Cronky

I'm not saying I don't want us to win, far from it. But Capello has proven he can get us through a qualifying campaign against mediocre opposition with ease (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_%E2%80%93_UEFA_Group_6) and starting with tonight the signs are that the same will happen this time. Means absolutely nothing when we come up against anyone decent, as South Africa showed. It's just uninspiring. Yep, exactly my point. Until we look like we can mix it against the best then I don't think I'll feel excited about watching us play. It's good to see us win even if it is qualifiers but there is that very major feeling of knowing we'll once again get whipped by the numerous better teams. Oh well. We're gonna win the league! Cup! Something! In South Africa, it wasn't so much the opposition that changed as the team's performance. We were struggling against Algeria and Slovenia, not just Germany. Capello has to figure out what happened to change a confident side into a very inhibited looking one. Perhaps it was just a matter of tiredness at the end of the season - it was very noticeable last night how much quicker we were at closing the opposition down. There's been lots of talk about formations and selections, but I don't think that was the significant factor. Personally, if I was to point to one factor it would be the pressure the team were under after all the hype, which the likes of Rooney seemed to make himself more susceptible to with those 'hero' adverts. We looked mentally jaded as much as physically. Capello needs to find a way of helping the players to enjoy their football, even under those conditions.

yes it did and no its not. You are wrong. This. It keeps annoying the fuck out of me how people use a wrongly given red card against Barton. Take another look at it. He jumps at the player, and although he gets the ball he then follows through with his other leg.

The sort of foul that gets Joey his reputation is the one against Alonso, which I don't think Scholes or Smith would have committed. He was irritated by Alonso and just wanted to put him in his place. It was pointless and the sending off and subsequent suspension was a real let down for his club, who were threatened by relegation. It's no wonder Shearer lost his rag with him, because it was a completely selfish action. Yes, there are players who you could argue are generally more dirty and get away with it, but who cares? Barton has to sort his own game out. I suspect that, in the past, Barton has used this 'hard done by' idea as an excuse for his own petulant behaviour. As for his previous off-field violence, I can't believe anyone is trying to defend it.

We didn't get on the end of our attacking set pieces, which is normally a good area for us. To that extent, we missed Terry. I was interested to see if we missed Lampard, and I don't think we did. Rooney showed his usual imagination and creativity on the ball, but I still wonder whether he's lost a bit of sharpness. Normally if the opposition try to close him down, he can do them but he was easily forced back or dispossessed.

The thing is tho, i dont remember Joey Barton really going out that often and nailing people....There was that semi crap tackle on Alsno in our releagtion season and then he was missing for a lot of the promotion season and not visible to the prem league. Seems to just be a hate figure for his off field history rather then on field football imo. I'm not sure about that. He has shown a spiteful streak where he loses his head - sometimes out of retaliation but sometimes out of frustration. His foot then goes very high, as if he not only wants to hurt someone but wants to make it clear that's what he's doing. It's the mentality of the mouthy park footballer really, who at times cares more about his own little private battles than the interests of his team. Having said that, the bloke does seem to have made strides in acquiring more self-control, on and off the pitch. I think he's still going to have the odd wobble, but generally I think we're in for a good season from him, and at his best he's capable of transforming an entire team.

You're probably right. It's always been a frustration to me that we haven't seen many good defenders over the years. Thinking of more recent 'best moments', I wonder where Joey Barton's strike against the Villa is going to sit in years to come. The self-confidence of a whole club seemed to be restored in that moment.

I think Wigan have enough class to survive, though I'd rather they didn't. Whelan's vendetta against Ashley has been a bit childish and I'd like to see him get his just reward.

The incredible drama of Bellamy's last minute winner against Feyenoord.

+1 I can't wait to see that front six in action. There's goals there. It looks well balanced, with a threat down the middle and down the wings. Back four is still a bit dodgy, even if Campbell plays, but we're moving in the right direction.

I'm sure Tiote was signed as a first team player, and we should be seriously disappointed if he can't displace Smith. Smith is an intelligent player, but his lack of pace will always limit his contribution. He hasn't been the same player since that bad injury.

