TRon

they are completely different players. They are but I would say they are both instinctive, especially in terms of finishing and struggle a bit when they have time to think. Not saying you're wrong it's just a similarity to their games. definately, but imo by the end of robson's time here bellamy's 1on1's had improved massivley, not that martins' wont of course. I think Martins one on ones are better than Bellamy's, although Bellamy was more of a team player. I don't think Martin's problems are his finishing, he just needs to be cleverer outside the box.

The own goal could be a blessing in disguise. If there was ever any hint of truth in this transfer rumour, it would be Steve Carr all over again.

Shepherd got Terry McDermott to contact Keegan and find out how much Man City sold Anelka for, apparently they sold him for £4.5 million so that's all he was prepared to offer for him which Fenebache would never accept. that logic makes no sense, since liverpool sold Owen for £8m so why would he pay twice that to bring him here? double standard for the 'big name'? Once a scrap dealer...

I planned on not ever posting in this thread, but I'm just cutting in to say that Anelka was available and we were actually after him, and for a price much cheaper than what we eventually paid for Owen as well. I remember Souness hinting that he wanted Anelka but somehow we ended up for Owen. It'd be interesting to know the details about why we ended up paying £5m extra for Owen instead of buying Anelka (and thus playing the 4-3-3 that Souness wanted to). Similarly, I'd like to hear Shepherd's perspective on how we ended up with Luque and not Boa Morte (because we already know Souness' view). I think most of us without a slant on this remember it the same way. Similar to how we faffed around with signing Distin allowing Keegan's City to move smartly and nick him from under our noses, leaving us to throw £5m at Ipswich for Bramble. Marvellous business.

Even before his comical own goal Riise looked pedestrian at best. He looks slow these days and was walking around most of the time, committing the odd foul at the slightest hint of danger. Enrique is leagues ahead of this tub of nordic lard. He doesn't even look good back up material.

no, you're wrong. I've answered them before and mick knows the reply, and there are still 2 open ones for him. You are the first to complain if I repeat things I've said before, well the answer is if he replied to the factual information I wouldn't have to. Don't want to have to say this again, or you'll complain again How much do you think we'll spend this summer? How much ambition do you think the board will show? Sorry fred mate, how do I know that ? You don't know, decky doesn't know, nobody knows . Thats just not an answerable question I'm afraid. Another way of looking at it might be, how much do you feel the Board need to invest to make the progress you would like to see? Another way of looking at it might be: If it's ok to assume that Mort's a bean counter who will watch the pennies, isn't it also ok to assume that he might just hand Keegan a fantastic war chest which will blow the beans theory out of the water?

he went through my mind as well tbh. He's at a low grade club where every player is always ready to jump ship as well. Check.

I don't have any problem with making spectacular signings like Owen if they are part of a total squad upgrade. Blowing your wad on one player because it looks good in the media is not clever decision-making though.

Roeder's appointment was a poor decision regardless of any stats or results short term. There is no getting away from this whatever spin anyone wants to put on it. A very poor decision.

He did get a raw deal from Oliver to be fair, the criticism became a bit personal sometimes. In the end though, he can't even get into Wigan's team now which says it all really.

Spot on, Wullie. If we can get a good centre-back who can operate at full-back aswell, that's the best option to have imo. (Not Chimbonda ) I am in agreement here. By all means get in a left back but I would go for a seasoned pro who would be happy to sit on the bench. I would have said a promising youngster but I would have thought Kadar or Tozer fall into that category in any case.

Part of the reason we haver looked so strong defensively lately is that both Enrique and Beye provide great cover for the central defenders. Lose them and I doubt we'd look as solid as we have done lately. I agree there actually but I think that's also more necessary with the 4-3-3 / 4-3-1-2 we've been playing which I don't really see as being KK's long-term plan. Rather it's a pragmatic solution to the lack of midfield creativity / getting the best out of Viduka / Owen / Martins. Funnily enough, I doubt Keegan would have bought either Enrique or Beye, but for me they could provide the answer to Keegan's achilles heel. His sides have sometimes been too attack minded. Having a really solid back four would be a good combination with a flair midfield and strike force. I do worry that Keegan will practically want wingers at full back and we'll see us getting hit on the break while everyone's up the other end of the pitch.

