James

Who in your opinion, is the best player at each club? Also, if a squad was created from all Premiership clubs (plus promoted/relegated), how would it fare in this league? In my opinion: Arsenal - Thierry Henry Wasn't at the peak of his powers last season, but the youngsters are yet to usurp him Aston Villa - Gareth Barry Most important player at Villa last season. Without his contribution, they'd be in serious trouble last season. Birmingham - Maik Taylor Not much proven Premiership quality at Brum as of yet, although Taylor has done pretty well in the past. Blackburn Rovers - David Bentley McCarthy gets the goals, but he is helped by the second best winger combo in the Premiership, of which Bentley is the best of the two. Bolton - Jussi Jaaskelainen A few good players at Bolton, but Jussi just pips Anelka and Diouf for me. Charlton - Darren Bent Only player that performed for Charlton last season. Chelsea - John Terry Clearly the most influential player at Chelsea as shown by Chelsea's form while he was injured. Derby - Giles Barnes Don't know too much of Derby to be honest, but Barnes has caught the eye in the past with his pace and work rate. Everton - Mikel Arteta One of the most technically gifted players in the Premiership. Pulls all the strings at Everton. A brilliant player. Fulham - Franck Queudrue The only player to turn up in many matches for Fulham last season. Liverpool - Steven Gerrard No other player has single-handedly won two cup finals. Liverpool still can't escape those one-player-club remarks Manchester City - Micah Richards One of just four players to do alright at Man City last season. Barton is now at Newcastle, Distin is at Portsmouth, and Richards should have a much better future than Dunne. Manchester United - Cristiano Ronaldo Head and shoulders above an excellent squad. Middlesborough - Jonathan Woodgate We've all seen his quality, and with Viduka gone, there is nobody to contest him. Newcastle United - Shay Given It is hard to describe a player who has played 13 games in two seasons as our best player, thus Shay must get the nod for now. Portsmouth - Sol Campbell Showed his quality at Portsmouth. Could be at a much better club if he wanted to be. Reading - Nicky Shorey Reading introduced four very good players last season, but I judge Shorey as currently the most polished of the three that remain. Sheffield United - Phil Jagielka Handy and average player, which is better than the general poorness Sheffield churned out last season Sunderland - Carlos Edwards This guy has impressed me when playing for bith Luton and Mackems. Tottenham Hotspur - Dimitar Berbatov Excellent technique for a striker, plus many well rounded attributes associated with a British centre-forward. West Ham - Carlitos Tevez Looked head and shoulders above his teammates last season. Wigan - Leighton Baines Best player left at a deteriorating Wigan side. Watford - Hameur Bouazza Did pretty well for Watford I thought, although Foster was their best player last season. That would mean a squad of: Given, Jaaskelainen, Taylor Richards, Jagielka, Terry, Woodgate, Campbell, Baines, Shorey, Queudrue Ronaldo, Edwards, Bentley, Gerrard, Barnes, Arteta, Barry Bouazza, Tevez, Berbatov, Henry, Bent And the first eleven would be: Given Richards Terry Woodgate Baines Ronaldo Gerrard Arteta Bentley Berbatov Tevez Thus the squad would be extremely capable, although undersubscribed/oversubscribed in some areas, although obviously this kind of scenario wouldn't happen in real life. Definitely a top 5 side though at least.

What do you think? You are not being mean?

Club Statement on Official Site requests that the agents start to cooperate, as we've done nothing wrong.

New board, new management. We'll get off pretty lightly.

The good news is that Allardyce got wind of what was happenning and announced his intentions, quickly side-tracking any real dissappointment. Remember when Roeder scouted Kuyt AFTER he had signed for Liverpool?

Greg posted something in another thread, and though it doesn't name us specifically, it would definitely apply for us due to geography.

TOUGH F*CKING SH!T I know its rubbish really. In addition, Tyneside police now request that we don't play Sunderland, Middlesborough or Man Utd, whoare pretty muc the only teams who havent blacklisted us. Thus we play away.

That is good news I'd say, although Villa are a bit of an August bogey club.

Apparently clubs can submit lists of teams they don't want to play away at on Boxing Day, and we are on pretty much everyone's list.

Mourinho: "When we have Newcastle as our last game away, we win the league. If we don't, we do not. For once, it would seem that the fixture people are trying to be in our favour" He hasn't actually said this yet, but he will.

Nah. You are right Dave, I'm mistaken, we wont have a title race in our hands. We'll have a title race on our hands.

Nah. You are right Dave, I'm mistaken, we wont have a title race in our hands. We'll have a title race on our hands.

We need to get as many points in the bag before Christmas, potentially being top four by this point looking at the fixtures. Then come some really tough games that you'd expect to lose over January, and in all probability, we'd be looking after then to secure a UEFA cup spot if all goes to plan. However, if Ashley provides the rumoured January bonus, and Allardyce pulls off some Bolton-esque away victories at the top-4 clubs we play in that period, we could have a title race in our hands. Looking at where the club are now, and how the season will develop, we couldn't have had a better set of fixtures.

January is the most difficult month, and August may be a little tricky. However, have a half decent August, and the combination of matches are as such that we are likely to go on a few good runs if we can maintain a high level of confidence. Definitely the best fixture list we have had for a while.

No Lists for fixtures please OR YOU WILL GET BANNED Check out the full list (scroll down beneath European matches): http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Fixtures/0,,10278,00.html

ITK update ...Bolton away 1st game This can be verified, although I'm not claiming to be ITK. Very difficult opening four games, we have also got a top-four club at home, a local rival away, and a rich team that traditionally beat us in August at home.

One thing I've learnt recently is that less than 50% of people can spell Dave R's name correctly. Alan Oliver and Luke Edwards certainly cant.

actually is's not pal, it's a column where they compile the rumours from other places/papers and put them together in a humourous fashion if you look around the rumour will exist somewhere very different from a joke column The humour starts after the mention of Beye (if you exclude the laughing stock and casual comments that have already caused a stir amongst some, including yourself). There is no mention of Murphy anywhere, he is just part of the joke.

You bunch off fools This is a regular Guardian JOKE column

Steve Harmison is on trial. Apparently he has a cracking left foot. If all goes to plan, he is going to give up playing cricket for England and Durham, and come and play at left back for us.

Wasn't he our back-up-lets-go-£40-million-in-debt-if-we-dont-get-Owen-plan?

If Peter Kenyon said that Shaun Wright-Phillips was going to Newcastle, something similar would be written. The translation is, from my knowledge of French, very definite, and France Football is a reliable site. Updated thread titles are good, they keep people posting in threads. Cetainly now a stronger story thanwhen it was being picked up by Planet Football. Isn't that the same site that said Henry was going to Barcelona after the clubs agreed a £18m fee then in the very same article said the clubs hadn't spoken yet or some bollocks like that? Also find it strange that this article has been up there since yesterday but no other media source seems to have picked it up. Oh, it is isn't it I am stupid.

If Peter Kenyon said that Shaun Wright-Phillips was going to Newcastle, something similar would be written. The translation is, from my knowledge of French, very definite, and France Football is a reliable site. Updated thread titles are good, they keep people posting in threads. Cetainly now a stronger story thanwhen it was being picked up by Planet Football.

That little article is from yesterday. Surely if PSG announced the transfer somebody in the UK press would have picked it up? Oh, and I believe RMC is a sports radio program in France? The British press are blind. I'm assumming the transfer fee is therefore agreed, and we are just waiting to agree personal terms.

Micah Richards...quick.