durhamunigeordie

Neville.

 

Ridiculous how far he is in front of other pundits now.

Amazing isn't it. He's the only one who even gives the impression he actually watches football regularly. The rest just rely on lazy stereotypes e.g. Mike Williamson is a reliable PL centre back, Simpson is consistently one of the best RBs in the league.

Gary Neville suggesting Sky ditch Stoke v Man U and plot up at the Derby.

EDIT - I know we're on Sky anyway, I think he means the boys in the studio.

Was Shola rested completely today so he could start this, btw?

Resting him for the Mackem game.

Done his hammy in training.

No loss.

Hardly. Might be in poor nick, after Man City we could potentially be perilously close to the relegation zone and then have 4 games in ten days, including the derby, 2 x QFs, it's pretty silly to say any 1st teamer is no loss - particularly given our already lengthy injury list.

Done his hammy in training.

By done do you mean strained or torn?

Think Sunderland and ourselves have an almost equal chance of going down (i.e. an outside chance).

I don't think that they will go, but i'd definitely rather be in our position with points, fixtures, injuries etc.

Without Steven Fletcher's goals this season Sunderland would be bottom of the Premier League & nine points from safety.

Not convinced Graham can step in. Someone has to, or they will be an easy club to catch for the chasing pack.

But he is there striker and he has scored those goals. Not a dig at you mate, just those sort of stats/statements are my football pet hate.

"Without player X, team Y would be here...". Pointless as the fact is that player is there to do that job.

Think he means Colo a few years back. The game Ranger started wasn't it.

Nice guy, used to be quite good too. Sad to see him go.

 

 

They might keep him on in a coaching capacity, wouldn't be surprised seeing as that's probably been happening for some time anyway.

 

Hope so. Remember getting his autograph at the training ground probably 17 years along with Pedro, Howey, Bracewell et all f***ing unbelievable he's still here.

 

Fair play to the lad. It's been said over and over, but he could have forged a pretty good Prem career elsewhere. There were times when you could argue there was little difference between Harper and Given. If he'd been number 1 at a club for 10 years poor lad may have played for England.

 

Feel like we've cheated him a little. Bloody appreciate his loyalty though.

 

Cheers Steve

 

Don't get me wrong I think he's been a great servant for the club, but how can we know this given how little he actually played? It's one of those kind of folklore myths that he was as good a Shay and because it can't be disproved everyone seems to have gone along with it. Given was one of the best in the league for a fair period - it's difficult to conclude that someone who has barely played 200 games in nearly 20 years was on a comparable level.

 

Just before the Chelsea FA Cup Semi Final is the exact point when there genuinely was very little between them imo.

 

I'd even go as far as the Troyes 4-4. Given dropped a bollock at Chelsea, had a 'mare that night against Troyes and there was talk that Harper was going to be brought in after that. Bobby stuck by Given and he ended up in the Premier League Team of the Season.

Maybe and perhaps I am showing my age, but I just find it difficult to accept as fact that he was Given's equal. Shay has played over 400 games in the PL and was twice in the PFA team of the year. Harper has 50 odd PL appearances, the majority of which came out of necessity. We can speculate he might have been as good, but it's by no means the certainty that some people make out IMO.

Nice guy, used to be quite good too. Sad to see him go.

 

 

They might keep him on in a coaching capacity, wouldn't be surprised seeing as that's probably been happening for some time anyway.

 

Hope so. Remember getting his autograph at the training ground probably 17 years along with Pedro, Howey, Bracewell et all Fucking unbelievable he's still here.

 

Fair play to the lad. It's been said over and over, but he could have forged a pretty good Prem career elsewhere. There were times when you could argue there was little difference between Harper and Given. If he'd been number 1 at a club for 10 years poor lad may have played for England.

 

Feel like we've cheated him a little. Bloody appreciate his loyalty though.

 

Cheers Steve

Don't get me wrong I think he's been a great servant for the club, but how can we know this given how little he actually played? It's one of those kind of folklore myths that he was as good a Shay and because it can't be disproved everyone seems to have gone along with it. Given was one of the best in the league for a fair period - it's difficult to conclude that someone who has barely played 200 games in nearly 20 years was on a comparable level.

Just wanted him back for the Mackems. Aint going to happen now is it.

Ah I wondered earlier who the lad in the baseball cap was sat with our directors at the Wigan game. There was a photograph of him in one of the articles about Carver losing it - potentially Daily Mail.

 

That's Bigirimana.

Ah I wondered earlier who the lad in the baseball cap was sat with our directors at the Wigan game. There was a photograph of him in one of the articles about Carver losing it - potentially Daily Mail.

Fletcher?

I've said it before elsewhere, but honestly believe Pardew should think carefully about who he selects in this - there is no need to rush the likes of Cabaye, Debuchy, Krul and Colo back if they are touch and go. We have a season shaping 10 days coming up after this. That said because we lost today probably means we haven't got that luxury.

So who is coming in for him against Benfica?

 

Simpson.

 

If Colo's back it could be Yanga to RB like in the Metalist home game. Here's hoping anyway.

Who's going off then? Perch or Tiote?

This is going to impact on our Europa League chances big style.

Yea that's what I'm more worried about to be honest.

Should probably have brought Anita instead of Perch. He and Tiote are treading on each others toes.

Have we gone 4-4-2 because of the injury?

Still, it's 3 weeks before we really need him again if we work on the basis Man City away is a write off regardless.

Cabaye was never going to play this one. He went off in a game three days ago with a groin strain - even if he says he is fine you'd be foolish to risk him, particularly as this now means we can probably pull him from the france squad and give him a rest. As long as he's back for Benfica away i'm not bothered.

Need a big finish to the season from this man.

Gutted about this. If we weren't in the Europa League then it wouldn't be so bad, but we need his magic if we are to stand a chance of winning it.

Of course as a fan it's easy to question how this has happened given it was supposedly just a hamstring injury, but just got to trust that there were people far better qualified than me handling the situation and they were happy enough for him to play at Fulham and Anzi.

We're definitely going out but at least it's not the English clubs and at least we're not travelling before the derby.

That's the spirit.