Raconteur

Interesting take on the "best player" debate, provided by Australia's SBS World News sports program: "The world's best players were on display but it was Wayne Rooney who stole the show" (my emphasis)

If the result is anything other than a resounding victory for Chelsea then we will be subject to a tirade from Mourinho about how Liverpool / the FA / UEFA / FIFA / the EU / the UN / The Illuminati have formed an alliance to stop those poor blue collar lads from West London in their brave fight against the odds Actually, I'm with midds - here's hoping for a melee, some broken legs and enough red cards to see the game abandoned...

Dragan Stoijkovic

mackems.gif

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree, because I thought he was indeed terrible and a waste of space, and I don't care about bandwagons - I call it how I see it. He was woeful, and needed to be substituted. (Then again, so did Sibierski, at least ten minutes before injury forced Roeder's hand) Which leads me to my point re N'Zogbia - yes, he certainly has been underwhelming this season, but when Dyer was as poor as he was on Sunday yet Roeder still thought "Hmmm, I could put N'Zogbia on for Dyer, but no..." - it tells me more about how Roeder views N'Zogbia than how well Dyer played. Maybe you think Roeder made the right call, but I certainly don't

Bailed until July? How convenient... (Am I being overly cynical? How long is the customary processing time for drink driving in the UK?)

No he was terrible! wipe your face cos your talking s***! Perhaps you'd like to expand on why you think Dyer was anything other than terrible on Sunday? Read the match thread (or the Dyer transfer thread), you'll find you're in a very small minority... Yes, he was through on goal once, apart from that he contributed absolutely nothing. The only reason he played the full 90 minutes was because Roeder has made his mind up about N'Zogbia

The very important left-right-out position

what about that bloke from the bulgarian team with thar caveman style beard, was it ivanov or something Aye, Ivanov... The one thing I remember form that Bulgarian team was that every single player in that squad's name ended in v. [/useless trivia]

That moment when Bramble turned like a battleship and lumbered after him did sum up his physical attributes - a kind of bumbling, awkward strength. Yes, he did have a good game, but that tiny piece of play won't be making any youtube clips...

snooker player shurely ? english left back, man. just spelled his name incorrectly He's a fucking traitor is what he is - born in Australia but played for England, should have his Australian passport revoked and barred entry into the country... Just like Craig Johnstone, Ante Seric, Joe Didiluca, Josip Simunic etc

I can't agree there - if Dyer was through the middle yesterday we would have gotten murdered. Maybe, maybe there was a case for Zog on the left and Milner on the right, but at the expense of Dyer and not Emre or Butt But on the whole I think for once Roeder got the balance right. Now if only he could learn the technique of making effective tactical substitutions and he will have made some progress from shite to mediocre!

The team-mate and singing partner of Chris Waddle?

Yeah, it was commented on. Dunno what to make of it though. Second home game in a row, wasn't it?

Aww come on, at least he got into the position, which I am quite certain noone else would have, and when he looked up Dyer was in the box the he put his head down and by the time he'd played it Dyer had stopped completely and it looked like a shit ball. He looked good, promising. I like the look of him too, but that was a great chance to be an instant hero. I have to say that was the first I've really seen him - he seems to be very, very left footed, and surely it was a confidence thing in that it's easier to wrap your unnatural foot around the ball to cross from where he was than shoot...? Just my impression anyway Apart from that, Sibierski's performance was like one big advertisement for everyone who advocates buying a striker who can hold the ball up as first priority (a view I don't necessarily subscribe to but can see the point). For the whole first half the ball bounced off Le Sib and straight back at us, putting us under lots of unnecessary pressure Top marks for Taylor, Emre and Milner - and kudos for the much-maligned Carr and Bramble who put in pretty good shifts too. Good point hard earned

Played this season - for New Zealand Knights in the Australian A-League. Was predictably shite, given that he's 36

There's not enough of the boot shining celebration Surprised no one has mentioned the baby cradling one Bebeto used in USA 94 (and copied by new fathers the world over!) The "Young Guns" celebration was terrible - Baby Bentley's before there were Baby Bentley's... And for some reason when I opened this thread I remembered Lee Sharpe's daft "using the corner flag like a microphone" - sad

I can't even read that name without feeling pain in my legs! Ned Zelic

Care to expand on that one?

