CaliMag

That being the case... he would not then fit as a partner to either Carrol or Shola.

I should probably just delete this thread already.

After the Reading game I was talking to a mate who was very critical of our attack including the goals scored in open play. His point being that we are never going to get promoted or be a good team without getting behind the defense. He argued that most modern teams that are good (so yeah, we are talking about the top four or five teams of each top leagues in Europe - a bit away from the CCC) have fast paced attacks where the scorer of the ball has gotten behind the defense at pace after working the ball up (no hoofing it or deep crosses to marked targets). I felt that our hands are tied with the squad we have and that we are reverting to the intended ideal of Ruud Gullit of the large and large combination. When Gullit took over he surveyed his assets and decided that with Shearer being the best target man around (before they fell out) he decided to also buy Duncan Ferguson who was probably the second best target man in the league. For all of the talk of Sexy football we actually had a team under Gullit that was ideally suited to the long lob and having Duncan knock it down with Shearer coming int to take it in front of the defence for a shot. It didn't work. Mostly I would argue because of the fact that Duncan was continually crocked, but also with Alan stationary and Gullit's training for the Large & Large combo he was learning bad habits. As SBR said Alan was always playing with his back to defenders getting marked out of the game. When SBR came in he was able to actually use the Large & Large combo effectively only once (again because of Duncan being on the sick list almost continuously until we shipped him back to Everton) and that was the 3-0 win over Man U (Feb 2000). The difference in that game was we had a midfield player that could also win everything in the air (Speed) and we actually won that game by physically overpowering Man United (no small feat considering Jaap Stam was marking Duncan). The first goal was - goal kick to Speed ---> headed ball to Shearer ---> headed ball to Duncan ---> reverse volley from 20 yards. Duncan had one skill that he was sublime at, and that was the knockdown. He won everything in the air and could knock down teh ball to an onrushing attacker. Could Carroll master this skill ocnsidering how good his aerial ability is so far? Could we build a team entirely around the physical presence of Shola and Carroll with Vuckic (also a big lad) and Ranger (ditto) deputising? I am not sure if it will work personally. Reading's defenders were too easily pushed aside. But I am also not sure we have a choice and think we are forced down this path unless we start buying players.

Cutting off nose to spite your face. That is what this and the Duff threads are about. I hate Smith and never wanted him added to our team. I'd love to get rid of 90% of the squad, but if we aren't buying anyone what does this achieve other than making us weaker and less likely to get promoted?

Bocanegra once again fails. I have no idea how he gets picked for the US or Fulham. Terrible. And Ching? C'mon Bradley WTF? A small, short-passer of the ball that lacks a physical presence... against Mexico? And yeah, the ref was always going to be sh!t scared and biased... such is football in North America. The US will just have to beat Mexico again at the WC.

Yessss.

Blatent penaly not called against Mexico. The Ref is sh!t scared.

I really hope Scotland can win this one and get a miracle. Looking forward to the game at Azteca Stadium.

Madras tells the truth. If Ashley shows it will be carnage. 2.5 hours for the average Geordie = 5 pints, that would normally not get drunk.

I can't believe thsi thread is what qualifies for good news these days... it truly is good news as well. We're so f*cked.

Roeder > Souness > Allardyce > Kinnear Souness got us to an FA Cup Semi Final people seem to forget. Yes, but Souness also inherited - by far - the strongest squad of that lot and a team which felt it owed the fans and eachpther for letting SBR down. We flattened Blackburn 3-0 before he even got here. Those types of results NEVER happened in the interim for those others.

Supertoon: You forgot to add that the article was written by Simon "the C*nt" Bird.

We can do these lot... http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/entertainment/07/07/24_robertsmith_lgl.jpg

I just want some effort and decent passing. I also don't want their heads to go down even if we fall behind 3-0. Probably too much to ask for. My prediction is 2-1 to the Baggies.

Now who's jumping to conclusions?

How does Boro vs Sheffield United tell you anything about how good either team are in comparison to us? Honestly makes me laugh this kind of s***. I sincerely hope you have that same smug attitude at the end of teh day tomorrow, because I think we're going to lose.

Fooooooook... that hurt. I wish him the best.

THAT is funny.

Title change? "Times & Ronnie Gill..."

The article implies that its mostly Yanks with Mr. Moat as the local lead.

... you'd know we'd been relegated... maybe even twice in a row.

Same ones as on here but the fans were MUCH more civil to eachother. No one knowns anything. Carver has spoken with Shearer but can't say. Blame should be handed out to everyone except the supporters. A couple of pleas to engage the Supporters Trust A lot of pessimism about our chances of going back up this season General dismay and bewilderment at Ashley's behaviour especially over the past 9 months Carver thinks we are going to get promoted, but that it can only be done with permanent leadership. He said the Leeds players stopped playing for him when Bates passed him up as permanent manager adn that experience taught him a lesson.

Alright, I've been defending Clem and his dickish behaviour this whole broadcast but his last closing dig was uncalled for. He could not resist being a smug self-righteous f*cker there when he should have just stuck with "Thanks & goodnight."

Clem is doing his job - and yes - being a prick is part of that. The old codger angry at the players was funny.

Carver was VERY critical of how the Leeds players let him down after he was passed up. This is good, he gives the impression that he would kick the crap out of the players that weren't performing. That is what I want.