Dr Spectrum

The man who's continuing ommission baffles us all tbh. How the fuck Vassell gets in ahead of him is a mystery. Can't argue with the movement, or the header there. Great delivery too. COYB.

Handballed in from an offside position.

Aye, class player. I know its totally pointless to say things like this, but I wonder how good Beardo would have been in Laudrup's position in that Barcelona team... Or in Gullit's/Savicevic's place in the late 80s/early 90's Milan teams... etc, etc Savicevic was pure class, vastly underrated, same with Boban. Yep, when you think of some of the players that came out of Yugoslavia/Croatia in the late 80s and 90s they've made a big impact on Euro football (not that surprising that they never won owt as national teams when you consider all of the wars and that going on at the same time) - Mihailovic, Mijativic, Prosinecki, Boban, Savicevic, Suker, wasn't Vierchowod a nationalised Yugoslav... I'm sure the list goes on. Even Milosevic who played for Villa was a cracking player on his day. I remember how good Croatia were to watch in Euro 96, likewise Yugoslavia in France 98. Was just reading an article in When Saturday Comes last week about some gadgie who's supposedly one of the all time great footballers. Can't remember his name, or even the country he was from. It was part of the Soviet in the 80s. But whoever he was supposedly an absolutely magic player and is a legend at his club, who he helped to win their only ever Soviet championship. He had a horrendous stutter and was alchoholic, ended up in a loony bin before drinking himself to death at 35 or something like that. Was a great article - always good reading about great players who are under-apprecitaed by people outside their own clubs but loved by their own people, although obviously I wish he could have had a happier ending. Any WSC readers out there might know the one I'm talking about. Alexander Prokopenko Not that I've ever heard of him. Just sounded interesting so I had a quick poke about. Led Dinamo Minsk to the title in 82

City's team is unbelievable. 7 players 22 or under. And Vassell. At least Kaboumsong is playing for them.

The likes of Maradona, Zico, and van Basten were knocking about in my lifetime but I don't remember much of them. Ronaldo 94-99 definetly #1 for me. And...I was always a massive fan of Batistuta. I suppose the others would have to be one of Zidane, Henry, Ronaldinho, Charvet....problem being that unlike the other two I've seen loads of them and have plenty of shite games in my memory. I'm just gonna let nostalgia rule and pick someone from when I was just getting into football. Lothar Matthaus.

Well. erm. Theyre definetly going to miss Muntari. I think they can replace Diop with Davis short term. I think having to play Nugent might be a problem but I dont think its going to make them crumble into the second coming of Derby County.

Uh...maybe. I also remember Pompey then being nowhere near as good as they are now.

I think we should all wait and see how they do come January when all their best players go to Africa. None of their defenders are going tho. And niether is Kranjcar or Benjani. I think that will be important. Its only Muntari (big loss) and Utaka (meh) that are going from todays team...I doubt they'll be that bad. Finish above both of us i reckon.

He's a million miles ahead of most of what you have (Particularly the hopeless Rozehnal). And he's experienced, comitted, and has plenty of gas left in the tank. And he's not had a serious injury in years He's the type of player who should be right at the top of the shopping list imo. Altho he does look like a baked bean. Anyways. I'm sure Taggart will change his tune if Gary Chuckle remains crocked.

Interchanging 5 man midfield is as much the key as the def. They move the ball around confidently and take turns in breaking. Villa should have had at least one - 3/4 good chances (Lauresen/Carew). Maybe thats the plan. But they've only had one shot on target today. Theyre winning cos of David James. Tremendous player. But ya...Laursen should have buried that one that hit his shoulder.

Remember arguing on here with someone...(Mowen )...about how Pompey were destined for great things because of the strength of their defence and the tremendous acquisition of Muntari, who was one of the first names I wanted at City...And there we have it. Villa huff and puff for half the game, never get close to blowing their house down and boom, 2-0, what a goal. Pompey definetly finishing top 6. Best of the rest tbh.

PS: That article is word for word copied from the daily mirror, with the only difference being "Reports in the daily mirror say that" inserted at the start of the second line. People get paid for that!

Want a quote? They're quite easy to come by when the man pulling the strings loves a bit of publicity. How about this: "We're looking to see whether we'll do a swap deal or not. Adriano was a top player, but he lost form when his father died, and he put on weight. Now he's returning to form." Thaksin Shinawatra. Or how about this: "Sven does like Peter Crouch, very much. But he has yet to decide (if he will make an offer)," Same source.