Lucky you - some of us remember the 80's!!! (Waddle, Beardlsey, Gascoigne being sold) Aye, I know that we once were a selling club, and I'm kinda surprised it took half an hour for someone to mention those three players! Actually no laughing matter, and as I said, part of my motivation for this stroll down memory lane is the fear that we may once again become a selling club... Lets's hope today's optimistic Chronicle report on the club's finances is more accurate than the darker picture painted by others...

Well, like I said, I don't want it to become a fight on why he left, besides, it would get boring if everyone said him!

keep this thread, the other one has turned into b.s. Except that the other thread contains a very pertinent point - the head of the God-damned FA disagrees with you most vehemently! Yes, injuries happen, but the current issue is the cost of the operation, some 150,000 quid - which is peanuts to both the club and the FA. It's become a principle thing, which is exactly why this support has come out now - because it is a seperate issue from the big compensation from the FA and FIFA (which we will probably lose on the grounds you mentioned in your opening post)* It's a curly subject, one no one wants to take up, so I guess if we're being honest we should give Freddy kudos for having the courage to force the issue. Maybe you thik it makes us a laughing stock - I'm sure some of Jean-Marc Bosman's friends told him he was an idiot for fighting his case too... *EDIT: Yes, we have 6m, but Freddy is sitll pushing the FA and FIFA for more on that issue, which is, I understand, seperate from the costs of the operation...

NOTE #1 I am aware this has the potential to descend into a slanging match on a couple of grounds (eg boardroom influence in the comings and goings, now and in the past). Please restrain yourselves lads! This is intended as a wistful walk down memory lane, with a tinge of what might have been! NOTE #2 Please don't everyone say Craig Bellamy. Yes, I can appreciate that for a lot of fans he might be the number one regretful sale, but I'd love it if this didn't descend into a Bellamy v Souness (or whatever) flame war! During my time of supporting Newcastle Untied they have always been a buying club, rather than a selling club. However, every club sees players come and go, so my question is "Which three players do you really regret leaving the club, and why?" I guess part of my motivation is I've been watching club DVD's and am feeling melancholic, but also because we may have to face a new reality with the near-sale of Milner last summer and the likely sale of N'Zogbia next summer - are we about to become a selling club (as we were once upon a time) They don't have to be the best players, just players you wish we hadn't of disposed of when we did... For me, in no particular order: 1) Lee Clark (1997) Clarkie was one of my first Toon faves. I am abundantly aware that he wasn't world class, but I just loved the way he played, he had an exuberance that captivated me. Being sold to the mackems too, I never got my head around that. I always figured Dalglish was being plain mean 2) Steve Watson (1998) Another Geordie boy, who came through the ranks and busted a gut for the club for many years, playing all over the pitch when asked. Again, not the best player to pull on the black and white stripes and I guess a 4m fee dulled the pain a bit, but I always thought Gullit made a mistake there 3) Gary Speed (2004) Whether or not you believe what Bobby said in his book, the fact was Speed left the club, and a hole was created that still hasn't been filled nearly three years later. What's worse is that he still provides Bolton with quality service I know this could be a long list - that's why there's only three, so everyone gets to have a go! Who would your three be?

When discussing Bridge, aren't we ignoring the fact that since Cashley got injured Bridge has excelled? A fringe player at Chelsea for a while, I thought he was flourishing? Another element is that Mourinho may be leaving in the summer, plus Abramovich's statement that paying silly fees is a thing of the past - which means a new man would have to reassess the squad and make do without ridiculous transfers. For me it all adds up to Bridge staying at Chelsea... As far as I'm concerned, the boat has well and truely sailed on that one...

Superb analogy - I wonder if it's too clever for some people though... Both here and in the boardroom