Apparently Arry said that he got news Van der Vart was leaving for Byern Munchen on tuesday for 18M but didnt happen.. Arry sad the price came crashing down as the deadline came closer and 8M is a good bit of business done at the last minute for the player... A wheeler and dealer if there ever was one but Spurs fans will have to wait if the FA will allow the transfer to go thru.

Well we got our man.....................and for just a shade over £13m

Is he going to be any better than Jones? I hadn't realised just how serious an injury the Frazier Campbell one is though so we do need another striker but at that money this could be a really poor show from all at Sunderland

---

It's very unfortunate about Campbell. It's probably one of the worst injuries a footballer can get.

As for Gyan, I don't think he's worth GBP13m. However, the market says yes, which is what it really boils down to.

[sighs heavily]

 
Liverpool fail to sign any striker, so presumably will have to play a 4-6-0 formation for the big chunks of the season when Torres is laid-up. Because Ngog isn't a football player, he's just a waste of a shirt.
 
We apparently were scurrying round like headless chickens trying to sign someone. Reports say we even asked about Pavlyuchenko - that's how desperate things were (quite how he'd be an improvement on the useless Ngog, I'm not sure). We were probably offering a top whack transfer fee of £4.99. Gotta keep the transfer horsetrading in the profit column. Again.
 
A big part of me really hopes this comes back to bite Liverpool on the bum badly. The two parasites have stalled any takeover because none have offered them enough profit. Come on, RBS. Send us into administration, take the club over, then sell it at cost price to someone willing to invest.

---

I'm not sure the market did say that though, it's  not like we were competing, I just think Sunderland can pay over the odds for players to get them to come to the bleak and blustery north east coast.

Anyway, we shall soon see how much he is really worth, at that price you have to expect at least 12-15 goals and plenty of assists

---

There comes a time when managers need to be saved from themselves. Thankfully, it happened yesterday. I give you two examples.

1- Babel + Lucas for Carlton Cole.

2- Keane for Saha + Penile; then Keane + Bentley for Saha + Penile. What a crap deal that would have turned out to be.

 

 

Penile happy at closure of transfer window. You know what, Steve? So am I. So Am I.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/09/01/2097879/everton-winger-steven-pienaar-happy-following-closure-of

I liked the following quote (from A Spurs blogger). A bit OTT and badly worded, but not far from the truth.

''And it seems that the proximity of the deadline gave Redknapp all the tonic he needed to get over his earlier brain attack, which resulted in him trying to sign Ryan Babel from Liverpool – a move which wouldn't have so much had me scratching my head, rather trying to claw my eyes out in an effort to avoid ever seeing him in a Tottenham shirt.''

 

Aston Villa squad:

Brad Friedel; Brad Guzan; James Collins; Carlos Cuellar; Curtis Davies; Habib Beye; Richard Dunne; Eric Lichaj; Stephen Warnock; Luke Young; Stewart Downing; Jonathan Hogg; Stephen Ireland; Isaiah Osbourne; Stiliyan Petrov; Nigel Reo-Coker; Moustapha Salifou; Steve Sidwell; Ashley Young; Gabriel Agbonlahor; John Carew; Emile Heskey.

Looking at most of that lot, if I were a Villa fan I would almost be weeping. And I'm not talking about players like Sidwell. No, I'm thinking of Carew, Downing, Heskey, Reo-Coker.

Excellent deal.

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/van-der-vaart-deal-confirmed-010910.html

I think thats a good bit of business

It certainly is a great deal, especially if the press help us to see more of Mrs Van Der Vaart

Does anyone else see this weekends 'International Break' as nothing more of nuisance

---

Mmm, yes, preferably a shower scene

Going back to that heady Sunday (page 22) I found this in our local paper. We are not alone, and I swear that I'm not 'The Bloke'.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/thebloke/The-Bloke-Leeds-United-fans.6490954.jp

 

---

Well we can argue the toss about the merits (or otherwise) of the PL. For me, the most depressing thing I've read in recent weeks was 'Stevie G's' statement today - presumably issued at Postman Pat's press conference.

