Minhosa

As it's now abundantly clear Geremi and N'Zogbia can't strike a decent free-kick or corner for toffee, who do you feel BSA will look to use in future? Can Barton take free kicks? I don't recall seeing him take any for Citeh? How about Enrique? Has anyone seen his dead ball ability from his previous club? Don't think he'll use Duff, whose (very occasional) delivery last season was poor and Emre often fails to beat the first man too. Thoughts?

Exactly what I thought. Given he could hardly run by the time he left us.

Thats some bench. Very solid. Perhaps lacking a good creative midfielder but thats all.

Had a few little bets;- Ameobi, S. (1st Scorer - EW 1/3 1-2-3) Derby v Newcastle 7/1 £2.00 Rozehnal, D. (1st Scorer - EW 1/3 1-2-3) Derby v Newcastle Each Way 40/1 £2.00 Draw/Newcastle (Half-time/Full-time) Derby v Newcastle 4/1 £2.00

Sorry - instead of Viduka. Hamstring strain.

Shola starts

Cheers Greg.

How many of them are new? And is 'Craig Russell', the same lad that used to play for the mackems?

Are you sure that response wasn't for the Le Saux thread? I've got my doubts.

The bigger picture needs to be looked at here. A couple of months before we sacked SBR the Scousers decided they had reached the end of the line with Houiller and sensibly, imo, finished him before the pre-season and went for the most successful coach in Europe (excluding Mourinho). Despite the fact they had beaten us into 4th position. Since then THEY have won the CL and seen a significant improvement as a squad and also in style of play. Since them WE have witnessed a Souness and Roeder regime and are only just starting to see how the club SHOULD be managed from top to bottom. Are we really in a position to criticise? Stones. Glass. Throw. Houses. Don't. In. Put them in order and that's what comes to mind.

A good time to buy?

One thing is for sure.......we look bloody hard to beat. I don't think we'll be getting smashed by anyone.

Great thread Lads. Well done. Delighted that the Club are building bridges with the Supporters. About time. 1. Oliver is the obvious 'please get sorted' request that stands out for me. 2. I'd like to see a reduction in cup game ticket prices. 3. It'd be nice for the club to put on coaches to some away games too. Charlton have done that for years and it's a really nice touch. 4. In the longer term, I'd like to see the club extend the stadium in the corner between the leazes and east stand. I'm sure there's been good reason for this not to happen in the past (planning permission or whatever) but perhaps Mike's Billions could sway a decision in our favour. That would really make the ground stand out as one of the best in Europe.

I laughed out loud at this. Top post.

Contract will mean nothing to Anelka when he eventually spits his dummy out. I am very surprised that he's committed himself to them now though with better things reportedly on the horizon..........unless that was just his Agents/Brothers trying to pressurise Bolton into a better contract. I'll show my arse in Fenwicks window if he's still there in four years though.

Where's all this 'He's a wanker' stuff come from? Have I overlooked something he's done against us or in his private life? I can't, for the life of me, think of what he's done to get this reaction. Not having a go here btw, I just can't understand what I've missed?

Funny, Joe Cole is one of those players that I've always expected to see playing for us at some stage of his career. Don't know why.

Someone had better warn Guy Chambers & Bernie Taupin that there's a new lad on the scene. Deary me.

That Rohan Ricketts ended up there? What a fall from grace that was, he was supposed to be the next big thing at one point. Amazing how many of these 'hyped' players end up nowhere.

How we doing? Anyone give me a summary?

King & Ellington, if fit, will make some strikeforce for them this season. Could be a good bet to come back up.

Beat me by 6 seconds. >

Sunderland signed Kenwyne Jones from Southampton for £6m with Stern John going in the opposite direction.

I hope so. The only thing with Beye is that he could have come earlier in the summer and seemed to commit himself to Marseille. Would that change now in the space of a couple of months? I'm not sure.

Hartey will get ass-raped off anyone with a hint of pace down the right flank. Can't wait to see SWP etc go at him. Hope he starts every week.