Of course the main bone of contention is going to be the fact that we didn’t bring in a striker. It’s been eight months since we’ve needed a striker. Granted we have Demba Ba but I’d have liked us to get someone else in.
I just didn’t buy that Ruiz story from moment one if truth be told. From the 11th hour bid to the helicopter it just didn’t sound right. It smacks of trying to look busy. In fact I liken it to people who miss my coach. They’ll protest and complain that they were there waiting on time when they actually weren’t. They were late. That is why they aren’t on my vehicle being driven to wherever they are going away to.
Getting a striker in would have made this window better than expected. In fact if we’d have got in Liam Ridgewell aswell then I’d have been a very happy man. Naturally it didn’t happen and now we are left to reflect upon what might have been.
I’ve cooled down a little bit now. Last night I was angry that we didn’t get said striker in. In fact a lot of people are still unhappy that we didn’t get said striker in. However it’s worth remembering what we have brought in as, aside from the lack of a striker, I don’t think we’ve done too badly at all.
Of course people will point towards the fact that we’ve had to replace the likes of Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan and Jose Enrique this transfer window, but I fell that we’ve done a decent job of that. On paper at least. Time will be the ultimate judge of that.
Yohan Cabaye looks like a real player whilst we’ve added genuine width in the form of Sylvain Marveaux and Gabriel Obertan. Obviously we have Demba Ba who could be a real asset providing he can recapture the goalscoring form that he has shown throughout his career, and we have Davide Santon who could turn out to be a cracking player for us. He certainly has the potential to be up there with Jose Enrique.
Add to that the additions of Rob Elliot and Mehdi Abeid as backup and promising youth respectively and I feel that we’ve replaced what we’ve lost with, in some cases, better players whilst adding depth to certain areas such as the wings. How long has it been since we’ve had four options that can interchange and play on each wing?
However there are certain areas where we have just done the bare minimum. Whilst Santon can be a top player for us he remains the only recognised option at left-back. I’m sorry, and I commend his effort, but Ryan Taylor is not a left-back. We’re also short in the centre of defence, especially with Mike Williamson out injured. Fingers crossed that nothing happens to Fabricio Coloccini or Steven Taylor in the next couple of months.
The midfield is generally alright. I haven’t seen many people criticise it and it’s generally perceived to be our strongest area on the pitch. Pretty impressed with it if truth be told.
Up front is another area where we are light. Demba Ba must now come good whilst Leon Best will see more chances come his way. Shola is just Shola and will be here until the end of time frustrating and delighting in less than equal measures. Then we have Peter Lovenkrands and Nile Ranger who, for varying reasons, should be nowhere near the first team. We are not light on numbers up front – it’s quality we are low on.
I’m going to throw something out there. Would people have been happy to spend a fair bit of money on a striker who is maybe our 5th, 6th, 7th choice and is not much better than what we have? Personally I wouldn’t as I want a decent striker in. You can debate the reason as to why we failed to bring one in all you like, but I’d much prefer it if we got someone in because they would improve the team and not just for the sake of getting someone in.
The problem I have is that we have drawn a blank in bringing in A.N.Other striker who would improve the team.
I can’t criticise the deals that we have done. Quite frankly we’ve brought shrewdly and smartly and have managed to bring in some real quality players with high pedigree. We’ve also managed to keep hold of players like Cheik Tiote and Fabricio Coloccini which is an improvement on previous transfer deadline days. For that I say well done.
What I can criticise is the lack of a striker. In January there was the excuse of not having enough time to recruit after the 11th hour sale of Andy Carroll. Fair enough. Time can be a great barrier.
This time it’s different. We’ve had since then to line up and recruit a striker and we’ve failed to do so. One signing would have been the difference between appeasement and angst and, yet again, it didn’t materialise.
So yes, we were a striker short of a good transfer window.
Agreed. I dislike that we’ve been lied to again. I also think that whether the squad is stronger or weaker is up for debate.
