Super Duper Branko Strupar

Jonas

Nice tackle

I took a double take when I got to 'McDonalds'

Uwe Rosler

One in the hole?

Could be our Geovanni. Although we have pace on the wings for him to play with, a target man to play off, and a decent passer in the centre who might help his game even more. Can't see Guthrie starting ahead of nolan though... but yeah it's maybe not too bad. I think I would jizz if we got this boy. Really exciting player. hughton had the ball's to drop butt, despite being club captain last season, so he might do the same with nolan Nar, he won't like. He won't even drop Smith.

Man I'd love to see that little wizard in a Toon top! Fucking Ashley man. Its all a smoke-screen to make Spurs better. Redknapp nearly coming to us, then Spurs, Modric n'all. Its like he's using us as the scapegoat to why players managers leave, then says "actually, we don't want them," paving the way for them to go to Spurs, and Spurs get away blame free

And the PL trophy is magnificent! I've always loved it! http://lapremier.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/premier-league-trophy.jpg

I quite like it myself http://www.uefa.com/multimediafiles/photo/footballeurope/footballeurope/497029_mediumsquare.jpg

Have you seen the f***ing trophy mate. The players must leave their blood on the pitch in order to bring that thing back! I will cry like a baby if we don't bring that home. I hope they'll have a parade if we win it. Can you take it on the plane as hand luggage or will it cost extra with the extra weight? Would Ashley even fork out that extra to bring it home?

Finally gives a decent insight there... No one has a fucking clue what's going on

Time to start Vuckic. Fuck playing Xisco on the wing, whats the point. So Vuckic is 17..... Xisco's shit.

Gullit the C***! Hamann was absolutely fekin amazing the latter half of that season. Weren't his stats like the best in the Premier league for that season or something. I'm sure some stats had him as player of the season. I was shocked when he left, I couldn't believe it, I remember just reading he'd moved to Liverpool and being totally shocked

Why? Intertoto Cup and Asian Medical Trophy champions man EDIT: Wait, we lost that to Chelsea Fucking Jenas

Everyone fears that mate, it's not like you're the only one. You keep banging the same drum as though everyone other than you is happy to scrape survival every year and you're the only one to see through this 'lowered expectations' thing. If we stay up this year - however we do it - I'll be expecting more ambition to be shown next year for sure. Not hoping, expecting. I'd imagine most people will be the same. All we can hope for is somewhere in Ashleys '5 year plan' he has 'selling the club' in there. Can't see us progressing under him. If we stay up and we get a basis of a sturdy club with some decent players and on a bit of a high from staying up we will hopefully be an attractive proposition for investment if there's any around. If not, like as already stated, Ashley doesn't have the resources for us to force ourselves up the league sooner. It'll be a case of slow gains for acceptable results.

OK. I do agree with that. But I don't think the answer is singling him out for specific strength training in the gym and anaerobic circuit training (it may not have been yourself that mention the CT). That is putting far too much emphasis on a quality he will never have. He's about 70% slow twitch, its going to be nye on impossible to turn him into a zippy rugged CM. What he is, I feel, is a very clever passer and a brain where he can think 3 or 4 passes ahead as well as having great weight and direction to his passing. That is something we severely lack and I wouldn't want to put tha at risk for him being stronger. We aren't going to get many decent assists next year, Guthries touch will be important for us getting goals and I think doing too much to his physique will be dangerous in that respect. Unfortunately he won't get stronger in the centre until he learns how to hold himself and has the muscle memory to deal with it. Similarly with his stamina, he'll only improve effectively by playing his game more often. Then his muscles will have the endurance to utilise their strength more often and for longer and his lung capacity will naturally increase. Unfortunately, he'll be a weak little shit for a while, its a question of whether we can afford to wait until training over a long period and matches improve this whilst utilising his strengths and covering for his weaknesses elsewhere, or we ditch his strengths and plug for someone else.

OK, you've posted a sensible statement there in 2 sentences. He needs to be able to last 90 minutes and hold up the ball. You've earlier mentioned his poor natural fitness and his need for hypertrophy of his muscles, when in actual fact most cases of poor strength are from poor muscular endurance rather than poor explosive strength. Also, our lack of fitness seems to be squad wide, minus some exceptions. I just don't get your continued picking out of Guthrie being weaker than your average. You've said it once, fair enough. But putting Guthrie on an individual weight training program and/or improving his fitness by improving his anaerobic capacity is ludicrous when he's mostly an aerobic player. He needs more time doing what he does naturally against better opposition to best improve his srength and endurance as he'll then have improvements in the area's he uses naturally.

Training people for something they are not naturally built for and neglecting their strengths is asking to be raped! f***ing going on about Guthries weaknesses for months man. All this we must bulk up, you work for Holland & Barrett or something? You sound very impssive going on about hypertrophy etc but its all bollocks like Kezman asked, I answered. Kevin Nolan needs to lose weight, Coloccini and Guthrie need to gain a little, it's not rocket science. If you can't see that Danny Guthrie as a CM doesn't need to improve his physical strength/presence, you either don't go to the games or you're just attempting to initiate another daft arguement. Nobody is asking for footballing strengths to be neglected. But blatant physical weaknesses need to be worked on, which is what athletes from every other sport do, no reason for it to be omitted from football. So would Messi need to bulk up in order to be able to take on defences properly? Guthrie is a passer, a thinking footballer. OK maybe where he plays for u he gets into battles, but thats no reason to say he needs to gain weight and bulk up, that would be to his detriment. He'll need strength training and build up his muscular endurance like any other footballr, but if we're so concerned about his lack of physicality in the centre of the par then replace him, or get someone else in to do that job. Guthrie's something like 5'8 ffs, if he gains weight and muscular bulk then he will be less mobile, fact. Then you'll be complaining about how his passing has demised. If he doesn't build up with the regular training and weight raining he does then unfortunately that's just him. You don't then force it upon his body. I'm not trying to start an arguement, I'm just opposing your opinion

Training people for something they are not naturally built for and neglecting their strengths is asking to be raped! Fucking going on about Guthries weaknesses for months man. All this we must bulk up, you work for Holland & Barrett or something? You sound very impssive going on about hypertrophy etc but its all bollocks like

Think I may have Bobby documentary fest tonight. That 'Just call me Bobby' one is great! I quite want to be on a bit of an emotional up and down, laugh and cry and reminisce.

Sounds like there's about 300 there. Its a years anniversary since the death of one of he clubs greatest figures and we price the game at £20. I'm still disgusted at their priorities sometimes like. Its like he just doesn't think about anything else other than income

That crowd is fucking atrocious. Fucking board don't have a clue.