PlymouthGeordie

You weren’t. PIF said they’d withdrawn the offer to buy the club. So formally the deal is off. Until it’s on again. Nobody has any solid evidence it’s back on. Semantics they’re waiting in the wings to proceed and you f***ing know it. Semantics? It’s the current position man. Prove it isn’t. Nearly everyone wants this to happen but nobody knows if it will. All this talk of “not long now” is horse s***. Not one person who has commented so far knows. I tend to agree with this although it's more for the other thread rather than the "positive" thread. People are confusing the takeover with the arbitration. The takeover is off, arbitration is ongoing. Only once the arbitration is resolved in the clubs favour (which may not happen) will/can the takeover resume. Until such a point, the takeover remains off.

That's the other thing. I can see us losing the next 3 but getting a couple loans in on the last day of the window. Bruce will tell Penfold and Ashley the loan players will make a difference (they won't) and he'll end up getting a further 4 or 5 games as a result (which we'll lose).

I think Bruce is only in trouble if we lost the next 3 which is just absurd. Confidence will be so low at the moment because it's not like we've been unlucky in this run. If anything, the two points we did manage to get again 10 man Fulham and Liverpool were fortuitous. I think any new manager will have one hell of a job to raise confidence levels that it is almost a forgone conclusion that we will go down.

Ignore this, I've had my pants pulled down. Argyle are away at Sunderland tomorrow (I didn't realise) and I was told "he's on his way to the North East and Newcastle are keen to do a deal". So basically he's in the Argyle squad travelling up and Newcastle like him but nothing remotely imminent. Apologies for the bad information!

I've been told by two different people (one close to the player and one close to Argyle) that Luke Jephcott is on his way up to Newcastle with a view to signing for us. He's only 20 and has 13 goals for Argyle this season. Not saying it is definitely true and I have no contacts or inside knowledge of Newcastle but just passing on what I've been told.

Anyone read Shearer's column in the athletic? Does it criticise Bruce in any way or is it all aimed at Ashley?

Howe, Farke and Thomas Frank are the three obvious candidates.

That line up is a disgrace. His head should be on the block if we don't win today. Fraser is the only creative outlet against a team with no league win in 17. If we lose tonight he will take us down.

Dummett at left wing back is a horrible choice.

I like to think of myself as a realist when it comes to the takeover and have been sceptical ever since PIF "withdrew". Where are you getting the information that Masters has said arbitration has begun? Because he hasn't confirmed that in his letter today. He's confirmed the club (MA) has a legal case ongoing which we all knew already. Also, you should understand that when arbitration does start (if it hasn't already) that is a good thing. It is the only way the deal gets done. I'm still far from convinced it'll happen but imo the soundings of the last 3/4 days have been nothing but positive. It literally says on the 2nd page “(the club) has commenced arbitration proceedings with the Premier league” That is confirmation of the statement the club (MA) issued months ago after the PL confirmed to NCSL that the club has raised a legal case against them. It isn't confirmation that the arbitration hearing is underway. That is how I have interpreted anyway.

I like to think of myself as a realist when it comes to the takeover and have been sceptical ever since PIF "withdrew". Where are you getting the information that Masters has said arbitration has begun? Because he hasn't confirmed that in his letter today. He's confirmed the club (MA) has a legal case ongoing which we all knew already. Also, you should understand that when arbitration does start (if it hasn't already) that is a good thing. It is the only way the deal gets done. I'm still far from convinced it'll happen but imo the soundings of the last 3/4 days have been nothing but positive.

Where is this ? I liked this bet but only 5/1 with Sky unfortunately.

Godfrey & Rice to be carded 20/1 Davies & Dawson to be carded 12/1 BTTS, Over 2.5 goals, 4+ corners each team & 20+ Everton booking points 8/1 Small stakes on each.

My biggest issue with NCSL is that they were disingenuous with their initial claims. They said they'd push ahead with legal action if the PL didn't "open their books" but that is clearly either no longer their aim or an unachievable aim. When they first came on the scene there was no mention of lobbying MPs, the PM or arranging protests. It was all about pressing ahead with a legal claim in relation to anti competition law and somewhere along the line that seems to have been lost. That said, they're trying to do something and that in itself is better than doing nothing.

