Inochi

Absolutely.

You didn't say we could, but that we should. Semantics, like. It wouldn't make any odds in this case anyway, he's 28 and he wanted an immediate move to a club competing in the Champions League. We couldn't provide that in a workable timeframe, even if we wanted to, so he left and we replaced him.

And how would you address a 28 year old's desire for Champions League football immediately, exactly? Do we just bung UEFA? Ask the other CL teams if they can let us take their place, and turn on the waterworks if we say no?

Sunshine, lollipops...

Everyone said it would be hard work. I laughed in their faces. I've never been more wrong.

Growth spurts are just so much fun.

Aye, but you're just guessing, based on paper rumours. We'll likely get Reviere. I do think we'll have a stab at an established striker, too. That one is likely to run til the very end of the window. We won't spend big, unless it can still be considered a bargain.

Heard similar in respect to us making no further squad additions after the Colback/Perez transfers.

Absolutely. You would hope, from this summer so far, that his intentions are honourable. That he wants to see us improve. But it's not that, at all. We've just found ourselves in a position where we simply have to spend, even if only to stand still. We'll still come up short mind. We're getting good players (resale value in mind, obviously), but we'll only ever get the bare minimum. Anything on top of that would be when a bargain, an inviting gamble, has become available. Still, I'm hopeful of a decent season. I always am. It'll likely turn to shit at some point, and I'll fail to be entertained for the majority of it. Just got to hope that we get on a positive run early doors, and avoid injuries or any sustained runs of losses that quickly turn into crises.

Surely not the same twitter crowd that were campaigning for the removal of the 'board' and manager? It's been amusing to see a growing number of accounts that had previously cancelled their season tickets, and vowed never to return under Ashley or Pardew, talking of seeing a couple of shiny new signings in the flesh. The best ones are those that - after excitedly commenting for days on end about the prospect of signing these players - suddenly regain their senses, and declare that they're not even bothered, as 'he'll get pardewed anyway'. Their passion for all things Newcastle has been destroyed, they have no interest anymore - yet they still feel the need to comment by the minute, day after day.

Second half of the season is overrated. I start to lose interest in December. In all seriousness, that's happened once. Believing it to be an intentional ploy is to credit Alan and the gang. In reality, it was a byproduct of a catastrophic drop in the motivation of our better players, after the Cabaye sale had signalled our hideous lack of desire to build on a good first few months. It's just as likely that we could be fighting relegation for the whole season, or pushing for fourth by the last day. With better players, we've got more chance of the latter, or at least seeing us getting results rather than not. Unlike many, I don't cry all the way home on the metro after a win, devastated that a victory has extended a nasty man's tenure at the helm of my club.

Honestly man, why would you be so desperate to find negatives in this? Not only you, obviously, but it was the latest example. Why is Cabella 'of Ben Arfa's ilk'? Because he's got a few tricks? Doesn't that Bleacher Report article praise him for his work rate and closing down?

Looks to be an exciting player, and we've shelled out a fair chunk again - after De Jong. Also mumblings a of a number of others to follow this week. Yes, we're making these signings because we have to, but, they're good players who should be enjoyable to watch. If we continue in this vein, and get what we need, I'll be quite content going into the season. Aye, Pardew is shite and all that. But we are where we are.

There were times during Cabaye's first season, where when Guthrie was playing with him/in his place, he looked the better player. On his day, he was a lovely footballer to watch. Struggled to play for more than 65/70 minutes, mind. By the by, like. Don't think Colback is a remotely similar player, though he holds a similar profile.

Thanks all. Cath, he was 8lb 1oz. Although, after the amount of feeding he's done since, I imagine that it could be close to double that now. She was in labour for well over a day, but the active labour only took about eight hours. Only had gas and air throughout, the nutcase. We weren't stupid enough to want to stick to a rigid birth plan, but it all ended up going exactly the way we had planned. Again, the staff are as much to thank for that. Their control of the psychological side of the process is unbelievable. Noted. Purely down to tiredness, and passive hormones. Cough.

Our little one was born on Tuesday, so I'm currently experiencing a particularly disorientating mix of euphoria and exhaustion. Mother and baby are doing brilliantly. So, so proud of the lady. She fucking owned it. Really can't express just how much I feel indebted to the NHS, and specifically the RVI midwifery staff, for making this the most positive and rewarding experience of my life. Fucking magical.

£11m according to the Mail, and £7.9m say the Metro. Wonder which one will be believed.

Jeeeez.

Can you not read, either? Granted, you probably do it in a vastly different way to the rest of us. But it's a pretty simple story.

Aye, you'd have to hope that we're still looking at Cabella. We do seem to be, judging from the local press ramblings.

I'm left with no other choice but to rethink my position.

I'm of a similar mind to this. We are where we are, and that is unlikely to change. The more quality players we have, the better chance we have of winning games. It's not particularly 'cool' to like to see us win at the moment, but I'd always rather that than getting beat every week.

Good. More of this ilk, please. Quickly now.

Aye, looks near enough done. Can't claim to know much about him, but he's a highly rated number 10 type. YouTube merely confirms that the Dutch league is shite. We're paying actual money for him, so that's a plus.