Figures 1-0 Football

It's incredible that people still don't realise that the lowest ranked PL team last season earned around £90m more than us last season in TV money alone. £90m. Talking about us being a bigger club is irrelevant, money through turnstiles is a drop in the ocean compared to the PL money and we lost out last season, big time. We receive our TV money across the season, we don't automatically get hundreds of millions as soon as we are promoted. It's not totally inconceivable to think that we don't have a huge amount of cash available. Rafa will get the PL money, but only when we actually have it. That said, Ashley could run us better and spend before we receive, but that's not his structure and it will not happen under his regime so it is pointless discussing it. This is what Huddersfield and Brighton are doing, which could be very dangerous for them if they go straight back down. They'll have to strip their squads bare and start again (as we and Villa did last season) which has differing outcomes. That said, if we are in the same position next summer then Ashley is a liar (again).

Don't understand why people see the transfer fee as a measure of a player's ability like, especially in today's market. Especially when most of our better signings have all been signed for relatively low fees, especially in recent years.

Having seen Chelsea's bench on Saturday, I think it is very strange that they are sending this lad out on loan. Especially following the loss of two more players with bans from Saturday.

Thought they did a really good job, personally.

"cant shift" is very different from "may or may not have difficulty in shifting in 12 months". Makes it a stranger comment when if the Chronicle are accurate (ha), then we're not paying any of Sels' wages and the wage bill is our biggest problem this summer. A trivial discussion anyway that has run its course.

Yeah, I mean Krul didn't go out on loan last year too did he? Not sure what that has to do with you stating that we cant shift Selz. I'd imagine it's because we might still have the same problem next year when Sels returns and we can't shift him because of wages/his ability. Same with Krul Or maybe, Anderlecht have an obligation to buy after x games. Nobody knows that they do and nobody knows that they don't, therefore suggesting we cant shift Selz is a load of bollocks. He's out on loan all season, with at least a proportion of his wages covered, he's hardly evidence of a shocking Benitez signing that we're lumbered with for years. (which was the original and incorrect point)

Yeah, I mean Krul didn't go out on loan last year too did he? Not sure what that has to do with you stating that we cant shift Selz.

Bit strange that we cant shift Selz, yet he is currently not at the club.

A few photos on Twitter of Mbemba, allegedly flying out of Newcastle airport. Maybe one for the Twitter bollocks thread, but it's not totally unrealistic to think that we'd be open for him leaving.

No way we'll pay anywhere close to what Leeds want for Wood, that one is a complete non-starter.

Love our support sometimes. Even when the opposition are unhappy to lose the player and seem to rate him relatively highly, there are plenty around to slag off the signing and call it underwhelming based on the fact that PFM Mark Hughes rated English beefcake Jon Walters higher. Perez is equally as much a gamble as this lad and he's £8m cheaper, probably demanding much lower wages and a few years younger. Other than one good season, what has Perez achieved in his career at 28 to make people want him more? If Rafa wants Joselu and by signing him we'll have a few extra quid in wages and transfer funds to strengthen another area of the team then it's a good deal in my eyes.

A Stoke ST holder that I know is extremely unhappy at this. Thinks he is a lot better than he is given credit for, scored a decent amount in pre-season and looked in good form but has been totally frozen out by Hughes for reasons unknown. Apparently Hughes has never fancied him or given him any sort of chance to break into the team. Whenever he has played, he has played well but then dropped. He thinks that he could be a great signing for us.

I sit in the middle of the Gallowgate and could hear the singing section throughout, although it was much more muted in the second half. There were issues with the singing section and corner singing different songs at the same time, or the inability to sing the same song together, rather than one side being 5 seconds behind Wasn't a bad effort though and will probably only get better.

A lovely nice little chat between Craig and Mike there. No real questions, just pampering around him and selling his 'vision' (imagination). Pointless to be honest, didn't tell us anything new.

A very similar performance and result as last time.

My thoughts... We were well in the contest and defending really well up until the sending off. Despite two injuries to defenders, our makeshift back four were doing really well. I thought Kane's challenge was a really bad one, possibly red worthy - but I only saw it live and haven't seen it again. Tottenham weren't causing us huge problems, they were restricted to long range shots which weren't doing anything and we were lively on the break. Atsu particularly caused them all sorts of problems, I thought he was really good today. I'd say despite Tottenham bossing possession with sideways passing, we probably had the better chances in the first half and could easily have been ahead. Shelvey - absolutely ridiculous. I saw it and I was in the Gallowgate, he was never going to get away from that. Ridiculous. Deserves a ban and he ultimately cost us something from that game. We were at 6s and 7s after the red and it really gave Spurs the momentum. Inevitably they were going to score. I think I'd have bought Merino on immediately after the red in place of Perez but I understand why he didn't as we wouldn't have had any subs left. I think highly of Merino from what I've seen of him so far in preseason and the short stint today. He covers a ridiculous amount of ground and is an excellent passer. I would not be surprised if he makes that place his own while Shelvey is out. Overall I think there is a lot of positives to take from today and from what I saw we'll easily be safe this season. Spurs were one of the best teams in the league last year and we matched them up until a suicidal red from Shelvey. Our system will work really well in this league, providing the team stay focussed and switched on and don't do anything like today.

What an interview. What a man.

3. There are at least 3 worse teams in this division than us, even if we don't make another signing. We also have the benefit of having one of the best managers in the league. Would only be genuinely worried if Rafa left.

Decisions which nobody (including the referee and opposition players) see during real play but following slow motion replays, the foul is spotted and there is uproar about the officiating and how a team has been 'robbed'. e.g. the Arsenal-Leicester game yesterday, with Ozil's handball.

If you actually read what I put, I wasn't suggesting negativity in the stands during matches. There are other ways to conduct protests against the ownership without it having to effect the actual game on the pitch.

Aye, I appreciate that and it's probably a difficult thing to run in the background when things are positive but if we want him out then what choice do we have? It just seems very 'seasonal' at the moment and imo loses its effectiveness.

Well thats was always gonna happen...

Why does it feel like Watford v Liverpool is always televised? Seems a bit of a strange game to pick this weekend too.

The problem with AshleyOut is that the campaign only pops up when it feels like it. If there had been a consistent AshleyOut campaign from when it started 3 or 4 years ago, would we still have him here? You can support the team and Rafa whilst having that running in the background, don't need to create a negative atmosphere to get the point across.