Ashley apologists and Match Attendees

[LeazesMag 0]

I'd rather sit 300 miles away wishing the team well without giving the fcb money than end up posting smileys when equalisers cost us points and places because it proves me "right".

 

If we do fail to capitalise on the good start and end up say 11th I'd be disappointed and the thought of anyone standing there nudging his mates and saying "see, told you so" would just highten the sadness

 

That requires the people concerned to have mates.

 

don't you call them bum chums in your neck of the woods

 

No, that's what you called them when you were 10.

 

no, thats when I started looking at girls bums.

[LeazesMag 0]

Who are the 'Ashley apologists' again?

 

they are all over this thread, not telling us how often they go to games, like a rash.

Ashley apologists just because they don't go to games??

 

I would have thought they would be supporters of his, no??

 

Fucking Fool

 

learn to read correctly. You have comprehension problems, serious ones.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Nothing to say about the match, Leazes?

Edited December 10, 2011 by Monroe Transfer

[LeazesMag 0]

The injuries we have are now going to ram this point home, when James Perch has to come on, and we have 3 members of a back 4 consisting of Danny Simpson, James perch and Ryan Taylor, it only shows you are easily pleased and the transfer window was way short of what a progressive club would be looking to bring into their team, especially with 35m quid burning a hole in the bank.

 

Yet the defenders we had play for us in the final season before Ashley bought the club were...

 

Taylor

Bramble

Craig Moore

Onyewu (loan)

Carr

Babayaro

Ramage

Huntington

Edgar

 

Any others I've left out?

 

Your arguments are like two ships passing in the night. I agree with what you're saying, which is that our top choice defence so far this season (R. Taylor/Colo/S. Taylor/Simpson), is far better than any four players selected from the above list. But Leazes is saying that if 'your man' Fat Mike were actually running the club in a competent way, rather than gambling on us having no major injuries, he would've invested in cover for positions where we were thin. He's also right. As shit as they all were, we had six CBs in the list you've given above. This season we have 3. Our first XI looks like gold, but scratch it and you find brass underneath. There was no reason for it to be that way. We had 35m to spend in the summer. For 8-9m we could've had Ridgewell and a cheap right-back, for example. We hardly had to break the bank, but the squad would've been so much stronger.

 

I don't think many would like to swap our defence then for our defence now. But I also think that the failure to invest in key areas of the team shows Ashley's lack of ambition and reveals his fundamental plan to be "make as much money as possible while spending as little as possible." We've seen it so many times before - gambling on Kinnear, gambling in January 2009, gambling on Carroll, etc etc. Not buying defensive cover was just another Ashley gamble. We'll see if it pays off (for him, at least - is there absolutely anyone who calls himself a Toon fan who wouldn't prefer that we had spent the money on new players?) But let's not make out that it's some sort of brilliant plan and he's doing so well. He's a chancer. It's working...for now.

 

well said, everything you say is right.

[LeazesMag 0]

I'm quite enjoying us pushing for European qualification with a group of players that appear to be wanted by what the press consider the big 6.

 

A big improvement over what we had and where we were when he took over.

 

Fingers crossed we can keep progressing but we could do with the financial fair play rules to be enforced strongly for that to happen, since he's turned around what was a financial mess into a break even one.

Absolutely the right attitude that, especially the bit in bold, irrespective of whether you like the owner or not, or think he's doing it the right way or not, it's something we should all be able to agree on (or most of us anyway).

 

It's right though and I don't see the point in worrying about players leaving, in fact the way we've been scouting players over the past few years I feel confident that we could do a good job of replacing them anyway, I can remember people worried about Baye leaving but who gives him a second thought now? Or Given, or Nolan.

 

Some players have left that have bothered me like Enrique but it happens with all clubs, others have gone and we've not only replaced them but improved too with their replacements.

 

I feel similar about our scouting network as I did about Arsenal's a decade or so ago in that we've been able to sell what is considered our stars and replace them for less money while attempting to improve.

 

Their most notable discoveries during their years of dominance, of Arsenal's famed scouting system that is, went on to become mainstays of their first team/formed a spine to be built around. Arsenal's big-money sales have coincided with a need for generational change in the squad, and the likes of Henry/Viera were moved on in the twilight of their careers. And during a player's most productive years they would actually fight tooth & nail to keep them, as was the case with us with Dyer when a then cashed-up Leeds were poaching England's best young players, to accompany the products of their academy.

 

I'd also add that they've always prepared to fork out the necessary going-rate, when the right player (or replacement) came along. They haven't been overly prudent misers in the market, that have engaged in heated negotiations with suitors. The most recent example being Chamberlain, as a development prospect, being the natural successor to Nasri ie. more of a creative wideman, than just a tear-away winger with pace, given free license to drift inside.

 

correct again.

[LeazesMag 0]

The injuries we have are now going to ram this point home, when James Perch has to come on, and we have 3 members of a back 4 consisting of Danny Simpson, James perch and Ryan Taylor, it only shows you are easily pleased and the transfer window was way short of what a progressive club would be looking to bring into their team, especially with 35m quid burning a hole in the bank.