I cannot see the "Big Picture Six" stopping Staveley, PIF, Ashley, Reubens and their high-end legal teams getting this done. Our success will be slow, and hard-earned, but is also INEVITABLE. You can't see something that has already happened? The PL/Big 6 did stop it; they forced PIF to withdraw their offer. I have know idea how the legal action will play out, nobody does, but hopefully it'll go in our favour. To claim the PL/Big 6 can't stop the consortium when they've already stopped them once is just naive. The Big Picture Six (to give them their full name) will never stop this from happening, and what a strange thing for you to say that they "have" done so !!! They will most certainly TRY to stop it happening (they will fail) and they are most certainly able to "hold it up" (as they have already done) but you should not confuse 'holding up' with 'stopping', just as you should not confuse 'trying' with 'succeeding'. And you have the cheek to use the word 'naive' about other people ! If they hadn't "stopped it" once there would be no need for legal action. I want this to happen as much as the next person but I won't let my desperation for it to happen let me think illogically.

If anyone is confident at this point they'd be hugely naive imo. However, that said, it clearly isn't "definitively off" as there is legal stuff in play and while that remains I'll always be hopeful. The biggest threat to it collapsing completely is relegation and that threat will grow stronger the longer Bruce remains in charge.

I cannot see the "Big Picture Six" stopping Staveley, PIF, Ashley, Reubens and their high-end legal teams getting this done. Our success will be slow, and hard-earned, but is also INEVITABLE. You can't see something that has already happened? The PL/Big 6 did stop it; they forced PIF to withdraw their offer. I have know idea how the legal action will play out, nobody does, but hopefully it'll go in our favour. To claim the PL/Big 6 can't stop the consortium when they've already stopped them once is just naive.

I've put a fiver on it. Arsenal worried me most but as someone else just mentioned, Brighton do seem a little under strength. Rashford coming to the rescue!

I've put a fiver on it. Arsenal worried me most but as someone else just mentioned, Brighton do seem a little under strength.

I've gone for Wilson, Longstaff and Murphy each to have 1 or more shots on target at 4/1.

It's because Shelvey/Longstaff go to our CB's and collect the ball off them. No other team in the league does it, it is outdated and reduces the number of passing options in which to build attacks.

Longstaff is well off the required standard. Can't run. Can't dribble. Poor awareness. Can't pass. Physically week. His brother should be well ahead of him in the pecking order.

If we're playing 5 at the back at home to a newly promoted team then Bruce needs to pack his bags. I can see their midfield over powering ours and Yedlin must be a nailed on yellow card up against Lookman.

I'm not saying it will/won't happen. But why would Bein (Qatar) pay £500m for PL rights (which is the same they paid last time and included broadcasting in Saudi) if they didn't think Saudi were going to allow them to start broadcasting? Surely they'd pay less on the basis the PL rights aren't worth as much to them? If anything, I would think this a concession from Saudi and it'll be officially confirmed at some point that Saudi will allow Bein to be aired in their country. Why would Newcastle vote against it? No idea. Maybe the vote was some time ago prior to the news Saudi & Qatar are in peace talks. Maybe it was just MA being petty or maybe it means there is little to no hope of a deal. I just think Bein paying the same price they paid for the last PL rights (especially in the current climate of no fans etc) is the bigger part of the story. It doesn't make sense for them to pay the same amount if they didn't think they'd be able to broadcast in Saudi. Probably a clause stating if not resolved and ksa unavailable to broadcast to then a reduction is in place. There goes any theory this is good in any way for the takeover. I've not seen any report of such a clause and given FFP I doubt clubs would agree to a package that could change given they can only spend a certain percentage over and above their income. I'm possibly coming across as overly positive and to tell the truth I'm pretty sceptical the deal will happen. I just think the new TV deal is more likely a good sign than a bad sign. I guess we'll only know if/when it is established if Bein can broadcast in Saudi.

Agreed. Which is why it points to a Saudi concession imo as I think it likely means Bein will be granted access again to broadcast in Saudi. Admittedly I could be completely wrong.