Summer 2011

[kalasoma]

You don't sign a player just because he linked up well with a single individual at his previous club. Signing him to supposedly get the best out of that individual again would in all likelihood be detrimental to getting the best out of the rest of the side. One-dimensional thinking at its best.

 

What if that player were Diego Forlan? Granted, they haven't played at club level together, but he works well with that other Uruguayan up front.

[Trumo]

Yes! I caught one! Tough fish round here.

 

Don't look at me - I was just making a general point. It just coincidentally followed your quote!

 

What if that player were Diego Forlan? Granted, they haven't played at club level together, but he works well with that other Uruguayan up front.

 

Hmm.

[Unrighteous]

What if that player were Diego Forlan? Granted, they haven't played at club level together, but he works well with that other Uruguayan up front.

 

Too old. Too expensive.

[shaunstrudwick]

Scott Dann is no better than Skrtel

 

any further developments re: Mata?

[Trumo]

Scott Dann is no better than Skrtel

 

any further developments re: Mata?

 

No. As a centre back he's still worse than both Skrtel and Dann.

[Eljeficito]

Ballague said we were interested in mata but went for downing and now we have no interest. Think a left back should be our priority now

[Funkasy]

Arsenal are gonna walk away with mata. No chance he's coming to liverpool after we bought downing, and i think thats a real shame because mata has much more to his game than downing has.

[WaltonRed]

arsenal wont pay £30m for a player, I just cant see it.

 

I still think we'll get a LB and a CB, might even be the last week of the window but I think we will

[Funkasy]

Mata is not gonna cost 30m its gonna be more like 18-22m

[zigackly]

Arsenal are gonna walk away with mata. No chance he's coming to liverpool after we bought downing, and i think thats a real shame because mata has much more to his game than downing has.

 

Mata is not gonna cost 30m its gonna be more like 18-22m

 

Hello. Welcome to four pages ago.

[Gym Beglin]

I'd love us to sign Mata.

But only because I'm bored and quite fancy another signing.

[razor]

Never knew that scott dann is a former season ticket holder. Dont know if it's BS or what.

 

YOU didn't know that? I'm cancelling my Twitter follower status.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't do Twitter. But you know what I mean.

[El Rojo]

I liked Mata before he went mainstream.

 

His earlier stuff was much, much better.

[WaltonRed]

The mongs who thought Mata was going for 10p have had their footie manager eyes well and truly wiped

[ngogswilly]

The mongs who thought Mata was going for 10p have had their footie manager eyes well and truly wiped

 

Well Ballague claims Mata had a clause in his contract that said he could leave for something like 20 million which expired today. I have no idea how a clause like that would work. But its what Ballague says.

 

Now if thats true then obviously hes not going to leave for 20 odd million now.

 

Thing is, its very possible Ballague is making all that shite up because hes been saying all summer Mata will leave Valencia for 20 odd million and it might now be apparent thats not the case.

[WaltonRed]

Some of us knew all along he'd not go for twenty made up clause or real clause

[Major Tom]

Some of us knew all along he'd not go for twenty made up clause or real clause

 

How many times are you going to say that in different ways?

 

It's dull now and it wasn't great to start with!

[Wor Horse]

Newcastle United release Joey Barton after midfielder launches Twitter trade against club

 

 

Uncertainty: Joey Barton is set to unveil where his future lies at 4pm Photo: ACTION IMAGES

By Luke Edwards7:44PM BST 01 Aug 201168 Comments

 

Barton is understood to have vented his anger at team-mates and Pardew after a poor Newcastle United performance at Elland Road, swearing and shouting at them before storming out of the dressing-room and onto the team coach.

 

Once on board, he aggravated a combustible situation by hinting, on Twitter, at widespread dressing-room discontent at the direction in which the club is heading and warning of an impending relegation battle.

 

Newcastle responded by placing the midfielder on the transfer list and telling him he could negotiate a free move to another club.

Barton last night responded by insisting he wants to stay at St James' Park for the remaining year of his contract despite the hostility between him and the club's hierarchy.

 

Quite where that leaves Pardew remains to be seen. Barton was one of his best players last season, but he admits he is difficult to manage and this latest twist will not make him any easier to control.