But which teams have had their way this window? I can only count the Manchesters, Stoke, Liverpool, QPR and Sunderland. Only including the latter as fans called for investment and they got it.
As far as I see, Fulham, Wolves, Villa etc have all stood still, whilst I maintain we’ve done much the same and perhaps improved slightly.
I’m disappointed that we haven’t taken advantage of how open the league is right now to really steal a march on the competition, but we’re no worse off compared to most of them.
Top 10 is apparently MA’s imposed goal for Pardew and the lads this season and I think we have the strength to compete for that – not a foregone conclusion, mind. The addition of a striker would have made the task easier, but let’s be honest – bare minimum is the MA way.
blip(Quote)
at least fenwick can now concentrate on preparations for their xmas window.
i never doubted – wor bobby – for one second.
roy cropper(Quote)
Good assessment mate.
I am looking forward to having some real width and hope to see crossing flying into the box. We know Shola can finish a decent cross and Besty gets in the right positions.
Santon seems attacking and I reckon he will compliment Jonas well. He has Jonas in front and Colo beside him who both speak Italian so we shall see.
Moreno(Quote)
…………………….Krul………………………
Simpson…Saylor…Coloccini…Santon
……………Cabaye……Tiote………………
…..Obertan……Ben Arfa……Jonas…..
……………………..Ba………………………..
……………………….vs……………………….
……………………Carroll…………………….
…………………….Nolan…………………….
Jonas…..Tiote…..Barton…..Routledge
Enrique…Coloccini…Saylor…Simpson
……………………Harper……………………
There’s not a lot in it but I’d back the class of 11/12 to win out. Especially when we can bring on the likes of Gosling, Marveaux, Sameobi, Vukic and Abeid.
Toon Chicken(Quote)
I’m still gutted. it’s like I missed xmas day or something.
I just hate the fact they treat their customers with total contempt. They are constantly lying and the communication is either zero or total bull.
I think the squad is slightly weaker. I like Cabaye and was impressed with Marv against Scunthorpe but I have question marks over Ba, Gosling, Obertan and to a certain extent, Santon. We have replaced a backbone of a team with potential, thats all.
More could of been done to keep Barton, Nolan and Enrique but it seems wages will dictate our transfer policies.
I just hope he fu**s off soon because finishing between 12th and 20th isnt something to look forward to. On the other hand we could of signed Wright-phillips for 8mill and 80k per week ‘Gulp’….no thanks.
mark(Quote)
I’d say we were a couple of defenders short of an adequate transfer window. Should have made PSV an offer they couldn’t refuse for Pieters.
A good transfer window would have seen us keep Barton and Jose as well.
An excellent transfer window would have seen us do all the above and bring in a decent striker. Although what that means exactly I’m not sure – Andy Carroll maybe.
As it is, balancing out a whole lot of things, I think we might be a bit stronger than we were at the end of last season.
As a club, though, we are woeful. No communication, no PR, no understanding of what it means to be a fan of NUFC. The board is completely out of touch with supporters and seems to go out of its way to alienate them.
However, I have to say that I have grown to like Pardew now that he has come out and fessed up to having no control over transfers.
The other fecking feckers can **** off feckeryland.
Brisvegas(Quote)
wont BA and shola be at ACN in january..
we should of got a decent forward in this window,there is no excuse why we didnt…
hitman(Quote)
I agree another striker would of helped but we will be fine , still got enough attacking options there. I am worried about the defense as pointed out above. Think a cb and a rb msut be a priorty with a striker whenever we return to the transfer market. Can understand why people are dissapointed / angry about not getting a new striker in , we had long enough to sort it out but we missed out on a few targets for what ever reasons. **** thing is now the wait for a game.
Johno Toon(Quote)
I agree with Bris – Pieters was the one I wanted on deadline day – its the back line that’s the most vulnerable.
