LoveItIfWeBeatU

I know this is for the Premier League but can't say I like the idea of play-offs for anything. For example, I'd be gutted if we finished third this season and lost in the play-offs to the team that finished 6th. I don't see why it isn't just the top 3 that go up. Why did they come up with the idea of the play-offs in the first place?

He was rightfully very annoyed a few time when he had the ball because none of our team were making any movement or signs that they wanted the ball off him. They were all just standing around marked.

Agree with that. They'd either snuff out all hope instantly by losing the first round heavily or extend the pain by getting to the final and then lose in the last minute.

Curious that Nolan/Guthrie dominated Cardiff, yet throw Smith in behind them and it falls to shit. They didn't do too well against Derby though. Most of our team are inconstant. Good one game and terrible the next.

We are awful to watch the majority of the time. I thought getting relegated might mean we'd be better to watch against less skilled opponents but no. We had 1 shot on target for the whole game wasn't it? Sky named us 'The Entertainers' under Keegan in the 90's. How about 'The Un-Entertainers', 'The Turgids' or 'The Diabolicals' for this current team? Having said all that, I'm glad we got a point because playing that badly and getting a point is some achievement. I got the distinct impression that if they hadn't scored there's no way we would have tried to.

To add to that, I can't imagine many Man U or Chelsea players would stick around if their clubs got relegated to the Championship.

they probably tried, but remember they can't force players to leave True but you'd think quite a few players would be happy to leave as they keep getting paid their wages late. I think Portsmouth just gambled on being rescued by a rich new owner which was never going to happen.

I really don't understand why they didn't just sell as many players as possible in the transfer window. Being relegated playing youngsters is surely better than ceasing to exist or going into administration.

Still find it strange that no other club were interested in signing Lovenkrands on a free during the Summer. He scored goals for us in the Premiership. Still, their loss was our gain.

I know a guy who named his daughter "Lilly Evangeline" because he fancies Evangeline Lilly who plays Kate in 'Lost'. Creepy naming your daughter after someone you fancy.

The "Pro-life" crowd don't have much pull in the UK, probably because we don't tend to have many God squad nutters compared to places like the USA. The media probably wouldn't give them the coverage of their opinion.

If they're scoring they should stay in the team. I'd start Carroll and Lovenkrands for the next game. Our strikers are scoring and then getting dropped the next game. That doesn't make sense. Hopefully with Jonas on the left and Routledge on the right it will be 4-4-2 from now on with two strikers up front home and away. Based on one game (and not even the full 90 minutes).

All his signings have cost less than Xisco alone cost!

I hate the media as much as the next man but the players (and this goes for celebrities in general as well) have no one to blame except themselves. The media have been the same for years. We all know what they are like, yet the players continue to feed them tabloid gold. The same people who moan about the papers sticking their noses into their 'private' business always seem happy to sell serialisations of their books and the like to the very same papers. Some stupid WAG (surname of 'Candy' married to some ex-Chelsea player?) and supposed friend of John Terry was on BBC News this morning defending him be saying "Marriage problems shouldn't be in the press, players are on a lot of money and girls throw themselves at them, etc). It sounded like a licence for her husband to go and shag her best friend. It didn't sound like she'd have a problem with it. She seemed very understanding.

Like Hughton said, the number 9 carries (rightly or wrongly) a lot of expectation. I can't see us being able to attract any player who people will think worthy of the shirt. Someone earning the right to wear it is probably the right way to go. I see Routledge has the number 10 shirt which used to be for a striker. The numbers don't seem to mean as much as they used to. Do any other clubs still hold certain number shirts in such high regard?

And to think some people want Celtic and Rangers in the Premier League! Imagine the trouble every week.

Beating Cardiff is our second double of the season after Crystal Palace. "Cardiff boss refuses to blame players" Listen here: - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/8501662.stm Listening to him you'd think they were rock bottom and not 4th in the table.

The Transfer window just gone was a bad window for any racists among the support (Hall, Simpson, Best, Routledge & Van Aanholt in). Some guy in his 70's told me last season "The problem with Newcastle is there are too many coloured players."

No but would you agree Lovenkrands should start the next game based on tonight's performance? I'm more bothered that Hughton seems to rotate the strikers no matter if they score or not. Most teams stick with a pair for the majority of the time.

You'd hope so but Hughton comes out with bollocks about playing "A lot of games" and the need to "freshen it up" so he'll probably 'rest' rotate the strikers. It's funny how the likes of Enrique, Colo, Jonas, S.Taylor, etc don't get rested when fit. It should be, if you score you stay in the team until you don't score.

Well the trick will be not to call up Wayne Bridge. Which goes to show why this isn't just Terry's personal life and nothing to do with the England team. What if Capello wants to call up Bridge? It makes for an uncomfortable situation. There will be people in the England team who are friends of each player and will take sides (although I think most would side with Bridge). Hardly encourages a harmonious atmosphere or team spirit.

SSN also said "John Terry has paid the ultimate price". I thought he'd been killed. Your life is supposed to be "the ultimate price".

Going by the TV advert, it looks like Terry will be dreading Sunday's 'News of the World'.

Apparently so.... http://www.mysalary.co.uk/average-salary/Train_Driver_3139 "Many drivers earn in the region of £70k with overtime, particularly at Intercity or freight depots." Reet that's it I'm changing jobs! Can't see how they can count overtime in salary. That's like saying a cleaner earns £30k a year (on a basic of £10k a year and £20k a year overtime pay if they work every hour of every day).

I'd rather other teams feared us rather than we feared them. Go at them first, if it doesn't work bring Smith on.