Matt

They're all a con. You may as well just take plain paracetamol and vitamin C. 148945[/snapback] You want enough Lemsip Direct powder until you can't feel your head, then a cup of tea and bed. Never fails.

Proper flu is a bitch. The key is to take as many various flu remedies as possible, one of them is bound to work.

Free train travel? Get them in!

But it's becoming apparent that our intelligence is a weapon which can be turned on ourselves and the more we use it, the more it hurts us and not the intended target. If we do what the US did immediately post 9/11 and go super-defensive and acting irrationally to supposed terror threats then we will take away the liberties that the Al-Quaeda foe is trying to deny us. In terms of reaching their political goals fear can be a weapon to match any bomb. That's why even when faced with a terror threat, we must maintain the values that underpin our society- innocent until proven guilty, trial by jury (although I draw the line at KFC and a packet of fags for all and sundry). We shouldn't let ourselves be outsmarted so easily.

You think the police should make more false raids? We cannot simply go barging in with the slightest bit of info- not because of an issue of individual rights against the greater good, but that such acts will restrict the flow of information from certain parts of the community, resulting in even sketchier intelligence. Never mind the time and effort put in, which for whatever reason has been wasted. I certainly wouldn't blame those on the front line, but those making the calls. The poor intelligence has damaged the efforts to track terrorists, not assisted it. Let's face it, it's not a huge leap of logic to suggest that radical elements amongst the Muslim community could feed false information to the Police and security services in the full knowledge the action will cause anger amongst moderates but potentially act as a recruiting drive for the terrorists.

That is superb!

I'd agree, but you have to ask questions of the intelligence coming in as it seems there as many false alarms as sucessful raids.

Cheap? At £6m?

We paid £3.6m for him. Rising on clauses. So I doubt we'd accept less than that.

He should have let the kid do the footprints tbh.

Well, you will go out in your work clothes.

Have you got 'More Adventurous'?

We have to discount Dyer, because it's easier than trying to work with him assuming he's fit. Faye is godawful and on the way out, Clark is semi-retired and Butt will go if we can find a buyer. The leaves us very little in the way of centre-mid first team, never mind backup. Basically Parker, Emre and potentially Pattison emerging. If it weren't for the fact he's a crock, David Thompson would have been a reasonable squad addition. Looks like he's heading back to the first division. When Wigan came up here here showed that when fit, he really is a Premiership player. Realistically, we have to be looking to either young talent from the football league or leagues abroad because we'll be actively looking to reduce the wage bill with the striker search in mind. I can't give you lists of players because I've barely seen any action from the FL or abroad this season gone. What i do know is that the club need to free up some wage space and fast, even if its not by selling the top 'sale' players like Boumsong, Faye and Luque.

It's not about fees, but wages. We could probably get two decent players in for Bowyer's wedge.

He'd take a drop in wages if West Ham offered him a 3-year-deal. No-one's going to match what he's on here anyway and he won't be staying beyond next summer regardless so chances are he'll take the cut for longer-term security.

Both clubs wanted him badly it seems. But only one can Obi.

Ramage reminds me a bit of Caldwell. He could defend one way pretty well, but didn't have the range of abilities to challenge a range of opponents. Caldwell would be fine against a big target man, but in pieces against a little nippy player. While I think Ramage is the better player, I still don't see him as up to scratch to play regularly. If there was decent money on the table and we could bring in a reasonable backup on a free, then we could put those funds to strengthening the first-team slots. We should be releasing as much cash as possible from our 'squad' players to fill the gaping holes in the first team.

I did mine Thursday evening and it arrived Saturday morning. Beats mingling with old people and the pushchair posse at the PO.

Faye and Bowyer are as good as gone.

So I've heard.

Hughes was a decent player, but decent players are readily available. If Villa wanted rid, he'd be a tried and trusted backup player who would integrate quite quickly. If they wanted considerable cash we could probably pick up a player of similar footballing calibre on a freebie.

That's an almighty gamble on their part.

I like the imagery of the torch burning the hard drive.

Bolton- (Bolt-ON) on the potter's wheel.

One of the problems that we currently have is that there are a few players who might be seen as good squad players but who are picking up superstar wages, never mind first-team wages. While Butt has been persona non grata for some time, I was surprised to see talk of Bowyer leaving as I thought he really picked up form before getting injured- I can only assume that the club are evaluating his position on a value-for-money basis and deciding that they can get more bang for their buck by other means.