Colos Short and Curlies

Sounds like they did tbh: "Immediately following the Premier League fixture against West Ham United on Sunday the Club went through the normal communication channels to advise the Senegalese Federation that both Papiss and Demba Ba would not be available for the international friendly match between Niger and Senegal scheduled for Wednesday, 14th November 2012, due to injury." No idea what 'normal communication channels' are in this case but we're claiming we got in touch. I'm not convinced - weren't most people of the impression Cisse would be off on international duty? I don't know the facts either of course, but even if Senegal did have a grudge against us, they'd need something to work with in order to lodge this claim, some failure/incompetence in procedure. This is FIFA we're dealing with here, remember. They probably just wrote down 'guilty' and 'not guilty' on two pieces of paper and picked one out of a hat. With 'English Team' written on the back of the guilty paper just to be safe

Positives? Tiote back and Jonas' injury may force a 3 of Tiote - Anita - Cabaye Santon seems to appear at RB more frequently so we may see Simpson replaced by Ferguson at full back No get out of jail card may prompt a change in thinking. Or maybe we'll just see Tiote and Cabaye flanked by Ben Arfa and Ferguson with 2 big men up front for the foreseeable

But you'd have thought that the recipient of the language alledged would go mad if a ref said it, On Mikel's booking he is pretty calm, and even seems to accept what the ref has said. Its likely to be someone mishearing something

Mikeeel! Monkheeeeey! Yup sounds identical. Luiz can't hear through all that hair anyway. Obi man, not Mikel!

So the Sun and Star running stories claiming he claimed Luiz and Ramieres hearing him call Mikel a Monkey, sounds plausible that he called him Obi and they misheard - Mikel certainly didnt look upset when he got booked

A big assumption, but I would guess that the incident where this 'happened' was when Mikel got a yellow, there was absolutely noting in Mikels reaction to Clatts comments to suggest anything inappropriate, never mind racially slanted. Any other club or any other time and I might give this more time out of my day, but I actually cant take a Chelsea complaint over racist or otherwise inappropriate language seriously atm.

Or Northern Rock offering 125% mortages to anyone who could sign their name

Today post 1990 seems to have been a lucky date for us

Krul Colo Tayls Tiote Cabaye Cisse Ba The spine is so important, lets the likes of Ben Arfa run wild

5th for me being optimistic, but there will be little between 4th and 8th. Our first 11 is as good as most, and many a team would like Marveaux, Perch and one of Anita, Jonas or Ba on the bench. I reckon most fans will think their reserves are crap, but ours stand up against most.

This is going to be SSN's 11:30 - 12:00 story isn't it? Rumours gathering pace, we'll deny it, Liverpool will deny it but the idiots on there will claim its happening. 12:01 Saturday am. Andy Carroll still a Liverpool player, no bids in final week of window received. 3pm Monday, Spurs sign Andy Carroll

That and how he manages to move Stevie G away from being the mainstay of the team.

A Tiote screamer

According to Wiki they are brother and sister

Still cant see the family reemblance with Pattison and his sister Vicky from Geordie Shore

Difference was we had more game changers than they did on the pitch. Cabaye was obviously not 100% fit and Cisse was quiet, but we still had Ba and Ben Arfa to come up with 2 pieces of magic. Bale was pretty quiet for them, Lennon ran a lot but offered little. Only Defoe looked like really causing us problems. If 2 of our 4 danger men can be quiet and we still beat a team who will be challenging for top 4, then it looks pretty good for the season ahead.

Dark haired bloke in suit... no malo. Brunette not bad, good taste too in eyeing up Pards.

Think I've worked out the corner routine that is guaranteed goals

Just watched that tube clip, man we've got some difference makers in our team. Also amazing how comfortable Colo and Tiote are on the ball, its not just calmness, its cultured close control and wriggling out of positions. I'm getting excited about tomorrow now

Is anyone else not a little concerned that we're signing a DM from the Dutch Caribbean? He'll be the most chilled out DM in history, no Roy Kean or Paul Ince style agression!

To be fair though, we do only like him becasue he has done well and conducts himself well in the media. Had we gone down the season before last or had been lower-mid table last year as a fanbase we'd still be split on him at best. Agree on the context though, it goes for pretty much everything. The media report the event without the background to it all the time, really lazy attitude to take

I've had a quick google but cant find an exact list - but it would interesting to see how many right backs have gone for more than £7m - particularly those being sold across countries which usually are lower than within the same league

Chopra was the new Rooney when Rooney was still the new Rooney

Definitely. Grandad collar home - Gillespie (long sleeved), away - Ginola. The banana shirt just takes me to Saylor for some reason The gold away (or Euro) shirt is Kluivert, blue NTL away is Nikos D. Last season's all black number - Yo Cabaye, Orange Ben Arfa

Don't be shocked when the home team run out in red - its not the Wales team we're playing but the Bluebirds new home colours. Could be some protests about the shirt and badge change, but Bellamy signing will probably mute them a fair bit. Glorious weather in South Wales atm, bring your factor 25!