Shearer9

Wonder if Harper's had the time to get any degrees from university while he's been sitting on the bench.

This is very true. Although it encompasses many things, bringing back credibility is the key for me, because it will mean good management, good players, good results, and less media spotlight. The only thing I'd put above that is winning a trophy, which could still come with the club acting more or less as a joke.

Insanity. Wenger will keep his job no matter what happens this year. Still think they'll win the league like, they'll have their experience back in there to do it.

Rafa for the sack? What a goal though, should have had a pen.

I don't think they can do anything without the FA's say-so. And the FA without UEFA's say-so, and UEFA without FIFA's say-so. I'm not sure it can be that clear cut. Do you think they wouldnt have realised that 1) They would need permission from these people, if they do 2) That these people would say no Its still a shit idea mind There are some big idiots at the Premier League.

He's one of the better people in football, I'll give him that. He came across as a bit of a twat though in his younger years, after he frist broke out around 96 but before he became England captain. As far as the England 100th cap thing goes, if he's good enough to be in the team, but if not, then he doesn't deserve a place. If there's anything the national team needs right now, it's less sentimentality.

Terry has been immense for Chelsea, regardless of what he's done for England. I know the media has their collective head up his ass, but he's still a top quality defender, even if he isn't he best in the world and isn't captain fantastic.

Take the pen next time Barry! Is anybody still in the fantasy cup?

I have a feeling like that little screencap tries to make more of it than what actually happened. I'm far from a defender of Joey Barton and his psychosis, but unless he's just delivered a roundhouse blow to send Maloney to the ground, then that picture is deceiving.

How do people feel about the tournament that have watched it? It's not been on TV here, but from match reports it sounds like the football has been fantastic and high scoring, and that the crowds have been great. I'm really sorry I've missed it.

Yeah, just seen the smarmy little fuck on SSN talking about how all clubs have big squads, all clubs will benefit, blah, blah, blah. Of course Spurs was behind it, he said they've been working on it for a year. Suits them more than most clubs.

Norwich is more like our garbage dump. Roeder and Pattison there so far plus rumors about Carroll and Ameobi.

Will only benefit the big clubs, seriously doubt the U21 English thing will happen, and anyone who thinks that this is really going to make substitutions more effective, help develop youth talent, or do anything but help solidify the top 4 has been fooled.

There is one English striker good enough to play up front in any kind of lone striker situation: Peter Crouch. I think Crouch/Rooney, Owen/Crouch, or possibly Rooney/Owen could make good combos, but don't put anyone as a solo striker except Crouch. Not only is he very good technically, for when you want to play slick passing football, he's a dynamo in the air. Things would have gone much better tonight if he'd started there instead of Rooney. End of story. Rooney also played on the left towards the end, which made no sense, but I thought he made decent selections throughout the midfield and attack. It turned into more of a 4231 because both Gerrard and Barry hung back so much. 3 of the 4 defenders should not have started: remove Brown, Upson, and Cole, replace with Lescott, Woodgate, and Richards, and I reckon the foundation there would have been a lot better to go forward. Lescott and Richards get forward a lot better than Brown and Cole.

Wes Brown is awful. Every time he tries to make a pass, he gives the ball away, unless its a 5 yrd pass. Plus he's always beaten to the ball. I don't think Gerrard really works as a DM, he loses all that drive and ability to get forward that makes him, well, Gerrard. And Rooney will never be the man to play a lone striker for England, especially not if Jenas is the support man. Only change I would have made in midfield/attack is putting on Crouch for Jenas and playing a 41212.

The best part is those little 2 second cuts of someone shakily panning over the back page of the Chronicle. The name Michael Owen gets mentioned, and then you see a picture of him shaking around on the screen for a split second.

That was when he was scoring 15-19 goals a season. He has 3 (in the league) for this year. Tbf that's poor. And he's also scored very few goals over the last few years, since he's been at Newcastle. He's still in the team for me because there's no one better, but I hope that the long term plan here sees us getting rid of him.

I'm waiting for one or the other to come out and just say something explicitly. What exactly was Biffa's job that he was criticizing him for? A plumber? In what way is Oliver particularly qualified? I'm sure that Niall and Biffa have been watching NUFC longer than he has.

Afraid I've gotten a bit of a whoosh off of that one. Are they implying that Sam was indirectly talking about them, or what? Anyone care to enlighten me?

--------------James Richards-Ferdinand-Woodgate-Lescott Bentley-Barry-Gerrard-Cole --------Crouch-Owen/Rooney (hard to decide)

Didn't see the game. What exactly happened?

The more we see of Ramos's organisation, the more we realise where we might have been now if Jol had gone at the start of the season. The best Spurs performance I've seen in years, everyone leaner, fitter, playing with a purpose, extremely optimistic about the future. Unlike most on the Spurs' forums, I thought Clattenburg did well, as you say, it could have got well out of hand with a different ref. I thought Nani was fortunate to stay on the pitch but, apart from that, no real complaints. We got pulverised for 20 minutes by the best attacking team of the big 4 and very nearly held out. A lot to be encouraged by. What'd you think of Hutton MJ?

When are referees gonna stop giving penalties just because Gerrard and co turn around and yell at them for it?

If anyone didn't have Ronaldo as captain tonight then