Gallowgate Toon

If Rooney is fit for the competition then he's a player that you build the side around as he's the best footballer of the lot. I hope he has a consistent end to the season and can go into the competition in good mental and physical shape, he'll be a major asset, if so.

Edwards

Well, he's an average manager and, unfortunately, that's enough to be one of the current best in the country.

Has a rare combination of being aerially strong but just as good on the deck, his touch is excellent and he's very capable of holding off challenges. He was in some good positions yesterday where he'd have been in on goal if someone had played him through, hopefully, it's just a case of getting to know team mates.

It is a sackable offence and it was a headbutt. If any of us went into work and did that we'd get sacked, try and prove me wrong on Monday if you want. He slightly motioned his head forward and hasn't even connected, that's no headbutt, man. Why is your work situation relevant? We're talking about events on a football pitch. We've seen plenty of brawls and scuffles, why is this any different? We get it, you hate Pardew, at least try and be objective. Looked like he caught him to me, if your manager at work goes about nutting workers what would you think when he tells you not to? Again, this isn't an office working situation. You're talking about a sport that has been filled with moments of daft 'violence' since its inception, the precedent has been set. If two managers can scuffle on a touchline (Moyes and Mancini, for example), managers can properly nut their own players after matches and players can kick fans etc. then why is this event so drastic? Cabaye pushed a ball boy at Everton 2 years ago, should he have been sacked?

It is a sackable offence and it was a headbutt. If any of us went into work and did that we'd get sacked, try and prove me wrong on Monday if you want. He slightly motioned his head forward and hasn't even connected, that's no headbutt, man. Why is your work situation relevant? We're talking about events on a football pitch. We've seen plenty of brawls and scuffles, why is this any different? We get it, you hate Pardew, at least try and be objective.

He's a moron for getting in the situation he did but it's not a sackable offence, it wasn't even a headbutt. It's obviously hugely daft on his part but managers will have done far worse behind the scenes, like Pulis nutting Beattie whilst wearing nothing but that weird cap. If it's alright for players to do it to one another and managers to scuffle between themselves on the touchline then it should be the same reaction when it's between managers and players. A fine and ban are what he deserves for being an utter fool. I fucking hate the press and their hypocrisy.

I thought it was a smart foul to make as Hull would've been 2 on 1. He only did that because he got himself to easily turned like. Yeah. I really like MYM but he created that situation for himself. Can excuse him for being a little rusty, though.

Erm, just a joke like. I love Brett when he goes mad tbh. It's like a mad puppy on it's first trip to the park. That one was just a joke too, just to be clear Brett's class. Don't really agree with him that often but can't deny that he's persistent.

If you can't take it...

The likes of Brett and Ian have taken some real stick in recent weeks (moreso than usual), don't see owt wrong with them dishing it back out. If the 'staunchly anti-Pardews' played nicer rather than constantly insulting people with a slightly different opinion, then they'd not get these sorts of reactions. As for today. We played well as we often have done away from home.

He was a little dynamo today, absolutely everywhere.

Love this guy, like. Really good footballer, if we invest in someone who can provide some good crosses then he'll score goals. Sign him up.

Fires the crowd up and puts his own team under pressure. Absolute idiot.

Fucking moron.

Good to see the lads expressing themselves. Some really nice play going on.

Every time.

Gouffran's not that much off Ben Arfa's current quality, to be fair. Far less talented when on the ball, granted, but that's only a small component of what actually makes a player. He's still managed to produce impressive contributions considering he's being played in a totally alien position, which is ironic as HBA is let off the hook if he's not played on the right of a front 3. They offer completely different qualities but that shouldn't be misconstrued and I can understand why people might prefer what Gouffran brings to the side more than Ben Arfa, even if it's not something I personally agree with. Yep. HBA and Remy either side one of LDJ/Gouffran/Cisse. The midfield's uninspiring but there should be just enough quality in the front 3 to see us through to the end of the season. As we don't have an awful lot to play for, it'd be nice to experiment a bit for next year, I think HBA as a central winger (behind a lone striker) could be something that works if Remy and Gouff were the wide men, they'd tuck in when HBA roams wide. Plus, if Sissoko actually ever gets used as a box-to-box midfielder then he could fill the AM gap when HBA moves wide and we could then try and overload teams on the flanks more.

1-2. Remy double.

Watched some 11/12 footage before and seeing how well he was playing then is pretty damn sad. He was in great physical and mental shape with a lovely balance to his game. Worked his bollocks off and used to move the ball more intelligently too, I'm not sure if it's because the team played at a higher tempo then but he kept the momentum of attacks going by playing a lot of quick 1-2s, something we've rarely seen since the start of 12/13.

He was poor in the first half, like. Dodgy touch a few times and missed some simple passes, it's not like it was a positional thing as he is a DM by trade. He's much better going forward than Tiote though so he should always have been the one pushing on between the two.

I'd sign him up and would make it a priority to get a winger and a playmaker in. He's a good footballer with a solid touch, good movement and seemingly possesses a footballing brain. On top of that, he's also a flexible striker in that he could partner one of Remy, Gouffran or Cisse as well as playing as a lone front man. If we actually invested in a proper winger - or two - and a playmaker, I think he could be a really useful asset that would score goals and contribute a lot in general play.

Yeah, this was really baffling.

His first touch when the ball's coming in at difficult heights is usually excellent, it's the simple stuff he sometimes struggles with. I thought he did an admirable job and looked like a competent footballer again, just a shame he wasn't given a run in the middle when it was the obvious choice.

Once? 11? Muy bueno.