Chez

not sure how to embed a twitter conversation, but the inter club `banter' seems to be escalating

Chelsea managed to break into the top echelon of football with global recognition and the sponsorship deals etc to go with it and their stadium wasn't anywhere near as big as the top clubs. They did it by spending money on players and winning things, not by building a bigger stadium. We don't have the spending power to do that, but doubt the stadium route will get us there either. Not sure I'm all that bothered to be honest.

Leicester will beat Arsenal if current form is anything to go by. Arsenal look suspect against a pressing side. For once wouldn't it be great if the underdog doesn't fade away. The Premiership and its fans need a Leicester win to give us hope...

Brilliant start to the game by us with a high tempo pressing game that once again showed that Arsenal are not all that if you hurry them. Thought we wasted quite a lot of opportunities in the first half. They gave up possession in dangerous areas and we didn't use the ball well. Mane just isn't doing the right things. He is the key. If he can just start to make the right choices and get the right luck we could beat anyone. Unfortunately he hasn't done either of those things for a while. Second half we seemed to go into our shell a little. Romeu got a little tired perhaps, although I thought he had a great game. Not sure the subs helped us at all. Juanmi out of position and god knows how many attackers left our midfield a little exposed. That said we ran hard and fought to the end. Excellent effort. Forster will quite rightly get the plaudits, but the likes of Wanayama, Virgil, Bertrand and Soares all did very well. My only moan would be the lack of effort by Tadic to close men down on a few occasions. Check out how little he does to stop the cross for the Kachelny headed chance. fOx like.

I like that suggestion on POL to simply wait for enough clubs go bust to help shoot them though the leagues. We'll see you in the top flight in 2070 something then.

Doesn't an equaliser that late in the game mean it still counts as an away win?

When we get between the lines we have to do more, mane especially. Other than that I can't fault us.

I like your full post above. But that's a double wammy to the bottom line, which will effect spending on wages. Big call for any Chairman to go down that route...

We are on a decent run, so its easy to feel content with many or most of the current players at the moment, but its important to assess players over a longer term (i.e. the whole season). How many fans would have pointed to the full backs being `excellent' a few weeks ago as Glassman suggests (three posts above)? There are some tough games ahead. Lets see how we feel in a few weeks time. I suspect that after two seasons of upheaval the club will do everything it can to ensure Bertrand, Virgil, Wanyama and Mane are retained even if they get offers. If that is done then they can look at making minor squad adjustments. Ramirez, Pelle and Juanmi perhaps going out and Stek signed. Rodriguez would fill Pele's shoes and that would perhaps leave us looking for a flair player. Maybe Juanmi will still be that guy. It depends on how he feels about the chances offered and how RK feels about his long term outlook.

I wonder where he will land?

The last day of the transfer window seems to have lost its edge. I seem to recall almost no spending was done on the last day of the last window, or it certainly felt like that. Maybe this one will be different. If that continues I can see Sky forcing the Premiership to reduce it down in size to increase its intensity and regain its TV appeal.

Prior to that long ball there was a long period of possession that went nowhere, so Burgess went more direct.

To be fair they looked good first half, but they hardly had a kick in the second. Hope bompey get United away and the financial win that offers. Look what you would ave won...

Curb crawling ****.

I watched the game and he looked a decent player. Very composed, strong and decent on the ball. I wondered why they gave him the scummer chants, but he seemed to thrive on it.

Get Dragged to a lot of Bury and Brum games by a couple of mates.

meanwhile the skates sign another Sheff United player. Still the £6750 they get for the extended FA Cup highlights should help. I bet their owners are wondering how on earth they didn't get selected for one of the five live games this weekend?

Daniel Bentley is well regarded. If the club feels Gazza will never make it, he might be an option.

Fair point. But do any clubs have decent 3rd/4th choice CBs? If they do maybe we should look to buy them.

it does. Cheers. The debt to Norwich Union (which renamed to Aviva) was £23.1m. The combined debt was £27.5m (£23.1m to NU and £4.4m to Barclays).

are we going to have consider putting sell on clauses into our manager departure deals now too?

Can we do a time share on Pelle? We have him at the start and end of a season (when the sun is shining?) and Leicester have him during the middle period? Last season: 9 goal in 12 game followed by 3 in 25 and then 4 in 7. This: 11 in 20 followed by 0 in 7.

Very good point. Wasn't the last day of the last window almost totally devoid of any actual transfers?

I'd agree with all that. Not sure he's fine being back up, but given the right wage players seem to be able to overcome that issue.