Kanj

Without verging into "Jose Enrique body language" territory, they don't look at each other very often during matches, let alone pass to one another! Rather strange considering the glowing terms Ba spoke of "Papisto" in when he first arrived at the club. This. Ba seemed to tweet and comment a hell of a lot about Cisse when he first signed and started scoring. Also, was feeling weird that there have been some press mentions in articles in the last few months of the two not exactly being friends.

Those 6 wins in a row + Man Utd Home last season's goals.

Diame will fuck off to any team that pays him the money he wants. I'd rather not have a player like that. When the going gets tough, those players tend to just disappear. See: relegation season.

Diame probably took the best weekly wage offer on the table.

No.

No, just the old l'Equipe quotes. Thanks

Was Caulkin's article saying anything new or different today?

Happy for our big Sho then.

If it wasn't for this board, I wouldn't be nearly as passionate and smitten over this club. Been following since Shearer signed from my folks' home in Tampa, FL and the strange love affair has grown each year exponentially. Relegation only made me more passionate about getting back to the premier league. Also very fortunate that Fox Soccer/Setanta USA, ESPN, & internet TV - etc has allowed me to follow as much as I can and want. But I'd be delusional if I didn't say that if it wasn't for this board and you all, I'd feel insanely disconnected from the club.

Yep - he also hit the post/cross bar a few times, completely miss-kicked a few shots that should have been goals, missed a penalty etc. His movement was clever enough to get into the right places b/c he is a better all-around footballer than Cisse. Had he scored those goals he wouldn't have had 1 issue with playing out left - but I'm sure that was the easy thing to point to from his perspective.

Everything from relegation to last season has been a hell of a ride. This year is like going back to the kiddy pool. We're not going to get relegated or anything, but it's just so safe and boring and unremarkable. I suppose I might get more excited once we hit the UEFA knockout stages. This. Last season was such a ridiculous high. This season has been painful - the best for me was opening day at Legends Pub in NYC watching with some 50+ fellow supporters and the place going mental for Ba and HBA's goals.

Jill

Sammy is going to be a fantastic footballer for us. He has that unpredictability that is generally coached out of youngsters these days in England. Pards and the staff will have already identified that Sammy's style is not to dissimilar to HBA in that they are tremendously talented at running at defenders and causing havoc with their dribbling. It will only be another reason to NOT coach that out of Sammy and make him something he's not, ala his brother Shola or a typical "English-winger"

Andy? Meh...sure for right fee. Nobby Nolan as a coach? sure.

He still looks genuinely afraid that his body will give way in a match and he'll be hurt. He'll get over it when he gets match time.

He look instantly more comfortable doing everything he was doing the rest of the match - and that goes for dribbling, passing, etc. Him scoring was the best thing that could have happened to him as it was something that went right for the team (in terms of the goal) and something big for him to see results from his effort and hard work.

Zanetti is a fucking legend. That pic though been laughing for minutes now

I want nothing more than to Argentina to line up against Uruguay in their next competitive match and would just love the Argies to take the abs. piss out of Suarez. What a twat of a footballer.

I have the utmost respect for the man, but he really, truly needs to be on the bench - he's a hard working guy who gives us his all, but he's been very poor

This exactly. And the crosses that do come his way are terrible bar the ones we've seen Fergie supply him.

His GQ comment was funny, nice read

That advert graphic looks cool as fuck

He's not a kid like. I think he's about 22 so if he was good enough he'd be at least getting some EL time. Clearly he showed some life in preseason but he has taken some time to adjust. Bigi, though younger and getting games now, came from the Championship. Romain, older, had 2 seasons in Ligue 2 in France. The step-up obviously has taken some time, maybe longer/shorter than some thought. Hopefully he'll continue to work hard and we'll see him in the EL and eventually the PL with some time.

Wasn't Amalfitano always one for the future?

Hate this fixture at Anfield b/c I know how much better we play them at our ground, but as soon as we head to over there, we forget how to play football and Gerrard scores 2 and the press w*** themselves silly that mighty Liverpool are a top side.