Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[mazrimsbruv]

If you're judging him on taking a club from genuine top four challengers to avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the season then: Paul. You're fired!!" 

Holy sensationalism batman.

here's me thinking we finished top half of the table after beating liverpool and arsenal.

are you sure you're not gregnash'sbruv?

Holy 'PaperingOverTheCracks' Batman!!

A lot of posters on here get carried away with our 9th place finish last season, whilst blissfully ignoring the fact that 48 points would not, in most other seasons, get you a top half finish.

[bob]

No way eastie. As incredible as that Everton game was, Gabby's goal at West Ham meant so much more. Paulies spot on, was going to say something similar myself.

[bob]

And its worth pointing out when people are giving Gabby some stick that he's got a record of scoring goals in big games.

[Mark Samuels]

Gabby's goal at West Ham was the best moment of a terrifyingly dismal season.

[Chris Smith]

If you're judging him on taking a club from genuine top four challengers to avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the season then: Paul. You're fired!!" 

Holy sensationalism batman.

here's me thinking we finished top half of the table after beating liverpool and arsenal.

are you sure you're not gregnash'sbruv?

Holy 'PaperingOverTheCracks' Batman!!

A lot of posters on here get carried away with our 9th place finish last season, whilst blissfully ignoring the fact that 48 points would not, in most other seasons, get you a top half finish.

That's such a spurious argument. So was Manu's league win any less important because it was achieved with fewer points? We were better than 11 other clubs in the league over the course of the season, that's why we didn't get relegated.

[eastie]

No way eastie. As incredible as that Everton game was, Gabby's goal at West Ham meant so much more. Paulies spot on, was going to say something similar myself.

Im not talking about importance but the sheer elation , probably the fact that everton had scored deep into injury time and to go from despair to ecstacy in a minute or so was fantastic.


It is obvious that gabbys goal at west ham was more important.

[Ian.]

No, my opinion would not change. These signings are the minmum I would expect if they even serious about fending off relegation next season.

And I don't care if Downing wanted to leave. He had two years left and his transfer request could have been refused if the Club were serious about keeping him. I would even bet they told him to submit a transfer request, once their valuation had been met, so that they saved a bit of face and didn't have to pay his bonus. Spurs have told Modric that there's no point in him submitting one.

They've sold Downing because they don't want to give the Manager any transfer funds.

And are you saying that he had lined up replacements before selling Ash & Downing?

I think those three, added to what we've already got, would do more than just 'fend off relegation'.

We could have kept him, yes, but then we'd have had to sell him next summer anyway or he goes for nothing in 2013.  So do we do that, and risk an unhappy player whose value might therefore fall further if out of the side, or maximise his value so we can re-invest?  IMO the club took made the right decision.  And I still reckon Modric will go aswell!

They've sold Downing because they don't want to give the Manager any transfer funds.

I'm afraid you'll have to explain that one to me??

And finally it depends on what you mean by 'lined up'.  I'm not sure it's been confirmed officially yet, but if we have bid for N'Zogbia it says to me that we had at least planned for what we'd do if he left and indentified a replacement. 

We 'just fended off relegation' last season, with Friedel, Ash & Downing in the side. On what basis do you say that replacing them with N'Zogbia, Parker & Given means that we'll significantly improve on last season?

I don't believe Downing would have under-performed as he would have wanted to push for a place in the European Championships.

The rest is easy to explain. We didn't have a replacement lined up because we didn't bid for N'Zogbia until yesterday. Why? Because the manager didn't have a transfer budget, other than to sign a keeper, until they'd agreed the sale of Downing. 'Sell-to-buy' in its purest form.

We might not be a better team on paper but if the team/squad is all playing together and on all the same wave length without all the shanagans as last year we will be a much better outfit and hopefully perform much better and more consistently.

[Chris Smith]

Gabby's goal at West Ham was the best moment of a terrifyingly dismal season.

"Terrifyingly dismal", crikey.

You must have a massive vocabulary if you've got the words to describe all the variants between 9th and bottom in a worse light than that.

[eastie]

so when are wigan going to accept or refuse our offer ?

[mazrimsbruv]

If you're judging him on taking a club from genuine top four challengers to avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the season then: Paul. You're fired!!" 

Holy sensationalism batman.

here's me thinking we finished top half of the table after beating liverpool and arsenal.

are you sure you're not gregnash'sbruv?

We "avoided relegation", i.e. had enough points to stay up, when we won at West Ham on 15th April

Fair enough Chris.

I'll have my: 'we made ourselves mathematically safe by beating Arsenal' argument. You can have your: 'With hindsight we had enough points when we beat West Ham' argument.

Both are now true and I don't think we want to go through all that again!

"42 POINTS!!!!"

Man, that was funny!

[UsualSuspect]

so when are wigan going to accept or refuse our offer ?

In a "few days"

It's not going to be straightforward is it!

[Mark Samuels]

I am dead clever, me. You're jealous, Chris. Admit it!  : )

[Mark Samuels]

And I think we all know a couple of late wins papered over a few cracks... We might have come 9th but most of the season was dismal. Anyway, back to transfers...

[Concrete John]

We 'just fended off relegation' last season, with Friedel, Ash & Downing in the side. On what basis do you say that replacing them with N'Zogbia, Parker & Given means that we'll significantly improve on last season?

I don't believe Downing would have under-performed as he would have wanted to push for a place in the European Championships.

The rest is easy to explain. We didn't have a replacement lined up because we didn't bid for N'Zogbia until yesterday. Why? Because the manager didn't have a transfer budget, other than to sign a keeper, until they'd agreed the sale of Downing. 'Sell-to-buy' in its purest form.

You do realise we finished 9th and our post Jan form was top 6 material, don't you?  Our issue last season was a terrible defence, which I expect Mcleish to fix.  Whether or not we're more potent upfront I have my doubts, but even then i still see a midtable side with those additions, probably equally 9th.

As for the rest, that's one version of what's happening behind closed that neither of us know.  Another is that Downing leaving shifted priorities and the money he raised ADDED to what we've already have to spent also changed who we're after.  Either way we'll know come 01/09.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Like most on here I really hope the N'Zogbia deal goes through, but SWP???
Used to be like a whippet but usually forgot to take the ball with him....would NOT be happy to see him come our way!
Vargas looks the business, or will AM settle for one out n out winger - Albrighton - and play N'Zog as an "inside forward" just behind Bent?
Exciting times!?!?