manc-mag

By a mile. And it's much too early to consider putting the likes of Cabaye etc into this list, they need to put in at least one consistently good season. Also f it weren't for Speed, I'd have said Tiote. That's absolutely true, but in that case the whole concept of the OP becomes a bit pointless. ie if you only qualify for selection after at least one season nobody acquired since promotion is even available for consideration. Just call it '2000-relegation best XI'

I feel I should just re-state. In no way do I want him to be sold And I also agree with Stevie's assessment of the odds, based on nothing other than a gut feeling combined with a look at Chelsea/Man U's current deficiencies in particular.

For what he does (wants to win for the shirt and makes the defence a better unit) he's already on his way there for me. But that's because we've very rarely had a good defence and very rarely have a midfielder who outfights other central midfielders. And the two things are combined iyam, it's no coincidence. I won't let it over sentimentalise my view of his footballing ability though, he's average at best. I mean that as a massively positive statement though, I'm not on a downer-I mean it is one less box to tick if it should ever come to replace him.

And Spurs can go second when they win their game in hand if you can believe that.

Scott Parker is a good example at Spurs btw. He's having a huge impact on their season and he's a bobbins footballer as far as I'm concerned. His role is chasing round like a lunatic for 90 minutes and then laying the ball off two yards for decent footballers to do something with. He has a better timed challenge than Tiote though I'd say (if anything). If a player as lmited as Scott Parker can do that then we have to be confident we can find someone to do similar if that is a constant and specific scouting remit.

Going to sound massively unpopular for this, but if Tiote goes then it's got to be an exercise in complete and utter pragmatism to find a replacement and it is possible. Tiote looks immense to us (and I love him to bits) but that's because we've never had a midfield enforcer, we're just not used to it as fans. Doesnt mean they don't exist out there though. Again this will sound unpopular but he's not a very good footballer either (in no way a criticism, I'm not asking him to be) but from a pragmatic point of view, what I mean is none of the forward play comes through him-he can't pass forward to save his life and imho should never pass more than five yards-so you don't worry about that aspect of our game being disrupted. You have to approach it as having an eye for a ready made replacement in what is a limited (but highly influential) role. Trying to stay optimistic I want to have faith that we can scout that out now. I'd be devo'd if he went on an emotional level but on a more forensic level I want to say we would have an idea what to do. We've seen limited players come in and do well in big games to replace him. His value has been absolutely immense and instrumental as a catalyst for that type of harrying football (when we're out of possession) that's serving us so well, but other players can do that too if it's part of the fabric of the collective team mentality. Without getting fixated on personalities, the lesson for me is that we need that 'type' of player in the team. I hope it always is Cheick, but if it's not it can and should be someone else and I hope thats something thats always under constant review amongst the scouts.

The one thing I would say about Chelsea next week is, while they're now well capable of losing games they used to win, the reason they're at the top still is because they still win plenty of games too. ie they don't seem to draw this season, it's either win or loss because their belief/resilience isn't the same. If you let them beat you they will, if you take the game to them you've got a chance. Bit like the way Arsenal went when they went into decline, only not as attractive to watch. Tiote back for this might really be the difference.

Top bombing, Gemma! Congratulations!

rumoured reason being...?

Aye same here tbh. Preferred not to have the ball if he could avoid it iyam. There was one instance in the second where we had a throw in down the right (he might have won the throw itself, I can't remember) and he kept walking with his back to the ball when the throw in was being taken-never turned to face it to make himself available. Sounds a little thing, but was noticeable given the fight we were putting up all over the pitch. Agree with your scenes at the final whistle too. Clearly means more to this set of players than to any for a long time.

That Champs League final basically destroyed Carrick. Not that Carrick was very good to start with (in a Roy Keane sense), but he could do a job against most teams in the Prem. Delighted he's gone to shit anyway.

Very nicely put, Catherine.

Man City have rattled him Aye. Thing is Man U have come on as well since last season. 5 points better off or summat. They haven't in terms of team/personnel though as they've got a makeshift central mid (amongst other things)-so he knows he's getting more out of them than even he might expect and yet City are still out there ahead. That's his worry. This year it has to be City's to throw away. That's still very possible of course and Man U will be there to step in if they do, but I think Fergie thinks its out of their hands already in November, hence why he's narked to fuck.

