Douglas

[BONTEMPI]

Be nice if we did contest it, but if we don't hear some noises by tomorrow evening, I think they've accepted Perch is the cover. hmmmmm

 

Still need a striker and a top quality right back. Simpson will not see us push on i'm afraid

[BottledDog]

All of the teams likely to be challenging us have strengthened more than us. Dats the bottom line.

 

Chelsea? Agree, though you'd hope so after ploughing £70m in.

 

Arsenal? Unless their new strikers start to click, and Song gets replaced, they haven't (though the £10m profit may ease the boards concerns).

 

Tottenham? Losing King, Dawson, Corluka, Kranjcar, and presumably Modric, with only Gilfi and Vertongan as new faces? Nah.

 

Everton? Well, they still have £5m profit, so thats nice. But after one big name out, only one decent new face in - Mirallas. Good player, but strengthened more than us? Debatable.

 

Liverpool? £30m down, and we're now running scared? Are we fuck.

 

Fulham? Nah.

 

Anyone else? Nah.

[Hanshithispantz]

All of the teams likely to be challenging us have strengthened more than us. Dats the bottom line.

 

Chelsea? Agree, though you'd hope so after ploughing £70m in.

 

Arsenal? Unless their new strikers start to click, and Song gets replaced, they haven't (though the £10m profit may ease the boards concerns).

 

Tottenham? Losing King, Dawson, Corluka, Kranjcar, and presumably Modric, with only Gilfi and Vertongan as new faces? Nah.

 

Everton? Well, they still have £5m profit, so thats nice. But only one new decent new face in - Mirallas, and one out. Strengthened more than us? Debatable.

 

Liverpool? £30m down, and we're now running scared? Are we fuck.

 

Fulham? Nah.

 

Anyone else? Nah.

 

Chelsea should finish ahead of us really, I think it'll be us, Tottenham and Everton competing for 6th though, although I wouldn't be surprised if we had an even better season than last year, no reason why we couldn't (Chelsea have improved but so have we).

[Ikon]

trust

[themanupstairs]

Seriously like, it's pretty obvious we're waiting to find out whether or not we're in Yurop this season before making any more moves. Don't know about you lot, but it's pretty damn obvious to me 

 

From which perspective? If you mean that you're waiting to find out if you qualify so that you can spend all that extra loot, then you'll be sorely disappointed It wouldn't cover half a Dawson. As your man says, there really isn't a lot of money in it (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/newcastle-boss-alan-pardew-hits-1268823). However, if you're waiting to find out if you need to strengthen the squad, then you probably need to strengthen it anyway.

 

I think it's waiting to find out whether we need to strengthen further or not. Qualification could also mean off-setting clauses in targets' contracts, or maybe the targets themselves want to make sure we're in Europe before committing. There's a lot we don't know about how transfers work and why, but I reckon European qualification is a milestone after which we'll see some movement. I sincerely don't think we're leaving it all for deadline day, so my theory makes the most sense 

[Hanshithispantz]

We've replaced Guthrie with Anita & Amalfitano, we have Ben Arfa full fit for hopefully a full season, we have Taylor back who only played about a dozen games (hopefull he gets a full season this year), the same with Marv who will hopefully be able to actually play this year, we start this season with Cisse who has effectively replaced Best from the start of last season, our kids in reserve are a year older and a tad more experienced (Vuckic, Tav, Gosling, Abeid, Sammy ect), the same with Santon for the first team who looks a hell of a lot better than he did a year ago and has replaced Taylor at LB, you could probably even say Krul is improving all the time.

 

It's not just signings, our squad has massively improved imo, even if the personnel hasn't.

[leffe186]

Seriously like, it's pretty obvious we're waiting to find out whether or not we're in Yurop this season before making any more moves. Don't know about you lot, but it's pretty damn obvious to me 

 

From which perspective? If you mean that you're waiting to find out if you qualify so that you can spend all that extra loot, then you'll be sorely disappointed It wouldn't cover half a Dawson. As your man says, there really isn't a lot of money in it (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/newcastle-boss-alan-pardew-hits-1268823). However, if you're waiting to find out if you need to strengthen the squad, then you probably need to strengthen it anyway.

 

I think it's waiting to find out whether we need to strengthen further or not. Qualification could also mean off-setting clauses in targets' contracts, or maybe the targets themselves want to make sure we're in Europe before committing. There's a lot we don't know about how transfers work and why, but I reckon European qualification is a milestone after which we'll see some movement. I sincerely don't think we're leaving it all for deadline day, so my theory makes the most sense 

 

I agree, I don't think for one second that any buying club actually wants to leave it till deadline day. I mean, brinkmanship is all well and good, but there's far too much at stake. There are loads of people on Spurs sites who feel it's a deliberate ploy by Levy, but honestly, everyone wants to get their players embedded in the squad before even pre-season.

 

I also agree with you on the contract front - some clauses may well kick in - but I remain to be convinced how much of an attraction the Europa Cup is to prospective players. I mean, UEFA have made such an almighty pig's ear of the whole competition.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I know Chelsea spent a shat load of money, but they do have weaknesses and quite frankly its  just as likely to all blow up in their faces as it is they are likely to be quality.

 

Also something that cannot be underestimated is the continuity we have under Pards and keeping all the players, sometimes just keeping all your stars is more important than having a big turnover of players.

 

Still hope we sign at least one more though, but having said that i still think and expect us to have a good season mainly because the team that started this season is a lot worse( might seem a bit harsh )than the one that started this season.

 

Cisse, Ben Arfa, Santon all have started the season this time and Anita has come in as well as Saylor and Marveaux ( touch wood) being fit now.

