Mowen

Wouldn't that take an evolutionary leap forward?

Excellent signing for what he did last season. Very disappointing he hasn't done it this year, I'd have kept him to the end of the season at least but you couldn't really argue he'd be in on merit at the moment. Can't help but feel someone as fast as him's always a good option off the bench though.

Bent isn't average really; few players in this league have matched him for goals in recent years. Read something along the lines of only Drogba and Rooney having scored more league goals than him in the last four years. Phenomenal record tbh.

Dyer's replacement wasn't he? Aye, seem to remember Alan Oliver (yes, I know) banging on for months about how Allardyce had the option of buying Elano but went with Smith instead. Seem to remember quotes from BFS about replacing Dyer the day before Smudger arrived. do we have to have "replacements" ? could we not just buy players we think are good and can do a job for us. No but BSA did.

Dyer's replacement wasn't he? Aye, seem to remember Alan Oliver (yes, I know) banging on for months about how Allardyce had the option of buying Elano but went with Smith instead. Seem to remember quotes from BFS about replacing Dyer the day before Smudger arrived.

Dyer's replacement wasn't he?

He's quicker than Lampard. It's not all about pace if his vision and passing range is as good as you say. Lampard seems to get into more dangerous areas but I don't think technique wise he's anywhere near as good as Barton.

Shame he didn't get his head up and square to Best for 2-0 when forward that time. Good performance again though.

The added time was pathetic. If you think, we had no noticeable incidents bar the Smith injury, and there was a total of EIGHT minutes added time. It's laughable. 5 subs = 2.5 minutes, a goal is another minute although possibly longer as Ferdinand was injured, Barton was down for a while at one stage. It's not exactly pathetic, maybe one minute too much. Disappointing. Lucky cunts.

Hughton will be back in the PL within the month at this rate.

Not even getting a crack at centre mid for us you nutter

We lost the games we expected to, and we've won the games we weren't winning. Whether that's down to Pardew coming in or whether it would have happened under Hughton, we'll never know, but so far, very good. Hughton shouldn't have been sacked in a million years but Pardew has to be judged on his own merits. He may well not end up being good enough or as good as Hughton but he's made a strong start and that deserves to be recognised.

Assuming we win this match a very creditable start. Two very nice training ground set pieces in the last two games too. Nothing earth shattering by any means, but a positive start that could have gone horribly.

£2 on ManU and two draws in the prem tonight. I had £2.50 on Shola & 2-0 to win £150 on Sunday. Nearly lost my rag with all sorts of people that game. Still, great win so I couldn't get mad.

He's excellent off the ball. Always offering an option for the centre backs which takes a lot of pressure off them and makes distribution easier. Always available in tight situations too.

Anderlecht? Why not. They must have someone good.

RSC.

Decent performance and a good win. Tiote was superb again. Wigan are really going to struggle to stay up, particularly as it looks like they won't have Cleverley for much longer.

Weren't they all Micheal Proctor? Nah, Steven Wright showed him the trick and then he got carried away and indulged in two of his own.

Never mind. An absolutely superb joke nonetheless, beautifully executed.

He scored two great goals against us at Ewood a few seasons back. Incidentally, the atmosphere in the away end was one of the best I've ever been in that day, must have been 7k there.

Was that the season the mackems loved an OG? Didn't they score three for Charlton in one game (or was that a previous relegation season)?

Probably because it was 8 years ago, and he's never come close to reproducing it since. Largely because he's spent half his time injured or behind Shearer, Owen, Martins, Viduka etc. The guy has never really had a chance but has scored some important goals for us over the years. Btw Shola's last brace in open play at Prem level that I can remember was against the Mackems 3-2 under Souness. Could be wrong though. I know he's credited with it in a lot of places but one of those was a blatant OG

Bentley was absolutely fantastic at Blackburn. A gamble worth taking if we can afford him.