Chez

the FA take 10%, then its split after costs

Talking of which, I thought Joshua Ishaele Jacob-Heron Hunt-Laurent looked a bloody good player for Shrewsbury in the game against Liverpool.

Habib Diallo has been linked with Chelsea at about that price. I imagine someone has mentioned him this thread already, but he has scored quite a few goals in recent times for Metz. I don't know if he is better than Che, but there are always options.

Maybe Eisener will discover that they can't threaten to up sticks should the local council not pay for the new stadium infrastructure, like they do in the US, and decide to sell the club back to the fans. With creased tablecloths at the ready, the fans then announce exciting plans to spend less on the team and more on the new stadium. Unfortunately, they get the balance wrong and the team starts to struggle. Relegation to Division 4 eventually follows despite the reappointment of the flat fish whisperer Paul Cook.

Good point. There are about 1500 road deaths a year, so it's only a small percentage. The x20 rise in near misses on the M25 smart motorway was another headline figure. But how were near misses seen/recorded (the very low figure of about 75) before the smart motorway was implemented (I assume the radar technology spotted/recorded the 1500 near misses).

It feels like the whole thing is one huge con. There are some firms making a lot of money doing construction work here, but they don't seem to have been installing anything 'smart' except for on the M25. If I am being cynical, the implementation of smart motorways seems like a way for contractors to win some massive contracts to 'upgrade' motorways. I am guessing the central reservations probably did need to be replaced, but that seems to be where the real time/cost/work is being done rather than actually creating the increased capacity we require. If radar technology was not being installed until recently, then previous incarnations should have included a multitude of cameras that left zero blind spots and these should have be managed by recognition software or enough people to ensure cars were spotted in seconds not half and hour later. Who paid for these 'dumb' smart motorways? What did they think they were getting? And has the contractors supplied what they said the would? It sounds like the current Secretary for transport is trying to put things right, but who ****ed up in the past and who made money selling us 'smart' and delivering anything but? The Panarama programme does what it always does. Kicks up a stink, but leaves lots of questions unanswered.

This. Having said that, I imagine Celtic make their own signing gaffs too, we just don't focus on them like we do our own players. I fully endorse the Frimpong idea. Every time I see him, he stands out.

What I would like to know is how they were approved in the first place? When someone presented the idea to the Department for Transport, and was asked, "how do we spot broken down cars?", I assume the answer back then would have been "using cameras". The natural reply, would then be, "and these would be positioned every few hundred meters or so I assume, so that there were no blind spots?" and the answer would be "yes, that's right, every 400m, allowing cars to be spotted almost immediately". And then "how many people would be required to watch the CCTV monitors?" "we will have a large team ensuring nothing can be missed and we will thoroughly test the efficiency of that team to see if we need more eyes." "OK, that sounds good. Lets proceed..." Yet the reality is that there is limited technology in place, so either someone has failed to implement what they said they would or the meeting must/should have gone: "How do we spot broken down cars", "We have some cameras....but these won't cover the entire stretch of motorway. If a car breaks down in a blind spot, we will rely on a passing police car to radio it in, or a member of the public or the driver of the car themselves...assuming they know the number, have a working mobile phone..and haven't already been killed because they were not spotted in time." "OK, that sounds mental let's not proceed."

Likewise. A loan makes a lot of sense, especially for a player no one other than Spurs has had a really good look at. Wonder if we just have to pay his wages or there is a loan fee as well? We need some cover. We can't risk having no fullbacks. Hope he shines. The two Spurs fans I know haven't been terribly impressed. That worries me a little...

So a loan deal, with a view to buy. Not sure it's worth our while unless that loan fee is huge. I wonder if an obligation to buy if they go up might be discussed. Can't see them finding £20m and stay with FFP.

