AyeDubbleYoo

Right about all of that KaKa. Have to admit I thought Carroll would be another Shola/Chopra/LuaLua, and I'm still not 100% convinced he won't. But I didn't give enough weight to his age, lack of experience and turbulent period of the club he was playing through. As you say, relegation has been very good for him, let's just hope he can keep his head screwed on.

No, as gray says the points penalty isn't given to ensure a team gets relegated, it has nothing to do with their league position or where they finish.

Excellent to see Kadar coming on, just hope the Premierleague doesn't come too soon for him.

Well, it's the 'promotionometer', not the 'promotion celebration'.

Agreed. Just imagine if he'd been given a chance last season instead of Michael Superstar Owen a couple of goals from our own local hero might have kept us up. Although he had looked like a decent prospect before, it was when he scored that header away to Stoke City that I first thought the kid could make it in the PL. He really is not afraid to mix it with big players and big reputations. Aye, the fact he's a knobhead and a total charver should actually help him on the pitch. FWIW, his temper only seems to flare up in private, during games he keeps a lid on it well.

What do you mean?

Fair play to Grant and the players for this, nice gesture: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/8584412.stm

Watching Zidane was awesome like, the film about him is amazing. Actually, I'd say that Lampard's touch and awareness have a tiny bit of Zidane about them. I never saw the 'traditional' names mentioned as the best players... I don't really care whether the modern ones are as good or better. Just watching players like Zidane, Rooney, Messi and all of those is an absolute pleasure.

Rubbish, we'll come out fighting for this one We'll knock their block off, etc etc.

There doesn't 'need' to be, the fact is that many footballers will be gay and feel they have to hide who they are in order to live their lives. And that young gay people think that there's no place for them in sport. The idea that 'no-one gives a shit' is also laughable - the attitude to homosexuality has improved in a recent years but homophobia is still a big issue... especially in areas like sport.

I don't know where to start with that one. If being gay is so 'accepted', how come there aren't 2 or 3 openly gay footballers in every squad? I thought it was something like 1 in 10 people are gay. Also, the bit about "calling someone gay just means they're lame or uncool" is totally ridiculous... where do you reckon that came from? The idea that gay people are totally acceptable and brilliant?

Has there? I got the impression that team spirit was pretty good. Yes there has. Well thanks for clearing that up.

Think that's a bit much. There have been training ground bustups since time immemorial, young men with too much money and big egos playing in a business where their careers are short and passions run high. FFS, I've had heated arguments with people on my 5-a-side team, it's just a part of football. Obviously it never comes to blows, but the A-Train and S Taylor are both nob heads, let's face it. Nothing to do with 'lily-livered liberals™' or 'political correctness gone mad®'. You're right about the effects though, it's the clulb/fans that will suffer.

Has there? I got the impression that team spirit was pretty good.

Just play the Ranger boy.

I keep forgetting he's not a stopgap loan signing

No sympathy for the club, but loads for the fans. Also, Avram Grant has started to get really annoying with his "football should be decided on the pitch not in an office" line... completely ignoring the fact that Pompey would probably have been relegated a long time ago if they hadn't been recklessly overspending.

Word up. People I speak to think I have an irrational dislike of Nolan. Truth is, he's not very good.

A bit mental that nearly 10% of people think that Steven Gerrard is the best player in the world!

As everyone on here knows I am a massive fan of Messi and I think he is brilliant and there's no doubt he's the best player in the world. However I find that statement absolutely incredible. Why is it so far fetched though? He's young, he's playing in an era of fast, physical football and you've admitted he's the best player in the world right now.

I always assumed it was Messi, but I don't watch foreign football enough to have an opinion on this really. In Britain it's Rooney ATM.

Aye, better than 90% of professional pundits and journalists.

Also, in certain games we were getting results even with long ball tactics, so a new manager like Hughton might be (understandably) reluctant to change things. Whatever the reason, I'm pleased to see the long ball used less.

Seems we're instructed to pass it out from the back more recently, a massive improvement on lumping it up front. Credit to Hughton for that.

He's definitely getting better at striking the ball, both on passes and crosses. There'll always be dodgy moments from him, he runs around so much that often he's hitting a pass when off balance, in very little space or knackered from a 40-yard run.