Wullie

Good stuff. I'm not one for saying the reserves should all play as soon as we lose a game or bigging them up after ten minutes, but Carroll can't do much more to earn his chance really. Fair enough if we were scoring goals but we have one of the most impotent strikeforces in the country and it's no risk whatsoever when the alternative is Alan Smith. Shola's fucked or in the huff, I'd play Carroll and Martins. I know that won't happen.

Adebayor looked a fucking carthorse more often than not for a good while.

This is it. You just can't make this point without the bi-polar crew claiming he's finished and that were blind not to see it like they do. What are you insinuating by that?

He'd miss a load of easy chances I know that much. Like Ferguson or Wenger would even entertain the idea for a second.

Owen scoring in crucial matches is a myth. In international tournaments his record is shambolic How is it a myth? off the top of my head... vs Argentina 98 (goal + pen) vs Brazil 02 vs Arsenal FA Cup Final (2 goals) vs Man Utd Charity Shield vs Portgual 04 (goal + pen) Charity Shield? Owen's problem isn't that he doesn't score in crucial games, it's that he's finished.

His best games were almost always alongside Sibierski. Some of their link up play was excellent at times and Sibierski is pretty limited to say the least, despite being an infinitely better player than Smith. he also played pretty well with dyer iyam. Aye, fair point. Just the threat of the pace scared the shit out of teams, including Arsenal at their place.

I'd agree that the semi has increased our chances of getting the points there, but Birmingham could also find a Lord Mayor's show there on Wednesday night, Wigan might turn out against Nugent, and other games in which our rivals feature vs Portsmouth may have a friendly atmosphere against a Pompey side with increased fixture congestion. If we get the points we should, it won't matter. Thankfully, Bolton and sunderland don't have to play them, I think they're the main two we need to look at. I think Birmingham and Wigan will have enough to stay up anyway. I want a Wigan win against Bolton on Sunday.

His best games were almost always alongside Sibierski. Some of their link up play was excellent at times and Sibierski is pretty limited to say the least, despite being an infinitely better player than Smith.

I didn't know that. That's crazy.

Playing pompey after the semi is the best thing for us. If they lose, confidence will be shot and if they win, even with a first team out, those games often turn out to be a case of 'after the lord mayor's show'. Hypothetically of course, we need to do our job too.

Ever since the janitor went on holiday with him to florida, he's been bumming him. Even copied his hair, the big hom.

No team ever stayed up by running round a lot. Give me Viduka with a pair of lead boots on ahead of Smith anyday and twice on Sundays. I realise Vids is crocked but there are at least four players who should be playing up front ahead of him. I'd even pick Zamblera before him, at least there is some chance he may resemble a footballer.

I thought Chelsea probably were in the top four when they won it, they actually finished fifth and sixth in those seasons. Point still stands pretty much. Howay Barnsley!

Aye, only way I can see them not winning it is if Vesuvius erupts again.

Which academy did Maradona attend? Just so I know.

The hell? Martins has brilliant shot technique, that's how he gets so much power behind them. He gets so much power behind his snap shots because his shooting technique allows him to get sufficient power when he gets little back lift. He strikes the ball more sweetly than any other player at our club. One of the goals he scored against Spurs last season highlights this, you could try a 100 times and not hit the ball so sweetly and powerfully. No co-ordination? Just look at the volley he had yesterday. Chest then boom.. his control of the ball is poor but he doesn't lack co-ordination. By your account Dwayne Chambers would be as good a footballer as Martins if he had the right training. His shooting technique is very good, you can picture him playing as a kid on bobbly hard surfaces in Africa snapping at the ball from all kinds of angles and ranges as that kind of technique can't really be taught. Control however involves a high degree of co-ordination, especially the act of controlling a ball in flight and in motion. Technique btw is the execution of something, i.e. striking a ball, heading it or passing it. Shooting doesn't require a great deal of co-ordination unless you first have to control it or are required to make a run and time yourself. He rarely gets goals that way and he won't because his co-ordination levels are poor. Anyone can become a footballer with the right kind of training. Many are playing the game today who are not natural footballers. Indeed it's a myth that footballers are born. Most aren't, they are made or conditioned into one using a few building blocks to work with like pace and strength which are the modern day must haves. Your greats though, all natural talent. So yes, Chambers would be as good a footballer as Martins if he had the right training. 10 years from the age of 8 to 18 is the kind of figures we are talking about. Quality of coaching, type of coaching, building blocks to start with and mental strengths will determine whether after that 10 years you have a footballer on your hands or not. Don't expect a top footballer though if co-ordination levels are poor. Shola Ameobi has the same problems btw. Can't really be arsed to debunk all that at present so I'll just ask you this, are you on wind-up or what? Alex, you can't possibly know more than the Coach. He's a coach.

I'm bricking it but I really don't think the Birmingham game is THAT big. If, God forbid, we get nothing, we'll still stay up by winning our three home games against the teams around us imo. There's other points available elsewhere too with a bit of confidence back. That's not to say I'm not shitting it, I really am.

I reckon Arsenal-Wednesday in 1993. 10th vs 7th.

"Always nice to get a hat trick." Thanks Mark Bright.

Usually it is, the magic of a club getting to the 4th round only to get twatted is not a lot of magic, but this year has been astonishing. Never thought I'd see an FA Cup like this, the way things have been going in football. No team outside the top 4 has won it since 1995, that's how boring it's become. This year has blown that to pieces.

Ratboy scores. Semis: WBA, Portsmouth, Barnsley and Cardiff. Quite incredible.

I'm tired of hearing this sort of drivel tbh. No offence. Let's bring back a player from injury into a bear-pit. Shite. No offence. A bear pit? I was under the impression you were giving it the tired old cliche of "ooh he's not the type of player you need at the bottom", apologies if that's not the case. Re: his fitness, none of us know how fit he is, so it's a moot point really. If he's fit, he should play.

Cobblers.

I'm tired of hearing this sort of drivel tbh. No offence.

Why do you think that? Because we haven't got any debt?