TRon

I'll be surprised if any of our current strikers get 15 goals even with so many extra games this season.

O'Bleary is a fraud of Souness standards IMO. I'll bet if you got some feedback from Villa fans they would back that up. Ashley needs to be found and punched in the face if he is considering this.

it's ok...he hasn't yet

Agreed. I fear it could take a lot for Krul to win over Harpers spot......especially with Houghton in charge. That would be a brave decision and Hughton is not the man for those. Not having a go at him, he's doing the best he can like.

Another draw. We'll be seeing a lot of draws just like last year.

And we know this how sorry? look at his quotes. He'd want financial backing or did you not see his assessment of midfielders "That can't pass." He also mentioned the paper thin squad, subtle connotations that he'd want money, as I don't expect him to be looking at the loan and free agent market. He also mentioned his list of 7-8, those players won't be cheap. The players Shearer was rumoured to have lined up were exactly the right sort - young up and coming players from the lower divisions like Beckford or players who had their way blocked at bigger clubs like Gunter. These are the type of signings which will get us promoted...if you are looking to stay in the division then you can go the Ashley route and spend nothing and lose out on £40m a year.

Replacing him with players who score and create more sounds good to me. Most creative player my arse, Duff had more attempts at goal yesterday than Jonas has had in his career. True but Duff didn't do his job as a winger which is to provide service to the front men. Can you remember any crosses or passes through to the forwards? Duff got the goal but other than that he provided no width at all - at least Jonas did that part right.

Aye, competitive football is just giving me a buzz again. Love it. It's a lot more enjoyable playing against teams who we can compete with as well tbh. It's just a shame we aren't going to score many goals as things stand.

He didn't create a lot of chances, he wasted a lot though. He did. On the other wing, Duff didn't create anything which is equally worrying but he's escaping criticism because at least he scored a goal. But it's still a problem which needs addressing. I find it stupid that they both played on opposite sides to their natural foot. Duff doesn't have a right-foot at all, now I know he did play there for Chelsea but it's a bit different being in that position with the options he had and being in ours. Duff should at least play on the left and Jonas on the right. Btw I thought Duff played well in the second half when he came in more centrally. The idea is for them to cut in onto their stronger foot and send in a inswinging cross which are generally a bit more difficult to defend against from that position, or to take a strike. Neither of them seemed to do that, so in general I would agree, put them on the flanks that suit their stronger foot. I disagree that the most difficult crosses to defend are those after cutting inside, i think most goals are scored when the winger goes past the full back and either cuts it back or whips it across the face of the goal. Jonas beat the full back consistently which was good but his crosses were weak and as has been mentioned the movement from the forwards was terrible. i think fewer and fewer goals are scored from either sort of wing play in the final third and it's something we haven't been able to let go since ginola/gillespie. You can't rely on just one method of scoring goals but you need to have all the options and goals from wide play are one of them.

Just about all of that is wrong IMO. I think we'll find West brom won't be one of the better teams, our players are still slow - where you got this idea that they have discovered a burst of pace from i don't know. the division is there for the taking but we don't have the firepower to be able to make the most of our posession and unless forwards are signed we are staying in this division. As for O'Bleary, he stumbled on a good set of kids at Leeds, otherwise there's no reason to think he's anything other than a clueless wanker.

He didn't create a lot of chances, he wasted a lot though. He did. On the other wing, Duff didn't create anything which is equally worrying but he's escaping criticism because at least he scored a goal. But it's still a problem which needs addressing. I find it stupid that they both played on opposite sides to their natural foot. Duff doesn't have a right-foot at all, now I know he did play there for Chelsea but it's a bit different being in that position with the options he had and being in ours. Duff should at least play on the left and Jonas on the right. Btw I thought Duff played well in the second half when he came in more centrally. The idea is for them to cut in onto their stronger foot and send in a inswinging cross which are generally a bit more difficult to defend against from that position, or to take a strike. Neither of them seemed to do that, so in general I would agree, put them on the flanks that suit their stronger foot. I disagree that the most difficult crosses to defend are those after cutting inside, i think most goals are scored when the winger goes past the full back and either cuts it back or whips it across the face of the goal. Jonas beat the full back consistently which was good but his crosses were weak and as has been mentioned the movement from the forwards was terrible.

