The Prophet

At least we'll avoid Nicky Butt's annual man of the match performance, seems to lose sight of who he's playing for every single time.

Fergie will be shitting kittens seeing our bench, Cacapa, Butt and Shola all players capable of changing a game...

A couple of Manc season ticket holders I know seem covinced Evra and Ronaldo will be rested, who knows.

It's all in the mentality like we can play any formation we like but if we come out and bend over like we did against Liverpool they will duly fuck us silly. Hughton needs to give these lads the mentality they can compete with Man United, get in amongst them and stop their flow and rhythm. Far too often we’re beaten before we get on the pitch. Unfortunately I can see his team talk going something like: 'Well lads they have a group of good players, no one will blame you if you let a few in, there's no shame in that.' Similar to the whole Roeder 'Rooney and Ronaldo are so good you've just got to let them get on with it' crap from a couple of seasons ago.

Riquelme is a perfect example of a player with a footballing brain. I remember in the world cup,, I think it was against the Ivory Coast where he picked a pass that cut out a good four or five players and left Messi with little more than a tap in, brilliant.

In a word no. The French League is a completely kettle of fish, you've got Lyon who clearly the best and the likes of Marseille, Lille and Rennes who occasionally push them close then the rest of the league is as open as it gets. In England the League is much more multi-layered. Even though it's been pretty damn open this year you still have the top three, the pack chasing forth and the likes of West Ham and Wigan doing nothing but sitting comfortably in mid-table. The best we can hope for next season is pushing that group, finishing in a higher mid-table finish that would show massive progress in itself.

I'd go with something like: -------------------------------Harper------------------------------- S. Taylor-----------Coloccini------Bassong------------Enrique -------------------------------Smith-------------------------------- R. Taylor-------------------Geremi-------------------------Jonas ---------------------------Lovenkrands--------------------------- ------------------------------Martins------------------------------- Looks strange but it would give us defensive protection from Smith, Jonas and Taylor while Lovenkrand's runs from deep might give Martins some time and space on the ball.

Normally I'd be sat hear saying well we drew against Chelsea by defending well but without Beye that back four just doesn't look quite right so really we have no other option than to have a go. I'd rather suffer a heavy defeat gunning for glory than sitting back trying to play games we can't play.

It's just being an intelligant player. They pick passes the average players don't see, they make runs the average players don't track and so on. So yeah I'd say a lot of it is down to awareness to a certain extent.

Ben Foster became the latest victim of Shola Ameobi syndrome, when he was described as a promising youngster by a commentator the other day. He's knocking on 27 now.

Speaking of which, no one wants to win the Bundesliga this year, there are now five teams in the title. It would be rather good if one of Hoffenheim, Hertha or Wolfsburg won it though.

With our up and coming home games there's a massive chance we will fall into the bottom three. Not only will it be interesting to pick up the paper and read about an increased suicide rate stemming from the NO forum, but it will be a real test of character for our current crop of overpaid prima donnas. It's unlikely but it would be a nice if it was to act like a shot in the arm, waking us up a little and allowing us to compete with the likes of the mighty Hull and Stoke. It would be cracking if we could actually turn a negative into a positive for a change. The far more likely scenario is that the players not happy with the amount of sympathy they're currently getting from themselves will endeavour to seek more. Dropping into the bottom three is a massive negative and the players realising this might just all together give up. More likely still is we'll continue to play the way we are, picking up the odd draw and the rare win. Hughton's managerial genius makes me think the latter is the most likely scenario. If he really had anything about him he'd be at least attempting to turn the whole thing into a positive but knowing our players attitude it wouldn't be easy. For me we need to plan for the short term, with Kinnear's return looking like an absolute mille off we need someone who will take charge of the situation and Hughton is not that man, I hope for our own sake Llambias and the rest of his board room cronies realise this sooner rather than later.

New Russian kits: http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8949/object631234178853ze3.jpg http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4592/object351234178890sq0.jpg

AC Milan home: http://www.mygoal.cn/images/upload/2009/01/14/083457.jpg Real Madrid home: http://www.mygoal.cn/images/upload/2009/01/14/083523.jpg Bayern Munich home: http://www.mygoal.cn/images/upload/2009/01/14/083602.jpg

We'll need all the help we can find with our next couple of home games, unpleasant stuff.

What a fucking joke, Liege had to hold on for eleven minutes, eleven fucking minutes and they conceded with two to go, cunts the lot of them.

Braga equalise with two minutes to go. fucks sake man.

Bloody hell, drama in Turkey. After drawing 0-0 in France Galatasaray went 3-1 up against Bordeaux. Not giving up easily Bordeaux drew level in the 86th minute which would send them through on the away goal rule. To round off an exciting game Galatasaray nicked a winner in injury time sending them through, dramatic stuff.

Howay Standard Liege, don't f*** it up now... Were Liege the ones that outplayed Liverpool in the champions league? Aye , I see that game being tight. Braga are no pushovers. Braga are 3-0 up from the first leg, think Liege will probably nick a result at home though. If anything it's Braga's pace on the counter that worries me. I assume you aren't AGG betting here its just on the night results. Obviously.

Howay Standard Liege, don't f*** it up now... Were Liege the ones that outplayed Liverpool in the champions league? Aye , I see that game being tight. Braga are no pushovers. Braga are 3-0 up from the first leg, think Liege will probably nick a result at home though. If anything it's Braga's pace on the counter that worries me.

Howay Standard Liege, don't fuck it up now...

I see Everton had their annual shitter. It's just a shame this time we weren't good enough to take advantage, mind you that wasn't helped by Nolan's sending off, silly boy. Our weakness was set-pieces, Everton's was the time and space they gave us on the ball. Still the best chance of the match fell to Lovenkrands. He really should of scored, I really shouldn't make excuses for him but Howard closed the angle down well. I still think five games down the line with some match practice under his belt he would of buried it. Apart from that it was dreadful footballing spectacle, particularly in the second half.

Steven Taylor, only he isn't a favourite of mine. In recent times probably Kluivert, shame he wasn't really given a chance.

And to think Munich were priced at 11/8...

When I was just a little boy I asked my mother, what shall I be? Should I Be Darlo? Should I be Poolie? And here's what she said too me, Wash your mouth out son, go fetch your father's gun and shoot the Poolie scum...