Cronky

Bit of a Jonas-size gap down our left side defence. When Raylor is exposed one-on-one, he's in extreme difficulty. The new shape isn't really working. 4-3-3 does put pressure on the full backs, and ours aren't good enough, in attack or defence. The straw to clutch is that we are able to create chances, and if Tim keeps them at bay, we might nick something.

'Largely anonymous' is a very strange verdict. Not everything came off, but here and there you could see signs of that exceptional talent. I'm thinking particularly of that moment where he just glided through that gap in the City defence before hitting the post.

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20111202/speed-tribute-rescheduled_2281670_2535244 Not sure why, but pushing it back another week after the emotional build up to it seems a shame. Of course, it's only right that we respect her wishes. Let's take this as a big compliment. His widow has very much approved of the tribute that the club had in mind, and wishes to be a participant. Plus the Swansea supporters will be familiar with the hymn and be able to give the crowd a lead. It'll add a lot to the occasion.

I've always liked O'Neill and, at the right time, he'd have been perfect for us. But I'm not sure he's got the appetite now for another job like Sunderland. The best you could call it is a sideways move.

I think you're right he should he]ave said nothing but I disagree with your conclusion that he was publicly complaining about not getting his bonus. Again, he gave an interview to a QPR fanzine, he chose not to sign the bonus sheet, thus he didn't get a bonus, his choice. Based on what he says were lies, undelivered promises, he mentions principles and says its about power and control. How can that compute to publicly complaining about not getting a bonus? You're splitting hairs a bit. Obviously he didn't sign the bonus offer because he didn't think it was enough. Effectively that is what he's complaining about. He's not saying that Ashley reneged on any previous offers - he's saying it wasn't enough. This is a man who was earning over £2 million a year for playing football, and he's using his employer's reluctance to pay a sufficiently generous bonus on top of that, as evidence of how badly he was treated. He then introduces a sneering comparison with the employees of Sports Direct, most of whom have far less fulfilling jobs and who I daresay would probably dream of earning a fraction of his basic salary. Joey is so wrapped up in his own world, and his own battles, that he seems unable to talk with any perspective on how his comments might sound to others. The fact that his comments have come out when people's attention is on more serious matters makes it even worse.

It would have been wiser for Llambias to say nothing, but what he said was right. At this particular time, it's a disgrace that we have a former player publicly complaining about not getting his bonus.

It looks like Joey feels that Ashley has got one over on him, by running him out of the club and seeing the team thrive in his absence. He seems determined to keep the feud going when he should have moved on like everyone else. Deep down, Joey seems to take it as a public defeat which has to be turned round, but the reality is that it's over and he should concentrate on the battles he's got now.

i think the hymn is also a good chance to stand and reflect though... Well yeah, and the words to Bread Of Heaven are almost unbearably poignant in the circumstances. They are a plea for strength and support through the troubles and anxieties of life. There will be some tears shed.

Yeah, but is there any point in him saying it? He should have learned by now. A public squabble is exactly what Joey wants to create.

Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much. I do wonder what his new team-mates feel when their captain is constantly going on about how badly he was treated at his old club.

It felt like people were genuinely confused about what they were supposed to be doing. There's been so much talk about whether clapping, or chanting or silence is the most appropriate, it's no wonder.

Might have been posted before from Sheraer http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3965783/Gary-Speed-news-Alan-Shearer-opens-his-heart.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Football I refused to believe that he took his own life. I know there are people saying that people who are depressed don't show it sometimes, whilst maybe you can hide the depression, but to me it is just impossible that someone who could be laughing and making plans for next week for next year could take his own life within 12 hours, unless something horribly wrong happened and Speed was a clean man by all accounts. Maybe others find it easy to just rationalized the incomprehensible that way...he took his life because he was depressed and we can't understand it because we didn't go through what he did. No f***ing way, taking your life is no easy decision, it's not something you do in a flash, there must have been some thought process, some deliberation involved. I wish the police would not just wash their hands off and say nothing is suspicious, how do you know if you don't f***ing launch a full investigation?! It's a cop out to accept his death so easily. Maybe I just can't accept that one of my heroes took his own life, but I'm convinced he was murdered and then the f***er disguised it as suicide. Police never said it was a suicide. well some tosh about nothing suspicious and therefore not investigating further. Plus if he was found hanging and the police said nothing is suspicious, isn't that one of the most obvious conclusion and what the police are effectively saying? I just think that in case, a closer investigation is required. It just does not make sense and no saying he was depressed does not do it for me. Sorry that "depressed" doesn't do it for you but that really just highlights the gulf in understanding between depressed and non-depressed. I ask you to consider that whatever led to his death didn't occur on Saturday/Sunday. Consider that there wasn't something that suddenly changed. Entertain the possibility that the smiling face and the laughter and the plans for vacations were horrible but well intentioned lies meant probably to not arouse concern or suspicion. Consider something, probably now unknown forever, was tearing at this man from inside for a long time and he, through fear of not wanting to appear weak and ask for help or out of some misguided idea of nobility and not burdening others with his problem, had finally reached the end of pretending everything was ok. 'Put on a brave face and get through the day, fuck knows if it's going to be better tomorrow but you've got to keep going' once said a voice inside, but that voice was drown out by fear, or sadness, or madness. Imagine a man entering a great new stage in his career, highly respected and admired in his field with two children and a wife, has decided this is the best thing for all involved. It's hard to do all that for normal people. When you're depressed though, these kinds of insidious decisions and gradual erosions of ones will to keep going have a way of appearing to be made of crystal clear logic. It's nearly impossible to explain. Still really confused and sad about all this. Thank you for that post, which I found really helpful. I've often thought that the world of professional sport isn't always the best preparation for some of life's pressures. Gary made the step from being a player to managing a national team very quickly, and perhaps he found that sudden surge of responsibility overwhelming. It must be a lonely position, and Gary was quite a patriot. From all accounts, he was a man who orientated himself around helping others with their problems - it was quite moving to hear that although he wasn't the most vocal of characters, he was the one who was on the look-out for the the player in the corner of the dressing room who was in trouble and who needed a lift. People like that aren't always the best when it comes to asking for help themselves.

