OzzieMandias

ooh look at me in Dubai Pathetic

and get rid of the seeding. if the top rated spanish team gets drawn against the top rated german team then so be it. But the whole thing is structured so that some weaker teams in Eastern and Northern Europe get a few good paydays against bigger clubs, and therefore it won't change. It ends up with too many games involving too much travelling, and our clubs end up playing weakened teams to conserve their strength for the league. If we qualify, we won't be an exception to that. You can forget about going all out to win the thing. The CL is the competition that really opens doors for a club and that has to be our priority. My thinking is that if we can get this close with the team that we've got, if we can strengthen our weaker areas then we should be in with a solid chance next season. you see it as opening doors, i see it as pulling up the ladder. It opens the door to pulling up the ladder.

Definitely yes. But I can understand concerns about the squad -- it might well be that we'd end up in a group with some Latvian part-timers, an insane Turkish club, and some no-hopers in the arse end of beyond, all to the ultimate detriment of our season. On the other hand, qualification could mean some nice trips to some decent not-too-distant cities (a German tie, please!), and the impetus through necessity to develop some of our younger players alongside the first XI. It would also seem a shame to end this remarkable season without something to show for the achievement.

If he wants to come back, the Everton game is his big chance. Come on at 75 minutes with Liverpool trailing by two goals, whip in a Shearer-esque 15-minute hat-trick, then dedicate the winning goal to his home town club's European qualification.

I see we're still two places behind Wolves in the Lawroverse.

Telegraph suggests he may have been taken off because of a knock. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/9188648/Swansea-City-0-Newcastle-United-2-match-report.html

When the game finished today I had this great feeling of satisfaction: "THAT'S how you beat this lot!" A bit similar to how I felt after Stoke. The correct tactical plan, perfectly executed. Hats off.

Someone please tweet Jose to point out that we're now fifth.

Excellent three points.

You only saw it from one angle, but I loved the way Caulker watches the ball into the goal, and then turns around to look at Cissé with this how-the-fuck-did-you-do-that? expression on his face.

I'm finding it quite interesting, to be honest. Apart from a few panicky moments, we're countering their system really well. Everyone knows what their job is, and also that when we make a chance, our strike force is more likely to take it than theirs would be. The trick is not to lose our patience.

I suppose we'll find out. I reckon that our business plan does involve moving some players on at the peak of their value, and then putting some of that money back into wages etc -- the long-term deals for Colo, Krul and, er, whoever the third one was, seem to have been financed by the Carroll sale. I'm encouraged, though, by reports that we make a policy of identifying replacements for everyone, just in case.

It's already more than one season, though. Tiote, Perch, Williamson, Best and Ben Arfa (on loan) had all arrived before the start of last season as a result of our current policies.

Undoubtedly true. But there are also players that cost millions who also don't work for whatever reason.

Magnificent, basically.

QPR have definitely crept on to my wishlist.

Looking at the bigger picture playing well is more important. You can progress from there, while non- performances for a sustained period of time indicate major failings that are more difficult to address. IMO. Given the choice, I'd rather win 1-0 than lose 4-3.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/16/john-fashanu-doesnt-believe-his-brother-justin-was-gay_n_1353917.html What a prize fucking cunt John Fashanu is.

Barça.

Aye, they were trying so fiendishly hard to conceal the fact that the club made a small profit that they announced in advance of the accounts being released that the club had made a small profit.

Yeah, they are.

So what? Take ticket receipts out of the equation and things wouldn't be looking so cushty either.

why would a company pay millions to sponsor the ground and then call its St James' Park?? To get the fans on side. Would be a perfect popularity stunt/ business move. Anyone forking out the necessary millions would be doing so to project their brand to a wider TV/press audience. Getting onside with the locals wouldn't be their prime concern, I don't think. Well everyone in the football community is calling it St James' Park anyways. So calling it the Sony Arena wouldn't really have that much impact would it? I've no idea. But anyone buying the naming rights would no doubt be hoping that it would.

why would a company pay millions to sponsor the ground and then call its St James' Park?? To get the fans on side. Would be a perfect popularity stunt/ business move. Anyone forking out the necessary millions would be doing so to project their brand to a wider TV/press audience. Getting onside with the locals wouldn't be their prime concern, I don't think.