ikri

No. 17 was Ashley's "lucky" number long before he bought the club (& Smith). That Smith ended up with the owner's lucky number on his shirt was just cruel luck. Oddly enough, since Smith got Ashley's lucky number Ashley's luck has turned to shit, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

A lot of players peak very early or simply fail to develop well when they're no longer the best player in their youth team. A lot of youngsters do very well if they develop early and are physically bigger than their peers, they'll always stand out. Once the other youngsters have caught up and they can't guarantee being 6-inches taller than the next nearest player or can't out-muscle opponents they get found out pretty quickly. Some players will simply be unable to adjust to life away from their homes and support networks. For every player who gets more than a couple of first team league appearances there will be 20 who fail to make the grade, that's always been the case. That doesn't mean you abandon the youth system, it just means you need 20 more kids who might make the grade.

If we are going to be playing 4-3-3 next season then I'm not sure where Nolan (or Barton) fits into the system . If we can acquire another player, more suited to that system, then it could end up being good business for both Nolan and the club

Why not? It's one of the higher profile lower league clubs with a passionate fan base. Great place to prove himself as a manager, I would think he'd have more money to spend than his rivals as well. I've never thought that he's been interested enough in management to take on any club that he didn't have some sort of affinity with.

Unexpected. Could see him at Southampton or Blackburn because of his history with each club, but Cardiff?

I suggest left back, as in left back at home.

A huge chunk of that figure is from the early repayment of the stadium expansion loan which was required when the club changed ownership.

For me, the danger lies in what could happen from January onwards if he decided to leave next summer, making sure he doesn't suffer any injury that could affect his summer move and pulls out of games at the slightest twinge in a muscle (see Michael Owen in our relegation season). Basically, the worry is that he wouldn't put the effort into games because he wouldn't want to jeopardise a future move. I'm not saying that it will happen, just that it could, and has happened in the past, and for that reason I'd rather take the money now & reinvest it in another player.

Wild, lunging tackles after losing possession doesn't equal effort.

There was enough quality in the side to beat Switzerland today. The system's still too narrow, whether it's the formation or because he picks an unbalanced side, who knows? The second goal was well worked but aside from that, the chemistry between Milner and Baines was utterly non-existant. Same down the right side, you'd have thought Walcott and Johnson have never met each other before. On top of that, the players play without motivation or confidence, probably cos they can't communicate with the manager properly. I can't deny that there's a lot of bog-standard players in the make-up of the squad, and definitely one or two poxy personalities, but the manager's at the root of our main issues at the moment. Whenever we come up against a team that can pass the ball or has a modicum of pace, we struggle tremendously. We were chasing the game (at home to a very average side) before we've had a chance to dictate it - and that's down to the manager. The last twenty minutes were painful. Capello on the sideline looking confused, with the full-backs doing nowt but playing long balls. Switzerland played out the draw with ease, even though we had faster players than them and decent players to bring on. Completely ran out of ideas. Like i've said, we don't have any world-beaters and are miles away from winning a tournament, Capello or no Capello - but it's becoming increasingly obvious to me that the guy hasn't got a clue. I don't think he even knows where the problems are. We won't progress under him. Hitzfeld has seemingly found a way of a far inferior side to England to get a good result against them. That puts him ahead of Capello for me. Also capello seems to be taking lessons from Micky Owen in blaming everything/one apart from himself for these performances and inept tactics shown in these games. When has capello tactically outdone another manager while England manager.... Hitzfeld has been slated massively in Switzerland for negative tactics and picking the wrong players. He's struggled moreso than Capello has. The only reason he's finally hit on a winning formula is because two of their longstanding players have retired and they're already basically out of the running to qualify, meaning he's been essentially forced to throw in young players and build for the next tournament. Something we should have done after the World Cup, bin off every player who will be too old for 2014, get the younger players the caps and experience they need now rather than when it's too late. Gerrard & Terry will be 34 in 2014, Ferdinand will be 35, Lampard will be celebrating his 36th birthday during the tournament, Gareth Barry, Ashley Cole & Scott Parker will be 33. None of them should expect to play in the next World Cup & we should not be picking them as first choice players now when there are others who can do just as well (or as badly) but who are 10 years younger. England's biggest problem is that any coach who did that now (it could have been done right after the last World Cup) would be destroyed by the press. They get these stupid campaigns started to make sure that their flavour-of-the-month player gets picked despite injury or lack of form and it ends in England taking a half-fit player to an international tournament and claiming that any hopes that the country have rest on that player's shoulders. We need a coach who isn't going to listen to the press, isn't going to be pressured into picking the big name players despite their lack of form and isn't going to shy away from picking better players from teams outside the top 6 or 7. We need Capello to do exactly what he promised to do when he took the job.

