The ULTRAMEGA Summer 2017 Transfers and Rumours Thread [featuring THE MIGHTY BLADES]

[Lewis]

It's almost as if they operate as an actual business.

[bruhnaldo]

Look at all the sponsors we have!

Manchester United are delighted to announce a 5 year partnership with Joe's Earwax Cleaners to become the exclusive Earwax Remover of Manchester United!

[Offshore Toon]

I really, really want Bruh and manc_sean to meet.

[bruhnaldo]

It's almost as if they operate as an actual business.

Actual businesses don't conduct business deals by bragging to their counterparts (and entire world) they have MORE MONEY THAN EVERYBODYYYYYYYY thereby driving up the price of any such negotiation going forward.


I really, really want Bruh and manc_sean to meet.

Because I guess I'm not allowed to be pissed off about the club I support or something. How dare I want them to spend all the money they constantly brag about and put out a team that plays a style of football that wasn't outdated in the 1940's.

[Spikey M]

Actual businesses don't conduct business deals by bragging to their counterparts (and entire world) they have MORE MONEY THAN EVERYBODYYYYYYYY thereby driving up the price of any such negotiation going forward.

Who's your President again?

[bruhnaldo]

Who's your President again?

Woodward ought to read The Art of the Deal maybe he'd fucking learn something.

[Lewis]

Actual businesses don't conduct business deals by bragging to their counterparts (and entire world) they have MORE MONEY THAN EVERYBODYYYYYYYY thereby driving up the price of any such negotiation going forward.

It's not as if they have paid over the odds for anyone since he said that (which I think was aimed more at potential sponsors worried about the future of the club than fans).

[John]

Do they brag about having more money and being able to do things only they can? I've never seen those adverts.

They have a shitload of sponsorships, but they're still a business being sponsored by other businesses. PSG can do this because they're backed by the Qatari royal family and they can bung Neymar a few hundred million quid through some trumped up ambassadorship. Real Madrid have historically been able to spend without consequence because they were supported by the King of Spain so when they were on their arse the Madrid council just bought their training ground off them for a few hundred million and leased it back rent free.

[Boydy]

Imagine getting all worked up about the transfer window. Who gives a shit.

[bruhnaldo]

Do they brag about having more money and being able to do things only they can? I've never seen those adverts.

They have a shitload of sponsorships, but they're still a business being sponsored by other businesses. PSG can do this because they're backed by the Qatari royal family and they can bung Neymar a few hundred million quid through some trumped up ambassadorship. Real Madrid have historically been able to spend without consequence because they were supported by the King of Spain so when they were on their arse the Madrid council just bought their training ground off them for a few hundred million and leased it back rent free.

http://i.imgur.com/9mglnCG.jpg

http://u.goal.com/446000/446057.jpg

[Weaver]

After weeks of seemingly interminable haggling over clauses and agent fees Kelechi Iheanacho has signed for Leicester City. £25m with a £50m buy back clause. Think he'll do well for us.

Good signing, seems like a solid goalscorer and given his age, he could easily have 'stuck it out' at City for a few more years and wasted his talent, which probably speaks volumes of him as a professional.

£50m buy back is madness - you can tell City haven't used that card much before.

[John]

They did sign a player for a world record fee last summer, but that second image doesn't suggest anything other than that they're loaded which everyone knows anyway.

Neither image suggests they have MORE MONEY THAN EVERYBODYYYYYYYY.

[mugbull]

Yeah wtf Manchester United spend astronomical sums

[Dark Soldier]

I've seen some bollocks in my life but this bruh seethe is next level. Am I on Reddit?

[bruhnaldo]

They did sign a player for a world record fee last summer, but that second image doesn't suggest anything other than that they're loaded which everyone knows anyway.

Neither image suggests they have MORE MONEY THAN EVERYBODYYYYYYYY.

"We can do things other clubs can only dream of" doesn't suggest that?

Fuck this shit.

[Reg]

So the complaint is that literally one club in the entire world has spent more on a transfer than United.

[John]

"We can do things other clubs can only dream of" doesn't suggest that?

Fuck this shit.

It's pure 'we're still a big club' rhetoric, but even taking that into account, not really.

By the way, since he said that they've managed to keep hold of a player Real Madrid wanted and broken the world transfer record, signed the most expensive teenager ever, broken the records in two other positions, and signed fucking Zlatan. It's not like they've been doing an Arsenal and claiming to be loaded before haggling over pennies to sign some bloke from the Belgian league.

[Lewis]

And they managed to con Arsenal out of sixteen million quid for Danny Welbeck, which makes Madrid selling their rejects for fifty million each look pathetic.

[Reg]

Hey, don't bring the smiliest United player since Dwight Yorke into this.

[Max Power]

Good signing, seems like a solid goalscorer and given his age, he could easily have 'stuck it out' at City for a few more years and wasted his talent, which probably speaks volumes of him as a professional.

£50m buy back is madness - you can tell City haven't used that card much before.

Yeah he seems a good egg which is nice, much like his fellow countryman Wilfried Ndidi.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leicester back to being my second team now, a strong Super Eagles is a strong World Cup year.

[Baz]

It's still funny how much Everton have ripped United off in recent years.

Neymar is gonna score crazy figures in France, isn't he? How many did Zlatan average? I can see Neymar getting 150% of that with great ease.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Don't underestimate how many stodgy as fuck West African units there are in the lower reaches of Ligue 1 who can turn any game into a 1-0 shitfest, but he should piss 30 goals without even trying.

[Shindig]

Some journeyman from Montpellier will snap him in the first month.

[Giggles]

Some journeyman from Montpellier will snap him in the first month.

Exactly my thoughts too. They've definitely passed the threshold where the price vs risk of injury is too much.

[Weaver]

Sky reckon Dembele of Dortmund, Coutinho or Griezmann as his replacement. They'll all cost at least €100m now the Neymar money is official.


Exactly my thoughts too. They've definitely passed the threshold where the price vs risk of injury is too much.

Can he actually dislodge Pauleta or Vikesh Dhorasoo from the starting eleven though?

[Baz]

Greizmann won't go and Coutinho's not for sale at any price, so Dembele it is.

Or Sanchez. :harold:

[niko_cee]

Bruh's outburst has really made my TTH day.

:eyemouth:

Is this what the world is now? Kudos, I guess.

