chicago_shearer

Total fucking bollocks. 

The most frustrating thing is that any sensible person would have drawn a big red circle around Nicky Butt's name in the summer of 2007 or before and done something to replace him.  We got so close to being rid of him when Souness shipped him off to Birmingham. 

Nolan is clearly a better player than Butt. Butts second touch is a tackle, and he has made about 5-6 penalties against us this season.

 

I prefer Butt. Say what you want about him but he's definately a fighter who gives his all. People say the same about nolan but i really don't agree. He has a decent shot on him but other then that, he offers nothing else. He's also extremley slow and about a half a stone overweight. He's the sort of player that rarely gets involved in play but might come up with a decent shot on goal now and again, then go back to doing nothing.

Butt is not a fighter and he does not give it his all.  The plucky, hard working, "say what you will..." myth about Nicky Butt is just that.  If he were not English he would not be playing Premiership football.  Simple as that.  Even at his peak he was average.  Now he can't pass, he can't run and he is old as fuck.  No other team in this league would have him playing in their first team - none.

Nolan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....>>>>>>>>>>>>>....>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

>>>>>Butt

 

Teamsheet:

 

CM: Nolan - Veloso

But in reality, Butt - Smith.  Let's face it.   

Anyone but Man Utd will be fine, preferably not Chelsea either.  I might be pleased if Villa won it but I'd probably just be jealous.

What's the deadline for getting him registered for this weekend?  Passed already I'm guessing.

Nolan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....>>>>>>>>>>>>>....>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>Butt

If only KK had JFK like ability of not noticing Xisco.

That is the most mystifying thing of all.  KK throws a fit, falls out with the management and quits after signing this guy and JFK just casually ignores him all season and gets offered a new deal. 

All these people saying Shearer should earn his spurs by managing a small club in the lower leagues before taking a Premiership job....maybe he can have his chance at Newcastle. 

He's been average to poor, but he's a million miles away from the biggest problem at the moment.  Put him in a good side and he he'll be fine. 

You have to sack Kinnear now, you really do.  If you sack him now you can probably avoid the massive payout Ashley will be forced to shell out for when we sack him under a long term contract next season.  Even if you are optimistic/deluded enough to think a Joe Kinnear team can beat the drop this season, there has been nothing to suggest he is capable of taking this team forward.  Not in squad motivation, not tactically and not in the January window.  At best, we stay up by the skin of our teeth and prepare for the same again next season.  At worse, we do a Leeds and sack him when we are in the bottom third of the fizzy pop after a month or two.

Sacking another manager, again, is embarrassing and might not result in a better replacement.  There is a big chance it won't.  But at this point it is like slamming on the brakes in a car accident when you realize a collision is almost inevitable - you do it anyway and hope for the best.  Kinnear out. 

Jesus, just sack him and give Wise ago. 

There, I said it.

I honestly feel this is the game that will decide the season.  They won't survive a loss and a double by the mackems, the squad don't have enough talent or character. 

The formula since Keegan left has been:

Kinnear > the calibre of replacement we will likely attract.

But I think this game is the tipping point.  I'll take a big gamble over the increasing likelihood of relegation.  We obviously aren't bringing in great quality in this window, and we only have one roll of the dice left.  Sack the b****** and take a chance.  We have nothing left to lose.  Panic move?  You bet.  Now is the time to panic. 

8.  We are going down I'm afraid.  The voices of reason who say otherwise are starting to look more foolish than the kneejerkers. 

What's more, I don't think it should seem shocking.  I'm beginning to think we might just be one of the three worst teams in the league.  That table doesn't lie. 

http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Tom-Lappin-Cashrich-City-heading.4911657.jp

Cringe worthy.  This disdain towards City for throwing money about to attract big names is just stupid in my opinion.  It either stems from pure jealousy or the very annoying mentality that there are four big teams in the Premiership, and sixteen others that make up the numbers.  How dare City try and sign Kaka with foreign money, only the top four are allowed to aim that high. 

cant believe we weren't in the mix for bullard, surely we could of raised 5 mil (the milner money alone would have sufficed), and regardless of the turmoil we are in we are a much bigger club than hull, so if the player had to choose, then im sure it would have been us, on the other hand, optimistically thinking,  the reason we weren't in for him could be due to the fact we have 'bigger irons in the fire', or are in negotiations with similar players already , hope to christ i am right

 

Can't see the obsession with Bullard tbh. He would offer nothing more to our team than we already have.

 

Agreed.

What we already have is absolute shit.

If it is any consolation to the Premier League's lawyers, I get as little pleasure out of watching a tiny, slow, pixelated video stream of Nicky Butt losing possession as they do.  At least mp3 downloads are enjoyable. 

There is an amateur football team near where I'm living at the moment that competes in the USL league.  Every USL match is broadcast online via a US cable company for a PPV fee.  With video quality that puts most illegal streams to shame (USLlive.com if you are interested).  This local team played a pre season friendly against Burnley in the summer and the guys on their fan forum couldn't believe it.  Broadcast live, great quality, no bullshit applications with Chinese characters to download.  No one even cares in this country, but they can put together a service like that for the minority that do.

This is entirely the fault of the Premier League.  They fell behind and now they are paying the price.  Fuck them.

I don't think we have enough 'quality', but I don't think that necessarily means just technical ability.

Sir Bobby's squad had more character.  That was the most important thing.  We obviously don't have anyone like Shearer providing leadership on the pitch these days, but there were also players like Speed and (yes) Bellamy who could provide inspiration and leadership.  Even Robert on his day.  Who are the equivalent players in this squad?  We have none.  Our best players turn up when the team is collectively playing well and opposition isn't.  And that isn't good enough in this league.  You need to win the poor games, which is what Sir Bobby's teams did. 

These days when we are 0-1 down to Blackburn or Hull or Wigan or whoever, you just don't see a goal coming.  I'm not saying they don't care (I'm sure some - not all - do) but there is no magic.  Maybe that is down to the manager not providing the confidence, maybe it has more to do with the personality of the players. 

So no, the technical ability of the squad isn't the problem.  And much of it is down to the manager.  But I'm convinced that a good manager wouldn't try and coach good performances out of Nicky Butt, Geremi or Duff.  That is a fool's errand.  He'd bin the fuckers and start again. 

Hasn't he been suffering from some sort of fitness problem?

Smith straight back in the first team, brilliant.  This long march towards the seemingly inevitable will be very painful, but at least it won't come as a surprise.  Total fucking shambles. 

I hope we have some seriously talented coaches behind the scenes making the best of this young talent.

Maximum rapeage. 

The imminent prospect of which will hopefully force Wise, Kinnear and Ashley to make some deals in the next day or two.

I'd add Jonas to that list. 

One really good central midfielder could be the difference this year.  I don't know enough about M'Bia - maybe he is our man - but the lack of real quality in the middle has cost us dearly so many times this season.