He's more of a creator of goals tbf. A lack of goals will always be his problem though. Its his movement. Absolutely abysmal. He never gets anywhere near the 6 yard box to get a chance. Always dropping off or summat. I reckon its all been coached out of him when Taggart tried to turn him into a poor mans Robbie Savage. Sir Alex "Greatest manager ever " Ferguson has destroyed his career tbh.

I only saw the last hour or so. But it seems that you comfortably outfought them. Your most effective player was obviously Smith. Probably put an end to the myth that he can play in midfield as he's a different player altogether. However you can see why he has that goal record - I don't know if its confidence, midfield coaching, or whatever, but he's like an inverse Filipo Inzaghi. Never gets anywhere near a goalscoring chance. Movement is always coming short. Whats that all about.

I wonder if, in some far off corner of the interweb, Wenger is getting slated for playing his big money striker signing in midfield. Was Eduardo getting caught in possession that let you in wasn't it.

The best right back in the league aged 21 or under is Vedran Corluka. He might be the only one. But thats beside the point. Ashley Young is 22. So is Scott Carson. If you're having that extremely liberal definition of under 21 that UEFA seem to go by, I nominate Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Completely, y'know, batshit. The other guy had it right tbh.

Ipswich Norwich is way more volatile than City Utd. Lots do live in teh middle and whilst its a fair distance, travel in East Anglia is very different to anywhere else I have lived! For most of the last half century the Manchester derby hasnt even been a competition. I think the tribal thing based on geography and identity with your town/city lends itself to more hassle. In one city it is just fabricated 'i like them' 'you like them' stuff. Its lacks that local pride in your city/town. The only derby that comes close to what local places can manage to stoke up is Celtic Rangers for very difffernt reasons. The ones that piss me off are Londoners/Scousers - and to a lesser extent Mancs, where you have half of one family supporting different teams. What the fuck is all that about? Me fatha wouldn't tolerate shite like that like. Nor would any other Newcastle born male (other than Gordon Armstrong - God bless his 'celebration'). tbf there isnt much of that split family stuff going on. My family are all blues. Practically everyone I know shares their allegiance with the rest of their family. Struggle to think of anyone who doesnt (serious fans only). My Grandad was a Red but my Mum never had any interest in carrying on his line (Thank God ). This volatile stuff. Fans from split rivalries hate each other to a far greater degree. I don't think you'll never go to Ipswich and see different shirts sat next to each other like you do at Goodison. But they don't have anywhere near the same level of fearing the next few months and years of crowing from 49% of the workplace. Some might, but overall the stakes are different for the supporters that fill up Eastlands compared to those at Portman Rd. IMO.

The thing I was saying tho. One City derbies like ours are a different animal to two city derbies like yours. (I suppose Ipswich-Norwich is a better example, they're bloody miles away from each other but its still considered a derby). One is Tribal warfare, the other a Bi-Annual bragging rights contest. I don't understand why theyre under the same banner, "Derby", when they are blantantly different. And I think comparing the magnitude of the games is folly when they mean different things. Slight tangent. Another thing that gets on me nerves. When you see games like Wigan vs City or City vs Blackburn being described as a "North West Derby". I suppose its the same with you and Boro. Just cos two teams are relatively close to each other, it doesnt make it a derby (sic)! As Connor MacLeod once said...there can be only one. Per team.

You know what I don't get. Games like the Mighty Blues vs the Forces of Darkness or Liverpool vs Everton. These are what I call derbies. Where the teams are from the same place and the support is intermingled, sometimes even between families. But Newcastle vs Sunderland. Is that the same thing? Two teams from two distinct places, close as they are? How many Newcastle fans have Sunderland fans for workmates, neighbors, or grandads? I doubt its many. Newcastle vs Sunderland, Soton vs Pompey, Norwich vs Ipswich etc, are not derbies. They are rivalries. Discuss. Well. They might be derbies as I'm not sure as to what the exact definition of the word is. But they are different? (See also, Barcelona vs Real Madrid "El Derby" equals biggest derby in the world. No it fucking isnt. Its 300 and odd fucking miles away.)

West Ham away We gave them a bit of a bumming on the first day of the season but we wont catch them with their pants down again. I think we'll go out altho we owe them for putting us out in the '06 1/4 final. Hopefully have some new recruits at least. COYB.

2004/05. Man City (h). Is that the 4-3 game. We would have won if Willo Flood would have passed to Fowler instead of shooting at 3-3. >

Last week Sven gave Frank a list of players he wants. Not long after Frank gave a TV interview saying Sven wants two midfielders and a striker. Just cos we (or indeed, you) had this guy watched it does no mean we want him in january.