Surely the complaint lies with the stodgy dickhead managers that have been appointed, rather than the failure to regularly spaff the gdp of a small county on transfers? [/aside]

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think it's because people spend so much time reading 'United Twitter' and similar outlets (adjust for whatever their club happens to be), particularly in the off season, that they lose perspective.

99% of what is churned out by the media, particularly online, is absolute tripe which is only put there for clicks and should be disregarded. But people seem to get obsessed and caught up in it now if they support one of the self-appointed 'big clubs'. My very rare visits to Chelsea Twitter are just full of nutjobs screaming about Gary Cahill being shit (he isn't).

[Lewis]

You would definitely have Tweeted crap as '@Hasselbainkesque' if Twitter had been around in 2001.

[Kikó]

Woodward is a dickhead but to echo boydy, who gives a fuck about the transfer window?

[Giggles]

Woodward is a dickhead but to echo boydy, who gives a fuck about the transfer window?

It's more interesting than the actual games.

[GS]

Surely the crux of this transfer is that PSG wanted a SUPERSTAR signing and he was simply the biggest name available who was willing to come.

I think he's somewhat over-rated. It's not like they've signed Pele.

[GS]

Woodward is a dickhead but to echo boydy, who gives a fuck about the transfer window?

The whole charade is utterly tedious nowadays. Perhaps it's simply 'social media' that has made it seem ubiquitous, to the point that you simply can't escape a constant stream of HYPE. I recall a time when you only learnt that transfers were probably going to happen when they appeared in the broadsheets or, the gold standard, it was on the BBC website.

[Yevrah]

Woodward is a dickhead but to echo boydy, who gives a fuck about the transfer window?

Despite the constant protests otherwise, we all do. This thread is 36 pages long for fuck's sake.

[Reg]

GS How many times have you seen him? He's one of the best players in the world, and he is a superstar - I'd guess only Ronaldo and Messi are bigger names.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bruh in being a typical American shocker.

What a mong.

[Kikó]

Despite the constant protests otherwise, we all do. This thread is 36 pages long for fuck's sake.

Probably as long as all the match threads totted up over the year as well. We're the cunts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The summer of 2003 was magical. Opening the newspaper on holiday and who have we signed this time - oh, it's Geremi and Juan Verón.

I found out about Drogba days after it happened as well.

[Lewis]

Despite the constant protests otherwise, we all do. This thread is 36 pages long for fuck's sake.

'Yeah I'm *refreshes Facebook* getting a bit *refreshes Facebook* bored of Facebook.'

[niko_cee]

I sort of know what GS is getting at, I've also harboured similar thoughts about Neymar in the past, but you can''t argue with the fact that he is actually surprisingly good at carrying wank teams (just look at Brazil in and before 2014) so I reckon he is well suited to that messiah role he so craves and would obviously be denied at Barcelona. In short, everyone wins here.

Particularly Neymar Senior.

As to Yev's point. We used to have a whole sub forum for proper rumouring. Halcyon days. The clickbait shit Jimmy alludes to has wrecked it (and people's minds apparently) to the point where the only real thoughts that modern transfer rumour articles inspire are along the lines of "has this really been written by an actual human?".

[GS]

GS How many times have you seen him? He's one of the best players in the world, and he is a superstar - I'd guess only Ronaldo and Messi are bigger names.

He's clearly good, isn't he. There's a difference between saying he's probably over-rated and saying he's shit.

[John]

You'd expect some jobber to chop him down on day one, but then there are loads of six foot four lumberjacks in Spanish and particularly Brazilian football too and he managed to avoid getting broken in three by one of them, despite looking like he's made of candy floss. It took some Colombian footsoldier to drop a move which is genuinely banned in UFC on him to do him any real harm.

In terms of pure ability I reckon he's probably slightly underrated if anything, purely because so many people still like to say he's overrated.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I found myself on some slideshow to rank the highest paid footballer and I love this:

http://i.imgur.com/ndjUT7L.png

A researcher probably decided to go on his Wiki page to find a big former club. Not satisfied with Milan they saw 'Barcelona' in his list of youth clubs and assumed it must be the Spanish one. He played a season at a small Brazilian lower league Barcelona.

Also, Axel fucking Witsel getting just over £300k a week is fucking mental.

[John]

Or more likely got Nou Camp and San Siro mixed up in his head.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Telegraph galleries are the absolute rock bottom for the click generating shite I mentioned. Every picture has its own url so they're getting 20 statistical eyeballs out of you. They are made for no other reason (I mean, what is the journalistic merit of that absolute shite above?).

[Raoul Duke]

When I were a lad we had to walk uphill both ways to get our transfer news. Forage in hedgerows for discarded copies of the super soaraway Sun. Unless you tuned in to Ceefax to get your transfer news back in the day, you don't know you're born.

I'm pretty sure PSG decided to buy Neymar just because he bummed them into next week when Barca had that bonkers turnaround against them.

[SincereTheRebel]

I understand the best players, play through the middle but the daily mail claim that cavani will be pushed back out wide in order to accommodate neymar in the center. Respectfully, neymar is a wide left player. Cavani can still play through the middle.

[Adamski]

I understand the best players, play through the middle but the daily mail claim that cavani will be pushed back out wide in order to accommodate neymar in the center. Respectfully, neymar is a wide left player. Cavani can still play through the middle.

That's the reason he's leaving Barca so I very much doubt he'll play wide left.

[phonics]

893439865467129857

lol

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is the whole 'Neymar Jr' moniker just an attempt by his father to emphasise the fact that there's a Neymar Sr?

[phonics]

Actually, I've just found out that if we don't include what Neymars dad pocketed, Tevez will earn more than him so technically it's true.

[bruhnaldo]

This same website used to tell me I was being a "typical American" years ago because I cared about overspending on players because "who cares about transfer fees?! they haven't even come close to spending ThE RoNAlDo MoNEy! it's not your money is it?!" but now that I want the club to spend all the money they've bragged about having ("LoOk At OuR FanCy AdidaS mOnEy!") I'm still just a "typical American".

and lollerfuckinskates at "who cares about the transfer window?" I mean half of you have made "I don't think I even care about football" posts in the past 2-3 years so you can get to fuck trying to act like wanting better players in key positions is some sort of crime. The other half of you have lamented how boring United play whilst yearning for "tHe UnItED WaY" for years.

It's hardly as if I'm sat at home throwing things at my pets, I was just venting. You all really have to come off that high horse.

[mugbull]

bruh == Smiffy??

[bruhnaldo]

I just have to accept that I will never win with you lot no matter what I guess.

