Neil

Looked a foul, but you play to the whistle. Simple as that.

Hasn't happened for him as much this season but I can't agree with that comment. Even when he's not bang in form he still shows brilliant technique.

Blimey.

Seems an honest get-on-with-it forward. Yup. Seemed like most couldn't wait to criticise him when he was going through a rough patch. 19 goals last season, 12 already this year. Tidy returns, especially when you have Aguero and Tevez contributing too.

"The free kick demonstrated our diagonal passing at its best."

Dzeko scores yet again.

We've been doing that a lot tbh. I mean of course they had ten men for half the game, but we had 65% possession before that. We're decent at controlling a game, but struggle to break teams down. Partly lack of guile by the support players (Walker, Dempsey at times, Lennon at times), but a great deal can be laid at the feet/brain of Defoe. A clever, clinical forward like Michu would have made us far more incisive. Holtby will help a great deal, but most of all I hope that Ade comes back raring to-go (ahem). If he does, then I actually think we're in a great position for the CL. Bale is a funny kettle of fish. I mean, so much of the coverage and comment is either excessively fawning, or an excessive reaction to the fawning. He's really, really good. I hate his readiness to go down so easily (as with any footballer) and it's never right, but when you see some of the tackles he has to deal with it's really not all that surprising. Apart from one or two today, just look at the one against Norwich when he did that lovely pirouette. Shaw (?) comes screaming in two-footed, and would have broken his ankle in two if Bale hadn't been so quick. Ref didn't even say a word. Thank fuck we won today though. The fans would have been up in arms after our failure to add a striker and Defoe's injury. I thought that it was Manchester and Chelsea guaranteed 1, 2, 3, and then a punch up between Merseyside and North London for fourth - but maybe, just maybe, Chelsea can still fuck it up. Next week will be a cracking game between us. I can't see us finishing 4th. We still have all of the top 7, bar Man City, away from home. I can probably count on one hand the amount of these games we've won in the past 5-10 years. Really hope Man City win today.

That article is bang on the money. Rodgers is completely deluded in his own way of thinking. This bit in particular tickled me: "It is great for the public here at Sunderland to see us," he said after the game. "They must have been wondering what this team everyone is talking about are all about and now they have seen. We were wonderful. Our intention is always to pass teams to a standstill, but give credit to Sunderland, they defended ever so well when other teams might have wilted." Sunderland had just beaten Swansea 2-0.

Commentator flinging his head right up Bale's arse.

Erm, right.

Hopefully nowt serious but good for us if Defoe's injured for a bit.

Been your weak link for ages. [/smugtwatsorry] As you can tell, I'm not in the best of moods with the result but he has been. He lacks the basics of defending and has done for fucking yoinks, yet he still gets games. Drawing against Aston fucking Villa at home is a bad result whatever the way you look at it. The consolation is we stood strong at 3-1 down, which is one of our greatest characteristics. But nearly every away game we have left is very tough and we're going pissing away 2 points at home to one of the worst sides in the league. Not good enough, but this just compounds a pathetic transfer window.

I knew Heitinga was a liability but he surpassed himself today. Total, uncensored shitcuntery.

So of course Fellaini scores twice once I get rid of him. Furious at him, in fact I was saying "cheers for rescuing us a point but it means nothing, NOTHING, because of the lost FF points." Cabaye or Sissoko. Of course, I go for Cabaye.

He was, but that's still only an assist to show for the last 6 games. He hasn't played particularly well either and didn't deserve any bonus points vs Swansea or Southampton. Of course, FF don't really care who deserves what, and think oh, he's big and he's Fellaini, give them to him. I'll be very happy if you end up with a big total for him, though.

What did they think they were getting televising QPR v Norwich?

Hasn't actually done much for the past 2 months. It's more of an experiment than a long-term change, I could well be putting him back in - I guess he does get Fellaini bonus points for being big. But, hasn't scored since 1st December and only 1 assist since then as well.

Gibbs and Fellaini out, Johnson and Cabaye in.

Very sad story this. Hope he can still be helped but from what we're reading, it seems he's simply beyond that point now.

Try to avoid here when mortal.

Have another look at your team and think about whether you're in a position to say some people don't have a clue what they're talking about.

£3 1 whole pound just wasn't enough.

Barely a week goes by without a dream about playing Subbuteo with Steve Ogrizovic.

Scarily accurate.