Cronky

It's patently obvious, in our current position, that we look a better side with Shola. Deal with it, guys.

His early career was plagued by a series of serious injuries, and his career only really started to take off in his mid-20's. A number of big clubs were then after him, but the Blackpool manager was a Geordie (Bob Stokoe), and was very keen that Green should sign for Newcastle. He had one blinding season with us, but then just at the point when his career was blossoming, he was struck down by injury for the final time. It's no surprise that fans of other clubs don't remember him, because his period in the limelight was such a short one. The particular game that stands out for me was at Old Trafford in 1972, when we won 2-0. Man U still had a strong team in those days, and we were right up against it, but they couldn't handle Tony Green. He basically won us the game single handed.

Of NUFC players, Tony Green. Of the current crop, I love watching Messi and Rooney.

I had high hopes of Peacock when he signed, but I was a bit disappointed in the end. I didn't think he ever really settled. As others have said, it didn't help that in Howey and Albert he didn't have the quickest defenders at his side.

What things? Feign injury and lose a bonus because you were "made" to hand in a transfer request? The nub of it is that Given shouldn't be publicly making these vague comments about how badly the club have behaved unless he's also prepared to be specific about exactly what they did. If he's saying that because he had given long service to the club, he shouldn't have had to put in a transfer request and lose his share of the transfer fee, then that's debatable to say the least. He was being paid millions of what is, indirectly, our money.

If a player wants to leave, fair enough, but he was on a contract and he can't expect to just walk off without any hassle. 'Ashley is crap and the fans are great' is just an easy way of getting sympathy and easing any sense of guilt. There's no need for it.

I think this is a very good buy for Arsenal. They need someone operating between striker and midfield who can turn all their possession into chances and goals. I don't think Van Persie and Adebayor make a good combination, whatever their individual qualities, because they both like to operate as out and out strikers. Arsenal to overtake Villa and secure 4th place.

Over the last 18 months, the only senior figure at the club who seems to have done his job well is Dennis Wise. He doesn't set the transfer budget and he's not the one who landed us in our current financial position, so it's no good pointing the finger at him at the lack of big spending.

No interesting or original thoughts there. It's the level of exaggeration that makes it a very unsatisfying read. Is Steve Bruce really 'a million times better' a manager than Joe Kinnear?

A draw was a fair result. Apart from Bassong, our back four look shaky under pressure, and no matter how much possession we had, every Sunderland attack made us look vulnerable. A magnificent effort from Jonas. Okay, his crosses weren't the greatest most of the time, but he kept us going forward. He has an amazing ability to keep hold of the ball even in the most difficult of situations. I didn't like the look of Shola and Carroll as a combination before the game, and I don't feel any different now. It meant we were only able to play one way, and we weren't sharp enough when it came to getting on the end of chances in the area. I hope Lovenkrands can do a job for us. Shola, as per usual, is being marked down by most people here. He did okay, considering it was his first game back from injury, and he showed great courage under pressure in stepping up to take that penalty.

That was a very, very courageous penalty by Shola. He takes so much stick, but he was prepared to step up to the mark. Whatever your opinion of him as a player, he's never hid.

Lay off Jonas. He's one of the few players who look like they can create something for us. He's also not afraid to hang on to the ball and look for the best possible pass. Everyone else is getting rid of it like it's a hot potato.

Sunderland are much more composed and confident on the ball. That's the difference between the sides. We're tending to hoof it long a lot of the time, and while we're getting some chances that way, I wish we had a bit more ability to pass the ball on the deck. In that sense, it doesn't help that we've got two big lads up front. Our midfield don't seem to know whether or when to go forward either.

I don't like Shola and Carroll as a pairing up front. They're very similar and we'll have very little pace going forward.

The Under 18s are top of their league, and still in the FA Youth Cup, so we can't ask for more than that. Any impact beyond that level is going to take another 2 or 3 seasons to be apparent. I know only one of them is a Wise acquisition, but I think we have two very good - and possibly outstanding - young players in Ranger and Lua Lua.

I can't spot the mistake? Been looking for 5 minutes now. look at the headline under the photo Spot on! I thought it was the 'h' missing from the word 'winger'.

With the Wigan chairman's long-running grudge against Ashley, you could imagine him taking some pleasure at pipping us to this signing. He'd be prepared to pay over the odds to do it.

The £30-35 million fee for Berbatov was an indication of his value to Man U, rather than his value generally. He's filled a gap for them that possibly has made the difference between them retaining the title and not. But Tevez - he's a very busy, eye-catching player, but actually, technically, not that great.

To fling in a new name.... Tevez, anyone? He's a good player all right, but £25 million or whatever they're asking? I don't think so.

Now that's what I call hedging your bets.

He just wants to go. The bit about Kinnear is just to get some sympathy from the fans.

Possibly. If Man City are really after him, then Man City will get him, so the fact that it's still in the balance suggests some kind of wheeler-dealing.

Good player, I've always thought. We need a box to box midfield player who will be able to do a job for us right away.

There's some big names in the City side, but they're untried as a unit. Unlike some, I quite like our midfield tonight. I think we've got a chance. I'm praying for Colo to have a good game so he can keep Butt out of the side.

Can I pitch in a theory here? The player that 'wasn't wanted' was almost certainly Xisco, and yet Keegan met the player earlier that day and sold him the idea of joining the club. So Keegan must have changed his mind. Why? Well the rumour is that Schweinstager was going to be signed, but they couldn't agree on his salary. To get a player like that, we'd have to make it worthwhile for him by paying him over the odds, as with us and Owen, or City and Kaka. Supposing Keegan now says, well let's ditch the signing of Xisco and use the money to get Schweinstager? Wise and co refuse, either because they believe in Xisco or because they need to keep a lid on salaries, or a combination of the two. There's a row. Keegan walks off, claiming that a player has been foisted on him.