The Fish

I did admit I was wrong. I thought London Blue would be the best person to tell us how to beat Man City, but, I was wrong.

I'll admit I was wrong; he wasn't in the best position to tell us. I was. Again.

Like Holden says, it's less about him loving us, or Man Utd, or Stoke, it's how low he's regarded by all of the clubs he's played for. You'd have expected Liverpool fans, at least, to think well of him. Young local(ish) lad, broke through, won the Ballon D'Or, scored loads, speaks loudly and often about his love for the club. But they think he's a cunt and all. To be honest, I can't think of another example of a player who is so widely disliked by the fans of the clubs he's represented.

Quick google for RAWK's opinion on Owen Quote from: deisepool on October 30, 2009, 09:58:06 pm

We've got some real big lads at the back now. Burn and Botman, big enough to at least make it a contest. Burn doesn't need to be great, just needs to stick to him and make every pass and run challenged. Honestly? I'd love Howe to stay a long time and get a chance to win something, a League Cup or Europa League, but we'd need someone like Pep to really hit the heights that you're enjoying right now. But, hey is it boring yet? Being mint?

Respectfully, I disagree. We rock up with a low block and your ability on the ball, your movement and your efficiency in front of goal means that, even if we were to seriously limit you, you'd still put 2 or 3 past us. Your players, given time on the ball, will create chances. They're just too good not to. And with Haaland, you've a striker who can physically dominate in the box, or disguise a run to lose the defender. No, I honestly believe the only way to stop Man City's unbelievable striker is to stop the supply line. The only way to do that is to be on you the second your ball crosses into our half. I also think we now have the players who can beat your press without resorting to hoofing the ball into the stratosphere. Bruno, Joelinton, ASM, are all fine receiving and playing the ball under pressure. We try to BEnites or Bruce you, we'll lose. If we Howe it, we stand a better chance at getting at your defence and picking up a point.

I don't think where they are really comes into the thinking. It's purely what they imagine would be worst for us. Honestly, in the unlikely even they were relegated this season, Exile and his ilk wouldn't shed a tear as long as Isak turns out to be a flop, or Bruno breaks his leg.

You're probably in the best position to tell us.; would a full strength NUFC stand a better chance against your lot if they sit off and play a low block for 90 minutes trying to cling on, or press across the pitch and try and hit you on the counter?

If the Saudis got us to a £1b valuation then leave, that'd be fine by me. A club that's 'worth' £1b would need to be challenging for CL, at least, we'd have to have a good stadium, good facilities, good players etc. Sounds all right to me.

What's that?

It must be infuriating for a journalist to get that interview with a high ranking politician and for them to just reel off prepared answers which aren't remotely relevant to the question asked. Honestly I'm always expecting them to just start packing up "Nah, you're all right hoss, we've made a soundboard with all your stock answers, we'll just dub them over and go to the pub."

No, he wouldn't. I am incredibly agile, I would dodge him.

I have suspicions.

Ahhh, you meant the Golden Ball, or Ballon D'or.

Although, to be fair, Nottingham Forest are a mess. Had he been added to a normal PL side, he may have done better. As it is, they've 22 new players and not a very good manager to try and corral them in the same direction.

He won the Golden Boot at Liverpool in 98 and 99 with the lowest total for a golden boot in the PL era (18), and he shared both golden boots with two other players each year. Moved to Real Madrid in 2004. Moved to Newcastle 2005.

No, he didn't. Another thing you saw with your EYES, was it?

I saw him more as cover for Bruno, than as a teammate. I'd like a true blue DM to allow Bruno to play further forward, to allow the fullbacks to push further forward and to provide a bit more support for the CBs too.

Mostly plays on the right of a midfield 2 or 3. More advanced and with more attacking freedom than a 6 would traditionally play. If we had an out and out defensive midfielder, you could play them side by side I guess.

Altrincham host Gateshead in the fourth qualifying round. Another local team I might pop along to with the boy.

Not particularly great at the defensive side of things, is he?

I'd like us to sign someone more mobile and less Hollywood-passes all day long. I want Bruno further forward, but I don't want Shelvey parked in front of the defence, so I guess it's time to bust out the blood money.

Fat chance. (pun intended)

He's actually doing really well on paper. Needs to turn a few more of his chances into goals and a few more opportunities into assists, but it looks like his confidence is growing. He might have scored if Wilson hadn't snuck in (it might have come back off the post mind you), and like I said before he had a copuple of opportunities where another player was offside and thus robbed him of a chance. But he's doing good if you ask me. Certainly isn't the one I'd definitely drop from the midfield. Dunno who would be dropped though.

I did not, because I have never heard of him. >4hrs there, 50 minutes of the match before he wants to go find a play ground, >4hrs back, spunking best part of £200? Nah, fuck that. Age, cost and distance are three excellent excuses, thank you very much.