Yeah, I day-dream that he'll take his place in that company. Who knows, he may turn out to be our best ever. Mind you, if Jinky Jim was around now, I think we'd be complaining about his 'end product'.

I certainly think our squad has more strength in depth than it's been given credit for. The young players - Ferguson, Sammy - are more ready than one might expect, and Guthrie has really upped his game. Best's all round play has also improved. With Willo injured, I'd agree that Centre Back looks a weak area. The big bonus this season though is how well the defence have played as a unit. Taylor and Colo have developed a system whereby they play to each other's strengths, and of course young Tim has been outstanding. I'd still like to see Santon and Ferguson take over as full backs in the near future. They could add a new dimension to our attacking play.

So sad and bewildering. He seemed a very stable character, and I'd never heard of any troubles in either his personal or professional life. He didn't seem to have fallen on hard times. Presumably there's something in his character or in the circumstances of his life that we're not aware of.

The composure and confidence that he's showing this season is great to see. Old Trafford isn't the easiest place for a young keeper, but he actually seemed to be enjoying the occasion.

I agree mate Same here. When Ben Arfa is down the middle, the striker seems to get isolated, but when he's on the wing, the risk is that he won't get involved enough and you really want him on the ball as much as possible with plenty of options. A 4-3-3 may be the best idea. I'd pick Sammy rather than Obertan, but there's not a lot in it.

Over having Tiote in there? I think Guthrie's done really well, better than Cabaye in recent games, but having him in there means Cabaye's having to play a more defensive, destroying role, one he is not used to. Means we don't get to see as much of his creative side as we normally would. For that reason i'd have Tiote back when he's fit. Course with Jonas now missing out HBA could end up out wide. The alternative, now that Jonas is out, is to go for Cabaye-Tiote-Guthrie in the midfield, Sammy and Ben Arfa further forward and Ba in attack. Well though he's played, I've often felt that Jonas may be the casualty if and when we move to a more sophisticated style of play.

Some of our combination play in midfield in the first half looked really classy. I'd keep that Ben Arfa-Guthrie-Cabaye combo. Dodgy penalty, but I suspect it was given because the linesman thought that Ferdinand caught Ben Arfa with his follow through. Commentators are obsessed with this idea that providing the defender gets the ball, everything else is okay, no matter how many times referees come out and explain that it's not. Having said that, I thought Ben Arfa bought the penalty by diving over Ferdinand's outstretched foot. Naughty, but they all do it.

I'd play Sammy. He doesn't suffer from nerves, he's done well so far, and he's an unknown quantity whereas they know Obertan.

