Segun Oluwaniyi

I quite enjoy his unnecessary verbosity, but find the constant, inappropriate sexual noises distracting.

Intentionally fouling in that situation when already booked is stupidity, and to ask for a card is common sense. Casemiro is incredibly fortunate to be on the pitch

Messi

I think Torres has enough left to be helpful for a team in our position. I worry that the wages he will require would be exorbitant for someone who would likely contributes off the substitute's bench, but not be a guaranteed starter. Gayle is the better player for NUFC at this point. On the subject of strikers, I would be interested to see what Modeste could produce on a return to England after being complete rubbish for a doomed Blackburn five years ago. His form this year has been wonderful. Also, we should attempt to sign Iheanacho on loan or possibly full transfer when Pep discards him this summer. I'm confident he'd provide consistent goals if played regularly.

It seems a though people are saying something similar every season, but in reality I believe it is unlikely that all three of those sides keep that sort of form for the rest of the season, and the two sides from the North East are already gone, imo. I think every side above Burnley would be essentially safe with one win. Ndidi's goal for Leicester tonight was brilliant. He has taken to the league faster than I would have predicted and looks a top class player already. Greater challenges lie ahead, but he is showing himself well. It is a just a shame NUFC didn't sign him when he was linked.

That would be a more than comfortable PL side, under Rafa maybe more... Nolan and Shelvey as a midfield pair would not function well in the Premier League, imo. I think I may prefer 2010 Jonas over Routledge as well. Regardless of what Huddersfield and Leeds are doing, five wins will see NUFC promoted and the mission accomplished. Five wins out of seven is definitely possible, and it would be positive to finish the season in good form and hopefully take the title. In a probability sense, I would think the club's chances of promotion are around 90 percent. Huddersfield and Brighton would have to go on a great run to even make it a battle.

As someone who is an intent follower of NBA and a casual fan of NFL (which have both ventured far along the replay path), I sincerely hope that the powers that be do not unleash this grievous affliction of modern sport onto the game we adore. Goal line technology would be the perfect place to stop, but I know that will never be the case.

The amount of red seats on view in a home match for one of the best sides in Europe is fairly shocking. International breaks are awful, even if this one may have come at a decent time for us. Not sure what the solution would be though other than maybe playing all internationals in the summer It is European qualifying that is boring, imo. I've enjoyed the play in the other continents. Every region has a process to eliminate the rubbish teams and leave only the competitiv ones, except for UEFA and South America. South America has ten teams and Europe has 55. It seems as though every European match I see is some simple stroll in the park against some team that is not established in football.

Funny enough the two lads at centreback were the best performers of the team along with Moukandjo. Nicolas Nkoulou is another big name in the defence and he could barely get in the side. Some good, young (Even though Bassogog looks 49, he is 21), and hungry players in that team. There is nothing special at all about that side, tbh, but they have performed well when it matters, and Aboubakar's goal was special. I look forward to humbling them in the upcoming WCQ later this year. Ghana are one of the best sides in Africa still, but the level of talent is not where it was a few years ago, tbh. It is a bit of a downturn in terms of the players they have. Imo, they have done really well to finish where they did in the last two AFCON. They have a real fight on hand to get to the World Cup, though. Difficult group with Egypt and already five points back.

If they lose to Swansea next weekend, he will be sacked, imo. The regression of the team has been incredible. It is also incredible that they have spent all of this money and not fixed the main issue of them team, the complete inadequacy of their back four. All of them are rubbish. The team also seems emotionally ready for a change tbh.

Cameroon might just kick them into submission. They've generally allowed them to play this was at the tournament, and they have taken great advantage of it. Egypt are probably better, though. I hate both teams and think this will be dull, tbh. This tournament has seen five penalty shootouts for the trophy since 2000, and I thin this will go that route as well. Interestingly, the 23 year age difference between the starting keepers for both sides has to be one of the largest in a match of this magnitude.

Not sure if he'd be back in time. I'd take him straight off the plane over any of our other options. Atsu has a match against Burkina Faso in Gabon today.

With this club, everything in regards to transfers always seems done in a haphazard manner. It is entirely plausible and acceptable that someone like Townsend was unattainable or priced at an unacceptable number. The manager would have no real right to complain about this, given the position the club is currently in. What I do not understand is how the biggest club in the division with the most financial clout, can fail to bring in any players whatsoever, as the manager pleads for them through the media and rivals strengthen. I'd prefer to use Hanlon's razor when thinking of reasons that this has happened, but it makes so little sense. In regards to Mbemba and Mitrovic, I believe they can be good players, especially the former. However, they are a symptom of the prioritisation of resale value over any other criteria when signing players. Relying on teenagers and young men from smaller leagues to immediately affect change at the highest level is risky at best.

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Regardless of Darlow, he needs to perform a better and more authoritative header in that situation. I don't think the ball came in a way where he should have that little control of his body. That header puts the team in severe danger regardless of situation. It looks like Darlow's call confused him, tbh, and that should not be the case for someone with his experience.

Are Palace reluctant to sell him to a fellow Premier League struggler? My worry with this has always been a team in the relegation scrap nipping in front of Newcastle (ad being more willing to pay) at the last hurdle when other options fall through.

This is rubbish. For the third time in four tries, Nigeria are not there. My second team, DRC has been vanquished by the children of Adebi Pele, of all people! I have now been reduced to throwing my weight behind Burkina Faso to prevent victory from the three sides I despise more than anyone else. Up the Stallions, I suppose. Nothing else is an acceptable result.

To me, Sahko seems a prime candidate to come to a smaller club for huge wages and end up a fat, useless wage drain within a couple of seasons as he loses motivation. The cheques at Place aren't any more likely to bounce than those at other clubs, but expectations are lower.

Definitely a penalty as well.

Mandanda is better though. I'm sure he lays when fit. I liked what I saw of Darlow last season and what I have seen thus far this one. I still believe the position should be Krul's if he is committed to the club. We need an a good reserve with Tim's injury record. History says Darlow would still appear 10+ times in the league.

Maybe something has changed (I have not watched much this season at all), but this has not bee true at any point during Colback's tenure here, imo. Tiote has been a shadow of himself when he is actually fit for selection (which is rarely). His fall from the heights of being an effective Premier League player is remarkable. They have no regrets whatsoever, I guarantee you. A bad contract is not the fault of the player.

This tournament has come to life in the past few days and been good entertainment for the ten people that show up for matches. Gabon was a wonderful host in 2012, but the political situation in the country has put a cloud over this ACON. Fittingly, the hosts went out with performance symbolic of a team with no backing from its country or its people. Other things have taken precedence. Interestingly, the past three winners since 2012 (Zambia, Nigeria, CIV) have been either eliminated or didn't qualify. Obviously, I am hoping for DR Congo to win for the first time since 1974, but Senegal looks the best side, imo. I've been telling you Chancel is a beast in midfield for RDC. This is Africa, of course, where midfield is carnage and Kabore and Mikel are 10's, but his quality is hard to ignore.

Atsu at least looks like a star for Ghana. I have never really seen anything from Barrow. If Atsu is coming back, he doesn't improve the squad, imo.

You would expect NUFC to be active in the flurry of activity coming at the end of the window, tbf. Quality of signing is much more important than time of arrival in our position. Especially with Shelvey's return imminent.

Some brilliant names in the Zimbabwe squad: Knowledge, Marvelous, Teenage, and Hardlife. It is good that someone finally (Senegal) won a match. Both matches tomorrow seem entertaining on paper.