Yorkie Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I'd like to believe that the club haven't been a bunch of tight cunts, and there was some other mitigating factor keeping the Townsend deal from being done. But that's probably wishful thinking. Even if there was, we should've been after someone else then. It's really disappointing, and if it really is a case of us simply not paying a couple million quid, then we're basically back to the old transfer window mentality. However, the circumstances are different now to other transfer windows. Yes, they're doing the whole "we know best" thing again, which has always invariably backfired on them... but we do have the most expensive squad in the division. It's a squad with decent depth and has many of the most talented players in the league - as well as having the best and most expensive manager above them. Like I said last night, Rafa was never going to convince the board that we absolutely had to recruit. It's frustrating and bodes badly for the future, but as of right now, it's a pretty low risk imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I just hope it's a case of Mike whiteying at the thought of spending any more money in this division. It's the best I think I can allow myself. Just going to enjoy the season and pray we have a plan for the Premiership. We will spend money if/when we go up, no doubt about that, it just needs to be with the full backing of Benitez however much it is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineBarrens Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 It is almost as if we are relying on on a capricious fat knob head with a history that Thatcher et al would be proud of...how could anyone be suspicious in such circumstances? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubaricho Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Maybe the players we wanted this window (ones that Prem quality for next year) maybe just didn't, I don't know, want to come to a fucking Championship club? It's really not that hard to understand and maybe had nothing to do with Rafa or Ashley. Once we go up, expect a huge summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 31/01/2017 at 22:28, ExiledGeordie said: Quote hope rafa comes out tomorrow and eactually explains what happened. It will all be very coded I reckon Yes - too wily to start slagging the owner at this point. Will carry on until summer, he or his agent all the while receiving offers from more ambitious clubs until another transfer fiasco results in a move away after a sizeable compensation payment to Ashley...lovely jubbly for him ! Fans the only losers once again and will have to settle for a Warnock-type appointment to keep the club above the bottom PL places...provided Rafa has been able to get the club up. As predictable as the sun coming up in the East...only a massive transfer kitty in June will prevent this or something like it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 31/01/2017 at 22:44, Ian W said: We have a mint team man, I don't know what is going on here. A mint team...? That's already LOST 7 matches with only half a season gone and no team strengthening after we blatantly struggled when Shelvey was out..? Not my description at all - promoted sides hardly ever lose more than 5 or 6 games in a season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 02:48, merlin said: Quote We have a mint team man, I don't know what is going on here. A mint team...? That's already LOST 7 matches with only half a season gone and no team strengthening after we blatantly struggled when Shelvey was out..? Not my description at all - promoted sides hardly ever lose more than 5 or 6 games in a season. I agree with what you're saying to an extent, and I too am worried about automatic promotion but having said that its worth mentioning that we are currently 2 points better off now than we were after the same amount of games played in the last promotion season. It does irk me massively that there's a fairly good chance we could be into double figures for losses by the end of the season but if we make up the points with the wins how much does it really matter? It is something Rafa is yet to solve though, why do we seem incapable both mentally and tactically of coming back into a game we go 1-0 down in? We needed two new faces in, decent quality CM cover in case Shelvey is crocked, and a solid winger, and it looks like we've missed out on both, I pray it doesn't come back to bite us. P.s your previous post is bang on, and sadly exactly what I think will end up happening down the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaus Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 We have struggled to come back from losing positions in the league for years. We only came back to win something like 4 times under Pardew, we have had a mentally fragile squad for ages now and the heads go down as soon as we go behind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 03:31, Klaus said: We have struggled to come back from losing positions in the league for years. We only came back to win something like 4 times under Pardew, we have had a mentally fragile squad for ages now and the heads go down as soon as we go behind. True, but if we're "trusting Rafa" then surely we should be able to rely on him to sort this out? It's been over half the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peder Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Hope this wont be another Keegan story... What rafa wants, he didnt get. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulie Walnuts Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 If we go up, Rafa will not want to manage a team whose sole ambition is to survive. He's ambitious - a winner. I have no doubt that fatso will not back him suitably to fulfil his ambitions and it'll end in tears, just a matter of when. If Ashley has let him down over promises at this early stage, Rafa should walk and let it implode and let Ashley reap the consequences. