Colos Short and Curlies

ARSE

Basil Boli?

Yep I'm sure were likely to see Cech, Reina and Van der Sar on the bench. Difference is there's less between our 2 keepers and Chelsea/Man U/Liverpool's choices. Arsene has had no qualms with benching his 'number 1' this season has he? If he took said approach Arsenal would be conceding left right and centre

If it is a recurrent thing from now on Harper should be the default no1. Can't have a no1 who is going to be in and out with injury

I was going to post something similar in the other thread... Already this season England have played 4 qualifiers and a friendly, with another international break coming in the next few weeks 11 England games were played last season (including 2 in June). Assuming we qualify for Euro 2008 and get to the final (its hard I know) then over a 2 year period since the last world cup the International calander puts on an additional half a season + in games. Cut down on the international dross and bring back 3 European competitions with less games in each. Stuff a winter break, its great having rapid fire games over the Christmas period

Given Beye Roz Cacapa Enrique Martins Butt Barton Zog Owen Smith Never gonna happen like! Whatever he puts out, 2-1 win

So now we have: EMO - England's Michael Owen EMO - Emily May Owen Anyone think he's having a laugh?

you get a choice? Sure. I'd have thought he'd be a contractor, with his own accountants, as opposed to PAYE - which hardly seems like the most tax-efficient way to earn that sort of money. Maybe it's down to regulations that require him to be an employee of the football club. As far as HMRC are concerned he is an employee, no matter if he wanted to call himself a contractor or employee

We've got a pretty decent recent record against Arsenal and Liverpool though (and Chelsea at home to boot). It seems to be those 'who we should beat' who we tend to slip up against

It still makes me smile when Big Sam talks about fitness regimes. Bit like a bald bloke cutting hair

Maybe its rose coloured misted glasses, but I'm sure that under Keegan we typically finished the first half strongly and started the second with gusto, for knacking up a managers plan the 10 minutes before and after half time are the ideal times to batter a team (imo of course)

A point on the reserves... Is there really any point them these days? If you look at the typical line up of a reserve team how many are realistically going to break through into the first teams of Premier League Clubs? One? Two if you are lucky? They also aren't really used to build up fitness anymore - behind closed doors gmes are set up now. I'm not saying we should scrap the reserves and academy - but maybe the whole country's approach to youth football needs to be looked at (personally I'd love to see a US style university sports culture whereby the university teams are used to develop young talent - maybe even linked to professional clubs. You'd probably alos get bigger attendnaces on a Weds afternoon for a Newcastle United vs Sunderland uni team game than the current reserves on a Thursday night)

Quiche Sanches isn't it? Got beat 3-0 of Seville at the weekend

I'd guess that Sam tries to change things around at half time in terms of pushing on etc. Off the top of my head we were leading against Bolton, Everton, Spurs, West Ham drawing against Wigan, City, Derby, Villa, Reading and Boro losing against no one. Against Everton and Bolton we conceded very early in the second half - even West Ham and Spurs were fairly early, possibly Sam had instructed the boys to 'keep it tight'? Perhaps going for killer early goal would be better? I also think its just as telling that, Wigan aside, we haven't turned a half time stalemate into 3 points yet, however it is pleasing that each half time lead has ended in 3 points

Mourinho springs to mind, whether he would be interested is another point however.... Aside from him however it is difficult to say, a manager and club have to fit for it to work, Keegan and us, Wenger and Arsenal, Sam and Bolton. It's easy to say that Capello, Ferguson, Wenger etc would improve us but the same could have been said when Dalglish was appointed. maybe i should've added the word "realistically" Well i did put in the point that Jose probably wouldn't be interested. The other 3 weren't suggestions, just examples of great managers who would be talked about as being the right man, not examples of who we should be looking at should Sam leave

You must have a short memory. The football under Roeder and Souness was dire and average at the best of times. The only games in which we've compared to Souness and Roeder are Reading, Derby, and maybe Villa at home. But it's early days. ps. You'd be slumped in your seat if you'd just seen your team concede a goal that should have, and probably would have, been dealt with 9/10 times. So that would be one third of the games we've played in the league then?

Mourinho springs to mind, whether he would be interested is another point however.... Aside from him however it is difficult to say, a manager and club have to fit for it to work, Keegan and us, Wenger and Arsenal, Sam and Bolton. It's easy to say that Capello, Ferguson, Wenger etc would improve us but the same could have been said when Dalglish was appointed.

If (as seems the case from his recent comments) we did go for a draw, why play 2 up front? Seems like a waste of a player to me, especially when neither is renowned for keeping hold of the ball.

If Ashley has true ambition for the club and Sam doesn't deliver Europe then I've no doubt we will be looking for someone else, and thats probably Jose. Mind you (1) he did say that they read lots of fori (??) before buyin the club so maybe he has got it in his head that its Hitzfeld that we all want! Mind you (2) If Mclaren doesn't get lucky and qualify maybe Sam will be looking at the England job again anyway

Where's Wazza commentating these days?

Not with us he didn't which would be the fairest comparison. He won as much with us as Ramos has with Spurs though!

Think so too. If he had anything about him he would realise that its one step back to take 2 forward. He's probably had too much football for his age and position and too much responsibility/standing due to the rubbish he has played with. Squad player is where he should be at this stage in his career, ready to kick on next season onwards

Did Jeff Stelling just say we were having our best start ever to a premier league season??!! Bonus though, Kammy is doing our game!

Can't be arsed to start a new thread for this, 5 Live Extra today - Stock v Bristol City (or the other way round). WTF! Chelsea Citeh on 5 Live I can understand, buts there's plenty of other decent premier league games to stick on extra!

Gives options, can go to a flat 4-4-2 (Milner and Zog), big man up to staying 4-4-2 or swap to a 4-3-3. Also got defenisve cover in midfield and back four with Roz And best of all. No Ameobi!