pas5898

1 week tomorrow. 6:45pm. We are winning 2:0, atmosphere is insane, Rashford smashes his 4th shot into the upper North Stand, Fernandes is crying to the referee and Ronaldo is asking Konsa for an autograph. Then Coutinho comes on to make his debut.

Think he's quite happy earning 300k a week, Champions League and winning the premier league tbh.

Think Everton want 25 million. He was Evertons best player for a bit, and been at Barca etc so his wages would be north of 100k as well.

Can Sky Sports legally be influencing betting markets so obviously? Yesterday, ever major source has Coutinho as virtually a done deal: Sky Sports news ran every 30 minutes saying he has a choice between 4/5 clubs This morning: He has to choose between 2 clubs, even 20 minutes before the announcement they were running the story, hinting it could be Newcastle.

Yes villa announced it

More games in the 2021 calendar year due to Covid. In reality he scored 20 in 42 games last season, and admittedly had a great half to this season 18 in 20 I think. A very good return, and he's a fine young player; but he is still a gamble at 70 million. A 70 million player would also command a 200k salary. There is absolutely no guarantee he would be any better as a premier league goalscorer than Calum Wilson, a striker they already own and very capable of 20 goals a season with the right team behind him. Only takes 2,3 of those and you end up at FFP buffers. Investing in defenders (Botman, Trippier) is sensible, then probably move to the midfield. Origi will be cheap due to his contract and has proven he can score in the PL. Due to FFP in the short / medium term Newcastle don't have unlimited funds. If they spaff 70 million of it on a striker they don't really need, rather than a quality defender or midfielder which they desperately need, I for one will be encouraged.

Interesting time at Spurs this transfer window and in the summer. Conte, undeniably a great manager, clearly saying they need to bring in players / spend. Levy obviously wont want to spend heavily. Unlike Poch, Nuno etc he can't throw the manager who has ALWAYS been successful under the bus. If they don't spend in the summer I could see Conte walking.

I hope it does. 70 million on a player who has had 1 decent season (20 goals) and 1 great half season is how you end up smashing FFP and end up with a mid table squad. In fact i'd argue they are better off with Wilson (basically guaranteed 20 premier league goals a season) than Vlahovic (expensive gamble). Botman, the CB is a signing for 30m worries me more. He's good, fairly priced and what they need.

I was watching Danny Drinkwater wobble around midfield just over a year ago. Coutinho is the second coming of Jesus Christ in comparison.

They are trying to shift Umtiti as well. I think if you are over the limit then only 25 of money recouped can go towards new players. If Torres on 100k a week they need to recoup 400k. They also moving on a couple of youngsters and terminated a players contract.

Eventually we will reach the Everton quandary. Need to sign quality players, but can't quite attract the "elite players". The mistake Everton made was overpaying for the likes of Siggurdsson, Iwobi etc and getting journeymen / elite rejects like James Rodriguez.

Watford and Burnley being rubbish will keep them up. Half way through the season (admittedly a couple a game or so behind) 4 teams are on 13 points or less.

I had a Man U fan trying to give me advice on where to park next Monday at Old Trafford. I kindly reminded him i've been to Old Trafford more times than him (about 10 times).

Signed a 1 year extension yesterday.

They are probably going to lose Rudiger, Azpilicueta and Christensen all on a free this summer as well.

I will absolutely maintain that what Sean Dyche has done at Burnley is harder than what Pep has done at Man City. How hard is it to take a billion pound squad, spend another billion and win the league? There's thousands and thousands of managers trying to make a small club premier league regulars without spending a penny. Dyche has succeeded in that. Confused emojis incoming

If / when they go out the Champions League I think he will get sacked. Zidane the obvious high profile available manager who they haven't already sacked. Unless they actually want to start building a sustainable team then Ten Haag would be good shout. He'd do a really good job bringing through the 10,000 young players they have on their books.

Dean Smith hinted he wanted to go 3 at the back when all players were fit (also gets both Ings and Watkins into the team). I guess he (and Man U) were assured first team football, which now we are 433 he just won't get. He's not better than Konsa by any stretch. As for Napoli, Koulibaly been struggling with Injuries. I wouldn't be surprised if this is some sort of makeweight deal for a potential move to Man U in the summer.

The contact is Salah sticking his leg back deliberately then going down, watch it again. Xhaka initiates the contact with Silva (and pulls his shirt for good measure). Both are extremely soft, but only 1 is debated.

There was more contact on Konsa vs Man City (Ake) than on Silva, but because it's not a big 6 team its NEVER debated. Same with Salah on Mings, less contact on Salah than on Silva. But because its Villa it's "oh Mings slightly caught his leg, must be a pen". Only because it's against Arsenal is it debated. I guarantee if that was against Villa, West Ham, Everton etc it would get 20 seconds and brushed under the carpet. It ALWAYS favours the big teams.

Be interesting to know at what point does an "injured player" become eligible for selection. For example Traore and Trez. Neither are anywhere near being able to start a PL game, but technically they are part of the first team and available to play.

To be fair he is 2 years younger than Thiago Silva who is doing a great job at Chelsea. You win some, you lose some.

Refinanced a fair bit of debt, to be fair and at least Torres is a sensible signing. He's a player they need, young enough to amortise over 10 years (or sell) and not on massive wages. Basically the complete opposite of Griezeman. To be able to register him to play, they must hit La Liga FFP regulations, therefore they need to sell this winter. I could imagine a Newcastle going for a Coutinho, or Dembele at crazy money (to make a statement), I wonder if they have something lined up?

55+ Add-ons for a player who you paid 25 for is decent business.