Rayvin

Not sure he'd be just an option, he's scored quite a few this year and West Ham look desperate. Even if West ham don't quite match it, if they offer him a two year deal, he's still improved his situation. Anyway this is all academic - Sunderland would be crazy to sell him. I still feel they're capable of a decision that poor, but we'll see.

Without doubt.

Why is he still free to tweet? Why??

Presumably no one else would pay him what Sunderland are - if he wants to play in the PL next year and on the same money, it makes sense for him to try to keep them there. If Wham offer to match his wages then the story could change.

ewerk is entitled to his opinion on my thoughts. I've stopped short of calling him a useful idiot for the establishment with his viewpoint on this, but he'd likely say the same about me vis-a-vis the Tories

Was just reading both West Ham and Sunderland fans' take on it. West Ham fans feel they could go to £10m but no further, and I've seen a few mackems suggest that they'd take some manner of deal involving Carroll. The thing that really kills this as a deal though is that apparently any money they make on player sales goes on paying off debt. If they sell Defoe for, say, £8m - and his wages are about £80k, then they'll free up around £15m - but none of that will go on a new player. They'll get relegated of course, if they sell him, but that could happen anyway, at which point he goes for free. I think it depends how certain Short is about their fate come the end of January.

I respect your opinion, as ever. In fairness, we don't know what will follow Corbyn yet, so it's ultimately too early for me to make blanket statements about what I will do.

Corbyn offered an outlet for my 'lofty principles' and in fairness, there's also the Greens. But as you say, they're not likely to get near power. If I don't vote for anyone, it'll be because the whole charade is pointless, not because there aren't options. What chance does alternative thought have in making inroads if people just vote based on the least bad scenario, which is what you're asking me to do? You're effectively relegating democracy to a two party solution consisting of positions not all that far apart from each other. Which is what exactly what we have, in fairness. I just can't stomach voting for it. I couldn't even before Corbyn actually, all he has done is delayed my total disaffection with politics.

I won't vote for them on the basis that they aren't putting forward anything I believe in. Thus, they are far inferior to my own personal view of the political options that should exist. If I vote for them, I'm just reinforcing the status quo. I can still prefer them to win, but not ahead of my principles. if I consider that voting Labour would constitute shooting myself in the foot, and that voting Tory would be shooting myself in both feet, then I would argue that by taking a stand and arguing that I should have an option for not being shot in the foot at all, I am remaining true to what I believe in. Even if that means I end up being shot in both feet by default. You want me to be pragmatic. I'm determined to remain principled. That's all this is.

I'm not going toe to toe with the guy heading up the Prediction League competition - all I'm saying is that the level of incompetence required for it to happen appears to be there.

I don't see the difference between two governments who both believe in unchecked Neoliberalism. I'll happily admit that I would far prefer Labour to the Tories, but I won't vote for them just on that basis.

I thought you lost that already in the Trump fiasco. My point was more that Short can't be trusted to make good decisions anyway - especially when he's actively looking to sell up. The Kaboul thing was ridiculous and could potentially be similar though, depending on how Defoe spins this. We didn't let Colo go for 'family reasons' so why would Short? Because he makes stupid decisions.

By 'them' I meant the Tories, just in case that wasn't clear. But look, I'm not voting for things I don't believe in anymore. I'm comfortable with this because 1 - my vote doesn't matter; and 2 - if Labour revert to what they were then there's little meaningful choice available to anyone anyway. I'm genuinely considering simply not voting. Or perhaps destroying my ballot. Both meaningless gestures but that's what politics is all about, after all.

Health is my thing. I kept trying to switch into your squad but it filled up too quickly. And I think we were on opposing teams in the last one. Decent games though. We should probably headset up next time.

He sold Kaboul over the summer for £3m and turned down £18m for Kone. He bought Alvarez for £10m, and then effectively let him go for free through incompetence. The man isn't exactly a good decision maker. Or whoever is in charge of transfers isn't, at least.

It's the kind of thing Short does mind. That said I reckon Moyes would walk if that happened.

The stakes are higher than they've been in some time, I think that's what is unnerving. Benitez feels like the last shot we get for some time, in terms of successfully building for the future. I can see where Troops is coming from even if we don't need to panic at this point.

ok yes, that I can understand.

I'm never one to defend Paul Ryan but he seems to genuinely not understand what that is about. Why does that make him a dick...?

I've got 3 in the middle with two advanced wingers and a standard back four. I tried Mitro and Gayle together but while Mitro seems to do well in that arrangement, Gayle was totally ineffectual. I'm starting to think I'm going to be told he's having some confidence based goal drought but it's early days yet. I don't feel we have the squad for it, but my ideal systems are 4-1-2-2-1 if I'm up against a better team, playing on the counter, or 4-2-3-1 when I'm on the front foot, with wingers for both. Tend not to use two forwards. In fairness, when Perez comes back I can make the 4-2-3-1 work. Don't feel I have a reliable enough anchor for 4-1-2-2-1 though.

Fucking hell I hope he never comes over here, I'll never get that out of my head.

I was so disappointed when I scrolled up and saw that there was more to that post.

Why not just get them paid back

Don't care, not compromising any more. I'm not voting for them, so the blame lies with those who are.