[Sir Bob]

was that not something to do with hleb going the other way? and seen as thats happened i think that deals dead. prob wrong, feel free to correct me ladies and gents.

[Lord of Salvation]

There was talk of Hleb going. Arsenal did not want to give up Hleb but if they did they wanted to get Yaya in return + money. Barca was unwilling to give up money as well.

[caladanbrood]

HA! Well that would be a complete non-starter, considering Toure is a better player and all...

[Binder of Demons]

So I see that Sunderland have completed the signings of Tainio and Chimbonda, and are still "in discussions" with Steed and Kabullsh*t.
And now they're supposed to be on the verge of singing El Hadji Diouf from Bolton (for 2.5 million, medical on Sunday). Again, another player that i don't like, but has proven more than capable of playing in the premiership, and actually has some creative instincts. Still no signings that make me go "Wow, Sunderland managed to get HIM?", but they all seem like solid improvements on what they had.

As for the rest of the premiership. Would they f*cking hurry up and start signing big players, so everyone can figure out how much money they have left to buy the smaller name players. I'm tired of the constant steam of contradictory "rumours", like that David Villa to Spurs instead of Real Madrid one that TT highlighted earlier.

[Sir Bob]

the thing about villa to madrid i think valencia would much rather he did not go to another spanish club plus the spurs manager has a big reputation in spain so its not totaly unbelivable.

as you say none of sunderlands new players make you go wow, should keep them in the prem for another year though(watch em get relegated now!) and thats what its all about!!

[tiam]

Liverpool fan

Why we refuse to pay 18 million for a 27 year old gareth Barry yet are going all out on a 20 million bid on a 28 year old Robbie Keane is absurd especially when Spurs are supposed to be selling us keane and buying Villa. Why we dont just scrape toegther 5 million and buy Villa as he likes our club

[caladanbrood]

Gutted that keane is leaving, he's been consistantly spurs best player for four or five years now. Still, if we get villa as a replacement i wont complain too much that still leaves us one striker short though, if berbatov leaves.

[Cougar]

I think you've got more chance of getting Ricky Villa to come out of retirement than David signing for you.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Looks unlikely, Arsenal wanted him as part of the Hleb deal, but Barca stumped up straight cash, and as Arsenal are the tightest sods in history, even if Barca would sell him for £5mil we wouldnt pay it. Not when we could get an injury prone teenager instead.

So, Keane's finally gone to Liverpool, and yet again Benitez is spending big. The pressure's really on if he's out of the title race yet again by January. Spurs meanwhile seem to have shed half their squad, they've brought in plenty of attacking midfielders and sold defensive cover, which seems an odd thing to do when your team can score plenty already but is leakier than the Titanic post-iceberg. With Gardner, Kaboul, Shimbomba (as Pleat would say) and likely Rocha all off, they're left with the injury happy duo of Woodgate and King, backed up by Dawson, to last the season. They're as bad off at the back as Arsenal, only with the bonus of no Phillipe Senderos.

EDIT: Woops, didnt read this page of comments...

[Cougar]

Pleaty is the king of pismornounciation, sorry mispronounciation. BOOM BOOM (where's that fox)

My favorite is when he called Diomansy Kamara, Diorama Kansy.

Although Graham Taylor pronouncing Azerbaijan, Abbadajan for 2 hours was pretty funny.

[caladanbrood]

They do reckon they might flash the cash straight out again for Arshavin though, now they'll have enough to spare... dunno of the likelihood of that actually happening.

Incidentally, Darren Bent scored 4 in Spurs' pre-season friendly win, 5-1 against Norwich... so he can find the net occasionally, it would seem.

[q21]

But only against Norwich...

[Thelomen Toblerone]

I watched the first half of that, can I just say that if Ledley King plays like that the whole season, Spurs are in BIG trouble.
Likewise Norwich, the defending (I should say pass, it was that bad) to set up Bent's first was comically hilarious, Bent will only get that lucky against Senderos and Bramble next season.

Apparently Birmingham are after the recently-mentioned-here Quincy Owusu Abeyie from Spartak Moscow. See, we've caused a transfer!

Arsenal are after Switzerland's Gokan Inler for £5mil. I watched him play at the Euros. No thanks. No thanks at all.

Andy Johnson's gone to Fulham for the ludicrous price of £13mil, talk about inflated transfer fees, holy bankruptcy. And Everton are supposedly going to use the funds to go for Darren Bent. Cant see Spurs selling yet another striker, and Everton are more likely to use the cash to increase their Moutinho offer to my mind.

[caladanbrood]

Thelomen Toblerone;361542 said:

Apparently Birmingham are after the recently-mentioned-here Quincy Owusu Abeyie from Spartak Moscow. See, we've caused a transfer!

Wow, is Sir Bob actually David Gold??

[Cougar]

I feel really sorry for Ledley King, the poor fucker is twice the defender that half-wit..., strike that....quarter-wit John Terry is. Mind you the same could be said for Woodgate. Both have been ruined by injury

[caladanbrood]

He is a truly excellent defender, when on form. Like you say, the injuries never allow him to get there very often

I'm a little worried about Spurs selling virtually everyone but having only signed Modric, dos Santos and possibly Gomes (dunno about his work permit situation).

[Sir Bob]

Thelomen Toblerone;361542 said:

Apparently Birmingham are after the recently-mentioned-here Quincy Owusu Abeyie from Spartak Moscow. See, we've caused a transfer!

yep it just goes to show that us malazan dudes know what we are talking about when it comes to football, on the other hand big eck was the manager that sigined emerson,capoucho(sp),vignal and ostentad and and played namouchi so maybe we sould not be too happy...

kean to liverpool, holly cow batman torres and kean is a fine looking partnership, might have to rejig my fantasy team!!

[caladanbrood]

Bentley is supposed to have a medical at Spurs in the morning - a few people have gone from Spurs to the Gooners over the years, but not many the other way (albeit with another club inbetween).

[Thelomen Toblerone]

He was supposedly a boyhood spud fan, and is a well-known utter cunt, so a move to Spurs was always on the cards. A little overpriced at £17mil (of which Arsenal shall be receiving about £3mil, cheers for that spuddies ), especially when Ramos seems to only have signed attacking midfielders and sold everyone else.

You've got dos Santos, Modric, Lennon and Bentley competing for 2 spots now (unless Modric goes in the middle, which would leave the defensive work to Jenas - good luck with that ), seems a bit of a waste.

Just turned off the Arsenal Stuttgart game, we look absoultely fucking terrible. Defensively, pure poo. If we dont bring in a new quality CB and/or GK, I'll be pissed off.

[Sir Bob]

Thelomen Toblerone;362277 said:

Just turned off the Arsenal Stuttgart game, we look absoultely fucking terrible. Defensively, pure poo. If we dont bring in a new quality CB and/or GK, I'll be pissed off.

every year i though that even when lehman was "good" but it never happend, arsenal have signed a random 21 year old mid, think he is french, probably french.