2-3 signings away from having a really good team?

I do not know what everyone else feels, but I feel we are on the cusp of greatness here! With a couple of new midfield signings and a new defender Mr Pardew could be on to something here! I have not felt this type of optimism since the mid 90`s. I feel a softening in ashleys approach to the club regarding signings. Balancing the books may look good on paper but if we want to move forward we are going to have to adjust the wage structure if we wnat to move on. Thoughts anyone.??

 

Greatness, depends what you mean. i think we are building something good, (fingers toes crossed no major sales), your right, strengthen defence a bit and add quality cover and we got a top 6 consistent team, without ****s like merson saying we punching above our wieght. He not one to talk about weight though.

 

I think this summer will be crucial, if we keep Ba, Cabaye, Tiote & Colloccini and add, as you say, 2 or 3 more then we'll really be pushing for top 4-6! But if the right offer comes in i genuinely believe we'd sell anyone :-/

 

This is the key, if we keep our best players and get two more quality signings, we will have a very good team.

 

True everyone has a price with ashley, im hoping well finish strong, i.e top six and he will dream of champions league qualification next season (i.e more money), and splash out on some players. not that i think we will get champs league.

 

I dont think we will lose anyone this summer. Tiote and Colocinni. Where are they going to go? To a Chelsea that are cleary on the wain or to a Liverpool that will soon be without a manager, who is clearly clueless.. No, we will be fine. Players can see we are a club on the rise. Why would they want to go to two teams that are failing. The only problem would be wages i foresee. If Ashley can address that potential problem then I feel we are in for great 2-4 years.

 

Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal & Liverpool are the weakest they've been for years, if we're going to try and make that step up, now is the time to do it!

 

Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are going to go into decline I think. Its time for other teams to step up to the plate. With a combination of good management and good scouting we can be up there with these boys. I think we will suprise people this year. Its a shame our goal difference is so bad when compared with Chelsea, otherwise I feel we might have a shout at 4TH Place..

 

in
Hoilet - Free
Douglas - Free (or that lad from Ajax, still free)
Lb - 5m
ST- 7m
CM - 5m

out
Tiote - 20m
Ba - 7-10m

 

Not sure why people keep thinking this?! I for one would have sold Mandy for £35M - my only suprise is that he didn't accept £30M cos I certainly would have. Every player has his price and if we have to sell one of them to fund 2-3 better quality players then so be it

 

I think people are underestimating man utd, no will be up there fighting for the 1 spot this season and in five seasons no doubt, liverpool, defo in decline. no doubt. matter of time untill owners get bored, and chelsea i think decline but so much as liverpool, defo top 4 contenders just not title contenders. and arsenal same, not title contenders still tope four contenders. do poople honestly think any of man utd, arsenal and chelsea will drop out of the top 5? man utd never, chelsea no, and arsenal i have a feeling they will finish well. liverpool are the weak team we can exploit and jump.

 

?

 

Hoillet wouldn't be on a free...

 

I think people are underestimating man utd, no will be up there fighting for the 1 spot this season and in five seasons no doubt, liverpool, defo in decline. no doubt. matter of time untill owners get bored, and chelsea i think decline but so much as liverpool, defo top 4 contenders just not title contenders. and arsenal same, not title contenders still top four contenders. do people honestly think any of man utd, arsenal and chelsea will drop out of the top 5? man utd never, chelsea no, and arsenal i have a feeling they will finish well. liverpool are the weak team we can exploit and jump.

thats all im changing. "defo" was deliberate use.

 

i though his contract was up at the end of the season?

 

I think if we can get a quality LB (Pieters, Cissokho etc.), a good back-up CB (Ridgewell would be my choice, as he can also cover LB), and some more youngsters like the restructuring of the academy suggests (more Abeid-esque players) and Pardew makes the right tactical decisions (like playing a SIMPLE 4-4-2 with hba on the right), and players like Marv coming back from injury, I think we could be challenging for europe for many seasons to come.

 

He would. its been discussed on here before

 

Ask Jock about that one...

 

There is one particular poster who gets annoyed when people say hoillet wouldnt be free. forget his name. he knows hoillet is FREE

 

You have to pay compensation for players under the age of 23.