Andy

Doesn't mean much. Mike Williamson played most games for us.

It's going to take him half a dozen or so games to establish his best team, especially after our complete mess of a pre season. No doubt we'll see Aarons knocking on the door before long.

I was under the impression that he wanted to peg the full backs back by offering our own threat down the wings (albeit only in the form of pace in Obertan's case). His plan was clearly to try and push Southampton into their own half due to the potential speed we had on the transition. That isn't a Pardewesque mentality at all.

I disagree with his decision but I respect the mentality behind it. About time we used the fret of our wide players (at least in terms of Obertan's pace) to try and peg opposition fullbacks back, as opposed to using them as secondary fullbacks. Still think Aarons would've been better suited to that like.

Referee gave a freekick for it didn't he? Doesn't that mean they can't charge him?

TCD is actually right for once here like Veratti and Motta sit deep for PSG; take either of them out and it puts a huge dent in their side as they compliment each other perfectly. Matuidi normally plays further forward to the left, he's nowhere near as important in their system as those two are. I'd argue Motta is the most important player in their midfield as he has more discipline than the others. They always struggle to control games without him.

Some of the best central defenders of all time have been under 6 foot Baresi and Cannavaro spring to mind straight away.

Love the way you say these things like they're fact rather than just your opinion Edit: Di Maria is better than Pastore like but don't agree that Pastore isn't that good Not my fault that's the way you interpretated it He is though IMO, his club career has been classic play 1 good game and play shit for the next 8 though. Had a better time of it last season like. Don't think Pastore suits PSG's style though personally, he fits into Blanc's systems about as smoothly as Ben Arfa fitted into Pardew's.

Can't really blame players for preferring clubs like those mentioned over us like. After the last few seasons, you'd have to question the ambition of any player that saw us as a priority.

Bas Dost is one of those players who'd score goals with good players around him putting them on a plate. Hard not to feel he'd be a waste of a shirt most of the time in our team though.

The article pretty on point, but it's soured by the fact that it blatantly only exists because the club won't speak to them.

Neymar is definitely the most selfish of the three like. He's also the youngest by a fair margin though, that aspect of his game has time to develop.

Fair point. As I've said elsewhere as well that's what's set Suarez apart and made them tick for me too. Neymar is basically the selfish cunt of the three and the other two are more than willing to set him up on a plate when they can. Would like to see Neymars assists vs the other two for the season. Two less assists than Suarez with a dozen or so more goals, I think. Edit: That stat might just have been assists directly between the three of them, thinking about it.

Trophies aren't the sign of a great player, they're the sign of a great team; individual ability shouldn't just be judged on world cup or champions league honours IMO. Using my eyes to watch Messi play football is enough for me to say he's the greatest player I've ever seen. He has more in his locker than any of his peers and he's performed at a ridiculously high level with more consistency for longer. Winning a world cup wouldn't really elevate my opinion of him at all and failing to win one wouldn't lower it

Not at all. Maradona was a terrible manager for Argentina and had no idea how to make Messi the main man. He played him how he had played as a player and expected him to just be Maradona. He emphasised the team ethic but never played Messi to his strengths. This is a man who played Jonas at Right Back and said that he and Messi were the most important players in the Argentinian squad. It's no different to Peckerman being the reason Argentina didn't go further in '06 by taking off Riquelme against Germany. These things are tangible and with Maradona as manager it was exactly the same, he was totally hopeless. Has to be the most moronic substitution of all time that like.

I'll never understand why the World Cup has to be the thing that defines a great player personally, the Champions League is probably more competitive.

The best for me; considering it was a final too and against good opposition Best part of it all is that CRonaldo would never do something like that. Amirite Froggy? I was talking to a friend about this last night, can anyone remember a memorable Cronaldo goal? Long-rangers (Porto)/free-kicks(Pompey) mainly. Fulham. Late winner. Ran from inside his own half. What year? The fuck does that matter for? Go on YT and search for Cristiano Ronaldo best solo goals. There's loads where he beats many players and finishes. Such short memories. Ronaldo outscored him again this year too. Messi's all-round game is miles ahead of your lad's like. Goal scoring is the only area in which they're comparable, Messi is on a completely different level as a footballer.

Nah, I'd rather see him go out on a high. He was outstanding today and it's fantastic to see him playing again, but in reality he isn't good enough at this level and forcing him into the team next season out of sentiment would probably sour the memories a bit. Let him leave and be remembered for today

What game were you watching? Anita was all owa the shop today.

He's barely acceptable as a fourth choice striker. He should be nowhere near any starting eleven at this level.

Can't even see how this is up for debate. We are severely lacking in players who can deliver moments of quality in attacking areas. The likes of Cabella, Gouffran, Ameobi, Guttierez, Ryan Taylor and so on are objectively not fit to lace Ben Arfa's boots in that sense and their added (and often mythical) "work rate" has hardly done us any favours at the other end of the pitch. Their impact in attacking areas is basically non-existent and the lack of threat they provide makes opponents comfortable pushing forward in numbers against us. Ben Arfa would walk into this team in a heartbeat under any manager with a single footballing brain cell, but instead his style of play makes him an easy fall-guy for those without.

Ah right, point still stands though. I don't think it does like Every match-going fan I've spoke to fucking loves the lad. This is the only place I've seen consistent vitriol towards him.

Aye. The majority of our supporters love him man, he's probably our most popular player outside of the messageboard bubble.

PSG's midfield are all over the place without Motta. Massively underrated player.