BigWalrus

Hang on - that's a big leap! Moodys haven't supported the austerity, they've just said that any growth we can manage will be limited by the slow growth globally. They haven't supported drastic cuts. The quote you have used simply demonstrates that they believe any economic growth will be limited due to global factors. Where do they suggest that the UK should stop spending and hibernate, while we wait for the rest of the world to "pick up"? Equally, the CBI haven't supported such austerity. They've conceded that the government have made their choice, and in the circumstances it's safer for businesses to be able to have certainty over the future economic policy to allow them to correctly budget, forecast and justify their investment decisions. They in no uncertain terms have supported a policy of austerity. Here's a household analogy for you. Imagine you come home from work and your lass has painted the living room a horrible dark purple colour. You don't like it, but you know that it'll take 6 or 7 coats of your favoured light beige colour to cover it properly. However, you can't be arsed with 6-7 coats as it's a right ball-ache. You also have other rooms in that need painting (such as the kitchen, which has a manky layer of grease all over the ceiling), so didn't want to put them on hold. So instead, you reluctantly accept it as it would be more expensive to try to correct it. Your lass is the government. You are the CBI. Does that put their quote into context?

That's a typically non-committal quote from the CBI. They don't say that they agree with the approach that's been taken, only that they consider it silly to drastically change it now. Good business is built on stability and consistency - unpredictable government policy is the last thing we need.

No I don't accept that, in fact I don't think I've disagreed with something more in my entire life. The UK and the eurozone economies are intrinsically linked. There are thousands of businesses that are based in the UK and operate in the eurozone and vice versa. We are their customers more than they are ours - we have an overall trade deficit and have done for many years. This isn't a problem, but something that must be understood. We are reliant on eurozone imports for so much of our day to day output that we can't afford to just wait for it to pick up. How exactly does the eurozone just "pick up"? Where have I mentioned Ed Balls? I'm not arguing Conservatives vs Labour, I'm arguing that the economy is very different from a household. A household is a very isolated arrangement with a very specific, predictable income and a very specific, predictable set of costs. An economy is subject to a whole host of internal and external factors which range from vaguely controllable to completely uncontrollable. They're vastly, vastly different! Borrowing at a household level is also very predictable. You take out a loan and pay back a set amount each month, perhaps subject to a variable interest rate. You know when it's due to be fully repaid and you know what it's secured on. Borrowing at a macro level influences so many other areas of the economy, such as exchange rates (what? something the UK does could influence the eurozone??), inflation, trade deficit levels, house prices, foreign investment, pension valuations, employment levels, etc etc etc. Without this basic understanding of the fundamental difference between a household and the entire UK economy, it's impossible to really take your argument seriously.

I've always wondered if cave men danced, and how they danced.

I often have to sit on my own cock, just to stop it escaping.

He's been sitting on the bench for £25k a week or something though. Fair play to him though. Like you said, we've been lucky to have such an able stand in.

I understand your logic, CT, but the economy is very different from a family or household. Take the line, "eventually come out the other side in a healthy position to take advantage when things pick up." for instance. How does this healthy position come about? In order to get an economy growing again, you need to have businesses investing, people in employment, spending money. If countries around the eurozone just sit tight and wait, they'll all look at each other in 5 years time and realise that someone needs to make the first move. In a household situation, there will generally always be someone who is better off than you and someone who is worse off, so sitting tight is a natural and rational reaction. At macro level though, cutting back is suicidal as it only serves to promote a downward spiral of negative growth. It's not an easy concept to grasp, but you need to clearly differentiate between a household and a national economy.

Nice. Came out of nowhere, that one.

McManaman, he is a bastard McManaman, he is a cunt McManaman, he is a bastard, a bastard, a bastard, a dirty cheating cunt Will that do?

As in...sexually?

He hasn't got a knackered spine. He has broken two bones in his back. The injury will stop him playing football, but non-strenuous activity like sitting down and watching a match will be fine. It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't play for us again, but having some broken bones in your back doesn't mean you suddenly turn into Stephen Hawking.

I don't disagree with any of that. Mike Williamson is a squad player of limited ability, who has come in and done a half decent stand in job at times. It's no leap of faith to suggest he isn't very good, but to lay the blame at his feet for us not scoring enough is harsh to say the least.

Second paragraph. Imagination / creativity - same thing. If there is nobody there to take the ball off him, I'd rather see him punt it up field. Tiote's return has given our centre backs on outlet that wasn't there during Williamson's run in the side. It's a shocking article that is trying to justify having a go at Williamson for the sake of it. Cabaye's atrocious corners are more at fault than Mike bloody Williamson, but there's no mention of that in here.

He was in our side during our run in last season, when we were playing superbly and creating plenty of chances. Losing Ba and having our creative midfielders out injured isn't Mike Williamson"s fault, whatever his limitations are. It's nothing more than a prejudiced piece of writing, targeting an easy scapegoat.

Don't agree with the detail. Saying he's the weakest player is hardly a shock, but blaming our lack of creativity on him is ridiculous. Missing Tiote (to take the ball off him), Cabaye and HBA is far more of a factor.

Fully agree. The WC shouldn't be used as a swansong for aging English players who've never quite delivered on the international scene.

Can't see how it can be anything other than ruptured ligaments. It'll be impossible to tell how truly bad it is until he begins rehab.

Can't remember the exact terminology. Think the FA deem it "on the ball", which they've used on numerous occasions to exonerate themselves from any responsibility in dishing out punishment.

Seems to be a lot of chat that the tackle can't be punished retrospectively, as it took place within the normal course of play. Stupid rule that I don't fully understand, but it would rub salt in the wound (no pun intended) if that was the case.

Run along now.

Alf Inge Haaland never recovered from his. Similar tackle too.

Agitated. I'd almost come to terms with the way the match went, then made the mistake of watching MOTD.

Worst tackle I've seen in an NUFC game. Still appalled by it.

If not longer. Wouldn't surprise me if he never played for NUFC again.

As much as we should probably praise our other players for keeping their cool, if it had been a challenge on a Man Utd player, the rest of their side would have surrounded the referee, pushed McManaman and basically made sure that every decision from thereon in went their way.