Cronky

Just to bang the drum for Shola a bit, he scored one, got the free kick for the second, and created the equaliser with that superb pass for Enrique. He was easily our most effective player out there yesterday.

I think the mistake after the last promotion probably refers to the fact that we went into debt to buy ready-made top players in an attempt at quick success. We neglected the youth and scouting networks. Keegan himself referred to it as building a walls and roof of a house without any foundations. (or words to that effect) It's not sustainable long-term unless you have a benefactor who's a bottomless pit of money.

At the moment, we're nowhere near good enough to hope for anything more than survival.

Despite the win, I felt a bit disappointed. Simpson acts like a frightened rabbit every time the ball goes near him, in attack or defence. Pancrate didn't look interested and it was no surprise he was subbed at half time. I assume that Best must be good at something, but I can't see it yet. The only attacking moves in the first half came through Shola. This has been the season of the scrappy win.

The whole thing still has me scratching my head a bit, because he didn't have the authority of a contract for the first half of the season, and there was the background instability of the owner trying to sell. Perhaps because he's not particularly egotistical, all that didn't throw him. I like that quote from Nolan in the Guardian - 'He doesn't give much away, but when he wants something he gets it.' He's making that rather quiet manner work for him.

Hughton was content to be a coach, so there's always going to be question marks about someone who ends up as a manager due to force of circumstances rather than ambition. But there you are, it's happened, he's made a success of it, and his confidence will only be increased by the experience. I think the players like and respect Hughton, but I'm not sure whether they're sufficiently afraid of him. We'll find out. At the very least, the bloke has earned his chance.

...and that HAS to be down to the manager and coaches ; I reckon Robertson takes a lot of credit for Milner's progress, but NUFC have to accept responsibilty for either not playing him in the right position, or not developing his ability into the sort of player he now is. Maybe KK would have moved him inside - he certainly didn't want to sell him. Well, Keegan didn't want Smith or Owen to be sold either. By that stage, Milner was a pawn in the power struggle between him and Wise. Credit to O'Neill because what he spotted in Milner was potential, not performance. I don't think any of the other big clubs were interested or prepared to pay anything like that money. And it's not like Milner slotted instantly into a regular first team place at Villa. What Milner has got is a fantastic attitude to self-improvement. His physical fitness is now quite astonishing, for someone who doesn't look like the greatest natural athlete. He also thrives on responsibility, and while he wasn't ready for that central role while he was with us, he's got there with Villa.

The difficulty for those clubs under the top four is that the best players will still prefer to go to the Champions League clubs. So the chasing clubs really have to pay over the odds in transfer fees and wages to compensate. Man City are the only ones who are really doing that. Villa have spent a lot in total, but unlike City they've been restricted to players who the top four don't particularly want. And in the case of Gareth Barry, Villa actually lost a good player due to City's money. In any case, come on guys, O'Neill isn't exactly failing. In a long managerial career, he's never failed at any club.

In looking at the Premier League site, the wording is that there should be a squad of 25 players, of which no more than 17 can be over 21 and not 'home grown'. My interpretation is that you can go over the 17 limit of non-home grown players, providing those extra players are under 21. What the rule restricts is the signing of older foreign players, although given that no Premier League club would currently fall foul of the rule (even Chelsea), I can't see how it'll be that effective.

Taylor is the better athlete, but Williamson is more comfortable on the ball, is decisive and takes responsibility. He's the better bet. Taylor hasn't developed into the player I thought he could be. As for Colo, I'm one of the doubters. The biggest difference between the Premiership and the Championship is quality in the final third, and I think he'll get found out again.

We've only got one player in that secondary striker role and I don't think Lovenkrands is good enough. I'd be happy to see most of the budget get blown in that area, because it can make a real difference to a side. Having said that, I can't think of any established players who would be a) affordable and b) available. Cheeky loan bid for Kakuta, Sturridge or Wilshere mebbe.

Ribery outstanding all game. Man U looked over-confident after going ahead so early. I can't see Rooney being back within a week after limping off like that. It looks like a sprain and they usually take longer. Perhaps good news for England because he'll now get a bit of a rest.

What does he say? For all those who haven't got SSN.. Was talking about Man City, not us. And he was talking crap, as usual. Man City aren't any more deserving of those millions than any other club.

I hate it when politicians try to court popularity by sticking their nose into football.

Since that Cup run, Leeds have totally lost focus. If they don't go up, they'll find it hard to recover.

2-0 flattered Forest a bit. The commentators were bigging them up throughout the game, but we always looked stronger. Nolan played surprisingly well. He looks better in that anchor role. Shola gets more than his share of stick, so I was pleased to see him scoring the first goal and creating the second.

Lovenkrands often does that - fouls the defender when he has him under pressure and there's no need.

This is a very different side from the one earlier in the season. We're so much more relaxed and confident on the ball, and passing it quite well. Forest look neat, but we've had the chances. We've been taking that one touch too many in goalscoring positions.

Exactly. The top four have been constant for the last 4 years or so. Breaking into it is clearly very difficult, and even this season it's not a foregone conclusion yet that Liverpool will miss out.

A very flawed idea, but the most misguided assumption is that fan representation on board would lead to a greater degree of financial stability. Fans tend to pressure owners to spend more money.

I doubt it. I suspect the Sun has distorted his words a bit. Bullard would be a good buy in our situation. In looking at the anchor position in midfield, Smith and Nolan are too slow, and Butt is too shit.

The final of the League Cup. Semi-finals of the FA Cup. Still in contention for a Champions League place. I mean how bad can things get?

West Ham will go down. Disunity behind the scenes has been exposed and we all know where that leads.

Poor show if that's true. Ipswich gave him a chance to get back into management and have backed him against his critics. He still owes them. Managing Celtic or Rangers must be the most unrewarding for a manager. You're up against only one serious rival in your domestic league, and coming second is failure. What's more, you have no chance of succeeding in European competition any more. Where's the fun in that? Finishing first and rubbing Rangers' noses in it. Big deal. You'd have to be a fan to make it worth the hassle.

Poor show if that's true. Ipswich gave him a chance to get back into management and have backed him against his critics. He still owes them. Managing Celtic or Rangers must be the most unrewarding for a manager. You're up against only one serious rival in your domestic league, and coming second is failure. What's more, you have no chance of succeeding in European competition any more. Where's the fun in that?