TK-421

Hehe, my boss was quiet on FB last night, but found his voice today. Just keeps calling SJP a library, and going on about the lack of atmosphere... nothing about the actual match, or the fact we (quite comfortably) ended Brighton's unbeaten run. Roll on Tuesday (keep forgetting its BH tomorrow), when me and a couple of other NUFC fans at work can give him some stick.

I'm just glad we've been able to give them something back after those 2 FA Cup exits down there in recent years.

I heard that too, well, they said 'hes joined'. Also mentioned Murphy 'having a scan' or something at the end.

Holloway saying Sels made a meal of the challenge for the 2nd yellow. But even on slow-mo, the clatter is what pushes sels leg around. Maybe harsh to lead to a red, but he does catch the keeper.

Great result, especially going into the international break. By next game, we'll hopefully have more new players in, who'll have had time training with the squad, and hopefully be ready to kick on. Onwards and upwards!!

Monday should be interesting at work, with my boss the Brighton fan.... I think he was quite confident of them winning, or at least definitely not losing today.

GET IN UNCLE FESTER!!!

Stelling on Soccer Saturday: "Palace jeered off at half time.... certainly worrying for Alan Pardew"

Cabaye just missed a pen.... palace losing 0-1

At least we know one thing for sure. The age restriction of our transfer policy has definitely gone!!

Hmm, I see this for what it (probably) is.... a signing with experience of the league, who can come in when needed and/or when the first choices of Gayle and Mitrovic are unavailable, and he probably wont be coming in on huge wages. That said, surely there has to be younger options available, who wouldn't cost the earth have the experience wanted, even if they wanted to get rid after this season (if we go up)??!! Jurys out on this one, but I'm also not wetting the bed about it like some.

Well he's clearly only here due to Aarons injury, so if he's more productive than Aarons when he gets the chance(s), then it could be a decent low-risk loan signing.

Surprised to hear Rafa toeing this line. As more money pisses in to the Premiership then prices everywhere will inflate. If promotion first time is the priority I'm sure dropping a few extra million here or there is well worth it over missing out on key players. I sure know another year in the Championship will cost us more. Its how it should be. We pay what we feel a player is worth and if we can't reach agreement with the other club then we don't do a deal. So you would be happy to see out the rest of this season with the squad we have right now and chance it instead of over spending? Seems a bit mental really. Any over spending will be a fraction of what it would cost to fail at promotion first time round. You can kill a fly easily with a 50p fly swatter, and you can easily kill a fly with a £500 electric bug zapper. If we don't have to spend £xm to get promoted, then why should we? Just because we have not spent much previous seasons? Edit: As said above, money spending is a non-issue for me as Benitez makes the calls now. If a player is too expensive in his mind, then he is. Benitez having the full responsibility forces him to have a long term plan as well, and that includes making sure there are funds availbale for extensive upgrading of the squad when we return to the premier league. The squad and manager/coaching set up as it is today is more than sufficient for automatic promotion imo. Can't fathom why so many on here are desperate to get 4+ new player in before the window closes. Strawman argument man. All I've suggested is that I think it would be OK to let the purse strings stretch with getting the final peices of the puzzle together in this window. The reason? Because missing out on them could risk promotion and that is many times more expensive than a little over spend now. Let's pack the Strawman away and stop over dramatising this. However, splashing millions on players for the sake of it wont guarantee us promotion either! Have no issue with moving on if clubs/agents are trying to pull our pants down for a player, just because they think we have big money to spend. Also, if he spends too big this window, may mean he has nowt left for January when we might need to reinforcements.

My boss is a Brighton fan, and has just broke the news to me. Didn;t really expect anything other than the bench for Mitrovic (given his lack of match time), but Gayle is a blow. Just gotta hope Perez's shooting boots are now sufficiently dusted off.

Hope so - whilst he wants away, and we'd probably rather have the money now, I hope we don't end up with another Andy Carroll, where he goes late (ish) on deadline day, and we don't have time to replace him/bring anyone else in with the money.

Definitely seen a pic of him before, with a similar cardboard and foil FA Cup. EDIT: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/29/article-2092972-11825157000005DC-924_634x320.jpg Surrounded by empty pink seats.... as usual.

So is that lad here for talks and his possibly medical yet?

I thought it was another keeper when I saw the name.... till I googled him and found out he retired years ago!!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Judge_(English_footballer)

Or he's being hamstrung by the board and having his options narrowed? What evidence do you have to suggest that? If Rafa started to get f***ed about, he'd leave. He's still here, so we can only presume all is okay. Personally, I'd be quite surprised if Rafa is completely happy to be 4 games into the season having to jumble around our side, making do with playing Gouffran on the wing. We clearly wanted quality when we went after Knockaert earlier in the window. Not so say he's going to walk or anything, but we're nowhere near as prepared and stocked to match our position as runaway favourites at this point. Knockaert is under contract at Brighton and they have made it clear that he is not for sale, the player is also seemingly happy at Brighton as he's not refused to play or caused a fuss. Therefore, we've moved onto other targets (Alan Judge obviously one of them). What is difficult to understand about that? It doesn't mean that Rafa is unhappy or anyone else is meddling around in transfers. People forget that a majority of transfer contact is often unreported, we've probably made enquiries for a lot of wingers and it's been decided that Judge is the most viable. Agree with that above. Rafa has already said that he's been happy that transfer news has only really hit the media when its been fairly close to completion, allowing us to get who we wanted. However, even with Rafa its probably still a big task to perhaps get some of his preferred targets to join a club in the Championship. Just because we've signed some players from this league, doesn't necessarily mean they aren't his targets, or he's having players pushed on him.

Dunno, but Siem just passed one (allegedly), and Woodgate still had one when he left us, and didn't make his Madrid debut for another 6 months or something! How have people not realised this yet? Medicals obviously can be done on injured players, they are not there to let us know if he can play or not. They are more to check on general health, such as heart rate and conditioning etc. A broken leg on a player means nowt on terms of a medical. Surely it should at least have some weight, I mean f***, it's a broken leg after all. Aye, and Woodgate (as we know) was made of glass.... and sugar glass at that!!

Dunno, but Siem just passed one (allegedly), and Woodgate still had one when he left us, and didn't make his Madrid debut for another 6 months or something!

That Mackem boom / bust diagram needs redoing, with just two points on it... Appoint new manager, claim new beginning - lose first two games, hound out new manager.

Towel in after 2 games???

Long way to go (obviously), but would be poetic to pass them at the end of the season. Either way, that turd has to flush eventually.