Segun Oluwaniyi

Yup. Terrible fit. Should have gone for Ancelotti when he was still available. we were just talking about this, every time i've seen mourinho he looks like he's just going through the motions and rocked up for another massive payday that s*** with the female doctor also appears to have had an impact on him i reckon I agree. His last few months at Chelsea seem to have f***ed him big style. Doesn't seem the same bloke. The whole Real debacle exposed him. So badly that he immediately went to Chelsea and did well there People overreact, imo. Man U still lack talent and experience around the pitch. Throwing in Pogba and aging Ibra does not change this. 3rd, 1st, bottom half midway through the season. The previous 3 years brought them a CL, EL and FA Cup. Those previous three seasons brought them no serious challenges to the Premier League title, and the CL title was clearly the embers of an era at the club that had faded. Were Lampard, Drogba, Ashley Cole, Saloman Kalou, Raul Meireles, and various others meant to some how assist Mourinho's tenure? Jose came in and immediately challenged for the league, upgraded the squad, and then won the league handily (as well as deep cup runs in both seasons). The third season was a failure, but the entirety of it was not.

Rubbish PSG draw 0-0 with OM in Classique. Nice now 6 points ahead of them and four ahead of Monaco. Emery needs to play Ben Arfa because the Parisian attack is very poor.Even when they right the ship, this PSG will not walk this league by any means, imo. The idea of a CL title is laughable. Yup. Terrible fit. Should have gone for Ancelotti when he was still available. we were just talking about this, every time i've seen mourinho he looks like he's just going through the motions and rocked up for another massive payday that s*** with the female doctor also appears to have had an impact on him i reckon I agree. His last few months at Chelsea seem to have f***ed him big style. Doesn't seem the same bloke. The whole Real debacle exposed him. So badly that he immediately went to Chelsea and did well there People overreact, imo. Man U still lack talent and experience around the pitch. Throwing in Pogba and aging Ibra does not change this. The problem for them is that top four is now difficult, but next season is the one to challenge if those at the club are reasonable.

Should Ivory Coast go through, Lazaar and/or Mbemba will come back to us after the group stages Once again a certain nation is highly conspicuous by its absence. Shameful. If Villa are to mount a furious comback to the top if the league, it is important to note that both Kodjia and Ayew could miss extended time. I download MOTD fairly often, and he does seem to be able to coherently articulate his (usually banal) viewpoints. This puts him levels above most other people in his profession.

Are their any referees from London? By this same logic, they would be banned from a decent proportion of the matches every matchday.

I do not support the white portion at the bottom of the Middlesbrough kit.

My only problem with McClaren is that it took far to long to sack him. I was encouraged by his hire at the time, tbh, but it clearly was not working here, and everyone sat quietly as NUFC hurtled towards relegation. Many managers fail at positions. Most of them are also promptly sacked. I still fail to understand why he was here until March, especially given decent-sized investment in the squad. Clearly he has something about him for both Twente and Derby to have called him back at the first opportunity. I cannot imagine any of Pardew's employers doing this.

This Dutch generation really seems to be lacking in talent.

To me, the European section of qualifying has just been objectively boring during this break. A multitude of pointless mismatches and dull sides. Even the few competitive matches feel fairly inconsequential because of the bloated nature of the format.

English fans do seem unnecessarily jaded, tbh. They have a world class league at their doorstep, great investment, and a team that is generally successful with numerous recognisable names and personalities, yet it seems everyone is dismissive and apathetic. My own team is a shambles with a notoriously corrupt FA that now claims poverty to the point that it cannot afford to fly the team to match locations, never mind pay bonuses, etc. Despite this, I will be vociferously supporting them tomorrow. The difference may just be cultural.

CIV-Mali is a great match thus far. 3-1 at half with fantastic goals from Kodija and Gervinho. Mali have probably been the better side despite the scoreline, tbh, and CIV's second was an awful own goal . Group C with CIV, Mali, Gabon, Morocco and Group D with Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Zambia should make for good, tense football in general. They will be very tough and hard-fought groups with only one WC spot on the line among sides with quality and pedigree.

In fairness though, if he wants to see the pitch more, murdering his nearest competition in the name of a "goal celebration" is a genius ploy. I won't be able to see too much of the football while NUFC is in this division, but he did look lively in the highlights for the last match. I saw enough last season to think he can develop into a useful, though likely not dynamic or dominant, player at the Premiership level, so there are definitely expectations from me to see him perform in the Championship. It seems he deserves the chance, and this season is massively important in his career.

