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Didn't levy sell spurs best player last summer for a big fee? Didn't those scouse bullies sell their best player last week? Didn't Chelsea sell Luis for £50m? If Barca, Real Madrid or PSG come sniffing then even the big boys sell. If they can't block player power and ambition how can we?

The problem is Nic promised these boys, and MP, the moon on the stick. He then took the training ground spend to £38m and had to leave. MP then walked and the rest is history. Nic created a problem that the current regime are having to manage. This is a transitionay period which we'll get through.

Eh? I'm not advocating selling anyone.

You're talking as if we've lost most of a team and not replaced anyone. We've lost 3, gained 2 plus Targett. What's all the fuss about?

Yes, and he hasn't signed one for another club either. Nor have Morgan, Lovren, Chambers, etc. Calm down ffs.

Agreed. He's got defects that won't go away. He's worse than lovren, fonte and yoshida imo. A no from me.

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.