I wasn't a million miles away as I was in the corner of the East but it must have been another box the one I saw. To be fair they were only celebrating the goal, they hadn't been acting the dicks during the game, but the abuse they got when they did they just gave it back from then on (and rightly so). Funny as owt. Quality because the thing is if it'd have been in the seats they'd have been hoyed out instantly but because corporate boxes are obviously worth so much the stewards cant do anything and they could just call everyone worse than shit without any comeback. The scenes after the goal was disallowed at the end were priceless. I was straight back home after the game and then off out afterwards so you'd have got no sense out of me anyway I was completely ruined. Still am. Wise choice not phoning as I'd no doubt have been a liability.

Horrifically sad. RIP. Great player for us and as has been said, seemed like a genuinely decent bloke too amidst a sea of egos and assorted shite.

Where were you sat? I was in with the mancs and there were some Mags in corporate a bit back from where I was who were getting well under their skin. Quality stuff.

Always has to use his left. Thought he was talking shite without actually seeing the game, but to be fair the penalty isn't a good example...cos by all accounts Ferdinand took the ball off him. He did take the ball-having had to slide tackle him in his own box after he'd beaten the initial player. It wasn't a penalty but in as far as it reflects on HBA it was a self made chance that helped us come from behind to get a point. If he's picking it up and running into the box with it at his feet I'm more than happy for defenders to have to slide tackle him-most will be worse defenders than Ferdinand.

Playing a lone link up roll against the champions and gets us the penalty with a solo run. I'll take that brand of "one dimensional and easily sussed" any day of the week.

Well entitled to get that one in!

His touches were worrying but his lack of touches were even more telling. We were defending without anyone in the LB position for vast swathes of the game. Didn't get the cover from Jonas he usually does perhaps but then it seemed Guti was pulled into the middle more. Anyway even though the pen was an absolute shambolic decision it just goes to show what happens when you've got a player who can carry the ball and bring defenders onto you like that. Krul simply world class.

Played well. I don't mind seeing players who want to stick up for their teammates. Its worth the yellow card to let each other and, more particularly, the opposition know that its a 'one in all in' mentality. It was a bit daft but the ref should've booked Rooney for it anyway. Took two swings at Colo because of the firm challenge. Typical Man Utd wanker tbh, can give it in spades but can't take it. The standard absolute twatful retaliation from him as you say.

Pressed, harried, showed heart and pride-you make your own luck in this game. That'll be a point please, Fergie. Fucking lovely!

Yup, this is the most likely thing to happen. That said, if/when they do go if they're replaced as well as others have been in recent times than I believe we could sustain ourselves as a top 8 team. But the main point is to enjoy this while we have it. We won't win anything but we could finish 7th and possibly qualify for europe which is a massive improvement on the shit of recent times (both Ashley's and the latter day Shepherd eras). A lot of merit in this viewpoint for me. Of course theres no guarantees we can sustain anything but then we've never sustained anything in the top flight beyond three consecutive seasons anyway, plus we never win owt as a rule so it's not like we're suddenly seeing trophies drying up. You have to be allowed to enjoy seeing players who want to play for the club pull the shirt on, theres absolutely nowt wrong with that and anyone who takes the opposite view is just diddling themselves out of some perfectly legit enjoyment. We can consolidate and even build but it's a question of extent and degree-as we don't have billions we can't compete with 4 clubs in particular but fucking hell, this team was expected to go down the first season back. The talk is always of lowered expectations but iyam we've gone from fans saying we'll go straight back down to being unhappy we might not match Tottenham this year within 16 months. Thats blatantly raised expecations, not lowered expectations. We don't assume relegation now so we assume selling all our best players instead. Fucks sake. Yes Ashley's a cunt but the fact he's got billions of his own sadly doesnt make us entitled to them whether we'd like it or not. It'd be crazy if we didn't enjoy the bits we can though. Football's cyclical anyway with only a couple of clubs bucking the trend historically in terms of success and we're not one of them. The fact we're not one of them should make us enjoy watching a decent team all the more rather than less if anything. This team fucking deserves our support.

That's basically girls with big hair. The middle one with the hottest bod you can barely see her face.