Neil

Hats off to McLeish and Birmingham. Another top 10 finish is definitely on the cards.

It will come to an end but the confidence of these first few games (assuming a win against Blackpool) must be huge. I think you have a decent shout of finishing comfortably above the relegation zone.

Quite possibly off their tits.

Wigan, West Brom and Blackpool, though I wouldn't change my mind after 3 games regardless.

The main difference I can tell from a month or 2 ago is I now fancy you to win those key home games at home against the poorer sides. Before the transfers I didn't see anything that had changed which suggested you now would be confident of beating Stoke, Wigan etc. Now I think you're certainties to stay up and a good bet to stay out of trouble for the most part, albeit you'll have some bad days obviously.

2-0. Blackpool will make a fist of it and will give you a game but you'll score early and then late on. And no, I don't think they'll finish anywhere other than bottom but it's early in the season and adrenaline is still pumping.

I laughed.

It SLAMS shut about that time yeah. Can be heard all around the world. If a transfer window SLAMS shut but no-one is around to hear it, does it SLAM?

Doesn't it shut at 6ish?

From an Everton forum:

I just can't see it whatsoever. We'll see.

Give? Shola: Boss, where are we? Hughton: Hang on a minute, we're nearly there. Shola: Wait a second, this is Sunderland's training grou-.... [Hughton pushes Shola out of the moving car and drives off into the distance] Hughton: lolololololol Bruce: What the....? Shola: Hi boss! Bruce: Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

Decent transfer kitty? I'd like to hear what brummie has to say but the impression I got was Villa aren't spending much at all at the moment? At best it's a sideways step. I'd even argue (well I would wouldn't I?) that it's actually backwards. If he's going to go, I'd want him to go to someone who are clearly better than us. I hope he gets a shot at the Man Utd job. It'd be interesting, if nothing else, to see how he does when he has the riches at his disposal. I reckon he thrives on the backs-to-the-wall mentality and man management side of the game.

Project One Man Team takes another step forward.

What's the word on Pienaar? and Moyes? What about Moyes? Latest I know of Pienaar is what has been reported: he is "happy" to stay, however he's had a lucarative contract on the table for quite some time and not signed. Rumours about him going off to manage Villa (God only knows why). So you think Pienaar will still be with you come transfer deadline? Re: Moyes, obviously him rubbishing the Villa rumour last week wasn't good enough so someone's started it again and the bookies have caught wind of it. Non-starter, and even if he hadn't publically dismissed it, I don't see why he'd go. I'd put my house on us finishing above Villa this year. Re: Pienaar, I expect him to be with us for the rest of his current contract. Whether he actually signs a new one however remains to be seen. You'd have thought he'd put pen to paper by now if he really was happy to stay. I sense a lot of agent interference here, desperately searching for a "bigger" club to be interested in him. He's at his level now, imo. He's good but not amazing.

What's the word on Pienaar? and Moyes? What about Moyes? Latest I know of Pienaar is what has been reported: he is "happy" to stay, however he's had a lucarative contract on the table for quite some time and not signed.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/18/article-1086947-02C26AF400000578-125_468x561.jpg ? Not injury prone enough.

I want someone who can put the ball in the back of the fucking net.

Robinho & Ronaldinho in their forward line = magical one game, invisible the next.

It's up to them how they spend their money, and if they want to do that, that's fine by me, because it probably indicates that they're failing.

How dare they use their money in order to progress! I'm bitterly jealous of their riches, of course, but I don't have a problem with what they're doing really. How the fuck else are you supposed to get places in today's game? Money talks.

Perhaps the wrong thread but lump everything you own on us finishing above Villa. I really can't be arsed to go into detail about that match. On the small plus side, at least Spurs lost, City looked shit and Liverpool not much better against West Brom at home. Also, it's good that we're starting to be recognised more for our how much our football is developing under Moyes. Blue tinted glasses but I'd say we play some of the best in the league and for that, let alone his miracles in the transfer market, I'm proud as punch with Moyes.

Did you watch the 1st half?

City are poor away from home, shock horror.

Yaya Toure easily the best player on the pitch in the first half.