Dr Gloom

Ah, the classic Shepherd v Ashley debate. Leazesmag would indeed be having a field day with this this one. Shepherd was a moron. And without a doubt the club is now on a sounder financial footing. But as a fan, you'd be daft to say you prefer life under Ashley. First of Ashley's a cunt - some of his actions are indefensible - stadium naming rights, treatment of keegan etc. Plus we haven't come close to SBR's teams in Ashley's tenure. For all of Shepherd's flaws - mis-managing the finances, sacking managers at ridiculous points (just after the transfer window had shut), having faith in the likes of Souness, his massive gob etc etc - at least you had the sense that he was a supporter of the club and wanted us to be competing at the top. With Ashley I'm not sure he really gives a shit as long as we stay in the top flight. We've all been banging on about how good this transfer window has been but that's a result of how low our expectations have become. We should be spending 11m net or whatever it is every transfer window. We're Nufc ffs and we're supposed to be owned by a billionaire. If he cared, he'd invest more of his own cash. The only reason he's done it now is because he's shiting himself about the financial costs of relegation - and rightly so. We could be fucked if we go down this time.

Ask any evertonians old enough to remember that team in the 80s. They'll likely disagree. He was a cultured passer of the ball. A million miles from the likes of Didier Deschamp in terms of creativity.

I agree with you there - he wasn't a box to box player. But then neither was Hoddle. They both had good range of passing and liked to spray it around though mate, that's a fact.

The Europeans couldn't believe how few caps he got for England. He was world class on the ball. Goes to show how England midfielders went for midfield battlers instead of cultured ball players over the years. Mad to think the likes of Steve hodge, Ray Wilkins and Neil Webb were often picked ahead of him. Ironically Hoddle snubbed le tissier from the World Cup squad for similar reasons.

Stevie, you obviously never saw Bracewell in his prime to compare to him to deschamp - a way dafter comparison to anyone on here that watched football in the 80s. I don't see anyone else backing your argument up on here where others have commented on his passing range and the fact that he was he creator for that successful Everton midfield. Points that I made.

He was class like. He's another one that should have had way more England caps than he got.

Spot on

Totally different players in their prime

I wouldn't say his passing was quite as good as hoddle's necessarily - he wasn't quite as gifted. But he definitely had that same ability to pick a long raking pass to feet. And he was less of a fancy Dan. He was one of the best midfielders in the country when he played for Everton. That's not in dispute. You only have to look at his honours. And there's no way you can call him a water carrier. Even after he joined us when injury had hampered his engine, he could still pick a pass. Water carrier is something I'd say about Ray 'the crab' Wilkins. Now there was an over rates England midfielder - never passed the ball forwards, or more than about 10 yards. The reason I know more about Bracewell than most is my old man's side of the family are evertonians. I was dragged to Everton matches as a boy and they all raved about him.

He was way more than a water carrier for Everton. He was one of the best midfielders in the country at that time, an England international known for his passing and vision, that win two league championships plus the European cup winners cup in his time at Everton. I honestly have no idea how many goals he created for us. It was about 20 years ago. The comparison with hoddle stands, even after his game changed due to injury, because of his passing ability. You said they're nothing alike. You don't know what the fuck you're on about man - water carrier ffs.

Stevie, to say he was nothing like glen hoddle shows you don't know wtf you're talking about. His legs had gone by the time he joined us because of Injury but he could still spray the ball around. He was class at Everton alongside Reid, like I said. Prob woukd have started in midfield at the World Cup in Mexico if he hadn't knackered himself that year.

I was talking about his passing range dipshit.

Quality player Bracewell. Slightly past his best by the time he arrived with us but still a majestic passer of the ball. He was a bit like a Glen Hoddle that could tackle. Played his best football at Everton where he won two league championships in a midfield four alongside Sheedy, Reid and Steven. Would have gone to the Mexico World Cup if it wasn't for injury.

If you've read any of my previous posts you'll know it was rhetorical. The point I was trying to make is how the fuck are we 16th when we had the resources to buy these players in the summer?