Stardust(Quote)
I wonder if somebody will mention the typo in the headline. I know I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing, but I’ve heard there are nitpickers about who come on here and say stupid things like that.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Bris 😉
toonsy(Quote)
A striker short + one or two defenders short. I have cooled down as well from the immidiate dissapointment of not getting Ruiz or similar. But would’ve thought they wanted another defender in aswell seeing as our only real backup cb, Willo, is out and they dont seem to believe in Kadar??? If Saylor or Colo goes down now or in two weeks then who will play??? The obvious thing we could do with is a left footed lb, and since PVA was apparently available on loan, I cant figure out why, since we seem reluctant to pay actual transfer fees for Pieters, Cissssosoko(spell).
But the transfer window still brings a sour taste to it, as our board showed once again that they cannot be trusted and they are willing to let Pardew out to dry on his own. Sad.
Anyway, not much to do now than to get behind the team and Pardew
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
I’m still angry that we didn’t get a striker. I agree that the players who have arrived all seem pretty good, but they have pretty much all been (sports) direct replacements for players we shipped out.
3 midfielders and a left back for 2 midfielders and a left back, it doesn’t feel like that Andy Carroll money really did go back into players like Ashley said….
Our strikeforce has been weak since January, the talk then was whether we could stay up without a goalscorer, and after January our form took a big dive, the team does look pretty good now, except that we don’t have a striker
Not in the least bit surprised, still pissed off though
nick(Quote)
“I said to Mike: ‘Look, this money has to be reinvested in the team. All of it,’” Pardew said. “And he assured me of that. That is the most important message I can give Newcastle fans today. I talked to Mike 15 minutes ago to clarify that and he was pretty clear. The money will be Andy’s legacy to the team.”
🙄
hitman(Quote)
i think that this will push our attendances down into the high 30′s now, really i do. 59 net profit on player sales over purchases in four seasons is just crazy. i doubt you will find another club in the whole of europe that has that profiteering record. really, i think we are leading the way. Not that i am in the least bit wanting 59 million spent as such… but you would have thought we could have brought in a forward and another LB and central defender. What we gona do if colo or taylor get injured.
Its interesting to see joey say that 4 players will be dold within a year. krul, tiote, colo and jonas. i agree that they will be sold. The simple fact is, no matter which way you cut it.. we are rotating body shop for players. thats it in a nutshell. We will sell on always once profit can be made and will replace with a younger cheaper version with the same cycle begining again.
Not only the 59 net profit on sales but both last prem season and this one now, thats 2 full summer windows plus one winter one when we have not spent a penny of the anually avaiable’war chest money’. all of this money is ontop of 59 million. if we spent a modest 20 million a season thats 100 million skimmed in a couple of years. Profit is good, i want him to have it.. but not at this expense.
Every single window we are dodgy and vunerable now, and we always will be as every single team in world knows we will sell anyone given the chance.
Where has the pride gone, the honor? there is nothing united about newcastle anymore. our best bet in my opinion is for us to get relegated again. we need the club to be sold and it aint gonna happen for as long as ashley is using it as a feeder club for other aqusitions such as No Fear brand just last week… there is your striker money there.
I will get stick for sure for saying i want to be relegated but i stand by it. It will make no difference to the crowds and the passion so who cares? ashley will leave and we can get some heart back into our club again .
craig chisholm(Quote)
Suppose its down to whether the manager feels he has been backed by his bosses or not, we feel let down and no doubt he will as well as he didnt get what he wanted.
Will be interesting to hear what he has to say, we still look light in defence and up front, we may have better quality players in but we are not a stronger squad in terms of numbers and will we be able to cope with a few key injuries?
What is clear though is that the manager is being given enough to survive, and thats it, we will be given false hope towards the next window and then, de ja vu, still think we have been pruned and tarted up for sale.
Robert(Quote)
craig chisholm
September 1, 2011 at 12:05
“I will get stick for sure for saying i want to be relegated but i stand by it.”
Craig, didn’t your mother ever tell you that sometimes its best to say nothing and let everyone think you’re an idiot, rather than opening your mouth and confirming their suspicions?
