Lush Vlad

I got my tickets on Friday I reckon it will be a good crack any way mate. Supposed to be a beautiful city and I'm sure there will be plenty of other fans in your position.

Sure I read someone on here saying pretty much this a while ago. Might have been you in fairness? Basically, if you're Plan B, has to keep becoming your Plan A. Then you have a problem. Story of our season so far isn't it?

Ba is playing well through the middle and he's happy to start Cisse out wide in a three against Bordeaux, move him there against Man U and even start him on the bench in the last two league games. That being the case, you would have thought we'd have seen the 4-3-3 with Papiss wide or someone like Sammy, Fergie or even Obertan. Instead, we played Shola

At the time yeah Looking back it was just another likeable, hilarious quirk to his game. He was indeed MENTAL!

Seen that a couple of weeks back. The commentary for the goal is brilliant sounds like he's crying with hapiness! Typical Martins, has no idea what he's doing, just sprinting towards goal, lashes at it, top corner. Thanks and goodnight. I liked him. He was erratic, unreliable and stupid. But I enjoyed and hated watching him play in equal measure, as you never knew what you were gonna get.

Summed up my thoughts on it perfectly. He's bought himself a lot of time through our league finish and style of play towards the back end of last season. But a lot of fans are starting to say the same thing and are growing frustrated with how shit we've been this season. It's even more frustrating that we've played some quality stuff under him, so we now it's possible. We got pumped 4-0 by Wigan and he reverted to type and went back into his safety first shell. So fucking annoying. The Ba argument can't even be used anymore. As Cisse's done a job out wide in a 3 and he's also already shown he will leave Cisse out the side if need be.

With the players we've been linked with and signing Anita and Bigi, you'd think Pards is keen on playing 4-3-3. The fact is, we're probably just targeting bargains or players like Anita that can act as cover to 2-3 positions. The quotes from Del Boy about purple players is even more worrying now. We actually have quite a big squad depth wise, I don't think we need more cover FFS. We lack any real quality in certain positions and I would argue 2 or 3 of our first choice XI are not good enough to play on a weekly basis in a top half side.

Woeful this season and despite being a fan of his, I can't actually remember his last decent game? Offers sod all going forward and has lost all his pace. Seems undroppable though and I don't expect him to be missing any league games any time soon.

He is getting a lot of stick for the team selection and tactics and rightly so. I remember when Fat Sam played Shola out wide away to Arsenal in the cup. He got crucified for it and it was an absurd decision, the same has to apply to yesterday. First time we try a type of 4-3-3 at home in the league and we go and play Shola wide right, with Hatem wide left (looks poor there for some reason). I do however think he deserves a bit of credit for changing it. He could see it wasn't working, made changes earlier than normal, got his subs spot on and ultimately two of the subs combined to win us the game. Albeit slightly fortuitously It is fucking irritating that we always look to defend a 1 goal lead, regardless of the opposition or how the game is going though. The last time I can remember us going for the jugular and totally dominating a team was Stoke at home, before that it was WBA away. What formation and tactics did we play in those games? I forget...

We've been a bit spoilt lately TBH. Tiote, HBA, Cabaye, Cisse and even Santon to a point have all came from abroad and slotted straight in. It's almost as if we now expect every Carr signing to be top class and hit the ground running. How many minutes has Anita even played for us any way? I remember him looking good in Europe a couple of times, a good cameo against Spurs and then he struggled in the 2-3 other games I've seen him in. There's been negatives don't get me wrong. But plenty to like about him as well. I didn't mention the likes of Marveaux, Abeid and Amalfitano, as they just seem like opportunist signings and they were free. The last two weren't even signed as first teamers either.

Is it? I honestly can't think of many 'crosses' that have come to anything from him bar Stoke away. He also got an assist vs Bolton away and against Bordeaux, but that was from rolling it along the floor. My main problem with him is that his final ball/cross is usually so poor. He gets in some really good positions, but we usually end up with a corner at best.

Me too. But I prefer Ferguson on the left to Simpson on the right. Tend to agree, but I don't think Fergie is a full back. Would love to see him get some games further up the pitch.

Fair point. It's a shame Bigi doesn't do it, as his passing range looks better than Tiote's. Taking away last night, do you not think he's been doing it for a while though? I've certainly seen it mentioned by others on here.

Never remember him saying that? How mental! But I do remember after beating West Ham 5-0 the season before last he said something like "I want to see more of Cheik going forward" Err why, he's a very limited defensive midfield player. Keep it that way. Just remembered his two up and under, rugby style kicks last night. That cross was in the air for a good 5 seconds

We didn't spend £8 million on him did we?

The skill when he nutmegged that defender I always thought he looked clumsy and raw. Seemed like his skills were down to him tripping over his own legs, but you could see from the slo-mo's last night, he genuinely has a lot of ability. Still looks like he has an awkward technique, still seems a bit greedy, but that was a brilliant performance. Really impressed by him, got his chance and he certainly took it

Should have won, but we've still got them at home. That will hopefully be the banker to get us to 10 points and pretty much seal our qualification. Can't see us beating Brugge or Bordeaux away for some reason. Think we'll draw one and lose one.

Last night, that midfield 3 seemed a right clusterfuck. At times you had Bigi further forward than Cisse, Tiote playing the anchorman role (which I think suits Anita more), whilst Anita himself seemed to be playing as a box to box midfielder. He clearly hasn't got the attributes to do that and he has looked uncomfrotable with our style of play so far. In the videos I saw of him at Ajax, he seemed to just sit really deep, almost like a midfield sweeper and just pick the ball up from the centre backs. We usually don't have a link between defence and midfield, so I'd like to start seeing him do this. At the moment, games just pass him by. But he's barely played for us and I think he'll be a useful addition in the long run. Would still probably play Perch in Tiote's absence though.

Can't agree whatsoever and I think his limitations will stop a 'top' club coming in for him and paying over the odds. However, I would like to see him get back to basics. He's trying long, hollywood balls, being even more nonchalent in dangerous areas than before and his discipline hasn't got any better. Seems like Pardew has given him more of a free reign to get about the pitch, either that or Cheik has decided he wants to. I preferred him when he just played deeper and looked for short, quick passes.

Game seems to pass him by a bit and he does look a bit rash at times. It's to be expected at his age though, can't believe he's still so young really. Love the weight he puts on his passes. Scholes would have been proud of the long diagonal to Santon in the first half.

Not meaning to start up the tedious left back/right back debate again. But................. I prefer Santon at left back.

More important things to do http://twitpic.com/b77v0u Ha ha @nufcawaytickets seen this where in Europe safe are th the cinema no joke ha ha What the f*** does that mean exactly? It's a cry for help Nath, show some respect Exactly. Far too many taking the p*ss out of macums on here when it's pity that they really need. Err, he's a toon fan I think? Still trying to work out what he means

More important things to do http://twitpic.com/b77v0u Ha ha @nufcawaytickets seen this where in Europe safe are th the cinema no joke ha ha What the fuck does that mean exactly?

So on a regular basis then? I must get myself some death treats. I bet they taste good, but they'll probably be the end of me.

They planning on leaving the Sports Direct signs on the East Stand and that horrible painted one on the Gallowgate then? Just seen they've not been taken down inside. Only the signs that say 'Arena' have been taken down from the outside so far. Like everyone said all along, free advertising as oppose to showcasing how the naming rights would work.