[Kikó]

We should be spending the money on Neymar because psg have.

[phonics]

All I know is he definitely ≠ mad

[SvN]

What the fuck is that all about?

[bruhnaldo]

Phonics do tell... do you think I'm sat here like grinding my teeth seething at the world? Like do you honestly think I'm kicking over trash bins in the office over it?

This obsession you all have with projecting people's emotions onto them is weird af. I've wanted Neymar to play at United since I watched him at Santos. The chairman of my favorite football club used to gas us up talking about doing things other clubs could only dream of. I don't know why I'm not allowed to be a bit miffed that while he's off to PSG we're haggling over a couple million quid here and there for players like Ivan Perisic (who would be a great signing).

It's madness to me that I'm not allowed to have any frustration with our transfer window especially given how boring and shit we play.

[Jimmy Floyd]

United have spent £146 million on players so far, with millions more likely (my research for this post indicates we got 40 for Matic, lol), we're going to lol at you for crying about that figure not being three times the size.

[bruhnaldo]

And they wouldn't have had to spend 146 million if Woodward would've kept his mouth shut.

They've bought Romelu Lukaku, Victor Lindelof, and Nemanja Matic but fuck me for hoping they actually sign a dynamic, game-changing player instead of paying over the odds for Romelu fucking Lukaku and Chelsea's scraps.

[Mellberg]

Thank fuck I'm not a United supporter. Sounds difficult.

[Kikó]

We would have signed Morata for a sixpence if it wasn't for WOODWARD!111

[phonics]

It's madness to me that I'm not allowed to have any frustration with our transfer window especially given how boring and shit we play.

You're perfectly well allowed to, people will just make fun of you for it. You sound like one of those spoilt children on MTVs 'My Sweet 16'.

[Kikó]

I thought we signed the dynamic, game changing midfielder last summer.

[bruhnaldo]

You're perfectly well allowed to, people will just make fun of you for it. You sound like one of those spoilt children on MTVs 'My Sweet 16'.

If my parents sat around bragging about how much more money we have than everyone else, how my birthday party would be something other kids could only dream of, yes, I'd be pissed off about getting a Honda Civic.

[bruhnaldo]

I thought we signed the dynamic, game changing midfielder last summer.

And hopefully Matic unlocks his full potential. You know who else would've unlocked his full potential? Fabinho. Bakayoko. I.E. a player that isn't on Chelsea's "want rid" pile. A player who we wouldn't have had to put 40m into the coffers of a direct rival for.

[Kikó]

Tell me more about Fabinho and Bakayoko and how you've come to the conclusion that they're the prodigal sons of DM.

[bruhnaldo]

I said "or a player that we didn't have to give money to a direct rival for". Not exactly the "end all be all" list but those are two players who were apparently available that could do the same job Matic will be expected to do.

Not sure why that's beyond the realm of understanding.

[bruhnaldo]

Nevermind that Fabinho is also apparently a very serviceable full-back and it's not as if we don't need depth there lol

[phonics]

If my parents sat around bragging about how much more money we have than everyone else, how my birthday party would be something other kids could only dream of, yes, I'd be pissed off about getting a Honda Civic.

That's the definition of spoilt. You're a brat.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Is Pogba a Juventus reject as they signed Pjanic before selling him?

[Kikó]

Matic is a player Mourinho likes. Why does giving Chelsea money matter? You know Roman has loads of money right?

[Mazuuurk]

Lindelöf will win you the league, shut up and be happy you have the Wolds Best Defender.

[bruhnaldo]

That's the definition of spoilt. You're a brat.

The definition of spoilt would be someone's parents doing the best the can and providing what they can and the little kid being pissed off instead of being appreciative.

Except that's not what United are doing whatsoever. I didn't ask Woodward to make such outlandish comments. I didn't ask the club to big up every Official Spork Sponsorship as if it's a new singing.

Last I checked all that mattered was the actual football and we play some of the worst football I've ever witnessed. I'm literally a season ticket holder for an MLS team. That's pathetic.

They're haggling over 3-5 million quid for a 29 year old winger, a position we actually need especially given Lukaku will be fucking worthless with the kind of "service" we tend to provide the front line. Pogba can't just ping 40 yard passes the entire game and hope that's going to win the League somehow.

[phonics]

The definition of spoilt would be someone's parents doing the best the can and providing what they can and the little kid being pissed off instead of being appreciative.

Except that's not what United are doing whatsoever. I didn't ask Woodward to make such outlandish comments. I didn't ask the club to big up every Official Spork Sponsorship as if it's a new singing.

Last I checked all that mattered was the actual football and we play some of the worst football I've ever witnessed. I'm literally a season ticket holder for an MLS team. That's pathetic.

They're haggling over 3-5 million quid for a 29 year old winger, a position we actually need especially given Lukaku will be fucking worthless with the kind of "service" we tend to provide the front line. Pogba can't just ping 40 yard passes the entire game and hope that's going to win the League somehow.


A spoiled child, spoiled brat, or simply a brat is a derogatory term aimed at children who exhibit behavioral problems from being overindulged by their parents. Children and teens who are perceived as spoiled may be described as "overindulged", "grandiose", "narcissistic" or "egocentric-regressed".

Brat.

[bruhnaldo]

Matic is a player Mourinho likes. Why does giving Chelsea money matter? You know Roman has loads of money right?

So all the reports I've read about Conte being frustrated at Roman's keeping the purse-strings tight and basically threatening to quit the club mean nothing I suppose.

[bruhnaldo]

Brat.

"Behavior problems" isn't coming to a fucking football forum to lament the lack of dynamic signings you weird little prick.

[mugbull]

Unreal scenes from the MLS season ticket holder.

[bruhnaldo]

Unreal scenes from the MLS season ticket holder.

You're welcome for being the only interesting thing on this website when Magic's wife isn't fucking half the town.

[phonics]

Radars picking up something, seems to be a massive cloud of 'DEFINITELY NOT MAD, I'M ACTUALLY LAUGHING' in the vicinity.

edit: haha and there's the lash out at Magic, to the point of tagging him, to try punch down. What a child.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Who gives a shit what Ted Woodward says in the press? Do you reckon the chairman of Nice is sitting there reading the Daily Croissant when a poorly translated version of 'M.United ont beaucoup d'argent, dit Woodward, haw-hee-haw' appears in the odds and sods column, and he thinks 'Sacré bleu! I thought Man Utd were dirt poor! Armed with this knowledge, I will be holding out for millions more for *tenuously hyped-up player who has had one good season*!'