Toon Chicken(Quote)
I have defended Ashley before with certain things but for the Geordie fans to start a new season in the Premier without anyone worthy of wearing the No.9 shirt is unforgivable
Harrogate Geordie(Quote)
Craig @ 15/ what about the wages we were spending? Over wage bill was the 5th highest in the league and we were finishing below mid-table. Something like 1.2 million a week, owen was on 120,000 ffs! You are just going to ignore those costs?
There’s being angry at the Carroll money not being reinvested and there’s bringing retarded theories to the table.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Cheers Toonsy – really balanced viewpoint.
On the one hand, I’m really pleased with recruitment and think we’ll have a good season. I’m less hopeful of exceeding the top-half target, but I’m confident we’ll hit it.
Then again, we’ve gone way past the last two seasons’ targets so who knows?
On the other hand, I’m still fuming that:
1. AP and co have not learned to stop making promises they can’t keep. I’d have been happy if Pards had just said back in May, “yes, we need a good striker, but we won’t be held to ransom and we won’t spend money to just add numbers without raising the quality”. That man needs to learn. I like him, and want him here – but that side of things is just fuel to the fire and it’s embarrassing.
2. As this article puts very well: (http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2011/09/01/nufc-still-have-no-number-nine-as-window-slams-shut-61634-29341616/2/ ) we simply don’t seem to be good enough when it comes to getting the big deals over the line. Yes, we were no doubt hit with some unrealistic terms to meet, but there has to be some realism about the state of the market. Strikers are changing hands for way more than is reasonable; if we’re not prepared to play that game, then we should just say so; not waste everyone’s time and money chasing players we stand no chance of getting.
Too much testosterone at the negotiating table; a bit of acceptance of the (albeit daft) reality is needed.
So – angry at the club, but happy overall with our squad situation. So close to an amazing job but fluffed it at the end. Need to learn and do better next term. C+
Whumpie(Quote)
we are a left back, central defender and forward short at least. I would imagine that by selling nolan, barton, jose, carroll, routledge, campbell, shefqi and one or two other players that we have saved a large amount on salaries too… we just need to get shot of colo now along with jonas and with any luck, now we have promoted Krul to number 1, and with him looking better than De Gea, we can get 25 million for him too, then put in Elliot in his place as he cost 100 grand only.
craig chisholm(Quote)
I have to admit it: I am upset about the lack of striker, not so much because we need another striker, but because we have another season of moaning and doom-mongering to live through. And to some extent on the moaning at least, they have a point. Dammit.
Whumpie(Quote)
toon chicken…typical insults turning it personal as always.. i often think that you are a complete floor mat of a ball bag who constantly suks ashleys cok but i would never dream of saying it m8.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Yes we kept some of our good players but we also lost a lot of good players and we didn’t replace them.. This transfer window was a joke injury prone and untested players we bought the only good one I see is cabye
magpiesouthafrica(Quote)
It would help if someone from the club came out and spoke about the window instead of hiding away behind the curtains
Robert(Quote)
how many players will we lose in january for the ACN..
hitman(Quote)
whumpie… we have been duped as usual. its normal these days. it does not take a genious to work out that we never wanted ruiz or anyone. look at the massive huge fact provong it right infront of our faces.. .how come we offer 11 million for ruiz but could not meet the clubs valuations of 6-7 million for all our other striker targets over the previous three months.
On the upside, if we had bought a player in for x amount it would have ment a player of higher value leaving, so to that extent, i am happy. Best and Ba will have to step up to the plate now as they are our first and only line of attack.
craig chisholm(Quote)
known we needed a striker since january, talk about missmanagement there are only so many free transfers out there and they are either crocked, past it or just not willing to come to a club that only seems to sell thier best players and generate as much negative news as they can about a once great club.Unless you are Newcastle that is and let their best player last season go on a free i can only see us in the bottom half of the league with least goals scored.hope i am wrong but the sign’s dont look good, the BOARD could have lot answer for come the end of the season.
Baggzee(Quote)
Toonsy, agree mostly.
I’d change the title to “A striker short of a fantastic window?”