"Hold a team back" yes like he's 'holding' us back with our 8 wins and 1 draw out of nine games since he signed and 'holding' England back with his motm performances. He wasn't good for you guys i get it but he's probably the most in form England player there is currently. Well, I said 'at a certain point'. The point I was thinking of is the one where England teams often seem to get found out - knock-out stages of a tournament, up against a team which is of equal or slightly superior ability, perhaps in a spot of trouble. In that situation, a midfield player running around, exchanging 10 yard passes with his team mates 40 yards from goal is of no use. In fact, it becomes part of the problem. If we have ambitions to win a tournament - which should be our aim, with a country of our size - we have to pick players who will offer us something more when we're in that position. Even the strongest teams have to pass that kind of test at some stage. Couldn't be more wrong tbh. it's precisely that bit in bold that becomes crucially important when you face the better teams, as it's a much needed outlet for ball retention. England, more than just about any nation, struggle to hold on to the ball against the better sides, so having someone like Parker (or a better equivalent hopefully) being able to do the simple, quotidian tasks of midfield would help somewhat. Having that sort of player, conversely, is of LESS use against weaker sides, as we're more likely to have the ball, need to focus less on intercepting their possession, and require more creativity to break them down. The argument that having someone who can track runners, show as an option, and play concise one-touch passing "40 yards from goal" is useless is an opinion from the stone age of English football. Have to agree to differ on that. The idea that you need more creativity to break down a weaker side doesn't seem logical. Huh? Are you winding me up? at least spend 10 seconds thinking about something before hitting the post button. A weaker team comes and parks the bus and is well drilled defensively. In that case there's less need for a defensive midfielder to break down opposition attacks and help maintain ball retention, because this side are not going to dominate possession or attack that much. On the other hand because they will commit themselves less you won't have the same attacking space to exploit, and with two banks of four defenders sitting solid in front of the keeper, you need that extra bit of vision to break them down and create openings. We've had plenty of homes games like this in the past, nil nil against fulham and what not. this is basic, very basic, football common sense. Well I understand where you’re coming from a bit better, but I think your reasoning is a bit crude. In practice, you’re going to need at least as much creativity to score against a strong side where you’re not going to get as much possession and you need to make best use of what you’ve got. Against the stronger sides, you’re also going to need skilful players who can control and pass the ball under the greater pressure that the opposition will put on you. Besides, I wasn’t talking about the challenge of breaking down a weaker side who only sets out to defend. It’s when we’re up against the stronger sides in tournaments and we need to raise our game that we tend to come unstuck. In situations like that, it would be a real bonus if all our outfield players had sufficient technical ability to make a contribution, because your two or three opportunities to shoot or pick out a telling pass might not fall to a Wilshere or a Rooney. They might land at the feet of a defender or a defensive midfielder. What often separates us from the better international sides is the technical ability that those defensive players from the continent can still call upon. So I don’t want to see a player like Parker run backwards to pick the ball off the toes of a central defender. I want to see the defender move forward with the ball, and try to pick out Parker’s run forward into space. Similarly, when Parker gets the ball, it’s important that he’s able to take quick advantage of what might be fleeting opportunities to play it forward. Running in a circle or knocking it back so that we’ve kept possession isn’t enough at the very top level, and the opposition defence then gets more of a chance to settle into position. You could say that it’s enough for Parker to just give the ball to the more skilful player so that he can do the creative passing, but I’d like to see a midfield player in Parker’s position actually have the ability to get the ball to that other player when his team-mate is in a threatening position further forward. The way we play in international tournaments often ends up looking really ponderous and predictable. Too many players don’t have the confidence or skill to really make something happen. If Parker was the only option, fair enough, but I’d pick Barry, for his greater ability on the ball. The anchor man sees a lot of possession, and it’s important that he can use it well.

"Hold a team back" yes like he's 'holding' us back with our 8 wins and 1 draw out of nine games since he signed and 'holding' England back with his motm performances. He wasn't good for you guys i get it but he's probably the most in form England player there is currently. Well, I said 'at a certain point'. The point I was thinking of is the one where England teams often seem to get found out - knock-out stages of a tournament, up against a team which is of equal or slightly superior ability, perhaps in a spot of trouble. In that situation, a midfield player running around, exchanging 10 yard passes with his team mates 40 yards from goal is of no use. In fact, it becomes part of the problem. If we have ambitions to win a tournament - which should be our aim, with a country of our size - we have to pick players who will offer us something more when we're in that position. Even the strongest teams have to pass that kind of test at some stage. Couldn't be more wrong tbh. it's precisely that bit in bold that becomes crucially important when you face the better teams, as it's a much needed outlet for ball retention. England, more than just about any nation, struggle to hold on to the ball against the better sides, so having someone like Parker (or a better equivalent hopefully) being able to do the simple, quotidian tasks of midfield would help somewhat. Having that sort of player, conversely, is of LESS use against weaker sides, as we're more likely to have the ball, need to focus less on intercepting their possession, and require more creativity to break them down. The argument that having someone who can track runners, show as an option, and play concise one-touch passing "40 yards from goal" is useless is an opinion from the stone age of English football. Have to agree to differ on that. The idea that you need more creativity to break down a weaker side doesn't seem logical.

In terms of pure skill on the ball, I've never seen a better player in a black and white shirt. The only one I could compare him with in that area is Gazza.

"Hold a team back" yes like he's 'holding' us back with our 8 wins and 1 draw out of nine games since he signed and 'holding' England back with his motm performances. He wasn't good for you guys i get it but he's probably the most in form England player there is currently. Well, I said 'at a certain point'. The point I was thinking of is the one where England teams often seem to get found out - knock-out stages of a tournament, up against a team which is of equal or slightly superior ability, perhaps in a spot of trouble. In that situation, a midfield player running around, exchanging 10 yard passes with his team mates 40 yards from goal is of no use. In fact, it becomes part of the problem. If we have ambitions to win a tournament - which should be our aim, with a country of our size - we have to pick players who will offer us something more when we're in that position. Even the strongest teams have to pass that kind of test at some stage.

It puzzles me that he's so good at free kicks. He doesn't look particularly strong technically or physically in other areas of his game. I can only think it's down to practice, which of course does him a lot of credit. It's been a significant factor in him maintaining his place in the side IMO.