*Official Football Thread*

As you may be able to guess from my user name I'm a West Ham fan and I'm looking forward to mid-table mediocrity for the next few years. I'm happy for us to plod along without any threat of relegation or someone trying to sue us. Then we can start to challenge for.... well let's be honest a decent cup run would do me unless we come across Liverpool again, although without Gerrard maybe this time we'll win.

if west ham can keep there best players west ham should stay in the premier league and could win the FA cup if they miss the big 4 in earlier rounds like portsmouth did last year

Re: Tevez rumours

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he does. I think he's a fantastic player, but three creative type forwards plus next season the return of Frazier Campbell and the possible purchase of an already proven striker combined with the emergence of Danny Wellbeck may force him to look elsewhere for first team football. There may well end up being five players competing for either one or two starting places, depending on the competition and in that event, it makes the most sense to offload Tevez. Our attack is very samey with Berba, Rooney and Tevez all doing a similar job and all on huge wages.

We are a very wealthy club, but we aren't bankrolled by a sugardaddy (not a snipe at anyone, just the truth as I see it. The Glazers run United as a business intended to make profit, not as hobbyists or fans) and the financial climate may require a reduction of overheads. So far our investment in Tevez outside his wages and loan fees has been minimal, and as clubs not bankrolled tighten their belts and reduce transfer budgets he would be the most sensible option for any top club looking for a world class forward and the most likely member of our front line to both reduce costs and minimise the risk of financial loss and team disruption.

That was a very corporate minded post, but while Sir Alex is the absolute dictator of which players come and go, these sorts of factors all have an influence on how those decisions are reached. Minimal loss to the team, maximum gain on wage reduction and minimal transfer fee losses to record on the ledgers to show the banks the club is leveraged to.

God that's depressing

gazwim Wrote:theres a rumour knightly's on his way from wolves

I think Kightly could be a good signing for Newcastle. It's a bit of a gamble as it always is when a Championship player comes up to the Premiership, but you've only got to look at the likes of Joleon Lescott and Tim Cahill to say it's probably worth paying the £4million for him, he looks a prospect.

kalel76 Wrote:I think newcastle will probably make 12th in the league, but they to make kinnear the manager at the end of the season and give him the money to rebuild the squad.

I think 12th sounds about right, they won't get relegated because they have to many decent players, so if they can sign some quality in January and then sign some big name players in the summer, we could see some better days for the toon.

I my opinion Given will stay, N'Zogbia will go and Owen will go in the summer. There's been reports in the paper that Owen will go to inter in a cash plus player deal, Adriano and Suazo are being mentioned but that's probably not gonna happen.

If the Inter deal turns out to be true, I think Adriano would be a disaster. The dressing room seems fragile to begin with and adding a man with a history of personal difficulties, who also has to adapt to an entirely new way of life, language and the weather would be making a rod for their own backs. I think they would do better to spend any cash on Kightly if he really is available for as little £4 million and see if Inter have a central midfielder on the books who can pick a pass and isn't getting games

well he's better than suazo

Haven't seen a great deal of Suazo, in truth. What little I have seen makes me think more of a floating second striker than a straight up centre forward, but that could just have been tactics chosen on the day. Have to say he didn't make a big impression on me, hence my ignoring him completely. He looked a bit lightweight as well, lacking strength.

I think you're right about Suazo and Adriano, i don't think any of them will suit Newcastle and Kightly will be better. Been linked with Papa Bouba Diop and Christopher Samba today, not very good players, i think Newcastle should aim a little higher than that because they are very average. Got really bad injury problems though, struggling to put out a team against Hull on Saturday so they need players and need them quick...

newcastle squad might get smaller with arsenal rumoured to be after shay given, stephen taylor and charles n zogbia
plus the uncertainty of harper, owen, butt and viduka