mighty sweater

Lavezzi's like a slightly sub standard Suarez. I think he'd fit the style of play. Puts himself about, works hard, lovely touch but less good finisher and older. Maybe he would "buy some time" as a stop gap for a year or two?? Question is, is that too high a price?

Mourinho sees it as a rat race and there's only ever one type of creature going to win a rat race.

Don't get the reluctance to play Can. He looked a better bet than Lucas to me in pre season.

Food bill?

Only Man City and Chelsea scored more than 70. If we score again what we did without Suarez's goals and concede fewer ....

Just wish he could swim a bit faster and get to Boston.

John Scales - thought he'd be really classy and able to bring ball out in pass and move style.

Is it a spurs thing?

Lugano looks and plays like a 70s defender who's just smoked 10 john player special in the changing room before kick off. Except without the pace. He'll probably have a blinder but I can't help thinking Suarez and Sturridge should bewilder and exhaust him by half time.

Could you say that In a way the 12 to 18m players are becoming as irrelevant for most clubs as the 20m plus players- they're now bought by City, PSG and Chelsea for their stockpile or safety cushion as bench warmers so no-one else can have them. Hasn't that Salah for instance just been effectively taken out of world football for about 2 seasons. Or at least until Chelsea want to try to affect the top 4 or CL by loaning him out next year. That's probably why we tinker around hoping a player costing around 10-12m will "come off".

Can anyone remember any great attacking game-changers from Gerrard? Now can anyone remember any great defensive ones?

If I managed a side with Mertesacker and Koscielny as my centre backs and Arteta covering in front, I'd pay Rogers to leave out Suarez, Sturridge or Coutinho.

On the opening day against Man U, Swansea had a spell for the first 20 mins in which they were really unlucky not to score. I don't think we'd weather that kind of storm; the "shell" would not hold. We need to keep the ball and bully them with weight of possession from the off, as we did at Villa Park for 45 mins. Teams don't often create good chances without possession.

Think Mignolet has already gained us 4 points with that penalty and the Benteke saves so it augurs well for his performance this season.

Dunno - magpies are greedy, something-for-nothing snides: a bit like Mike Ashley