 

Yet the defenders we had play for us in the final season before Ashley bought the club were...

 

Taylor

Bramble

Craig Moore

Onyewu (loan)

Carr

Babayaro

Ramage

Huntington

Edgar

 

Any others I've left out?

 

Your arguments are like two ships passing in the night. I agree with what you're saying, which is that our top choice defence so far this season (R. Taylor/Colo/S. Taylor/Simpson), is far better than any four players selected from the above list. But Leazes is saying that if 'your man' Fat Mike were actually running the club in a competent way, rather than gambling on us having no major injuries, he would've invested in cover for positions where we were thin. He's also right. As shit as they all were, we had six CBs in the list you've given above. This season we have 3. Our first XI looks like gold, but scratch it and you find brass underneath. There was no reason for it to be that way. We had 35m to spend in the summer. For 8-9m we could've had Ridgewell and a cheap right-back, for example. We hardly had to break the bank, but the squad would've been so much stronger.

 

I don't think many would like to swap our defence then for our defence now. But I also think that the failure to invest in key areas of the team shows Ashley's lack of ambition and reveals his fundamental plan to be "make as much money as possible while spending as little as possible." We've seen it so many times before - gambling on Kinnear, gambling in January 2009, gambling on Carroll, etc etc. Not buying defensive cover was just another Ashley gamble. We'll see if it pays off (for him, at least - is there absolutely anyone who calls himself a Toon fan who wouldn't prefer that we had spent the money on new players?) But let's not make out that it's some sort of brilliant plan and he's doing so well. He's a chancer. It's working...for now.

 

You say we had 6 centre backs then but 3 now, do you think Edgar, Huntington and Ramage are much better than Perch and Kadar? I don't, so that makes it 5 centre backs to 6 in my book. I also think Tavernier has looked a lot better prospect than those mentioned, we just haven't had to resort to kids like that so far (I do realise he is on loan) [/Ashley apologist].

 

FWIW I though apart from the Liverpool game Gooch was fucking woeful for us, I know he somehow went on to AC MIlan but he really did make Bramble look like Maldini. I was at the Charlton away game and he was absolutely horrific.

 

Also if we spent £9m on Ridgewell and a 'cheap' right back we will have been absolutely raped

 

I certainly agree we have not invested properly and we should have been able to make sure we had quality first 11 players as well as good reserve players which we haven't done. Just don't think the numbers you have mentioned in your post tell the true story as you have only included the 3 good defenders in our team but neglected to mention the 'fillers' who aren't at that level but are still very comparable to some of the six you mentioned as part of the old squad.

 

unfortunately, it is no good picking names out of the air to justify a policy one way or another, ie when you mention Ridgewell. You have to look at ALL the sales and purchases, and the overall setup and aims of the club. You have to accept the hits and misses that are made in the transfer market, the key is having high standards, and shipping players out when they don't meet them.

 

Buying a player for 9m and selling him for 6m because he doesn't produce the standards you want......this happens, but they will produce the quality you want more often than not. The other side of the coin is if you semi-permanently exist in the lower end of the market, you will never have enough players of the quality you want, because good players quite simply cost more than that.

 

I really don't know how to explain this to you, if you don't understand. You should understand by now that clubs do not play in europe and attain consistently high league positions unless they buy quality footballers and pay the going rate when it is required.

 

I'm not being funny Gejon, I'm trying to explain this. Why don't you understand ? Seriously.

[LeazesMag 0]

for the want of a better thread title -

 

how many of these people who are backing Mike Ashleys prudency/business methods/using the club as a vehicle for Sports Direct/lack of investment in the team [call it what you like] actually go to games and spend their cash on watching the club.

 

My point is that, those who view the club from afar - and I'm not saying everybody who views the club from afar because some share the views of myself and others about him and how he is running this club - appear to be more able to accept the lower ambitions and expectations that are now imposed on this football club.

 

Is it because, as they are not spending their money on watching the team, they find it easier to either take it or leave it and forget about the result on a saturday or sunday night etc ?

 

Or is it because they generally aren't so committed ?

 

Most of the match goers appear to have more desire to see a winning team on the pitch rather than a "business" , which reflects their different priorities for the club.

 

Just a thought.......I'd like to add more, but just now can't put into words what else it is......see how the responses go.

 

Maybe a poll, or an indicator of who and who doesn't attend matches on a fairly regular basis will give a clearer picture.

The problem is that FMA only' business plan ' is to sweat money out of the club ... selling Carroll for £ 35 m and probably Tiote in Jan ..is his way of screwing as much cash out of the club ...until he eventually sells up in a few years time when the market has turned in his favour . By that time he will have already as good as made his money back ..anything else will be profit .

