Altamullan

Welcome to the Toon Flo

Burnley, Chelsea, Southampton, Swansea, WBA, Spurs, Palace: zero signings to date. Bournemouth, Arsenal, Huddersfield, Man U, NUFC, Stoke, West Ham: 1 signing to date. Leicester, Liverpool, Man City, Watford: 2 signings. BHA, Everton: 3 signings. Can anybody see anything unusual in our transfer activity to date, this Summer? (Premier League.com)

This is a Rafa leak. That seems to be what many believe too. Can't be doing with the degree of certainty some people have in their anxiety or paranoia driven assumptions. If you're not ITK, ask yourself how you know what you're certain you know? We would have a better pre-season if we take a bit of responsibility for not stirring the shite/ spreading the wildfire stench of UDG (urine drenched gussets).

Scumbag, s***-stirring press to my mind. If we haven't secured 2-4 signings in the next fortnight then I'll start to worry.

And we hardly looked slick at the start of the season. As pointed out, we lost our first two games (to decent teams tbf). Definitely could have done with more time to bed in the newbies though.

According to Whoscored.com, 10 starts in the leagues 9 sub appearances, average rating per game 6.7 (7.3 for games started at CDM). 2 tackles per game (for comparison 10th best rating in Europe has 3.8).

Absolutely! Shit off a stick. Shot ourselves in the foot though letting Kev Mababu go. The relay would have been awesome!

Seen Fernando play a few times at The Etihad over the last two seasons. Even at 30, and although never going to be exciting to watch, he is a sound defensive midfielder and would be an excellent signing. Not least as I think the competition and the observation/training would help bring Hayden on.

Well, hope it's David Silva rather than Nolito...

imagine if i had done this I, for one, would have been quite shocked. Evidence of numeracy, I mean, not unhealthy interest in our 'cousins'

I'm a caring soul, always giving that's me

Thought I would 'classify' and colour code Sunderland's fixtures (Aug & Sep) according to finishing position last year of the opposition: treating the top eight (including two relegated sides) as RED (least likely to beat), next eight as AMBER, and remaining seven (including promoted sides) as GREEN. Opposition sides moves up or down a category depending if home or away, i.e. if playing a RED team at home it becomes an AMBER fixture; and a GREEN team away becomes an AMBER fixture. Whilst a bit random, it should give, based on last year's form/squads, a sense of how well they should be doing at the end if Sept given the relative difficulty of the start. So: Derby H points predicted: 1 Got: 1 Norwich A predicted: 1 Got: 4 Sheffield Wed A predicted: 1 Got: 5 Leeds Hpredicted: 2 Got: 5 BarnsleyA predicted: 2 Got: 5 Sheffield Utd H predicted: 5 Got: 5 Nottingham Forest H predicted:8 Got: 5 Hull A predicted:9 Got: 6 Cardiff H predicted: 12 Got: 6 Ipswich A predicted: 12 Got: 6 Preston A predicted: 12 Got: 7 Presuming on average the points total for an average Championship side would see three points for Green games, 1 point for Amber and 0 for Red. 12 points by end of Sept would signal mid-table mediocrity. Less = trouble ahead. More = on course for top half. There are 5 out of 16 Red games, 3 of 15 Amber, and 3 of 15 Green games. So relatively speaking more difficult first 11 eleven games.

Wow Wow indeed. I can understand why people would put HBA in the same bracket as Maradona or Messi,or many other superstars who have achieved so much more, on technical ability. There was something about his fluidity of movement with the ball, touch and control that was/is exceptional. What a gift. However, if you look at all round effectiveness of our own historical players, their individual impact in a game, real end product and influence on the team then personally I wouldn't put HBA even in the same league as a 'prime time' Beardsley, Ginola, Gascoigne, or Solano; not even see him as being as effective as Lee, Asprilla, or Robert. Not an exhaustive list, btw, just using comparisons above. I am not talking about talent here, just effectiveness. If you want to win games who would you rather have in your team?

"Rafalution: No pasarán!"

I wonder what's the longest thread for a player we never sign? This is drrraaaagggging on.

Shame, lad obviously has mega-potential. But can't be confident he will realise that potential, particularly within a one season loan and, as many have commented, if he isn't keen to come, or has some silly stipulated number of starts, then better off without.

Acquah's given name is Ebenezer... E's Good song... I want him!

I can't help wondering whether there was some unidentified health condition which may have been having a negative impact on his stamina/fitness for some time.

Lo siento, Don Benetiz, entiendo muy poco español, like.

'I was more into Dire Straits, me like: "You get a shiver in the dark, It's raining in the park but meantime--"'

Decent player report on YouTube for Samu Saiz. Looks like could fulfill Rafa style no10 role. But given people complain about the quality of most of La Liga, it is hard to build-up a great deal of confidence re how someone from Segunda Div will fair in the Prem.

nowt wrong with it I know it is a while ago, but the pen given against England in the U20 final went to video ref for check. I am no expert but to me on slo-mo the defender clearly took the ball, with a little unavoidable knee on knee contact along the way. Not only did they give the pen but the co-commentator held it up as an example of the benefits if this technology. I was left questioning my senses.

In the 90's when KK was manager. There was talk back then that he or they were in the crowd during the Howay 5-0 win and had something to do with Ferguson's side being utterly demolished. Absolutely refuse to believe it though. We were just pure class that day. what the heck could they do exactly? Particularly loud and distracting version of 'Let's get ready to rumble'? Laced their half time snacks with jungle bugs ("Who man, av just had a cracking idea for a telly show, like!") I think you've mixed up two separate conversations here Thank you, that was just too weird a proposition!

Not a usual combo of words, as others have noted. But, kinda works. We know what it means and personally it has grown on me; like the Angel of the North did.

In the 90's when KK was manager. There was talk back then that he or they were in the crowd during the Howay 5-0 win and had something to do with Ferguson's side being utterly demolished. Absolutely refuse to believe it though. We were just pure class that day. what the heck could they do exactly? Particularly loud and distracting version of 'Let's get ready to rumble'? Laced their half time snacks with jungle bugs ("Who man, av just had a cracking idea for a telly show, like!")