It's your own obsession with consuming the absolute tripe churned out for click generation that causes you such disappointment.

[bruhnaldo]

So again, it's my fault for taking the chairman of the football club at his word.

Understood.

Mind you, it wasn't "IN THE PRESS" it was literally on MUTV. No one asked him to say that. Don't tell your club's supporters to "WATCH THIS SPACE" and sign Nemanja fucking Matic.

[mugbull]

I think I'm going to watch a lot more football this season than last and, now that I've been dwelling on it, I think I'm going to write a blog about it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I do love that when you poke Bruh he lashes out at Magic along the way.

[Lewis]

They've spent almost four-hundred million quid since he told the fans to 'watch this space'.

[bruhnaldo]

And how much money do you think they've made in that time?

Edit:
http://ir.manutd.com/~/media/Files/M/Manutd-IR/Governance%20Document/mar-2017-mu-plc-earnings-release-final.pdf


For fiscal 2017, Manchester United expects:
 Revenue to be £560m to £570m.
 Adjusted EBITDA to be £185m to £195m.

[Jimmy Floyd]

So again, it's my fault for taking the chairman of the football club at his word.

Understood.

Mind you, it wasn't "IN THE PRESS" it was literally on MUTV. No one asked him to say that. Don't tell your club's supporters to "WATCH THIS SPACE" and sign Nemanja fucking Matic.

I've said Matic is lazy many a time, but fact is he started 35 games for the champion club last season. Lukaku meanwhile has scored 1 in 2 over the last five seasons, in this league, for lesser clubs, peaking at 25 goals last season (the last time a United player scored so many was van Persie five seasons ago). Why would Woodward not be justified in saying 'watch this space' before the capture of those two, rather than some 21 year old midfielder in France who you've watched maximum three times?

[bruhnaldo]

So I can take your word that Matic is lazy but I can't take the word of the hundreds of people I've read rave about Fabinho and Bakayoko (some of which were even on this website).

TRUST NO ONE BUT YOUR OWN EYES GUYms!M

(Neverminding I guess I'm not allowed to be impressed by a player in the few games I've watched now, either)

[bruhnaldo]

Trust me it's fine, there's no real debate anymore. You guys are always going to think poorly of me and I will always never understand why I constantly get such backlash for seemingly such innocuous opinions.

It's all good. I'm not bothered. Let's move on.

[SvN]

People used to think poorly of Mahow, and look at him now.

[Kikó]

I don't think poorly of you. Let's go to Old Trafford.

[Mazuuurk]

Bruh's just a bit annoyed that Qatar hasn't been "FREEDOM!'d" yet and can afford this sort of endeavour, as his supreme leader is likely munching on doritos and yelling at the telly instead of plotting the next Freedoming.

[bruhnaldo]

I don't think poorly of you. Let's go to Old Trafford.

One of these days my "MEMBERSHIP!" will pay off and I'll actually get tickets to come over :(

[Lewis]

And how much money do you think they've made in that time?

Edit:
http://ir.manutd.com/~/media/Files/M/Manutd-IR/Governance%20Document/mar-2017-mu-plc-earnings-release-final.pdf

Which is how they - unlike pretty much every other club - managed to spend a hundred and fifty million quid (and probably two-hundred this year) whilst still recording a normal-ish profit. Short of punting their long-term financial security on Neymar, I'm not sure what you expect.

[bruhnaldo]

i'm not sure what you expect.

all the signings!

Edit: stop suppressing my need to be in all-caps you fucking website

[Jimmy Floyd]

So I can take your word that Matic is lazy but I can't take the word of the hundreds of people I've read rave about Fabinho and Bakayoko (some of which were even on this website).

TRUST NO ONE BUT YOUR OWN EYES GUYms!M

(Neverminding I guess I'm not allowed to be impressed by a player in the few games I've watched now, either)

You are but you can't claim that the club has let you down by spending hundreds of millions on proven players, and not on those ones.

[bruhnaldo]

Trust me I realize in the grand scheme of things it could be miles worse and I can see how it comes off a bit "spoiled" as The Phonics has said.

I just tend to look at things in a vacuum I guess.

[Magic]

I do love that when you poke Bruh he lashes out at Magic along the way.

I'll take it. Any attention is good attention.

[bruhnaldo]

Sorry Magic.

[bruhnaldo]

Lmfao Offshore do you think negging all of my posts does anything but make my dick erect?

Waste more of your time you silly bitch :drool:

edit: Kiko we don't use "Man U" you know that smh

[Mazuuurk]

Making dicks erect is exactly the purpose of negging, as taught by Mert in the relationship thread.

Keep up, brah.

[bruhnaldo]

Here's another post to neg, Offshore.

[Mazuuurk]

Bruh I love your opinion on transfers bro. Most people would have thought it looks like opinions a granny might have but I think they really suit you.

[Baz]

You're nearly on 1337 posts. :cool:

[Weaver]

Robbie Keane has joined his boyhood club, Atletico de Kolkata, to play for Teddy Sheringham.

[John]

This same website used to tell me I was being a "typical American" years ago because I cared about overspending on players because "who cares about transfer fees?! they haven't even come close to spending ThE RoNAlDo MoNEy! it's not your money is it?!" but now that I want the club to spend all the money they've bragged about having ("LoOk At OuR FanCy AdidaS mOnEy!") I'm still just a "typical American".

and lollerfuckinskates at "who cares about the transfer window?" I mean half of you have made "I don't think I even care about football" posts in the past 2-3 years so you can get to fuck trying to act like wanting better players in key positions is some sort of crime. The other half of you have lamented how boring United play whilst yearning for "tHe UnItED WaY" for years.

It's hardly as if I'm sat at home throwing things at my pets, I was just venting. You all really have to come off that high horse.

The 'typical American' thing isn't based on what you think, it's how you put it across. Everything is at the extreme, the end of the world. When Manchester United were overspending in your eyes it was was the death of the club, now they're spending more than anyone but because one club made one deal that put you in the shade it's the death of the club, and you're 'mad' about it.

As I pointed out before, since Woodward made the statement that set light to your undercrackers you've broken the world transfer record, specific world transfer records in three positions, and the transfer record for a teenager, as well as doing 'what other clubs can only dream of' in keeping a player who wanted to go to Madrid and who Madrid wanted. If he'd said those things and you'd signed a couple of kids from the lower leagues, that would be your Honda Civic. As it is you're complaining because your Bentley is two shades lighter than you wanted.

