Fun as this thread is, there's a sobering undertone to the whole thing:
while the likes of West Ham, QPR and Sunderland are spending big money on players and wages, we're treading water, bringing in bargain bucket signings and expecting to be able to compete.
If Lerner continues down this 'wage cutting' road with one in and one out while all the other teams improve, we'll be in the Championship before long.
It's a serious situation and although it's fun to speculate on an unknown black hand, the truth is that we're sinking like a stone in the 'money talks' world of modern football.
Sorry to be such as pessimist - I know that Moyes is making it work at Everton doing the same, but I'm not sure our squad is as good as his!