Shak

Xavi is only 27?

He'll never consistently be able to bring the ball under control and give it to a team-mate with a couple of neat touches, you can see he just lacks the natural composure on the ball. So he'll always be a frustrating player to some extent. But he's got enough ability to do something with the ball from nothing at any given time, and his pace is simply frightening, so he's a tremendous weapon. It's all about minimizing his flaws and accentuating his positives. He has to play to his strengths more, he doesn't just knock the ball by the defender and try to skin him for me. He should be doing that or else playing a very simple pass then looking to make a run, cos with the ball at his feet and with time to look up he's pretty shabby tbh. But with someone like a Viduka to build the play through up front he can be a very good striker for us, and with good coaching I believe he can learn to be very effective out wide in a 4-3-3, where you want your wingers to be very direct. Plays with a lot of passion, hopefully he has that work ethic to push himself to be better. He's still a very rough talent, but I really hope we stick with him.

And the latter? Anyway, delighted with that. Faye and Cacapa looked quality, and Beye and Enrique seem very solid defensively. We're a more solid team than we have been for a very long time. Emre helped our ball retention immensely in midfield, and Barton got a run out which is nice. I don't think they're a suitable partnership or ever will be, but Owen and Martins both did well I thought. Owen's build up play is so underrated. Jenas had an absolute shocker. Loved Ashley shouting "Whey" along with the rest of the crowd when Kaboul ballooned that shot late on. Great result, well done.

No surprise after seeing his myspace page tbh, seems a twat.

Moot point really, due to the impossibility of the scenario.

I'd take that swap in an absolute heartbeat. Owen's great, on the extreme odd occasion that he actually plays regularly. You can be an eternal optimist and hope that his injury problems are just gonna magically disappear, but they just aren't. Anelka is also a lot better suited to the system our manager seems intent on playing and won't simply drain wages from our club for the next 18 months before leaving on a free, like Owen. Yeah thats right I forgot Anelka is well renowned for his loyality and has never moved on for financial gain. So what's the point? We swap one selfish twat for another? Did you miss the parts about him suiting our system and not being an absolute crock?

I'd take that swap in an absolute heartbeat. Owen's great, on the extreme odd occasion that he actually plays regularly. You can be an eternal optimist and hope that his injury problems are just gonna magically disappear, but they just aren't. Anelka is also a lot better suited to the system our manager seems intent on playing and won't simply drain wages from our club for the next 18 months before leaving on a free, like Owen.

15m for Owen would be absolutely brilliant money tbh, I'd accept well below that as well.

Agree with that, I actually rate Mascherano above Alonso. He's top notch. I know it's supposed to be Premiership only but I think Andres Iniesta at Barcelona has blossomed into one of the best CM's around over the past two years. He'll be a cornerstone of their team for years to come, the heir to Xavi. Always thought Barca would be after Fabregas sooner rather than later, but with Iniesta there I doubt they'll feel the need.

Aye, but he's been blatantly eyeing up his secretary for months now.

He's not ever gonna be the player to link up midfield and attack IMO, but I reckon he'd do a passable job if we had Barton in the team and Smith was one of the more deep lying CM's, particularly in away games where you're setting up with defense in mind a bit more. I'm leaving for the evening nowso you'll have to forgive me for not responding to any reply you make to this.

Yeah, sounds like it should be good on paper. Faye as the brick shithouse CB clattering people, with Rozenhal playing a more cerebral game and being the one who can bring the ball out of defense.

That duo aren't physical enough for the Premiership though, badly bullied against Derby and West Ham.

Didn't see the game today, so not really seen Faye for us. One of Rozenhal and Cacapa to partner one of Faye and Taylor I would imagine.

He's a front player, end of really. Why hameobi has played up front in Vidukas absence, with Smith in the squad, is an absolute mystery to me. Decisions like that would make me lost faith in Allardyce, and I wanted him for the job. Diabolical. Yeah, just he's handy in an emergency like. Suppose you could argue that we had nobody else to play in midfield recently, which is why Smith was used there. I'd have tried Milner through the middle myself.

He'll still be of some use to us in midfield at times in my opinion. Best position is upfront, but when we have someone in midfield like an Emre or Barton to try and create things going forward then Smith's game in midfield will be more worthwhile. Alongside Butt and Geremi, two holding players, there's no real use for him but with someone like Barton in there Smith could be useful. Barton -- Geremi -- Smith For away games would do alright if we're insistent on using the 4-3-3. Would prefer us to stick with 4-4-2 and use him as an option up front, though.

Rather Butt or Geremi was out than Smith, personally. My hopes are that Emre gets a start and Zoggy plays further upfield than he has been. Ideally, I'd like this. Given Beye Taylor Rozenhal Enrique Butt/Geremi Emre Smith N'Zogbia Martins Viduka Bit more of an attacking edge to that team than the previous ones we've seen, but still plenty of bite in there. If Smith is out I'd like to see Milner get a go through the middle, not a fucking chance in hell of that though.

The Dida thing is hilarious. The guy runs on and gives him the lightest slap you'll ever see, Dida turns to sprint after him but realises he won't catch him so he crumbles down and acts like he's been shot, ultimately goes off on a stretcher with a bag of ice on his neck.

Still, this may do Spurs more harm than good in the long term.

Harewood kicking the ball out.

It's more amusing for the rest of us if they focus on Spurs though.

Be quality if one day one of them managed to argue his point succesfully to the point the other just said "... You know what, you're spot on. Can't believe I could be so wrong for so long. Cheers M8!! "

I like to think that one day they'll pass each other in the street, walk on a few yards before both stopping, turning and squinting at each other. Just knowing somehow who the other one is and then launching into an angry debate about Shepherd in the middle of the street.

So we should just ignor the games then and go about discussing the same things that have been discussed to death in the week?