I'm paraphrasing, but basically England's players are raring to go after the most recent World Cup failure. Problem is, the same statement could have been issued four years ago. Are our collective memories that short, or is Gerrard simply extracting the Michael?

I actually care how the national team performs, although my patience is being sorely tested by the sort of crap Gerrard believes he can get away with.

I'm utterly sick of the 'Golden Generation'. Golden shower more like and we're all collectively more than willing to be metaphorically peed on.

One for Saint. Stating the obvious I suppose, but much as I like Woy I could never forgive him for even entertaining the idea of buying Carlton Cole.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/liverpool-fc/2010/09/03/off-the-fence-liverpool-fc-being-run-down-by-owners-55578-27191232/

I was only quoting that piece because it was 'independent' verification of what some of us have been saying. Naturally because it agreed with my views I posted it

Agreed about England. I heard Gerrard on the radio this morning and just effectively went to sleep. I'll watch the games, but without any anticipation at all.

We have a blank weekend in the top two leagues this weekend, and for what? Is there any evidence it's improved the national team? Not one shred I wouldn't have thought. I'll have to go shopping or something instead

---

I'm going to watch the games and I will enjoy them, we should get 4 points from the two, maybe even 6 and be sitting pretty. But we won't have played any real quality football come Wednesday morning and we certainly won't be in a better position to win anything than we were before. Slowly the press will get off Capello's back (rightly) andthe players will return to iconic status. Then buy 2012 we will all be saying "this time, I'm sure we are going to win this time" only for us to come against Portugal, Germany, Spain, Italy, France or Ireland in the first knockout round and lose. Of course "JT, Stevie G, Lampyroo and Coleyo" will say that it's their last tournament and we will all lament the passing of 4 national heroes.

---

That's pretty much how the script will run. Maybe I should start watching tennis, God forbid.

Ah, you mean 4 years ago when we were knocked out of the WC at the QF stage on penalties after having a player sent off for some minor niggle that was made out by the [dirty, cheating] opponent to have been akin to being hung, drawn and quartered with a rusty penknife, a niggle that had been preceded by two fouls on Rooney which the ref ignored. And then a blatent penalty (on Lennon, IIRC) was not given in extra time by the ref. A game that despite being down to 10 men for an hour, we more than matched Portugal.

---

The very same and although it can go down against our seemingly endless list of hard luck stories the result (an England defeat to a very average and ageing Portugal side) was the same as many before it. After a while you stop believing in luck though don't you? Don't get me wrong, I'll be sat in the pub tonight with my England top on, cheering as loud as any and willing a 5-0 demolition of th opposition, but whilst the heart will be saying "this time" the head will be saying "we have had our time" and I wasn't even born

---

Maybe my acceptance of defeat comes from being a Sunderland fan Martin, as a Liverpool fan you have yet to suffer that 'many false dawn' of those further down the pile

---

Quite. I've parted company with Capello because he refuses to change. I'm more than willing (although I'd rather not) lose a couple of games with fresh blood, rather than romp through a group with the same old failures just so that I can join in the collective amnesia that seems to grip this country prior to any big tournament.

Just look at who Capello has brought back. Among others, Upson, Carrick, SWP. That's not change it's simply re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

It's 20 years since we last won the league. In that time our despised rivals in the neighbouring city have been dominant and caught up our championship tally, when most people 20 years ago considered us uncatchable - at least for a fair few generations.

Imagine Sunderland being top dogs for years, only for your fading star to be replaced with the rise of Newcastle winning everything.

There've been false dawn aplenty at Anfield this past 20 years.

---

I will agree wholeheartedly on that. Three players who have had chance after chance, but it's clear to anyone with even a hint of brain that they fall way, way short of having enough at international level.

There could perhaps be an argument that, with the team shorn of a bit of experience, some 'been there, done that' players would be needed to help guide the team to a crucial result in the opening qualifying fixture.

But the 3 you mention are crap anyway. And out of form.

I can't even see SWP playing much first team football for Shitty anyway this season.

---