Stottie

Al Habsi is a good keeper so they may frustrate us. We should have enough to win the game though. With the CC game soon after, Pardew should be giving all the new lads a go in the next week or so. It doesn't really matter which way around. I just hope he doesn't start Loven again when the others are fit.

Maybe tried too hard today but its great to see he still has the confidence post injury, and some of the things he tried will come off against lesser teams. There are plenty of them in the Premiership.

Aguero highlight reel finish the dae like. Ferking genius putting him on, that's all I can say.

Great game! I had it down as a moment of world-class finishing from Defoe winning it and then phreakin Shola outdid it! Still stunned tbh.

A real gift to them but they're nowt special. If we stick to it, we'll get one back.

Woah, just noticed, but guess who's five points behind ManUre with a game in hand and them playing Citeh next week. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Giggs left the wall to protect his nads there. Can't disappoint the ladies!

Re this rivalry and the hype, ManYoo were useless when Liverpool had their great sides. Given their huge crowds, they were perennial sleeping giants/underachievers and only came to the fore under Ferguson and in the money-is-power Premiership era. Liverpool have been barely competitive since, so hyping this rivalry probably helps both sets of fans overestimate their team's significance in one of their lesser eras. Its ridiculous to compare it with el Clasico because both Real and Barca have been a. competitive at the same time. b. on different sides in a civil war.

Tiote at Arsenal away was immense. He made Fabregas look hopeless. Its been about fifteen pages, so I'll repeat that we've done Spurs many times with much worse than what we've got now, and absolutely threw the same fixture away last season. No need to be scared of them or the hype machine about em.

Some really poor decisions this weekend. Just as well we were on the right end!

We've done best against Spurs out of all of the top six or seven in the past few years. We would have had them last year too had we not turned a crazy 4 against 2 at their end into a chance for Lennon to show how far Simpson will back off. The answer to that one was very far indeed. Standard logic based on the lineups would suggest we'll get raped down the flanks, so we really could do with Marveaux in for Obertan to cover Raylor. It's unlucky for him, but possibly even Best out and HBA very deep lying in 4-4-1-1. However, since we've beaten Spurs with some shit teams before, I quite tempted to just say ferk them and play the same game against everyone else. We put six past Friedel last year, the first with him rooted to the spot as Barton's shot flew past him and not into the corner. I personally think he's finished.

Great result but very poor second half. Very poor indeed. Marveaux doesn't waste possession, so a real mistake not to bring him on for Obertan after 65 or so. But still, credit to Demba and Jonas for scoring. Besty did well with little too. Great result!

Scramble of the century!

Demba Demba Demba Ba! Demba Demba Demba Ba! Demba Demba Demba Ba! Now hear the words of the Lord!

Comedy defending from Distin there.

Great save! And plenty of scope for more comedy to come!

What a stupid decision. If that is a straight red for violent conduct, can you appeal the three-match ban? I know you can if its a red for a last man tackle. We did with Habib Beye.

Everton had no option but park the bus last week, but they've definitely got to be positive today. Reina's a great keeper but Liverpool are dodgy at the back. Adam in front of Skrtel and Carragher is about as slow as you get in the league.

It's hard for Pardew to drop someone, but I can see 4-4-2 not working again like at QPR. If that is the case, I hope he gets the subs on early. Wolves matched Liverpool by the sounds, so it should be a good test of the lads. International break again, oh eff off!

All hail The Prophet. Would it be greedy to also say a better right back? That blonde bloke who plays when Tiote is suspended could also do with replacing.

Souness was an inept manager. As for Tevez, lots of wrongs don't make a right, but Rooney pulled a massive strop last season. How many games did he miss? Did any of the pundits mention that?

Looks crap like the Sports Direct everywhere. It may be the way of the world, but we don't have to like it. The pitch looks amazing in that photo though. I didn't realize they used grow lights.

Could we have kept Enrique without a massive pay rise? The other two yes, but maybe not him. I believe Ashley saved the club financially but has made some very serious mistakes. If Golfmag is right in that he got Arry as far as a precontract, then I suppose him pulling out and the subsequent Keegan + Wise debacle that got the ball rolling towards relegation may have involved more bad luck than Ashley is given credit for. Had he replaced Fat Sam with a stable setup, who knows what might have happened from there. He could still be sitting with the away fans. As for the current team, we'll have to see how many games we can get out of HBA, Marv, Ba, Santon etc. Abilitywise the first three look absolutely fine, but its too early to judge whether they are good signings in case some of the issues they've had elsewhere re-emerge. Cabaye looks a definite steal, as was Tiote. For a team with untested players in key positions and a problematic preseason, our first fixtures have been very kind indeed. I think we've finally started getting a bit of luck. Another slice of luck has been Leon Best, because when Carroll was sold, there was absolutely nothing to suggest that Best would be able to score in the Premiership. He's been a big bonus to the club. Nine times of ten not replacing a player as prominent as Carroll would put you in the doo-doo.

10 in 17 now in the Prem. He's giving Besty a good run in the all-time Premiership goals per game ratio!

This is rife for a pun, surely? Most of the forum comedians must have mist it... Yeah, he was ethereal! I thought his performance struck a chord, but can he sustain it?