Colos Short and Curlies

For me you've got to isolate the derby from every other game, there are too many variables to consider. Yes he got it wrong on Saturday, but prior to that we've had: Good second half v Blackburn Spirited Comeback v Everton Encouraging display v Citeh It will be interesting to see the team on Tues, it will give us a measure of the man as he finally has a squad to play with. Butt should be rested, the foot knock he is carrying gives a convenient excuse to 'rest' his stand in captain. This brings in Barton for a full comeback - I'd also be tempted to give him the armband. Jonas must play as we are at home, its a toss up between Duff and Geremi who gets rested. Also tempted with Zoggy to give us plenty of pace down the wings. I'd also question Shola's ability to play 3 games in a short space of time considering his last couple of years. If he applies something like the above I think we can look forward with a bit of confidence to pulling safe, if he sticks with the old warhorses however then he has fallen into the Roeder trap of playing those who got you into trouble in the first place

If you are pinpointing a single moment then it's Cantona at SJP in 1996. Outside of the Toon its got to be Liverpool's comeback vs AC Milan. I was living there at the time and it compounded Souness' first season, showed how far we had fallen in such a short space of time

Portsmouth may be in trouble depending on who they get in to replace ol Deputy Dawg. They've no money to spend in January and may well come under pressure to sell the likes of Defoe, Crouch and Diarra. West Ham will yo-yo around 14th to 17th but will ultimately be safe I reckon. Bolton, Stock, West Brom are the obvious candidates. Boro look very weak, but there are potentially goals from Mido, Alves and Tuncay which should see them OK. Spurs should recover, but they will come into April still not being safe. As for us, depends on a number of obvious factors Owen being fit Club being sold New manager beign brough in Viduka getting fit Butt losing a leg Duff " " Our games to Christmas are vital, if we are in the bottom three come Jan 1st I think we will go down, pull away from it slightly and we'll be OK. Oh and we will get to the FA cup final again in May

Jonas is twice the player Geremi or Duff is though tbh, we really could do with him today Jonas on for last 25-30 against already tired fullbacks......

Everton Toon not a big derby either remember. Remember kids. Drink and Drugs fuck up your brain

I think we are all being very harsh on poor Styles. The rules should be changed so that you can not challenge a player in the box, infact give them a yards space all around them. Its the only way these poor simple referees are going to stop making silly decisions

Can't believe I'm saying this but it would be harsh to drop Duff atm! I'd only play one of Oba and Owen, ditto Barton and Jonas. Be tempted with something along the lines of Shay Beye - Taylor - Colo - Bassong Geremi - Butt - Guthrie Duff - Shola - Martins Options on the bench from Zoggy Owen Xisco Jonas Barton Ranger Cacapa Harper This game will be won through graft and the odd spark from either team

Hasn't Howard Webb awarded 4 of them as well? Bar last nights I think that all of the penalties were justifiable. Funny how we got away without conceding one at Old Trafford

I think that its a problem with our crossing in general. We seem to try and hit a man rather than hit an area with the players attacking the same space. We do usually hit a man to be fair, its just rarely in black and white

Whats the news on Corluka? Had a quick look around but can't see anything.

One word: continuity. That is one word used to describe the goals flowing in. Basically, what i meant was, first Allardyce and then Keegan (when he first came back) tried just about every defensive permutation possible, and shipped girls like water. Keegan then picked four, stuck with it and we ended up getting five clean sheets in eight games, or something like that. We haven't had a settled backline this season either, be it through injuries or whatever. Looking forward to getting Beye back, got to say. Its the Lawro pronunciation

Don't forget that a win for us puts Everton fourth bottom.

