I think he'll start on Sunday - I'd like to think he was withdrawn on Wednesday not only because we got fuck all of the ball as a team and that Perch was a better option in making us more solid, but also to save him for the game against Villa. Guess we'll see.
Why does it tear you up inside so much? I'm with Yorkie on this one, he's been so piss poor that frankly a bit of low-level jeering might make him realise that he needs to put more effort in, either on the pitch or in training.
Out will go Lovenkrands, Smith, Ranger, Forster, Donaldson and a clutch of youngsters. I also think we'll flog Simpson (hope so) if he doesn't sign a new deal.
As for incomings? Fuck knows.
I think it's pretty evident that Hughton's man-management of the bit-part players; Guthrie, R.Taylor, Perch and to an extent Lovenkrands must have been really shit. Pardew has managed to coax good performances out of all of them - particularly the first two I've listed. Every single one of these players looked shite under Hughton (I don't count the promotion season where Guthrie and Lovenkrands were actually first teamers).
I think he's really poor but I'd have him ahead of Shola now. He did more in 15 minutes last night than Shola has contributed in 270 - no exaggeration.
Allardyce marginalised Shola. I can only remember him featuring two or three times in the league under him; although his performance in the Derby away game still ranks for me as one of the top ten worst Shola postings of all time. He looked like he was on smack.
eh ??
To simplify it for you we beat Villa at home last season. Out of the 23 games we've played so far we didn't win any of those corresponding fixtures last season. For example last season we drew our game at Blackburn so this is the first time this season that we're up against a team we beat in the same fixture in 10/11.
Arsenal (h) - draw
Sunderland (a) - draw
Fulham (h) - draw
(QPR away - technically I suppose we did beat Birmingham away last season)
Villa (a) - lose
Blackburn (h) - lose
Wolves (a) - draw
Spurs (h) - draw
Wigan (h) - draw
Stoke (a) - lose
Everton (h) - lose
Man C (a) - lose
Man U (a) - lose
Chelsea (h) - draw
(Norwich away - we drew away at Blackpool)
(Swansea home - we beat West Ham at home)
West Brom (h) - draw
Bolton (a) - lose
Liverpool (a) - lose
Man U (h) - draw
(QPR home - we beat Birmingham at home)
Fulham (a) - lose
Blackburn (a) - draw
Villa (h) - won
that's fucking immense. Someone send that to nufc.com or something, class stat.