Gallowgate Toon

Aye, should be a real cracker of a game! Soldado available? He was subbed off against Gijon, no?

I'm working in France at the minute and we're getting some really good media coverage. It's a cliche already but we're sort of being seen as the 'new Arsneal' in terms of our recruitment strategies. The following is growing as well as we've had a good start to the season.

To be fair, he is actually a good player, I'd put him on the same level as Zog. Ben Arfa is a step above though.

Will it be proper highlights on the BBC tonight, or just showing the goals? Hope they show Ben Arfa's run to set up the Lovenkrands chance.

Shazameobi upfront?

Marveaux sounds like he has a fantastic first touch.

Hopefully we'll turn the screw a bit more now.

Wut?

Ben Arfa sounding a little subtler than usual but quality on the ball. Great news.

GOAL

Aye, it's a little quiet atm. We sound alright, if lacking in urgency.

Ben Arfa is so dreamy...

Leon Best said he was a great lad in one of the sumer tour videos.

Aquilani's been looking good for Milan, when he's come on, glad to see him start. Shame how he's viewed in England after the Liverpool debacle, he put some pretty good performances in for them as well.

Is he not just the definition of a reaction footballer? He's great when the play's instinctive and he doesn't have to think about what he's doing but when it comes to making decisions, he loses that sharpness. He seems to do the very difficult well but struggles to do the simple stuff.

Is he playing ahead of Cabaye? He was for a while against Fulham and looked awful. When they switched a bit, we played a lot better.

I'm absolutely fuming that Shola started and I actually like Pardew. Infuriating.

Really looking forward seeing this boy play. He's not like your archetypal Italian, he's got much better, natural attributes particularly pace. I think he'll adapt quite easily to the pace of it all, he seems quick and nimble for a tall fella. Got some nice skills on him too.

Didn't Ashley's wife die about 10 years or so ago? Sure I read that somewhere.

Been watching some 'Davide Santon vs. ...' from his time at Cesena on the tube. He looks very useful, likes to get up and down the line a fair bit and take on his man, with some nice skills, which is great to see. Defensively, I wasn't expecting him to be great at all but he surprised me and looked very solid, he's quick for a tall lad which is a great asset and looks pretty strong as well (one-on-ones he appears to be good at, Jose anyone?).

Santon should play and will imo. Ryan Taylor should be playing right back for this, for whatever reason, Simpson's been completely off the boil and doesn't deserve his place.

I actually fear for him starting as a CM against Cabaye and Tiote, both are just as tough as Joey and are far better players in that area of the pitch.

If Joey plays in the middle against Cabaye and Tiote, it's going to be nasty for him imo. 2 vastly superior players physically, as well as Cabaye being on another level technically. 1-2. Think it'll be a carbon copy of the Fulham game. They'll come out the traps and have a lot of early pressure but after 15 minutes, we take the sting out of them and keep possession much better. From around 35 minutes to 75, we'll be much the better team, creating some good chances and putting 2 away. Around 75/80 minutes, they'll nab one and put us under the cosh again, only for us to stay resolute, absorb pressure and take the points.

Ok adding " at all" might be a bit harsh, Ill moderate myself to saying he doesnt have any end-product YET The flick to cabaye was class, admittedly. Hopefully he can follow it up with some more of dat. Setting up the odd ball or two doesnt automatically give you end product, I`ll reserve that term for someone who creates something every time he has the ball. Jonas have on many occations done the same thing, would you also rate him as a player with end-product? If he did, he would be in Real Madrid, not here. Nani has end product, Jonas doesnt. Obertan clearly doesnt either ( although that can very well change , so heres hoping) What I have seen of Obertan tells me we are dealing with a fast and athletic player who can run past people but struggles a bit with getting it "in the box" or that brilliant final pass. If he can get that final piece in the puzzle sorted he is going to be amazing, but hes still a bit off, in my honest opinion only of course. He's played 3 matches for us and has set up at least one clear goalscoring opportunity, or an actual goal per game (albeit technically 'indirectly' against fulham). Whatever way you dress it up as, one thing he's shown so far is that he has some form of a cutting edge. As I said, inconsistent but something he definitely has in his locker, is the ability to play that killer ball.

Obertan set up the whole move for our second goal against Fulham with a fantastic run and pass to Ba, in a pretty key area. He nearly set up the winner against Arsenal with a clever back heel to Cabaye and put in a delicious ball for Ameobi in the derby. He quite clearly has a cutting edge and some inventiveness, it's just inconsistent but to say he has no end product at all? Garbage.