Rich

If something collapses on me, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your days. Not in the good way, either.

DOOM MONGERER!

Well done. This was very predictable, HTL. He mooned at his own fans at the weekend, didn't he!? Lovely lad.

I just kept refreshing the bastard, it took fucking ages. Tell him to stick at it.

BBC Story Anyone else going to this? £10 for adults, £5 for kids. I never got to the old Wembley and so when I heard the tickets for this match were going on-sale today I thought I'd ring a couple of the lads and see if anyone was up for it. 2 hours of sitting on the sometimes-broken/sometimes-refreshing FA Website finally paid off as I managed to get tickets in the South East Corner of the new ground, after much arse-twitching. Then it was off to GNER.com to sort out train tickets, which proved to be a royal scare as well because I'd spotted return tickets (Fri-Sun) for £50 each and by the time I'd phoned around to see if the times were okay they'd fucking vanished from the website! The next available prices were over £100 each. Astounding. Cue more arse-twitching, until I thought I'd phone GNER with a dodgy story to "complain" that I'd had the cheaper tickets in my basket and the page had "refreshed automatically", causing them to vanish. The lass on the other end of the phone was great and gave me the seats for the same price as I had originally saw them at. Result. Next stop was to find some decent accomodation and £60 each for two nights has got us into some snazzy-looking apartments in between Wembley and Central London, with a tube station right nearby. £125 each for two nights in the Smoke, complete with train travel and match tickets. I'm amazed it's been so cheap. Does anyone on here bother watching England much? I've never seen any type of England team play anywhere before. Not really that arsed about them. Should be good if only for the fact that Taylor and Milner should be playing and Nigel Pearson will be managing them, as Stuart Pearce cannot take charge of this particular game.

Exactly what I was going to type. Wish people would learn the words an' all! It is like a fucking sprint-song though when it gets going.

I posted the link up on here sometime last week, I think. Didn't seem like anybody was too bothered at the time. Is that NSG making a tit of himself again as "Obafemi Martins"? Nah it isn't, for some reason it wont let me register I'm surprised, because whoever did it got some good bites straight away. It smacked of experience. I particularly liked the one calling Martins a "chocolateletter" and saying he would "melt in the DSB". Clever stuff.

I posted the link up on here sometime last week, I think. Didn't seem like anybody was too bothered at the time. Is that NSG making a tit of himself again as "Obafemi Martins"?

The problem with Neill is he's on something like 60k at West Ham, would you pay him that? Dyer's getting £80k+, Owen's on £100k+, Duff must be on £60k-ish, same with Martins... Luque is getting paid £40k or there abouts. Obviously these won't be exact figures, so feel free to pull me up on any you think might be way out. £60k these days is sadly becoming fairly normal - I actually dread to think what we're paying the likes of Carr and Babayaro at the minute and the fact that we are paying Luque £40k a week (or so) for practically nothing means that I would not object to us getting shot of him and buying a first-choice fullback and paying him £60k p/w. I don't doubt that it's obscene, but I'm sure the likes of Wayne Bridge would command a similar sort of wage, and I personally think that Neill is a far better bet than the likes of Johnson and Hoyte, who are yet to really prove anything in the game. It all depends on Solano, really. If he can play to his current level for another season then I would not object to us looking at someone like Hoyte and preparing him for the future. If Solano isn't going to be the solution next season, then we need to look at getting somebody of proven class in. Is Neill definitely on £60k p/w? Was he getting that at Blackburn? (Seems outlandish for them lot!) The only mention I've heard of the £60k thing came from someone who was describing him on the new database of Football Manager, that's why I'm asking. All the papers put him as £60kpw, in fact every media source listed it at that figure, the FM update came a month after the window shut (and am sure it wasn't even that figure) , so hardly its fault now is it? Sigh. I never said it was "FM's fault". Merely said that I had only heard the figure of £60k p/w from someone who got it from the game. I didn't read any of the multiple news stories about Neill's move to West Ham at the time, I don't think. And if I did, I simply didn't remember his suggested wage. Even so, who can say that all of the media sources have got it right? All it takes is one bit of wrong information from a reputable source and the rest will follow, i.e. the "Shearer is always our highest earner" thing.

All fair enough, but we don't know that Neill would want £60k p/w if he gets relegated with West Ham. He's hardly in as strong a bargaining position as he was when he moved there. I do agree with you in that it's daft money, as well, but even at SJP it's hardly an uncommon wage, which was my gist. My personal view on things is that I'd keep Solano, try and see if Edgar has the potential to be a quality right-back and sell Stephen Carr, making do with the two former for next season while we concentrate on more pressing areas of the squad. I'd rather we got a really high-class left-back instead of two average players for both full-back positions. I could even survive with Solano/Carr as our options if we bought quality in other areas. Might be a risk, but if Solano doesn't work out then we've still got umpteen players who can fill in there to a degree and January would provide a chance to strenghten that area in a new market.

No, it doesn't. Because she's not a man.

