leffe186

Well I'm sure the last thing you want to hear is a Spurs supporter's view, but it was the only full game I got to watch in the 3rd round, so here goes. Given your line-up, the only thing truly shocking for me was how good Stevenage were. There have been a few comments about the lack of desire and commitment from Newcastle, but I didn't see too much of that. The game simply showed up the lack of depth in your squad. Having made allowances for Barton being woefully out of position at LM, every other player performed at the level I would have expected. Krul was a little shaky, and Perch is Perch (although also out of position). Other than that, the defence was exposed time and time again by an ineffective midfield. I wondered if that early injury got to Nolan, but even so, he and Smith were lamentable. As for the forwards, well they're just not very good, and there was little or no hold-up play. If your midfield is getting overrun then the forwards have to give them a chance to recover - something they signally failed to do. Stevenage were playing in familiar positions with familiar players around them and it showed. They were well-drilled and confident, and usually had at least one passing option, often out wide. Smith, Best, Lovenkrands and Perch are really not great, and when you couple that with your best player out of position and unconvincing games from Nolan, Routledge and Williamson, that doesn't leave much. In particular, when your midfield is getting outplayed (and they really were) in these games you need some class up front to tell. I think you could have replaced either Best or Lovenkrands with Carroll and won comfortably despite that midfield, although obviously that wasn't an option. Tough to know what Pardew should have done, although Lovenkrands on the wing is never the answer. Guthrie and Barton in the middle, Best and Ranger up front, kids like Ferguson or Kadar? None of it's convincing. Your first XI is pretty good, particularly Tiote and Carroll, but after that there's a BIG drop-off. We had to play BAE yet again today because there is no cover at LB, and I'd have thought Jonas should have played for exactly the same reason. At least people can largely play in their proper position then.

Couple of nice potential punch ups there. Weird that of the 14 Prem teams left, 10 are playing each other. Arsenal at home to someone shite again though.

Walker is a right back isnt he? Maybe, always thought Naughton was the young Spurs right back and Walker was a left back. I believe Young is injured and it may be long-term, plus Houllier doesn't apparently rate that American kid Lichaj. Seems strange to me, but if one of our players gets some games in the Prem then great. Still hate the loan system in the Prem though.

Bosse Petersson? Who wants him to stay in Birmingham, despite Seb clearly not being happy there, or for him to go to Everton because it would be a "step up". Same guy who stated that Louis Saha has proven too many times he's not good enough for the Premiership. Also tried to convince everyone that Bales fluke headed goal from van der Vaarts free kick was something the two of them had practiced in training. Complete tosser. Can't speak for anything else, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had practiced that free-kick before, or at least talked it through. Did you watch the reactions closely?

Am I the only person who actually likes it? He just missed out the "Comedian" one. This is just crying out for a series of spoofs. Edit: Sorry Willow. Playmaker for me.

That guy will get lynched.

Worse than Stevenage? Harsh (but fair).

Almost all the Blackpool contracts are. They didn't want to go mad and go bust, and fair play to them.

Spurs, hopefully

Just seen this. So it's a Spanish crowd, and (I believe) the only black player on the pitch has loads of stuff thrown at him. Hmmmm. Keita and Alves were also in the pitch but stuff was thrown to the pitch irregardless of player color, tbf. The atmosphere was very heated and Bilbao fans have a story of object throwing. San Mamés can be a pretty nasty place, a friend of mine claims that he was peed upon from the higher stands when he went there as an away fan. Plus call Bilbao fans "Spanish" at your own risk Fair point!

MON wasn't released though, he stitched them up by jumping just before the season started.

Just seen this. So it's a Spanish crowd, and (I believe) the only black player on the pitch has loads of stuff thrown at him. Hmmmm.

But why buy style when you can buy mediocre defensive football? To be fair, they're in second place. I'd say that's very good defensive football.

Worse. Likely to join Leicester on a permanent basis sometime. Why did you buy him? Walker was the one we wanted, Sheff Utd wanted to get Naughton added into the deal, don't know the full details why. Buying Naughton as well as loaning Walker back to Sheff Utd was the easiest way to achieve the main aim, signing Walker. As Naughton only effectively cost £1m there was no real likelihood that we would lose money. Seems like Naughton will be going to Leicester for £1.5m. I don't think that's true tbh for the simple fact that Naughton was Sheffield Uniteds young player of the year (tbh i think it was player of the year) and Walker only got into the side because of injury. Walker played like 1 or 2 games for Sheffield United iirc so i can't see how he was wanted above Naughton who was a regular at the time. Yeah, I thought Naughton was considered better at the time. It became clear fairly quickly that Walker was the pick of the two. Not seen much of him at QPR, but saw quite a few games beforehand and Walker seems like the real deal. Of that intake of kids, he and Caulker seem the most likely, maybe Mpoku at Orient as well. Anyway, that's enough of Spurs...

WHat a mental night. 3-0 Blackburn, surely that's good night from him. And Wolves hit the bar.

So we'll just take Carroll off your hands then, looks like you won't be needing him.....

Jesus lads, how many are you going to score here?

I just cannot believe that Chelsea are not going to score here, it is such an open game.

Wolves game has gone nuts. Chelsea charge forward, then Wolves. Wolves should really have scored on the counter just then.

Has anything actually happened in the Villa match?

One of the better looking Tevez pictures, that.

God know what the possession stats are for this game, it's all CHelsea.

Oh please send West Ham down, can see them really struggling in the Championship.

You and me both. The game here is Wolves Chelsea, plus I cannot use alternative methods to watch other games.

Terry and Hunt getting silly. Some old gypsy argy-bargy?