Rich

Staff, I like that. I might ask Dave for wages.

Cheers Bagg, I was wondering as well what had been said. 4-3-3 at Brum? It's actually what I voted for, cos we've done fuck all with 4-4-2...

Just seen your post. I'm critical of Chimbonda for not getting the ball on target, not for missing his penalty, I'm certainly not blaming him for us going out. Without knowing why others didn't step forward I wouldn't criticise those for not taking a penalty either, though I do understand the point you're making. Blame Jenas.

There's always a clever shite or two... In honesty, I had a list of 7 foreign players who cost £7M plus ready to go... but decided against being such a hairy currantflap.

Dean Ashton

I'm still a firm Ashley supporter, don't get me wrong but to suggest he is not without blame is plain wrong. Most agree with the removal of SA but the timing could have been better. Aye, howay man. To absolve any of Shepherd/Ashley/Allardyce/Keegan/Mort of ANY blame at all for how this season has gone is ludicrous. They've all played a massive part in how it's panned out, along with a hell of a lot of other supporting characters as well. Still have to say that the story is utter cack.

I've liked the look of Mifsud from Coventry in the admittedly brief spells I've seen him (can only be about half a dozen games). Small and fast, always playing on the shoulder, but not a brilliant finisher by any stretch of the imagination. He's not that young either, but put in the right team I think he could perform to a good level. He reminds me of He who shall not be named, a bit, mainly because of where he is like. I've always liked Zoltan Gera and knowing a few Baggies now, they absolutely love the bloke as well. Has a bit of everything about him, bit like a Benayoun sort. Could probably look decent at a much bigger club and may move up a division if WBA don't get promoted. Ricardo Fuller should have been a lot better than he has turned out, but a combination of injuries and bad moves have scuppered him a bit. He looked a class apart when I used to watch Preston now and again.

He's got 10% of the work ethic of Smith, yet has still brought 100% more to the club this season than Smith has. Exactly. Aye he's overweight and he's not quick (fuck's sake, what a comical accusation of a player who has never relied on pace), but he oozes class when we actually get the fucking ball into his feet. I'm going to go out on a limb and call him our most important player - Martins included - out of the dross that is our squad. He has been involved in the majority of the good that has occured this season, much like Oba and N'Zogbia have. He has also scored goals which changed matches when we were playing dire football early in the season. Allardyce had a lot to thank him for. Although staying fit would have helped. We knew what we were getting when we signed him though, didn't we? He's the sort of player who will keep us up, much like he did for 'Boro last season. He was immense in the latter stages for them lot.

He's got 10% of the work ethic of Smith, yet has still brought 100% more to the club this season than Smith has. Exactly. Aye he's overweight and he's not quick (fuck's sake, what a comical accusation of a player who has never relied on pace), but he oozes class when we actually get the fucking ball into his feet. I'm going to go out on a limb and call him our most important player - Martins included - out of the dross that is our squad. He has been involved in the majority of the good that has occured this season, much like Oba and N'Zogbia have.

The really obvious ones aside: More recently it was being in the front row of the Gallowgate for Shearer's record-breaking goal against Portsmouth and appearing on the photos of him celebrating it in the official programme/loads of the papers, with my mouth agape, yelling like a maniac. When I can afford it, I plan on getting that photo and having it blown-up/framed, because as daft as it sounds it feels very special to be a tiny part of that moment. His testimonial was also absolutely top-drawer, and I've got MattM4 to thank for that, eternally. Prior to that, being directly in line with Shearer's thunderbolt against Everton from the Milburn Paddock was very special, and then when Bellamy wrapped it up in the last minute it just typified everything brilliant about that team at the time. Watching Arsenal (a) on the TV was fantastic, as well, when we shat all over the London curse. Laurent Robert has provided me with as much joy as any player though, being there when he struck those two goals against Spurs was another absolute highlight and the view I got of the second was unreal. I just remember everyone around being awe struck by him on that day, the atmosphere was fantastic. Even before then, when I didn't have a season ticket, I saw some fantastic games at SJP. The Anderlecht rout being one, when Rob Lee turned into a goal machine, the Swansea game (my little brother's first ever match) where Paul Kitson scored a very good hat-trick.

Egg-feckin-zactly. We're shite, but Sunderland are "summink else!"

