Gribz

Thats interesting. Any ideas how would that work with Ashley still in the picture?

We just finished 39 points behind them. I said that at least has to be "closed by" 20 points - by our own doing of winning more games against the rest of the league. Even that makes 19 which would be too big a gap but I dont expect them to go unbeaten again so they wont accumulate the same number of points meaning the gap would reduce further.

Didnt see a thumping like that coming. Ronaldo pushing himself into one of the all time greats.

I think next season is about closing the gap by at least 20 points and cruising to second place. Its about beating the rest so we get that and this time 12 months we should be looking at going for the title. Of course anything more would be welcomed. As for the odds, an each way bet has to be easy money if the bookies are going for 7/2 for a top 2 finish. But I dont think they will offer that. St Johnstone are probably worth a bet for 3rd place. Have finished 4th 3 years in a row and I can see Aberdeen dropping with the players they are going to lose.

The title of thread should be Juventus v Real Madrid. Juve are drawn as the home side.

Should be a belter of a game, as its probably the current best two sides in the continent going at it. Barca are the best team on their day but these two have been the best domestically and in the CL this season. Although Bayern may disagree, they were the better side against Real in the quarter final until they wrongly went to 10 men but its all ifs and buts. Real have a chance for a 3rd CL win in 4 years which would be a great achievement. Pretty sure the majority of neutrals are wanting Juventus to win though. I certainly am and they were my tip since the group stages this season. Awesome in defence and awesome in attack, they have the perfect balance and this is their best team in 20 years even after losing big players like Pogba and Vidal. The best keeper of all time - Buffon deserves this medal to add to everything else. I can see it being 2-2 after extra time and Im going for Juve on Pens with Buffon being the hero.

Yet Sutton accused Dunfermline of sitting off us in 2003 last game but its not OK for McDonald to do his job that year. The bitterness!!

I read somewhere its Nani but didnt even read more as that is too unlikely. He is on 80k a week so that rules it out.

Good luck to him, I guess if he wants to be a manage more than a pundit he will have to start somewhere but Id have stayed with Sky. He is a good co commentator for the Premier League channel.

The only problem is getting selling players under contract with no offers. I guess we will need to bide time and see if we receive offers as paying up contracts isnt an option. If we have to take a hit on some players then so be it though. If we get an offer for Garner which is lower (to an extent) than what we paid we would be mad not take it.

Couldnt blame him for the money move nor the players at this level. Its double and treble wages even 5 fold. Its not as if its Eden Hazard weighing up a footballing decision with 200k a week with Chelsea or 210k with Real Madrid - those figures are when it can come down to other decisions. But when a player is maybe on 2k a week and offered 6k or even 10k a week going to the Championship they arent going to refuse. McInnes could have a free swing at Sunderland, the fans their know the club needs sorted internally and have struggled with big name managers. I wouldnt mind seeing a few ore successful Scottish managers again down south.

This is potentially great. A lot to heed but behind the scenes must be busy. A mix of unknown and known is good. The Known are certainly improvements. Alves no-brainer. Dorrans fits in and Jack is surely better than Halliday. But Dorrans, Jack, Candeias, Dalcio, Cardoso and Pena following Alves would be good business. If Kranjcar gets fit then its all about PC piecing it altogether. A few faces need to head out the exit though.

Great first signing. A truely European Class level player. 86 caps for the current European Champions and a title winner in 3 countries - and all decent countries (Russia, Turkey and Portugal). All he needs to be advised is ignore the worrying media in Scotland who just put negativity on everything. Thats 1 in the bag...who's next?

Two cup finals and a second place finishes - he wont match this so will probably be thinking about having another crack in England.

Why am i worried about the conferations cup this summer!

I actually think Lambert is a decent manager but he has been moving around and leaving clubs in bad terms a few times now which wont do his reputation any good. Wolves are another club with huge potential but with crazy owners who seem to run it like a computer game. Lambert did a god job there last season, they were in a relegation battle and he took them to mid table.

Im quite glad he is staying but he needs to wind the clock back. I thought on Saturday he had a swagger about him that was vintage Wenger. At half time he went up the tunnel in similar fashion to how he used to walk down the Old Trafford touchline and win there regularly. Arsenal fans will demand quality signings and that they play most games like they did last weekend. Wenger himself must know this of the boo boys will be out in force this coming season. Man City arent messing about, they are already doing business and the others will also. Man U and Chelsea already being linked with big players. There is a lot of dead wood to get out. Dubuchy, Jenkinson, Chambers, Gibbs, Coquelin, Sanogo, Szczesny. Then there is players who havent really cut it recently like Wilshire, Walcott and Ramsay - these 3 only perform in flashes. The latter are two good honest pro's yet these 3 have spend more time in the treatment room that played. They need some quality in the wide areas. Not signing Draxler was a mistake. So it will be interesting to see who he signs. He cant afford not to make some decent signings with their injury record. Mertesacker is made for a back 3 in the same way Luis is at Chelsea. The latter is a bombscare in a 2 due to errors. But for Mertsacker its his pace. He reads the game so well and relies on that but in a 2 if he is second to the ball then its an open chance. So if they stick with a back 3 then Mertesacker, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal and Holding are good options to start with. Agree with Craig that Gabriel is a worry. Bellerin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck and Xhaka are musts to stay. The first 3 have drive and pace to burn. Xhaka is just coming onto a game after adapting to the league and will be some player next season with a full summers break. If Cazorla recovers 100% he is super key to the team and should start ahead of Ozil. Sanchez staying is a must even if he doesnt sign. He is peaking right now and will start to go down hill in a year or so with burn out. Its worth keeping him for a year rather than taking the money as he is irreplaceable at the moment. Will be an interesting summer.

Yup but im looking forward to read it officially from the club, its always reassuring once things are done. It would be nice if Alves retired from international duty also

Good to see another new club, they have earned their right to be there. A draw after 90 mins was the right bet.

The Italians arent 4 times World Cup winners for no reason. They do produce. The last 10 years they havent been at the races club wise but Juventus are turning that around. Roma and Napoli have good sides but the league really needs the Milan duo to pick up. Always loves watching Channel 4 Italian football earlier 90s. Of the top of my head a team that consists of this are awesome. Buffon Maldini Cannavaro Costacurta Baresi Pirlo D Baggio R Baggio Del piero Vieri Inzaghi

Agreed. Ive barely been commenting on the hearsay. I prefer when we just get things done quietly and over the line. But the so called media need papers to fill at the moment. Id take Dorrans first, a sensible signing.

The so called richest game in football - thats always confused me considering whenever a team gets relegated from the Premier they say the financial hits are huge, yet for a team like Huddersfield just to go up for 1 year would keep them going for 5 years so long as they dont start doing a Leeds. I said Reading before the play offs despite hoping for Sheff Wed. I will stick by that although I hope Huddersfield can win. The odds were worth a bet earlier. Huddersfield 2.3 Draw 3.0 Reading 3.1 (sorry for the decimals as its done like that here despite me preferring fractions). but Reading more than 2/1 is a good price. Ive taken a draw though. I can see this going all the way to pens.

Definitely not. Acted the goat too much and was in the injury room far too often. He had half decent talent on his day but those days were few and far between. Plus he is 32 now and must be losing pace. Ex players need to get it into their heads that we are not a retirement home.

Great player. not the best Italy have produced but still quality. His appearance and goalscoring record is top notch.

And there isnt any meaningless games now? Playing teams 4 times. Kilmarnock v Ross County 4 times with 1 being at the end of the season when both are mid table isnt meaningless? Every league will have that regardless. Southampton v Stoke in the richest league in the world on the final day was meaningless.