Nobody

Blackpool are considerably worse since they played us. Aye, that too

Simpson > Perch Tiote > Smith Barton > Routledge Nolan > Barton Ireland (?) ~ Nolan Ameobi < Carroll The team we should put out Saturday will be quite a lot better than the one that played on SJP, except of course for our forward/s.

Løvenkrands did that as well for most part of the game. In fact, we've had one of our forwards do that pretty much all season, under both Hughton and Pardew.

I wouldn't say we got it "all right". On another day, they could have scored two or three against us. We were excellent at closing them down, blocking shots and intercepting passes. However, they had enough opportunities to score a few goals. To say our defence was excellent would be a massive exaggeration imo. We on the other hand really, really lack a cutting edge up front. Hopefully Pards won't bend over to Ashley - and will make it clear we need to spend at least half of the Carroll money on a pair of new strikers. Theres probably less than a handful teams in the world that could stop a forward line of Anderson, giggs, Nani, Rooney and Hernandez from creating a good few chances during 90 minutes, and we certainly is not one of them. To not give Pardew and the defence a lot of praise for yesterday is just bollocks.

One problem for Pardew will be how he plans on using Ben Arfa. If he sees him as a second striker, and plan on playing 4-4-1-1 (which im all for, personally) I can see us just singing one more striker and Ireland, and have Best and Shola as back ups for the new striker and Ireland as back up for Ben Arfa. This would leave us with decent depth, as we'll be able to use Ben Arfa as a wide player should we need to and still have four options for our front two, while only having to sign one expensive striker plus Ireland (which really shouldnt cost much), letting us increase depth in other areas of the pitch (right back (left back as well if we send Ferguson on loan), wingers and good cover for Tiote). Ben Arfa (Ireland (Nolan)) New Striker (Best, Shola)

I'd keep the Kuqi monster actually. He seems really popular with the squad and will be on basically fuck all. In case of an injury crisis, I'd rather have him than no one. Basically he can be a player/coach. As for the rest, I'd keep Shola, Best and send Ranger on loan if we sign two more strikers (keep here if we only get one) and release lövenkrands. New striker New striker Ben Arfa Best Shola (Ireland?) (Ranger) ---- Kuqi

Doesn't matter who you support mate, as long as you're not an idiot you're welcome on this forum

Got it all right yesterday. Have a go early on and hope for a goal, but against Man U, you can't keep putting that kind of pressure on all game, and we changed our game plan accordingly.

Amazing how we kept a clean sheet against Man U when only two out of the back five got more than a 6 6 to me is an average mark, so I'm not saying we were bad. It's clear I'm seeing things a bit different from others though. Our defence battled hard but at no time did I feel we looked solid. Wilicini were well above average man, and Simpson, while not as good as the rest of the defence, was at the very least average.

Loudest booing I have heard at SJP in years and a great loud long "one greedy b****** there's only one greedy b******" Followed by "Joey knock him out Joey joey knock him out" Ah, I wondered what that was Cheers

Gotta be 4-4-2. Loven might even get a goal against these lot. Terrible defensively. That's a more attacking line up than playing Lövenkrands instead of Ireland.

Krul Simpson Wilicini Enrique Barton Tiote Nolan Jonas Ireland Ameobi

Time and a place for that, and it's not now. He was good tonight. Even if we bring in two much better strikers in the summer? New striker New striker Best Ameobi Airey New Striker (£10-15M) New Striker (£7-8M) Ameobi Best (The Kids) Lovenkrands - Get rid Ranger - Get rid/loan Spot on. Fancy you agreeing with his post, especially as it's so incredibly different from yours.

Amazing how we kept a clean sheet against Man U when only two out of the back five got more than a 6

Except, of course, Smiths work rate is shite and Lövenkrands does not give away stupid free kicks near our penalty area

He's such a bad player these days, but he works so hard that it's difficult to hate him. Especially when we haven't got any alternatives.

His level of performances here have mostly been around what he did tonight.

I'd consider starting him on Saturday.

He's on peanuts compared to most of our other players, for being a back up, you can't ask for more than this, can you?

What the fuck are people seeing that say that the Hernandez one is a penalty? It's an embarrassing dive man

FYP

Aye, fair play to the ref for not bottling it though. Would have been much easier for him to blow a penalty, despite how shocking that dive was.

Excellent game today.

Krul 7? Are you forgetting he kept us in the game after 2 minutes and didn't make a single error all game?

Rubbish points. Extremely harsh on Williamson. Bar his yellow card, he was excellent all game.