The Prophet

6-7 for me, getting nervy but our fate is still very much in our own hands.

I was thinking that until Michael Owen came on and moved across the pitch like he was wearing boots made of cement. FYI Martins DID score by the way. I know a five is harsh, I thought Martins and Lovenkrands were our most threatening players by a distance. His performance was roughly a seven for me but the fact he missed the penalty was massive. If he puts that away we're looking at a different game. You could tell the moment he stepped up he didn't fancy it and that alone for me some what negates any threat he posed throughtout the game. He put in a good shift but its just as important to take your chances when they come. It's hard to describe especially as I'm a bit worse for wear but from the stands that penalty miss felt huge.

Penalty miss aside? What the fuck. Martins is a striker its his job to score goals. I don't care how well he played the fact he missed a penalty, such an important penalty at that is massive. He can play as well as he wants but you can't miss such simple chances, that goal would of changed the game.

Harper 5 - Should have done better for the third, didn't get down quick enough. S. Taylor 7 - One of his better games. Bassong 7 - Did well until the injury. Coloccini 4 - Looked comfortable in the first half, shit his bricks when the going got tough. Enrique 6 - Did well in parts, didn't really put a foot wrong. R. Taylor 5- Whiped some good balls into the box, shite from open play though. Butt 5 - Battled well in the first half, largely a passanger for the second. Nolan 5 - See Butt. Duff 6 - Did well in the first half, faded badly in the second. Martins 5 - I want to give the lad a seven I really do but he had to bury that penalty, huge moment in the match and he bottled it. Lovenkrands 7 - Like Martins his pace caused problems, the pair of them looked a threat all game.

Such a frustrating game but sums us up perfectly, no fucking backbone. Up until they went ahead we were the better side, we were getting in amongst them creating chances, as soon as we went behind we gave up as usual. How different it could have been if Martins had stuck that penalty away. Some other points: Harper: His reflexes aren't good enough, he's so slow to react. The third goal was his fault in my book. Coloccini: Where did it all go wrong? He's so slow to react to any kind of situation, he had a decent first half but as soon as we were under the cosh he looked like a nervous wreck, where was he for the second? R. Taylor: Doesn't do enough in open play for me. Duff: Decent first half but faded second, where the fuck was Jonas? Martins: Such a double edged sword. We need him badly but he's just so damn erratic. It's just pissy arse annoying to see players with his ability miss the most simple of chances. He looked like he bottled the penalty, it looked evident from his body language that he didn't fancy it.

Let the magic roll...

Aye I'm sure he was calling Coloccini 'Cudicini' a couple of weeks ago.

Do you not think getting Inter was a tough draw? Aye fair call but even then they got the away leg first. Just look at the league, playing last seasons top ten away from home at the very beginning of the season. Bar Inter next to no real top class opposition in the Champions League. And on top of that they haven't drawn any of the so called 'big four' in a domestic competition this year. Now I am being cynical but that just seems far too good to be true.

Form the League to the cups the draws that have gone the Mancs way this season is starting to get incredibly suspicious.

Ambitious or just dumb? Wolves to beat Forest Burnley to beat Plymouth Peterborough to beat Bristol Rovers Millwall to beat Hartlepool Bournemouth to beat Notts County About 51/1

Pathetic from the Gillette Soccer Saturday panel really. A textbook view of Newcastle from four men who don't watch the games week in week out. Things like: 'Michael Owen will gurantee you goals' 'Without Michael Owen they will lose today' A half fit Owen is a passanger in the team. If he plays like he did against Hull we're better off bringing him off the bench in the second half. To think we need him to get something off Arsenal is just pathetic, it will be a team effort if we something today. 'Martins is the only striker playing, they must be going 4-5-1' 'Even if they stay up Martins will leave in the summer' They obviously didn't watch the Man United game, just because Martins is the only striker up front it doesn't mean we won't have someone like Lovenkrands playing off him. Oh and as for the second comment Martins already told the radio its dependant on how much ambition we show in the summer should we stay up. 'Bassong has been decent this season' Try outstanding. If Man United had of found him they'd of been wanking themselves silly. There was more as well but you get the picture. They really don't have a clue.

Probably the best defence in Europe against the best atticking force in Europe. Porto are my adopted European club, so even more reason to cheer them on against those lucky twats.

Staying up every day of the week.

I think I'd go for a six. We've still got some very winnable games coming up. If we can pick the odd point up here and there against the tougher opposition and beat a couple of the teams around us I think we'll be safe. We should be aiming for 40 points but I can see us staying up with less.

This really got on my nerve end yesterday. Lovenkrands - Two goals in two starts up front and contributes to giving an excellent Man United defence a serious fright. Great news Hull will struggle with him. Oh wait Owen's back he's a big name he will be able to save us despite a lack of match fitness and general sharpness. Playing big names over form players has always been a major gripe of mine when it comes to our international side but here was clear case of it yesterday. Yes Owen when fit and firing is an asset and I'm all for giving him 30-40 minutes in the second half to improve his fitness levels but to start him was an absolutely ridiculous decision. Owen needs service at the best of times but when unfit he'll squander what? Three, four clear cut chances before he'll stick one away. He has no self sufficiency which in the current plight means he isn't going to get many goals if he isn't at his sharpest. Add that to the fact he's never been one to stick up his hand and dig in and we've got a passenger on our hands. Then on top of that, time for Owen to come off and he brings bloody Shola on, Jesus wept. Yet I'm not surprised. This is just another case in point that Hughton has no back bone what so ever. You can imagine poor Chris shitting his pants as soon as Owen asked for a game. This along with the confidence shattering decision to drop R. Taylor, a player who can actually take a corner without smashing it into first man makes me actually hope Kinnear is off his sick bed as soon as possible. Oh dear.

Probably the form of both teams. What because of one performance from Arsenal? Let's not forget this is a team who recently scored one in six games. If we play our hand right and set our stall out like we did against Man United we can get something, having said that it would depend on Hughton pulling his head out of his arse which I can't see in the near future.

Don't see why we can't get something from this.

Taking other results into account it could of been worse. Oh and Owen on for Lovenkrands? Hughton showing off his managerial genius again.

f***ing Bolton useless twats. Watford and Gillingham fell apart at the end anyway.

Would have had him in instead of Owen.

Got on: Bolton Watford Southend Gillingham 22/1

I don't know like, he made some absolutely vital errors during the time Arsenal fell apart last season. Although he does seem to have improved this season.

I see Barcelona just got the five against Lyon, they're scary at times. Would be interesting if they got a Man United re-match. Best attack in Europe against the best defence.

OK, I think its safe for me to confirm.

Can we really stop him if he does end up wanting to leave?