 

well, you may be right, he will either sell up when he gets an offer he can't turn down, or continue to run the club as a vehicle for Sports Direct. Either way, what he makes in the end will dwarf what the last owners did, and we won't even get a good team playing in europe for it, which is what we want as supporters. Well some of us do anyway, others are only concerned with balance sheets and don't understand you have to take risks to prosper.

[Gemmill 44173]

I hate to say it, but it's time to ban this tit. This forum is completely fucked because of him.

 

I don't dislike the bloke or anything, but he is incapable of controlling himself. It's ridiculous.

[LeazesMag 0]

Nothing to say about the match, Leazes?

 

say what ?

 

We lost. The bubble has burst, the flash in the pan is over, the squad isn't big enough for what is or should be one of the biggest clubs in the country, there is no excuse for operating a squad of 13 or 14 players and being unable to step outside that.

 

This is what people have failed to see for the last few months.

 

Shame. It was good while it lasted, but that's all. Real progressive clubs with inelligent supporters who understand what it takes to attempt to be successful, wouldn't get carried by the league position in November.

[LeazesMag 0]

I hate to say it, but it's time to ban this tit. This forum is completely fucked because of him.

 

I don't dislike the bloke or anything, but he is incapable of controlling himself. It's ridiculous.

 

dear dear Gem. What do you want me to say, everything is great ? Is that alright for you ?

 

Why weren't you and others banned when you were advocating Souness and his wasting money to the bitter end ? You ruined the forum for me and others. Sorry like, but there is no need for your hypocrisy. I'm entitled to say how it is which is what I'm doing.

 

Seriously, what do you think I should say and do ? In this very thread, ewerk and Renton are saying I haven't answered questions, and when I do answer people I'm castigated for it ? Is it my fault that they are doing this ?

Edited December 10, 2011 by LeazesMag

[Gemmill 44173]

You're mentally ill man. I could have predicted you'd bring up Souness. Get help ffs.

 

NO got it right when they banned you for doing the same over there.

[Tooj 17]

Ba's the best goalscorer we've had since Shearer. Just thought I'd put that on out there.

[Lake Bells tits 1]

redicilous player.

[bobbyshinton 59]

on a side note it's not just going be aimed at LM

The thread derailing and piss poor deliberate attempts at getting people to bite in every thread ends now, it's got to the point where even i can't be fucked to check the majority of the football threads on here because it ends in the same way, and frankly it's getting knocked on the head before the transfer window in a few weeks sends it totally out of control.

 

I'm going to knock up a restricted forum/member mask if needs be and people acting like a bairn will be hoyed into it for X-amount of days until it sinks in to stop acting like a dickhead.

 

We're pretty easy going with moderation around here but it seems once in a while a rolled up newspaper needs to be administered to make certain people remember not to rip the arse out of it.

 

You're my hero

[trophyshy 7066]

We're all in Ant's colony now!

 

[Guest alex]

Aye, lets not climb into his colon though, eh?

Agree with what he says like.

[Happy Face 29]

What's a mask? Like a gimp thing?

[bobbyshinton 59]

Lad got bollocked off a steward for shouting that at Chech

[The Fish 10674]

Power's gone to his head ever since he was allowed to peak behind the curtain. It was only a matter of time before he started waving his cock around like billy-big bollocks.

 

I will not be censored!

[Meenzer 15353]

Aye, lets not climb into his colon though, eh?

 

Like a gimp thing?

 

bollock

 

waving his cock around like billy-big bollocks.

 

Honestly, Leazes makes one innocuous mention of "bum chums" and the thread descends into consecutive posts of filth. Where's your standards, boys?

[Tom 14011]

Ba's the best goalscorer we've had since Shearer. Just thought I'd put that on out there.

 

Judging on recent performances you can't be far wrong.

 

Apparently strike rate is the best the premier league has ever had - goals to minutes on the pitch - but I suppose it's a fairly meaningless stat really.

[JawD 99]

Ba's the best goalscorer we've had since Shearer. Just thought I'd put that on out there.

 

Judging on recent performances you can't be far wrong.

 

Apparently strike rate is the best the premier league has ever had - goals to minutes on the pitch - but I suppose it's a fairly meaningless stat really.

 

Goals where it counts like and tbf to him he is doing it consistently. What his goals dont show as well is his work rate off the ball. To that end, I agree he is the best we've had since Shearer (at least on the season so far, doing it year in year out is another matter).

[Tom 14011]

Yeh doing it over a couple of season is different however you can't devalue his current performances.

 

He's great at holding it up, beating a man, he has good pace, a great finish, a great header. Complete package so far.

 

It doesn't excuse Ashley's boys one bit but he's a much better footballer than Carroll.

[Happy Face 29]

What sort of wage is he on? Excellent deal for a freebie if he's inside the clubs wage structure. £40k a week would mean he's only cost us £6m all in, over the length of his 3 year deal.

 

Owen got that in less than a year, without his fee.

[Tom 14011]

He's on a low basic wage with a good goal bonus apparently, so he's probably on a fucking fortune

 

Reported £30k + bonuses iirc.