I wouldn't class £60k as a "huge earner" these days. I'd be extremely interested to see what Parker, Emre, Duff, Martins, Owen, Given, Solano, etc. get paid. I bet a fair few of them are up and beyond the £60k p/w mark, meaning that it's quite possibly not an outlandish amount for someone who would be an automatic choice in the team. If we don't sell any players in the summer to free up more of the wage bill, then I'd agree that it does seem too hefty a weekly sum to pay when there will undoubtedly be other good options available. But if, as expected, we lose Bernard and Luque from the wages, as well as a few other players who we'd like to see the back of - then surely there's space for a few more "big earners" on the books, without things getting abominable. Surely we shaved some of the bill over last season with these players leaving: Shearer, Boumsong (I'd love to know how much he was getting), Bowyer, Faye, Viana (hopefully he'd have been getting nowt off us anyway), Elliott, Chopra? The first three were probably getting paid very, very handsomely. I'd bet that our wages are a fair wedge down on where they were at when Souness was here, already, as Roeder has only brought in Duff, Martins, Sibierski, Bernard, Srnicek and Onyewu/Rossi.

The problem with Neill is he's on something like 60k at West Ham, would you pay him that? Dyer's getting £80k+, Owen's on £100k+, Duff must be on £60k-ish, same with Martins... Luque is getting paid £40k or there abouts. Obviously these won't be exact figures, so feel free to pull me up on any you think might be way out. £60k these days is sadly becoming fairly normal - I actually dread to think what we're paying the likes of Carr and Babayaro at the minute and the fact that we are paying Luque £40k a week (or so) for practically nothing means that I would not object to us getting shot of him and buying a first-choice fullback and paying him £60k p/w. I don't doubt that it's obscene, but I'm sure the likes of Wayne Bridge would command a similar sort of wage, and I personally think that Neill is a far better bet than the likes of Johnson and Hoyte, who are yet to really prove anything in the game. It all depends on Solano, really. If he can play to his current level for another season then I would not object to us looking at someone like Hoyte and preparing him for the future. If Solano isn't going to be the solution next season, then we need to look at getting somebody of proven class in. Is Neill definitely on £60k p/w? Was he getting that at Blackburn? (Seems outlandish for them lot!) The only mention I've heard of the £60k thing came from someone who was describing him on the new database of Football Manager, that's why I'm asking.

Nobody said Lucas Neill, again? I know he's not particularly brilliant, but I'd have thought he was very much available in the summer with West Ham almost certainties to go down. Obviously nowhere near as "cultured" as Solano, but is a versatile leader who will get stuck in and add some steel to our backline that has been missing for eons now. If there's one thing our side needs it's more gritty characters who can also play a bit. He's got all the attributes for a modern full-back, it's only his loyalty and his disciplinary record that would put me off him. I also agree that the left is a more immediate priority and I'd be delighted if we managed to get Bridge or Baines here. There are a stack of classy full-backs abroad, though, it all depends on what Roeder wants to see in his back-line. He has said recently that he wants "leaders" and more vocal players, so this would suggest to me players who can already speak English and who have a proven track-record of being influential in their careers so far. It's why Neill seems an exceptionally obvious choice. He's probably burned his bridges with Liverpool and I can't see any of the other "big 3" going for him, so I'd say we have a great chance of getting him here.

Aye that's a very good point. I'm all for bringing in another young defender, but i think we should get that cheaply in Gooch (presuming he keeps up his adequate form). But an experienced centre-back must be a priority for that position, because the likes of Taylor, Edgar, etc - maybe even Ramage - will thrive from that. Definitely the right way to do things, although it seems Roeder is against such an idea. I'm sure Bobby Robson tried to bring Gareth Southgate here from Middlesbrough when Woodgate was still on our books, what a massive difference someone like that might have made to the likes of Bramble, O'Brien, Taylor and Ramage. Taylor, Gooch and Bramble are a solid enough trio of centre-halves, but if we could bring in an experienced bloke who is still a very, very good player for a season or two then it could be invaluable to them if they are to progress any further. They are all still young enough and they all have enough natural attributes to be able to be players who peak slightly later than normal. Each of that trio has some of the things a top-class centre-half needs, but they all seem to lack the ability to concentrate/read the game/pick a pass, to differing levels. I've hoped that we'd do this for a long time now as we always have numerous young defenders, combined with a rash of experienced duffers (Dabizas, Carr, Babayaro, Moore, etc.) if we could just get one top-class player in who has aspirations of coaching when he retires to work with the defence then we could see massive improvement from our defenders. I don't think Roeder and Pearson have improved Bramble or Taylor very much in the time that they've been here, but that could be my growing dislike of Glenn talking there, rather than an accurate observation.

Jesus, talk about paranoia! Was saying you lads are entertaining. Some fucking people.

