Cronky

I'd agree that the link with history adds something, and we shouldn't change the name. Having said that, I've always thought that St James's Park sounded slightly wussy.

My point was that, in general, City haven't been big spenders. If you look at their squad, it consists of a lot of home-grown players and fairly modest buys. Maybe someone else could have done a bit better with them, but not a lot better.

Liverpool seem to be able to match the other members of the big four in matches between them, and in European competition. Somehow, they're a bit more vulnerable against lesser opposition, and that's the difference between winning the league and winning a cup, which they've proved they can do. My only thought is that the others have that bit of extra quality in one or two players - Drogba, Rooney, Henry - that can score or create a goal out of nothing. They'll get you that 1-0 win at Bolton in the last ten minutes, rather than have you coming away with 0-0.

I thought Milner looked very tired in the second half and I'd agree he needs a rest. Come to think of it, you could say that about a lot of the players. The Italians looked a lot fitter than us, and I think that was a major reason for them coming back into the game. I think a lot of people are being a bit harsh on Pearce. The team look well organised and positive. He had a duff season at City, but it's not as though he had a lot of money to spend. They're a club that's been in the doldrums for a while now. I think the guy's okay.

I'd be a bit surprised if Whelan agreed to sell him to us. Apparently he's not very partial to Ashley's guts.

I wouldn't have chosen Bolton as the opening game. The media are going to be desperately hoping we'll lose, and that's going to be an irritant.

Great game. Really good to see two international teams going for it. Carson looked like he should be playing for the senior team. He looked very assured. We had chances to finish them off, but our strikers weren't quite good enough.

Interesting that Richardson has been dropped. I'll bet that's down to his attitude.

I was thinking on similar lines. Looking down the list, the only teams that I found myself worrying about were the top four.

No accounting for taste.

I get the impression that Jol doesn't like Defoe, or has difficulty in working with him. He may see Bent as a more useful addition to his squad. Bent is a good all-rounder, but not top class in any respect, and like everyone else I'm baffled at the price.

I'm a bit surprised at this decision. Chelsea are only buying him as cover for Carvalho and Terry, so they won't have to play Essien at CB as with last season. There may be something more to it, like preferring a move to London.

IMO the gap between us and 5th place is not as big as the gap between 5th and 4th. If you're looking at who's going to get the UEFA places then it really all depends on who best gets their act together over the close season. I'd expect the newly rich clubs like ourselves, West Ham and Villa to be supplanting the likes of Portsmouth, Reading and Bolton and joining Spurs and Everton in that group below the Champions League places. I don't think there's a lot to choose between those clubs at the moment.

In place of ? Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, or Manchester United. Which one of them though clever s****. Premier League Table - 2011/12 ------- 1. Manchester United 2. Liverpool 3. Newcastle United 4. Chelsea 5. Arsenal 6. Stoke City 7. Tottenham ... 24. Sunderland Stoke? Do you know something we don't?

Ashley hasn't said anything about only giving Allardyce one season. This is newspaper invention which has been hardened into fact through repetition. Bit like Gullitt supposedly promising 'sexy football', when he actually said no such thing.

I'm very confident that the momentum will now be upwards, whereas before it was downwards and we were more likely to be relegated than get back in the top four. I'm not too worried about how quick the upward momentum is, because I'd rather build on good foundations than splash out on a few big money signings. The reality is, that unless you're prepared to spend Chelsea-type money, you really have to take things one step at a time now. But so much has changed. We had a puppet manager dominated by an incompetent, interfering Chairman and limited funds for investment. We now have a strong, confident manager, a Chairman whose power has surely been severely curtailed (if he carries on at all), and a secure financial position.

Of the starters, any of them really, with three exceptions. Cahill looks okay, but wouldn't be a sufficient improvement on what we already have. Richardson looks like a big-time Charlie who thinks that now he's played for Man U and England, he's a cut above the others. If he doesn't keep trying to improve, he'll get left behind. I'm not convinced about Ashley Young. He did well in flashes, but his decision-making and composure looks a bit all over the place at the moment. He'll probably come good eventually, but I wouldn't take him on just now. And of the subs, I expected more of Routledge. He seems to have gone backwards since he left Palace.

Murphy would certainly be a good squad player. Not really strong enough to get you right to the top though. He's not the only player that's got a bit lost at Spurs. I was thinking of Defoe as well.

I can't see that City have got a case here. They seem to be saying that agreeing to a transfer is the same thing as requesting one, but patently it isn't. I mean, in what circumstances would they pay out the £300 grand? A player can't be sold to another club without their agreement no matter what the other circumstances, so if they say that agreeing to the transfer invalidates the bonus payment, then they'd never be paying out. Hope that makes sense.

I don't remember Baines making a hash of too much. Overall, I thought he looked confident, composed and supported the attack well. Got to bear in mind that it was a close match against a more than half-decent side. All our defenders, at one time, came under pressure. I thought the commentators were a bit patronising towards the Czechs, as though it was something quite praiseworthy that they held us. They're a major footballing power, and regularly produce good talent.

Onuoha did well, and Pearce seemed to have things well organised. I quite enjoyed the game. It was close, but we should have got it because we had the better of the chances. I get confused and annoyed when players seem to get into debates on the pitch about who should take a penalty. That ought to be decided beforehand by the coach. It just sounded like Lita took it this time because he wanted it the most. He had something to prove but he looked nervous and scuffed the shot. I was impressed by Baines and Hoyte. What a pity Reo-Coker can't shoot, but he's such a powerful runner. If I were Allardyce, I'd be tempted to put it an offer. Richardson played like a berk throughout. He needs to grow up.

Well, we're aiming ultimately to get back up to the top four, and if you look at the top four clubs, they don't pick players who are crap for three games and produce in the fourth. Consistency is very important. Arguably that's what separates the top four from the rest.

Isn't the scout supposed to report back to the manager, rather than the owner? If this indicates a further bout of Shepherditis - the irresistable desire to meddle in football matters - then this is good news for the rest of the league.

Full marks to Allardyce for ending the ridiculous and pointless pretence that this clause didn't exist, when everyone within the game knew that it did. I think Allardyce wants Owen to make his decision sooner rather than later, which is fair enough. There's no point in laying into the player, like Shepherd did. If it's in his contract, Owen has every right to leave.

Robson had a problem with Bellamy because no matter how badly he behaved, he was too valuable to the team to be dropped or transferred. Bellamy realised this and ended up doing what he wanted. We may shortly be in a position where we have a much better squad overall, and Allardyce could take a tougher line with Bellamy if it was needed. Bring back the Poison Dwarf!