Deano

WBA Drew 0-0 meaning a win tonight not just confirms prmotion but moves us 6 points clear with 5 to play...one of which is our game in hand at Reading.

Its alrite like....i quite like the view although the atmosphere isnt exactly great up there. That said with the context of tonights match id imagine all around the ground will be buzzing!

It wouldnt suprise me if that was the case. But after letting appy arry have Bassong i think he should does us a favour or two

Id like that to happen. Then again i want to see us win the CCC so wouldnt take any chances.

Leicester winning 3-0 and in last playoff place. Boro winning 1-0 away at plymouth and still 6 points short of the playoffs...hahahahaha

Pud mate... Any idea on how much we will be worth again with the current squad, PL status? What will our turnover be expected to be next year then? Value...130mil? Debts...100mil to FMA himself? Income...100mil? Including Tv rights and sponsorship deals? Wage bill...50mil pa? Turnover...50mil? Pardon my ignorance i dont really have a clue about the finances.

I can see why some mite be pissed off if it was a sellout after going to all the games and now people just rolling up tonight for a piece of the promotion party. I myself dont mind it, the more the merrier, creates an even better atmosphere. I know we are in the CCC which is less of a lure than the PL games but i think the drop in crowd probably has more to do with the current financial climate. People just cant afford to go every week unless they are financially fortunate. Doesnt mean they are any less of a fan. Actually like myself, i cant really afford to go tonight but i am...il skint myself to be part of the crowd that are there the night we regain our PL status. Iv only been to about 10 games this season.

I would like to see Krul or Forster given the number 1 shirt but i honestly think CH will stick with Harps for one more season. Id be happy with that, if that was the case id like to see Krul start every FA CUP game and Forster every League Cup match. Thing is, theoretically Forster has more 1st team experience and should be ahead of Krul, but the fact he was loaned out and Krul our number 2 suggests otherwise.

The refs match the league tbh....shit league shit officiating. Still shit refs in the PL mind. Just not as bad.

I'm kind of heading towards that view as well to be honest, we are going up, i fully expect us to beat Sheff utd. so it would be good to do it with the win, rather than already be up, but either way will do! It swings both ways dont it? I mean if Forest wins it puts pressure on us to do a job. But then again if we are promoted before kick off then the lads can go out and relax and put a show on for us. I think we would win by a higher margin if we already were promoted. But i like you two would want us to do it on our own merit. Yeah, and with NUFC you never know quite what we'll do anyway! But you're right, theres a good chance if we're already up that we come out and put on a show, scoring a good few goals and everyone partying! Yup...3-0 Barton, Carroll and Routledge

I dont think we will be in a battle...i think we will be ok.

Well I'd love us to be signing someone who is pushing for top scorrer but I'm fully aware that won't happen. But I think we need to look for better than Fletcher since we're going to be no great shakes either so I wouldn't expect us to be laying them on a plate for him. I agree 15+ goal scorer will cost a hell of a lot (something I've already said) but that's what we need imo if we're going to move away from the threat of relegation. Agree about a goalscorer. Whilst we all know we need the midfield overhauling you need a proven scorer to compete and at the moment we don't have that. Shola has proven he isn't good enough in the prem and his injury record is pretty poor Carroll and Ranger are totally unproven at prem level Best is unproven at championship level! Lovenkrands will be a good player to have in the squad i think but we should have somebody better as first choice So we're pinning our hopes on unproven players stepping straight up to premiership standard if we don't buy somebody, and that will cost serious money. Very true. Although Carroll didn't do too badly on a few occasions last season when he had the chance. Shola has scored goals in the PL but we should be aiming for better than him...Squad Player at most. Carroll showed he is physically capable in the PL and has improved. Will go into the PL a better player...Starter. Lovenkrands will do ok with Carroll but ideally would be 2nd choice...Squad player. Ranger imho looks wank...Loan him out Best IS wank....fuckin get rid. If we got one striker in, one who would walk straight into the starting 11...id be ok with Shola and Lovenkrands as backup for next season. Season after id imagine Shola and Lovenkrands to be gone.

Only thing i will miss is the feelin of winning nearly every week. Wont miss the gash we beat. Wont miss the shitty commentators. Wont miss the CCC at all. Roll on the challenge of establishing ourselves again and playing against quality sides.

I'm kind of heading towards that view as well to be honest, we are going up, i fully expect us to beat Sheff utd. so it would be good to do it with the win, rather than already be up, but either way will do! It swings both ways dont it? I mean if Forest wins it puts pressure on us to do a job. But then again if we are promoted before kick off then the lads can go out and relax and put a show on for us. I think we would win by a higher margin if we already were promoted. But i like you two would want us to do it on our own merit.

it was regularly said that that was our problem last season the defence was solid, especially when we had given on goal too but theres only so much a defence can do when the midfield cannot hold possesion to relieve pressure, all that ever happened was nicky butt got it and lost it and then there was more pressure on the back four I put alot of the blame firmly on that fuckers shoulders tbh. All those needless freekicks outside our box, all those times he lost posession cheaply....fuckin hate him tbh.

