Bailey

And got rid of De Bruyne and Mata.

They are different players. The bigger question is why does Mourinho start Felli, Herrera and Carrick... I honestly don't know why he doesn't because he is an improvement on them all.

He might know a lot of Americans ?

He is a very uncomplicated player. He won't get you assists or score many goals but he stops attacks and gets the team on the front foot and back up the pitch. He has a superb touch, vision and awareness. If you had him, McCarthy, Gana and eventually Davies for those two holding midfield places you would be set for a good few years and if one got injured (McCarthy!) you would have plenty of quality to come in.

The Canada deal took 7 years.

That's not how I meant it. I mean to say that some EU deals will benefit some countries more than others within the EU, regardless of whether that is the UK, Germany or Andorra and therefore there is scope for the individual countries to get themselves more specific and beneficial deals for them. In the examples you have used, if the UK was able to have done a deal on its own how do you know that they might not have been able to increase these percentages more than the EU deal provided? There is a good chance that it could have been less too but that's the chance you take. There is also the argument that being part of the EU restricts the amount and extent of deals that we can have been involved in had we been seperate. Didn't one of the more recent deals around 10 years to complete (I think it might have been the Canadian deal)? We are an important country on the world stage. Countries will want to do business with us, as we have heard since the referendum. The EU can also do all the huffing and puffing it wants but they know as well as us that doing business with us will bring more prosperity to their countries than not doing a deal would. That is one of the reasons why the EU pisses me off, because it's a bit of a boys club. They don't care if they spite their people just to make a point. If that's the stance the EU wants to take then we are better off out of it. It's the same with the security arguments. It's in no-one benefit for security information not to be shared between all countries let alone just the EU and yet we were all told at the time that this information wouldn't be shared anymore and that we were therefore more at threat of terrorism.

He could probably do with playing in a Defensive team under defensive manager to get those basics back under control. I don't think people realise how exposed defenders can be playing at teams that play like we did and how Pep plays. That's why we made so many individual errors and conceded and he could really do with moving away from that pressure and start playing in a team that play narrow, compact and with a proper DCM. It would negate his main asset a little but he could do with a season or two being less exposed. It's certainly a style he can play in the future and be one of the best centre halves in the world but he needs to go back to the basics. Or he could maybe move abroad?

No my barms are on the side of my body not the front!

Unfortunately since Xmas I have two of my own now too!

Or a good Leon Osman ?

Yeh nothing like Barry. Poor man's Barkley.

Does anyone else not question why this deal wasn't made earlier? The transfer can only go through on Jan 1st but surely the two clubs could have come to an agreement in December or earlier? Maybe they have and Utd are waiting on someone else to come in first?

I think he looks exciting. Two footed, quick and he looks switched on. He might be a bit weak but it hasn't stopped Sterling. From what I have read he is as good on the ball as off it and doing his bit for the team which isn't something you see a lot in players in his position(s).

Apparently because the Usmanov doesn't have a controlling interest in the club it is fine. To me, funding and directly influencing how a club earns money and can therefore buy players/pay wages is quite an important part of being a part of a football club. Ok so he can't influence who we buy but we might not have been able to afford said player without those funds. Very strange, not that I am complaining. It's a bloody good idea!

Does anyone else not just call it a roll?

If the rumours are true about the companies involved (all being linked to Mohsiri) it probably doesn't reflect on Elstone at all. If it does turn out to be a different company then it will but it doesn't look that way.

Gimme all the sweet liquid centres please! I'm still gutted that they don't have the coffee one anymore.

Is there going to be able issue with Usmanov having an interest in 2 clubs in the same league? It would appear to be verging on a conflict of interest?

I would have thought that EU deals might not have been in the best interests of the UK. Sure they wouldn't be bad deals but they may have more benefit to Germany or France than say the UK or Spain. At least being independent gives us that opportunity whereas being in the EU wouldn't. The negotiations could go tits up and we are worse off but at least that was our mistake and not someone else's.

I had never heard of him but he has a very good CV considering the club's he has managed. It's a risk but time will tell whether it was worth it.

Spot on.

I have watched him quite a lot and never really been impressed. He has his moments but largely operates on the fringes of the game.

If we get a new keeper then they have to be decent, I doubt we will find that this winter. I think Robles deserves the chance over Stek but there is something about him which doesn't inspire confidence.

Makes it unlikely that Van dijk will also leave this window.

I agree. He was very hit or miss. In truth he doesn't really strike me as Koeman player considering that he is starting steady Eddies like Valencia and Lennon now.