Ayatollah Hermione

We've definitely been lucky in the sense that Chelsea are basically a shambles behind the scenes and that Capello's resignation basically fucked Tottenham's dressing room but looking at us in correlation to that first point (and in direct comparison to Chelsea), it shows we're heading in the right direction for progress into the top ranks. The fact we're even speaking about finishing above Chelsea this year is amazing to me. I find it almost impossible to begin complaining.

To further expand on that, there's very few clubs that can spend crazy money away each window and have it be a sound policy and that's because their budget is basically bottomless in football terms. This is sides like Barca, Madrid (and probably in a few years if they keep on building overseas branding and getting CL football, Man City) etc who can afford to spend £20 million on someone that could be a flop because they're going to make it all back in a season anyway. Of course, these are all backed up with sound footballing decisions with regards to managers, scouting, training etc which is why you're seeing Chelsea begin to fade since they've had just about none of that since Mourinho left. Shepard set us up like that; finish 13th? Better spend £35 million on players who will flop (because the scouting was non-existant outside of asking their agents if he was any good and seeing if he plays for another big side), and at the end of their contract, will be finished and therefore impossible to recoup ANY sort of money from their spell. This is exactly why we were never getting back into Europe, except through the Intertoto Cup whereas if we'd spent a couple of years out of Europe, concentrated on building league position and naturally strengthening our reputation, we'd have been in a better state.

you know fuck all about the players we signed then. Do you even watch our games? Yohan Cabaye has CL experience and captained the side that won the French league last season, Ba has shown his excellence, quite how Cisse, the man who has scored goals EVERYWHERE, is a low-rent version of a goalscorer is beyond me. Tiote has shown that he could slot into any top side in the PL with very little effort, Ben Arfa is, well, it's Ben Arfa ffs. The kid was as highly-rated as an angel's blowjob until his attitude got a bit dodgy. Santon has had rave reviews from managers like Mourinho. You want money spunked on players like Adebayor who are just mercenaries at the core of them. I bet you leapt through the room when that horrible little shit Martins signed on daft wages for a pay day. You are, literally, the first person I've heard that wants us to stop buying 20 goal a season strikers and highly-rated prospects on the cheap that have got a hunger to succeed and revert back to signing players based on agent chatter who just want vastly inflated wages off a daft cunt who was desperate to have all the charades of being a big club. We weren't a successful side in the dying years of Shepard but fuck me if we're not looking like the start of one now.

On the other foot; Henderson, Adam, Downing, Carroll, Coates. Which ones of those are quality?

it was if we finish in Europe last month. You can't keep moving the goalposts of what progress entails.

The current financial policy is fine for where we are at; but to get to the next level, we need to spend money. We were meant to be seemingly thankful that Ashley was prepared to spend £9m on Cisse. Cisse is a quality buy and worth probably more but we should be spending money like that regularly. You spend money, you get quality, obviously it may not happen if you spend it on shit but no one is saying that. As I say, if he starts spending money, all fine and good. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy. However, I can't see why it suddenly changes the fact that we were regularly qualifying for such competitions under Freddy Shepherd. We've bought French league winners, leading goalscorers, supreme attacking talent and exciting Italian prospects with our policy. WHAT could you possibly want to see? Millions spunked up the wall Liverpool style? Cabaye, Tiote, Santon, Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa. Howay then, what one isn't quality? Santon will be in a season or two, it's plain to see.

It was two years ago we were away at Plymouth watching absolutely SHITE football, now we could be in the Champions League. There's absolutely no cause for concern now. No point in even following and supporting the team if you can't get caught up in the moment of it all; you can do it perfectly fine as well as look at the long picture.

Jesus christ. You'll be one if we draw Barcelona, complaining about playing 5 in midfield.

Seriously. This reaction of BEING BACK IN EUROPE of going "WELL ACTUALLY, he's going to rape Cabaye, just watch, you'll see, you'll all see!" is ridiculous. The toon are in fucking Europe.

We need 4 points from 5 games.

Chelsea aren't going to beat Barca, let's be realistic. We'll finish 5th.

If we don't take at least 4 points from shite like Stoke and Wigan, we don't deserve to be there. Everton fell apart like balsa wood today, Chelsea are beatable and have a Champions League semi final against the best team in the world to worry about and Man City could be title winners/losers by the time we play them. Consistency has been the crack all season, we're there.

I I'll have a raging hard-on during it. Been far too long.

Fucking worrying about 3/4 points, we've just got 15 on the trot, man. We're there.

Get that passport out the loft, we've got the continent to conquer.

You sir are a mug. No word of PUGATRON's post is a lie.

The Office had brilliant dialogue and well-written, well-paced compelling relationships between good, likeable characters. Nothing he's done since then has had that. How much say did Merchant have in LTS?

Bee Gees' 1st is a brilliant album.

Dalglish holds most of it, it appears because his status makes him close to unsackable and, being Scottish, he'll be too stubborn to admit any sort of mistake and fuck off. Happy days.

Cruyff is a bit of a headcase but has done canny work everywhere he's been by all accounts. I just hope Dalglish and him come to blows straight away over spunking 25 million on Josh Macacacacacacaheran

I agree mate, but Guthrie has developed nicely the last season - if this continues I wouldnt be surprised if he became good enough to hold down a starter position in a upper-table team. The lad has ambition, there is nothing wrong with that. That must be why he's entertaining going to Villa? He's nowhere near as accomplished as Cabaye, man.

Why were you looking for Veet on Amazon in the first place? That's an excellent question. So, Gemmill, or should, I say, 'Andrew'?

"Only in America". What next 7/7 wine? Piper Alpha Buckfast? Wanks. Leah Betts cowies. Christ

No but if I meet that bloke, I'll shake his hand and buy him a steak dinner.

It's truly amazing this carry-on over a movie that made a lot of money. Was it even a widely talked about event until Cameron got a hold of it?