Toonpack

We're out of the last competition we were capable of getting anywhere in and we've dropped out at the first hurdle, again. The only thing we have left to play for is a place in Europe and we'll be relying on teams above us winning the cups to give more European places to the league. Other than that, we've nothing to play for. 5th January 2014 and it looks like our season will stutter on to it's meaningless end, again. It'd be much better to be in a meaningful relegation fight I guess Outside of the usual suspects most seasons are ultimately meaningless.

That's true, but if the players knew the game wasn't going to stop, how many of the fakers (of which most are) would stay down when they are not really hurt.

The team will be: Elliott Saylor Mbiwa Dummett Haidara Obertan Anita Bigirimana Sammy Shola Cisse

I do, it never happens sadly, they just get reinvented, IF a club really did "go down the tubes" it may stop the ridiculous over spending throughout the game. Then and only then will the fans who turn up be important again.

Think that was the plan from the start the way we've played. Aye, the manager told the players to get into good positions and then squander the final pass,

His comments were "for a club of our size and financial ability to have 36 points before January" and that's bullshit. How? Because we're not a small club, and the financial thing is soley down to the f***ing jumble sale merchant who owns us, maybe ? Or maybe not, more down to the self fulfilling prophecy that is the champions league and the rich getting richer etc etc It's a good season so far, credit to the manager and players, why can't some just enjoy it. Fuck me we dealt with Arsenal very well and were worthy of at least a point, years gone by they've annihilated us.

Jesus Glad you noted that because i was just.......argh..... Guy created more than anyone else in half the time. Granted he was a bit greedy but if he wasn't greedy he wouldn't be Hatem. Well yeah, everyone is focusing on those two shots, ok they were very greedy but like f*** he's selfish all the time. He damn good will create chances if we actually played him, like last week. He could have created chances from those ridiculous shots if he'd had half a brain. Oh and for those saying, there was nothing on for that late one, when he'd done so well to create the opening, watch it again.

So am I right in thinking that despite Ashley being regularly castigated for his part in reducing commercial turnover, someone is now using our profitability as a stick to beat him with ? Sometimes I just don't geddit. Our profitability is based on us selling players for higher than we buy them for, rather than attempting to actually increase turnover and invest in the squad. It'll work whilst we can flog an Andy Carroll here or there, maybe Cabaye next, but it's unsustainable over a longer period and will weaken the team. 100% not true. It's about making sure when you sell a player that they are worth more than they are valued at "on your books" at the time they are sold. Absolutely got nothing to do with what you paid for them. It is also totally sustainable if you don't spend huge money on ageing players looking for their last pay day.

It's not there in every case but could easily be inserted. If you are Man U what's the value in sending someone somewhere to sit on a bench when they could do the same and stay within your system, other than saving some/part of their wages, which to be fair isn't a big motivator for MUFC.

That could be a problem. Without an option to buy as part of the deal, I doubt he would be a benchwarmer I suspect any straightforward loan deal would have a "if fit, he plays" clause in it and if that was the case you're dropping your own players (who let's face it are performing well) down the pecking order for the benefit of bringing on someone else's player. I'd rather give Sammy a go, when/if needed, as well. I absolutely HATE the loan system.

This, Santon made a horrendous rick yesterday, being dropped could do him the world of good in the longer term, by making him buckle down/work on his game a bit, which would be good because there is a lot to work with I reckon.

That's an oversimplification. The reason we're "obsessing" over him is because he has never had a standout performance, he never delivers anything in the attacking third and he is prone to costly errors at the back. Furthermore he isn't showing much promise being who he is and considering his past. If he isn't delivering by the standards of the rest of the XI there is no reason to keep him there while there are two other promising left backs among our ranks. Simple as. It's not really, people over react to every mistake he makes because he's the one still developing. There's no point giving up on him because of a few mistakes. I don't think there's another player more scrutinized in our entire team. That's because many of the mistakes he makes lead to goal's conceded, either when he gives the ball away (like yesterday) or when we're attacked down our left and he looks lost at sea. In a team that's generally playing very well the weaker links are always going to get more scrutiny. There's a good player in there trying to get out, but his first responsibility is as a defender and that is by far and away his weakest area. I wonder of all the goals we've conceded this season how many have originated from down his side, or one of his howlers, it feels like a lot.