Part of the reason we haver looked so strong defensively lately is that both Enrique and Beye provide great cover for the central defenders. Lose them and I doubt we'd look as solid as we have done lately.

I loved the way he held off that Mackem player while controlling the ball at leisure yesterday. The twat couldn't get near the ball

The reason why Beye is the stand out candidate is because he has been good right from his first kick even during the darkest periods mid season. Others have come into form recently but over the whole season no one comes close. No coincidence he's becoming a huge fans favourite as well. What a great attitude he has, and Zog could do worse than look at him as a role model if he wants to know why he's not playing regularly.

I think Taylor has done quite well in recent games. Do we really need to compare him to Senderos to make his case though?

SWP would be a better bet than Lennon or Pennant IMO.

The top four won't want him, fit or not, after that I think this is the club he would most want to play for. So he'll stay.

If he really didn't want to be booed he could always have scored an own goal then ran to the Gallowgate arms aloft to get a great reception. The question has to be asked, why he didn't do that unless he was trying to practically goad the fans into booing him?

The Mackems were strangely quiet, and none of the players seem fired up for it, much to our advantage. I thought they were fired up for it, unfortunately they are just shit.

It's his own fault really. If he'd signed for Derby or Wigan he wouldn't have got booed in most likelihood. By signing for Sunderland he was practically inviting this turn of events.

They probably stuffed them down the back of their pants once they realised they were going to get spanked.

We didn't play very well today, the lack of movement in midfield was exposed a bit for the first time in a while. The best eprformances Michael Owen apart were from the back four, all of whom hardly put a foot wrong all afternoon. Can't argue with a 2-0 derby win against the cunts so fair play to the lads, job done.

Good spot coach. Now that would have been tasty!

His judgement was backed with numerous players, probably most players he wanted on the face of it, some were great successes, some were not. I agree with you, re backing the manager, but you have to accept that sometimes it may not be financially possible otherwise you have to accept that NOT accepting this means you can't then complain if the club "overspends" ? Do you see the point ? I see the point, you are saying the club as a whole has to count it's beans accordingly. Obviously we, as a club with an ambitious board needed to employ bean-counters to work out which players we could afford. Even though Man City were an inferior club, they could afford to pay a few peanuts more, for which I commend them. You are talking about one player, and making a case for one player moving to a differnet club because of an agenda with a personality. Your initial comments prove this completely. Man City found the money to buy this one player at the time, of course they did, but which of the 2 clubs ie us and Man City, backed the managers the most, acheived the most qualifications for europe. You can't say that Man City were better and bigger than us on the basis of siging ONE player, without looking at the overall performance of both clubs Basically, if any Man City fan would swap their last decade for ours, then they are a bloody idiot.. And this is the bigger picture. I am talking about a player who I really rated during his spell here, who Robson wanted to sign who then was allowed to sign for Man City instead due to in your own words a bean counter in the board room. If we didn't have enough beans, how come we splurged £5m worth on Bramble? There were other players Robson wanted but was denied, like Miguel - we got Carr instead. Fair enough we went for the cheaper option which I don't object to if the funds aren't there. I hope that last sentence registered. I am not the one who first used the term 'bean counter' with regard to a Chairman. Personally I reckon if someone is putting the beans in, they are entitled to count them in any case. It seems fantastically hypocritical to accuse one person of being a bean counter and then defending someone else for doing the exact same thing. it has indeed, so now, what exactly are you whinging about ? When Ashley and whoever he employs to run the club ie Mort show genuine ambition ie real amibition to put together a team to match the other top teams, for the club then I basically won't question them if they say the money for the moment is more or less been spent . I think this is fairly straightforward. You just can't say they should back the manager for every player he wants, then slate them for overspending. Sounds like a case of counting beans. I know you were big advocates of spending money on shite like Benjani during the January window in panic mode, probably how we ended up spening £8m on Boumong during Souness's time most likely.I'll bet someone ended up counting a few beans after that one eh?