Hafnia

Ha ha!!! They really do make me laugh, having the first credible title challenge in years despite being one of the biggest spenders warrants a parade?! I was made up they sang gerrards name, it more or less said "don't worry about giving the league away by slipping, we still love you" ... Highlights the fact he did throw it away...

Pretty much a tame run out. Made up to see James get that goal, everything else was clockwork. Much love to y'all in the match day thread. Onwards and upwards in slating unobtainable transfer targets from now till September. X

He was on 120k a week, my guess is that if we made his move permanent we would pay up yo the full amount of his contract amount.

I'm ok with it.

Don't know where I said he's at his prime... It's because I didn't. I stated that physically he is developed, he isn't going to get stronger or quicker so with that regard he's already at potential. The only area that he could improve is decision making which isn't a weakness anyway. It's his technical abilities that are his let down. Wenger rightly in my opinion believes that player development is 4 stages... Technical Physical Tactical Mental Basically the technical skills you see at 12-14 years old are pretty much a key indication of where that player will end up. My guess is lukaku was so physically superior to his peers that his lack of ability controlling a football meant he could hold the player off and get to the ball anyway. At premier league level his advantage has been nullified, his poor touches are penalised. Some people remember goals, shots et and think we are going to lose out if we don't get him, I see a player who if he had worked harder on the technical aspect of his game could have been a George Weah.

Because he can finish, is clever, is nippy and had been identified a couple of seasons ago by the senior players as someone with genuine potential. If he never broke his leg he would have had his chance. I expect mcaleny to get on today.

For me regardless of going or not he's shown amazing courage and determination. It's the right decision though.

Based on what I seen I wasn't impressed at all. Let's see what Roberto clearly sees.

It's the equivalent of £50k a week. We saved that not having Phil Neville on the books.... Now that's value.

Why oh why are we judging his goals and assists because of his age??? The average 20 year old striker is still growing, is likely to be 6-8kg shy of optimum lean muscle weight and therefore needs nurturing. Lukaku is physically fully developed, let's not use his age as an excuse or justification to go and blow £20m on someone who for me raises too many concerns regarding fundamental footballing attributes. Because of his early maturity you are likely to see early peaking of his abilities. End of the day it's up to Bob, but I've highlighted my concerns regarding the value.

£8m and yeah I'll take him.

The Liverpool f.c media have had a Jordan Henderson love in this year, and whilst he's gone some way to proving he's a valuable player with talented team mates he's not on the same level as McCarthy. In a way I'm happy, I'd just be more pissed off with "Mourinho sees McCarthy as his new makalele in a £20m swoop" headlines. Ah there that's better

I'm sure John oshea, Wes Brown, Kieran Richardson were thought of the same at United where they won medals. You can't keep 20 first team players happy. That's why we need a squad. McCarthy, Barkley and Barry will be first on the sheet, colback or diame provide "cheap" cover and will no doubt play in lower key euro games.

They will cost a lot less than they are worth, we need numbers, they will be solid squad players. Think of them as a smart designer t shirt you want to wear to the pub instead of your £100 shirt that you wear for big nights out.

If that were true then why would players have agents?

Miguel, you made a statement, it was wrong, stop digging. Tevez and mascherano were at relegation last day escapists West Ham.... Joe Cole was relegated with west ham and went on to win medals with Chelsea.... Kevin Prince boeteng??? Relegated, but good enough to win serie a, and be a german international. If your argument is sound then conversely you would have to say that at some stage only really ambitious would be looking to sign Luke Chadwick, Jeremy alliadiarre, Pascal cygan??? All league medal winners. We did actually sign a young league winner once, Stephen Hughes.... Won the league playing near half the games in a season fir arsenal. Was absolutely shite. We signed Phil Neville, who won nearly everything, not calling him shite but let's just say average and put the words "honest pro" for those who still kiss his arse. The common denominator is that in every wining or relegated side there are contributors and there are passengers... There are more contributors in a winning side, but to label all relegation battlers as not good enough is nonsense. If you heard Martinez rejected RVP, Rooney, bony, lallana etc etc because they played for teams that finished lower than us then would you be happy? If your logic was right then we should reject such players.

not sure how that affects his move to us...

Lets hope he turns into another Nigel Clough for them if thats the case.

You could also argue that Lukaku doesn't score goals he went 5 consecutive games without a goal... what stood out for me at the time was his contribution was pretty much bang average also. I seen suarez go a few games without a goal - he caused mayhem and sturridge got assists goalore off him. Valuing a player based on average goals is like booking a holiday based on average temperature - it doesn't tell you if it rains, cloudy or whatever. You need to look at more. Andy Johnson was less than 1 in 2 for Crystal Palace...

Rooney esque... All depends whats in the best interests for Stones, his old agent may have daft clauses, in short I just dont like agents. If he goes the world cup his new agents will likely push for £50k a week... I think RM needs to help the lad here. Get him on a 5 year deal though.

Or the player does what Suarez did last year... not a fan of that behaviour though, as they would do the same to us.

why whats happening with stones agent?

Phil Jones is just another Neil Ruddock "watch me put my head in a cement mixer". At International level he isn't canny enough. I'd take Stones regardless, he is quite clearly going to be an England captain - has got the lot. At international level you need someone with ability to read, composed and ability on the ball at the back, he's potentially the closest thing to Bobby Moore that we have had in that sense.

For me here's my alternative striker options and cost expectations:- 1. Bony £17m, beast of a man, 6ft and built like a tank, holds the ball up, explosive shot, great work rate, 25 years old, miss him due to ACN but he would get a bag full inb our team. 2. Remy - £8m at that price he will go champions league club. Liverpool would be soft not to try for him. 3. Batshuayi - £10m, loads of pace, scores goals, less financial risk. 4. Gomis - french international, free agent, big wages though...

We sold £40m worth of players and replaced with £23m leaving a £17m profit. Throw on top of that £8-10m that I would expect from a new year/TV revenues perspective and we will be close to the £30m kitty that I have seen touted. Will we see that much??? Who knows, but what is for certain is that we could afford Lukaku - however when you look at being at the expense of other key positions I'm not certain at all.