Pilko

The more that Kean isn't sacked, the more I think they can't even afford to terminate his contract and pay for a new manager. He was the cheap option, and Blackburn look as if they need to penny-pinch - Salgado was one appearance away from a payment to Real Madrid tonight and didn't appear in the 18. Quite telling, in a way.

Perhaps his ego? He has his own website 'coming soon!', constantly retweets any mention of him in an England shirt (dream on) and he's made his own fucking app for Christ's sake. If he was actually a bit good, then this constant media-whoring of himself would be a lot less irksome. Note how since Steven Taylor has now started looking like a very good PL defender, far less people criticise him for being the club's official soundbite machine.

He can still persevere with Obertan by 'resting' him for a few games and then putting him back in at some point over the busy winter fixture schedule.

Seeing as Everton's home games against lower sides often follow the recipe of 'concede the first goal, level in the last 15 minutes and draw 1-1', I'll be betting on Swansea to score first and fail to win, or 1-1, or something along those lines on that game. Will also do an acca and a few little uns on the NUFC game.

Agree with IP. When we were on the unbeaten run I could understand the reluctance just to pitch him in, however at the moment there's really no valid excuse, unless of course there's something gone on behind the scenes that we're not aware of (FWIW I highly doubt that notion).

Surely the most likely time for Ben Arfa to 'find form' is against the likes of Swansea, WBA and Norwich... not Man City, Man United and Chelsea? I really can't work out Pardew's thinking.

Do they have a Greggs in South Korea?

Just to spoil the excitement when Pardew apparently said he'd choose between Vuckic and Abeid... if you read the full quotes on the official site, he mentions Smith as an option too.

Ba in a Newcastle win at 15/8 looks quite tasty for Wednesday.

Remember Frankie Bunn, from our academy who left to be Rochdale assistant? Well, he and the manager have been sacked already. 6 months.

Can't wait for this. Not been to a game since the Fulham one.

Silva is an absolute wizard, like.

Spurs, Man U, Man C, Liverpool and Celtic - 9/1. Gonna go 1-0 to Man U (single) and probably a few other little ones on the televised games too.

Krul; Simpson Coloccini Perch Santon; Ben Arfa Tiote Vuckic Gutierrez; Ba Best Subs: Harper, Ferguson, Williamson, Sammy, Shola, Abeid, Obertan

One of my mates summed it up nicely earlier when he said "Obertan has his best home game today by miles, and he was still shit."

As much as the decision to leave Ben Arfa out against two promoted sides looks like a fucking terrible one right now, we did enough to win today without him - just seemed like one of those days to me. We've been spoilt this year with us winning the games we 'should' win (Norwich excepted due to the CB problem) and there are going to be days when it just doesn't go in. If we don't beat West Brom then I'll maybe start to worry a bit.

If Smith scores I'm on the pitch. This will be an even more impressive feat given that I'll be on the train until about 5pm.

The one time I bet on Shola was for him to score against WBA in that game where Pattison looked like the second coming of ginger Christ, he came up trumps (twice) too. Good old Shola.

We can afford to draw one of the next two games, like. 4 points out of 6 wouldn't be a disaster; obviously we should still be aiming for maximum points.

Going to be on the train tomorrow when this is being played, gutted to be missing it.

Ideally: Krul Simpson Coloccini Perch Santon Gutierrez Cabaye Tiote/Abeid Ferguson Ben Arfa Ba Subs: Elliot, R.Taylor, Obertan, Tiote/Abeid, Best, Sa. Ameobi, Sh. Ameobi

Apparently we show our club doctor pictures of his wife being shagged by Pardew just before he does the hammer on the knee test, saves us millions of pounds each year.

I wonder what Joe Kinnear thinks about this latest development?

If Obertan retains his place ahead of Ben Arfa then Pardew wants shooting, regardless of the result. It's not fair whatsoever to keep that bulbous headed cunt in the side when he delivers absolutely fuck all positive every single week (Stoke excepted). Proper shit how Ben Arfa has one bad game and is immediately pushed to unused sub, whereas Obertan has one good game in about ten and is an automatic starter.

Gonna wait til Sunday this week. Frittered away a fair bit of cash last Saturday on various things that didn't come off; ended up in profit thanks to a few midweek winners.