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If a move does not immediately materialise, Pardew must decide whether to continue selecting a player who has been a vocal critic of the board and the club's transfer strategy – and who has now also questioned his authority – or freeze him out of the first team. Barton is unlikely to stay quiet whatever he decides.

Although there has been some tentative interest over the last few days, there have not been any bids. The decision to make him available on a free transfer may be designed to firm up that interest.

 

Stoke City, Aston Villa and even Arsenal may consider the possibility of signing the 28 year-old, although the player's wages – he earns £56,000 a week at Newcastle – would pose a problem.

 

Managing director Derek Llambias had already clashed with Barton this summer, withdrawing a new contract offer back in May after months of acrimonious negotiations, and it seems his patience finally snapped following his Twitter rant. The two have not spoken in months, a club secretary informing Barton of the decision to give him a free transfer as Llambias is supposed to be on holiday.

 

It was the second time in a week that a Newcastle player has criticised the board on the social networking site after defender Jose Enrique – who is edging towards a move to Liverpool as the clubs get close to agreeing a £6 million fee – attacked officials for a lack of ambition and lying about their contract offer. On Monday, reserve striker Nile Ranger joined in the Twitter assault, writing: "Most used sub in the prem last season.. Now I'm struggling to even get a pre-season game.. haha.. what a joke."

 

Llambias had even contemplated terminating Barton's contract, which has a year to run, although that would have meant paying his wages for the next 12 months in a lump sum.

A brief statement on the club website said: "Newcastle United can confirm that Joey Barton has been placed on the transfer list today. The player has been advised that he can leave the club on a free transfer."

 

That was released as a pre-emptive strike by Newcastle, an hour before Barton had planned to reveal the news on his Twitter site.

 

The breakdown in the relationship between employer and employee looks irreversible and Newcastle will hope the decision to give him a free transfer will lead to a hasty exit, although the situation could get worse before it gets better as Barton is refusing to be forced out.

 

Responding to the decision to transfer-list him, Barton responded via Twitter. He said: "Somewhere in those high echelons of NUFC, they have decided I am persona non grata.

"I am on a free but the honour of wearing those black and white stripes surpasses that. One day the Board might realise what the shirt signifies. Honour and pride. Thanks for your continued support."

 

Barton's stance has split supporters. Some have complimented him on attacking the board's parsimonious approach and its failure to spend the £35 million received for Andy Carroll in January on new players.

 

Others, though, are angry with a player who has only justified his own high opinion of himself in one out of four seasons following a £5.8 million move from Manchester City in July 2007. Barton's previous three years were soured by injuries and a loss of form, as well as a six-month jail sentence for assault in 2008.

[Beantown Red]

Hull have made a £500,000 bid for Liverpool’s Spanish defender Daniel Ayala, 20, who was on loan at the club last season.

 

Meanwhile fellow Championship outfit Leicester have taken another of Liverpool's former Melwood youngsters Damien Plessis on trial after he was told he can leave Panathinaikos.

 

Daily Mail

[Beantown Red]

John W Henry has thrown down the gauntlet to Kenny Dalglish by insisting it would be a ‘major disappointment’ if Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

 

Liverpool’s principal owner was in Oslo last night to see Dalglish’s side come from behind to secure a 3-3 friendly draw with Valerenga.

 

Henry witnessed Liverpool’s latest erratic defensive performance of the summer and they have now conceded a worrying 15 goals in five fixtures

 

That, however, has not stopped Henry from declaring that Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s American backers, expect Dalglish to deliver a top-four finish.

 

‘It’s too early for us to start talking about winning the league,’ said Henry, who has backed Dalglish with £43million worth of signings this summer.

 

‘In my opinion Manchester United (are the team to beat). They have a good squad and look good.

 

'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment.’

 

Judging from last night’s showing that target will be easier said than done. Liverpool had only themselves to blame after conceding twice in the opening 18 minutes.

 

Lars Iver Strand got between Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger to put the hosts in front, and Fegor Ogude’s penalty doubled the advantage.

 

Andy Carroll pulled one back before half-time and Agger profited from slack marking in the closing minutes to score twice.

 

Liverpool were denied a win in injury time when Mohammed Fellah crashed in for Valerenga from 25 yards.

 

‘We were more pleased with the second-half performance than the first.’