Agreed again, Baggio, and fair play about Smith.

Everton and Bremen? :lol:Before I get accused of being a delusional self-loving tart, I was merely relaying what the bookies were saying. Throughout the competition, we have been 2nd favourites to 6th favourites (according to the bookies you looked at), while Everton were pretty similar. I know mate, just being silly. I would like to personally thank Jermaine Jenas for restoring my faith in football as the beautiful game though.

Then stop. Personally, I've never been more eager to get to games and try to lift the spirits of the players and fellow supporters. And I've never been less keen on giving the club shit on radio, SSN or forums, especially when they're so keen for us to do it. Agree with this as well, although I was initially struggling in our last home game... didn't take long for me to get sucked into it though. I'm not sure I even like one of our players - I don't mind Beye or Faye, actually - but like HF said, it's the shirt you're supporting. It is difficult at times though, because some of the people who wear the shirt are utter cunts. EDIT: Not Alan Smith though. Bar being as bad as Baggio predicted, the lad hasn't done anything in particular to make me dislike him.

Everton and Bremen?

Going literally with this, people want to see a 4-4-2 consisting of: Harper Beye Faye Taylor Enrique Milner Barton Emre N'Zogbia Owen Martins With Emre injured though, Cacapa has the next amount of votes and so would come in alongside Taylor, pushing Faye in alongside Barton. Funnily enough, I have to say both of those selections would sit very nicely with me. This forum isn't as daft as it's made out to be, sometimes

I have to say that I do agree with their sentiments. The team needs support more now than it has done for a long time. Call it blinkered, but I struggle to criticise blokes who attend all the matches that they do and who write so accurately and convincingly about our club after every high and low. Their dedication to covering NUFC is unrivaled and I've got nothing but admiration for their website. However, I can see why these comments have got some of us up a height (message board users, eh?), but they're entitled to their opinion, just like the rest of us are. My two pennies, for what they're worth.

Doing well by todays standards or doing well by a pillocks standards ? (Yours in other words) Were you one of those walking out after the Wolves game under SBR, and then two years later saying it was a "glorious time" ? I'd call you a moron, but you'd need a few promotions to get to that level. Ah...now this mentality I can identify with. Positive while accepting our all-too-obvious limitations. I hope to God you're right, mate. I fear the mentality is more of a problem than lack of ability. Not just lack of confidence, but lack of CARE Oh dear. Has your brain just engaged now? Almost 2 days after your first reply to my post? You're an embarrassment to yourself mate. To keep things truthful though, as I can't be having you spreading all sorts of shite around, I stayed after the Wolves game and clapped them off. If you think coming 4th, 3rd and 5th isn't doing "well" when compared to what we've seen since, then I fear you're beyond help/reason. You were moaning about all sorts long before that Wolves game. You're fickle as fuck, you've got nowt between your ears, and you're exactly the sort of "supporter" that deserves the shite we're getting served up with this season.

Quite true - but many of the "tosser-shouters" are even WORSE. Agree with this. Don't enjoy coming on this forum anymore, seems that just because you don't agree with the general consensus, you get shouted down. You do have a nasty habit of coming across as being a bit contrary/knee-jerk at times though, to say the least. You really need to switch the username up, then I'm sure you'd get less jip. When "Optimistic Nut" is anything but, the world just seems a far worse place.

How man, spacker chops. You're making shite up again. I don't want Alan Smith in the team for fuck's sake. All I ever asked was that the bloke was given a chance, and he has been, and Baggio has so far been proven to be absolutely correct about him. Can't say fairer than that, surely?

It's the other way round man. Just had the barnet sorted anyway, short back and sides.

Sunderland will go down. Just. They have a nightmare run in.

Get away man. Fulham, Reading and Sunderland at home still to play after that.

I'll summarise the initial post for those who gave up on HTT long ago: psychology will be important over the next nine games. A thrilling insight!

Oh really ? One game he didn't play - against Stoke - we won comfortably. Surely even you can add 2 and 2 together and not come up with 17 and three quarters ? I have a mate who is as honest as the day is long, will give his all and run through brick walls for whoever he plays for - but he's an absolute disaster as a footballer. As is Smith. He's an utter Jonah. You've missed the point again Phil/made up your own agenda.