Tiresias

Football's being damaged by too much money at the top but nothing should be done about it because life's not fair? Top clubs vastly out earning other clubs particularly in the same league is damaging to the entertainment value of the league. Football should be about a battle of wits and talents, when one club has all the talent it slightly distorts the battle of wits. Premier league is very competitive throughout so can't whine too much, but at the top it's not especially.

4-5-1 always feels an inadequate description tbh plenty of different formations in that, and often that really rather negative formation that so dominated teams playing big teams away last season...(yes inc us I think sometimes)

Ba was bought because he was going, available on a pay as you play so the injury risk wasn't going to hurt too much. He was not bought as a primary striker as he's too injury prone, he's unlikely to play whole season, but while on form is invaluable. While Ben Arfa isn't fit to play full 90 I'm happy to play in the current 4-4-2, normally i'd prefer a 4-2-3-1 to operate between lines fluidly, but we've got a team that play that fluid anyway, though against another strong midfield would prefer HBA in the hole and 1 striker (last season lack of connection front to back did mean some hoofing). Choosing between Ba and Best is a nightmare atm, but it's the kind of dilemma a manager secretly relishes.

We've got to expect to dominate the midfield, but they'll be risky down the flanks and from set-pieces. Definately winable though.

I don't, everyone at work laughed at me when I put him in my fantasy football, now I'm the one laughing . Also I put in Krul and they (two of them teamed up to build a squad to challenge mine) put in Begovic, only consolation when Sunderland thrashed Stoke!

Wouldn't that leave out Cabaye or Tiote though? Think atm would struggle to justify losing either. Maybe when there's an injury to one of them

I dunno about Man U, I'd probably have Vidic and Jones as definate starters, though Ferdinand is likely to be prefered. Probably Man City but dunno, their defenders look sometimes great, sometimes laughable. If he was at Arsenal he'd probably restore their title challenge lol

Can he not still play on the wing? not saying i wouldn't prefer him in the middle, and think the planned 4-2-3-1 is about right but in games where we desperately want 2 up front should that happen couldn't he slot in instead of Obertan? He can surely be told to have fair amount of freedom anyway (hasn't van der vaart been playing there for totenham lately oddly)

so much for "stealth", someone change topic to "easytarget"

they'll probably get Martin O'Neil, seems plausible. I suppose the unlikely but worring one would be Ancelotti who is running around saying he's desperate to manage in the premier league. I do sort of rate him, however also found him weirdly loveable, like a cuddly uncle or something, with an AMAZING eyebrow. Pity then if he manages the mackems, but doubt it'd happen

What he didn't know was it was Pardew putting on a silly accent on the other end of the line

Well I meant of since our current crop really

I like Vaughn, still wouldn't have him over either tiote or cabaye but assuming HBA unavailability maybe would be a nice 3 man midfield. Cattermole? CATTERMOLE? seriously? I've never really met a mackem that doesn't slag him off regulaly tbh, where does this forum find them?

too many off target tbh, know being a bit silly to be negative, but have to wonder if any of those could have been turned into better opportunities. We'll regret not working on it against teams we may only get 3 chances at. Regardless pretty fantastic all round

Aye it's tough to work out in a way, as you want some ability for a forward to be able to fashion goals if the more finesse footy isn't quite working. However I think a player who is comfortable on the ball and in linkup play is essential. Do we want a player whose going to drop deep though? Could interfere with Ben Arfa so a poacher role... Gervinho mould is obviously what was wanted, and probably what we're looking for, speedy, going to zoom ahead of defence from a swift pass, can't see much wrong with this in principle.

Sooner or later we'll manage to sign a complete dud, tis inevitable

I'd have him still as cover for Best or Ba really. Can't see him anywhere near the midfield atm.

hahaha I think Sunderland have some good players. If i were a sunderland fan on that forum would i get lynched for admiting toon had good players? Is that forum just where they put all their weird ones? My mackem friends aren't mad like that

"return from hell" he visited Sunderland and escaped?

No no, well done on Stoke getting into Europe, it is an achievement, I'm just upset at how the press go on and on about how the measure of a team is how they go up against the Stoke style of play, and yet I bet if Italian footy is brought up the same pundits will criticise Italian footy as boring and defensive. Stoke have a good thing going for them results wise but it's not pretty to watch.

I think the skepticism of doing that well comes as a reaction against constant bollocks media reports about how stupid and over optimistic toon fans always are. Over expectation can be bad for a team, I think being underdogs can always be a good thing for the morale, and creates an us against the world atmosphere in a team. Assuming great success before achieved however could decimate morale when it turns out they can't quite achieve it. I am optimistic actually of progress made, and say we come 9th, I don't really think anyone wouldn't have taken that at start when morale was a bit low. We then have a great base to build on, we'll be able to attract more players as we can say we're pushing for a Europa league place, and then we can kick on. Not to say we shouldn't be WOOO LETS GET IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE attitude, that can be great fun if taken right, if it doesn't burden team with expectations of actually getting to champions league, for now we should be swashbuckling exciting plucky and over achieving, rather than for now harbouring an enduring myth of deserving a top 4 finish or anything.

Gutierrez is better against strong flanks where he can contribute defensively and shield the full back. Obertan looks less good at this but better at giving a weak full back a proper hard time.

Hopefully we're scouring pretty hard for a successor, (and more CB cover obviously), he's going to start slowing down sometime. A rock now and could be good for a while yet, but we can't afford to be left caught out by him starting to get injuries etc.

Oh excellent we're playing monday. Yeah play close to full strength, though wouldn't object to Marveaux starting, but Tiote and Cabaye hopefully there.