gazza ladra

Were linked to Senderos.

Completely unrealistic for us, but do you suppose Man United will attempt to offload Carrick?

He was supposed to be going to get punished this year but hasn't.

Excellent point.

This gushing over Kuivert is a bit over the top tbh. Four of his goals came against a weak ass Bnei Sakhnin.

Man United paid £10m for Chris Smalling.

NOFC

Again, what is meant by big money? Were the club offered a Lescott-like sum, I'd sell.

I have the same feeling. Hope to God they're all still here come September 1st. What exactly is the right money for Enrique?

We've won starting games with Butt, Smith, Fritz Hall, Ryan Taylor, and Pancrate. We'll win the title even if we don't play the current "full strength" eleven. 100 point is an arbitray goal that doesn't really move the club forward. We're better off giving minutes to some younger players--- Kadar, Krul, Ranger should get some starts. Now that Barton is available, he should play as well. Also, we should be putting Best in the shop window. Promotion and playing younger players is real progress.

Legend.

Why especially Best? What have you seen him that makes you think he's worth a start? Nothing. But playing time, a goal, and a little confidence could make for a big change. I thought that Hughton might start the rotation now because 1) We have a lot of players returning to fitness now (Barton, Smith, Ameobi, Williamson, Enrique); 2) We are now virtually assured of promotion; 3) the Petersborough and Sheff Utd matches are coming with only a couple of days rest. Nolan has got to sit one of those games. Also, as some have mentioned, we can rest Jonas & Colo (who may be bound for South Africa) and play some players that need to be put in the shop window. If we are going to offload Best surely we'd be better off with him playing (and scoring or not scoring) than sitting on the bench and not scoring. Returning Smith to the lineup would make it seem that he was not playing only because he was injured instead of just being shit.

Nah, no joke. Would like to see some underused players get minutes. Especially Best.

Would like to see a rotation of players from this game forward. Maybe start Barton, Best, Kadar, Smith, Hall, and Carroll for Sheffield Utd. No, take that back. Start Kadar at Petersborough and Enrique for the home match.

Well, if they're coming to North America anyway please, please, please make a stop on the west coast. San Francisco is best, but I'll fly to Seattle or down to LA.

It is best to read statistics like these with a bit of context. NBA basketball teams carry 12 to 15 players. NFL football teams carry 50 to 70 players I think, and I believe American baseball has somewhere around 30 players. Therefore, there is a massive difference as to what the teams are actually paying as total wages. Only American baseball is comparable. Also, all the American sports seasons, with the exception of baseball I believe are shorter than European football seasons. Baseball season is 162 games (+ the possiblity of playoff series). The NBA season is longer as well-- 82 games (+ playoffs) . Another important factor is that each MLB club sells its own broadcasting rights for whatever the market will bare. The Yankees make a lot of money from televison. Smal market clubs like those from Cincinnati or Pittsburgh relatively little.

Leeds wont be battling owt but relegation if they go up. Norwich will be up as well. If Leicester City don't go up, they'll be in there as well. Pearson has done quite a job with them.

Get used to hearing about it. Articles about the Forest match--win or lose--will be prefaced with a comment about how the fight "loomed" over the game and about how the author had to wonder if it had affected the club's performance. And LTaylor and here ilk will never mention this year's promotion campaign without noting that it was "overshadowed" or better yet "tained" by the bust up and backroom coverup. No matter what Carroll accomplishes in his life, breaking Taylor's jaw will be mentioned in his obituary.

Legal view of Newcastle United bust-up http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2010/03/28/legal-view-on-newcastle-united-bust-up-79310-26122692/ IT has been one of the most talked about punch-ups in the country. Toon star Steven Taylor's jaw was broken in a fight at Newcastle United's training ground last Sunday. Allegedly it was caused by fellow Magpies star Andy Carroll, who certainly appears to have been in the wars as this picture shows. Carroll has not been arrested, and now North East legal expert Adam Jackson has explained why police do not pursue all alleged crimes. The senior lecturer in criminal law at Northumbria University said unless Taylor makes a complaint, there is little officers can do. “The police are the investigatory body and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) makes the overall decision about whether to prosecute,” he explained. “So when police are deciding whether to investigate a crime they will tend to apply the same tests the CPS would apply.” When deciding whether or not to take a case to court the CPS ask two questions. Firstly, is prosecution in the public interest, and is there a realistic prospect of conviction? But in the case of Carroll, 21, and Taylor, 24, things are slightly more complicated. “Without the complainant’s version of events it’s difficult to establish what’s happened,” Adam continued. “In order for someone to be convicted a jury would have to be convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. “But if the victim doesn’t give any evidence and no other witnesses are prepared to come forward and make a statement, even if the police investigate and suspect Andy Carroll has caused this injury to Steven Taylor, convincing a jury beyond all reasonable doubt would be difficult. “It could have been a training ground incident or some kind of accident when they were both jumping for the ball. Without Steven Taylor’s evidence it’s effectively a non-starter. “All we know is that Steven Taylor has a broken jaw. People have claimed it was Andy Carroll, but apart from all that speculation there is just no evidence. Adam explained that there is also no charge, other than assault, police could pursue. “If this had happened in the city centre and they were having a fight while spilling out of a pub on the Bigg Market in Newcastle, the police can rely on public order offences,” said Adam. “They would tend to arrest everybody involved on suspicion of affray and then try to work out who did what.” But Adam said the bust-up between Taylor and Carroll, which is said to have happened in an ice-bath, was no different to a spat between friends. “If it happened with two friends while playing five-a-side football it would not be within the remit of the police to pursue that, unless they got a complaint,” he said. “Criminal offences take place everyday that people decide not to report for whatever reason.” Of course there are some exceptions where pursuing a prosecution is so important that police will go ahead without a victim statement, in particular cases of domestic violence. Carroll is currently on bail and awaiting a crown court trial over a charge of assault after an alleged incident in a Newcastle city centre nightclub last year. He is accused of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Michael Cook in December. But Adam said this would not affect the police’s decision, and would only come into play if he was arrested, charged and sentenced. “If he was convicted of that offence and then was convicted of an assault on Taylor they would take both into account when sentencing,” he said. A Northumbria Police spokesman said that no complaint has been made, but if one is it will be followed-up.

I assume this is a pisstake? It has to be I tried to take the point seriously and consider how Souness might have managed to lead the club into Europe, but I just couldn't wrap my head around the idea. The fact that Roeder, Glenn Roeder, was brought in to right the ship speaks volumes. Also, I'm no Ashley-ista, but the signing of Michael Owen did a lot of damage to the club-- we had entirely too much money tied up in that injured little fucker and it really limited the club's ability imo to improve the squad when we needed to. And to make that sulky bastard into team captain....a real leader.

Could use Ranieri now.

Chelsea's 5 gives them the same goal differential as Man United.

Great results for Palermo.

Release the Kraken!