[bruhnaldo]

Fair enough. I am known to apply a lot of hyperbole I suppose. Sorry fellas.

[McAvennie]

Lindelöf will win you the league, shut up and be happy you have the Wolds Best Defender.
I didn't know he played for Swindon town

[bruhnaldo]

Sigh. I'll do better one day I guess.

[Lewis]

'Watch this space.'

[mugbull]

Spurs are on course to sign their first player of the window, a 3rd string keeper named Gazzaniga. Fantastic piece of business, will really help keep us in the title race I think.

[bruhnaldo]

'Watch this space.'

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/769/418/829.gif

[randomlegend]

Spurs are on course to sign their first player of the window, a 3rd string keeper named Gazzaniga. Fantastic piece of business, will really help keep us in the title race I think.

I'd just taken to paint with this name as inspiration, but perhaps not the best thing to tie myself to online in this day and age :uhoh:

[John]

Black Gascoigne? Yeah, don't bother.

[randomlegend]

Would have been an absolute classic and you know it.

[John]

It would have been Gascoigne either on a plantation or walking out of KFC in FUBU gear, and you know it.

[randomlegend]

Like I said, absolute classic.

[mo]

I didn't know he played for Swindon town

Didn't want this to go unappreciated.

[Shindig]

What a career. Valencia, Gillingham, Southampton, Spurs. 12 appearances off Stuart Taylor.

[John]

Barcelona are going to spaff £120 million on Dembele from Dortmund now to replace Neymar. I'll laugh my head off if he goes there and wins the Ballon d'Or while Neymar is pissing about in France putting four past Lorient as the world shrugs.

[Spikey M]

All of the Dembele's are pretty good. Someone should sign them all for a laugh.

[John]

I've had to revise my view that Tarrier Dembele will be scoring goals in the Premiership before long. He started last season like a train with that hat trick against us, but it wasn't fully apparent at that point just how shite we were going to be. He got seven league goals in the first month of the season, then ten over the rest of it. He seems to have plateaued.

[Spikey M]

I thought there was another Dembele until I Googled Tarrier. :D

Shame, he was looking promising at Fulham.

[Lewis]

You could probably just buy Dortmund for ninety and transfer his contract across.

[-james-]

Someone is going to sign the wrong Dembele at some point. Probably someone in China.

[Magic]

All of the Dembele's are pretty good. Someone should sign them all for a laugh.

Yep. Is there a white equivalent?

[Spikey M]

Yep. Is there a white equivalent?

Cole is probably the closest I can think of. There's not even a decent Smith, is there?

Edit: and the best Cole isn't even white. :face:

[Adramelch]

Gotta be the various latin americans that go by Martinez, Hernandez and the likes.

[Foe]

Didn't Everton already do that with those cbs from italy. Scouted one and then spunked 5 mill on his partner at the back by accident who lasted less than 6 months.

[John]

You thinking of Per Kroldrup? I'm not sure he was the result of them signing the wrong man, and certainly not of an error in nomenclature.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You thinking of Per Kroldrup? I'm not sure he was the result of them signing the wrong man, and certainly not of an error in nomenclature.

It seems to be an urban myth.

https://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=104595.0

Can't seem to find anything else.

[ScousePig]

Didn't Everton already do that with those cbs from italy. Scouted one and then spunked 5 mill on his partner at the back by accident who lasted less than 6 months.

Sunderland have done that, obviously. Signed a South American called Nunez who turned out to be a hopeless midget. I can't remember who it was we were meant to be getting.

[Lewis]

His partners at Udinese would have been Felipe and/or Roberto Sensini, and it's hard to see how anyone could have mixed those up.

[Ian]

Barcelona are going to spaff £120 million on Dembele from Dortmund now to replace Neymar. I'll laugh my head off if he goes there and wins the Ballon d'Or while Neymar is pissing about in France putting four past Lorient as the world shrugs.

Surely even your average idiot modern footballer can't possibly think anybody's going to care about a single achievement in the French league. Outside the Champions League and World Cup he now basically doesn't exist, other than as a black hole for money,

[bruhnaldo]

In fairness it worked for Zlatan for awhile there.

[Weaver]

Sky's two breaking news bits in the last hour are that Coutinho would move to Barcelona if they can 'amicably' agree a deal with Liverpool, and also that Ousmane Dembele 'wants to move to Barcelona' and that while Dortmund have said they won't sell, £90m might do it.

Would Barca want or need both? I'm thinking one of them is going to be left disappointed.

[Mazuuurk]

In fairness it worked for Zlatan for awhile there.

Zlatan could have achieved a lot more by just bypassing that little stage and going straight to a big PL team, though, at the time.

As things stand, all he really has to show for it now are a bunch of Ligue 1 league titles which isn't really the mark of greatness I think he wanted to crown his career with.

[Gray Fox]

Sky's two breaking news bits in the last hour are that Coutinho would move to Barcelona if they can 'amicably' agree a deal with Liverpool, and also that Ousmane Dembele 'wants to move to Barcelona' and that while Dortmund have said they won't sell, £90m might do it.

Would Barca want or need both? I'm thinking one of them is going to be left disappointed.

Neither by themselves would replace Neymar in any way. One is seen as a right winger and the other as a CAM. If Barcelona do want to do well out of this they need to sign Coutinho plus 1 attacker. Someone like Mbappe would be great, but they may have to spend a ridiculous amount for a player with 1 season behind him.

Failing that they could sign someone like Dembele or Dybala on top and try to have a fluid front line without set positions.

[SincereTheRebel]

Barcelona need to bring sanchez back at 26/1.

Edit: Its now at 8

[Reg]

If they've got the whole €222m to spend they should get Coutinho/someone else to go in Neymar's slot, and an Iniesta replacement as well.

--
Has anyone watched much of PSV in the last couple seasons? We've signed Davy Pröpper off them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's your everyday box to box motherfucker.

[Lewis]

Barcelona still end up weaker regardless of whatever combination of signings you can come up with. Donned into oblivion.

[Mellberg]

I don't think they properly recover from here for a while. Too many missing pieces. They'll be signing Zenden and Cocu regens before you know it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They've lost the plot a bit since whenever it was they started believing their own hype (or when Xavi's legs went).

[Magic]

Barcelona still end up weaker regardless of whatever combination of signings you can come up with. Donned into oblivion.