Had a new car door every window, the signs were definitely there. No, he's not a f******g wheeler and dealer, he is just a football manager. The man has said as much himself, and I don't see any reason to doubt him.

I am still flummoxed that Liverpool could not find a role for someone with the very specific ability that Benteke has. I understand the rule as to why the Palace goal was disallowed, but it does feel entirely unnecessary in this situation. He hasn't affected the goal keeper's decision, blocked his view point, or affected the flight of the ball. The sequence proceeds in the same manner if no one is there, and his movement is a natural reaction to the ball flying over his head.

The question for me is what happens if NUFC fail to win promotion this season. Is there a player exodus? What are the financial ramifications? Can the crowds be sustained for a second or third season of second tier football? Unequivocally, the best chance to re-establish the club is to rise right away. It is not a pleasant thought to be following a financially crippled, hollow shell of a big club that has become a fixture in the second tier. Cup or no cup.

I can barely recall a Tiote that didn't spend his time bumbling about incompetently in the centre of the pitch, while being fatter than Troy Deeney, who is now fat. He does not interest me.

Gouffran upfront? edit: Never mind, saw Dave's post.

They are only going to get better as well tbh, of the new signings only really Stones has consistently played (Nolito as well I suppose but I don't think he'll be a starter as everyone gets fit). It's mainly the same group of players as last season really. They should get better once Gundogan and Sane get fit and Bravo acclimatises and Kompany has to come back although I'm not even sure he starts right now. As much as I am a fan of Guardiola's work I didn't expect them to start this well, injuries combined with adapting tactically would have led me to believe a slow start was likely. They look formidable, especially given the paucity of real challengers at the top, but it is important to remember that it is still quite early. Last season, the same team won the first five matches without conceding a goal, including an evisceration of the reigning champions. Obviously, you have to fell more confident this season with a better manager and some improved player personnel, but the defence is still weak and the squad still vulnerable to injury. I would not be surprised if Arsenal emerge as their closest challenger. Conte doesn't yet have an idea of how to use the players he has at Chelsea and Manchester United need to recover from several years of poor management and player purchases. Yeah he's a crisp finisher. He's got that calmness in front of goal that it's almost impossible to teach. Really classy player. Yes, this man is a prodigious talent. It is as though he is the antithesis of all the other young superstar Nigerian players: No real outstanding physical attribute or flashy skills, but dominant with his skill, movement, and understanding of the game. As a legitimate 19 year old, he is already his national team's second most intelligent player, and will only learn more. Very excited to see what he can accomplish.

League>FA Cup>Promotion>League Cup. I am not so concerned about Rafa, tbh. He is obviously the most accomplished manager to be at this club for long while, but it is not as though he has proved invincible throughout his career. If he can't achieve promotion this year with the team he has at his disposal, Rafa should probably go, tbh.

Yep. I imagine we'll spend in January this time, too. True, but it would not surprise me if someone like Shelvey is poached by desperate Premiership side in January. "Poached" Or, you know, Rafa might just tell then to f*** off I am talking more about some silly team bidding a ludicrous amount if he continues to perform well, score goals, and be English. What disqualifies NUFC from being a dead end club relative to Palace? Obviously, NUFC is more prestigious and has a better manager, but this club has not shown any ambition to achieve in at least the last decade.

Was reading on twitter earlier that PSG drew tonight thanks to him and because of him. I can see why. He used to be absolutely lethal, not sure what's happened to him. Been horrendous since the start of last season. Ligue 1 may be competitive for the first time in years solely because of Cavani . Especially if Monaco continue to look formidable. Every match he wastes numerous chances.

Yep. I imagine we'll spend in January this time, too. True, but it would not surprise me if someone like Shelvey is poached by desperate Premiership side in January.

The Championship has the same goal-line technology as the Premiership I would assume.

Jese has been much worse than Ben Arfa, tbh, and Lucas Moura has been equally as poor. With the comments from Emery last week and the actions in regards to the squad, it is fairly clear that this is already personal between the two of them.

I didn't think he was playing particularly well, but City need a genuine forward on the pitch. No. An outfield player would be given a penalty for that, imo.

That is definitely a penalty, btw.