The Prophet

This is relegation form. I don't know how you can deny that. You don't throw away 2 goal leads at home to teams like Stoke and expect to get away with it. Aye, but relegation candidates don't go to Stamford Bridge and keep Chelsea out for ninety minutes. I'm not sure what concerns me more, the match I've just witnessed or the reaction of the fans.

I've got a cracking idea, lets protest outside the ground surely it can't do any harm, oh wait...

Defended Kinnear at times this season but he was a fucking joke today, can't be completely faulted for the result but he certianly takes a large majority of the blame.

Win, 13/1 that'll do.

Surely it would be far easier to just push Coloccini into defensive midfield.

Frankfurt to beat Bochum (Currently 4-0) Stuttgart to beat Cottbus (Currently 3-0) Bielefeld to draw with Dortmund (Currently 0-0) Keeping fingers toes and everything else crossed for the time being. Lille to beat Toulouse Nice to beat Marseille Cean and Rennes to draw

It's going to be the "Europa league" and the format is changing but I don't think it's much for the better. It's being re-vamped again? What ingenious format have they gone for this time?

The best way to approach this game is to go at them hard. There's no point in sitting back and worrying about their long ball game or we'll just fall deeper and deeper and play into their hands. Joe needs to tell back line to stay a bit higher than usual. They've got no body that's going to do Coloccini or Bassong for pace if they do happen to get through. The deeper we go the more pressure we'll invite. The reason they've been successful this season is because they've pushed teams back so deep that they're pretty much sitting on the keeper when a throw in comes in. Not to mention Coloccini hasn't covered himself in glory in the air up to now. Another reason the centre backs are so important to this game is if they keep punting long balls up the field all day long then we'll have all kinds of trouble scoring. The personnel in their defence are generally large but not very mobile. If we keep it on the deck Jonas and Martins could well have a field day, if just pump the ball over the midfield in the hope the strikers will get some joy then we're going to make seriously hard work of this game.

Your posting on an internet forum, the only way is up from here.

To answer the original post though I know what you mean but I think it depends on which team you are supporting. Say you support some Lithuanian minnows and they qualify for the UEFA cup you'd be over the moon. They would receive a healthy cash injection and would get to contend with some of the bigger names in Europe. If you look at it from the other side of the fence, say one of the Italian giants, then it isn't going to mean as much. They know they should be in the Champions League, the money is a drop in the ocean and they risk injuries to key players playing significantly lesser teams. Then you get the mid-table teams. If you are finishing tenth and eleventh regularly in a league of twenty and the same four teams are taking the Champions League spots what is there to motivate you? The UEFA Cup provides some incentive for the team to push up the league which is ultimately better for viewers of the sport. The cup itself might not provide the riches but mixing it with some of the biggest names in Europe can brings prestige and ultimately better players to push on and progress.

Would feel more legitimate if third place finishes in the Champions League groups didn't qualify teams for the UEFA Cup knock out stages. Just feels like a second bit at the cherry for them.

CB, RB, LB or if your desperate on either flank...

Wait! Reckless long balls are going to be encouraged? Right, I'm starting as well. F*** you all. Your prone to the odd tumble in the box as well... Only after two-footed lunges, Proph. And you're prone to missing open goals Handbags at dawn. Was it bollocks a two footed lunge, I got the ball and you made the most of the follow through. ...and defenders shouldn't be the ones relied upon to provide goals, especially defenders with two right feet. You're saying a lot that you have 1 right foot, never mind 2. Your one to talk, remember blazing that beauty of a cross over the bar from a matter of yards. It happens to the best of us...

Wait! Reckless long balls are going to be encouraged? Right, I'm starting as well. F*** you all. Your prone to the odd tumble in the box as well... Only after two-footed lunges, Proph. And you're prone to missing open goals Handbags at dawn. Was it bollocks a two footed lunge, I got the ball and you made the most of the follow through. ...and defenders shouldn't be the ones relied upon to provide goals, especially defenders with two right feet.

Wait! Reckless long balls are going to be encouraged? Right, I'm starting as well. F*** you all. Your prone to the odd tumble in the box as well...

Aye stick me on the provisional list, however lacking match sharpness I can't guarantee you'll leave with all your limbs attached...

Aye, I'm having the odd difficulty. For example, there's this text: "The N-O Heavyweight Championship: NE5 Vs. The WORLD Thread" that keeps appearing at the top of the forum.

Just not smart, even for you...

Lump on Chelsea... I haven't like, but I think they'll be far too strong for Arsenal. Probably won't be the last time Arsenal make me look foolish this season...

Lump on Chelsea... I haven't like, but I think they'll be far too strong for Arsenal.

Yakubu, yes, brilliant player IMO. Ashton, if fit is a quality player, but keeping him fit is the problem & we dont exactly have a good record of keeping injury prone players fit. Similar to Owen in some respects, does nothing for 90 minutes but can still score the all important goals that win games. His problem is his work ethic really. Very true. Just think that he would be a good signing for us, especially under JFK because he is strong and good in the air, just an all round better player than Ameobi, seeing as though he doesnt look like changing his style of play now. Not like Everton are going to sell him like!! He has all the attributes to be a top Premier League striker but his lack of work ethic mean at times your essentially playing with ten men. So if you get a manger who would motivate and inspire him, yes he'd be a very good signing. Having said that he'll still guarantee you goals at the end of the day.

Yakubu, yes, brilliant player IMO. Ashton, if fit is a quality player, but keeping him fit is the problem & we dont exactly have a good record of keeping injury prone players fit. Similar to Owen in some respects, does nothing for 90 minutes but can still score the all important goals that win games. His problem is his work ethic really.

In the set of circumstances we face it is probably the correct decision. What were you expecting Shearer to ride in on his white horse and save us from the clutches of a relegation dog fight? Kinnear isn't an amazing manager, in fact he's anything but. He's slow to react in the dugout, he tends to flap his mouth a bit too much and generally the team is playing with a lot of inconsistency. However, with the club yet to be sold, a volatile fan base and an unsettled squad, who in their right mind would want the job? We're only going to be stuck with another interim manager who will be nothing more than a side step from Kinnear. Until Ashley sells this club we are never going to get a manager with anything about him. Therefore it surely makes sense to just leave Kinnear be. The squad know him, he knows the squad and despite his apparent weaknesses we're still grinding out the odd result. Will it be enough to keep us afloat? Who knows? It's really a question of will the side that beat Villa and drew with Chelsea turn up more often than the one that fucked up against Fulham and Wigan.

Some of the reactions on here have given me a right good chuckle, sometimes I wonder if this fan base gets what it deserves.

Great find from the recruitment team it has to be said.