Dan Johnson

I'm pretty sure you've hit the nail on the head. The fact we've only offered a rise rather than extension suggests to me the club are worried they'll have the highest paid player sat on the bench in a year with another 2 years of his contract to run. As massive as he has been for us, at 33 on 22nd December having him sign on 70k+ a week until he's 36 just doesn't make sense. I'm sure he feels he deserves it and it's hard to argue, the club will have to make a tough decision. They're thinking of the future, with fonte stuck on big wages it could mean FFP stops us from signing his replacement in a year or so.

yep, up until last night Fonte was playing league cup games and VVD was playing Euro.

The rotation system has really helped bring on our youngsters this season. We have seen great performances from Sims\McQueen\Reed\Hesketh\Target as well as giving fringe players opportunities to play, and play well!!! I thought being in multiple comps would harm us, I think overall it's been very positive thus far!!

As someone who regularly commutes to London on seriously over crowded SWT, expect the complaints to fall on deaf ears!!

Absolutely agree, I would have redmond everyday of the week, I think he is quaility. The same people who were *****ing about him at the beginning of the season will be the same ones *****ing when we get only £45 million for him :-) They were probably the same ones who wrote Mane off after 4 games because he couldn't stay on his feet...

Absolutely agree, I would have redmond everyday of the week, I think he is quaility. The same people who were *****ing about him at the beginning of the season will be the same ones *****ing when we get only £45 million for him :-) They were probably the same ones who wrote Mane off after 4 games because he couldn't stay on his feet...

Completely Agree! Fonte has given away 2 penalties this season through debatable yet "clumsy" tackles, VVDs back pass on Saturday etc and no one is on their case half as much as Yosh. Yosh never seems to suffer from "game rust" either, if he hasn't played for 5-8 games he still slots back in and never ever looks off the pace, he's a much better player than people give him credit for!

Anyone who cant see Redmond's potential shouldn't be commenting on football, IMHO. Hopefully he'll mature into a fine footballer! Makes the wrong decision at times, needs to be more clinical in front of goal, but if that part of his game had already been resolved he'd be playing for a bigger club than ours...

Just think where we would be if we didn't have an incompetent board.... ;-) It's such a massive achievement, yet people still moan, Leeds, both Sheffield Clubs, Forest etc have been trying to do half of what we we've done for nearly a decade and haven't been successful! I see our management board as being shrewd, this is hard evidence of that, yet unfortunately for some it's still not enough

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/sport/football/709484/Arsenal-News-Chris-Sutton-Penalty-Southampton-Arsene-Wenger-Premier-League/amp?client=safari

£30 million for Bolasie, THIRTY MILLION!!! £59 million for Williams, Kone, Bolasie... On the face of it that's terrible business for that money

Everton again linked with an improved bid for Williams today as well as a £17m bid for Kone at Sunderland. No links to Fonte, pretty sure he is staying!!

I work with Utd fans, who are from Manchester no less (well Preston) and they're all pretty embarrassed and not that convinced either...

I wonder how much we can take from that squad as to who will be his starting 11 this season? McQueen in at LB presumably because Bertrand isn't ready to play yet, I know Targett went off in his last game. Martina at RB because Pied\Cedric not ready to play Yoshida because Fonte not ready to play and Gardos still injuryed. Fully fit squad GK Forster LB Bertrand CB Fonte CB Van Dijk RB Cedric M Claise M JWP M Romeu M Tadic ST Long ST Redmond I saw a quote from Claude saying he thinks Redmond can play as a striker (link below) "Puel note Nathan Redmond’s potential as a centre-forward. "He played always wide but I think he is a very good striker"" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/08/02/eden-hazard-alexandre-lacazette-and-thierry-henry-show-claude-pu/

That was especially the case with VVD, his wages were so high we forced him to sign a 6 year contract on lower wages just 8 months after he signed...

We'd also never progress, replacing like with like.

A million for every premier league goal he's ever scored. 4 goals last season, would bite their hand off if I was WBA

Mane was Lallanas replacement, we didn't sign Mane until September the 1st 2014

We just need to continue what we are doing, it's a gradual transition. I think we are a progressive club, I fully believe in the boardroom. 2-3 years ago I don't think the likes of vvd, Bertrand, Foster etc would have signed contract extensions, I don't think we go from a selling club to a club that doesn't sell its best players over 1-2 seasons, it'll take 5-6 seasons at least. If we do well more will probably leave next summer, rather than an exedous it'll be calculated, so we can re-invest.

fantastic news, football clubs aren't just about the players on the pitch. Being groomed to be our manager some time in the future!

I'd say we are looking to have 2 quality players in all positions. Martina was very much a Koeman signing, I suspect it's Martinas replacement. We have Targett & Bertrand at left back, we will have Cedric & "new bloke" at right back. Martina will be 3rd choice cover for all those positions. We are guaranteed 46 games next year, with a cup run we could be looking at 50+ games.

The sun are reporting he is on £260k a week! https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/1426249/graziano-pelle-to-shandong-luneng-13m-italian-becomes-latest-european-star-to-join-chinese-super-league/

Here here!

Sammy Lee was off to Brighton just before we approached him to join our coaching staff, Erwin was at RKC Waalwijk. It's not as though our previous coaching staff turned down huge jobs to work for Saints...

I'd say villa were relegated because of continued lack of investment over a very long period. a management combination of Ferguson, Mourinho, Ramsey & Clough wouldn't have kept them up.