Dr Gloom

what a gimp

as much as i don't rate the kid, we're going to need to get another midfielder in if our first choice cm is potentially going to be banned for almost half the season... Barton faces 15-game ban after admitting Dabo assault ewcastle United's Joey Barton is facing a lengthy ban after he yesterday admitted an FA charge of violent conduct. There is no limit to the suspension that can be imposed on players found guilty of this offence, and amateurs in the same situation are routinely banned for life. That is extremely unlikely but, with the FA running its Respect campaign, a ban of around 15 games is being talked about. At FA headquarters in London's Soho Square Barton admitted assaulting his former Manchester City team-mate, Ousmane Dabo, on the training ground in May 2007, an offence for which he has already been given a four-month suspended prison sentence. Dabo has since moved to Lazio. The FA resolved to charge Barton soon after the fight but was asked by the police not to interview any witnesses while a criminal investigation was still active. With that criminal case over, the FA was free to act against Barton, even though he has since moved from City to Newcastle for £5.8m and wages of around £40,000 a week. Barton has requested a personal hearing before an FA regulatory commission, which will be held in due course, and is free to play in the meantime. He recently left prison after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for a drunken assault on revellers in Liverpool. Newcastle are angry about the charges, privately suggesting Barton has been punished twice - once by the courts and once by the FA - for the same offence. But with the FA running its Respect agenda, and public outrage growing at Newcastle's refusal to sack Barton, sanctions threaten to be severe. Much will depend on how strongly the independent regulatory commission, which will hear Barton's case, is influenced by public opinion. It remains to be seen whether the fact that the offence did not happen at Newcastle and that Barton was subsequently suspended by City will impact on the hearing. Addressing fans at a Newcastle open day yesterday, Newcastle's manager, Kevin Keegan, explained why the striker Obafemi Martins was absent - attending his mother's funeral in Nigeria - but pointedly failed to mention Barton. United's captain Michael Owen and the midfielder Abdoulaye Faye, who are both recovering from injuries, took part in a light training session yesterday. PA

eh?

i have no idea whose fault it is. it's a fucking shambles though. what looks like our only quality new signing isn't going to be availble for the first game of the season. our squad is threadbare and no new signings look iminent. this is a large crisis. in fact, if you've got a minute, it's a 12 storey crisis, with a magnificent entrance hall, gilding througout, and a sign on the roof saying "This is a large crisis." Doing self-parody now, are we? er, no. blackadder actually

great idea. let's sell another player to make room for all our new signings

i have no idea whose fault it is. it's a fucking shambles though. what looks like our only quality new signing isn't going to be availble for the first game of the season. our squad is threadbare and no new signings look iminent. this is a large crisis. in fact, if you've got a minute, it's a 12 storey crisis, with a magnificent entrance hall, gilding througout, and a sign on the roof saying "This is a large crisis."

what a fucking shambles about jonas if that is the case

shola will probably do well in the championship to be fair.

so the rumours weren't true then

fuck that - i'm hitting the panic button

no matter how shite people think treseguet might have become, he's got to be a better option than smith or shola, surely

is this the big signing that we're not going to be able to believe? if so, i don't believe it.

there's no harm with having two decent left backs. we've got players who can do a job at right back when beye is injured so defence is looking almost there if the argie ever finally signs. just need a few midfielders and hopefully a replacement or two for shola and smith

anyone care to explain why? presumably it's not due to the late flood of world class players arriving at the club

it isn't you

not in a million years

I would imagine it's pulling the strings in front of the back four a la Guardiola, Hierro, Redondo, etc. rather than playing 'in the hole'. Assuming it's not bollocks. sounds like we could spark an 'is viana a defensive midfielder' type debate if that is the case

Always had a softspot for The Canaries.

cuntish

must admit i'm strarting to get a little edgy now

i approach away games at old trafford expecting to lose - why expect otherwise given our history there? that way, if we pull of an unexpected result it will be a pleasant surprise, and i wont have built my hopes ahead of the inevitable disappointment.

no chance. their reserves would hump us tbh Miserable cunt realistic cunt more like. we haven't won there in my living memory - i don't see why it will be any different this time. To say their reserves would "hump" our strongest 11 are the words of either a) a clinically depressed man or B.) an idiot. whatever. we've still no chance of victory next week. only a mindless optimist would think otherwise

no chance. their reserves would hump us tbh Miserable cunt realistic cunt more like. we haven't won there in my living memory - i don't see why it will be any different this time.

no chance. their reserves would hump us tbh

somewhere between 8th and 15th i reckon. can't see us finishing any higher or lower unless we sign a few class players before the window shuts