Ronaldo

Howay man when has Tiote ever been useful against teams of this standard? He's generally always been a hinderance against teams we've been expected to beat - and that was before his athleticism took a nosedive. He'd literally just help play the opposition back into the game with his stupid fouls in dangerous areas and inability to keep the ball when pressed. Rafa knows he's shit, so it's all moot.

I think he'll probably get booed on the ball continuously for his first game back.

Seydou Doumbia on loan. Remember someone arguing at length (with me) that he was as good a signing as Remy would be. Fucking hell.

When the fuck did it become so acceptable to wear a suit jacket and tie with fucking running shoes, man? Just atrocious.

Good job they aren't his competition, then.

Dummett's a bit susceptible to getting wrong-footed/turned but he's rarely beaten by pace, like.

Rafa said this would likely happen 3 weeks ago.

Good. Get him some games at Championship level.

He's probably a decent Championship winger. We could do better and a lot worse. We are doing worse with our current LW.

I'll bite. Instead of who?

Do you think I got where I am today because I dress like Peter Pan here?

9 assists is an achievement in itself in that side.

There wasn't more competition, though. Shola was injured for a massive chunk of the second half of the season and Harewood (who'd kept Carroll out of the side at times) went back to Villa. So yeah, less competition. Best was good for us in the PL (after Carroll had played his last game for us) but he had no affect on AC in the Championship whatsoever. And this, exactly.

Why? So, the fact Carroll suddenly had competition for his place had nothing to do with him getting his arse in gear? Of course it did. I know, I know, Wayne Routledge or something. What the fuck are you talking about? If anything there was probably more competition for his place in the first half of the season when he wasn't scoring goals. Dim Yorkie at it again.

On the left? Square pegs in round holes again then. Gouffran's a square peg in every hole, though. Sissoko and Ritchie out wide alternating would be just fine. Richie's clearly far better on the right and is arguably our best player. I wouldn't take him away from there to make room for Sissoko. Sissoko would be useless on the left as well and would no doubt take the huff at being played out of position. Sissoko's our best player. In any attacking midfield role he'd piss all over this division.

On the left? Square pegs in round holes again then. Gouffran's a square peg in every hole, though. Sissoko and Ritchie out wide alternating would be just fine.

Good teams are hardly gonna sack off their keeper for a season to accommodate a loanee.

I don't think the signing of Best affected Carroll in any way, like.

Wijnaldum and Krul are hardly deadbeats.

Not a chance in hell we'll be better than the squad who dicked Spurs on the last day, like. We will be in 12 months time, hopefully.

Why wasn't he fancied at Bournemouth? Wasn't even on the bench for them apparently.

Irrespective of who is better now, this approach hasn't worked of playing your best now in spite of no longevity. Aim for 2020. So who would you pick ahead of Cahill with the aim of 2020? Exactly, there is no one. Jones when fit , Chambers, Gibson there's no doubt others, maybe even Lascelles in the future. Smalling and Stones should be first choice. We can't keep using the same players who have failed time and time again. We have to try and establish a base for the future. Jagielka especially and Cahill less so aren't going to be around in 4 years. You'd have Chambers, Gibson () or Phil fucking Jones at CB over Cahill at the next World Cup? You're having a laugh here, like.

He's got a goal and 3 assists in 3 games so far this year, helping his side win 3/3. Yes he's not the player he was, but honestly when did losing possession become such a criminal offense for players who are almost solely on the pitch to take risks and make things happen? Far too many posters on here started following us in 2005, obviously.

Looked very good under Mourinho, to be fair.