the_eristic

Unsure if Castaignos would be mentally up to task. Lacina Traore would be interesting, replacing our big really bad person with an even bigger really bad person (6'8"/203cm!), but he just moved to Anzhi Mekkalekkahimekkahideeho last season for (supposedly) pretty big money and has been averaging something like a goal every other game, so seems improbable.

Suspect knee, you say? Or does that only count for defenders?

They'll be streaming every single match, too, if a game isn't on one of their numerous networks. Hopefully their streaming tool isn't the Great Digital Satan.

The cost of one copy of Photoshop. It's bigger on promotional images like that than it is on the actual shirt, Premier League rules dictate the maximum size a sponsors logo can be. Hence the reason for needing a billboard!' I guess the question is, then: Jesus, how much did HP pay NBC to use that particular picture for that particular advertisement?

Jesus, how much have HP paid to get a logo that bloody huge on a shirt?

Big bastard of a DM/CB at RSC Anderlecht. Serious power and pace but fairly raw, in the same sense as the last big bastard we bought from Belgium.

Kouyate would be brilliant. If we were the only PL side to put a solid offer on the table, I think he'd come. Le Arse were/are supposedly sniffing around, though they seem to be distracted with bigger targets right now, which might afford us a shot should we be interested.

I still want either another central defender and/or dedicated ball winner in midfield. We look pretty short on options if, say, Vlaar or Sylla pick up injuries or suspensions. Don't have much faith in Clark in either role, honestly. Leroy Fer looks to be going pretty cheap, probably to Norwich of all places. I get the feeling we're going for the "you score three, we'll score four" approach, though!

Carew had all the talent in the world, he was just kind of a bum. An endlessly likeable, totally cool bum, but a bum nonetheless.

Chelsea have Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne and Courtois. Probably one of them. Chelsea would be my hunch. Yeah I forgot about Hazard. I always think in these situations who does he play with internationally who has tapped him up on behalf of the club but there are so many Belgians in the Premier league it doesn't really help in this case. Didn't Courtois come right out and say he was going to tap up CB when they were on international duty together just a few weeks ago?

I'll buy that. I think he'll be properly good, too.

Played a friend's wedding tonight, guitar and tenor sax duo. It went better than most wedding gigs, but I will never give anyone, friend or otherwise, a discount on a wedding ever again.

Only 2.7 Euro, though. Surely worth the price of a Big Mac in the Czech Republic!

I think they'd be asking double that, honestly.

Could he get a work permit?

Wijnaldum is a brilliant player, he's been one of the most highly regarded young players for years. Broke into Feyenoord's first team at 16, only 22 now. Has all the skill in world, highly versatile (he's been deployed fairly successfully just about everywhere in attack and midfield at some point in his career) and can score. Isn't really a #10 in quite the same mold as those we've supposedly been looking at though, more of the type to create problems with pace and dribbling, take on defenders and take the shot himself. Biggest concern (imo) would be work ethic. Can be a bit lazy at times, but he can get away with that in Eredivisie. He'd have to step it up to prevent the game passing him by in England. He's got surprising strength for for his size, so I think he could compete physically if he were to make the effort. We should pick up Kevin Strootman if we're snooping around PSV, too. We could just field a 2 - 5 - 3. Lowton and Okore at the back, Sylla, Delph, Westwood, Strootman, Wijnaldum in the middle and Gabs, Weimann, and Tekkers up front, like some kind of modified Metodo!

I'd figure it's just to minimize risk of injury and make sure he's in England when/if the offer comes in so things can be completed with as little hassle as possible.

I wish they'd rebuild the Trinity Road facade in the timeless style it was previously. :^(

We've been linked with him since last fall, maybe earlier. Would wager they're just recycling, though I wouldn't mind another defensive reinforcement at all.

try Belgian beer I prefer Beck's but that's German! Belgian/French beer is a bit sweet for me, where as German beer is just pure bitter (Before anyone says it, it's got nothing to do with the WWI or WWII) Just me and a love for good honest beer. Shop wisely and you'll get a good deal at the Aldi, £1.59 for 660ml bottles (No i dont work there, just a good price for a great beer). Go try any of Weihenstephan's offerings, G. Schneider & Sohn Aventinus, Ayinger Celebrator, et cetera. Only a select few German styles are actually bitter. Most are extraordinarily balanced and clean.

Can we get Glen Johnson on loan while we're at it? Best right back in the world!

Everyone and everything has a price, ambitious or not. That's the story of the civilized world, giving up personal dreams to a larger or smaller extent in exchange for money. As much as I'd like to see him here, I couldn't fault the guy a bit for going there if they've offered him 90k/week for 4 years (with ZERO personal income tax, afaik), probably a free mansion and god knows what else if reports of some other UAE league transfers are accurate. As much as we'd all love to play for Villa if we could, that kind of money would turn just about anyone's head. If they've just offered 50k to our 35k, though...

Beat him to it Great positioning for his age. Only 1 Eccentricity, though. :^(

I have no idea what to think about bringing in anyone from QPR. Lots of extremely talented players there, but they made up one of the worst sides I've ever seen collectively and are supposedly all on insane wages.

That sounds like normal FM behavior to me.