Our window was good for us. Very good infact.
Expect Ben Arfa to play as a secondary striker and hit the 15 goal mark… Daverism told you first 😉
Daverism(Quote)
I understand all this fear and anger about the lies the club tells the fans. Truth is they don’t know how to run a football club for anybody else but themselves. we should not be too negative at this stage, with Ben Arfa to come into the team this month we have our own new player already at the club, and I for one look forward to him and the new players providing us with good, quick and entertaining football. As far as the board are concerned they have done a good job, and that in itself tells us all we need to know.
Degs(Quote)
Robert @16: “… still think we have been pruned and tarted up for sale.”
I have to say that I’m coming round to that view as well.
I can’t believe Ashley is deliberately undermining his own asset, and it makes no sense at all in him aiming for mediocrity. But creating a lean self-sustaining club with a young team at the higher end of mid-table would make the club a very saleable asset.
And it makes sense of a lot of the **** that has gone on.
BrisVegas(Quote)
Basically couldn’t agree more with the entire article Toonsy. One striker and I would have been chuffed, a striker and defensive cover/another youth prospect and I would have been over the moon. As it stands, I’m fairly content…
DevonMag(Quote)
Agree Robert. There is also another way to look at the striker situation. Strikers, top class ones, are hard to come by and cost a good amount of wedge.
I would think that Best, Ba and Shola can probably do alright for us this year, one or two may even really surprise or impress us.
The point is, we can’t at the moment attract a top class striker without shedding out over the odds prices, and even then maybe not, something Ashley at present is not going to do. There is an argument that this team will build on last year and then we might be in a better position to negotiate for a better class of striker.
There would be some method there, we are building a team, a lot have been put in place for a 2-4 year stretch. That means in the next couple of windows we do add a striker, and a few more defenders, while some of the younger ones come through.
There would be some logic there, it would just be nice if someone dained to share their thoughts with us.
Lionel Speed(Quote)
We put more effort into signing a goal keeper than a striker what a joke.. Let’s see what happens when we have a couple of injuries to key players.. WHAT A JOKE THIS OWNER IS
magpiesouthafrica(Quote)
My god. Thinking getting relegated is a good idea?
Correct me if I am wrong but we were relegated, with a squad containing Barton, Jose, Nolan and Owen and better players.
What a joke. Some people need to realise its not always greener on the other side. Many may not like him but I think we know what we are getting and should get on with it
Raffo(Quote)
AP is very very quiet isnt he.. i cant imagine why.. left to pick up the pieces again is nothing new to our managers.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Toonsy good article.
One thing that we are all forgetting is that a lot of these players are on lengthy 5 year deals…. we are talking 8m for £30k salary alone.
And how many have we handed out? Thats a fair chunk of money.
So to say we arent planning for the future seems ill advised.
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
eaststand sign
Newcastle United bosses have confirmed that the sign is coming down, but say it will be replaced with new, identical lettering.
However, a club spokesman said they were unable to confirm or deny mounting speculation that commercial signage promoting owner Mike Ashley’s company, Sports Direct, would be added to the stand
EH
hitman(Quote)
Raffo… i would ask you why you want to stay in the prem in under our present stewardship??
craig chisholm(Quote)
Why replace it with new identical lettering? What is the actual point of that?
toonsy(Quote)
@37… utter rubbish Liam.. thats called normal operating overheads and comes out of the generated income with the well known figure being do not to go over 70% of the income on wages. To insinuate that we sell palyers to pay for other players wages being correct is way wrong.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Solano’s–you said our wage bill had us at 5th in the league before. Any idea where we are now?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
And does this count for proof that we were in for a striker–granted, an untried one in EPL?
http://www.fansfc.com/story/35045.html
Newcastle United offered fresh Maiga hope
10:00 AM 01 September, 2011
Newcastle United have been told they could sign Modibo Maiga in the winter.
The Magpies had hoped to sign the Mali international on deadline day, but Sochaux refused to sell the 23-year-old as they couldn’t line up a replacement.
