scoobos

I'd not be so unhappy to see him go, I just don't think his heart was in it last year (or he was depressed). I'd actually pop Anita in the team and have Brig on standby, i'd want us to buy another midfielder though too.

Good posts , it's a unwinnable debate though, because football is a sport being ran by a business. Both sides need some kind of balance, the extremes don't really show the true picture. The problem with this is really that its become part of a corporate world, all deals that matter are Business to Business , with Agents touting the players. But its become self serving and lost sight of the overall objective as far as sport goes. I believe we should be competitive and that it's semi acceptable to make small losses in football , as who knows when the next silly transfer is. Running a club as a rotating door only really works for those at the top of the food chain, and not us, from a footballing point of view. The whole point of a football business is supposed to be to lead the club responsibly but also with an objective of producing the best football club you can. Whether Ashley is doing this is debatable , personally I think he's a fool and has burnt money and not acted responsibly, but his overall approach isn't terrible. I reckon a REAL businessman like Branson could achieve far more with the same resources. That's my 2 cents anyway.

Now he's gone I can say this - I thought he was pretty good, but frustrated most of the time I saw him. We will see how he gets on this season

Ok sounds good to me.

I'd be surprised. I'm happy we've got a striker, but from QPR's perspective it's quite a good insurance policy. If we're paying his wages (which I assume we are), and he gets done for rape - then all the negative publicity will be at NUFC, not QPR. I do think media "circus" attention can definitely damage team performances. If nothing comes of it, he clears his name - we get a decent striker for a year - and then QPR can take him back without baggage, or offer him to us at a good rate for them. Ever the pessimist when it comes to transfers, but this is just a band aid really, we still need to get a proper permanent striker in, in the long run.

Thank fuck for that.

--------------------krul debuchy--taylor/Mbwia.---colo---haidara -------------------sissoko ------arfa-----cabaye ------ santon --------cisse---------gouffran With the current squad now, this is what I hoped we'd play. Surprised no one else suggested wanton Ina "Jonas" role. Tiote, Campbell, Jonas, Anita, Elliot would give a few options to change shape. I took Tiote as I thought he was shite last year. If sissoko truly is this box to box machine, bringing the ball forward with that lot ahead of you should overload even strong opponents. Defensively we'd have strength behind the ball too I reckon. What frustrates me, is there is so much pace in that team, but our tactics don't seem to use it. Feel free to rip apart

I wouldn't see Sissoko as being adapted playing there, he's a DMF anyway . I think us lot put this "box to box" label on him. I'd prefer Sissoko over Tiote any day tbh.

To me , with the comment above, you are proving my point - they all struggled (except perhaps Gouffran, who slotted straight in) and we nearly got relegated . I'm not counting the new people we *might* buy, but I'm a firm believer that most foreign players without Prem experience need at least a year to settle and be anything more than substandard. If they do play well, they tend only to do it in small stints. Even Chelsea and the likes struggle to bond their players and they buy WORLD class . I reckon bringing Remy / Gomis (or anyone really) in, is a good thing - but 2 weeks before the season and expecting good form is perhaps a big ask. I'd say any 2 injuries tbh - If we lose Cabaye, Colo, Taylor, Deb , Arfa etc we don't seem to have a natural plug for the gap at all. Or , playing devils advocate, say we do have all those players without an inury - very few of them are strong enough to play every game of the season anyway, and will need rotating.

How about last season then? We were screwed once Cabaye and Arfa went. I'm not happy with fuckin fringe and youth players THROWING away cups either, we should compete in them , its the only thing we stand even a slight chance of winning. Our attitude to Europa and the domestic cups sucked balls last year, its embarrasing (It's also the only real opportunity I get to go to matches , which is my motivation). But alright, I've done enough whinging on here for a year , it just grinds my gears that 1 single striker seems to turn us around into this better team , we were very lucky not to get relegated last year remember.

I want us to do well, but WHS. 2 injuries and we're fooked, same as last year.

Get a job in Carribean, like me

Ok, well you're entitled to your view. I hear what you say, but it just jars me WHY he would choose to drop in names like Rooney and Ronaldo and not just say "quality players" or summat. Other members here also reckon hes a salesman, so I'm not an isolated looney in this. perhaps.

