um pahars

Indeed she was and considering Morgan has his locks cut there as well, then Equinox could be worth a follow on Twitter.

Still trying to do some digging about Chambers departure, but first indications were that Koeman thought £16m was good business (not sure I 100% agree, but more than happy to defer to the boss). BUT everything I have heard about Lallana, Shaw & Lovren puts them in the same boat as shysters such as Kenwyne Jones, with them demanding to leave & threatening not to return/refuse to play. Although the article points out they refused to return & play, this piece somehow absolves them of any blame and glosses over their selfish, spiteful and disloyal behaviour. I fully accept that loyalty is a rarity in the modern game, just find it nauseating when players & their advisors try to manufacture bullsiht stories to try and shift the blame.

Sorry CB, as you say not on here much so misread your standpoint. When a player like Shaw is getting wages that make Chelsea wince, then you know we had no chance of holding on to him (no matter how ambitious we say we are!!!).

But Liverpool managed to fend off interest from Arsenal, a team on a par with themselves and perhaps not a team Suarez was that keen on. But when the real Big Boys came calling, he was off PDQ. Everton are further up the relative pecking order, but still have failed to hold on to fellani, Rooney, Rodwell, Arteta, Lescott amongst others. They have managed to keep hold of Baines and Jagielka, but as we have seen Barkley signing a contract is no guarantee of a long term commitment. And as for our buying record, over the last few years we used our position in the pecking order (& Liebherr's cash) to stroll in and sign players (Clyne,Rodriguez, Wanyama, Fonte, Lovren, Ramirez, etc etc etc). We've even used our relative position in the pecking order over the years to poach youngsters!!!! (Lallana, Walcott et al). It's a really shttiy position we find ourselves in, but IMHO its the make up of the game and not our Club who are mainly to blame.

Morgan was told he was not being sold before he tweeted that, and this is exactly the outcome you get with most players who have been tapped up, offered huge pay rises etc and then told they are being held to the contract they WILLINGLY signed. Not 100% happy with how things have been handled and we are currently in a sticky position, but this is simply the modern game with the bigger clubs snapping up talent and the players being complicit in playing their part in gaining moves by getting all stroppy.

Lambert aside, which I thought was a crap deal and we appeared too "nice", I wouldn't say Shaw for close to £30million and £20million for the "strike threatening, wantaway, eyes on Liverpool halfway through the season whilst still our Captain" Lallana, was barely a whimper.

Two years ago, Schneirderlin, Lambert & Lallana had probably played two seasons in the Championship. Some "mid ranking" teams had sniffed around, but they weren't on the big boys radar. Shaw wasn't established in the first team and Lovren was halfway through a stop start stint at Lyon. I wasn't sure how Lallana & Lambert would handle the step up to the Premier League, but thought Morgan would do OK. Shaw had potential and hadn't even heard of Lovren. As it turns out all 5 were outstanding in our second season up and performances against the "bigger" clubs enhanced their reputations. International recognition finally sealed their fate and the big boys came hunting.

Pretty sure they lost Fabregas, Nasri & Clichy in one summer, which must have been a big hit. Don't think there is anything behind the scenes driving players away, instead they are simply being enticed by bigger clubs for bigger paycheques and bigger occasions. Sadly, all of our talent appeared in the shop window at the same time.

Sagna, Vermalan??, Van Persie, Song, Fabregas, Nasri, Clichy, Adebayor, Toure. 9 players that arsenal have lost over 3 years, to "bigger" clubs such as United, Barcelona & Man City. Before that they lost big names such as Henry & Cole. The natural pecking order is well established. I think the manner of our success was a killer for us, with the big clubs wanting ready made players and not willing to take a punt on our players as they were plying their trade in Divisions 2 & 3. But when they performed in the top flight, then it was cheque books at the ready.

We'd have to go some to compete with Spurs. From memory an income double ours, commercial revenue something like 10x what we pull in (showing how big a pull they are), a season ticket waiting list that is comparable to our actual ST sales and looking to complete a 60,000 stadium in a few years. The bright lights of London also help, and even though our new training ground is nice, there's a tad nicer. I like ambition, but we have to be realistic at times.

Lovren wanted out the minute he had got tapped up by Liverpool. At the time he declared he wanted out we hadn't sold anyone. It's just a convenient excuse.

Lovren's request went in even before Lambert was sold.

