Lenny

I see where you're coming from because I think Milner gets too much stick as well, but he has come in field quite a bit more than Milner would, which is probably more beneficial to tonights line-up. Also, I think Milner has been due a rest, hasnt been playing to his best lately.

I think he's done alright, and it wouldnt suprise me if part of our game plan is to bring the ball in rather than crossing it anyway. He's looked very composed on the ball.

Quite a lot of the half it seemed like he had nothing to aim at in front of him, although N'Zogbia has been in the game and done alright. Not a fan of Butt, but he's done well. Emre has been busy. The defense has looked very confident, one of the highlights for me is how many times the ball has been hoofed towards our back line and the defender has chested it down and played the ball out. Too many long balls from the full backs though, especially early on.

Realistically 12 points from those 4 fixtures is not an impossible target, I reckon we'll probably get 8 points though: Spurs: D Reading: W Pompey: W Mackems: D

Cant see both Emre and Barton starting this game although it would be nice. I always have a bad feelin about playin Spurs cos my best mate supports them. Probably interchange between: Given Given Beye Faye Cacapa Enrique Beye Faye Cacapa Enrique Geremi Butt Emre Nzogbia Geremi Butt Emre Smith Owen Owen/Smith Nzogbia Owen/Smith I reckon it'l be either 3-2 or 2-1.... to us.

I can see the logic in that, one of our potential star players starts to near a return and our manager says we dont want to rush him back, so fuck it lets get rid of him...

I live in the southeast so have only seen us play twice, my first was Newcastle 4 - 0 Olympiacos for my 21st Bday went with my brother and dad, was a brilliant day.

Unfortunately for Ameobi he just doesnt have the talent to be in our team, he's gonna have to go unless hes happy being a 5th choice striker. I think that this season we are going to see Taylors true colours because its the first time since he's come through to the first team he's really gotta work for his place, he'll either do what N'Zogbia did last year or work hard and make himself a better player and force his way into the team. If he does do what N'Zogbia did it wont work out like it did for N'Zogbia because there wont be a new manager here this time next year to give him another chance.

I actually think that would be a brilliant idea. I think that would be as bad an idea as there possibly could be. When, at the 10th attempt, they eventually managed to beat Arsenal's Under-11s in the final the clamour for them moving down here would be even worse. They are shit and should stay where they are. I dont think that any of them should join our league, but I think that a British cup would be a good idea. Each country still has their FA Cups, it could just replace the League cup.

I actually think that would be a brilliant idea.

They were reasonably decent at the time.

erm.... sorry but I dont agree with that,IMO this past week has been as big a confirmation as your going to get this season that the positive/negative posts are almost completely based on the back of our previous result. We lose to Derby, and the pessimists are crying about how bad our play is, then we beat West Ham and the optimists have their say. We then lose to Arsenal and its the turn of the pessimists again. I dont think having guts has anything to do with it, and there are more than enough doom mongers around for negative thinking not to be considered "popular opinion".

Is this sort of thread gonna crop up every single time we lose from now on then?

Just having a look over this thread and the shortsighted-ness of some of the comments is just unfucking believable. Commenting on the back of a win I admit is the easy thing to do but regardless of that, although people say that they are willing to give the manager a chance, this just shows a lot of people really aren't. There ain't gonna be a quick fix, the shit results will pop up on occassion, but the difference is that we'll probably learn from them this time around as everyone gets to know each other. Coach HTT's thread on the marking of Ashton highlighted a very good point that shows we are identifying problems and adapting to suit. Allardyces analysis is that in-depth that most errors in our play will not go un-noticed and we will learn from them. In my opinion, Im optimistic that I'll be reasonably satisfied come the end of the season. For people to be going on about floggin' two talented 21 year olds that are only going to get better and getting rid of a proven quality manager after just 6 games (who has made our best start to a season in years, without really getting any decent performances out of the team as of yet) is just absolute bollocks!

My lineup is of the assumption that Cacapa and Viduka (and Owen but I would have dropped him anyway) are injured.

Id go with: Given Beye Rozehnal Taylor Enrique Milner Butt Geremi N'Zogbia Smith Martins *Emre instead of Butt if fit.

Harper - 7.5 Beye - 8 Cacapa - 7 Rozehnal - 7.5 N'Zogbia - 8.5 MOM Smith - 6 Butt - 7.5 Geremi - 8 Milner - 7.5 Owen - 6.5 Viduka - 8.5

Someone said a while ago that they are yet to see us be better than the opposition other than when the opposition was playing poorly. I thought we did that today. Its easy to forget that its so early on and that shit like the Derby game is going to happen from time to time whilst the players all learn about each other. Allardyce even said that the back four that was on today was new to him, so it just shows that its going to take time.

Wouldnt go that far, he played very well. Id give it to N'Zogbia but dont really have any arguments in giving it to Viduka.

Bit erratic and raw, and missed a sitter, but offered more than Owen did today.

Dont agree with that at all! I thought he did well in LB. Id still use him LM though.

Very impressed with Beye, look forward to seeing us lineup with Enrique Cacapa Rozehnal Beye. Rozehnal was very impressive again IMO.

Good result, we were much the better side second half. Very impressed with Beye, N'Zogbia MOM for me, 2 assits and a goal, and put in some very good tackles. Our overall play, especially our passing was much much better than what it has been. Smith still pretty non effectual again though not for the want of trying. Im not a fan of Butt, but thought he had a very decent game today!

havent played too badly, some nice passing apart from a spell in the middle where we looked dodgy. Viduka has been our best player. Beye hasnt looked bad, dont think Smith has offered us anything again, though to be fair to him he is out of position. Id put Enrique on for Smith, and have Zoggy, Butt, Geremi, Milner accross the middle.

Infuriatingly honest read. Surely when you earn over £xx000 a week the first 2 x's are almost irrelevant. Maybe not when you compare say 10k to 90k but im sure that both his wages for depor and us were somewhere in the middle. Complete fuckin idiot in my opinion I would never go somewhere I know nothing about and where no-one I know is, for the sake of more money when Im already doing pretty well for myself anyway!