brummie

Nixon - don't get me wrong, I understand fully how Sunderland's fans feel. What i resent is the insinuations that: - Sunderland's hierarchy weren't negotiating with us to sell him for weeks before - Bent leaving them to come to us is somewhat like Torres leaving Liverpool and washing up at Bolton - We have somehow invented the action of attracting a player from another club with the offer of more money, rather than it being the fundamental principle of the entire league. There's a club competing for the title right now with an *entire fucking team* which was put together on that basis.

I was reading the Villa fanzine editor this morning on his website saying that, when they did the interview originally, at the end, the Sunderland bloke said to him (on air) "Do you want to bet a tenner you finish above us this season?" to which he said "Yeah, and do you fancy going double or quits on the same for every one of the next ten seasons, too?" At which point the Look North people said "Oh, sorry, there was something wrong with the sound there, need to do the piece again" and that time around, the Sunderland bloke didn't say it. The fact their biggest achievement is being 6th in January says it all really. He should have focused all his venom at Bent's decision to leave the club that took him from Spurs bench instead he picked the wrong fight, the cretin. The obvious points are: 1. "I knew something was wrong, but i couldn't put my finger on it" said Bruce. Bent submitted a transfer request in the summer, so not the biggest surprise. 2. "Well, the deal was done in less than 48 hours, what does that tell you about contact with the player" - yes, and unless Sunderland were negotiating to sell him before the Sunday, they also got their best deal in less than 48 hours. That beggars belief, so why didnt they tell SB this? 3. Steve Bruce of all people complaining of lack of loyalty. Steve Bruce. 4. At the end of the day, they didn't have to take the money but they did. From what I've seen and read since, Niall Quinn seems quite pleased they did. 5. They're going to go out this week and start sniffing around Wigan for N'Zogbia. They'll probably go about it the same way we did with Bent. Hypocrisy.

And, amidst all the over the top, ridiculous media reaction to this, what is forgotten is that we know this more than most clubs, having watched Barry fuck off for money (complaints from media about players moving for money then? Zero) and Milner go the following season.

I was reading the Villa fanzine editor this morning on his website saying that, when they did the interview originally, at the end, the Sunderland bloke said to him (on air) "Do you want to bet a tenner you finish above us this season?" to which he said "Yeah, and do you fancy going double or quits on the same for every one of the next ten seasons, too?" At which point the Look North people said "Oh, sorry, there was something wrong with the sound there, need to do the piece again" and that time around, the Sunderland bloke didn't say it.

Fuller is one of those players who, when he doesn't play for you, is quite easy to admire in certain ways (I think he's underrated), but at the same time, you'd shit the bed if you thought you'd wake up in the morning to find out you'd signed him.

I've just been reading a thread on that RTG place. Which Sunderland forum is the most mature, because that one seems to be the one that all the 11 year olds gravitate to. They seem to think that being 6th in January makes them some sort of Barcelona in waiting. We've *finished* top six 9 times in the 18 years since the PL started, and in half of those seasons, Sunderland weren't even in the top flight. I'm almost tempted to register there to point that out. Their fanzine editor called you relegation haunted. I watched that clip this morning on iplayer. Our fanzine editor called them "haunted by mediocrity" which made me chuckle. Then it cut to the Sunderland bloke shifting uneasily from foot to foot whilst looking at his mobile. The tit.

I've just been reading a thread on that RTG place. Which Sunderland forum is the most mature, because that one seems to be the one that all the 11 year olds gravitate to. They seem to think that being 6th in January makes them some sort of Barcelona in waiting. We've *finished* top six 9 times in the 18 years since the PL started, and in half of those seasons, Sunderland weren't even in the top flight. I'm almost tempted to register there to point that out.

http://www.toontastic.net/peasepud/stokoe-nam.jpg *actual tears of laughter*

He's a terrible pile of junk.

Mad as a pint of cake. Good player in there, but quite possibly too fooking mental. nufc written all over it. I would be so happy to sign him..... Long term replacement for Nolan.... I reckon you should play Ireland alongside Barton in the middle. That'd be the most mentally fragile pairing since Brady and Hindley.

Mad as a pint of cake. Good player in there, but quite possibly too fooking mental.

