egg

Similar to you Hatch. Scott, McIlroy, Spieth e/w, plus Stenson. The rain will make a difference though so it's an open open IMO.

The kid is as ready as chambers, reed, ward prowse were when they made their breakthrough. He'll be fine - as long as people don't expect him to be as good as Shaw who was/is exceptional.

For me, if he hasn't delivered by the January window. That assumes that he's not stuck on the wing, has a good run of games and remains injury free.

If Gaston regularly played off Lambert as a 10 I think they could have formed a pairing. There has never been a thinking issue imo, merely that gaston was rarely played in a position or style of play that suited his game. I think he will shine playing as a 10 with a mobile striker making intelligent runs. I may be wrong but I've seen enough in Gaston to see that he's potentially our best player. He's now got to deliver - even I say there can be no more excuses.

Absolutely. Been saying this for ages. Lambert's legs were never able to match his speed of thought. In terms of raw talent he's arguably our best player. Play him as a 10 with a mobile 9 ahead of him, plus intelligent runners flanking him, and he'll be a hell of a player. Stick him out wide and ask him to pass to players incapable of making the correct runs and he'll carry on underachieving. I'm confident RK can bring the best out of him.

He may have refused the club's offer. The fact that his deal hasn't been extended doesn't mean that the club haven't tried to extend it.

While I'm disappointed to see AL and LS leave, I keep reading stuff on here and asking myself two questions: 1. Why do fans feel that loyalty (and gratitude for helping with progress that has been made) should be just from the player? 2. Why should a player not be ambitious ? And yes I get that contracts have been signed but frankly they're more for the benefit of the club than the player. That's evidenced by the fees obtained.

By your rationale Lambert isn't class either then. GR is a good player. He's shown it for us and Uruguay.

What a stupid comment. This lad looks absolute class for Uruguay, and as others have said, he's looked the same for us on occasions. Last season he was played irregularly, and rarely in his preferred position. Given a run of games and some good man management, he could come good this season.

Man City have bought first team success but we have bought academy success. That's not a criticism of us at all, we've invested wisely. I'd like to know the answer to the op question though. I'd be surprised if they've blooded more kids than us.

That's what he said. I've got money on Mancini.

I'm not sure. We upgraded Pardew and Adkins which suggests that we've been monitoring coaches, so its likely that we've had a list of names in case we were upgraded, which we have been. Like you though, I think it unlikely that Mancini was in our initial four. My guess is we've been blown out and have turned to a plan b who is a "name". Touchel or Yakin would have carried on from where MoPo left off. Mancini won't IMO.

Great post. Mancini would be by horrible IMO but apparently he was spoken to on Monday and looks nailed on.

I'm not sure why I'm indulging you, but certain of us have mates who dine at the top table. Believe what you want mate.

I have never expressed an opinion on NC. I am not speculating. I'm stating facts as explained by someone who knows them. The info is 100%. It's naive not to believe it..

It's a fact that there was significant overspend on staplewood and that millions were wasted. NC did not jump cos he wanted to from what I hear.

Ha! Not sure about that one Del. All I've been told is "he wanted the four seasons" and that £4 mil was wasted.

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The cost more than doubled - it increased to £38 million. "Only" £4 million is attribtable to waste, the remainder was down to an expansion of plans and specification.

But what's to discuss? He wants to go but they don't like the offer. The transfer fee, and frankly whether we sell him at all, is a matter for us.

This, mostly. I don't buy all this he deserves a move rubbish. If he goes I'll wish him well but the board are doing their job by playing hard ball. Where I disagree with you is on the picking up the phone, I wouldn't and don't think they should have/do. What would it achieve in circumstances where the club don't want to accept the offer? Like you say, let him ask for the move if he wants it.

Based on what exactly? The fact that they've not told us that we've had bids on players and that someone wants our manager? How many clubs do that? Are Chelsea's board useless because PSG want Luiz for big bucks, and poss Hazard too? Were Everton's board not up to it last year because they didn't comment on Moyes speculation? Anyone who expects the board to reveal offers for staff and players and/or believes that the board are out of it's depth because offers are received, are stupid. To my mind, it's better that we do our business discretely then share info once that business has been done.

My guess is that it's linked to the Poch situation and that the departures are part of an overall restructure/plan. The club will have known that Poch was going some time ago and will have looked at Poch replacements. Contary to popular belief, the club is not run by idiots and I have no doubt that progress will have been made on a Poch replacemnt before before giving Spurs permission to talk. Such new man may well have his own ideas on the academy structure and/or it's coaches.

As I said a few weeks ago it's very likely that he'll stay this window and that when he goes it'll be to Chelsea, nowhere else. Lallana is different, it was expected that he'd go this window, or next at the latest.

I'm not sure where you've heard this but it's not consistent with very recent information I've heard from a very reliable source close to the club that he's very likely to stay this summer and that when he goes it will be to Chelsea. Things can change but the links to Chelsea are stronger than just being a fan.