Saint Charlie

Arguably a better talker than player based on what he has done as opposed to the undoubted potential. Massive 18months for him to kick on. Still not a starter in our best XI.

He has already played virtually double the league minutes this year as last year. Despite missing two months with injury and there still being a number of games left. So when you say "he played more minutes last season than so far this" it is just....wrong. He was bit part for Atletico Madrid last year. Like Gardos has been for us. Quoting the Mirrornand TalkSport doesn't help a lot either. The Belgian journalists that broke the story of him coming here said Newcastle and Sunderland were his other options with Everton also keen. His value is higher now because he has proven he is good enough to play every week for a top side. Since leaving Ajax he hadn't proved his class in a good league. He has now.

Be great if they go up!

Any guesses as to what the first choice Champo lineup will be once Adams and Bird are up to speed?

He wasn't really linked with top clubs in the summer. I think we beat off competition from both Newcastle and Sunderland for him. He was relatively unproven in a top league as hadnt featured a lot in Spain, so his loan has dramatically increased his value, which Atleti are doubtless very pleased about. The fact they put in the £1.5m clause almost renders our option to buy as worthless. Especially now he has performed well and they can clearly sell him for substantially more than 6.8m, whether to us or anyone else. Nobody will be signing him for £6.8m so he will go back there and then be sold IMO to the highest bidder/club he decides he wants to join. Could be us, could be City, Spurs, Metalist Kharkiv etc. Nobody will know until late July/August IMO.

Of course. But selling a £15m (easily) class player for £6.8m is never going to happen so they will at least take him back and then any deal with us would be on (their) fresh terms. If he wants to be in the PL then he probably will leave them but they and he will surely want to see who is keen before jumping into anything so as Window Cleaner says it will be a fiasco on/off transfer wherever he goes.

They will obviously pay the 1.5m to recall - absolute no brainer. Then they can either keep a class player or sell him to anyone (including us) for a hell of a lot more than £6.8m.

Mane is in a whole different league to Jones, who played 2 games for us in the PL and had spells where he did well for others but has always been very inconsistent and a bottom half striker, a bit like Long really. Odd comparison IMO. Mane was unproven in England, yes, but already had good Intl and Europa League experience. He was probably better than Jones when he was 16 and almost certainly the two will have careers that are poles apart in terms of the class of clubs they play for.

Tadic isnt injured. These type of sites just take what is out there and report it, they are not going to be any more reliable than anything else just because they are a PL site.

He isn't in the training pics from today so assume so.

He is surely worth as much as Lallana now. Better goal ratio, troubles the best defenders in the league. Absolute class player and most exciting attacker we have had for many years.

Yep, Mason deserved to be there IMO. Good player and has earned the call up, not picked because of his name.

Scousers

Clyne off at HT as planned.

Walcott dreadful. Midfield with nobody who can handle a ball and players lile Jones and Smalling who have probably made every squad (when fit) for the last 4 years. No suprise we struggle against the better sides, especially when we don't pick our best XI.

Of course there is nothing wrong with you. If Pelle got a hattrick I would be pretty happy.

Quality header and he has looked good tonight!

Pelle with some lovely touches, hope he gets a goal. When he plays simple he is very effective.

Walcott electric so far.

Pelle the same as recently for us. Great holdup play but then trying hollywood balls.

Its Fidel Edwards. Bit more pace and quality into the bowling lineup although no idea how good he is nowadays. For the second half of the season.

Hants announcing a new signing today at 2pm. Don't usually get that kind of fanfare so maybe someone decent?

Massive match for NI though. Not one you would sub the skipper at HT unless needed. Hopefully a quick one though!

Davis off injured at HT for NI. Thigh injury apparently.

Talksport website reported it as an exclusive the other day which means it has no chance of being true.