higgo

Jones isn't average, far from it. He's a huge handful when he can be arsed. That will be the challenge, to get him motivated when he does get his chance. If he comes obviously. I'd like to know who else we should be going for in the January window with limited funds, knowing he'll end up sitting on the bench for long periods when Torres is fit.

Why? Did we try and get Barry and Keane on loan with an obligation to buy? We'll ignore the Maxi deal as that was a positive. People forget that we have no money and that transfers these days are a lot more complicated than in previous golden eras.

Taking those two signings in isolation, they were hardly statements of intent for the most profitable club in football. They're probably in credit after the sales of Ronaldo, RVN, and many, many more off the books. If player sales applies to Benitez it should also apply to every other manager. It was just our luck that Ferguson decided to stay on and hold it all together, which gave him a new lease of life, and in turn took the heat of the Glazers, the mounting debt, and lack of major spending they'd become used to. But it's caught up with them, hence the fans sudden interest in their finances again.

I think we've got a bit more about us than many give us credit for to be honest. Whatever your gripe, going public with it is about as classless as you can get and it smacks of an ulterior motive. I quite like Bruce in general but he's fooling no one but himself and a few gullible mackems on this one.

They've barely spent anything in their time there. I think they had a splurge on Nani and Anderson that one summer after they won the title, which was offset by a few sales. It's amazing what a few trophies does to numb the sense. They've got Ferguson to thank for steadying the ship and not imploding.

Degen has earned another game imo. Stick him at right back with Maxi ahead of him. Lets have two up front (Kuyt/Babel/Ngog), Riera on the left and Masch and Aqualini dicating things in midfield. I want to see us taking the game to shite like Wolves instead of sitting off and falling into this annoying trait of inviting weaker teams on and making them look really good.

Hard to say at the moment. There's potential to dominate for as long as they wasnt, and also collapse spectacuarly given their history. We really need to win something before we forget how to completely.

I didn't realise they filled up the whole ground week in week out. The vast majority didn't give a toss over the past few seasons.

I hope we get him now. He's potentially top class, and virtually unstoppable on his day.

I haven't heard a peep about the Glazers while the mancs were dominating. Now it looks like they're falling behind, the media are picking up on it again and fans are suddenly making a song and dance about the debt, which has been there since they arrived.

Was a bit baffled by that myself. Trying to tap up a 14 million striker to cover for our world superstar striker is hardly slumming it. I'm not sure what these high standards we've fallen from are anyway. We've been incredibly crap in the transfer market for years. It could just be agents pissing around anyway. But this way if it goes through he covers his arse.

Calling us disrespectful and in the next breath inviting bids for the player. He's just squealing to appease the fans because one of his players wants to go to a bigger club, and because after some early season hype he's been found out as the average manager he really is.

I can seen both sides of the argument but if we get the player I'm not that bothered to be honest. I think we're all hypocrites where football is concerned and in today's football rat race you have to play dirty at times. In fact, I wish we'd been a bit more ruthless in the past instead of being bullied and settling for second best.

It's pretty much the norm for every club these days. They're lying if they say otherwise.

I think he's just trying to bully us myself. Despite his protestations, he wants rid and is inviting bids, the player wants out, we're skint and trying to get the agent to force a move. It goes on. He's no saint either. Didn't they unsettle Cattermole for months on end?

Or maybe he's just genuinely injured and desperate to get back to full fitness? I doubt a player more concerned with his international career would be having multiple pain injections just to get on the pitch.

Just seen that Bruce press conference, what an idiot. He's blaming us for media speculation, and then goes on to basically admit that he's looking to sell the lad. I think the way we set up we do need a bully up front. Too often we lack the guile and movement to keep the ball and build attacks and end up hitting it long and leaving Torres isolated. With Jones or Cole he'd be able to feed off the scraps. It can't be a coincidence that Crouch was a success here. Rafa should just stick to what we're good at.

Twas a great little ball under pressure. Zipped into feet first time, defenders can't handle it.

It's all designed to attract callers and fuel debate. They rip everyone. I think because our fans are more reactionary than most they do stoke the fires with us a bit more though. I don't think it's personal or they have anything against scousers, just look at the amount they employ.

Doesn't look like this is happening does it.

I don't mind talksport. The link to the Sun is spurious at best, and the obvious wind up tools on there aside, there's some decent debate on it. For all the stick Durham takes, he talks passionately and sensibly about Hillsborough and the fight for justice as well as anyone I've heard.