Howay

23m for Marcos Alonso to Chelsea, can't say I've seen much of him since he left Bolton but seems a fair whack of money for a back up left back.

They sold Stones for a fortune and have that new owner who allegedly wants to start spending big so I wouldn't write it off for that. I do think journos are probably just reaching now since he left France, he probably just left France to make sure he was available rather than any real knowledge that he was going somewhere.

Aye 15-20m + McCarthy would be excellent, not sure he'd drop down a division but he'd make a good midfield 3 with Diame and Hayden.

I just personally don't rate him as things stand, more on account of him not really bothering during games in the PL than not thinking he can be impactful, if he started some games and did well I'm not averse to him playing more but I just can't see him being that willing to bother given he'll have missed out on his big move and most the games aren't televised which is why I'd just rather we didn't bother with him. I'm more just hoping we carry on with recruitment as opposed to relying on him. If he plays I'd of course wish he does well, fwiw if he does stay I think we'll definitely see him play I just hope he is dropped if he doesn't perform as we've seen past managers have a tendency to keep him in the side just because the potential for him to play better than others was there. Agree on the hope he goes though, I just see no worth in keeping a player that is clearly unhappy, I'd be happy seeing the club sell him for around 20m. I know there have been players moved around for mental money but realistically this is our only shot at selling him for that sort of money.

I think a lot of football fans rate him but it seems most of these clubs know what he's really like. I think Spurs see him as a sub/back up and value him as that, they sold Chadli for £13m so probably saw him as a good replacement for £16m but won't bother going higher. He's not going anywhere, just hope we carry on with recruitment and bring in Atsu and another winger and not have to play him at all.

I hope he goes to Spurs like, I hope it's for 25m or so in all. They'll be fucking gutted when they actually see what he's like when he plays.

Riviere has went to Osasuna on loan apparently.

Aye 4.5m they reckon, I'd have accepted that. I get that we need cover but surely with Lazaar, Haidara, Clark, and in a real bind Colback all able to play LB we should have just cashed in.

Being held to ransom for that M'vila Has a pre-contract signed with the mackems for when his contract ends but Kazan are demanding 7m to move the deal up to now.

Aye that's how I see it as well, if I was him I'd go to Roma as Arsenal will (most definitely) cover the wages Roma don't want to pay. It's his choice mind and I don't really know (or care) about his personal life, he'll barely play anyway, in fact he should try and see if AC Milan are interested and go there if he can that way Milan lab might be able to sort him out.

Good, he's a total prick and hasn't done a whole lot over the last few seasons. Hoping we get another winger in as well as Atsu.

Aye bit odd loaning him to a side that are also in the promotion mix.

He recommended buying an official SAFC mug with Adam Johnson on it for xmas, wonder if you can get them ones on sale.

Amazingly their streak of somehow being even shitter at stuff NUFC/Newcastle is already shit at continues. Here is the True Mackem, and aye he's comfortably worse than the True Geordie: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5OxkAzIlv15LTRVDPn3-iQ

The whole thing is canny funny mind. All these journos were full of it screaming on about how they wanted a proper English manager like Allardyce and how he's not an utter dinosaur, he's actually a really modern manager, wont pick on reputation, and analyzes the stats, then the minute he doesn't pick Wilshere and Barkley they all go fucking mental . Going off the numbers Barkley is a serial underperformer and Antonio is having a canny season, so this sort of decision fits exactly what they billed the fat wanker to be. Whether England qualify or not is pretty irrelevant tbh, it's not going to be worth watching anyway it'll be utter fucking dross.

Weyy the maggie cunts won the transfer window last time and then Rafa took them down, they'll win it again this time but the lads are still in the league with the big boys, enjoy playing Burton FTM

Aye, I'm not sure of goal.com's reputation but it seems a bit like the Bas Dost link to me. The lad has had a rough time at Liverpool but he's a talented kid and I'd be really shocked if he moved to us, as you say Atsu and that cunt McManaman will probably be the ones in the door.

Aye that about sums it up, I think most are just sick of hearing about him. He's a bloke the club bought from an average French side for two million quid, he has then been (being as fair as I can) about a middle of the pack performer for a side that flirted with relegation from the day he was brought in, he's exactly at the level he should be tbh. Maybe he was the best player in that final, the game was so dross I can barely remember it. He didn't contribute much apart from a few poor crosses, misplaced through balls and dodgy shots though. The bloke is dis likable, both him and his agent have spent most of the time at the club bigging him up despite drab on the field performances. I don't wish him any harm, I just don't wish him any luck, I am really hoping he will be sold though as I don't rate him at all. If we can shift him and bring in that Markovic lad we've been linked with I think it would dramatically improve the team.

Watched the moving picture shows Warcraft and Neighbours over the past couple of nights. That Warcraft show wasn't as bad as I expected, I never played the games or anything mind so I've no idea if they completely fucked all that up, the love story aspect was pretty ham fistedly done. Overall it was watchable 5.5/10. Neighbours was pretty meh tbh, I'm assuming Rogan wrote this as it has his awkward comedic timing throughout, numerous times in the movie were basically the same thing where two characters would just say puns to each other back and forth for an uncomfortable length of time. Mini James Franco was okay in it and McLovin was ok as a bit part character. It was a pretty typical role for Rogan so if you like him you'd probably like this more than I did. 4/10

I'd like to see the lad get a chance but it doesn't seem like he will seeing as he didn't get on the pitch for the cup game or the game against Brighton. I just read that they might still loan him out again, I suppose the lad's only 19 so will only be 23 at the end of the 4 year deal he just signed so there's plenty of time. Talent obviously matters more than height, it's easier to make it as a bigger player as that physical edge can get players by (Sissoko being an example of this tbh). The English leagues are physical but I think it just means shorter players have to be stocky/have a good centre of gravity, like Aguero is unless they are phenomenal technically like Silva. 5' 8" isn't all that short anyway mind, I'm surprised he's that tall as he never looked it when I've seen him come on in the past unless he grew a little bit which I guess is possible at his age.

Aye was going to say the blokes done it a fair few times and they're clearly not accidental. Dirty player tbh, I still don't think Haidara has ever recovered from it. He'd be an okay player in the Championship but I'd far rather get a different player as I don't like the bloke at all.

Gayle has comfortably outscored him in the Premier League to be fair and Gayle has 4 goals to Murphy's 0 so far this season. Fwiw I'm not at all opposed to this signing as I've said earlier this will allow us to play with a big physical presence up top when Mitro is out, it's hard to get a bloke with much quality willing to come and warm the bench for a Championship side tbh and at about 3m while also being probably the best forward at his previous club he fills the role quite nicely. If he manages 8 or so goals in a back up role to Mitro (or even something like 5 and a bunch of assists for Gayle / Perez) he'll have more than done his job and we could move him on for 1m or so.

The ref was soft as shit all game to be fair, he was blowing for basically any contact. Really good game from our lot, I was a bit nervous ahead of the game with us losing our two forwards but we comfortably controlled the game from start to finish. I know we didn't create loads but that was one of the more impressive displays I've seen from us in a while. I really like the look of Hayden, he's assured on the ball and doesn't shirk in the challenge. I think Rafa is starting to get his message through to them and we controlled the ball all game, glad we didn't concede a late goal at the end of either half like we have been prone too. Sels save against Kayal was cracking as well, I've given him a bit of grief so thought I'd commend him for that.

Wonder if Knockeart is regretting not bothering with us.

Achraf Lazaar (however you spell it) has signed and is at the match apparently. Murphy is having a medical.