Exactly. He doesn't really have an equivalent so their entire model is fucked. Good, fuck them.

[Magic]

I don't think they properly recover from here for a while. Too many missing pieces. They'll be signing Zenden and Cocu regens before you know it.

They'll go through the Gravesen/Drenthe spell shortly.

[John]

Neither by themselves would replace Neymar in any way. One is seen as a right winger and the other as a CAM.

He plays down the right for Dortmund because they have Reus and Schurrle filling the left, but he's equally comfortable on both sides.

[niko_cee]

I see Virgil has paved his way for a transfer to the city of Liverpool.

[Lewis]

If I was Barcelona I would - having signed a top, top midfielder - either just attempt a soon to be replacement with Kylian Mbappe, or go for Sergio Aguero and let the other two do what they want behind/outside him.

[niko_cee]

If they chuck €90m on Dembele they're absolutely mental.

They really just need to do a dawn raid on Athletico but I guess their transfer ban has mucked a lot of stuff up this summer.

I'm quietly confident Coutinho will stay, but if they're going to be getting £100m+ for him then there's a case for letting him go. Just don't sign any fucking replacements. At least none from England.

[-james-]

£90 million on The Ox and Jesse Lingard. :drool:

[niko_cee]

Aye, it'll be £100m split between Lanzini and Chamberlain.

:face:

[Ian]

Sell Coutinho for £100, buy Ross Barkley and then you've still got £35m left for deadline day to spunk on whoever's had a good game for Southampton that week.

[niko_cee]

Oh shit, I'd completely forgotten about Barkley.

Although, the seethe a deadline day discount deal (ALLITERATION!) would generate would almost make it worthwhile.

[Spikey M]

RAWK :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'd go for Dybala if I was Real.

[Magic]

Shindig Vernon Anita. :drool:

[Lofty]

RAWK :drool:

Someone on RAWK said they wouldn't entertain a swap of Messi for Coutinho earlier.

[Mazuuurk]

According to this French (lol) article, PSG would be prepared to buy Mbappe and/Coutinho as well now, both which would cost around 100m Euro supposedly.

http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/psg/psg-et-si-mbappe-arrivait-aussi-a-paris-07-08-2017-7179342.php#xtor=AD-1481423553

However true that is, I just keep thinking about that thing Wenger saying about a country owning a club, it really is a big fuck-off problem that shouldn't be allowed in the first place (but, I realize, cannot be technically stopped).

Also, how is everyone just now completely mesmerized by Coutinho? He's brilliant a lot of the time, but he also disappears from games.

[Raoul Duke]

Coutinho will go up a level playing with better players. Won't happen mincing about with Moreno and Klavan.

Barca basically don't have any young talent there right now. All these FM wonderkids have been shown up to be Bojan mark II.

[SincereTheRebel]

You need to be careful with barcelona. Fabregas upon his return was deemed not good enough and not worth to wear the shirt after three years despite his good 'numbers'. Coutinho will go up a level playing at barcelona. More goals and more assists.

[niko_cee]

Coutinho will suit playing in a midfield 3 in Spain (or France) where no one will bother to pressure him or make him work defensively, but I'd like to see him try it out for a year in England. Hopefully that's what Klopp/the brass have told him. Stick around for a year and go after the world cup next year if he still wants to. It's not like Barcelona aren't going to be interested then.

[GS]

Coutinho would seem to be a perfectly serviceable Iniesta replacement for two years down the line. Liverpool are a second tier club where the market is concerned, but generally seem to get their extra season out of players moving on to first tier clubs. He'll be sold next summer. I'm not sure they could afford to sell him now, irrespective of the fee, given the incomings have been underwhelming and Lallana and Sturridge are both crocked already.

[mugbull]

Coutinho as Iniesta replacement. Never thought I'd hear that one.

[GS]

You should listen more, then. You may learn something.

[Giggles]

He'd be insane to stay a year when there's the risk of getting injured and missing the payday.

[Raoul Duke]

Isn't he BFFs with Neymar though? I could see him going to PSG next season

[GS]

I have no idea. I'm working to the still valid hypothesis that if you're 'Latin' and any good, you'll end up at one of the two of them.

[niko_cee]

He'd be insane to stay a year when there's the risk of getting injured and missing the payday.

Apart from all the tax he'd probably be able to dodge in Spain I think the payday is staying where he is (or going to PSG as suggested).

[Lewis]

Speaking of which, Corporate Mourinho was putting his MIND GAMES on Madrid earlier over Bareth Gale in a lol way. I don't talk about players... But if he doesn't play tomorrow then they obviously don't want him.

[John Arne]

Why on earth has it taken van Dijk until a week before the start of the season to hand in a transfer request? If he genuinely wanted to move "to play European football and further my career", then why not hand in a request on the 1st July.

All this fucking about just to potentially get an extra few quid from Southampton from the loyalty bonus? It's fucking stupid.

[Andy]

Why on earth has it taken van Dijk until a week before the start of the season to hand in a transfer request? If he genuinely wanted to move "to play European football and further my career", then why not hand in a request on the 1st July.

All this fucking about just to potentially get an extra few quid from Southampton from the loyalty bonus? It's fucking stupid.

10% of a potential 70m is alot of cash.

Hate those social media posts which are quite obviously written by an agent.

Feel like something has changed recently though as the post mentioned top clubs and previously it's only been Liverpool mentioned.

Will be interesting how this one plays out now, the club wanted VvD to hand in a request so we don't look quite so bad. Now it's just a case of getting the maximum amount of money. 50m? 70m? Feel like any number is possible with the way the market has been this season.

[John Arne]

10% of a potential 70m is alot of cash.

Hate those social media posts which are quite obviously written by an agent.

Feel like something has changed recently though as the post mentioned top clubs and previously it's only been Liverpool mentioned.

Will be interesting how this one plays out now, the club wanted VvD to hand in a request so we don't look quite so bad. Now it's just a case of getting the maximum amount of money. 50m? 70m? Feel like any number is possible with the way the market has been this season.

I get that 7m is a lot, but he will also receive 4-5m signing on fee from the other side, I would have thought. At one point, you have to make a professional decision and sort this shit out. Hopefully Liverpool have faxed over a bid this morning and don't fuck about with this. If we lose him to another club it will be very annoying.

Who will Southampton be signing as his replacement? You fancy Sakho?

[niko_cee]

:D

He's going to Everton, as has always been the case. Top club on the rise.

