Cronky

The Americans will be tough, but we should beat the other two comfortably. Capello has the Ramsey quality, in that he doesn't give a flying one for what anyone else thinks. We won't have any silly selections and if we're going to be beaten, it'll be by a better side.

There really wasn't anything to separate Smith, Nolan and Butt though last year. All absolutely woeful. And Barton was either injured or suspended. Smith looked better than the other two in the fleeting appearances he made in central midfield. Butt was awful for pretty much every single game bar about three, and Nolan just hid from the ball and took no responsibility. Did he? I can't say that he did to me. Butt looked more mobile than Smith, which says a hell of a lot. Despite Butt being finished, he was at least one of the few who tried to take responsibility last year, despite being nowhere near enough to do so. i was saying that all last season. butt at least looked around and mad an attempt to get forward, smith, supposedly more mobile made no attempt at all and created sod all. i still see little or no difference between smith and butt. Smith isn't more mobile. Butt is the better athlete. The big difference is that Smith, when in possession of the ball, is far more confident and can deliver the right pass. Butt just looks like he wants to get rid of it. Smith is a real leader and I think has played a big part in getting everyone together and focused on promotion - perhaps just as important as Hughton in that respect.

Darius Vassell.

Luque and Boumsong were huge disappointments, but Owen was the most costly error. We could get rid of those two, but we were lumbered with Owen until the end of his contract. Because of his reputation, he was also difficult to drop.

Don't worry, you won't. This is a non-story.

His impact declined once defenders had sussed him out.

No thanks. He's a poser who's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. We've got a good team spirit and he could only harm it.

When did Ashley hold his hands up ? Google 'Mike Ashley apology' if you're curious. Yeah, i know what he said but it was just words mate. Do you really think he is sorry? If he REALLY did hold his hands up and admit he was wrong why haven't we got a proper manager yet and why is the swuad still paper thin? The mans a proven gobshyte, him and his cockney casino managing baboon. Well for me the important thing is that he's accepted at least his share of the responsibility through that apology. He's admitted that he's made mistakes, that's enough. I don't particularly want anyone to grovel, and I don't know 'how' sorry he is. However, I'm sure he feels there are others who should be holding their hands up as well. The manager situation has been affected by his decision to sell. I can't see that it's an indication of how 'sorry' he feels. So you are rather happy with someone saying he is sorry regardless of actually meaning it and especially acting in accordance? Weird. As for accepting his share of responsibility. He and his cronies have several times tried to shift the blame anyway and pointed with fingers as much as others - if not even more. Mainly at Keegan and Shepherd. No word of accepting that buying a club without doing due dilligence is rather stupid - he would have known about the financial state then. No word of real apology for being shown up as incompetent liars at an independent tribunal. Just blank words (or more lies) months later after being unable to sell the club. Whatever makes you happy though... I don't see why people are quibbling about the wording of this apology and how much he means it, when he's the only one who's uttered any kind of apology or accepted any kind of responsibility at all. Unless you think it's all his fault, in which case, fine, you're entitled to your opinion. Even then, I can't see why anyone should 'hate' him, unless you think he did it all deliberately, in which case again, fine if that's how you see it.

When did Ashley hold his hands up ? Google 'Mike Ashley apology' if you're curious. Yeah, i know what he said but it was just words mate. Do you really think he is sorry? If he REALLY did hold his hands up and admit he was wrong why haven't we got a proper manager yet and why is the swuad still paper thin? The mans a proven gobshyte, him and his cockney casino managing baboon. Well for me the important thing is that he's accepted at least his share of the responsibility through that apology. He's admitted that he's made mistakes, that's enough. I don't particularly want anyone to grovel, and I don't know 'how' sorry he is. However, I'm sure he feels there are others who should be holding their hands up as well. The manager situation has been affected by his decision to sell. I can't see that it's an indication of how 'sorry' he feels.

When did Ashley hold his hands up ? Google 'Mike Ashley apology' if you're curious.

Hate is too strong a word. There are those I get angry about though. Ashley and Gullitt bungled things, but they held their hands up afterwards and admitted their mistakes. I don't hate a person in that position. Shepherd and Keegan have also been at fault, but, with varying degrees of success, have pointed the finger elsewhere. That, I don't respect. I don't know what to make of Souness. He didn't do a good job, he has his weaknesses as a man manager, but he has taken too much of the blame.

You missed out Keegan.

To round it off, calling him 'fat' is a bit juvenile. If anyone calls your hero fat it is juvenile yet you have called Viduka fat. You just know Boobyule has got his family a stash of Sports Direct vouchers for Crimbo. Well seeing you think calling me 'Boobyule' is clever, the rest of your opinion doesn't surprise me.

To round it off, calling him 'fat' is a bit juvenile. It's not just the business of the people who made that banner, because all supporters can get smeared by association. Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can say to someone who thinks that it's clever or funny.

For deliberate fouls on players in a goalscoring position, a penalty kick (regardless of where the offence occured) and a yellow card instead of a free kick and a red. Players who deliberately block the ball by the corner flag to waste time should be penalised for time-wasting.

It was worse in the days before keepers were banned from picking up back passes. The keeper would roll the ball out to a centre back who was standing just outside the area. The CB would look thoughtfully forward, as if contemplating - shall I go on a mazy run down the centre, drawing out the defence before slipping a pass to one of our strikers, or shall I play an inch perfect 40 yard ball to the wing? Invariably, the big lug would eventually decide - no, I'll just give it back to the keeper. (Who would then punt it aimlessly forward)

I think this sums him up at the moment. His finishing doesn't look very composed at the moment, and he doesn't always read situations too well. There were a couple of times against Preston where he stood and watched the play instead of making the run into the box, anticipating the pass. But those things will come with experience and good coaching. I suspect he may have missed out on some of that earlier on, and is now catching up. The promising thing is that the raw material looks very good. He has a confident attitude, and gets himself involved right away. He's reasonably skilful and can think creatively. Most obviously, he's exceptionally quick for a lad his size, and can work the channels as well as down the middle.

If I remember right, the £100m bids were made prior to inspecting the accounts. Presumably they were then withdrawn once the bidders had the chance to weigh up the risks. Until someone claims that they matched the asking price but were still turned down, I'm happy to accept that they tried to sell the club at that price but failed.

Expert analysts criticising strikers for 'not making the keeper make a save'. No, you arse. The object of the game is to make the keeper fail to make a save. To do that, you have to aim away from the middle of the goal, and risk missing the target altogether.

Great entertainment, and I can now see why Blackpool are doing well this season. They show a lot of skill going forward.

I wonder how the "offers" compared with (1) the fee we paid for him and (2) the salary he gets here. I share your scepticism there. I don't think he's changed as a player - it's the quality of the opposition that's different this season. If the only problem was mental, I'd have some faith in him adjusting to top level English football, but I think the problem is also physical. He's too slow, he's not that strong and he's poor at set pieces. Basically, Premiership strikers were able to bully him, and when they managed to turn him or get him even slightly out of position he had no hope of recovery.

He's been rock solid this season. The chief man that we have to thank for those 1-0 wins.

88 is Hartlepool United 131 Wrexham 189 Heart of Midlothian 206 Nantes I hope you actually wanted help.

Oh dear, 69. Middle age meant that I wasted a lot of time with a mental picture of the player in front of me, but unable to place a name. I actually managed to miss out Rooney. Good game, good game.

It's an interesting comment on our situation that I'm not actually sure whether you're serious or not.