I doubt Osvaldo gives a fig. He's still getting his mega wages paid and he also knows that at some point he will get another move (and if not his contract with us gives him security). The players all have the power now, and the best the clubs can do is to ensure they have long term contracts or release clauses to compensate them for their losses. We're losing players to the ambitious Liverpool, who can now be labelled unambiguous for losing their main talisman??? and what about poor old mediocre Arsenal being raided by the big boys for Nasri, Fabregas, Van Persie, Adebayour, Toure, Clichy, Song etc over a relatively short period?

Over a full season (where you get a true picture of the quality and depth of a squad), we came 8th. A really decent finish considering some of the teams who finished above us (eg The smaller of the big 6/7, Spurs had a Turnover double ours, and those nasty Scousers commercial revenue alone is one & half times our total income). Where would the funds have come from to (a) buy these new players and (b) fund their wages? Ramirez and Osvaldo have shown it's not easy landing these quality players and when players at our level show themselves to be real quality, it's not that easy keeping them either, particularly when the big fish are offering huge sums in wages. We never had and never will have the financial muscle or pull to break in to the big boys club. Just how much of Markus' legacy would you have wanted spent chasing the dream?

In which case it doesn't say much for "most on here" as they've won the Bundesliga 5 time in the last 20 years. They are behind Bayern in terms of "massive" status but they are up there in much the same way as our top 4/5 are. And as for Atletico, well since they last won La Liga in the mid 90s I think only Valencia & Deportivo have challenged the dominant two teams in Spanish football. They cant hold a candle to Real and Barcelona, but they're up there as the next best.

Just find Liverpool a strange move if you claim you want to win things. Average finish over last 10 years is 5th and without Suarez, can't see anything better than a top four finish. In the last 8 seasons, they've won more than us that's for sure, but they're on a par with Birmingham and Swansea. They overachieved last year in a season when 2 of the big 4 were in rebuild mode. Presume Champions League or European football is an attraction, as is playing for a more high profile club, but also presume the money is also a big issue here. I also think that as we found out at the World Cup, being good enough to play for England does not mean you are good enough to play for the top clubs, and presume no one else was really interested in him. He will be a big miss for us, so his replacement will have a big influence on how future seasons pan out (Tadic & Pelle look promising). A year ago I wouldn't have been over fussed, but last season think along with Lambert he had a a big influence in our forward play. Lambert handled the situation regarding the move well, Shaw was low key and hadn't been around long, but the way Lallana has done his business has left a sour taste in the mouth. Poorly advised, or oblivious and arrogant??

It's risible to compare us with those two teams (and that has nothing to do with accepting mediocrity). Dortmund is the powerhouse of the Ruhr area and it's football club regularly pull in 80,000 (the highest average attendance in Europe!!). They are not a club who have been punching above their weight, instead they are one of the mainstays of The Bundesliga. And we've done Atletico Madrid before. They've won the League in almost every decade (and the Copa Del Rey) and are the second team in one of Europe's finest city's.

I know for definite that Lukaku was (at least he was mid May) right at the top of our wanted list, but we didn't have (or want to spend?) the money to bring him in. It might be a different financial situation now, but have no idea if he would want to come, or Chelsea would off load.

Defoe Lesley King Dawson Huddlestone Jenas??? Lennon Scott Parker Crouch

Cue the Monty Python quotes!!

Is it the wrong time to admit that for a while he was in my Adrian Heath drawer for hated players after hauling David Platt back, then Conning the ref to only give a free kick and then going up the other end and scoring??? Wonder what Lawrie will have to say when they meet LOL. but being serious, think it's an appointment that makes a statement. Hope it all works out well.

Without June 6th, could there be an argument that they might not have stopped at the Rhine?

Length of tenure has changed and even though MoPo wasn't even with us for 18 months, he was still the 7th (I think) longest serving Premiership manager! Although the main reason for that was Clubs sacking managers, as opposed to managers moving on!

Was an icon through our recent resurgence and typified everything that was good about the Club during that enjoyable time. Great bloke off the pitch as well. So no problem staying on that banner (particularly when others up there also left us).

Losing MoPo for me was always going to happen. Never got the sense he was here for the long run (but replacement is key) Lambert going is just about acceptable given his age, his service and going back "home" (think £4m is a piff take though). Resigned to losing Shaw, but think he is one of the least influential of our players, (and his head has already been turned). Then after that I would begrudgingly accept any one of Lallana, Lovren, Morgan. ANY MORE THAN ONE AND I WILL BE IN MELTDOWN LOL!!!!!