through to Jan avoiding injuries and with the players we have delivering. It looks nailed on he's gonna do that again imo, only this time we have the prospect of more games and the squad bar one player is no different. Our squad is good agreed but im a little uneasy with all this reluctance to go that extra yard to get players. Time will tell, just want it out the way now.

Was nice to be linked with him.

Hate Sunderland the most obviously, but these come in a close second. They genuinely believe they are untouchable, aided by a seemingly endless group of ex pro's coming out on a seemingly weekly basis to defend the clubs latest goof or humiliation. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world (got to admit that), yet they seem to desperate to remind everyone frequently when they forget the fact. Also as a result of their previous success, their support's fickleness is ignored. Look at the attendance under Hodgson when they played Bolton at home. 35, 500. At the mearest hint of indifferent results they stopped filling Anfield. How on earth would they have coped if they had experienced what we have? Dalglish got away with it due to the laughable spell he had them all under. Would love to see it but probably never will, but a good old relegation needs to happen to these.

Will be purchasing both as soon as this fecking window shuts... just waiting to see what number Debuchy gets

Seem to be in the minority in quite liking that 3rd kit.

Can see Lloris joining them aswell as M'Vila. Not sure they'll get Dembele like, will cost them a ton for Fulham to sell.

Plan A - Put daft bids in for Carroll that will probably be rejected Plan B - Tell everyone we tried really hard to get Carroll but it wasnt to be

Very true, the team is an injury or two from really suffering imo. That's speculating obviously, but the threat of it always remains. Of course bringing in bright prospects is encouraging, also ties in perfectly as to what Ashley & Llambias are about. However you get the feeling we are a couple of proven signings away from having a brilliant and big enough side to cope. Can the youngsters jump straight in if we lose a few to injuries? Debatable. When you have the season we have just had you need to be looking to add to it and add with quality. All the other top sides do it, but our tough policy is making life very difficult to do so.

Really don't see us bringing anyone notable in. That's not being negative, just cant see another Cisse style deal happening, where it came out the blue. Pardew did not sound confident the other day either when asked.

Adding the other potential cup / euro games on to the 40 games we will play and it will be quite close I reckon.

Think its gonna drift off into nothingness this transfer window. No one in no one out, which although not ideal is not totally disastrous. Really hope they somehow get Debuchy in, the feel good factor would be immense off that one transfer. The sooner it closes the better. The uncertainty surrounding the transfer window is an unpleasent distraction for players, even more so at Newcastle, where not a day goes by where someone is leaving. Could explain why Cabaye & Cisse look a little sluggish, although with only 3 games gone and fitness issues to consider its a very paranoid way of percieving things. Strange way of seeing it but after friday our season can truly begin if you like. Tough start out the way and a clear picture in terms of our squad and upcoming fixtures. Hope Pardew puts a very strong team out on thursday night, no arsing about with rotation.

Could do with sorting his delivery out. Not a fan of them floated efforts at all.

Nothing really though, Pardew often trots lines out about missing players, albeit Tiote was the only major one today. Thought he should have kept Santon on in that game and took Cabaye off for Marveuax . Santon's got to work on that last pass though.

Who else was missing like? Shola for his 'impact sub' role.

Not the disaster some are making out. Unreal some of our fans like. Lost 2-0 to Champions League winners, one a clumsy pen the other a class strike. We never got outplayed or battered and we should have scored twice in the second half. Ba's was a sitter imo. It's easy to get seduced by what happened last season, but this is one of hardest games in the season and we played ok. Look at they money they have spent man compared to us. I'd bet they have spent more in this season than we have the last 4 or 5.

63 points, not the worst start tbh. Would have been a bit more if Stoke had held on over the weekend, or Begovic had saved the penalty. Seriously thinking about bringing in Rickie Lambert and making him skipper for the game they have v Wigan. Can see Saint's turning them over.

Do not want them signing Johnson mind I must say. He'll be a right worry in the derbies.

Ramage was not the best player but seemed a decent lad, not full of himself like most our players were back then. His last game (Everton away iirc) , he was absolutely heartbroken knowing he was leaving.

Me aswell, more so than usual. Gonna be a very tense match imo, players will be nervous for both teams.

Low scoring.... 0-0 or 1-1. Probably jinxed it now like.

Going back to the Adam Johnson debate. I agree he has to progress and learn if he's to become a top player, but like he said himself, how on earth can he do this if he is forever sitting on the bench, invariably coming on for 10 minutes or so every match? He's rotting away at City. City fans may call him 'a match of the day player', and they would be correct on calling him that in comparing minutes on the pitch and the length of the highlights. The only way he can smooth all the rough edges of his game (tracking back, keeping ball etc) is by starting frequently and learning. The fact he's seeking a move suggests he wants to do so. I still reckon he's a class talent, a very direct and skillful player who whilst playing is a constant worry for defenders. And as mentioned a decent eye for goal. Needs to find the right club.

Llorente has officially signed according to twitter. 35million euro. The mackems man, gotta laugh.