Cesc

[GP]

You forgot to say 'bumbling idiot'

[Joker]

But just look at how Newcastle are pushing for a top 3 position, despite spending much less than teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and ourselves. There are high quality players available on the market, Pardew has proven that which is why they're doing so well in the league. You'll say, but they're still not challenging against Citeh or United, but the gulf in terms of financial muscle between Newcastle and ourselves is surely comparable to the gulf between ourselves and Man Utd/City. And yet they're hot on our heels.

Moreover, even if we accept the argument that the league is unattainable, why have our performances in the cups been so poor? Teams like Everton, Spurs have reached the finals of major cup competitions, and yet we seem to disrespect them, because it's all about coming 4th.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

But just look at how Newcastle are pushing for a top 3 position, despite spending much less than teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and ourselves. There are high quality players available on the market, Pardew has proven that which is why they're doing so well in the league. You'll say, but they're still not challenging against Citeh or United, but the gulf in terms of financial muscle between Newcastle and ourselves is surely comparable to the gulf between ourselves and Man Utd/City. And yet they're hot on our heels.

Moreover, even if we accept the argument that the league is unattainable, why have our performances in the cups been so poor? Teams like Everton, Spurs have reached the finals of major cup competitions, and yet we seem to disrespect them, because it's all about coming 4th.

That is true and they are having a good seasons but when they do it for the next 5 then they will be taken seriously. Newcastle have overachieved and its worked for them.

I mean Ba a striker that any of the top 4 clubs want, but at the time none of them wanted him, and had we got him at that time, he'd have been called a pub teamer and a rubbish signing.

Cisse has been good for them but another 1 who has no been playng under pressure like most of their sqaud and add to the face the usual top 6 has not been the greatest this year.

Had Newcastle go one and won the league then you'd have a good point though.

[LDG]

You forgot to say 'bumbling idiot'

[Olivier's xmas twist]

You forgot to say 'bumbling idiot'

[Letters]

What is this resources that thing you talk about? Utd and Barca pretty much have the same resources as us!

Really? Both have a bigger fan base, bigger stadia, bigger income. Neither have a new stadium to pay off. How can you say we have the same resources as them?

You ignored the point about City and Chelsea. By rights we should have far bigger resources than either as we have a bigger fan-base, stadium etc. But they're bank-rolled by billionaires. Not much we can do about that.

How then can you say we have the resources to be top 2 or 3 in world club football? We don't even have the resources to be top 2 or 3 in this country.

I agree with some of your point about the way SAF has adapted. Wenger has taken a different approach, knowing he can't compete with Chelsea and now City in the transfer market he's not tried to and gone for 'project youth'. I don't think it's quite been the unmitigated failure some on here make out. We have, after all, finished top 4 every single year. You ignored the point about whether that's an easy thing to do and that Fergie is the only other manager to do it for a sustained period. Other clubs have spent bit to try and dislodge us and repeatedly failed. And Wenger is a bumbling idiot™? Nonsense.

The battered wife thing is balls. We're 3rd! Not mid-table, not on the brink of relegation. He pushes us down a well at the start of every season? The last 2 seasons at Christmas we've been a few points off the top (2 and 4 points respectively). The problem then was a poor end to the season, not the start. You're just making stuff up now as you have with the resources thing.