From what I saw of the Blackburn game, Arsenal still have a soft centre. Centre back is such an important position and they don't look as strong as Chelsea or Man U in that area. I think that's what will let them down in the end.

I'm quite sure that at one stage, the new regime realised that they may as well say nothing and get hammered, as give a bit of information and get hammered. No organisation is 100% open with its activities. That's not an option.

Agreed. Perhaps the intention is to move someone on in the January transfer window, which is roughly when Gosling is expected to be fully fit? How to fit Tiote-Barton-Smith-Guthrie-Gosling into two positions I have no idea. Maybe we will line up 4-5-1 a lot more this season with Carroll the lone front man and Ben Arfa and Gutierrez in the wide positions? That would facilitate 3 centre mids, which is where Hughton has stocked up on players. More confusing for me is why Nolan was handed the captain's armband. If anything, surely Ben Arfa's signing puts his position under real threat? We have a glut of centre mids and quite a few strikers. Carroll could do with some pace and running alongside him and Nolan's one of our slowest and least energetic players, while I don't see a place for him in midfield with 5 centre mids fighting for 2 spots already. Unless Ben Arfa is expected to take Routledge's place on the right wing? Hughton has said he sees Gosling as one for the future so he won't be starting straight away anyway. Yeah. For me, the subtext of 'one for the future' is always 'not good enough yet'. But overall, I think it's now a good squad and I'm very confident we won't go down. How good depends on how well Tiote and Ben Arfa contribute. They're the unknown factors. The last two games have been very significant, in that the team has already proved to themselves that they can beat one of the better sides at home, and get points from the more moderate sides away.

I can never work out whether quotes like this from redknapp are bollocks or not. A fee coming down from £18m to £8m because of the transfer window? I don't think so. I wonder if there's a medical problem which caused Bayern to pull out, and which is holding up the decision with Spurs. See above. Thanks for that. We posted at the same time. Bit silly of Dirty Harry to come out with a misleading story. He'd be better off saying nothing. I'd agree that it's a puzzle that he wanted another midfield player in. That's an area of strength for Spurs, I'd say.

I can never work out whether quotes like this from redknapp are bollocks or not. A fee coming down from £18m to £8m because of the transfer window? I don't think so. I wonder if there's a medical problem which caused Bayern to pull out, and which is holding up the decision with Spurs.

I can't think of any matinee idols. The likes of Ranger and Carroll might have some 'danger' appeal.

Oh that's all? :lol: My case rests.

Do you genuinely think he's a Premiership-level striker? Yes, I do. He can cause problems to Premiership defences, with his strength and his footwork around the box. He can create chances for himself and other players at that level. He has a poor first touch, he isn't quick and isn't a good finisher, and that's all his critics seem to focus on.

Seeing as I haven't said this for a while, I thought I may as well chip in - Shola is not as bad as most people think. That's why he's still here.

The relationship between Barton and Ben Arfa worries me, and Hughton will need to keep a close eye on it. On the field, they could combine very well, but they both have similar egos and could easily clash. In a big way.

why is Keane so out of favour at spuds? I suspect, for the reason he's ended up out of favour everywhere else he's been. In the end, he doesn't contribute enough to the team effort. I don't think it's laziness. I just think he's not a good athlete. For all that, I think he'll stay at Spurs, because in order to improve their team, they'll have to pay £20m, which they seem unwilling to do.

I'm assuming that we'll only land Keane if Spurs can get another striker in, which at the moment seems unlikely.

I can't believe how well this transfer window has gone, considering money has been tight. I felt that the priorities were a centre back, a right back, an anchor man in midfield and a withdrawn striker, and that's what we've got.

I don't think Barton will be dropped - he's playing really well. At least to start off with, I think Ben Arfa will be used as a sub for Nolan or Jonas. He'll need to get used to Premiership football gradually. Besides, I think he'll be a very handy sub. With that pace of his, he could be devastating when the opposition slows down and gaps start to appear.

I think momentum in football is very important, and our momentum is now upwards. For the three or four seasons before relegation, we were fighting a downward momentum, and I don't think that would have changed easily. So if only for that reason, we're better off now than we were before relegation. Villa and Liverpool may have better squads, but their momentum is downwards, and they'll struggle to turn that around.