Rich

I like Barton, but this myth that he was our "best player" last season is being pushed far too often for me.

People wanting Sunderland to win, man. Think about it. We want as much pressure on them next week as possible in front of their gurning masses, the best thing for that is a resounding Liverpool win today.

True colours showing through again tonight, I like it.

Undoubtedly shoe-horning of the highest nature, but like you say I'd rather see that than Ryan Taylor. Don't expect to see Perch anywhere near regardless.

Gosling RB, Simpson LB anyone? Surprised not to have seen it mentioned yet.

This can fuck right off, an' all

Hard to argue. He wasn't even that good in his "good" spell in the Championship and he is soiling himself further with every day he sucks money out of this club.

Polic has nailed it, really. The Nolan decision lives or dies by Cabaye, basically. If he's as good as he should be, then Nolan will soon be forgotten by his doting fans. Obviously generally playing better football and finishing higher up the table will help too, of course.

Think people forget this. He's shit, undeniably terrible at this level and essentially leaves us with 10 men when he plays. However, he has contributed towards this club a lot more than many who have came in for bigger fees and earned more money. Would have easily been our top scorer in the promotion season if he'd had a proper pre-season. People generally do forget it, which is a real shame. Not just with Lovenkrands, either, but there are a lot of players who take a lot of shit and their better moments are just completely wiped from memory.

It's a banker, surely? I saw Jonas at right-back and he was bad enough, surely left-back could only be worse?

While I do appreciate what he's contributed at times, I would be pretty chuffed if we did manage to flog Lovenkrands. After Xisco's departure, he stands with four others on my "release/sell" list from the end of last season. Campbell, Harper, Kuqi, Perch, Routledge, Smith and R. Taylor are/were the others. Quite happy with the progress on this front so far.

He's online, don't worry. I checked before the post. His signature can't have much space left, surely?

If Jonas "finds a new position" at left-back, I'll have gender reassignment surgery.

I know this is going to sound naive on my behalf but I honestly only view it as 2. Phasing out/replacing Nolan was in my eyes a sign of progress rather than a loss (as risky as it is) and was something I was expecting to happen. Cabaye will hopefully prove to be the dog's bollocks and a far better player overall, but I don't think that there's any doubt that Nolan was a "key player" at the end of this season. I know it's semantics, but he was club captain, scored loads of goals, seemed well-liked by our other "good" players, etc. He was a huge part of how we played. I really, really liked Nolan though. I do appreciate there are plenty on here who weren't as sold on him as I was.

Aye, even his utter misery is quite appealing. That's the sort of shite I'm talking about man. These new Frogs had better have some similar quirks... or just be good footballers. Either is fine.

Aye, well summed up for me as well Interpolic One of the biggest things for me last season was that I enjoyed having a team that I "liked" again, as in a collection of individuals who I rated on the park and off the park as well. A vast, vast majority of our players had something appealing about them, whether it be their ability, their leadership, their aggression, etc. Hughton certainly did as well, and I must admit that Pardew pleasantly surprised me when he arrived. I really just hope the new lads we've brought in are the same. It does feel gutting to have lost three really key players in such a short space of time, but all is not lost if they have been/will be effectively replaced. There are still a lot of good fucking players at this club.

Ah, I thought he'd been back in training for a little while now. Not having NUFC TV really takes you out of the loop.

Different team to the one that beat us, completely different. Only Sam Togwell is left from the starting XI of that night. Each club has been on completely opposite trajectories since that season.

Surely Ferguson will just play LB in this one?

Wednesday on the TV hopefully.

Shock.

Howay Brighton.

This is shit.

Fat fingers, sorry folks.

Jesus. Journalists are class.