Tiresias

This is all very funny, but now you've made me kinda hungry for a pasty myself :|

That worry has been slightly alleviated for me by Guthrie showing some quality when coming in for Tiote, and he's arguably more of a Cabaye style player. I hope Pardew is willing to pull him off when approaching injury, rather than waiting for it, the top physio teams will know when players are likely to get injuries.

Probably comes from his injury record, happy to be given the chance by any club at this level and not taking it for granted

Still can't get over how quickly this guy has become a central player, he's had his quiet games, made the odd mistake, but he's also such a workhorse and professional on the pitch, and think he'll get better as he goes on. I'd be absolutely heartbroken if we sold him so quickly as some rumours go. How the hell did we get him so cheap?

I like how everyone else is boastful like you'd kinda expect and Vuckic is "still not relegated"

him and Cabaye in front of Tiote in midfield would be a very very tasty midfield, and if we seek to hold possession that's what I'd go for, but I suspect that hampers other aspects of our game so I doubt will be a frequent formation. Guthrie's impressed me a lot, and massively eased my panics over Tiote / Cabaye injuries.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/55601000/jpg/_55601367_55601366.jpg I just think "help, I accidently glued my hand to my head!"

I realise that's probably just their photo viewing software, but rating button for those is a bit off.

Vuckic hat trick please!

People always seem to prefer conspiracy to incompetence in these things. Seems pretty unlikely, not that there's not a load of dodgy dealing behind scenes at clubs but Kean masterminding a criminal conspiracy...

If we want to play narrow think that's a strong side, but dunno how many teams in premier league wouldn't take advantage, not that you can't hold posession in middle with that midfield. Like the idea in principle, but worry we need the wingmen, would love to see Ba and Best coming into the box with Best playing hold up man.

Sid Lowe's column has some interesting stuff in http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/28/la-liga-blog-barcelona-real-madrid

I expect Sammy will be on left, but don't think he gives Raylor any protection really

For crazy talk, Santon in for Jonas straight swap, not a terrible way to start to bring him in to the squad if Pardew isn't going to change the backline

It's hard to really avoid, difficult to prove intent (and if you make them professionally foul to get the yellow they need, isn't that dangerous?). i think the suspension rule tweak so that the FA had some discretion and wouldn't suspend in such cases where a yellow is given for timewasting because the player wanted it

Laughing at the guardian's thing on steve bruce (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/28/five-things-we-learned-premier-league)

Barca-lite is a bit off to me, it's not really quite going for that possession led, it's more direct in a way, they haven't got a Messi to dance through tight defences, they rather have to rely on the other team having some possession and opening themselves up a bit. It's more classic Mourinho style of relentless attacking. With Sanchez fit again can imagine Villa being dropped soon. Classico will be interesting, but I suspect a disappointment, Madrid will probably defend too well for current out of sorts Barca to get through and Barca keep ball too well to give too many opportunities to Real. Probably decided by a few moments of quality by either side and will be nowhere near as decisive as that thumping Barca gave Real last year. Still, a Barca win and they're in better shape.

I dunno if I wish he'd said we'd absolutely not sell anyone to try and deter people coming in, but guess he's far to burned by saying he wasn't going to sell Carroll and then him being sold. He needs to convince Ashley if the club is to progress we need to hold onto players. Sell them once they're past their best, not while they're still getting better.

Yeah bit of an overation, but just reading into the phrasing, though I suppose the alternative is hanging, which maybe sounds a bit off. Forget about it

did they have to put 'found hanged' on front page? Doesn't that slightly imply some completely unsubstantiated foul play?

What bothers me is a perception of mental illness as 'wussy' or not serious as physical illness. A player would be let off a game and given treatment with a bad illness, how many actually get help for depression? Are any allowed to withdraw from games? I'd imagine with doctors slip etc they'd get in fair trouble if they didn't allow them time off but do they even go to the doctor in the first place? Gary Speed is a different case if it was depression in a way though, not in that environment so much anymore. But if any good can come out it could be perception of mental health issues is taken more seriously. Depression is a bit of a family curse, I have had it but never that badly, or sa badly as relatives, but I had a horrendous october worse than I've ever had, and it manifests differently in everyone, he could have been hiding it, or it could have hit him like a tidal wave overnight, it is beyond rationalisation, whatever good stuff externally people think about your life you can rather forget about it when it hits. Whatever it turns out to be, could yet not be depression, its just relentlessly sad.

Cattermole as player manager

yeah, wonder if the slightly bulked out squad has exposed a tendancy to over-tinker in Guadiola that was never really obvious before. I'm quite a fan of tweaking, but it's gone a bit wrong, and the margin for error is sooooo tiny