TRon

Decent? Was great... He needs to take tips on shooting from Colo tbf.

haha...fuck you Modric you little prick.

Perch is going to have a blinder in midfield. I can just feel it.

our midfielders are dropping like flies.

bastard! Another miss!

Fuck that I want the win, lost two points we shouldn't have last week, can't afford to do the same again After Loven and Shola could have made it 2-0 anything less than a win would be devastating.

This would be a mint game to win.

This is the dawning of the age of aqua-"hair"-ius :colo: :colo:

I think most people knew this game would mostly pass Nolan by. Literally.

I think this is the sort of game which should suit Guthrie more as they aren't a physical side.

Fucking hell, can't believe we aren't winning this.

FFS Shola

Best seems to be having a bit of a stormer so far.

How do they fucking do it?

Bale going off is great news for us, he was always going to be one of their stronger runners.

Really? Only VDV stands out. Lennon & Bale are quick and direct. VdV is quality. Pienaar is full of running too. Modric can pick out a pass... They're going to tear us apart on the counter attack. I'm in agreement with this. Nolan and co are a canny bunch but it's hard to see how we'll be able to stay with their runners. I think we'll be pulled all over the shop today.

That's because he can't actually play football. He can strike the ball well but he can't run with it without falling over.

Colin who?

Good, I thought that he'd gone home early from training. He'll start, but it's doubtful that he'll play the full game. A bit like Carroll and Tiote started games recently then.

If Nolan is playing tomorrow he's not going to be 100% if he hasn't trained due to a throat infection. Since he isn't the fittest at the best of times that will mean there's a fair chance he will be a passenger. Should be interesting.

He played 5 games at Spurs and that was spread over a 3 or 4 year period in which he was loaned out twice. His assists record for us last season, which is more relevant than when he was 19 or 20 years old is one in almost every two games. In the Championship aye. This season, just under 1000 minutes played, 1 assist. So, if Nolan is out of the running for tomorrow, how would you line up in midfield, and who would you have on the bench to come on in midfield and make an impact? I think you could put Ranger on the right, or Ferguson left and Jonas right, and it wouldn't have any different outcome to the way the game goes than if Routledge played. While I agree with you that Routledge has been for the most part ordinary this season, to suggest Ferguson or Ranger as viable alternatives for a premier league match is just ridiculous unless we are giving this game up as lost. Ferguson looks like a pre-pubescent teenager and Ranger is a 6ft target man. I don't mind losing this game if it means we get in a player who will make a difference over the rest of the season though. If... One of Ranger's better games for us imo was against Chelsea on the right. To be honest I still think he'll play Barton there anyway to try and counter Bale & Ekotto, Jonas left, and Guthrie & Nolan in the centre. Don't think Routledge would have improved that. Ranger isn't a right winger whether he did well in some Carling Cup game or not. Neither is Ferguson fit for play in a premier league game because he's built like a 14 yr old. Not that I mind if we're just hoping for the best in this game as long as we use the Routledge money to get in re-enforcements which are badly needed for the rest of the season.

He played 5 games at Spurs and that was spread over a 3 or 4 year period in which he was loaned out twice. His assists record for us last season, which is more relevant than when he was 19 or 20 years old is one in almost every two games. In the Championship aye. This season, just under 1000 minutes played, 1 assist. So, if Nolan is out of the running for tomorrow, how would you line up in midfield, and who would you have on the bench to come on in midfield and make an impact? I think you could put Ranger on the right, or Ferguson left and Jonas right, and it wouldn't have any different outcome to the way the game goes than if Routledge played. While I agree with you that Routledge has been for the most part ordinary this season, to suggest Ferguson or Ranger as viable alternatives for a premier league match is just ridiculous unless we are giving this game up as lost. Ferguson looks like a pre-pubescent teenager and Ranger is a 6ft target man. I don't mind losing this game if it means we get in a player who will make a difference over the rest of the season though. If...

It is when Gosling has suffered an injury setback, R.Taylor, HBA and Smith are all out long term, Guthrie has lost all form and Tiote keeps getting suspended. Bar Nolan, Jonas and Barton we have nobody else. Let's see what happens the next 10 days eh? I think that's the key. Routledge is a waste of space for me but I can only assume he was allowed to leave to accommodate the wages of an incoming player. If not then it's obvious Ashley is back in Russian roulette mode.

The interview just sums up everything good about this guy. Wholehearted and class. If Allardyce made a few duff signings like Smith I suppose this one more than made up for it. Assuming he wasn't scouted before he came here.