themanupstairs

good to know he's okay then

pwned

In discussing the final this morning, colleague of mine imparts this diamond of wisdom on me: "team that scores more goals and concedes less will win. simple". Took me a while to get it, but I think he's spot on

eh? Berbatov was back in his own penalty area in open play (as in not defending a set-piece) at 3-0!!!

you mean i didn't call him a c***? missed the boat there, s*** it's now or never mojo. Don't do it buddy. Don't. Do it :colo:

The tactics for a one-off final are totally different to those adopted for a 2 leg tie. I have no doubt in my mind that Man Utd will use their steam rolling attacking force as the best method of defence. What Ferguson will do is try to keep Barcelona busy defending, and expose their own defensive problems rather than worry about how they will attack. IMO Carrick, Scholes and Andreson will be key to whether they lift the trophy or not. agree carrick, scholes & anderson vs xavi, toure and iniesta losing both full backs might well hurt Barca mind Aye. Full back is the most important position tactically for a side as attacking as Barcelona. It will indeed hurt them. The players who will fill are certainly no mugs, but they possibly do not have the full season's momentum that Alves and Abidal have had. It will all depend on how quickly the scum's midfield can repossess the ball, especially Carrick, who if on form, has the fantastic ability to distribute play on par even with Xavi and Alonso.

good to see you posting mate. That's very well put. Also, kudos to dcmk and mrmojo for having a 3 page debate without resorting to insults. Good craic generally despite some repetition.

The tactics for a one-off final are totally different to those adopted for a 2 leg tie. I have no doubt in my mind that Man Utd will use their steam rolling attacking force as the best method of defence. What Ferguson will do is try to keep Barcelona busy defending, and expose their own defensive problems rather than worry about how they will attack. IMO Carrick, Scholes and Andreson will be key to whether they lift the trophy or not.

with a smily at the end?

why is it disappointing when Shearer himself acknowledged the kop, came out of the dugout, and gave them a wave and a smile? :omg: MIKE CHUCKLED!! Shearer acknowledging, and taking the piss out of the opposition - whether it be The Kop etc - isn't that unusual. Top players & managers alike cop it all the time, they exchange in the banter exchange, and ironically enough they tend to come out on top. Witness Bellamy's performances at SJP amidst the groundswell of abuse and booing he's received since his forced departure. With an ambitious board/owner in tow Shearer - as manager - might just harness the opportunity of inflicting the last laugh. Can't see it happening during Wor Mikey's ownership though. At least you can see the funny side with regards to that 'breath of fresh air' - Big Mike - still being able to enjoy his leisurely afternoon at the football, amidst the club's current predicament thanks to his running of it over the last two years. Much like the sight of him sporting a broad smile while out of harm's way in the protective custody of the director's box at WHL, with the score at 0-1. Funnily enough i don't. Did you see the shots of Mike Ashley when Liverpool scored? He wasn't smiling then! And neither was Shearer. Outside of that though, I get the feeling that the club has collectively decided to put on a brave face in amidst all the chaos and perilous state we're in. You can see it in Shearer's body language before matches, his first press conference, and his latest. Also, the taunts coming from the Kop, their timing, and considering the scoreline, were funny as fuck tbh. Having a sense of humor to acknowledge sporting banter isn't the end of the world. Ashley can only make top tier decisions to aid in keeping us up. He's made a last ditch tackle hiring Shearer, and we all hope he can do the job. Smirking at some Scouse humor when you're down in the gutter isn't the end of the fucking world.

I don't think they're that far off being a great side again. They need another top class centre back to partner Toure - the loss of Gallas and the feuding that has surrounded him has been a real blow. I also think they need a better striker. Adebayor and Van Persie are good players but I don't think they'll take them from the top four to the top two, which is what they're aiming for. Apart from that, I don't think there's much wrong. Fourth place and a Champions League semi is a good platform to build on. yeah, but if he goes out in the summer and buys another striker/winger/14 year old as he's done in the last couple of windows they'll not improve much and you have to ask how long should they carry on with that? depends what they're in it for, if it's to build a team to be successful then let him keep at it, but if they want success in the very near future beyond an FA cup then forget it - man u, chelsea & liverpool are striking the right balance, arsenal are not On the other hand there´s the small matter of one Andrei Arshavin, which at least gives them the extra edge needed in forward positions. All-in-all they're probably one CB and another striker short of assembling quite a stunning team... Erm, they also need a couple of bastard midfielders in the mold of Vieira and Petit. The midfielders they have now pale in comparison to those two, and even to the Ray Parlour of the later years.

I wonder if it's been tried on the training pitch? The old Viduka/Smith duo. Who knows anymore. Bah

Was half asleep, but pretty sure when listening to the Times podcast last night Patrick Barclay said Shearer as manager is a disaster for Newcastle. A DISASTER!!!! /Also reiterated that Owen has been Newcastles worst ever signing also iirc. //not sure i can argue to much with that one to be honest. Patrick Barclay is one of the few journalists who smugly insisted Steve McLaren was the right man for the England job before he was apppointed. Hardly a fountain of wisdom then is he? More like a wountain of fisdom tbh

That near Norfolk n' Clew?

Delima surely

top post George Caulkin. top post.

He is man!! Fat blobby Mikey is a spuds fan and will bring in Gaz Mabbutt and Kevin Scott to assist JFK in the summer. Rumour has it that Tricky Ricky Villa will also be coming in to hold up Kinnear's IV bottle pitchside on match days. Part-time gig.

can the fucker cross? If so I'd play Butt with Guthrie in the center, and plop the old Smith/Viduka partnership up front and watch them fly in.

Could have really been a cult hero up here if he'd mended his ways. What a disappointment tbh as he is a quality footballer. Twat

Shearer by nature is a larger than life character. This is the only trait I see in him that gives me hope that he could be a bloody good manager in time. The single most important man at any club is the manager, and he has that "I'm the main man, don't f*** with me" thing about him. Graeme Souness also had that. Yes that is true. Obviously I'm not saying it's a guarantee to make him a good manager. All I'm saying is that it's a trait of a successful manager, and Shearer already possesses it. We'll have to see what else he's made up of of course.

Not if he caused bother in the dressing room. Many a player down the years have taken royal bollocking from managers like Ferguson, Clough, etc... The very hint of any of them talking back, let alone calling names and attempting to brawl would have seen them out on their arse at the snap of a finger.

Shearer by nature is a larger than life character. This is the only trait I see in him that gives me hope that he could be a bloody good manager in time. The single most important man at any club is the manager, and he has that "I'm the main man, don't fuck with me" thing about him.

Anything we get for him is a bonus, because I can't see many clubs being willing to take the risk. We were supposedly his last chance, and since he came he's been in all kinds of bother on and off the pitch. As Gol says, I think we'll now look to terminate his contract. Yup. I think Ashley will step in big time on this one. He wanted shot earlier, and I suspect as the owner of this business, he will not accept to pay the cunt a single penny more than he's already wasted on him.