Btw, I always thought he was a good signing. I just didn't know he had two good feet. Try reading other threads at the time again and you'd see I was always pleased with his signing (and excited when it was in the process of happening). Never once did I criticize the boy, not even during his rough start so I'd appreciate it if you don't lump me in with other people and stop chatting shit about what I say/said. The bit about his two feet wasn't criticism, was just opinion based on what I'd seen of him in Serie A, an opinion which was obviously wrong. All I said was that you'd provided me with "immense entertainment" in this thread, along with the others. A compliment if ever there was one.

Martins did look fairly gash in his first games here and he was infuriatingly bad in some of them, but a lot of the posters on the "positive" side of the divide never said he was a mega-star, they simply said to give him time to start proving his worth. He's still not a megastar, but he has done miles better than a lot of people were expecting. I still think a lot of concerns about him in the early days were justified, as very little went right for him in his first few appearances, but the likes of Phil K, Northern Monkey, Stormrider and XVentura have still provided me with immense entertainment looking back over this thread. The usual suspects, if ever there were some.

Says the bloke who said this: Classic.

Aye, but when I put my memory cap on I recall a lot of games where Nobby's wand has had an off-day, even when he's played right of midfield his passing has been piss-poor for someone who is capable of picking out a team-mate so beautifully on most occasions. I completely agree in that I would like to see Carr sold (if anyone would take him), but I'm just skeptical that our funds could stretch to finding an up-and-coming RB and so would endure him for another season, as long as he wasn't a first-choice player. If we can sell Carr then I would not sniff at Roeder keeping a hold of Edgar and trying to mould him into a modern right-back because he is the only one of our young defenders who is good enough on the ball to even be considered for this role. It would be a crime if someone who has shown the glimpses of potential that Davey has is shipped out to keep a hold of Stephen Carr. Does anyone else reckon that Edgar has the potential to play at right-back? Could he have a better senior professional to learn the trade from than Solano? It seems like the lad knows how to defend, more or less, so Solano could bring on his attacking play more than anything and help him improve his reading of the game. It's all very idealist, I know, but I can't see Edgar getting a look-in in the centre next term unless we find ourselves cursed again, and if we do address the LB position he's not going to get a shot there either (not that he ever should, being right-footed!) Edgar for future RB? Could be a worthwhile bandwagon to create.

Completely agree, it was a waste of time bringing him on with Sibierski making way. Nobody to cross to. I'm not sure that he will work with Martins/Owen up front and I don't think he is good enough a footballer to be picked ahead of the likes of Dyer/Solano if we want to play a rhythmic passing game. Just doesn't have the brain to offer enough play on the deck and constantly goes for the byline and attempts the cross. I still have serious doubts about his future here, but I do think he would be invaluable in a line-up that was heavily based around wing-play and with two strikers who are top-class in the air. There are certain games which are made for Milner, but he's definitely not someone I can see being a first-choice player at NUFC for a long time yet, unless we continue to suffer at the hands of the God of injuries. Needs a massive improvement if he's ever going to keep Dyer out of the team on the right-flank. I thought Dyer was superb there against AZ.

Couldn't we field that team next year? Why wait two? cos it's only the year after next that goalkeepers become illegal....................apparently You've been on fire lately Re: the fullbacks issue. We need a LB who can offer what Solano does on the right hand side, if at all possible. Doesn't need to be great in the air, doesn't need to be particularly lightning fast, just someone who can pick a pass and who is composed on the ball. As already stated by many it's going to be hard to not improve on Babayaro, who isn't atrocious, but who is injured far too often and who seems to be declining more and more with every passing season. Left-back is THE priority positions in my eyes and I think we'll fill it with a very good signing as it seems Roeder has also pinpointed this area as one that needs a strong player incoming. I think Nobby easily has another year in him at RB and I don't think Carr is that bad of a back-up, if the fat bugger stays fit, so I'd be appeased if a CB and a LB were signed over the summer.

In fairness to Roeder, he did alright with his selection against AZ and on one other occasion I can remember this season! Two out of a lot ain't bad.

PhysioRoom Injury League Table I know this is probably asking for trouble, but today is the first time in ages that I can remember where we do not sit at the VERY TOP of the "most injured players" table on that website. Granted, we're still joint-second and could quite easily find ourselves back at the top after next week, but for now we can sleep a little easier in the news that we are not the most injury-hit squad in the Premier League. Also, Ramage and Moore are back in full-training and will probably be in the squad for the away leg of this UEFA Cup round.

You're not the only one, fella. If we get past AZ then we are in for another huge night at SJP, at the least, and one that we might even see Michael Owen involved in, depending on whether the home/away leg comes first. It is imperative that we keep people fit this time, by not over-working them. We got undone against Marseille and Sporting because we had too many irons in the fire both times, no such things distracting us now. Have to say though, I'd have fancied us a lot more in those two ties had the home leg been second. Aye, I know what you're saying, but I'm still not sure we had enough to win either time due to injuries/timing and all that nonsense. This time is a completely different story, though, as Sheffield United and Reading are the two games in between the two Quarters' and two Semi's, there are no FA Cup matches or league challenges to get in the way.