If he gets a striker capable of replacing Ba in addition to the five already signed it s likely to be Ashley's best window, regardless of whether its been his biggest bet outlay. I suspect it could be both. It also goes to show you don't need to spend a fortune to add a bit of quality. Two of the signings could go either way but three are current French internationals and unlikely to be mugs.

Yeah no shit. The question was rhetorical. He could have done this in the summer.

That looks a formidable 11. How the fuck are we down in 16th?

This is getting ridiculous. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up in a normal window. We're close to signing half a new team. Best window of Ashley's reign, fair play to him. He needed to act and he has.

amazing to have signed three current french internationals. never would have called this in a million years at the start of this window. can we dream of another striker? we still arguably need one but i wouldn't be disappointed if that was our fill now.

Might not be guaranteed to start every game anymore after influx of new players but still an important player. You don't build a squad by getting rid of senior players every time you sign done new ones. I'm hoping Ashley has learned that now.

Mbiwa, Sissoko and Gouffran all in the starting 11 would give the place a massive boost.

bojo speaking some sense - albeit rather cynically. you might say he's judging public opinion on austerity well or you could argue he's pitching himself as an alternative tory leader that does recognise the need for a plan b. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/25/boris-johnson-criticises-osborne-austerity Boris Johnson urges Osborne to drop 'hair-shirt' agenda for UK economy London mayor tells Davos audience that it is time for chancellor to 'junk rhetoric of austerity' and boost confidence and spending Boris Johnson, London's mayor, says: 'We need investment in housing and transport – things that make a big difference.' Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Boris Johnson has called on the government to drop its "hair-shirt, Stafford Cripps" agenda as he outlined a seven-point growth plan for London involving building thousands of new homes and investment in major infrastructure projects. Speaking at a British business lunch in Davos on Friday shortly after the release of figures showing the economy was again contracting, the mayor of London said it was time to "junk the rhetoric of austerity" and instead take steps to boost confidence and spending. Johnson was critical of some of the gloomy talk coming out of the Bank of England and said the language of cuts was "not terribly useful in this sort of climate". He urged counter-cyclical measures that would work against the trends depressing activity. "There is huge potential in the UK. It is important we have the spirit of confidence. Some of the mutterings from Threadneedle Street are not the stuff to give the troops." He added: "We need investment in housing and transport, things that make a big difference." Johnson said he supported George Osborne's deficit-reduction strategy, but said savings could be made in some parts of government that could be spent elsewhere on growth-friendly projects. "But the hair-shirt, Stafford Cripps agenda is not the way to get Britain moving again," he said. Cripps, the chancellor between 1947 and 1950, used taxes and rationing to limit consumption as the UK tried to rebuild its economy after the second world war. Johnson said he would be shortly be publishing his seven-point vision for how the economy of London should look by 2020. "It is a manifesto for my friends at the Treasury who hold the purse strings," he said. The mayor's new economic adviser, Gerard Lyons, has been working on the proposals, which Johnson said involved: • Building hundreds of thousands of new homes • Investing in road and rail infrastructure, including Thames crossings and a second Crossrail • Boosting London's growth industries such as financial services and the startups clustered in Tech City (the technology hub centred around Old Street) • Combating illiteracy and increasing the number of apprenticeships • Maintaining low and stable tax rates • Making London open to the rest of the world through a "sensible visa" policy and a new airport • Changing the language of the economic debate. The mayor was scathing about the lack of progress in providing London with extra airport capacity, saying: "I can't frankly understand the panda-like pace at which the government is addressing this problem." He re-iterated his opposition to a third runway being built at Heathrow airport, saying extra demand would mean a fourth would be needed by the time the new capacity was ready by 2026 or 2028. Johnson said this would be "an environmental catastrophe for London" and said development should take place either at Stansted airport or at one of two sites in the Thames estuary. "The proposition of expansion at Heathrow is a delusion and a disaster."

why exactly?

curry night at chez gloom tonight. oh yeah