The Fish

Zany

I'm in favour of anything that gets me out of playing fucking board games on Christmas day.

Must be because outside the top clubs, we're one of the biggest audience draws? Proven by our high viewer figures while in the Championship? Which is undoubtedly shit for the majority of fans who want to get to an away game.

Saw something in the Telegraph (I think) that staveley could in fact be part of an investment group, rather than just a broker.

You know they'd still count any victory though.

Aubameyang tapping Benzema on the shoulder "I think the training ground is haunted. I keep seeing a pale ginger figure wandering the halls wailing about having to move to Hell"

I mean, I'll ask, but only because your infrequent visits to the sleepy village are a highlight of their year.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/aug/14/southampton-sell-80-stake-to-chinese-businessman-gao-jisheng

Southampton has recently sold a controlling share of their club to Chinese investors haven't they? There's rumours that Usmanov fancies selling his share in Arsenal and investing in Everton instead, too.

I heard Spurs and Everton. Spurs would be an attractive team for foreign investors, just moving into a big stadium in the Capital, already have a strong side, a capable manager, decent global footprint already. Not sure their owners are looking to sell though?

Aye, it's not been spoken about much, but he's key to our future.

The model isn't a massive problem if it's matched with ambition. Scouring other markets for value is fine if you're doing that to improve the first team. Selling a player for a huge profit is fine if you use the monies to improve the first team. The issue lies when player sales are used solely to turn a profit/pay bills. Just think of the teams we could have had if we hadn't seen the turnover of players we had (and hadn’t had the managers we’ve had). Selling Carroll for £35m is fine if you bring in Ba, selling Sissoko for a daft profit is fine if his departure doesn’t leave you imbalanced. The issue lies in buying a slight French attacking midfielder when it’s clear you need a centre half. Buying him because there’s a greater premium on attacking players, than defensive ones.

It's certainly a hot topic.

From my peasanty Dad "pipe laying"

Our Wearside focussed friend does kind of have a point though. The "Big/Top" group has swelled over the past decade or so. Was recently a “Top 3” of Arsenal, Man Utd and maybe Liverpool. Then Chelsea joined the “Big 4” party soon after 20013 2003 thanks to Abramovich, and Man Utd’s noisy neighbours paid for their admission to the “Top 5” around 2008. It’s now stretched to the Big 6 because of Spurs’ methodical and sustained improvement. Could the Big Top stretch once more to accommodate another team? If so, why not a resuscitated NUFC? I mean if any team should be in the Big Top it’s the circus that is Newcastle United.

I'll ask my peasanty parents for you.

I mean, you're a twat for giving birth to that earworm, but nonetheless.

That's the Eloi sorted.

You reckon if you take the top off that stadium, there's a smaller one inside?

Has she got herself a corporate box yet? Deal breaker iirc

A statement that I'm not sure about. Like. "I think I remembered the milk?" Or "I don't think I threw up in washing machine?"

Benitez' system plugs the gaps in quality of a few of our players/positions. Christ imagine how we'd be doing if we had a proper left back, left wing, #10 and a striker of note. Someone in Demba Ba's mould would have had a few goals already this season.

HYP

Apparently Staveley was at the ground for the Stoke game too?

He's useful to combat more physical sides like Stoke, West Ham, Brighton, but perhaps being out of his normal position would be laid bare by more ... technical sides? Dunno.