Greenridge

How about your man Taider

Let's hope he's not a guest of ours at the game tonight.

Have you been drinking Mike? I've just trawled through the other posts of doom and gloom and you come up with this positive stuff?!

Including the mods?

Yes there could be a number of reasons why he would chose to turn down Arsenal (assuming they do want him). But we've been reading on here for months that players never turn down 'top four' / 'CL' / 'huge wage' / 'biggest clubs in the world' teams

Let's hope so (assuming he's prepared to put his angst to one side and commit 100% whilst he's still here) but that wasn't the discussion point. It was whether or not a move to Spurs for MS 'had ever been on'. I'm saying it was you're saying / suggesting it wasn't. As for Cork he hasn't been offered a contract has he? Anything could happen on that front but we're hardly showing him he's wanted if that is the case.

Ronald said Chambers was injured the night he was having his medical at Arsenal. You don't want to believe everything you are told by our Club, or any club for that matter. It's all propaganda and we can really only surmise based on the circumstantial 'evidence' that is gleaned from various sources and the actions of folks involved. Everything points to a once-imminent deal for MS to go to Spurs. Whether he still will we'll find out within the next few days. And yes, I agree, transfers aren't done until signed and sealed.

SSN are reporting that Arsenal are leading the chase for Alderweireld so that ship may have sailed.

Forster ducking to get through the door He is one unit.

It was a current example of how the process works and is directly relevant to the MS situation but if that's your idea of a debate then I'll leave you to it.

Ok let's call them informal discussions. Of course that goes on. How do you think Lovren lost his head to Liverpool. Long before any kind of formal talks took place that's for sure.

To think that is hasn't would be incredibly naïve. Talks were clearly at an advanced stage, he was just the next in line of the wholesale summer selling process. Hence MS throwing his toys out of the pram when the 11th hour brakes were slammed on. Ralph spent some significant time being corporately entertained in Toronto by representatives of Spurs. Of course they could have been talking about the British weather or the implications of the devolution of Scotland. Just IMHO.

OK so I think we're on the same page. This post is the most interesting for me that has not been answered (adequately) I know that folks (MLG for example) have told us it's 'blatantly obvious' and quoted top four clubs were too attractive (which was extended to 'biggest clubs in the world' when Man U came in for Shaw) and CL football (which was extended to 'European' football when MS and JRod were linked to Spurs) but all at once? A little too convenient? Lambert in his recent interview that was posted on here alluded to problems (see LFP's post above). Was that isolated to just MoPo leaving or inclusive of the Cortese situation or or? I haven't yet bought in to the Redslo FFP view that he so strongly puts across yet which the Club have never made mention of and get's little credit in the press for being the reason. If it was they could have appeased the fan base by saying so. OK, maybe not at the time as it may have impacted transfer fees received (for which the Club should get huge plaudits for the incredible returns) but maybe after the window has closed they'll be able to be more open about it.

I agree we needed another CB but by selling our best we then needed two. We could have gone for an up and coming younger keeper (at low transfer £) which would have given us cover. Again, bringing in Forster has left us no better off in the short term and indeed £10m and a keeper down (Boruc awol). JRod I agree although he will be back in less than two months it would seem. So, all in all, looking at your examples it's not really worked out has it.

If we hadn't sold them we wouldn't need money for incoming transfers. Coming back to Morgan I honestly believe he was the next in line to go, it was a fait accompli until Krueger (and the Club) wised up to the increasing displeasure of the fan base to his sell-all strategy.

Do you think Chambers had such a contract (if there is/was such a thing/clause) when he signed it at whatever age he was (17?) and having not played a first team game? I like the idea that he (/ his agent) were so confident in his ability that they insisted on such a clause at such a tender age!

Tell them they can't leave like the Club have done with MS? What's different?

A text from Ronald?

What shape it will be on September One is the important factor.

I'm glad NC has gone. I can't imagine the state of CB's mental health if he was still here. Worrying times.

Just think of Les's petrol and travel expenses we could have saved too.

How about one for nothing?

A Chambers-type player?

MS wants out. He's still here. How do you square that?

All in fairness he said we could be in the group of clubs which might get caught up in relegation. Lineker took the pee out of him and said that's about 12 clubs he's named so far so eventually he'll be right.