AyeDubbleYoo

Perchdew?

Saying that, he might tell us to fuck off if he's lynched as soon as Cabaye and Cheick come back, having worked his tits off for the side. Surely he'll have the nouse to realise being back up to them two is a class position for him. One of them's usually suspended anyway, and we'll have the European fixtures next season as well.

"Papisse says McLeish is a reet dour c*** lol" I was actually surprised at how Demba remembered almost everything Cisse said. About the only bit he missed out was that Cisse said he wanted to thank the "Good God" and his team. I thought it was funny how much he was saying in his answers. If my mate was translating I would have just stuck to "I'll keep working hard every week" and left it at that!

He's got a the eyes of a predator like, and he looks like he knows how to find space to strike. The best thing about his goal for me was how he judged the situation. He pulled into a great space, realised he didn't have time for a proper touch and just made sure he got his half-volley away in the space he had. A few of his YouTube goals show similar ability to get a shot off in tight spaces IIRC.

I was happy with the Chelsea result - never actively want Man Utd to win. Except maybe if it delivered us the title.

I was going to put that on.

I've thought for a while that Pardew can build a "Ferguson-light" career here if he plays his cards right and our scouts continue to do their job. This club has massive potential but we're so used to disappointment. I'm not saying we will go beyond what KK and Bobby achieved necessarily, but these have the potential to be some exciting times. For me as well, it's nice to be able to genuinely like our players and want them to do well, rather than c-words like Owen, Luque et al who were total disgraces who happened to be wearing the black and white. The character of the squad is excellent. So I'm not sure whether we're overperforming or not, but we've engineered a position where we can progress while the clubs around us are struggling, and that's all that's needed to invade the top few places regularly. And you haven't been able to say that about NUFC for a long time.

I think HBA will understand why he didn't come on today. I'm sure it was in Pardew's plans to use him, but then the injury to Taylor forced him to bring someone on earlier. When it happened he probably wanted to ensure we remained solid and the game stayed tight at that point. I personally think HBA is our most exciting player and I wish he was starting every game, but Pardew is managing like a pragmatist and not a fan. I just hope that the Ben Arfa story at Newcastle turns out well, which I think it still can do.

Good game, but he was very much struggling to track back after about 60 minutes. I know it's not his game really, but he lacks athleticism and stamina. Still, he's filled in well for Cabaye and he's been great on the ball.

I would say buying Cisse means we're much much less likely to sell Ba.

I decided to give Ba a week to ease back in before I brought him back.

Hope he's alright, injured being very brave and setting up a goal. I would personally play either Obertan or HBA, but Raylor's a valuable squad member either way.

I would have Hoilett, but if he took one of those dives playing for us I'd be absolutely disgusted.

No way Ba has done enough to be in any sort of all-time team yet. Cole is miles ahead, Beardsley and Ferdinand are as well. And that's just in the modern era. He's been class like, but he needs another couple of years of this to be anywhere near IMO. Anyway, carry on with the Cisse thread!

We miss Tiote even more than the strikers really, he's essential to everything we do.

We do seem overmatched in midfield. Wouldn't be surprised to see Obertan put in there to cover some ground. Keane will be difficult to pickup without Tiote, need to make sure one of the midfield is aware of him.

We don't win many penalties because we don't attack the box with pace like some teams.

For me strikers need time on the pitch to settle in. If we start him he might be feeling comfortable by about 60 minutes and bag us a goal. If we just bring him on it's hit and miss. Assuming he's fit and ready obviously.

Not sure your logic completely works oldtype, the problem with it is that players with nowhere near the talent of HBA give the ball away just as much, if not more. He just does it while trying to create something, they do it by lumping the ball forward, tripping over it, not moving fast enough, mis-controlling etc etc.

No mercy, start them both, give Villa a pasting.

I think we can do them, it'll be tough to keep control over the midfield though. Big bonus if Agbonlahor is out.

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/blackburn_rovers/108752/football-gif-junior-hoiletts-shameful-swan-dive-vs-newcastle.html

Only problem with the red card is that nobody would ever get one. Accusing someone of cheating is serious enough already, there are hundreds of dives but almost no bookings. Upping it to red would just mean the ref would be even less likely to give it. I agree with retrospective review of all the games though, and bans handed out to divers then.

I'm still not convinced that Shola doesn't try or doesn't care - I think a combination of his passive personality, lack of aggression and physical style means it just looks like that. I'm not saying he's good, but he's not lazy IMO. For me his inconsistency is just due to the fact that he doesn't have enough ability to do good things regularly.