Matty Cash is someone I suggested many pages ago on this very thread. As I recall I said something along the lines of: he is a winger that has moved back to fullback due to injuries in that position and he has been brilliant for them, attracting much attention (he wasn't a bad winger by the way). I think Everton were strongly linked earlier in the season. I watched him at Ashton Gate and he looked composed, with a decent first touch that would enable him to play at a higher level. He didn't look to be the tallest of fellas, which I guess is normal for a fullback, but possibly worrying if exposed as Cedric has been at times. Defensively he looked pretty good to me, although Bristol City didn't offer much, so hard to say. I wouldn't say he stood out in that particular game, but I know he has in others. I'd say any scout would see a player that could probably step up a level. Forest have money and have just sold for money, so won't be desperate to sell, especially as they may go up this season - so he won't be cheap. Someone we should have been seriously looking at over the last couple of months, at the very least.

we seemed to dominate Palace in every game, just sometimes we don't take chances and then we let them in. We seem miles better than them.

i was thinking the same. limited bench options

Zaha turns JWP with ease forcing Romeu to take a yella. Tough ask of JWP is this. I'm not as convinced as others on here.

what a fantastic tackle from Bertrand. Anyone that thinks we can easily replace him, needs to check how he gets his distance spot on before doing a Bobby Moore.

this is exactly how I feel. Of course, being self sufficient (and be successful in this league) is tough if everyone else is spending today what they will earn tomorrow.

I don't have a major issue with Gao not loaning the club money. I never thought he's come in and gift us a wedge of money and who wants a club saddled with debt? Being self sufficient won't change us into the next Chelsea, City or Wolves. But if, and its a huge if, we spend the £150m TV money we get every year more wisely in future, there is no reason we can't be successful. We have simply got to buy players that go straight into the starting eleven and improve it. Adams, Djenepo and Danso haven't done that and lets not bother looking further back as we all know what lies there.

In terms of actual bodies, CM and LB seem to be obvious gaps. A little surprising that we would let our first alternative leave. The question is, will we replace him in this window? i wonder also if its another case of sell to buy as we did with Targett. In my opinion Romeu has looked a little too casual or ponderous perhaps in possession this season, but his form comes and goes and he's as honest as the days long. As always, can we do better? Can we scout better and can we sign better?

For actual money? There's no miracle workers on this Forum Shroppie. We might be able to lose half of Vestergaard's wages, possibly.

Having de-royaled themselves, does the amount the taxpayer pays, in total, to the Royal family go down, or will the same amount simply be redistributed to the others?

Thanks for that information, but I tied myself in knots trying to read your post Ron.

Agreed. I looked at the goals closely on MOTD this morning. Bednerek is too slow to make the challenge. Just before the cross comes in Cedric has a look over his shoulder and sees an extra man. He has two to mark. I think he slightly misjudges the weight of the cross, thinking it is deeper, he drops off to try and mark the deeper of the two players, the ball falls shorter to Neto, and now its too late to move forward and get tight. For the second, Jonny is in between CB and RB, but its Stephens man. Cedric takes up a decent position, tucked inside to help the CB. Stephens makes a desperate tackle, doesn't get near the ball at all. Cedric got his body inside the defender and but for Stephens lunge, wouldn't have given a pen away. Stephens going to ground was the issue. For the third, Bednerek doesn't go with Traore, he and Stephens get back but don't do enough to stop Traore, who turns well and plays a composed pass, Cedric has raced back to the six yard box, but Jimenez held back his run and the Cedric cant get close enough to block the shot.

the way football finances work these days, budgets and squads seem to be fixed in the summer period. New money and squad places don't appear in January. Maybe one signing to fill a slot left unfilled in the summer (like at left back for us) or if there is a host of injuries. If a player is going out in the summer, it perhaps still makes sense to bring their replacement in now so long as funds permit. But do they?

I've never seen us do it. The only game I can recall was Preston away back in the McGoldrick days, and that was one of the only flipping away games I missed that season.

Even taking into account the change of shape, which has only been recently, he's not reached the heights of last season. He was very good last season, but before that he was woeful, having lost all confidence. There is a player there. He can beat a man all ends up, which I love, but he can be frustrating. He's going nowhere, so it matters little.