Monroe Transfer

Probably in the same place? They are that good, I think they would have won regardless to be honest. Enrique would have struggled somewhat too.

I'd certainly want Pieters and (if he's any good at this level) Santon to be our permanent FBs. I'd be happy with that and Ferguson/Simpson/Taylor as decent cover. Regardless. I can't see Pardew changing things too much unless they (Simpson/Taylor) put in consistently bad performances. He won't drop either any time soon because the defence as a unit has done so well. I hope he'll put emotions and loyalty aside and drop/replace them if/when needed. It's a cruel game sometimes.

They have a 'Fan attendant'?

Actually - Santon is not even a proper left back is he? From what I know, he's a RB that can play on the left if needed. We have good options in him and Ferguson but them being more natural full-backs doesn't mean they should automatically get a start the moment Ryan Taylor has a truly bad game.

Right, because you've seen so much of Santon and he's proven himself in this league. I'd wait before judging Santon. Doing well for Inter Milan a couple of years ago means nothing if you can't cut it in the Prem.

I'm not sure what having seen or not seen the match has to do with it. It's still reactionary to drop him because of one particularly bad game out of 12.

http://twitter.com/#!/Joey7Barton/status/137954510839611394

I really hope the likes of Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal drop points in their next 2-3 games. That way we obviously won't drop too many places if we drop points as perhaps expected against Man Utd and Chelsea.

Fair enough. What about Chelsea/ManU or Chelsea/City? To be honest my opinion of Man City is similar to my view of Chelsea. I get where you're coming from though in a way. What Man City, Chelsea, PSG, Malaga, Anzhi, Shakter etc are doing is something you can't control and you just have to let them get on with it. And to be fair, we were never challenging for the league ourselves so it's not like their owners have come in and bought success away from us. As a fan of football I'm not at all comfortable with it. Like I said I respect their team, but not the club. It's just not right. I couldn't sit there at the end of the season clapping them, let's put it that way. I'm not suggesting that Man Utd are this saintly club who came from poverty to attain enormous success either. I'm hardly their biggest fan.

I don't wish to sound condescending Parky, but... really? Seriously? Why would anyone break up what was until today the best defence in the league? I don't think Taylor will be dropped for the Man Utd game. Don't get me wrong I'm sure Pardew is aware of Taylor's flaws and that he's not playing in his natural position. If he feels that he has to drop him for Santon, I'm sure he will. Unfortunately for those that want Santon to start, this is only one game and it's a particularly unique game as it's against a record-breaking Man City side with astonishing strength in depth.

I'd 100% rather see Man Utd win it. No doubt in my mind at all about that.

Paul Robinson won a lost minute penalty for Blackburn to equalise in their game against Wigan

From what I've seen of Man Utd this season, their neighbours are just a different class on current form. It's too early in the season to give much thought to it, but it'll be an extremely sad day if and when Man City win the league. I find it bemusing that quite a few people are apathetic towards Man City and what they represent. I enjoy watching them and I respect the team, but not the club.

Don't tell Pat Nevin that.

I'd be happier if their goals weren't down to our mistakes. But they happen in football. I know we lost 3-1 but I saw enough in there to suggest that we're good enough to be in or around the European places. We were deservedly beaten but not completely outclassed. I certainly don't think morale will suffer as a result of losing this. The way they're going, pretty much every English club is going to get beaten by them at home. It'll take an off day for them to drop points, and I don't think they're all that capable of having an off day because they've got such ridiculous strengh in depth that Mancini can change things around with subs and not suffer for it.

If we had of scored our chances, then who knows... I still find your post count to be amazingly high.

If they hadn't score their third, then who knows...

Bit of a redundant question when he's probably faced very few.

At least with Taylor, we do have options (i.e. Santon and Ferguson). I trust Pardew to make the right derisions.

Who knows what would have happened if we hadn't made these mistakes. They might well have scored 3 anyway. And on another day, we might have put one of our chances away and who knows what might have happened. Sick of listening to Pat Nevin by the way.

It doesn't work like that though, the goals scored in the first half is affecting their performance in the second. We're having more of the ball because they don't need to score.

To be fair... if that had come off, they probably would have put the turbo boost on and scored a third.

Great thread.

Really good chances, we're so unlucky.

Get a goal early on and you never know....