CaliMag

Going along that line of logic, perhaps the most important SBR era team member we are missing would be Speed.

We got Robert at his prime (2001 to 2003) no doubt, but the team during that time was also filled with equally untalenetd players that we have today. I am definately in the "we need a better manager to get results" camp. I would take our defenders today over SBR's. Robert and Bellamy were just as much of a destructive influence in the dressing room and training ground as Zoggy - probably even more so. The Robert example doesn't really work because I doubt the 2001 edition of Robert would do as well in today's team without a target man or pacey striker to get to the end of his crosses. We could use his free kicks though.

This season so far is pretty typical for me - one live from the gallowgate end (I live 6,000 miles away so its difficult for me to attend more), half a dozen or so at a pub (I live in a town with a large ex-pat community that has a place that opens early mornings for most games), on-line (setanta broadband, etc.), on a firends TV ten times or so, and if desperate radio (once so far this season).

THIS ^ Completely agree. It doesn't matter if Sunderland win the league every year - we will always be better than them and deep down even they know it.

I can't help but feel that the will be a repeat of our home performance with a few bursts of hope (Owen to score for the above mentioned reason) only for Blackburn to end up with a comfortable win. In our home performance against these lot we had a few bright sparks - Duff was industrious, Xisco worked hard (to no effect) and Owen made himself avaialble (and scored a pen). The other factor that helped us out was the bad reffing. After the Ref had pretty much crawled up Ince's arse the crowd (which had just before been leaving the stands in droves) actually got behind the team - thsi will not be the case at Ewood. We are f*cked. 3-1 to Blackburn.

Says who? You think their owners would just allow these people to run up huge debts against the club with no gurantee that it would be their own investment or at least part their investment? You're right but Valten is still correct in terms of the Arabs leave, and they're left with a huge wage bill to foot each week. Exactly, the types of wages they are throwing around will mean whoever they sell too will have to be just as rich as these arabs are. £250,000k for one player? Bet teams like Hull don't have that for their whole squad A new owner could just come in and sell players like Kaka ASAP and end up with a tidy transfer kitty to rebuild. They wouldnt have any trouble getting players like him off the wage bill. I disagree. You'd end up having a Leeds-Olivier Dacourt situation where the only way to get him off of the books would be by paying part of his salary. No club in teh world can afford that - especially if they are doing it with multiple players (which they will be doing).

1-3 FT Good Result. Bring on Citeh

Remember how pleased Big Sam was when we beat Bolton 3-1 away...

I think we tic up to seven after today.

Rafa is absolutely right about marking the refs. "Meester" Ferguson actually has his staff shield opposition coaches and managers from approaching the Ref during half time so SAF can get a hold of them and talk to them about "how they are doing." Especially during the big games (CL games, games against top 4 and Cup finals). The way Manchester United's staff handle refs is planned and rehearsed - its cynical, barely leagal and one of the ways they stay on top.

The future does indeed look grim in the short term, but in the long term things don't look that bad. On the financial front: Unless Ashley decides to rob the club under the table like Ridsdale or indebt us into oblivion the way Abromovich is NUFC is in a pretty good place. The unspoken reality of the article quoted in the Guardian is that the world is in financial collapse and, like generals always doomed to fight the last war, the leaders of the world economy are looking for old solutions. These old solutions include the overvaluation of old media like TV rights which will steadily decline in value as will DVD sales. Like the music industry there will be a massive resurgence in the value of real ticket sales and a revaluation of football assets that will benefit NUFC disproportionately. Even a paltry 40K a week is still better than the vast majority of ... well... all football clubs. On the talent front: I also believe we are about to enter one of those cycles where players will be declining in value as well. Simply because the money is running out. With the lack of cash we will be forced to once again rely upon our academy. Our Academy looks pretty good right now - this is the first time I remember ever feeling that way in a long time. We have always tended to overestimate our U18 lads but this year the proof is in their record which is very good (the table doesn't lie). Despite all of these positive points I would not rule out us being relegated this season. I am just trying to be unusually (irrationally perhaps) upbeat.