 

‘In the first we gave them too much room to play and wanted too much ourselves. We know we can improve,' said Dalglish.

 

Liverpool paid their respects to the memory of 77 people who were killed in Norway last month by laying 11 red roses in front of the Ullevaal Stadium.

 

Daily Mail

[Beantown Red]

Tony Barrett

11 minutes ago

 

Arsenal have missed the opportunity to trigger a buyout clause for Juan Mata and will face an increased asking price should they continue to pursue the Valencia winger.

 

The club’s failure to agree a fee with Barcelona for Cesc Fàbregas has left Arsenal short of the necessary capital to complete a move for one of Arsène Wenger’s key transfer targets and Valencia are now increasingly hopeful that Mata will sign a new long-term contract.

 

Mata could have left the La Liga club for a fee in the region of £18 million, an asking price that Arsenal were happy to meet. But under the stipulations of the 23-year-old’s present deal, the buyout clause had to be met by July 31. When that date passed Valencia were allowed to come up with a new valuation.

 

Arsenal now have to decide whether it is worth continuing their chase for Mata, who could cost up to £10 million more than they had expected. Their dilemma is exacerbated by the Fàbregas situation; Barcelona have yet to meet Arsenal’s £40 million valuation of the midfield player.

 

Wenger has implored Barcelona to complete the deal to allow Arsenal to move on. The Frenchman believes that Fàbregas has lost focus due to the speculation about his future and is keen to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

 

Dead certs

 

AC Milan are ready to offer Alberto Aquilani an escape route from Liverpool. Adriano Galliani, the president of the Italian club, has admitted that the midfield player is a potential signing. “We could talk about Aquilani,” Galliani said. “He’s a midfielder with the characteristics that we are looking for, so, like with other players in his role, he could be of interest.”

 

Luka Modric will be sold if Tottenham Hotspur receive an offer that is too good to turn down, according to Kevin Bond, the club’s assistant manager. Chelsea are considering whether to come back with a third offer for the playmaker after having had two bids turned down.

 

They will have been encouraged by Bond’s admission that Modric is for sale at the right price, a statement that contradicts earlier pronouncements by Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman.

 

“We desperately don’t want to lose him, but everyone has a price,” Bond said. “If somebody came along and the money turns your head and he did go — although the chairman is adamant he doesn’t want to sell him — then we’d have to get on with it. Transfers are part and parcel of the game but you don’t want to lose your best players and he certainly is one of our best players.”

 

Romelu Lukaku has warned Chelsea that he is not prepared to go out on loan to another club if he secures a move to Stamford Bridge.

 

“When I do leave, it will not be to be lent out as Thibaut Courtois has been,” Lukaku said. “I want to go to a club where I can develop further. It’s not that I just want to be transferred to Chelsea. At the moment I am patient. I remain at Anderlecht and I am not thinking of a transfer.”

 

Yuri Zhirkov looks set to end an unhappy two years at Chelsea by returning to Russia. The 27-year-old has been spotted at the Moscow training base of Anzhi Makhachkala, where he is believed to have undergone a medical ahead of a proposed £13.2 million move.

 

Long shots

 

Queens Park Rangers are continuing to monitor Joe Cole but would need the Liverpool player to accept a drastic cut in his £110,000 per week wages if they are to step up their interest.

 

Everton could move for Craig Bellamy after the forward rejected the opportunity to rejoin Celtic. Manchester City have made Bellamy available on loan.

 

The Times

[Guest Gucci_Ledge]

Love how Arsenal let his buyout clause expire so that they have an excuse to not buy him :)

 

Same with Man United's bid for Wesley.S, i said weeks ago i doubted it was a done deal as I don't think they can afford those outlays anymore. If they could afford that sort of player they wouldn't be keeping the likes of Owen and having to sell players (or at least transfer list players) to buy Phil Jones. Both transfer bids are to simply to appease fans imo.

[Mathewbet1]

Ac Milan want Aquilani then we should be thinking of aquilani plus 10m for Pato.

[Mathewbet1]

Twats on Twitter saying fee agreed for Jose Enrique - 6m.

[Funkasy]

Twats on Twitter saying fee agreed for Jose Enrique - 6m.

 

those quotes came out before the season ended.