Alex

Like I said earlier and like DK just said, he's only a decent option to defend a lead or perhaps a draw. To call him an impact sub is a bit misleading because he's not going to get something for you when you're chasing the game. I don't buy into the notion he's lazy but he's never been able to play more than 60 mins and he's about two stone of muscle heavier than he was a few years back.

Had a bit too much over Xmas but I'm not too bad at 12st 10. Should probably be half a stone lighter (or a couple of inches taller).

I don't see Cabaye as a 'classic no. 10' although the role has virtually died out anyway. If he's playing the furthest forward in a 3 along with 2 of Tiote, Anita and Gutierrez then I could see it working. Especially if it's HBA, Cisse and the new striker / wide man (e.g. Remy) playing ahead of them.

Or Brazil. He's fucking brill.

Relegation cost c. £25m iirc. so he's not going to spend £30m when we have a lower wage bill this time around.

Get some Cuban heels and a gastric band.

Nice one, ta. If not, our lass if on facebook anyway.

He's definitely predominantly right-footed on the evidence I've seen. Didn't he play left-back at Inter (and here I suppose) due to circumstances rather than his preference though?

I'm surprised he even mentioned it

Was 13 out of our 26 before last night for Ba, which was 50%. But RVP has 16 out of their 54. Suarez is probably not far off 50% of Liverpool's league goals though.

Sorry if it's already been mentioned earlier in the thread but in terms of goals / team ratio, no other top flight side has relied on one single player than we have with Ba. When you take his goals out of a side 2 points above the relegation zone it a bit of a sphincter twitcher.

Getting off track like but there are ancient burial grounds and cup and ring markings found around the Cheviots / Simonside Hills. Simonside Hill was considered sacred. I love it up there. Julian Cope has a website and book about all that sort of thing.

Just to be clear, I was taking the piss

David Pleat was saying on 5Live last night that he rated Shola as a player who'd improved over the years and one who could thrive with Ba's departure. I don't actually mind Pleat as far as curb-crawlers who can't pronounce foreign words go anyway, but I though "what the fuck on you on?" when I heard him say that.

I'm not sure if Stevie is being serious when he does this sort of thing. And I prefer not to know tbh

The Hallowe'en lanterns are a hangover from Samhain as well. It all makes sense anyway though really. That being around the time of the harvest / autumnal equinox and the onset on winter. Then you have a big blowout around yuletide because it's the shortest day and the middle of winter and you need something to celebrate to keep you going. Then obviously the coming of spring is cause for celebration too, etc. I find it quite reassuring these things predate Christianity actually.

I can see you're upset but that's a bit racist.

Aye, I knew it tied in with the vernal (spring) equinox. And when you think about it The Feast of the Annunication is only set as that day because it's nine months before 25th December, which is only Jesus' birthday because it ties in with previous Roman feasts like the birth of Mithras and winter solstice and the like. I don't think there's anything to suggest Jesus was actually born on 25th December anyway.

It used to be 25th March in this country (until the adoption on the Gregorian Calendar). Which marked the Feast of the Annunciation. I remember from history that Russia didn't adopt the Gregorian Calendar until 1918 which I remember being confusing as fuck when studying the two Russian revolutions that took place the preceding year.

Shola's performances last season were often very good but (and it's a massive fucking 'but') they involved him coming on for the last 20-30 mins to hold up the ball and kill off a game we were already winning. He's got the physical ability to do this and has a bit more know-how and experience than he ever used to have but fulfilling that role is a completely different kettle of fish to having to produce the goods when he starts or coming off the bench when we need a goal etc.

Never really noticed him before but this BigWalrus is a bit like Toonpack, only with interesting opinions on football.

Gets storming reviews on Amazon

Folan's fucking patter man. Jesus wept

I won't answer that one

It would have about the same impact as booing Fumaca.