simonsays

It should be "James's" James not being a plural. But since it hasn't been that for easily a century I might have to bow down to the illiterate James'. It's more symbolic anyway, and would need to be carried out quickly. I thought you could just do what you liked at the end of words like James, i.e. James' / James's, it doesn't matter. James's would be correct English. But as it's the name of a place it doesn't really matter no. Anyway, I'm not really going to spray it on, I rarely get that drunk these days, just testing the water. But yes, car spray is a much better idea than house paint. The spray is much quicker, and more difficult to remove. Just putting that out there. Either is absolutely acceptable whether it's a place name or not.

Surprise surprise - it's been done when we have a weekend without a game, just like when the signs inside the ground were changed.

'The time for magnanimity in this affair is over...' err, I must have missed that.

Absolutely vital he plays while Cabaye is out in my opinion. Not sure where the creativity will come from otherwise. Unfortunately I can see Raylor and Obertan starting and us relying on long balls and set pieces.

Very worried about Pardew's preference for a high pressing game in this one. With Bent,N'Zogbia and (potentially) Agbonlahor in the team it would be asking for trouble to play with the high line we have been using recently.

On my way back from the game. At half time I thought we were going to cruise it - I haven't seen us in such control of a game all season, they couldn't get near the ball. Not changing the tactics when jol brought Johnson on was a massive mistake though. If we had dropped deeper and played on the break I'm pretty sure we would have got a result. Just because this high pressing game worked against man u pardew seems to think it will work for everyone

This will be a very harrowing read.... http://www.thebookseller.com/news/hachette-acquires-memoir-roy-keanes-dog.html

Sky sports news

Confirmed that he's gone

Shola has been good off the bench this season tbf

So - it seems everyone agrees he should be in the team (perhaps with the exception of Christmas Tree?). The debate seems to be should he play behind the striker or on the wing - after Pardew's comments it seems he is only being considered in a central role and I think it is this that Ronaldo is questioning rather than is he good enough/is he better than Best.

Good one - lend me yours will you, mateybot.

How would you have me respond to an insinuation I have never read a book and know nothing about football?

Again, I agree, completely pointless. Then again I wasn't the pedant who started it. Also, for your information I am 32, go to football matches pretty regularly and work for a book publisher (one of my imprints being sports titles only) so I feel I can comfortably say I have read more books than you have.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/8792024/Newcastle-winger-Jonas-Gutierrez-commits-future-to-the-club-with-new-four-year-contract.html

Agreed - and I have seen him play in a 4-4-2 on the right wing. Does that mean he is a right midfielder in those games?

That's a whole different argument In which case we move to a very, very basic argument. If Barton is playing on the right of midfield - he's a right midfielder. If he plays in goal he is a goal keeper. If he plays as a winger he's a winger. etc etc Surely by your logic it should be if he plays on the wing he's a winger? therefore Jonas and Obertan are wingers. I'm going to sit with the rest of the football world on this one. Yep, me too. Ask most of the football world what position Jonas plays I'm pretty sure the answer would be winger/on the wing.

That's a whole different argument In which case we move to a very, very basic argument. If Barton is playing on the right of midfield - he's a right midfielder. If he plays in goal he is a goal keeper. If he plays as a winger he's a winger. etc etc Surely by your logic it should be if he plays on the wing he's a winger? therefore Jonas and Obertan are wingers.

was one of those books 'how to irritate with smileys'?

That's a whole different argument

Then how would you differentiate between a player like Barton and a player like Obertan? Both ostensibly played the the same position but have very different roles. Re halfback - So you are actually using the original definitions of a footballers position then? I'd like to see how you would describe a full back given that the role of a modern fullback bears almost no relation to the duties of that role originally.

How so? Are you suggesting that Obertan and Jonas aren't wingers? A winger is an outside forward, Obertan and Jonas are midfielders - yes they play on the wing but you don't catch wingers with much defensive duty at all. Apologies - in future I will say 'a player who plays on the right/left wing' rather than winger. It does seem that some people on here wouldn't have been able to describe a players position before football manager told them how to.

How so? Are you suggesting that Obertan and Jonas aren't wingers?