Darth Crooks

i dont think its a case of accomodating him, its more the fact we are playing stoke and could do with a bit of muscle in the box. Stoke is going to be a really difficult game, and we need someone to boss the box when Delap is throwing balls in from 498 yards. He is 36 and a fatty when he signed. Williamson has been boss so far. No need for Sol unless completely neccessary tbh.

Why the hell do we HAVE to accomodate a 36 year old Sol Campbell may I ask? Wreck a decent CB pairing because of Perch? no thanks

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3960/islandhead.jpg Cheick Tiote http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3002/tiote.jpg Easter Island Head

Was an appalling result no doubt. Don't buy into the one of those days speels but thats another debate. Credit goes to chrissy tho as he picked a squad resembling the best 11 players we have and long may it continue.

Bessien... The most appropriate adjective tbh

One swallow doesnt make a summer. He's been largely terrible in the Prem since we bought him and Championship goalfests aside is liability in terms of his mobility and fitness. Nothing knee jerk about some posters comments. Can't really comment on Sat as I saw the highlights and from all accounts he played pretty well. Excellent. Needs to be consistent though and I hope he can keep it up.

No sleep tonight then. Nice one.

He is like Walmart...serves a purpose but it ultimately the root of all evil

Just typed a load of stuff that basically agreed. The likes of Smith and Nolan are the footballing doldrums. If the times not right now then lord I dont know when

Where does the twelfth guy line up? Have no idea why I did that..... Just listen to Sewelly instead as hes not a moron and I pretty much agree with everything hes said. We have nothing tolose by playing them as the current 'system' is dross. It's over complicated by tactical buzzwords. Pick the best 11 (!) you can.

Where does the twelfth guy line up? Have no idea why I did that.....

Surely you just pick your 11 best players...sod this may not be ready guff. They are better than some of the dross stagnating the squad so get em in

Agree and I don't think many would argue argainst. Its just the way its articulated in sports other than football is often a lot better.

who IMO is the best fit RB that we have at the club - he's really not as bad as some make out. He really is. Makes a canny cross once in a blue moon....otherwise nah

You're so wrong, sorry. The ref's decision is final, simple as that. If he doesn't give a free kick, it wasn't a free kick. That's how it should be viewed IMO. Some of us actually have emotion though and don't go through life trying to be the most PC person on earth. What a crock of s***. Most pedantic answer ever Play a football match then get back to me. Referees can't be treated as some super human being that never make mistakes and can never be questioned, that's f***ing ludicrous. Likewise football players can't turn into robots and just accept every decision and get on with the game all smiles when they know that a lot of the time the referee is wrong. If someone thought you were doing your job badly you'd have have to answer questions, why should referees be different? Aye, but if I think someone is wrong at work I can have a quiet word with them outside the meeting, not scream obscenities in their face during it. Nobody is pretending that referees are perfect, that's exactly the point. They're human, and when they make mistakes it should be accepted. It seems that some people expect referees to get everything right, which is mental (and is part of the game). Yes, referees should have to answer questions, to the appropriate people, after the game has finished and everything has calmed down. That's what the assessments are for. But no way should players be allowed to behave like 5 year-olds and throw their toys out of the pram whenever a decision goes against them. Actually, it's even worse for managers, who are in their 40s-70s and really should know better. Great post. Emotion doesn't substitute reason in my book. Depends on peoples individual temperment I suppose but I've never felt the need to do it myself having played both football and rugby all my life.

You're so wrong, sorry. The ref's decision is final, simple as that. If he doesn't give a free kick, it wasn't a free kick. That's how it should be viewed IMO. Some of us actually have emotion though and don't go through life trying to be the most PC person on earth. What a crock of shit. Most pedantic answer ever

Good but where are the technos?

Toss up between Smith and Harper. Harper....just. EDIT: took the unlikely goalscorers angle the completely wrong way. Probs bindun? I'll go Williamson. Blerk wins everything.

Us more than others if you subscribe to some views. Getting a card wrongly is bad luck, having decisions go the other is bad luck. Neither seemed to happen yesterday. Like I said not he end of the world but I can't buy into the whole one of those days line of thinking. Outplayed in midfield by the consensus i've gathered. All too frequent a problem. Someone has to be culpable.

Difficult to nail down but a game where you dominate possession, have a number of chances yet fail score due to a combination of poor finishing, last ditch defending, good keeping, lucky keeping and a charmed goal frame can be classified as "one of those days". Too hazy and subjective for me to buy into that. I know what people mean...but the difference between a team of quality and one that is not is one that can adapt according to their 'luck.' Just strikes me as a very bad performance. Not the end of the world by any means but definitely something the powers that be should reflect heavily on.

What constitutes 'those days?' Seems a very wafty and vague term

It's not as though he's been picking an 'in form' Butt/Smith etc. in recent times though is it? I understand the Nolan thing a bit more because he manged to score 2 the other week which you could argue is just but christ it doesn't constitute progress. Don't want to give him to much stick as I think he's brought this club on by leaps and bounds all things considered but I reckon he's going to have his approach to selection severely tested in the next few months.

It's survival so yes. We don't get any extra kudos for 15th. Recent signings suggest we should be stronger than that but hope and expectation hhave a world of difference.

It wasn't one of those days. The frailties of a midfield that helped sent us down are still present. Lots of people are loathing the keegan comparisons but this needs ruthless action for the better. The majority are fans who'll support for evermore but I don't begrudge people their frustrations provided they are founded. The problems we had last time in the top flight were unchanged. That said, Hughton has signed well in the recent window and we shall have to wait with baited breath to see how he deals with it next week.