I'll wait until I see it again as I thought he'd lost it well inside our half. Miles inside their half tbh

IF we'd been sitting back we wouldn't have conceded the goal we did, did you see how many of ours were taken out of the game when Santon gave the ball away. We missed too many very clear cut chances, that's the way it goes, we played a good team today but created more, was a good game tbh

I think some sort of fluidity between both would be best. Attacking I like HBA pulling into wide positions and Sissoko bursting through the middle, but defensively Sissoko is great cover for an advancing Debuchy. Agree with your team above. I'd give HBA a free role to go wherever he wants and we'll see which HBA turns up. Leave Sissoko where he's been playing as HBA and defensive responsibilities don't mix !!!

Depending on which camp you sit in: We were utterly crap and Pardew is a w***** as is Howard Webb or They had loads of the ball but we looked more threatening, Krull had a mare for their first (and could have done better for their third), we could easily have had 2 penalties, one nailed on (at 0-1) and another could easily have been given. Scorer of their third could/should have been sent off. Sissoko and Cabaye were very poor and Obertan was Obertan - you really can genuinely question why he came on (Oh and HBA has the flu so not involved, Cisse injured in warm up and similarly unavailable). Howard Webb is a w*****. You'd be better off just not posting at all. You bring absolutely nothing. If you mean I'm not prone to hysteria, you'd be right. My second Para is a perfectly acceptable summary IMO You missed the fact that Debuchy could've easily been sent off as well, but I guess you'd put that down as a positive for us since he scored an own goal. But rightly he wasn't, our penalty claim(s) weren't rightly not given. We were poor too many major players off their game (as I said above) but we weren't truly 3-0 poor, harsh if you will.

No you wouldn't, half the fuckers can't accurately pass a ball to a 6ft+ striker let alone hit an arm on purpose. Even if they did try, the defenders would sharp be whipping/keeping their arms out of the way which would make anyone trying it look bloody stupid. As much judgement (i.e. guessing) that can be taken out of the game the better IMO.

But that's the problem only the person handling it knows if it was deliberate or not, they should take the need for "interpretation (aka guessing) away. If it's a handball it's a handball. Outside the box they give nearly them all, should do the same in the box. It's ridiculous.

Ball to hand is total bollocks, if the ball hits the hand in the box with the hand away from the body it should be a penalty, some will be given and be considered "harsh" undoubtedly but it'd remove a lot of the uncertainty. So hitting a defender on the hand is essentially as good as scoring a goal? I probably should have said "arm" and it's not as good as a goal but it should be a penalty IMO, as was said above if some defenders are tucking their hands/arms behind them (and that will restrict movement somewhat) why should those flailing around get away with it

Read somewhere today (can't recall which forum) that their average match-day take, per head was £16, based on their last accounts, ours is £26/head evidently

He looks like a left back who can defend and Santon, sadly, is poor at that somewhat important skill. Whilst Santon's still very "young" based on what I saw last night (admittedly a very small sample) I'd play Haidara over Santon now tbh I also think Santon flatters to deceive a bit, his delivery is little better, if at all, than Jonas'. His pace may pull defenders wide but he's not really a "threat" and his prime job is defensive.

Ball to hand is total bollocks, if the ball hits the hand in the box with the hand away from the body it should be a penalty, some will be given and be considered "harsh" undoubtedly but it'd remove a lot of the uncertainty.

Depending on which camp you sit in: We were utterly crap and Pardew is a w***** as is Howard Webb or They had loads of the ball but we looked more threatening, Krull had a mare for their first (and could have done better for their third), we could easily have had 2 penalties, one nailed on (at 0-1) and another could easily have been given. Scorer of their third could/should have been sent off. Sissoko and Cabaye were very poor and Obertan was Obertan - you really can genuinely question why he came on (Oh and HBA has the flu so not involved, Cisse injured in warm up and similarly unavailable). Howard Webb is a w*****. You'd be better off just not posting at all. You bring absolutely nothing. If you mean I'm not prone to hysteria, you'd be right. My second Para is a perfectly acceptable summary IMO

Depending on which camp you sit in: We were utterly crap and Pardew is a wanker as is Howard Webb or They had loads of the ball but we looked more threatening, Krull had a mare for their first (and could have done better for their third), we could easily have had 2 penalties, one nailed on (at 0-1) and another could easily have been given. Scorer of their third could/should have been sent off. Sissoko and Cabaye were very poor and Obertan was Obertan - you really can genuinely question why he came on (Oh and HBA has the flu so not involved, Cisse injured in warm up and similarly unavailable). Howard Webb is a wanker.

Alreet, Wullie? Good to have you back, mate. We lost and he's back so he can moan, I would guess he's pretty happy.