Not surprised in the slightest. Just when you think it's impossible for Ashley to fuck up any further he takes it to the next level. I've no doubt it will end badly.

How do you know Mrs O'leary wouldn't have achieved at least as good results?

He didn't create a lot of chances, he wasted a lot though. He did. On the other wing, Duff didn't create anything which is equally worrying but he's escaping criticism because at least he scored a goal. But it's still a problem which needs addressing.

Agree with it fully, and if he were to be our manager, it's nice to have someone who sees that these players like something vital and fundamental in their armoury. But come to think of it, if he is about to become our manager, then why say it? He'd need to work with these players. He's not going to get the best out of them by openly implying that they're shit (no creativity, can't pass, won't score goals). Just seems a bit of a Souness thing to do, as opposed to someone like Keegan/Sir Bobby/Wenger/Fergie/etc who'd not give anything away due to their over-proctective nature. On the flip side, at least you would have a manager unafraid to make the tough decisions instead of pandering to the "stars". He dumped michael owen on the bench even though he was a pal...I can think of plenty who would have ducked difficult decisions like that.

Promotion is there for the taking if we invest some of the money we have raked in on a couple of key players, especially a pacy striker like beckford. Unfortunaely not only is Mike Ashley immensely fat, he is also immensely stupid so he will (as usual) count the pennies and miss out on the pounds. This is on account of being a big fat clueless bastard.

If Barton actually played even 30% of a full season he might have a right to question other players attitudes. Seeing as he usually spends the major part of a season with his feet up watching telly he should probably just shut his ugly face and try and get some football under his belt.

This is what I expect to happen as Fat Ash as it will be consistent with his previous decisions which always lead to ultimate failure in the end. Expect the dithering, blithering idiot to have it back up for sale in a year's time.

Hughton's interview was embarassing. What a fucking tool.

Listen to yourself, mate. The club is bigger than any one individual, and no-one should be beyond criticism. Over the last few years, I've seen first Shearer and then Keegan being set up as idols whose ability and motivation can't be questioned. It's been entirely destructive in its effect. Look guys, I would like to see Shearer in the job, because I think he has some ability. But the point I was making - and amidst the abuse no-one seemed to want to address it - was that he only seems to want the job under certain favourable conditions which I don't think Ashley or any other owner is going to be able to provide. In which case, let's move on. The favourable conditions are to spend some of the money we have raked in on some much needed players to get us promoted. You don't agree with that? Yeah, I'd want the manager to have money to spend, same as everyone else. But is the money there? We were living beyond our means before, and we're in a worse position now. If there's some sugardaddy waiting in the wings, then great, but I see no sign of that. The money wasn't there to spend in the transfer window last season either. That worked out well didn't it? Did our economic fortune a world of good not investing in our premiership survival.

I'd like to see him get 20 mins or so next time. He looks quick and strong, his movement had more purpose and threat than shola's that's for sure.

Listen to yourself, mate. The club is bigger than any one individual, and no-one should be beyond criticism. Over the last few years, I've seen first Shearer and then Keegan being set up as idols whose ability and motivation can't be questioned. It's been entirely destructive in its effect. Look guys, I would like to see Shearer in the job, because I think he has some ability. But the point I was making - and amidst the abuse no-one seemed to want to address it - was that he only seems to want the job under certain favourable conditions which I don't think Ashley or any other owner is going to be able to provide. In which case, let's move on. The favourable conditions are to spend some of the money we have raked in on some much needed players to get us promoted. You don't agree with that?

Barton produced the one quality cross of the whole evening which put both Jonas' and Duff's efforts to shame. But as he won't be playing too many matches i hope Shearer gets the job and kicks him out of the club for good.

Feels great having a keeper who wants to come out and command his penalty area for a change. Also he's clearly young and hungry - we need more of that throughout the side. Now bring on Nile Ranger.

Duff took his goal well but he produced no service whatsoever from out wide. I don't remember him getting past the full back once which isn't good enough tbh.