Belfast Boy

Its been around 6 weeks now hasnt it? Any sign?

De Jong has to start every game he is available for so we can decide if he is worth buying, started off ok against Spurs but then tailed off. Williamson has continued to look solid and seems to have accepted his own limitations, laying it off to others whenever he can. Hopefully Tiote will be back fit and obviously Remy comes in for Cisse. No real choice other than Krul in goal and Debuchy has done ok recently. I would change the rest so something like this: Krul Debuchy MYM Willo Dummett Tiote ?? Ben Arfa Marveaux Remy De Jong

They were saying its not the same twice in a row, but that there have been literally 39 different teams.

BT Sport just said that Man United have had different line ups in each of the last 39 games, ie never the same 11 players once in those 39

Elliot, Yanga-Mbiwa, Dummett, Gosling, Marveaux, Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi. So Haidara, who has been used a lot recently, is bombed out all together?

Have we got the subs confirmed yet?

I wonder who is on the right. Ben Arfa now being dropped for Sammy?

Very attacking, I wonder how long that lasts.

No Hatem??

Say the game starts but gets abandoned, what does that do to Remy's ban?

I have no doubt we wont even look at a new DOF until the summer, but do we have plans in place for pre season yet, and if not who is looking after that?

The bonus about tiote being out should be that ben arfa has to play RW. Stick de jong in remys role, keep sammy on the left and go with the norwich game tactics. No doubt pardew will have a much better idea though.

The thing is, because Remy couldn't play he had to put Shola in, but why change tactics? Why could we not have set up the same as against Norwich, kept the ball on the deck in the high winds, and basically play round Shola. Why could he not just have left Ben Arfa on the right and told him, Sammy and Sissoko to run at them? Instead he has obviously had a word with Tiote and told him he needs more out of him so instead of him covering the back 4 he was all over the place leaving huge gaps. Ben Arfa was lost in the middle then the left and no one really knew what they were doing. Can't absolve the players of all blame, in fact they are rightly being crucified, but it can't be easy playing under this coward.

From what I can make out on news reports, McDermott received a phone call from a solicitor he had never spoken to before, who told him he was acting on behalf of the new owners and he was gone. He has then told some players (McCormick then phoned in Talksport) and it spread from there. Is it possible that he's been stitched up?

You have to say fair play to S'land, not just for this game but the run they are on. Not so long ago they were rock bottom and we were, what 18 points above them? Thankfully we already have enough to stay up but the way things are going they will finish ahead of us.

This. Or possibly some Mackem will break Ben Arfa in the first 10 minutes.

Just as well he came out with this before a bid was accepted. Imagine this place if lyon had publically accepted the bid tonight and it fell through.

Ince going to crystal palace on loan

Mackems have signed that fella from Brighton

No chance IMO. Makes you wonder why they have lodged it two days after game, must have seen something It does seem as though JFK has decided that a late appeal like this means he gets to play on Saturday, that's the way it worked when he was manager of the year don't you know.

I thought at the time it may be worth an appeal (along with Sissoko's ridiculous yellow!) but given Pardew's comments post match this appeal now surely can't be anything other than frivolous and I wouldn't be surprised if he now misses 4 games. I wonder who decided to appeal it.

Just succombed to a quick youtube search on Grenier. He does have a "Cabaye" look to his play. My brother lives in Lyon and says that if we get him then he will soon become a favourite.

It seems I may be on my own, but I am feeling fairly positive about this. Yes, Norwich were woeful and we should have beat them, but lets not pretend Sunderland are anything special. Assuming Gouff is fit to come in for Remy then I would keep the same line up and tactics.

The back four and tiote have to be told to stay tight and play it short to anita and sissoko. This tactic must not change however the game goes. Unfortunately we all know shola will be on for hatem and Hoof!

Just watch now how many transfers go through that haven't been talked about yet (other clubs obviously). PSG made this £14m bid at the weekend and the whole thing got sorted for Mon night. There is ample time left if we wanted to spend the money. Shit, even two weeks ago, the worst case for Cabella seemed that it was only an agreed deal incase we sold Cabaye. If they really wanted to there is absolutely nothing stopping them, even this late, going to the likes of Soton for Lallana or Derby for Hughes. Imagine Pardew if Everton had sold Barkley for £30m yesterday, he would have been driving a replacement down there as "there's nothing you can do to stop that".