ElDiablo

Two holding players isn't the way forward for England as you need to be intelligent to play the position, you also need better than Downing and Walcott on the wings to supplement the striker.

annoyance disapproval disdain

Amazing statement. I for one am placated.

Good post. Finishing 8th. Behave. We'd need to keep everyone fit for the entirety of the season for that to happen.

5. Stood still in terms of the squad ability imo. As far as the future for big money investment and ambition wise; 1. Fuck all and inexcusable tightfistedness.

Between this and the 9/11 programme on 4 it has been a pretty depressing evening.

Kill me.

"Papiss Demba Cisse staying at Freiburg"

Would be a colossally shit signing.

It's a bit weird the whole fasting thing. Eid is moving a day further back in my town because you won't be able to see the moon tomorrow.

I was under the impression he was black as well. Disappointing.

Think he meant this season. Anyway, he picked Jones, and for once in general seems to have picked a nice squad. Cahill, Smalling and Cleverley all called up too.

No shit, you're the champions of Europe.

He's quality, surprised he's forced his way in so quickly but he can more than handle it. Looking forward to seeing a bit more of Oxlade-Chamberlain.

No Zamora for them? Massive plus.

It's considered to bethe closest to the Prem isn't it? Apart from the SPL.

1-1.

Still no excuse for going in to a season with a weak squad despite having the money to remedy that.

He'd keep the team together.

Him and Cabaye don't look great together at all. In fact the midfield looks what it is, an unbalanced mix of players who haven't played together before.

Crap. Ba and Gosling look worryingly off the pace. Lovenkrands was always going to be shit.

Yeah, Man Utd have always been the benchmark for a quick tempo game, agree that Monday they looked a lot sharper and quicker last season, probably down to the much younger team. I find that the most entertaining type of football to watch personally. It's why I loved us so much under Bobby, played a high pace game similar to Man Utd. I think in general a lot of English teams play a higher tempo atm, though last season the top sides were the worst they've been for a while imo. Spurs for example play high tempo too. It doesn't mean a higher tempo is any better in any way, I think that's where there's an issue in the debate, it's just an observation, look at Blackpool last season who played too quickly and got caught out because of it.

It's the usual cliché bingo about English and Spanish football isn't it? I remember Jermaine Pennant saying when he played for Zaragoza against Barca, that is was the most he's ever had to run in a game. He said he could barely breathe after about 60 minutes. That's because they are always moving, dragging their marker around, not the tempo. (imo)