Chris_R

I'd say that if there was any money at all going into the team then I could accept it. However I think there's fuck all chance of that happening, given Fat Mick's track record there.

Thank fuck I'm moving 375 miles away on Friday.

Whilst I agree his shooting and crossing have been nothing short of woeful, I don't think that chance on Saturday was that easy. He was sliding in, tried to hook his foot round it and had men in front of him that he needed to get the ball past. Sure, it wasn't the hardest chance in the world but it wasn't exactly a sitter either. I also think that the majority of his problems are brought about by playing on the left. The lad's right footed, and he's having to either cut back inside and cross with his right or else try to put a ball in with his unfavoured foot. I'd like to see him given a spell on the right wing, see if that makes a difference or not.

I'd still take him over Hughton.

Went to the match yesterday then out on the drink all night so only just surfaced. First 45 we were absolutely shocking, don't think I can remember us being more inept. Once Ranger came on we seemed to go up a gear, not sure why that was because Ranger didn't exactly set the world alight but he looked lively and at least managed to keep possession once he got the ball. Ryan Taylor seemed to be playing right fullback and right wing, as there was nobody on the right of midfield. Guthrie was nearest, but he never got out wide. It meant we were very one dimensional, Taylor didn't dare (Or perhaps didn't have the ability to) get to the by-line, so could only cross from deep outside the box and it wasn't very effective. Not sure if Guthrie was just ignoring that he was supposed to be a winger yesterday or if he was told to stay inside but we need to push someone one wide to give us balance. Guthrie may not be the best right winger in the world but he'll be better than what we did yesterday. Also, it would give the opposition someone else to have to worry about and give us another option in attack. Currently Jonas gets 2 men stuck on him at all times, and if we offered something down the other flank then it might give Jonas more space to be able to have an impact on the game. Carroll missed a sitter, sure, but even before his goal and assist I thought he played pretty well. He gives 100%, puts himself about and actually wants the ball. Compare that to Marlon Harewood... If that's the performance of a man trying to impress a potential new club then I'd hate to see how shit he'd be if we signed him full time. He looked like he didn't care and didn't want the ball. When he got the ball, he couldn't run at a man, lacked pace and had a shocking first touch. I didn't boo him because I'd never boo a player in black and white, but it was hard to argue against those that did.

Also surprised at this. But I guess it shows ambition from the board, something we're completely bereft of.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00051/hught_280x420_51117a.jpg

Probably because so many others have failed to do theirs.

Can't disagree with a single word of that.

Plenty seem to be saying "No" to Keegan, but I don't think I've yet seen anyone suggest an alternative. Past Shearer, of course. For me, it's the following: - Keegan - We all know what you get with him, the good and the bad. - Shearer - Completely and utterly unproven. Unless you count an 8 game winless spell which consigned us to relegation. - Hughton - Thanks for everything you've done but simply not cut out for it. - Someone else - Yeah, easy to say "Someone else" but who? For me, there's nobody out there that is a realistic managerial target that I'd rather have than Keegan. That's not to say that I don't acknowledge his failings, of which there are plenty, but the good outweighs the bad and at this point in time I am confident he'd have us tearing up this league playing great football. Give him some money and let him get his own players, and we'd be out of this league and safe next year in the Prem. What more, at this stage, can anyone ask?

The PDF? Do we have to spell it out for you ? http://www.premierleague.com/staticFiles/c0/3f/0,,12306~147392,00.pdf Seems you do. With it being in quotation marks, I thought it might be an acronym like ITK or the like.

Really, really hope it's not Moat. From what I understand the guy is having to look behind his settee and empty his penny jars to scrape together the asking price. Hardly bodes well for any activity in the transfer market.

The PDF?

Pretty much my opinion. He's fucked up. Repeatedly. But not maliciously. He's lost a couple of hundred million quid so he's probably as gutted as we are that the decisions he's made have been so bad. Some people act like he's doing all these things deliberately, just with the sole intention of destroying the club. He's a walking disaster, but it's incompetence not malice.

Indeed you do. Have a cookie to go with them. For some reason I thought that after finishing 2nd in 95/96 we'd have qualified for the Champions League, and that Keegan would have led us out before he resigned in January 97. Time dulls the memory, it was 12 years ago in my defence. However, my general point, though admittedly somewhat weakened by my own alcohol-addled memory, STILL stands!

We're a Championship club. Keegan has managed clubs in the Champions league and finished within an ace of winning the title, as well as managing England. He's also secured several promotions. Out of interest, which manager do you think is better, available and likely to come here? Which Champions League clubs were those again? Congratulations. You get 1 pedant point for noticing the incorrect pluralising of the word "Club". But my point stands. Keegan's CV is infinitely better than that of any manager we could ever hope to attract to this club at this point in time. Plus the football he plays is better than anything else I've ever seen.

We're a Championship club. Keegan has managed clubs in the Champions league and finished within an ace of winning the title, as well as managing England. He's also secured several promotions. Out of interest, which manager do you think is better, available and likely to come here?

Was just about to post that. Jonas has pace and can beat a man, but after that it all goes horribly wrong. Though I suspect he'll be more than good enough in this league. Anyway, he's been out so far this season and he's only one winger. We need a minimum of 2, and preferably some decent backup as well.

Let's face facts: We're not a good team. We're a team packed with hasbeen central midfielders, lacking in any kind of width, pace or ability to beat a man and put a cross in. Our choice of striker is either the young and inexperienced or the old and proven rubbish, whilst our defence often look like they've never met each other before. But we're still better than anything else in this league. 2-0.

Yeah, looked decent. Got forward well, defended well. It's only one match but he looks like an asset.

Nah, he'd only try and buy Thierry Henry.

Stopped even listening to this on the radio now, just can't summon any enthusiasm. Not angry, because it's only our kids in the least important competition around, just a complete lack of enthusiasm.

I wish we'd try Jonas on the right. He's simply not a left winger, can't do anything with his left foot at all but yet we persist in playing him there. We need a decent left winger in on loan, then we'll have a very solid first 11 if we switch Jonas over to the right where there's a chance he might actually be productive.

This for me, 100%. Sadly Guthrie is young and not so much of a household name, so he'll make way. We'll end up with a midfield of Smith and Butt on Saturday, mark my words. With Nolan up front. For me though, it should be Barton and Guthrie in the middle with Lovenkrands and Ranger up top. When fit I'd have Jonas on the right (Still utterly baffled as to why he keeps getting played on the left when he doesn't have a left foot) and no idea who on the left. Get someone in on loan.