Next season... crystal ball time....

I think the money and desire will be there to strengthen the squad in the Summer, I just wouldn't trust Pardew with it as I don't think he has the ability to manage a squad of players.

He can do ok with the best XI players on the pitch, but it's the lack of ability to change, rotate or offer alternative tactics that leave us short.

 

Its an untested theory though because we have yet to have a squad capable of rotation while he is here due to a lack of depth of quality

 

i dont know how any of you think we will sign any one,i mean you have heard that we have lost our directer of football so without joe ne 1 is coming in

 

If we have another barren transfer window in the summer, I think we all know it'll be difficult to stay up, especially when players leave as expected. Two wins have covered up a horrendous bad streak of form that would suit relegation candidates.

I think Ashley has no choice but to invest, and it'll need to be on a sizable scale to ensure we actually have a squad at all. When you start a rebuilding phase, it's impossible to tell how successful it'll be. Some people thought Norwich would be 7th this year, on the strength of their signings. We won't make as many as they did, but hopefully they're of decent enough quality to keep us around mid-table. I very much doubt we'll be playing sexy football or battling for Europe, get very far in the cups or win a derby game.... so same old really.

 

And what does that make a team that they have beaten twice this season ?

 

Comfortably 9th in the league?

 

You have got to hope that there is some form of reality check taking place at the club and the foolish actions of Ashley are put to one side, while it would cost him in the short term it would be of long term benefit to invest wisely this transfer window, I would hope to see early action as well, as last minute is no good and world cup years always inflate some players value.

 

You just never know with Ashley, it would be in his own interests to invest now before the prices become more inflated than ever and he'd save himself some cash in the long term.

 

HBA can turn it on, on his day. But his day's are too far apart.

 

There's no great mystery surrounding Ashley, all this speculating to accumulating, or whatever. We'll spend what we can afford, if the players are available at the knockdown prices we offer and if we are quick enough to do the deals.

 

??

 

Staying up will be the only positive I can see for next season

 

Beating Southampton will put us a point above them with a game in hand.

I don't really think relegation is a possibility now.

 

next season is a long way off though dude. have hope.

 

Next year my friend

 

Oh ye of little faith.

 

Bump - my outlook has been somewhat dampened in the past few months... yours?

 

You say that despite not knowing who'll be the manager, what players you'll have, what finance will be provided

 

I'm Mike Ashley so I do know....... now pack it in before I force you to take my oversized Mug and overweighted catalogue and charge you a quid for the privilege.

 

I reckon we will slip down a few places, narrowly avoiding a relegation fight.

Really depends on what strikers we buy this summer