However, the French club have offered Alan Pardew fresh hope, by revealing they could be willing to let striker Maiga leave when the window reopens in January.
“If we had found a successor, he would have gone,” Sochaux chairman Alexander Lacombe said. “If we find a replacement in December then, yes he could leave in the winter.”
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Toonsy… its cos they are adding sports direct to it in some format. maybe have the word newcatle in red and united in blue.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Craig – my point was that we are spending and with 5 year deals it suggests we are planning for future improvements.
We all shout doom and gloom but because we have made a good start if we make it to jan mid table we could get a striker in, unless of course the club say we will 🙁
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Aye Hitman, it’s sad to see the pic of the signage being removed. It’s a bit like Flowery Twats!
The remaining letters are A, S, T, L, E, N, E, D. Any suggestions to crack the anagram?
How about ends late to get the ball rolling?
lesh(Quote)
Any sign of Patsy and his rallying cry ?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
pardew just been made to look like a reet plum on SSN..
hitman(Quote)
Lesh – LAST NEED
toonsy(Quote)
there would be no point in signing Modibo Maiga in january as he will be away with mali in the ACN.
hitman(Quote)
Funny, I remember a fair few the other day who were calling for Best to step into the void instead of us buying or loaning someone. Where are they now?
So none of us here have ever forgone a purchase because it was out of our price range? Really? You’d rather pay $20,000 for a $15,000 car just because you told your missus you’d have a new car in by next month?
No businessman worth his salt sets out to destroy his own business. What some people on here are saying about MA and the way the club is being run clearly don’t understand even the basics of business. Relegated so he will sell? We might end up in League 1 this time around… Best chance of the club being sold is to achieve success, increase the income coming in and not pay stupid wages that are out of our means.
So for all the “financial experts” and conspiracy theorists out there… have you ever run a football club? Er, no? Shut up then.
Thad(Quote)
Because I want the club in the premiership.
We are supporters. None of us a shareholders with any financial degree of interest so why dont people just support? Yes we want more players, but at least we dont have Blackburns joke of a board, and at least we arent in a mess like Everton selling good players and with no hope unless they get bought out.
Just support the club. To suggest protests and crying for the board to be sacked is going to do anything other than harm the team spirit and confidence is laughable. Ashley will sell when HE wants to. Nothing you, me, Toonsy, Bobby and his magic ****** bus is going to do any good.
We laud ourselves as the best support in the land. Then lets show it.
Raffo(Quote)
Craig, give over your nonsense. Nobody wants to go back to the Championship, our last trip, for good or for bad, sorted out our finances, which are obviously now being managed tightly.
But, we have been and are actually building year on year from that point of relegation. Maybe it isn’t the flavour we all like, but their are definite signs of progress. I still think we will do better than last year, and then we’ll see next year.
To suggest our own relegation again, have a word mate, for that you deserve all the criticism you get on here.
Lionel Speed(Quote)
@thad
Just out of interest, who is that on your avatar?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Hitman what SSN said?
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Even though I kinda think Pardew is a tool, I feel bad for him at the moment. I don’t blame this on him.
Jabba’s penny pinching ways have scared off a number of good targets, it seems, and Pardew’s red face will be the only one exposed, as The Hut will never have to answer publicly for any of it.
I do wonder where Pardew’s limit will be. If he keeps the club playing well despite its obvious limitations, others will be coming for him in January because we know that managers get changed like underpants in these times. He could walk if another job is calling him. Would anyone blame him?
I don’t think the transfers have been an outright disaster, as many do, but it was certainly disappointing yesterday.
Those who say “the only way to affect the regime is to boycott” are probably right. I’m not advocating that, but if people are serious about changing “our club,” that’s the only message Jabba understands.
And on the subject of “our club,” (brace your selves for the inevitable) it will never be “our club” till we own it, as fans. Fans should own the club.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
it showed an interview were pards says he had been promised the judas money..
got to feel for pards the 2 jokers have stitched him reet up
hitman(Quote)
typical SSN they must be in DL’s pocket
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
That’s a good point, Hitman, that he’d be away. But I was asking if it helps silence the doubt that we were actually trying for a striker.
