durhamunigeordie

Commentators seemed to think his hearing wouldn't happen until the international break, so could be in the dugout for the Villa game.

The way collapses in three stages when diving doesn't exactly inspire confidence though.

Fair play to them, Johnson is a good player.

Didn't Luiz miss out midweek because of injury?

Any news on the 'knocks' to Ba, Colo and Tiote?  .com has Colo down as playing, but Tiote out?

 

If we have them 3 fit, I can see us sneaking a draw.  I don't see why we should go thear fearing the worst.  Reading were 2-1 up for a long while and only went behind through an offside goal.  We've got matchwinners going the other way, so it's a tough one to call.

 

So long as we put in a performance and can take plenty of positives I'm not too arsed.  I would have took 3 points across the two opening fixtures, plus our next game looks very winnable.  Will be nice to get two difficult matches out the way so early in the season.

I'm hopeful on Tiote, only because it would seem strange for Anita to have played 90 mins last night and then be asked to start on Sat.

Harper gets down so slowly these days.

This is on in two pubs literally 300 yards from my door, however, i'm currently favouring watching a dodgy stream and reading this thread. Does that make me really sad?!

19 man squad named on the OS.

No Ba, Colo, Tiote, Ben Arfa, Ameobi (both), Vuckic, Ferguson, Abeid, Elliot or Good.

Looking at that makes me realise that we do already have a little bit more squad depth this year, if only because there are 8 or 9 youngsters supposedly pushing to be in first team squads.

Just saw him on SSN arriving in his gear with the rest of the players travelling this morning.

 

Oh, well that's alright then. Panic over.

 

 

 

What was his body language like?

 

...or is it.

I was merely stating the fact that he had travelled as a point of interest, rather than because I was panicking.

Just saw him on SSN arriving in his gear with the rest of the players travelling this morning.

I hated it all my life until a month or two back. Then I actually went and worked there for a period of time and completely flipped my opinion on the place. So much on offer there.

Am sure Lennon crossed to Bale from the left.

Controversial, but Cabaye might be better off playing this and the home leg and sitting out of Saturday at Stamford Bridge. Anita-Tiote-Jonas could be our midfield 3 at Chelsea. I would never have dreamed that i'd advocate that, but he was so far off the pace on Sat he probably needs the games to get match fit. If the situation is right he can then come off after 60-70 mins of the home game and start against Villa.

Ben Arfa is actually suspended from his time at Marseille (well according to him anyway)

Would be surprised if the likes of Tiote, Cabaye and Cisse even travel, particularly with what Pards has said. Will be a near reserve side, however, the likes of Shola, Raylor, Williamson, Perch all featured fairly regularly last year and so we should still have enough. Stick Obertan, Bigi, Vuckic, Ferguson, Marveaux, Amalfitano etc in there and should be a good game.

We can then reassess for the 2nd leg at home. If we are trailing after the first leg then I would expect to see a few more of the big guns. There is a big difference between travelling to Greece, before playing Chelsea away 48 hours later and having a home game on a Thurs night and then playing at home to Villa (no disrespect) late Sunday afternoon. Am comfortable that Pards will get the balance right.

He's held r2 for literally the perfect amount of time there.

The thing I dislike most about him is that he always shirks responsibility. Loves to try and pass the buck onto someone else rather than taking the blame for his own deficiencies. I think if he held his hand up and apologised when he made a mistake, as opposed to trying to start an argument with another member of our team, i'd be a lot more forgiving of him.

Fair play to Perch, another solid performance. If we bring a CB in then Williamson could really be struggling to get games (hopefully anyway).

Would be very surprised if Cisse is even on the plane for this. I guess if Shola is out then one of him or Ba will have to play though.

Really great to see him back. Hope he can stay fit.

Yea good point, Yohan was miles from being fit. Tiote was even playing behind the strikers at one point.

Will be such a shame if, after having him injured for a year, something has gone down.

Seems to need games to get going so not too worried. Some of his passes went astray, but he will get into it.

Love watching him play.

16 year old Slovakian youth international we signed during the summer.

Yea I guess, like I said not the end of the world, just one area I think that they could improve. Anyway, it has rocked up now so at least I don't have to bother going over early tomorrow.

Poor sod, however, i'm 23 and quickly going that way so shouldn't really laugh.