Should be quite an easy one. Ooijer goes out, we sign Seitiridis on a free. Replacement right back and we've retained a bit of fullback/centreback versatility with signing Givet. As blueblood says, the wages are the key. Anyway - cheers Andre, all the best.

Isn't it a poor offshoot of the "professional foul when clean through on goal" rule? If a player is hacked down deliberately when clean through outside the area, then the red card makes sense as a penalty cannot be given and a free kick outside the area punishes the attacking team more than the defending team. When it happens inside the area it's a totally different kettle of fish, but seems to be applied in the same way. Agree with the points above, it needs looking at.

Totally agree Gordon - but you appear to be arguing that we could afford him, my opinion is we'd have to stretch ourselves to a degree that makes it too risky. If they've any sense he'll be on a final written warning (or equivalent) already. Whether they could then take the next step towards termination probably depends purely upon what he said and if it can be deemed threatening/offensive. Knowing Joey Barton.........

Its a matter of opinion. Newcastle took him to their club for £5.8m and gave him a contract worth £65k a week. That was after he'd battered Dabo and had that case hanging over him. It would appear that the demand was there then, and similar demand is pretty likely this time. He might not get £65k, but there's a huge middle ground between what he's on now and what we could afford.

Educated guesses are perfectly valid Gordon - Barton reportedly on £65k, fair to assume that Davis isn't. Reasonable assesment IMHO.

Did you actually just write that?! You've lost it mate.

No it can't. If he gets sent down on October 1st, we'll then have to struggle through to the next transfer window without our best midfielder. There's no point in negating the financial implications if we cannot then reinvest the money we save.

I can see where you're coming from with that, in truth I think the sending off was a bit harsh. However since then Barton has shown just how little professionalism and respect he has. If you get sent off you have to accept a dressing down from your manager. Although it was harsh it was a completely pointless lunge and just another example of the odious little #### letting his temper get the better of him. Had he held his hands up like a man and accepted that he was wrong we wouldnt even be having this conversation. But he's not capable of that.

As I said, nobody in their right mind could have said it was a penalty. Two words: Contact Sport.

Nobody in their right mind could have said it was a penalty, Rovers or not. It was a fantastic tackle.

Good points 47er. Behaviour aside, lets look at this practically - do we really need another midfielder who is highly unlikely to be able to play a full season? We have enough injury prone players, to add another one who is also frequently suspended AND is on parole would not be a clever move. What happens if we make him our only midfield signing, the transfer window closes, he goes off and does something stupid and ends up back in the clink? We wont be able to replace him and we'll be weak in that area for another 1/2 season. It's not worth the risk. Also, he's a ####.

Erm.....am I right in thinking that Arsenal haven't lost in the league since November?

Alternative suggestion - Sean Davis. He's on a free this Summer, right? Just as good as Joey Barton, nowhere near as injury prone or as much of a ####.

As far as I know Wayne Rooney is a perfectly well behaved young man off the pitch, which is more than can be said for the cretin he's being compared to.

I'm not sure really. The Rafa/Fergie thing was shameful. The lack of interest in playing the top 4 has started to bug me (originally I defended him for that, but getting beat 4-0 does not sit well with me regardless of the opposition). We've only picked up 7 points in our last 7 games. We play too many players out of position and our football is dire. I've been getting through by telling myself that its a needs must situation and next season will be different, but the more I think about it the more I'm starting to think that Sam just wont be capable of that.

That sums it up for me. And my respect for him is already waning.

I normally don't care about a players off field antics or reputation, but the more I think about it the more I am concerned about this. Joey Barton is a disgusting, vile, despicable little ####. On the other hand, I'd love us to get him in and let him attempt to go all Ousmane Dabo on Chris Samba. That would be fantastic.

Off to Birmingham to play in centre midfield alongside Lee Bowyer. Ouch.

Barton suspended by Newcastle.

Its a fantastic idea and needs to happen asap. Looking forward to tonight, should be a far better game than last night.

:lol:

More to the point, what if he is good enough but they don't have space for him. See Tevez, for example. As you say, those players will go elsewhere and play for a top 3 or 4 club and help strengthen their league. Your point is a good one. Until, of course, they expand the Champions League again.

It dawned on me last night that this English domination of the Champions League may well work out well for the game in this country, but not in the way you might think. The gulf between the top 4 and the rest in the Premier League has turned the competition in to a boring procession, and one which desperately needs a shake up. That will only come from UEFA/FIFA - and will probably only happen if the same clubs start to dominate their competitions too. There's too much money in the Champions League for Platini and co to let it go stale. Hopefully, anyway.

This seems more likely than Tris's bizarre theory.

Was on the ticker on SSN. Also said Grella, Zurab, Ollson and Simpson are in the squad.