leffe186

The thing is, I can't see the two clubs coming up with you doing any better. As a result, you'll be competing against sides such as Blackburn, Wigan, West Ham and Wolves to avoid the drop, over one place. I can see the logic in Hughton keeping the squad largely together (as they will have got 100 points after all), and just making a couple of opportunistic tweaks. That way the morale stays high and the winning habit might just stick. You can't convince me that Newcastle's team and squad is that much more limited than Stoke's - and they stayed up comfortably. The main reason you went down in the first place was Hull's form before Xmas. If you make a good start you'll be fine. I can't see Ashley making too much money available in Summer, but if it's going tits up by Xmas then you'll see a new manager and some money spent.

Other sides have had the same privilege so it makes sense. It does point up the iniquities of the loan system, whereby a club with money can stockpile players and get them a good grounding elsewhere, allowing them to play against their rivals but not themselves (witness Maik Taylor in goal the other day). To whoever said that the loan system was good for England with Hart - well without it he would have demanded a transfer to someone else. The loan system rewards the clubs with money. It would have been nice if it punished them in this case too.

If we'd have scored by now then maybe, as it is we're dropping like flies. Can't see it.

Craig Gordon brilliant again, bastard. How good has he been since Xmas?

Sunderland have played well, but the ref's a classic homer.

This ref can fuck right off. Such a dive, and the ref waits for Cattermole's fifth cynical hack to book him. Looks like injuries are going to screw us thson.is sea

Fyp

How did the lino miss that!?

That should never be given as a handball. Good decision.

Scholes man. Fucking hell.

I think he was in some 'shagging around' story in the NOTW a while back Allegedly has a couple of kids from a while back. His defining characteristic is not that he's a twat, more that he's unbelievably stupid.

It is set up nicely for Spurs to f*** it up in the last few weeks. Ideally they will be 3 or 4 clear going into the last week then lose to City and mess it up on the final day. I would love to see City send West Ham down too. If we get some of these injured players back we'll be OK. Not convinced if not.

My wife is Villa and I used to work near(ish) the ground so I've seen a lot of them these last couple of years. I don't think any Villa fan would argue that he's done a great job turning them round, the problems people have are (1) The football played is counter-attacking, with no Plan B, and no suggestion that this will change soon (2) He makes peculiar choices (teams, substitutions, full-backs, alleged favouritism) to the extent that some see as pure bloody-mindedness (3) In the last 2 years he has spent a lot of money without a great deal of progress, from a position of some strength Mix that in with the grumblers that every team has and the lack of trophies won and you've got trouble. The fact that the chairman has done a fantastic job and is seen to have supported MON fully (particularly with money) and MON has had nowhere to hide. Then you've got Spurs & Everton visibly improving and City getting wodges of cash. If I was a mid-table or worse Prem team, or a side looking for promotion to the Prem then I'd have him without hesitation. I'm not convinced he can take a side like Villa that extra step.

They've played really well. Doesn't make Alan Green any less of a cunt though.

Liverpool would be safe in fourth if they'd played like this all season. I'll be annoyed if our injuries (Spurs) end up costing us fourth. Liverpool and Villa had their best teams out this weekend, Everton are almost back to full strength and City were only missing a couple - our first team squad injuries are now in double figures.

Some of the reactions by commentators to Gomes have been pathetic. I remember Warren Barton (who commentates on some of the FSC games here) going berserk at Gomes when he made one straighforward save, tipping the ball over the bar - saying that he "spilled it". Too many commentators aren't bright enough to develop their opinions based on what actually happens on the pitch, instead picking one (usually cheap and nasty) line of thinking and sticking to it, come what may. Alan Green, I'm looking at you too. We love Pav, but he's deeply unconvincing at times. He's exasperated all of his managers at one point or other.

How is that Nigerian kid Ekpo? He looked decent in the Olympics. It's so difficult to tell how good people actually are when watching MLS. He looked decent, skilful, not a world-beater. Decision-making not always the best.

Haway the Crew!

It's a pity that probably the most interesting player is a left back, the one position you guys don't need. Boateng might be interesting, plus one of the forwards.

That's going to be an insane week. We have the Semi on Sunday, then Arsenal at home the 14th, then Chelsea at home the 17th. Brummie's got the Semi on the Saturday, then you guys the 14th. It's the Manchester derby on the 17th as well. Liverpool have an easy run that week, can see them clawing a lot of points back on us all.

1878 & Niel, good luck tonight. Not only would you be doing us a massive favour, you've still got a chance of pipping Liverpool to seventh which would be hilarious. Chances are, that would be Europe.

In the NBA teams wear a retro strip for a handful of matches (e.g. the Cavs wearing a strip from the mid-80s). There are a million games a season in the NBA, but I'd love each Premiership team to commit to one year/month/whatever in their quintessential strip, next season. Say, the whole of September. Spurs in their 60s kit, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea the 70s etc etc. Newcastle the Supermac kit with the round collar?

Why molest the majority of the stadium, when you can inconvenience a small minority? But you're not doing that, are you - you're molesting the minority by not inconveniencing the majority. I realise it's not going to happen, but the argument is that keeping the away fans behind allows the home fans to disperse to prevent trouble. Surely you could get the (usually much smaller) away following out quicker than the half hour they're usually kept in, and with greater ease? If you're a home fan then (a) obviously you live locally *cough* or (b) you have a regular route in or out. If you're an away fan then chances are you either have a limited number of trains to catch, have a coach sorted or have a bugger of a drive home. Would it not be more humane to get them out of there sharpish? It's a pipe dream, but I've been on the wrong end of ludicrous away situations too many times. Would be nice to see roles reversed. I'd also like to be in a packed home crowd serenading the away support as they slunk away.

Always seemed to me that the justification used to keep away fans in the stadium longer would actually be better served by doing the reverse. The (relatively small) away following can leave quickly and make the last train home/avoid the usual twats laying in wait/get out of Dodge.

Why on earth did we (Spurs) sell Malbranque? I know Modric came in, but Malbranque has been class for years.