Cronky

From Houghton's previous comments, it's been very clear that he has expected to have to rely on the same group of players next season. He can't be completely happy with that, but it doesn't sound like this news will be a surprise.

It's a matter of guessing which players may be a bit over-rated by other clubs, and where we could actually spend the incoming fee on a player who's either better or who plays in a position that needs strengthening. My main over-ratees - Colo, Steven Taylor, Enrique. I'd be loath to lose Carroll and Jonas, but they may go for big money and may have to be sacrificed.

No new capital outlay on players means that the transfer kitty is nil. Any incomings will have to be funded by outgoings. I'd like to believe otherwise, but that's the reality that we have to face. They make it clear that they're worried at the large operating losses which they say will take 5 years to stabilise. 'Stability by promoting from within' means they'll try to rely on home-grown players and the existing management / coaching staff. It's bad news and I assume they've issued this statement to avoid any high expectations that will lead to a greater and greater swell of discontent when nothing gets spent in the close season. It's giving us the medicine now.

I think we need to use our limited funds to upgrade the quality of the squad rather than bring in players who are arguably no better than our young hopefuls. And it's not cover that we need. It's first team players.

I'd agree. I was a bit surprised at how often Barnes appeared in people's teams. He never really convinced at international level. Gerrard doesn't appear as much as I'd hope. He's frequently under-rated on here, and I don't really know why. I think he's a great player. I was tempted to pick Beckham as a wing-back in a 3-5-2. IMO his best performances for England came in that position, where we still had the benefits of his crossing and his set pieces but he didn't mess up the shape of the midfield.

It is a bit unfair that a team who has earned the 3rd place through out 46 game season doesn't get the reward of promotion. Statistically over the past 17 seasons the promotion changes are as following: 3rd - 35% promotion change 4th - 12% promotion change 5th - 35% promotion change 6th - 18% promotion change It would be more fair if the teams finishing 3rd and 4th played at home in one-leg play-offs with the teams finishing 5th and 6th. In the NFL, teams with a better record get home advantage, which seems much better to me.

Shilton Walker Ferdinand Adams Steven Gazza Robson Gerrard Cooper Shearer Rooney Went for a 3-5-2 because we've produced better centre backs than full backs.

I've always seen Parker as a busy player but not that effective, for all that energy. He might well make the squad though now as cover. This is a bummer. Apart from Rooney or possibly Gerrard, I think that Barry is the player who is most difficult to replace. I reckon Carrick will get the nod, as the least worst option.

I actually think that's really bad news. He was offering a lot to the side, being an anchor man who could actually pass the ball as well as defend. He was also useful at set pieces, and could keep the ball under pressure. England have always had to put up with cloggers in that position before. I don't think we have a ready replacement. Carrick isn't strong defensively, Hargreaves hasn't played enough and can't pass, King isn't fit enough for midfield. Milner, Gerrard and Lampard aren't defensive players. Who else is there?

I was impressed with Adam Johnson again last night. Unlike the alternatives (Lennon, SWP, Walcott), his decision-making and composure are good. I'd be surprised if he didn't make the squad now.

You forgot to mention the wind-up merchant who likes to get everyone going by starting threads about £60 million transfer profits and wanting England to lose.

There's too much instability at City, on and off the field. There's a problem with team spirit. When the pressure was on tonight, they fell apart while Spurs just kept going. Santa Cruz - a good player - came on but never looked like he wanted to bust a gut to save his team or his manager. At the end, Bellamy had a big grin on his face as he congratulated Redknapp. They've got a lot of players who came for the money and they're not really gelling yet.

With a short contract, he's always been vulnerable, and I don't think he has the full support of his players. They didn't look prepared to go the extra mile for him. He got a three and half year contract, is that really considered short for a first contract for a manager? I stand corrected if that's the case, but I'd read somewhere that there was an option to terminate the contract at the end of this season.

With a short contract, he's always been vulnerable, and I don't think he has the full support of his players. They didn't look prepared to go the extra mile for him.

Brilliant game, with the right result, though I'm as jealous as hell. City were an absolute shambles in the last 20 minutes. It had been even up till then, but they lost their heads. A draw wouldn't have been a disaster, but they started losing their shape and lumping the ball desperately forward. Maybe when Barry went off, they lost that bit of leadership on the pitch. Mancini won't survive this. He looked a lonely man at the end.

