Elma

Was gutted about Cabaye's injury (hope it's not serious and he came off as a precaution) but I thought Jonas did very well to the point where I don't think we missed him that much tonight. Best performance for a while. Funnily enough Pardew was pointing to Cabaye and shouting at him to switch it left, but when he tried he really had to wrap his foot around it to make the pass. That's when he pulled up...I blame Pardew

I love it and will probably move there in the next couple of years. Would recommend the trip to anyone if we happen to draw Fener. Jump on flights early and you can get Easyjet or Pegasus for under £100 too. Fantastic city and changing so fast...very wealthy and dynamic now but still so atmospheric. Just hope the religious government don't screw it up. How expensive is it to live in a decent part of the city? Any idea? I had the best time ever there, absolutely loved it. It's really gone up. As a point of reference, a mate bought a whole building in Taksim (noisy but central) for around £30,000 in 2006. It's now comfortably worth £300,000. I have a three bed flat on the edge of Nisantasi which is a very decent central area, and it rents for around 1700 Lira a month, which is £600-£650. However, it really should rent for a lot more. I rent it cheap as the bathroom and kitchen haven't been changed since the 70's and the tenant agreed to renovate at their cost...plus she is super reliable and pays the rent on time. Probably looking at £800-£1000 a month for something decent, more for a Bosphorus view. You might get cheaper on the Asian side in Moda or Fenerbahce. The great thing is that although new builds can go for well over £1million, the older properties aren't so popular now due to earthquake risk and a new government policy. There's still value there. A mate of mine rents flats to tourists starting at about £50 a night. http://www.istanbulsweethome.com I'll be trying to book one of those if we draw Fener. PM me if you want extra info on areas and websites for property etc.

I love it and will probably move there in the next couple of years. Would recommend the trip to anyone if we happen to draw Fener. Jump on flights early and you can get Easyjet or Pegasus for under £100 too. Fantastic city and changing so fast...very wealthy and dynamic now but still so atmospheric. Just hope the religious government don't screw it up.

Except if we draw Fenerbahce it would be played behind closed doors. I thought that was only a one match ban for fans which would now have been served? Lazio was two? Might be wrong mind...even better if that's true.

Agree completely....

I'll take Basel or Fener. Think we could beat either over two legs and I'm regularly in Istanbul anyway so would definitely combine a trip there. Some people think it's a dodgy place to go but it's not really...reasonably temperate this time of year too at around 15C and much better then a trip to Russia. Wouldn't want either of the English sides and think we could struggle against Benfica or Lazio. Let them take each other down and then face one of them in the semis if we get through....

Don't think HBA is going to be involved as a precaution. Shola doubtful too but Cisse fit. Think he'll play Jonas.

They left him behind yesterday to train all weekend. He didn't travel.

A South African legal expert used that phrase on Radio 5 last week to describe Oscar Pistorius.....didn't really think that one through.....

Think Jonas will start and Ben Arfa won't even make the bench. As someone else mentioned in the HBA thread, personally I wouldn't play Ben Arfa on the plastic pitch in the cold against Anzhi either. Wait for Stoke/Anzhi at home.

I made a French colleague (big PSG fan) watch the Beardsley YouTube clips. A few months later he emailed me from Paris and told me he had been watching a weekend football programme, and Ginola was interviewed. When asked who the best players were that he had played with he listed Beardsley amongst them, and the interviewer didn't know who he was. My colleague was chuffed that he knew exactly who he was.... I like Hatem but for me Beardsley is the best I've seen in the last thirty years. My dad would say Tony Green (which is staggering considering how few games he played for us) but he was before my time.

It's an old one certainly...just couldn't resist it.

9th looks to be the best we could "realistically" achieve with a good run. After Reading I would have settled for 17th, and perhaps we should still keep one eye over our shoulders, although 10th also looks eminently do-able on current form, also taking into account the form of others around us. Our run-in is certainly not too bad....could be worse.

I've got OCD too but I prefer to call it CDO....just can't stand the letters not being in alphabetical order.

He's off to watch the EL draw live iirc. I don't think he's gone to Monaco today.

Pretty sure Tiote out this week, if not another week or two. Keeping my fingers crossed on Colo and Ba. Was surprised Anita, Perch and Cisse played so much yesterday as they could all be needed tomorrow, although arguably we need them to get the result. Hope the game didn't take too much out of them. Think we'll lose, but narrowly and as a few have said probably to a dodgy decision. Got faith in them to give 100% and push Chelsea all the way. A point would be great and since we beat Spurs, then even a defeat wouldn't be the end of the world. Am going to enjoy this one. Nowt to lose

Tiote will be fine, Pards is just resting him to make sure he's ready for Chelsea keep in mind 48 hrs after Atromitos we have to play Chelsea away we have to rest as much as possible. Usually i would want to see a stronger team but 48 hrs is ridiculous and forces our hand. Hmmm....not so sure about Tiote. I wouldn't assume he'll be fit for Sats. Agree with the previous poster about Anita not playing full game if any doubt. I guess we'll know from the selection tomorrow. Same goes with Colo and Perchy.

Krul? Because he's a better keeper? Not from what i've seen. Don't think the club see any difference between them. They were taking turns in the reserves before Forster went to Norwich.

Would love that Burnley shirt to be a sign of what ours will be like. Like the collar and the simplicity of it. Burnley's current shirt is one of my favourites this season. In the other shirt thread someone mentioned the stripes going over the shoulder....a shirt with similar stipe width to the iconic mid-nineties grandad shirt, over the shoulder stirpes, and just simple - that'd be perfect in my opinion. I'd go with something similar to the third (Euro) kit 5 or 6 years back for the away shirt...plain yellow shirt with black trim, black shorts and white socks. Either that or something similar to the Argentina-like shirt we had the year before last. Make Jonas and Colo feel at home at least....

Think that will be the starting line-up.

If 46,000 are sold already before on the day sales then I reckon it'll sell out... I hope it does as well. Blow other clubs out the water for Championship attendances and give the lads full backing in our last push for Promotion... I've heard it's not quite that many and they are expecting around 45k, but they may have sold more over the weekend?

I'm the same, the alternative is playing Best up front and that doesn't make me feel much more confident. Ranger up front is surely the better option? Gives him some more first team experience and he shows alot more interest and ability than Best. Mind you, unfortunately that's probably third in Hughton's list of options.

As the others have said...I think his recent injury has caught up with him, although fair play to him for playing through it till now. I can see why he was an ever present at Depor in his last season.

................................Harper Simpson......Williamson....Hall......Van Aanholt .............................Smith/Butt Routledge............Nolan..........Gutierrez ...............Best..................Carroll........ Am pretty sure about the back four and I think Best will start. Guessing on the rest.

I don't think he would still be doing it now.