Trying, of course, does not equal doing. So the obvious point here is incompetence in the buying department.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Feel let down, happy with acquisitions but feel we are still light on quality in reserve. Would have been happy if we had got peters and a striker. Just a quick thought ,we wont be held to ransom over fees? what happens to the war chest when the inflated value window opens in January.
Tommy Gibb(Quote)
Yeah, Tommy, interesting to see if we wind up paying more in January… if we actually try to buy…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Wonder where pardew is today…….
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
If we buy in January!!!
Dont start that 🙂
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Thad….. ‘….. rather pay $20,000 for a $15,000 car just because you told your missus you’d have a new car in by next month?’
Nope but as we’ve had near 9 months to do find a striker, if we’d done the deal earlier when it became a sellers’ market, we’d have had to pay the $15k!
Look at Ferguson, he had all his transfer business completed before Wimbledon started! Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
lesh(Quote)
Thad,
How about you sell your wife’s car and promise to spend the money On a new car for her and 8 months later she’s still getting the bus?
Moreno(Quote)
Think of Ba as the bus pass
Moreno(Quote)
Bris – perfectly put at 31 – many of the fans hate Ashley – he is setting us up perfectly to be saleable.
So again he does as they wish and he is hated more for it.
Stardust(Quote)
Toonsy, how’s about STALE END [to the transfer window]?
lesh(Quote)
@64
*Nope but as we’ve had near 9 months to do find a striker, if we’d done the deal earlier BEFORE it became a sellers’ market, we’d have had to pay the $15k!
lesh(Quote)
Agree that Colo is a cert to be sold next year (age and wages), Jonas highly likely too…. but it’ll be too early for Krul IMO. The regime seems to regard players as investments and as such will allow those investments to mature before cashing in at maximum value (unless they get a daft offer in the interim).
Ashley, like most businessmen, gets a ***** at the prospect of making money and unfortunately for us he thinks he’***** upon a system for profitable football ownership… and of course we remain cracking advertising for his retail empire
He also seems to be the type to hold a grudge. U cross him and he silently resolves to even the score. Barton, Nolan, Harper?, Shearer, the fans?
Should be interesting to see what he puts on the east stand… maybe a symbolic ‘f*ck you’ in our general direction
Hunga(Quote)
@Thad.
Thing is mate, it wasn’t out of our price range was it?
TheDimpleboy(Quote)
This window was about two things: Gaul and gall. We brought in several promising Frenchmen, and at the same time we have been the victims of pretense by the board to recruit a proven quality striker.
However, I’m not immediately lashing out at the board over this. Let’s see what Best, Ba, etc can do. If it’s ****, then in January there will be no excuse to not dig deeper into that pocket, both in terms of attack and defence.
Paul in Hollywood(Quote)
anyone reckon if another club comes in for pardew he will be off..
hitman(Quote)
Like I said yesterday, if Demba Ba fancies scoring say 15 goals this season in a pairing in which he also contributes to all round play and assists and as a result we’re riding highish in the premier league then I’ll grudgingly allow Ashley and Dekka to get away with it-however afterwards I’d like that money spent on a striker of real quality that wouldn’t see us as relegation fodder as many presumably do right now.
Personally can’t see that happening though, but I do have faith he’ll come good unlike many others who are already slagging him off, and I also have faith in Best, despite him not being a Premier League striker because all he does is score goals….
Newkie(Quote)
I’m unconvinced that MA is looking to sell the club (“pruning and tarting up”.) I think we can all see that he is tightening up the purse strings though, and this may be more than prudent over the long term and the envy of several other Premiership clubs. At the end of the day, salaries for footballers have become a joke and ridiculously out of touch with reality. Clubs must have balanced books, otherwise they will go broke – unless of course propped up by eccentric billionnaires who no longer care about fiscal responsibility.
Paul in Hollywood(Quote)