[John Arne]

Keane and van Dijk :drool:

[mugbull]

You should listen more, then. You may learn something.

Haven't been following the newz but if that's the shit they're peddling then Barcelona really have no game plan.

[Pen]

Of the more well known players I'd say Coutinho is probably the closest you would get to getting an Iniesta replacement.

[SincereTheRebel]

Surprised that coutinhio hasnt won a single trophy since he has been at liverpool.

[mugbull]

He's half the player Iniesta is. Public opinion on him shifts every 6 months; he doesn't even have the same playing style as Iniesta. Eriksen's far more similar to Iniesta, although he too is obviously not nearly as good

[Jimmy Floyd]

You'll never replace Iniesta, just as they haven't replaced Xavi. Christ knows what happens when Messi comes to the end of the line. Mass mourning, I suppose.

[phonics]

Adam Lallana would be a better replacement for Iniesta than Coutinho and he wouldn't be a very good one.

[Lewis]

If Neymar had stayed then the obvious solution would have been to have Lionel 'Leo' Messi drop into midfield and replace him. So that is another thing that transfer has ruined for them.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Have they put in an official bid for Leon Britton yet?

[Andy]

I get that 7m is a lot, but he will also receive 4-5m signing on fee from the other side, I would have thought. At one point, you have to make a professional decision and sort this shit out. Hopefully Liverpool have faxed over a bid this morning and don't fuck about with this. If we lose him to another club it will be very annoying.

Who will Southampton be signing as his replacement? You fancy Sakho?

I'd like to see us try and sign Sakho but we wouldn't over pay so can't see it happening.

Hopefully we sign someone experienced to help develop Stephens.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Remember when Kevin Keegan wanted to bring Iniesta to Newcastle? Those were the days.

[Reg]

It's not like teams always replace players with exact replicas. But Iniesta's about as unique as they come so it is more difficult. Coutinho doesn't strike me as someone who can control a game against Real Madrid, Juventus etc. but perhaps I haven't seen him enough. He'd be a safer bet at left wing, I think.

[Magic]

Coutinho regularly goes missing, he's nowhere near top 4 clubs in the world level.

[phonics]

Coutinho is a 10 not an 8. It's as simple as that, doesn't move the ball on fast enough, slows down play etc. and that's ignoring his famous lack of consistency. It's not about replacing like for like, he just has a completely different skill set to the position required.

[SincereTheRebel]

Barcelona have changed their style and system at least 5 times since messi came to town. Im sure they will have no problem changing their style again and becoming successful once iniesta calls it quits.

[Mazuuurk]

Since when has Barcelona changed their style?

I thought the style was all part of this Mes que un club bullshit and that essentially all they ever care about is passing the ball around for a million years, and that's how they will do it forever and ever.

[niko_cee]

They are (were) a lot more direct under Enrique than any of the tiki-taka mob previously.

[GS]

The overwhelmingly obvious candidate to replace Iniesta is, of course, Alex Iwobi.

[phonics]

No because he is also a 10 and a not that great one at that. Hard getting basic player positions correct.

[Mazuuurk]

Wut

[GS]

:face:

[Jimmy Floyd]

10 is not a position. The only attacking positions are right mid, left mid, centre mid and STRIKER.

[SincereTheRebel]

Since when has Barcelona changed their style?

I thought the style was all part of this Mes que un club bullshit and that essentially all they ever care about is passing the ball around for a million years, and that's how they will do it forever and ever.

Several times.

Remember the early days when eto'o, messi and ronaldinho had no interest in defending at all. They used to stand at the halfway line when barcelona were defending corners. Pedro came up and they played with all that high pressing. They moved messi central and played the 'false 9'. Saurez came and they played him central and moved messi back out wide. Those changes have all happened over the past 10 years.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sir Henry Winter has just stormed back into the fray with a piece entitled 'Brighton will be a force for good'. I've missed him.

[niko_cee]

I'd never heard of a 'number 8' before Klopp started banging on about it in the aftermath of that goal Can scored against Watford. Is it really a thing then?

[Disco]

It's been around at least as long as 7 and slightly longer than 9.

[phonics]

I'd never heard of a 'number 8' before Klopp started banging on about it in the aftermath of that goal Can scored against Watford. Is it really a thing then?

An 8 is basically a 6 further up the pitch, closer to the 10 than the 4.

[Jimmy Floyd]

10 = Riquelme
8 = 'Super' Frankie Lampard, complete with pointing to the sky for whichever disabled child has died this week
6 = Beckenbauer
4 = Makelele

Am I right?

[niko_cee]

:D

In other news, what's this Andre Gomes chap Barcelona are trying to send over in lieu of actual money like? I remember thinking he was half decent for Portugal at the Euros, but then international football is played at sub-Serie A pace so I fear he would be a total passenger in the Premier League.

[phonics]

I was thinking about how this naming convention works with defenders, because in my head Beckenbauer would be a 5, but so would Per Mertesacker because a 2/3 should be your fullbacks and you've used 4 for your DM.

[niko_cee]

4 and 5 have to be the centre halves, no?

Then you've got Matthaus and Sammer fucking everything up by being a defensive 10.

[Jimmy Floyd]

1 - goalkeeper
2 - right back (must be under 5 foot 7)
3 - left back (set piece prowess optional)
4 - fouling centre midfield man
5 - chin-stroking centre back who's decent on the ball
6 - big ugly centre back with top speed of 0
7 - right footed creator with complex backstory and some kind of addiction
8 - box to box warpaint sledgehammer
9 - carthorse
10 - philosopher king
11 - skilful both footer ultimately doomed to fall in the shadow of 7, 8, 9 and 10

[phonics]

Those work in a FOUR FOUR FUCKING TWO but no other formation which is the issue.

[Mazuuurk]

What's wrong with terms like "Defensive midfielder", "Central Attacking Midfielder" and "Shitkicker"...?

[Mazuuurk]

You all sound like Mert and his bros on the annual fratconvention.

Brah she's totally a 7 and you are a solid 9 brah, just look at your eyelashes brah they are killer dude

[phonics]

What's wrong with terms like "Defensive midfielder", "Central Attacking Midfielder" and "Shitkicker"...?

Because those names don't translate across languages. Hence stuff like Trequatista existing and no-one having a fucking clue what it means. That ones been in FM for years now and I'm still not sure what they do.

[-james-]

I saw someone on twitter referring to a formation as a 1-4-2-3-1 the other day. What the fuck is going on?

