Varadi

This week has reminded me another thing I like about Pards, he rarely bemoans luck with injuries etc, tends to concentrate instead on bigging up his squad and the strengths of required replacements - could help explain how he seems to get so many decent performances out of fringe players. To be where we are despite having to regularly field committed but limited players like Perch, Raylor, Guthrie, Ameobi and Williamson is remarkable really. He pretty much the anti-Souness in this regard.

teams around them are unlikely to make up the points difference though. True, they've probably got just about enough already - be fun watching them squirm though

hadn't realised what a dodgy run-in Villa have - could easily get zero points from their next 4, which would then start to get very interesting as they don't exactly seem to be filled with battlers. as for QPR....

Interesting article in the Guardian today comparing MON's mackems with Agent Bruce: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/mar/27/martin-oneill-sunderland-statistics My favourite bit: Turns out the only thing they do better now is rattle in goals from outside the area, at a rate the article describes as "unsustainable"....

Also noteworthy that they've sneaked the financial results on out the same day they have a big cup game - trying to bury the bad news...

So they sold Bent and Henderson for over 40 million and still made a loss? That can't be good....

Just imagine Perchinho rattling in a 30 yarder against the scousers man - would be magical

Me too, Your Avatar reminds me of a joke I liked to play in quizzes. You ask, 'which striker who played for Newcastle, WBA, Everton and Sheff Wed. had a famous film star for a father? After much thought and futile guessing they will give up and you say Imre Varadi of course, and his dad Ollie!! I bet that brings the house down.

Well aren't you quite the ray of sunshine.

still doesn't make up for the 9-1. FTM.

This new formation could be the making of Jonas - has the technique and energy to fit into it perfectly. Loved seeing him with the armband as well, well deserved.

if he goes to the Euros reckon I'll be supporting France.

Aye, it was Cabaye, who then bust a gut to get up the other end - at the time the pass left to him looked to me to be the better option but thankfully Cisse gave it to HBA.

Really impressed with how we closed the game out - expected a storm after they pulled one back but it just didn't materialise.

Happened a couple of times in the pub I was watching in - pass it, pass it, PASS IT <Insert Mazy Run Here> Or, you could maybe just do that instead....

Think he started holding it after a tussle with Odemwingie near the corner - played on with it for nearly 10 minutes to HT so can't have been that bad...

Best game in a while - good to see him back.

I used to work with a lad called Ben Arthur True story.

Most definitely - very promising signs already, a pure finisher like Cisse really needs a provider like Hatem.

It's not even ironic any more - very prescient!

Thought playing more centrally really suited him today, and his workrate helped make up for Tiote's absence Really versatile player, deserves to be vice-Captain.

Very, very good again. We're going to need him to keep stepping up the next few games, looks like he's up for it.

To beat these twats at any time feels great To do it with Williamson and Perch at centre half would be simply magical - believe!

Goal today more Krul's fault IMO Did well to keep going afterwards and won a lot of crucial headers

looks like we're matching the WBA formation to me - 4-3-3