I think Spurs will do it. I can see them rising to the occasion better than City.

Yep & Roman is still there, the Glazers are still there, Quinn is still there. Same at Liverpool, they'll go when they want, not when they're told. Laporta won't still be there solely because of the way the system works at his particular club. Tbf to all of them they have a bit backbone & could deal with problems better than Ashley (He could not have dealt with the flack the Glazer have took) as they have been backers/owners of sports teams before owning a PL club. Apart from Quinn but he played football he knows there is always portion of the crowd not happy with owners/chairman I mean he worked for Bobby Murray @ SAFC & Peter Swales @ Manchester City. We have history of giving the chairman/owners grief Seymour, McKeag & Shep all got it. It is only the really clueless like Del boy who hasn't got a clue about this banter. Keegan, like Shearer, had a special status at the club, and the reaction when he left was more than the usual banter. I didn't agree with the general reaction, but I felt at the time that the atmosphere around Ashley's ownership had become so bad that it would be better if he left. Likewise when the team were relegated, with the decline stemming from the chaos following the Keegan departure, and Ashley therefore taking the blame. If he hadn't put the club up for sale again at that point, the level of unrest would also have had a very de-stabilising effect. I don't blame the guy for the decision to sell. However, he is responsible for creating the mess in the first place by appointing a manager who was never going to be in tune with the management structure or its strategy.

Who do you reckon are the weakest 3 in our best XI are? Assuming we are looking at our typical 4-4-2 lineup, I would imagine we would be looking to upgrade on Guthrie, Lovenkrands and Simpson. We will need a more dynamic, ball playing DM to replace Guthrie. A higher quality fast striker than Loven, who has more strength and gets more involved in play. Lastly a better right back than Simpson. That's exactly how I'd set the priorities, although whether Guthrie would be the main casualty in the midfield, I'm not sure. Another CB would be good, but perhaps there aren't many who are significantly better than the ones we have, and available. I'd also agree with the quality rather than quantity strategy, because we need players who can step into the first team, not squad players.

I live in Hamar (Where HamKam is from). Rubbish rumour, he aint nowhere near premier league standard yet. This is what I suspected, from the Chronicle piece. The term 'starlet' usually means 'not yet a star', and 'keeping tabs on' means 'not convinced he's good enough'.

Agreed but then do we have the players in the middle who have the energy to get back and close down? Perhaps Smith but his limited ability means he contributes little else to the cause. Simpson has a habit of backing off and as good as Colo has been he sometimes goes walkabouts so it's certianly something that needs addressing. No, we don't have the players to close the opposition down. Hughton was smart and brave enough to realise that, and just concentrate on getting our midfield in position behind the ball. We need some legs in centre midfield. I don't think either Nolan or Smith will be up to it.

..............Green G.Johnson Terry Ferdinand A.Cole A.Johnson Barry Lampard Rooney Gerrard Heskey That final midfield position alongside Barry and Lampard is a bit of a problem. I'd like to pick Joe Cole, but he's not played much. SWP has the talent but might not be much help to Glen Johnson. Lennon - again, not played much. Walcott - still raw, and relies too much on pace. So in the friendly matches, I'd give Johnson a go. He seems to have the brains and the temperament to step up.

I don't think we should necessarily go for a long ball game when in possession. It doesn't really suit the squad we have now, and I'd rather we build on what we have rather than change it altogether. One thing that will have to improve though is our ability to stop the opposition from playing. We haven't been closing the opposition down at all. Even with some of the weaker teams, we've been allowing them a lot of possession and relied on keeping them out in our final third. We won't get away with that next season.

If those quotes are accurate, the bloke is clearly very selfish and has no respect for his team-mates or his manager. Dragging Clichy into it as well makes it even worse. Barca might do well to consider that they already have enough players of similar style and ability, and this bloke spells trouble.

He's off. And as with Keegan in 97, the principled walk-out will mysteriously coincide with the point when he's spunked all the money and is told there's nothing left.

Forest deserve to go up, but Blackpool play decent football and it would be great to see that rewarded. Plus they would take care of at least one of the relegation places next season.