[Mazuuurk]

Does anyone fucking know what a number 6 does then?

[Mazuuurk]

I saw someone on twitter referring to a formation as a 1-4-2-3-1 the other day. What the fuck is going on?

Some fucker trying to be clever about Manuel Neuer and Bayern I imagine.

[Reg]

6 and 8 haven't been fully established here because we're stuck clinging on to the days of 4-4-2. Numbers 7 (any right winger) and 9 (good old fashioned proper centre forward, no funny business) work the best because they clearly relate to 4-4-2. Number 10 also works because we as a country were transfixed on the concept of 'playing in the hole/between the lines' and the idea of not playing two strikers, so the number 10 drew attention. Hence 10 can be a support striker ala Rooney or an exotic playmaker.

[Pen]

He's half the player Iniesta is. Public opinion on him shifts every 6 months; he doesn't even have the same playing style as Iniesta. Eriksen's far more similar to Iniesta, although he too is obviously not nearly as good

Eriksen isa very good shout actually. I wouldn't claim either is as good, but if you're looking for an Iniesta replacement you could do worse than Coutinho, or better yet, Eriksen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Some fucker trying to be clever about Manuel Neuer and Bayern I imagine.

Or an American.

[Lewis]

1 - goalkeeper
2 - right back (must be under 5 foot 7)
3 - left back (set piece prowess optional)
4 - fouling centre midfield man
5 - chin-stroking centre back who's decent on the ball
6 - big ugly centre back with top speed of 0
7 - right footed creator with complex backstory and some kind of addiction
8 - box to box warpaint sledgehammer
9 - carthorse
10 - philosopher king
11 - skilful both footer ultimately doomed to fall in the shadow of 7, 8, 9 and 10

And a maximum of two pairs of coloured/white boots per team.

[Danny]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NDD4Zskl3XA/TUdeE8sTjSI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/cvfhwdlCqIY/s400/3-3-1-3.jpg

:nod:

[Mellberg]

3 in the middle? That's the kind of lunacy which should see a sectioning.

[bruhnaldo]

apparently when they started doing numbers people played in a 2-3-5 (da fuck?!)

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/53a46bf669beddb91ffa45ed-500-800/01b-8.png

and that evolved to this:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/14280627279_afff7c6ca7_o.gif

Thanks, google.

[Disco]

This might be the wankiest couple of pages in TTH history.

[niko_cee]

Well, in more transfery news, Watford have signed some Brazilian I have never heard of for £11m.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40864766

[Jimmy Floyd]

How the hell has he got a work permit?

[Mazuuurk]

"Extraordinary talent" or something.

[phonics]

They changed it a while back, any transfer over 10 million automatically qualifies for one because no football team would ever spend that much money on someone shit (lol)

[Mazuuurk]

Hah.

[mugbull]

Imagine being named "Richarlison"

[Spikey M]

So Liverpool spend Summer after Summer poaching Southampton players, to the extent that a public apology was needed earlier this summer, but Barcelona want a second player of theirs in 5 years and they shit the bed. :drool:

[Weaver]

Imagine being named "Richarlison"

PES version of 'Richardson'

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40841080

Southampton have signed Mario Lemina from Juve for up to £18m.

[Mazuuurk]

Wait what? Wasn't he supposed to be the shit? Lots of clubs chasing him for 40m?

Am I getting him mixed up with someone? (Not Lemar, I know that).

[Lofty]

apparently when they started doing numbers people played in a 2-3-5 (da fuck?!)

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/53a46bf669beddb91ffa45ed-500-800/01b-8.png

and that evolved to this:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/14280627279_afff7c6ca7_o.gif

Thanks, google.

You should read 'Inverting the Pyramid'.

[Lofty]

Apparently PSG are considering an £80m bid for Alexis Sanchez. Maybe they should've offered that before they broke the market with the Neymar deal.

[Giggles]

Apparently PSG are considering an £80m bid for Alexis Sanchez. Maybe they should've offered that before they broke the market with the Neymar deal.

£80m for a player out of contract in 11 months? Consider it well and truly broken.

[Magic]

What about a 'false' 9?

[SincereTheRebel]

Back to barcelona is where he needs to go. Purely for the benefit of my bank account.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The bitter-enders of Barca, Mate still haven't given Neymar clearance to move, which is lol.

[Amigo]

Word on the street is that Liverpool were forced to apologise to Southampton for tapping up van Dijk back in June because Klopp was spotted talking to him on Skype while he was on vacation in Iceland.

lol

[bruhnaldo]

if Barca don't put in the FIFA transfer papers or w/e the fuck and the deadline passes ...... then what?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Football stops, and Real Madrid are declared the final football champions.

[Max Power]

Burnley selling Andre Gray to Watford. They are doomed with Keane and Gray gone and little chance of replicating that home form from last year.

I wonder where all the TV money they've banked over the last few years has gone? No improvements to the ground, making healthy profits on player sales, apparently the training ground is mediocre. Board lining their pockets surely.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is there even any point in Burnley improving the ground? It can hold 30% of the townspeople as it is.

[Ian]

Burnley selling Andre Gray to Watford. They are doomed with Keane and Gray gone and little chance of replicating that home form from last year.

I wonder where all the TV money they've banked over the last few years has gone? No improvements to the ground, making healthy profits on player sales, apparently the training ground is mediocre. Board lining their pockets surely.

Comes under "securing the Club's future" I think.

[Shindig]

Fucking hell. I did not like the sound of that Rafa press conference. I dunno whether he's testing Ashley for more support or making actual plan B's for an exit. I'm scared either way.


"It’s very difficult (for me to leave). My Chinese is not good enough (!). No I try to do my best now. It has to be something you cannot control. At the moment I am fully committed to do the best that I can do now.

[Yevrah]

That's classic snidey shit from Rafa, he's off.

[Max Power]

Is there even any point in Burnley improving the ground? It can hold 30% of the townspeople as it is.

You can improve it without expanding it. Absolute shithole. Then again I suppose it won't match the aesthetic of the town if they give it a lick of paint or whatever.

[Shindig]

Maybe they can attract more corporate entities with a more upmarket stadium. They could land some sweet Rugby League Weekender like we do. Or a couple of games during an eventual England 20XX.

[Gray Fox]

£90m bid from Barcelona for Coutinho has been instantly rejected.

[niko_cee]

His 'back injury' doesn't sound that promising.

I guess the acid test will be whether he's still around come the Hoffenheim game, and then whether he plays or not.