Colos Short and Curlies

we beat Chelsea 3-1 this day in 98 if you want an omen

Today in 1998... Newcastle 3 - 1 Chelsea. Its a sign!

1-0 at 60 mins and the nerves may start to set in here's hoping nayhow

Why? Retired a couple of years ago due to knee injury. Recovered sufficiently in December to be resigned

He tried to change things for the benefit of the long term. RdM has simply looked at the short term and for now its working, next season Chelsea still need to rebuild - not convinced he is the man for that and unless the likes of Terry conform or are shipped out they wil struggle again I feel like it is possible to rebuild without alienating the entire squad, turning a extremely solid defensive team into a sieve, and performing like a midtable side. Villas-Boas is given far too much credit. People talk about the owner's impatience, but he did a completely atrocious job. Oh yeah, he did a complete hash job, but there's no denying that having powerful characters like Drogba, Terry, Cole and Lampard - at least 2 of which were being phased out - made it mission impossible

Especially if its Spurs in 4th

I'm sure Pards carries lube with him in case he bumps into Brandy.

He tried to change things for the benefit of the long term. RdM has simply looked at the short term and for now its working, next season Chelsea still need to rebuild - not convinced he is the man for that and unless the likes of Terry conform or are shipped out they wil struggle again

But its not a 433. Ben Arfa isnt playing as a striker is he? Anybody with an ounce of sense would know this. So its a 4-5-1 then? It is a 4-3-3 in simplictic terms, but its application is very fluid and goes between a 4-5-1 to a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 with every variation inbetween depending on the way he game is going

Just hoping for a Terry red now...

One positive from today - QPR a step closer to going down

Its not a 433 though is it? More a 4231. I hope we stick with it but bring in Perch for Ba. Move Jonas out on the left and have Perch in with Tiote with Cabaye more advanced (where he has been fantastic recently). Ba NEEDS to be dropped. ---Krul--- Simpson---Williamson---Coloccini---Santon Perch---Tiote Ben Arfa-------Cabaye-------Jonas ---Cisse--- 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 semantics really, but I take the point. Like the look of Perch and Tiote holding, just worried they might get in eachothers way a little though and Jonas offers more legs in there. Either way, lets hope its after the lord mayors show for Chelsea on Wednesday

Blackburn have goals in the Yak and Holliet, Depends if Spurs front 4 or 5 turn up today or not really.

Would still like the 4-3-3 to continue but with Cabaye playing a little more withdrawn and Ferguson coming in for Ba. Reckon additional pace on the counter is needed and whilst Ba is better going forward, Ferguson will provide more defensive cover. Would also consider Perch coming in for Simpson, but playing LB with Santon RB 4 points might get CL if Spurs lose today and we avoid defeat at SB.

There's a meme in there somewhere

I can see RDM giving more a fuck about the FA Cup than league tbf. He probably knows he doesn't have the job long term so a cup will look better on his CV. Anyway, We'll be joint third at worst come Weds, lets leave Arsenal and Spurs to quibble of the qualification rules

Proper strips on PES 2013!!!

Yeah it would - changes the definition of a stupid offer and top of the market value

To be honest, even with CL money, a stupid offer would still tempt the powers that be, the only difference would be the definition of stupid and an added variable that a successful CL campaign adds value. Carroll was top of the market at £35m. Tiote at £20m isn't, especially with a European audience. Same with any club though

Frank Clark, if for no other reason than the Fantasy Football sketches he and Jason Lee gave the world

So who would people like to see score the goal that clinches it for us? (Knowing fair well that an OG off Pienars arse would do us all fine!) Ba is an obvious one for his exploits pre ACON, Cisse likewise for post ACON Be Arfa, well we're potentially talking movie script if its against City Colo - would be fitting for the man Big Mike, sense of irony seeing as he hasn't managed one for us yet Perch for turining it round Krul, just to prove that a long punt could sometimes work. Shola, well he's Shola after all Taylor (S), the nearest we've got after Shola to a Geordie boy. For me, I'd love it to be Colo or Ben Arfa - and would love it to be against Chelsea (theoretically possible to clinch it then).

Its got to be the Music Man. Tio Tio Tiote

Echoing a lot of thoughts, but as long as we're challenging for Europa again next season we'll have gone a big step to cementing our position. Pretty sure that we're also the only club outside the traditional top 4 who have qualified for the CL in successive seasons before this (Citeh have done it this season). Shows just how difficult it is to break into that club. Put it in another thread earlier, but I see us as being one of the teams that the media like to fawn over in Europe for being vibrant, young, up and coming and exciting. Feels good. Would love to see no first teamers leave this summer and bulk up the back line and maybe a forward. I reckon if we spend £10m we could do it well by looking at Bosman's and clauses once more.

I thought he had been banned, but popped on today and saw him still banging his old drum. We should really invite him back for a one-off special

Every season there seems to be a team in either the Europa or CL thats is hailed as a bright young team or one that has qualified agaisnt the odds. That's us next year!