Nah I don't "honestly think David Moyes...." - I think saying that your key player, whos been linked in the media is in the same league as some of their biggest signings is ridiculous and blatent. I'm sure others agree. It's not baseless to say either side, but as soon as he drops in "players like him, Rooney and Ronaldo" it's a big fucking come get him, imo. I'm similar , in that I get annoyed when people are "entirely positive" in the transfers thread (which I reckon was the only place I'm totally negative). Saying that quote isn't a come get me , or that gomis is going to solve our problem of selling 2 of our better players and buying in shit at the last minute, for me is almost like working for the Ashley team, there's fuck all positive about that. But anyhoo, I'll concede , but what exactly is there to be positive about? Last year was fookin painful man, horrible - and then he's going to put us all through it again, only this time 4 frencies in January isn't going to help us. It's frustration, so I'll tone it down if its going to generate such responses. I'm going to flounce off and cry now...

The agents work for no one but themselves either. There are a couple of "old school" ones, but a player does seem to have to register with many agents, at different cuts to try get into certain clubs. Clubs have approved agents now, and its tough to get a new agent in. 5% of 8 million is a bit excessive. My money says he ain't coming, smoke and mirrors man.

For? Should everyone who has a differing opinion to you also seek help? Is it me that needs it? How much wood can a woodchuck chuck anyway?

Shit yeah, weird I remember bobby looking gutted, was at that match, but yeah it was sounded :/ Christ im getting old

Ok , I understand what you're saying for a lot of that post, but this is exactly what we did and why I'm so pissed off. http://www.football365.com/manchester-united/8838034/Pardew-hoping-to-keep-Cabaye For me he's saying there - no bid made, but he'd fit in well and is in the same category as Ronaldo and Rooney. (ffs). That's pretty much using the media to let Man U know you're ready to talk, I reckon. the quote of rooney and Ronaldo was just unnecessary Keeping on track , 15 mil is stupid ... no way is he worth it.

yep he definitely looks hard to get off the ball too - this one here is probably the best of what I've seen , look at that volley! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5xPfIHvwec but I'm aware of the Nacho syndrome, that its very easy to pick good bits from a 10 year career that fill a 5 min video.

I'm talking Martins, Carroll, Nolan, Barton, Perch, Ba (we leaked his minimum fee is feasible, he was thought to have a knee that could explode at any time) , Best, Lovenkrads, Bassong, Shay Given , James Milner (that still hurts) . So many fans thought Milner being right to go - yet hes a first team regular at Man City who we know could buy anyone in the world they want for that position. For me, none of those players was truly replaced. Ba and Cisse are blatent punts at cash ins , and so is nearly every player we've bought. I get the feeling its about resale value, when we buy (until Gomis). Milner, best, Given, Carroll were the worst examples imo. All touted and "put in the shop window" with no replacements lined up. I know Best wasn't great for us, but look what we were left with after that. Perhaps I'm seeing only one side of this, but I really think we are a selling club. It makes no sense to sell players of that quality without a replacement THERE FIRST. When Liverpool sold Torres, what did they do? they lined up Suarez before they sold and had Carroll on a promise. I also suspect another pattern, of managers being with us, then having the rug pulled from under their feet by selling without buying - then placing a new manager and the fans think its a new start. I think we are taking the club apart, from a competitive sport perspective.

Yeah maybe, I'm becoming a miserable old cnut though, who wants to fight for the good ol' days ! I do want to say, I do fucking love the club, its been such an important part of my life - but this thread, transfers and the fact a majority of fans seem to defend Ashley and co in the name of "the club" make me go into whine overdrive. Is it wrong to be totally dissatisfied with what we've got, given we've sold nearly (or over?) 50 million quids worth of player in the last 3 years?

I'm trying to read the fansites about Gomis to get the fans picture. I'll paste some linkies from my bookmarks when I get home if anyone wants to read up. it's pretty positive stuff overall, but he has his haters too. So far I've heard "hes a great player, but expect him to miss at least 2 sitters once every 2 games" and a lot of people who properly hate on him for stifling the team with his complete lack of intention to pass the ball ever. but , there's a compilation of his best stuff on Youtube , which does look strong. Where's dennis wise?

Don't like the blue and hope its better quality than last years shit. But , its a pretty nice kit - now all I need is for some clever kid to start selling transferable blue stars we can just iron over the top of that Wonga square

Bring it on, each one of those articles has a PRESS RELEASE from pardew. We've heard the same shit year on year "We are not selling X Player, he's indispensable a quality 1st teamer etc" - then sold. I reckon its blind to say that isn't putting our players in the shop window. But oh no, its fine we're getting someone who snubbed us , ON LOAN just cos he has fuck all loyalty to the club that did pay him more money , and we somehow expect him to care about here? Oh and a hot prospect from 2005 who's not met his potential. Everything's great again huh?

I have never once watched sky's fanzone, or any of their shit tbh. Given that that is perhaps the worst thing you could do to expand your mind, I reckon I'll win the goal contest between - "baby drogba / 10 or 11 france appearences" Gomis v "mr shit Danish superkid".