Shearer9

Hughes is done at City, there's no way he'll be able to survive this poor run of form, and it's not like Christmas is going to be kind to them. Definitely an option worth looking at.

Surprise title challenge by Villa? Liverpool play Arsenal and Everton have Chelsea on Monday...

It always seems like Sky actually used to be part of the excitement, now they just detract from it.

I reckon it's bang on for Owen to play unless he picks up an injury this week, it'll just be a question of where. My guess is Owen in for Ameobi will be the only change, and we'll nick it 2-1

:clap: Seconded,a fine neutral post. Quite true, I thought besides Villa's two obvious chances (Agbonlahor and Young, both of whom should have scored) we were the better team. Yes, they should have at least scored, if not have been leading 2-0 at half time, but we were equal to them in the 1st half and much better in the 2nd, deserved three points based on that display, can't wait for Fulham on Sunday, and that's a very good sign.

Yeah, while I fully support the opinion that The Sun prints bollocks, it's just as likely that Maradonna just has no clue what he's talking about.

Some of the furor after the Jason Whittle incident was ridiculous, people emailing and calling the Grimsby police trying to get Whittle done for assault. Was funny though when Grimsby lost the playoff final at the end of the season. I wouldn't go so far as to call Shearer a hard man, but I do remember him single-handedly bossing Arsenal off the pitch when we beat them 1-0 thanks to Nobby a few years ago. Class performance, and he set up the winner as well.

Obviously Styles should go but this is another indication of how poorly run the FA is if they push him out over this.. His performances over the years should have seen him eliminated years ago as a Premiership referee, but of course the FA is only prepared to respond when there's a massive media uproar. Shame he's receiving hate letters though, nobody should have to go through that.

he's actually speaking good english now apparently Source?

Is the BBC live text not working for anyone else either?

Normally the 12:45 kickoff would be on, but it looks like the really early noon kickoff of Man Utd-Everton has taken over this spot for Setanta, and FSC isn't showing it either. Sorry mate.

This does worry me a little bit, not his lack of match fitness but the red card element. I think his fitness will be fine, he's been training the entire time, but remember when Keegan brought him on against Arsenal? He clearly has something to prove and the way he usually tries to prove things is by being overly aggressive. Add that to the derby atmosphere, and I'd start him on the bench, bringing him in if we need a bit more fire, passion, and legs through the midfield.

I think it'll be more like Keane's management style, and that's been reasonably successful for the mackems. The thing that worries me about Shearer is his work in the transfer market, I feel like it will be very much hit and miss. Wasn't he also a massive fan of Alan Smith?

This is so true, they really do have some shite in there, but I imagine this will be sorted in January. Also very surprised that Elano didn't make an appearance from the bench, he really could have opened the game up for them, Robinho was consistently dropping too deep to try and make an impact as a midfield playmaker, whereas Elano could have done that much better.

59 goals in the last TEN YEARS in all competitions and he still hasn't scored for the mackems? That case settles itself.

I bet Owen will be rushed back too soon and then spend an even longer amount of time out.

I'd be willing to put money that Heskey is going to become the next fucking Owen Hargreaves. Has 2 or 3 decent games and there's just a massive jizzfest over him. The hype that Hargreaves got is unbelievable, and now, surprise surprise, he's struggling at Man Utd and nowhere near an England team that's playing it's best football in decades. Heskey has always been a sub-par and really streaky player, and has played most of his career out of the spotlight, bar a few good seasons. Yes, if I were picking the team right now, he'd be in it, things are working, but everyone needs to calm down about Heskey.

Owen and Gerrard are perfect!

He set up Adebayor's 3rd goal a few weeks ago.

Thought I'd put this here as it's the only place there seems to be an England debate: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7656414.stm More discussion about Gerrard and Lampard and even more evidence to suggest why they shouldn't play together in central midfield.

Regardless of whether or not he's right about Ashley, I'm really starting to loathe Allardyce. I hated Souness with an absolute passion for months on end, but a year or so after he was sacked my stance towards him started to soften. But with Allardyce, I thought he was unfairly criticized to a degree, and was a bit unlucky, despite being unwise about some things. Yet since he left, he's done nothing to show he isn't an absolute cunt.

Premiership games are on Fox I think, starting in the late evening and running until early morning.

Di Michele is a 32 year old journeyman Italian striker who's had one good game for West Ham. I'd be livid if we went for him.

The Bridge decision is also baffling, surely Shorey or Baines should get a run out, considering they are playing regularly. While Defoe has probably been picked because of his good form this year, he's a very similar player to Owen in that he's quick and relies on others to set up goals without really contributing to the overall play, yet he has an appalling record for England when compared to Owen. The thing is though, with Capello, while the team hasn't played well under him bar Croatia and T&T, the results are still there, and that's hard to argue with. But at the end of the day, this is a team that will put in another 2nd round or maybe Qtr Final appearance at the world cup and then lose to a team that knows how to play football or take penalties. Nothing appears to have changed on that front.

So true. It's just sad more than anything, watching a good footballer with a good footballing brain go to shit. Hasn't been helped by the situation here, but it just throws a damning light on the club that he's been able to feature for so long.