Same. I think he looks quality, but then I think "midfielder, did well in lower leagues, did well for a spell when first in the PL with an overperforming promoted club" and this flashes up in front of my eyes: http://www.free-football.tv/content_images/steve_sidwell.jpg

Good point. It's because they're used to being a special case at Man United with the world owing them something. Bruce's whingeing today was quite unbelievable - Sunderland could always have said no, like they did in the summer. That line about "the deal was done in less than 48 hours which tells you all you need to lknow about how much contact there was with the player", too. So, Sunderland negotiated the sale of, and got the best price for, their best player in the space of 48 hours? Of course they fucking didn't, we were talking to them for two weeks putting the deal together. If he was wondering until Sunday why the player didn't seem right, he might have asked Quinn and Short what they thought, or they might have revealed they were negotiating his sale. Behind his back by the looks of it. Potato headed bell-end.

And Robbie Keane is 1/5 to be playing for us, which i find very hard to believe.

Mutch replacement? Dunno, different type of player. Maybe Buckley will go inside? Also interested to hear from brummie how decent/not decent Andreas Weimann is. He's very, very highly rated indeed. Austrian lad, played for us this season away at Rapid Vienna - his boyhood club - got a pretty bad injury, but he's a very promising player indeed. Hope he gets some run outs for you

Bruce has previous with us (obv) from his spell with Blues, so most comment about him is about his sad whingeing face, hence the chants of "sit down potato head" every time he emerges from the bench at our place. He's a bit of a comedy character for us and has been ever since that incident with him getting into a fight and copping a black eye from Lee Hendrie (who had been tupping his daughter)

And http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs023.snc6/165337_493581757307_727062307_6178216_870285_n.jpg

Steve Bruce said just now "Well, the whole deal was done in 48 hours, and you think Bent didnt know?" So, hang on, the deal was done that quickly with Sunderland, but they didn't know themselves till Sunday? The whole thing completed that quickly? Niall Quinn obviously knew about it last week, why didn't he mention it to Bruce? And as for that "boo hoo Houllier didn't even call me" thing, that's just too pathetic for words.

We have three problems. 1. Create lots of chances, but can't score. 2. Central midfield lightweight, which adds more pressure to: 3. Iffy defence. Bent will hopefully sort 1, Makoun will help with 2 and 3. Walker has already helped the defence, but we're still a little fragile. Makoun is the more important signing IMO, if it comes off. He will help settle the team and cover the defence. Once you have a solid foundation, you should pick up points and score a few goals (with Bent). Makoun signed last week - five million euros. I knew you had signed him, i meant if he's any good in this league. Ah, got you. Yes, the words "Djemba" and "Djemba" have sprung to mind a bit recently.

Carew talking to Stoke about a loan. Farewell, big John. You were quite a handful for three years. Then you stopped bothering. Won't find much worth fucking up there, mind.

Gabby Bent Young Makoun Petrov Downing ?? Friedel Walker - Cuellar - Collins - Clark Makoun - SomeoneElse Downing - Young - Albrighton Bent Is what I reckon he's thinking of. I can't see him dropping Albrighton, so have no idea where that leaves Gabby. EDIT - that SomeoneElse will almost certainly be Fabian Delph, come to think of it.

I don't know, but I do have a sneaking feeling Houllier doesn't fancy him. I'd give him a shot here alongside Carroll, although I'd imagine you's would still demand quite a fee? He's still got four years or so on his contract, I think, and enough people seem to rate him highly for him to attract a decent fee, although to be honest, a big part of me thinks "Luke Moore" every time I see Gabby

The main problem is the centre of midfield not being strong enough and putting pressure on the back four. That, and Warnock having been a nightmare for almost 12 months now. Against Man United, we started with Jonathon Hogg (who most VIlla fans had quite literally never heard of until this season) and Barry Bannan in the middle. About 3 starts between them. I see... looking at your squad the only midfielders I'd presume to have some bite going for them are NRC and maybe Petrov (does he still have legs?). Aren't you playing that boy Clark in the middle too? Clark has played in the middle at times, and done very well (him, Gary Gardner and Albrighton are the three youngsters I have highest hopes for). He's been playing at LB recently instead of Warnock NRC is out of contract in the summer and will be moved on, and Petrov doesn't have the legs any more, really.

I don't know, but I do have a sneaking feeling Houllier doesn't fancy him.