Stottie

Here are the final goal differences of the teams promoted in the last ten seasons or so. All positive, of course. Top 37, 53, 40, 27, 28, 39, 55, 28, 33, 29, 67 Second 32, 41, 35, 9 (79), 39, 25, 41, 17(83), 14 (79), 25, 30 The numbers in brackets are the points totals of teams with under +20 goal differences. The 55 is us last time and the 67 is Reading in the record breaking season. The numbers show that the only teams to be promoted with low goal differences did so with low points totals, i.e., in weak years. Given the teams chasing us, Huddersfield etc. have poor GDs, history does not point to them ending up with high points totals. It means the line for for automatic promotion is probably going to be lower than the normal 90 points. If its 87, that's only 25 points to go from 17 games.

Wow, what a howler from Ince.

Fan was a freak for bringing a time to go banner to the game in the Arsenal end, then said basically they should be happy with 4th. I live overseas and get the international feed, not the UK coverage. The analyst was Jim Beglin who, before they showed that fan, said you'd have to question how long Wenger would have lasted at Chelsea and what the point of Arsenal was if they weren't competitive. He asked whether they were simply in it for the "profit".

Flags look great!

Still-popular ex-Chelsea man hands it to hated ex-Arsenal man. If he'd only celebrated it. Oh 3-1

That's an impressive run of form from Leeds but the last eight games have only given them one more point than us, 19 vs. 18. Our goal difference over than span has also been league leading at +12. Leeds have +11. Shelvey was missing for a good chunk of those games too. I don't think the chasing pack can improve further, so an automatic places is ours to lose. League leading GD in recent form suggests that is unlikely.

We've scored first in 20 of 26 games, which limits the opportunities we'd had to make comebacks. Brighton have scored first 14 times.

I'd definitely take him back. He came across very well while here, certainly well enough to think he'd know the potential consequences of him liking that tweet, so it could be a good sign. Fathead likes his own players, look how many he signed in his short stint here, and Palace spent 50M in the summer so there mightn't be much cash for him to get them. That could be a factor too.

Since Palace paid us to take Pardew away, have just demonstrated how hopeless he is even with a 30M striker, and thankfully failed to hang on in a final and win him a trophy, after probably the greatest of all Pards' many moments that he will never live down, I don't see how anyone can hate them. They have done us a good service! Man U under LVG played some of the most dire football I've ever seen from a top side, but many thanks to them for winning that game. Shame on Mourinho too for spoiling the celebration with his own attention seeking. The FA Cup is a proper trophy and should be respected. If Palace stumble on under Fatso, and he's no recipe for success, then such service will merely continue. It would have been nice to have him out the way in China, but I think he likes attention more than coin, tbh. The sting reeled him in by suggesting lots of businessmen wanted to pay to listen to him, not to pay him for favours.

I thought he would be played alongside Shelvey when we signed him. He's been doing well of late, but I wonder if he might have more long-term use as a holder who has the skills to push on or join in counters rather than simply playing #10. Holders who can appear where they are not expected are ace. Ramires etc.

That rail seating looks great to me. Another advantage of fitting more people in the same space by letting them stand is that more fans can be closer to the pitch and you don't have to build as massive a stadium. While SJP being so central in the city is definitely something to be proud of, the stadium can dominate the skyline.

Only 88% for take him back in the poll above. It's 92% for the one in the Ronnie Gill! C'mon lads, sort it out!

So just as Pards was saying that, the owners were sitting there with a Prozone-powered dossier (Americans love stats) on their players written by Fathead looking for his next payday. No honour among thieves etc. etc. You couldn't make it up. CP grabbing Pards made my Christmas/NY in 2014, and they've having a good go at 2016 too. The gift that keeps giving. Merry Christmas Everybody!

Provided Rafa stays and Ashley continues to support him, we will be a FAR more attractive proposition than all PL clubs bar the Top 6....stability will be the key, but if top players are sure that this will continue they will want to play for both NUFC and Rafa..he has won more than any current PL manager and we are capable of filling a 75,000 stadium if we start doing well. Remember how we signed really good players under KK when we had just escaped from relegation to the Third div 2 years previously... we can do that again but ONLY if we show ambition and continuity...we would blow the likes of Leicester and Southamptom away quite frankly. If we have the Sissoko money and Rafa as the draw, it wouldn't be deluded to try for someone like Morgan Schneiderlin, who would seem a good foil for Shelvey and a great screen if there is a good chance of Lascelles/Clark being kept next season. Maybe paper talk, but he's being linked with West Brom and Everton. They're fine clubs, but aren't exactly a ticket to Europe or the French national side. When we were in the PL, we had the 8th? highest revenue. We wouldn't be the typical just-promoted club.

They've not conceded (or scored) many away from home. Steven Fletcher as well, so not exactly looking forward to this one.

24 games to go. Another 41 points needed to hit 90. 1.7 points a game is 3rd/4th playoff place form, and about 0.5 points a game below what we've been managing so far. Reading and Huddersfield have such poor goal difference that the kind of upturn in form needed to catch us is unlikely. If anything, it suggests they are lucky to have as many points as they do. On form, the best of the chasing pack is Derby.

I reckon he might have brought the inevitable a bit closer by his backhanded dig about the owners not understanding football after that revival win against Southampton. I bet it didn't go down well.

fwiw, Tim Sherwood started Harry Kane for several PL games in a row at the end of the season before Poch came. My memory is a bit fuzzy but I remember seeing an article saying that it has become harder for young footballers to break into teams due increasingly complex tactical requirements, even for attacking players. It might be possible to partly combat this by taking a holistic approach and getting the junior teams playing to the same tactical model as the first team, but young players may not have developed the football intelligence for this to be a valuable exercise.

Probably best for all concerned that he goes in January for a token sum.

More great entertainment than great football, but that's fairly typical for the PL.

roflcopter for Boruc!

I didn't see it, but I hope they mentioned that they are above Man U because of goals scored.

Nah, it would have been a penalty for them.

Quality from Rafa. Praised the lads for sticking at it with everything going against them.

Only seen the red decisions, but Shelvey one is given by the lino from the reaction, there is no way he could have seen it through three players. It might be a red for retaliation, but it's never a penalty. Dummett one is very harsh because the same player again is playing for it. Since he's playing for it rather than trying to score, its a very questionable "goalscoring opportunity".