: Mon May 11, 2009 6:55 am  

OrdsallRed wrote:

Arsenal need someone like Lassana Diarra...oh...erm...

Or the Fletch, they couldn't afford him though.

: Mon May 11, 2009 6:55 am  

Tyldesley NO1 Leyther wrote:

I'm as worried about the match as I am about finding a pub round here to watch it where I won't get glassed for supporting us

Shouldnt be a plastic fan then should you

: Mon May 11, 2009 7:10 am  

Newcastle should be helped by playing later. There's no chance of distractions - imagine they heard that Sunderland and Hull were both winning, that would possibly have an impact on their confidence or concentration. Because they're playing tonight, they know that winning the match will lift them out of the bottom three.

: Mon May 11, 2009 7:34 am  

Mark wrote:

No need to swear, Liar? Just cause you talk crap keith and have an awful memory, no need to throw insults around.

I remember you calling Michael Shields a murderer.

: Mon May 11, 2009 8:25 am  

Good win for Utd without ever really getting going. Did not like the Ronaldo dummy spit, an immediate reaction was fine but to keep it going annoyed me a little.

Not sure about Tevez, shows great effort and is a realy crowd favourite but does not get enough goals. That said neither do Rooney or Berba so imo we need a different type of striker to make up the crop. That said I am not sure if I would have rather kept Tevez than Berba?

I also noticed that Iniesta got injured on Saturday and is doubtful for the CL final, would be a huge blow for Barca that one.

If Hull go down then there is only one man to blame and that is Brown, his team selection and tactics were shocking on Sat.

: Mon May 11, 2009 8:37 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Newcastle should be helped by playing later. There's no chance of distractions - imagine they heard that Sunderland and Hull were both winning, that would possibly have an impact on their confidence or concentration. Because they're playing tonight, they know that winning the match will lift them out of the bottom three.

I know what you mean, but I'm pretty sure Mourinho a few seasons back had a moan about playing after Man Utd, saying it adds pressure knowing you have to win, or something along those lines.

: Mon May 11, 2009 9:10 am  

PAUL M wrote:

If Hull go down then there is only one man to blame and that is Brown, his team selection and tactics were shocking on Sat.

I'd pretty much agree, he's progressively lost it over the last few months and gone far too negative. In a game they had to win, 4 of his attacking 6 were all graft no craft: Garcia and Fagan (simply not good enough for top flight football and unlikely to ever be so), Boateng (not mobile enough any more - does a job but when paired with someone also lacking mobility it's a real problem), and Kilbane (defences quake at his ability to unlock them). Why weren't Mendy and Geovanni in the starting lineup, and even Manucho?

City started well by playing decent football and getting at teams. A bit of a wobble and they abandoned that approach and proceeded to go down the pan. Their handling of the January transfer window was inept and they're paying the price. They should have been in the hunt for Beattie in particular, but definitely at least one more striker than they did.

If tonight doesn't produce a draw I think it's almost certainly curtains on their premier league outing, and they may well lose the few players capable of pushing a promotion charge again, and with recent transfer policy I wouldn't be convinced there'll be enough attacking quality brought in.

Whilst it's all very well to say it was nice while it lasted and they did well to even get there, the fact of it is that they were in an unbelievably strong position with their fate solely in their own hands (realistically needing to average only a point a game at one point IIRC) and they blew it.

: Mon May 11, 2009 9:19 am  

carl_spackler wrote:

I'd pretty much agree, he's progressively lost it over the last few months and gone far too negative. In a game they had to win, 4 of his attacking 6 were all graft no craft: Garcia and Fagan (simply not good enough for top flight football and unlikely to ever be so), Boateng (not mobile enough any more - does a job but when paired with someone also lacking mobility it's a real problem), and Kilbane (defences quake at his ability to unlock them). Why weren't Mendy and Geovanni in the starting lineup, and even Manucho?

City started well by playing decent football and getting at teams. A bit of a wobble and they abandoned that approach and proceeded to go down the pan. Their handling of the January transfer window was inept and they're paying the price. They should have been in the hunt for Beattie in particular, but definitely at least one more striker than they did.

If tonight doesn't produce a draw I think it's almost certainly curtains on their premier league outing, and they may well lose the few players capable of pushing a promotion charge again, and with recent transfer policy I wouldn't be convinced there'll be enough attacking quality brought in.

Whilst it's all very well to say it was nice while it lasted and they did well to even get there, the fact of it is that they were in an unbelievably strong position with their fate solely in their own hands (realistically needing to average only a point a game at one point IIRC) and they blew it.

This was City's big game, they should have played Manucho/Cousin up front and also Mendy and Geo, it should have been a 4-3-3 and took the game to Stoke who were not desperate for the points like City were. Brown is now saying Bolton is a must win, he has lost the plot I reckon, Stoke was a must win and he should have gone all out.

: Mon May 11, 2009 9:40 am  

keithcun wrote:

I remember you calling Michael Shields a murderer.

I'll hold my hands up on that occasion, or am I allowed to say I meant something else to fall in line with you.

: Mon May 11, 2009 9:52 am  

Billy Banter wrote: Expect Arsene to go apeshït. You mean like here http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 09,00.html

Billy Banter wrote: Expect Arsene to go apeshït. You mean like here http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 09,00.html