Besides which, EURO 2008 was far more enjoyable without England

Maybe Vince can start an XFIFA. DeJong will be World Champ at something in no time. Finishing move the scissor, set up with the kung foo chest kick. You can win the match by scoring more goals or eliminating your opponents until they can't carry on. I had a game on the Amiga like that before, some medieval miss mash of American Football, football and chopping heads off. Brutal Football? That was a great game.

They're based in Switzerland so it could only really be the Swiss authorities who could take any action against them, but with the executive committee members being based throughout the world it's questionable whether they'd have any jurisdiction over the actual members and any local action against the members would be rejected because of their lack of jurisdiction over a Swiss organisation.

Just one minor problem - Sturridge isn't actually on the market. He wants to stay at Chelsea.

The problem is that his agent is a cunt

Without doubt. The smear campaign starts here. If McKay, Ashley & Llambias all told me that it was a bright, sunny day out, I'd not know whether to grab an umbrella for the inevitable rain or shotgun for the 3 of them. Both parties are going to do everything they can to put forward a twisted version of their views - Barton & McKay will say that he's being forced out and doesn't want to leave. Ashley & Llambias will say that he's a greedy & disruptive bastard. I'm not sure if the truth can be found somewhere between the two views or whether the truth has simply had enough and fucked off on holiday. Barton's had a superb season but prior to this season he's been dreadful, I'd like to see him get an extended contract but I can also see the merits in not giving him a contract that's too long. Surely there's an easy answer to this? Like give him the contract on the table but with an option similar to the one that was in Butt's, if he plays a certain amount of games in the last season of his contract then it can be renewed for a further year automatically (should the player wish to).

Oh without a doubt the biggest leechers in modern football today. Didn't Steve Gibson refuse to have any dealings with him or any of his players not too long ago?

West Ham and Birmingham are going to run into some serious financial problems in the next year. Birmingham have required cash injections from their owners (who aren't as rich as they originally led people to believe) to keep going whilst in the Premiership. Even with Europa Cup money they're going to require a huge amount of additional funding from somewhere next year and there's no guarantee that the owner is going to be able to find that cash. West Ham are in a similar situation but with higher debts, higher wages and no Europa Cup football. Blackpool are the best placed of the teams financially, they've not overspent to try and stay in the Premiership and can probably afford to invest in a few new faces in the summer.

Did Pardew tell them that he was pleased at half time? Fair enough it was a nothing game, but to lose a 3-0 lead at home is fucking shocking.

Glue factory. Sure I've read that he's off back to Ipswich at the end of his contract, taking a massive pay cut to play for his home town club again. To play? Bit optimistic isn't it? He's earned enough from us & West Ham that he could buy the club & just appoint himself manager instead I suppose.

Glue factory. Sure I've read that he's off back to Ipswich at the end of his contract, taking a massive pay cut to play for his home town club again.

I can see all the teams bar Birmingham drawing next week. Birmingham would end up on a worse goal difference than Blackpool & go down along with Wigan.

Deserve everything they get for the Tumor Boy chants at Roeder a few seasons ago. Call it enduring karma.

Blackburn, Blackpool, Wigan, Wolves & Birmingham can all still go down next week. Every team bar Birmingham have winnable games & two of them are playing each other.

Clearly doesn't give a shit any more. Thought that was just about getting away from Liverpool for the first half of the season but he's continued it (arguably he's got worse) since moving to Chelsea. He needs a real challenge to kick start his game but that's not going to happen at Chelsea where he gets paid £175000 per week no matter how poor his performance, he reminds me of Owen for us minus the injury record.