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmojorisin75 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 everyone seems know an awful lot about what rafa does and doesn't want and what rafa will and will not do like Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I'm not panicking yet like. 6 points from the next two games will go a long way to calming people down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 If Rafa can't get this squad to finish in the top 2, he would have to take his fair share of the blame like. He's a world class manager, and has arguably the best squad in the league. Good thing is that he's doing well enough so far and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 07:52, Nobody said: If Rafa can't get this squad to finish in the top 2, he would have to take his fair share of the blame like. He's a world class manager, and has arguably the best squad in the league. Good thing is that he's doing well enough so far and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so. And he will get us up. Comfortably Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Crooks Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I'm as anti Ashley as they come but there is need for cautious calm here, we've had our wobbles but the points and goals totals are as good as hoped. I think a midfielder was necessary and summer is the time to worry if the same games are played because the right acquisitions then will be vital. Little trust in the bank for them to do it but we'll just have to wait and see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I'm not worries. Promotion is definitely doable from our position. Nobody other than Ashley and Charnley really know the ins and outs of any of our deals and the real reason we didn't sign anyone. Its understandable why people think the worst with Ashley though and it always will be, we need to remember going into every window that je's the man in chanrge and stop kidding ourselves (especially in January) that we're going to go radge on deadline day spunking millions on average players for the sake of getting extra bodies in, because we're not, and that for me is why we didn't sign shite like Barrow. How many Championship clubs have signed players this January, for reasonable fees by today's standards, that we should have signed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foluwashola Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 07:55, Optimistic Nut said: Quote If Rafa can't get this squad to finish in the top 2, he would have to take his fair share of the blame like. He's a world class manager, and has arguably the best squad in the league. Good thing is that he's doing well enough so far and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so. And he will get us up. Comfortably It would take either disastrous management or horrific luck with injuries to fail to get automatic promotion, given our position and the strength of our team. In Rafa we trust. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firetotheworks Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 It's like some of you have never heard of Mike Ashley like, it's staggering. 'Calm down' ffs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firetotheworks Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 FWIW, not getting players in isn't really the issue. The issue is Rafa explicitly saying that we need players and the club once again failing to get them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-421 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 08:38, Kid Icarus said: FWIW, not getting players in isn't really the issue. The issue is Rafa explicitly saying that we need players and the club once again failing to get them. But, Townsend aside (as we don't truly know who/why the plug was pulled on that one), should the club pay over the odds for players, just because the manager says he wants/needs players in? I'm sure Rafa would understand this - that while promotion is still far from certain, there are some players and fees the club cant realistically justify paying. Or the flip side being, we sign (more) average squad filler, just so we can say the manager wanted them, so we got them?? January is a crazy window to be buying players, as selling clubs know the buyers tend to be desperate, so the prices are artificially inflated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foluwashola Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 08:38, Kid Icarus said: FWIW, not getting players in isn't really the issue. The issue is Rafa explicitly saying that we need players and the club once again failing to get them. It's not too much of a concern when we're still left with the best team in the division . Sure Rafa will realise this too. If it happens again in the Summer, then aye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 08:44, TK-421 said: Quote FWIW, not getting players in isn't really the issue. The issue is Rafa explicitly saying that we need players and the club once again failing to get them. But, Townsend aside (as we don't truly know who/why the plug was pulled on that one), should the club pay over the odds for players, just because the manager says he wants/needs players in? I'm sure Rafa would understand this - that while promotion is still far from certain, there are some players and fees the club cant realistically justify paying. Or the flip side being, we sign (more) average squad filler, just so we can say the manager wanted them, so we got them?? January is a crazy window to be buying players, as selling clubs know the buyers tend to be desperate, so the prices are artificially inflated. Everyone has to pay over the odds for players now. it's the new norm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmojorisin75 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 On 01/02/2017 at 08:45, Foluwashola said: Quote FWIW, not getting players in isn't really the issue. The issue is Rafa explicitly saying that we need players and the club once again failing to get them. It's not too much of a concern when we're still left with the best team in the division . Sure Rafa will realise this too. If it happens again in the Summer, then aye. i saw the pre-game presser with rafa and he seemed fairly relaxed about it all, until i see or hear something that suggests otherwise i'm fairly relaxed as well tbh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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