Agreed. Beye---Taylor--Bassong---Enrique was a good back four and like you said the lack of fight and ability to keep the ball in midfield was more the problem. Although the lads we have now may not be of THAT standard, what we have now that we didnt then is the willingness to fight for each other. Which i think will serve us well in the PL. I honestly think we are going into the PL in a better state that what we left it.

Yeah movement. Pace and movement...intelligent footballing brain is what we need. Keane would be a decent option.

Hutton 5mil, O'Hara 4mil and Keane 5mil...3 good moves to fit into the start 11 in the positions needed. Ironic really that all 3 would come from the team who we were closest to before relegation.

Agree with all of that especially the immediate needs of the starting 11 And it won't come cheap. Aye if this supposed £15m is true then we will struggle badly to bring those players in. We would need to spend most of that on a striker if we want better than we already have. the strikers are what makes all the difference in the premiership, as witnessed by the poor finishing of most of our opponents this season True. That and central midfield. Another area where we haven't got enough quality as it happens. In all honest like every area of the side is as important as each other. Without a decent back four and GK you concede a shit load of goals, without a decent midfield four you lose the battle for posession and dont create chances, without chances and a decent you dont score goals...goals win games. Its all important...i just think we have a decent basis to build on. 3 new players to step into the 1st team and a few more for competiton and backup and we will stay up comfortably. That aside...Talking of strikers...i do think Carroll and Lovenkrands will get goals in the PL...they will do ok to keep us up but in an ideal world we would get a new lightning fast striker with good movement to start with Carroll....In an ideal world...

Nor is the midfield. Rotledge is the only one who could 'do a job' and Guti will be gone imo. Guti and Enrique will be playing here all next season. Is this where i demand a £2000 bet to prove how cocksure i am? I reckon if Jonas has a canny World Cup and we get a decent offer for him he would go. Big if like and i dont see many leaving after the graft they've put in to prove they are worthy of the premiership. I cant see him going to another prem club and so that leaves a move back to Spain. Cant see it myself. Like i said before, there WILL be clubs sniffing around a few and Gutierrez will be one of those regardless of how good a WC he has with the Argies. Simple fact is apart from Butt, Hall and Pancrate i dont see anyone wanting to leave. The only way any will is if FMA pulls similar kinda stunts that got him hated int he 1st place. For all i dont trust the fatman he must surely of learned from his mistakes and want to do things properly now? You'd think anyways.

This is probably the most likely outcome. Pretty much what i said. I think should we get a minimum of 4 in, in key areas RB, CM and CF then we will stay up comfortably as our current lot are like it has been said on a par with about 6 sides in the PL currently. With the additions, if sensible and of sufficient quality i see us finishing arounf 13th which tbf would be good going. Hughton deserves a shot in the PL, has one more year on his contract which probably works out well...Keep the stability and continuity going, give CH what he deserves, get a good PL finish THEN look for a new manager to take us forward.

I do tend to agree with most of the things you say but in this case i disagree. Yes at times he is infuriating but i like him. He offers us pace and trickery out wide and in the second half of the season his final product, vision and awareness has improved greatly. Not just that but his high work ethic and running with the ball helps the team defensively. It takes pressure off the back four when he carries it 40 yards up the pitch. Most foreigners take time to settle and i think he is adapting to english football well. Him and Jose have build a good understanding and i hope it continues and gets better. Him and Routledge on that flanks give us shape and balance.

Would be a good signing in an area needing adressed. Wont come cheap though and 5mil is about right. Would FMA spend that on one player though? Only time will tell.

Will go... Butt, Hall, Pancrate -I wont lose any sleep about the 3 who will leave and will release about 70k off the wage bill. 3.9mil pa. -Personally id be fuckin delighted to see the back of Nicky fuckin Butt. Should go... Best 1mil? and Nolan 2.5mil? -Quite simply Best looks shit in this league therefor he will be monumentally awful in the PL...problem is would anyone want him? -Nolan for all his goals and an improved run of good form recently is not going to be good enough for us in the PL...just isnt mobile enough. -Smith and Shola could be added to that list but i feel both could play a part sparingly if needed. Neither should be in starting 11 in the PL though fo'sho. Clubs sniffing around... Krul 3mil?, S.Taylor 6mil?, Kadar 2mil?, Enrique 8mil?, Gutierrez 8mil? and Carroll 7mil? This is my worry, although Gutierrez is the only one going to be in the South African shop window i have a feeling we will have to resist bids for all of the above. I dont think any of them would want to leave which is good but i dont see FMA turning down a good offer. I just dont trust the bloke. Targets... So lets say we need a new 1st choice RB, cover for LB, cover for RW and LW, a new attacking CM and a new 1st choice pacey striker to play off AC. Who would you lot like to realistically see us go for? And out of our current lot who would make it into your 1st team? ---Harper--- ---NEW---Taylor©---Coloccini*---Enrique--- ---Routledge---Barton*---NEW---Gutierrez--- ---Carroll---NEW*--- *Coloccini to be rotated with Williamson *Barton rotated with Guthrie and maybe Smith *Lovenkrands rotated or come off the bench with new striker

Could they fuck. Never happened in my life time and never will happen in my life time. If Stevie Charlton was alive I doubt it would even happen in his lifetime. They could though...mate in your lifetime has the gap in terms of squad difference between us and them ever been so big? Not this way round...NO. They COULD but i dont think they will but it COULD happen.