Better than Shola will do - and is easily achievable. Ps Obafemi Martins, please be fit for Monday

Eh? Examples? Held the club back from the heady days of nearly dropping into the 3rd? How does a supporter's loyalty to an ex-manager hold the club back exactly? One a smallish scale not allowing the promising Bellamy/Kluivert partnership to grow in order to allow Shearer to get to the goal record? Managerial choice, nothing to do with supporter loyalty. Some managers are loyal to players who have done well in the past even when form dips and keep consistency in the team, others will swap and change the team based on form. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages, and both have worked successfully. When Butt came back from relegated Birmingham noone here held out any hope for him, yet he was very good that season and the same kind of faith in a player you're talking about with Shearer was rewarded. /sidetrack Really? Do you think that had Souness sat Shearer on the bench for a run of 5-10 games to allow Kluivert and Bellamy to have a run of games the crowd would have been supportive? One loss and the pressure to recall Shearer would have been massive. (The same goes if SBR had not been sacked and then proceded to give Shearer a prolonged sit down)

Eh? Examples? Held the club back from the heady days of nearly dropping into the 3rd? How does a supporter's loyalty to an ex-manager hold the club back exactly? One a smallish scale not allowing the promising Bellamy/Kluivert partnership to grow in order to allow Shearer to get to the goal record?

Hmmmm, we hear nothing from this Harris bloke for ages now its a soundbite everyday. Me thinks there is no interested party who Harris/Ashley think are serious enough in their interest for the club

Good luck with that!

If they have the interests of the club at heart then they do everything ih their power to arrange a meeting with Ashley and try to map out a way forward that involves Ashley investing into the club again. I know its difficult to take anything coming out of the club at face value, but if he is truthful in only selling the club as he can no longer enjoy going to the matches then with compromise on everyones part this can be resolved. Of course that doesn't fit with ensuring he leaves at all costs, but if a buyer isn't found (i'd even go as far as to say if one is not found by next Friday) then this is the only way forward imo I doubt that Ashley would have any interest in meeting NUSC after what's gone on, that's just a guess. Totally agree, and wouldn't really blame him either

Likely level of investment is then the only variable. Actually that's not true. Experience in running a similar business will also count. So if Freddy is heading a consortium/ being brought in as chairman? Why would anyone want Freddie as chairman? Would he be bringing his son with him to rubber stamp Luque/Boumsong type deals? Because he has experience running a similar business. (It wasn't a recommendation btw, merely a question type statement)

Likely level of investment is then the only variable. Actually that's not true. Experience in running a similar business will also count. So if Freddy is heading a consortium/ being brought in as chairman?

If they have the interests of the club at heart then they do everything ih their power to arrange a meeting with Ashley and try to map out a way forward that involves Ashley investing into the club again. I know its difficult to take anything coming out of the club at face value, but if he is truthful in only selling the club as he can no longer enjoy going to the matches then with compromise on everyones part this can be resolved. Of course that doesn't fit with ensuring he leaves at all costs, but if a buyer isn't found (i'd even go as far as to say if one is not found by next Friday) then this is the only way forward imo

I wonder if sales in Sports Direct - Sunderland branch have gone up recently?

Justice for the chicken!

That statement as a standalone I tend to rather agree with, but in the case of this thread it almost seems out of place. The NUSC is releasing press statements which are neither reasoned nor helpful. They're more blind prejudice and inflammatory. So true, as I've said doing something is only better than doing nothing if the action you take is beneficial. In this case we would be better off if they hadn't released these statements. Yep fair points. But it appears - and this has been the problem with NUFC fans in general for a while - that people are happy to moan and bitch about things on here, other forums, at work, in the pub etc but would never do anything about it. The people have, good on them. They don't have to have people pulling them down for it. If you've got such a problem with what they are saying - tell them. If they don't change when enough people tell them then by all means have a go at them. I think fans should stick to moaning and bitching to put it bluntly. There's a reason lunatics aren't usually allowed to run the asylum. Putting out statements discouraging sponsors, suggesting customers buy their pies from Greggs etc. shows why it's best fans just stick to being fans. I actually agree about buying your steak bakes from Greggs rather than from the ground. They taste better