gazza ladra

and ? Blackburn, I suppose. Anyway, I hope the third is either Blackburn or Birmingham. I'd rather see West Brom and Wolves survive than either of those two. Still, if Blackburn were to actually go down the odes to Fat Sam would make for odious reading. Premier league without Blackburn and Wigan would be nice. Like to see Birmingham go down just because they are dreadful to watch.

Wow, I'd sure like to revise my picks. I had Blackpool, West Ham, and West Brom. Don't think any three of those now. Wolves and Wigan.

Adebayor.

Think West Ham will survive. They've been getting draws or wins against the other relegation candidates all season. Obviously, I'm not counting us amongst that lot. This is a side we should beat---even without Carroll. 2-1

Think all three promoted sides will survive this season. Everton are not in trouble. Aston Villa are.

Robbie Keane's goal celebrations.

Yes. Their success fucks up Liverpool. Or Tottenham.

Thanks for that.

NUFC-centric (mostly) Team of the Year: Spain Player of the Year: Messi Young Player of the Year: Andy Carroll Goalkeeper of the year: Krul Defender of the Year: Jose Enrique Midfielder of the Year: Kevin Nolan Forward of the Year: Andy Carroll Most Improved Player of the Year: Andy Carroll Year to Forget: (Can be a team or player): Boro Manager of the Year: Chris Hughton / Owen Coyle Best (Most competitive) League: Ligue 1 Worst League: SPL Most Improved League: Ligue 1 Favourite Football Moment of the Year: Promotion Biggest Football Disappointment of the Year: Hughton's sacking Most Shocking Moment of the Year: Hughton's sacking

Thought Hughton was off to West Ham? Funny how he's everybody's first choice to come in and right the ship.

Nolan really makes me appreciate what an incredibly awful choice Michael Owen was for captain. I genuinely like all our players. There is something endearingly despicable about Joey Barton. I just love the guy.

Love how after they shook hands, Barton does that lollipop bit.

Joey talks a lot of sense. Always has.

This is so fucking weird. I had just got to the point where I knew the club was moving in the right direction. Even though they lost to West Brom and looked so poor-- I never for a moment doubted that they would turn it around the next weekend and press forward. For the first time this season, I fear relegation.

Pardew + 1 key injury = Relegation

Unfucking believable. Just when I was starting to really enjoy following the club again. Fuck off ashley

Fuck you. No, never

Well, they're doing their part.

it's crazy. the entire world cup bar 2 or 3 stadiums will be hosted in doha and its suburbs, and doha is a relatively small city. the other "cities" include places that dont actually exist atm and a couple of small villages around the size of Corbridge. and then in temperatures in excess of 40'c. in a country with backwards rules on sexuality equality, drinking in public, human rights, and the freedom of the press. and a place with absolutely no football culture to speak of where over a dozen of their national team players have just been imported from abroad. ive no doubt with the time they have to prepare they'll manage to pull it off, but that's not to say they deserve to host it, cos they don't. I don't disagree with you entirely. I just don't think that "deserve" has anything to do with it. Qatar is backwards. Ok. But since when has being "backwards" politically or socially ruled a nation out? Political backwardness didn't prevent Italy in 38 or Argentina in 78 from hosting. To say that they do not have the infrastructure to host the games is to instantly rule out 95% of the globe. I don't think that the bar for hosting the games should be so high as to eliminate poorer or smaller nations. FIFA already operates under the principle that the games rotate between the confederations. This endorses the idea that different parts of the globe are entitled to host the games. Prior to 2002, Asia was a glaring omission. Prior to the last World Cup, it was Africa. With Russia, they've got Eastern Europe for the first time. Qatar represents the Middle East/Arab world. I see Central Asia in my future. Uzbekistan 2034!

Qatar is effectively hosting the World Cup for the Arab world. Perfectly understandable.

@ thenorthumbrian 100% correct. I'm disappointed about the U.S. not winning-- only because I'd like to attend the games. But realistically, England and the United States have already hosted the World Cup and looking at it as a neutral I'd much rather see the games take place in a country that has never hosted the tournament before.

I'd rather see Nolan playing off Carroll. He's got a knack for being in the right place to put away Andy's flicks. AC created a number of opportunities against Chelsea that I think Nolan might have put away. Those opportunities were just wasted on Shola.

Just noticed that AC has been picked by 49% of the teams at Fantasy Football League.

Hope you are right. Doubt it though.

Well, Enrique made the soccernet team of the week. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=847157&sec=england&root=england&cc=5901 I love Enrique, but he was giving the ball away a little too easily in the second half for my liking. Good to see him get some recognition though.