Beren

You didn't say that you were talking about the first eight games and it was in a match thread. The reference about Nicky Butt was justified, if it's good enoough for him to get stick for an assist to the opposition then it's good enough for Barton to get the same. Well, I quite clearly did, but not too bothered about pettifogging - crossed wires are crossed wires. As for the Butt comment, comparing the two is plainly absurd Mick. I think you know too much about football to compare the two so I don't understand why it was even worth mentioning. It's pretty clear that giving the ball away that leads to a goal is an action which deserves flack, but Barton is hardly a Ramage/Perch/Butt-esque serial offender, is he? Most of the time he gives the ball away it's with a forward pass, which - while undesirable - is hardly the same as Butt having his shitty sideways passes intercepted and the opposition scoring. Another blindingly clearly difference is that Barton actually has the capability of picking out a decent forward ball when there's movement ahead of him, while Butt had some vastly misguided notion he could spray 40-50 yard balls over the top like he was Rivaldo for the first seven eighths of his career before Newcastle. Sounds like you just wanted to shoehorn Nicky Butt into the same breath as Barton tbh.

Any player who gives the ball to the opposition that leads to a goal deserves stick, Nicky Butt did the same thing and was slaughtered for it. I'm talking about over the course of the first eight games. An almost completely unnecessary reference to Nicky Butt too btw.

They aren't representative of the forum/fanbase by any means, but: Yep. Only thing I think Hughton got wrong today. Not a big thing, though. The players were a bigger disappointment than the selection IMO. Perch > Raylor was a massive selection mistake though.

The stick Barton is being given strikes me as a bit unwarranted. Don't think he's been half as bad as is being made out. Routledge/Nolan have been more disappointing over the course of the season so far - in fact the times where they act as passengers in the team have probably prompted Barton to be overly-ambitious. Having two strikers up front would help his play much more IMO.

Small bump to acknowledge his good play today, brief though it was

Krul Raylor Colo Williamson Enrique Gutierrez Tiote Barton Ranger Ameobi Carroll

Away from SJP is a bizarre positive. We play pretty decent on the road.

It's decided by a special committee of some kind, pretty subjective. Alan Johnson got a far bonus few points for coming off the bench to score against us before the international break IIRC. So largely about impact - so makes sense Shola got a point. Did really well.

Fantastic player, but Di Santo had so much space, time and freedom on the right. So easy to pass in behind our defence it was untrue. Very shaky, and dare I say poor, performance from our favourite Spaniard.

I buy my tickets online and have never been asked to prove I'm a student Cheers JH, mate of mine was worried

What ID do you need to bring/show/have to qualify as a student at SJP?

Shola-Carroll has, has, has to start in future.

In all seriousness, with some of the anger and expletives of my invective subsiding... he's more than had his chance. I generally don't agree with comparing the profession of football to regular jobs (because they are so far removed), but if you fucked up at work as many times as him with such high stakes you'd justifiably be let go, doesn't matter how old you are.

In the last two months?

Have we had any shots on target?

I hope they feel sorry for us and give us a goal, seems like the only way that team will score today. Such disappointing bastards.

I don't want him to play for us again, but I think we should keep him. Otherwise he'll move to Scunthorpe and score a hat-trick against us.

Take off Perch and it'll be his last game for the club, it'll destroy what little confidence he has... ... ...take off Perch, dammit!

Really can't understand what anyone sees in Perch. Look the fuck at him. He's not a winner.

FML.

Jose has been absent at left-back like. Way too easy for them to pass it in behind him.

Just lacking a little bit of crispness in our passing.

Raylor misses out again. Eep.

No Rodagella and Caldwell starts!

Pretty antsy now, hurry up 3pm.