Rich

I'd swap Barton/Jonas over and plonk Butt in for Guthrie, at least for now. I fear you're right about JFK too.

Quality post that looks a bit deeper than most others. Agree with it all and especially with the Duff/Butt bits. That's the only reason I can see Duff in particular being untouchable, because of his attitude/experience. He's a safe option.

Geremi did okay last season, like! Guthrie's quicker than both Barton/Geremi, easily. (For all those voting Jonas/N'Zogbia): If we are going 4-4-2, who sits out? Viduka? He's an automatic choice for me if he's fit, like.

Butt central, Jonas left of him, Guthrie/Geremi right of him?

Our flanks: bit of a bone of contention at the moment aren't they? The common opinion seems to be Jonas/N'Zogbia wide if we are to play a 4-4-2, but I see merit in a Geremi/Jonas partnership seeing how Spiderman seems more effective on the left than on the right... but what's to say N'Zogbia couldn't be effective on the right in a similar role? Just wanted to see what people's ideas are on the whole thing... or are wingers extinct now and we should simply go back to a KK style 4-3-3 seeing how Owen, Martins and Ameobi are all fit with The Duke's return imminent as well?

I don't buy the "he can't play LB" stuff. He must have played a few dozen times now in competitive football and he's had some stormers there, mainly going forward (as Tooj said). I certainly see the merit of him playing there against weaker teams, particularly at home (as KK did). But it's easy to forget he was there at Old Trafford this season, where we put in a very credible performance front and back. It's a funny one. For as much as I try to give Duff the benefit of the doubt, I just cannot see what he offers to the team bar his experience/attitude (saw him marshalling Jose a couple of times yesterday, which I can't imagine Zog would do). If you're talking about making other teams worry, pace and end product, then there's surely only one winner?

The whole situation makes me sad.

Jonas>Charlie. True dat. I think I'd rather see Jonas/Geremi on the flanks than Duff/Jonas, to be honest. Jonas looks better on the left and Geremi, while being slow, does actually offer benefits to the team: i.e. assists/set-plays. I thought Gezza was bad at corners until I saw Duff's yesterday.

I'd still prefer to see him in at LB at home instead of Enrique, to be honest, if Duff really can't be shifted.

Wouldn't go that far. He started last season very well under Fat Sam at LB, scoring and creating a fair few goals. If he'd been left alone in the team, in his preferred position, I think it's undoubtable he'd have offered more than Duff/Milner would when played in his position (LW). Thing is, like Enrique, as soon as he has one bad game he's usually taken straight off/out, while the likes of Duff can be bad over and over again and still get picked.

If he is how come Carroll is getting picked ahead of him and Lua Lua whose just back from injury gets on the bench then yesterday Maybe they think he'll benefit more at the mo from playing, rather than sitting on the bench?

Olsson sent off now, so Blackburn will play 50 minutes with 10 men.

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-utd/newcastle-utd-news/2008/11/23/paris-in-the-springtime-for-toon-starlet-79310-22318630/

Spurs 1-0 up already. Roman from an Aaron cross.

Yet another person missing my point. They've shown yesterday that they CAN perform, and against a team bang in form. I don't see why we should be chopping and changing it every week. Stick with them and let them develop an understanding. If Bassong had a mare at LB then would you want him out of the team again? Ad infinitum. We ought to pick our best back four - with everyone in their natural positions - and stick with it IMO. I agree 100% that the back four should be the same week in week out, I just don't think Enrique at LB and Beye at RB in particular give us great attacking options which for my money is the best way to defend, i.e. from the front. The Chelsea match saw 10-11 men behind the ball whenever they were on it so not surprisingly the defence did well - all that cover and protection would help any under fire defence. We shouldn't use that one match in any way to justify the current back-four though as they were shite against Wigan, especially at RB and LB. Hence my choice of Taylor at RB and Bassong at LB who hase the athleticism and pace to get forward from there while also being a competent defender. Enrique rarely passes the half-way line and that doesn't helpe neither the defence or the attack. On the other flank I think Beye is an excellent defender but going forward isn't the best. He isn't aggressive enough whereas Taylor is. Furthermore from yesterday's evidence a lot of Beye's best work came in the centre of defence covering for Colo or Bassong, he's a cool head in there and reads play well. I'd play him there alongside Colo. So you'd play 3 players out of position, basically? Fantastic.

It is a worrying thought that we might dump all the high earners to make the club more sellable Think about that again for a second. Who's going to want to buy this club with those players, let alone without them!? "Our wage bill makes great reading, but we're getting relegated!"

Can anyone honestly blame the bloke if he does go? Honestly? Looking at that game yesterday, although it was a good result, showed just how far we've fallen over the past few years. Owen in particular spent the majority of the game in his own half chasing shadows. No striker is going to be happy with being asked to play like that... and that's even without taking into account all the other shite that has gone on since he's been here. Aye, it hasn't been the fairytale for us either since he signed (injuries, etc.), but unlike us he does have the option of leaving it all behind and fair play to him if he takes and does go on to bigger and better things. You only want players who want to play for your club, at the end of the day, replace him with someone young, fit and hungry and he'll soon be forgotten.

Since 12am there's been maintenance ongoing in the background (fixing the Search, basically), it's a massively long process when conducted without putting the forum into "Maintenance Mode" where nobody at all can get on, and even in that mode it takes a good few hours. I thought a day or so of variable loading times (especially a Sunday) wouldn't be too bad, rather than half a day or so completely offline.

Zheng Zhi, the China captain! He's the China captain you know? China captain.

Wasn't soccer night discontinued. Mainly because it's total and utter shite. As are most things that involve the baldy fag Roger Tames :lol:

0/7 as it stands, then.

Must be Shitty/Arsenal, without looking.

It's got a bit of spice for me these days, this "derby", as one of my best mates at uni is a Smog... as are a few of the lecturers. Safe to say: if we get done I won't be hearing the end of it for a good while. Score draw!

Thought the opposite, tbh. Can't remember a game where so much went our way (mostly correctly).