STM

Enrique and Geremi in setanta team of the week. What great pleasure.

Forget motivation or whether one team wants it more than the other, there's no question of attitude especially with KK in charge. Sunderland are piss poor and taking off my derby brain for a second we should be beating these lot. The fact that it is a derby simply means all the players will be trying hard (which suits the better side). If we get an early goal, we will win comfortably.

Emmanuel Maradona! Couldn't happen to a nicer side too.

Had no idea that PL Collina was reffing our game against Barca with tinos hat trick!

Hate him more than anyone.

Metzelder would be a great addition.

This is my first derby but i've been at some cracking atmospheres so i know what to expect. Your going to love it.

Really? Your first home game is against the mackems? This going to be one of the most memorable days of your life!

If they sack sven they are idiots.

He said that we would sign Owen and i think he broke the Luque one too.

Duff's not strong enough to play in the centre of the park and hasn't proved that he can keep a hold of the ball consistantly. Apart from his corners Geremi had a good game against Pompey. First rule of managment, don't fix it if..............? Should we be hell bent on playing someone instead of Geremi then Emre (should he be fit) would be the prime candidate. The formation was how it should be changed and not how we should start, as it said int he text. Geremi will start yes, but he ran out of steam early on yesterday and he was our worst player v pompey.. Apoligies, didn't read the text. Can't agree that Geremi was our worst player. I can't think of anything he did wrong (apart from corners). Well it was between him and Enrique I reckon, but motley its Geremi's lack of pace that stands out, he may just be knacked though he is no spring chicken after all and I just feel putting Smith on is a waste of time unless we have a lead by that point. Duff may not be a tough tackler but with Emre injured who else can play there ? Dare i say N'Zogbia. I'd probably play Milner in there over Duff, in fact i'd like see what he can do. I thought Enrique had a good game too. We are definately not on the same wavelength Enrique put it straight out the pitch 3 times in a row but was still very solid defensively and had a better game than Beye.

Yes that's what i thought. It was a game that wasn't littered with hero's or villan's so naturally everyone either over critisies or over praises in their appraisal of the match.

The truth is "hard man" is a bullshit phrase. Nonsensical.

Duff's not strong enough to play in the centre of the park and hasn't proved that he can keep a hold of the ball consistantly. Apart from his corners Geremi had a good game against Pompey. First rule of managment, don't fix it if..............? Should we be hell bent on playing someone instead of Geremi then Emre (should he be fit) would be the prime candidate. The formation was how it should be changed and not how we should start, as it said int he text. Geremi will start yes, but he ran out of steam early on yesterday and he was our worst player v pompey.. Apoligies, didn't read the text. Can't agree that Geremi was our worst player. I can't think of anything he did wrong (apart from corners).

Crouch definately. Thing is we all know that martins, owen and viduka are going to have spells on the sidelines, therefore crouch would have alot of games next year. Replacing Viduka before he needs replacing, that's how transfers should be done.

Would not suprise me at all if we score form a corner next week.

Duff's not strong enough to play in the centre of the park and hasn't proved that he can keep a hold of the ball consistantly. Apart from his corners Geremi had a good game against Pompey. First rule of managment, don't fix it if..............? Should we be hell bent on playing someone instead of Geremi then Emre (should he be fit) would be the prime candidate.

Who was it that we played in the cup away (shite lower division side) and their centre half elbowed shearer in the face. What was great was that shearer didn't moan he just said "aye he did me". For me, that's hard.

He may have started there, but in the main he played a similar role to Butt for them and was all over the place in a good way from what I saw. Very good player in my opinion. Yes i've always liked Diop, questionable fitness though.

Not a bad idea that mind. Move Geremi into DM and sign an attacking midfield player.

Carrick would be class but very unlikely. We should be hell bent on finding someone simliar from across europe. Alonso esq please. BTW i actually believe Keegan will stick with Butt next year.

Been to plenty of games but never a derby yet, this shall be my first. Needless to say an unchanged side. I expect Martins to scored. Sunderland are a decent team but have shit players. I believe we will win.

That spanish kid sounds promising.

We've played shite sides so far, this was our first real test and IMO we passed it. It was by no means a dip in performance, we were just playing a better side. In some respects there are more positives from this game than there were against Reading. The team, the formation may have passed the test but i didn't think the individuals were as sharp in possession. Maybe so but i think thats super critical. Like Dave says Pompey are very physical and all things considered it was definately a more positive performance than a negative one.

Apart from the three times he kicked the ball straight off the pitch he was very good. Had a better game than Beye.