 

Lots of reasons to be optimistic that we can improve on last year.

[Dokko]

5-6 games in (with the window closed) and we can see where the challengers lie. It's pretty difficult to judge ATM, couple of key injuries as well changes the whole thing and can happen at any time.

 

 

[Parky]

All of the teams likely to be challenging us have strengthened more than us. Dats the bottom line.

 

Chelsea? Agree, though you'd hope so after ploughing £70m in.

 

Arsenal? Unless their new strikers start to click, and Song gets replaced, they haven't (though the £10m profit may ease the boards concerns).

 

Tottenham? Losing King, Dawson, Corluka, Kranjcar, and presumably Modric, with only Gilfi and Vertongan as new faces? Nah.

 

Everton? Well, they still have £5m profit, so thats nice. But after one big name out, only one decent new face in - Mirallas. Good player, but strengthened more than us? Debatable.

 

Liverpool? £30m down, and we're now running scared? Are we fuck.

 

Fulham? Nah.

 

Anyone else? Nah.

 

We'll finish above those clubs bar Chelsea.

[Guest firetotheworks]

So that's how long it takes to take the premier league for granted.

[Parky]

So that's how long it takes to take the premier league for granted.

 

Those sides bar Chelsea are all significantly weaker this season plus two of them have managers under massive pressure: AVB and Rodgers. Everton have no quality in depth whatsoever. I'd like to see if Arsenal brings anyone else in.

[Dave]

[pi_D]

We've replaced Guthrie with Anita & Amalfitano, we have Ben Arfa full fit for hopefully a full season, we have Taylor back who only played about a dozen games (hopefull he gets a full season this year), the same with Marv who will hopefully be able to actually play this year, we start this season with Cisse who has effectively replaced Best from the start of last season, our kids in reserve are a year older and a tad more experienced (Vuckic, Tav, Gosling, Abeid, Sammy ect), the same with Santon for the first team who looks a hell of a lot better than he did a year ago and has replaced Taylor at LB, you could probably even say Krul is improving all the time.

 

It's not just signings, our squad has massively improved imo, even if the personnel hasn't.

 

Great post and my thoughts exactly

 

Some people just love the negative side of life no?

[Cajun]

We've replaced Guthrie with Anita & Amalfitano, we have Ben Arfa full fit for hopefully a full season, we have Taylor back who only played about a dozen games (hopefull he gets a full season this year), the same with Marv who will hopefully be able to actually play this year, we start this season with Cisse who has effectively replaced Best from the start of last season, our kids in reserve are a year older and a tad more experienced (Vuckic, Tav, Gosling, Abeid, Sammy ect), the same with Santon for the first team who looks a hell of a lot better than he did a year ago and has replaced Taylor at LB, you could probably even say Krul is improving all the time.

 

It's not just signings, our squad has massively improved imo, even if the personnel hasn't.

 

All very good points. Will be a little gutted to lose out on Douglas but you are spot on with that post.

[Sifu]

Anyone else think that VI was referring to our very own Village Idiot? Just me then? Okay, moving on...

 

In all seriousness, if Fulham do sign Douglas then I guess that means we really are holding off from signing a new CB (for the time being anyway). January is when we'll make a move for someone methinks.

[Unbelievable]

Don't know why lots of people on here are talking as if it's a done deal we're not going to (up our) bid and he's practically signed for Fulham. They've agreed a fee, there's every chance we will make our move if we're serious about our interest in him. At least now we know Twente are willing to deal for what appears to be a reasonable transfer fee.

[Cajun]

I hope so, I really do. We are 3 players away from a real top squad.

[Dave]

Didn't actually realise there's now less than 10 days left of the transfer window anyway. Seems to have crept up on me, that.

[Alberto2005]

If we get 2 in and nothing out then it has been a fantastic window.

 

1 in and I'll be content.

 

0 in pretty livid.

[ponsaelius]

Didn't actually realise there's now less than 10 days left of the transfer window anyway. Seems to have crept up on me, that.

 

Shuts on the 3rd doesn't it?

[Dave]

Didn't actually realise there's now less than 10 days left of the transfer window anyway. Seems to have crept up on me, that.

 

Shuts on the 3rd doesn't it?

 

[Interpolic]

Twente defender Douglas set to choose Fulham over Newcastle in £4.5m deal

 

Fulham look to have pipped Newcastle to FC Twente defender Douglas after agreeing a £4.5m deal.

 

The Brazilian centre-back has one year to run on his current contract and has been tracked throughout the summer.

 

The North East club had tabled an offer of £40,000 a week at the beginning of summer as the 24-year-old looked set to be on his way to St James's Park.

 

But he looks to have changed his mind, with Martin Jol's Fulham matching Newcastle's bid for Douglas.

 

The Brazilian joined Twente in 2007, and has since made more than 100 appearances for the Dutch club.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2191716/Douglas-set-sign-Fulham.html#ixzz24DlYp7NG

 

So they sort of suggest we had a bid accepted at the start of the summer but don't say it in so many words, now the big guns have arrived to match our bid and Douglas has sacked us off for Fulham.  Thanks, Mail.

[Mole_Toonfan]

How can they beat us when we haven't even had a bid accepted ffs 

[Guest ItalianMagpie]

I think we were already worse than Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Liverpool (at least in theory) last year. We had a great season, that's all. This year we've certainly improved in quality (Marveaux and Saylor above all), but I don't know what's our real value and if last year we overachieved more than we think.

I hope I'm wrong (on the other hand it's not optimism what I'm famous for  ), but I wouldn't be talking about 4th spot, that's definitely out of reach for us now.