This thread deserves a bump - Also for those of you in the North America, Fox Soccer Channel will be showing the game on live today... this has got to be a first for the Spartans.

When banners are up saying "Cockney Mafia Out", I hardly think the appointment of this wideboy crook would really help matters. On a personal note, I'd not set foot in St James' Park if he was in charge on principle. That's how much I dislike the man. Oh, and to those saying he's a good coach - What did he win exactly? A cup and a league in 3 years with Barcelona (Well done Terry, you're supposed to win things with Barca. They were the best team back then) and getting England to the Euro semis (Have a look at the history of that competition, every home nation prior to 1996 had qualified for at least the semis, including such footballing luminaries as Sweden, Belgium and Yugoslavia). The most over-rated coach ever, has achieved nothing other than becoming the darling of the southern press for being a cheeky chirpy cockney. [in case you haven't noticed, I don't like the man!]

I love the fact that even when all of the other players are laughing and joking Zoggy has the face of: "That's not f*ckin' funny man!" I hope we get at least a point.

You mean like selling Friedl and replacing him with Robinson?

So then who? Duff? Ranger? Owen in a 4-5-1?

I agree with pinkeye - there will be no xisco and no nacho playing for us against Hull. Add the fact of injury and travel and we are going to see a starting XI That is going to cause hysteria on here. My guess is Ameobi and Owen up front (not my choice BTW). Bassong and Taylor partnering in the back (no Colo) so hold on tight - scary moments ahead. Something to lift the crowd: Ranger coming on for Ameobi or Owen (when one of them inevitably becomes injured in the first half). My hope is that Zoggy plays on the wing - we need someone who will not be afraid to run at the opposition and lift the team. With no Gutierrez we desperately need him to have one of his better games. I predict a 1-1 draw with Hull hitting the cross bar and other luck intervening on our side.

No chance of getting Mancini. Also no doubt the pre-game music would become dominated by the Elephant Walk, Peter Gunn and the Pink Panther... I wonder if they did that to him in Italy?

Since the 1960s?!?!?! My god he is evil.... and immortal.... apparently.

I want answers.

Why not Nobby Solano? Hasn't finished his badges. If we are going the old player route why not Gary Speed or Ketsy.

Souness doesn't even get a mention these days. IIRC souness was 20/1 to replace the `sacked` Keegan Now THAT is funny. If KK were sacked and replaced by Souness there WOULD be full scale riots at SJP.

KK saw the need for a creative midfielder and decided to place Owen in that role similar to Beardsley (though not quite as good obviously). Owen did pretty well for us in that position and until we get a Moutinho-type player he should probably stay there. Most of us are just accepting that as one o fthe things KK has publically said he would do with his starting XI. A straight 4-4-2 would probably keep Owen in the Middle partnered with a holding player (Butt/Guthrie)

i'm not going to call for anyone's sack based on the info we currently have, but i dont like llambas. not saying we should sack him, but i dont like him as much as liked mort. Whether it was his idea or not Mort tried to LEARN about NUFC, the fans (meeting with many different groups, fanzines, etc) the players, the existing set-up, the community leaders etc. After a few months he actually knew what the lay of the land was - Llambias has come in to run NUFC like a business and has not put the effort or shown the knowledge of Mort, probably because Mort already did it so why repeat the experience (they thought). Seems like a mistake - might be Ashley's? Could it have helped avoid the fuss? Who knows, but I doubt Llambias and Ashley expected things to end up the way they did Tuesday and now the consequences are hitting them. I think when Mort came in most of us were skeptical (posh sooothen barrister tw@t) - I would have never guessed we'd be missing him.

The Arsenal route, a manager who oversees the whole football side. I don't think we had that. Also if you had read some of Wegner interviews he says every player he signs is ready for first team football that is the one thing all signings must be able to do. Not all of ours fall into the category. That is not necessarily true. Arsenal buys younger players that are not ready for first team quite often (eg Vela). The question is: how involved is Wenger in the "vela-type" signings?