David Kelly

Agreed.

Well it was a great trip even with the result. Lovely city and really nice people (although most fans we met were Sporting supporters so they were all keen for us to win). Really wish I'd taken today off work though! For the game, I thought we played well and there's no way we're out of it but I agree there's no way we'll stop them scoring (their pace and movement was excellent) so we'll need to win by three goals to go through and that will be very difficult!

Harsh on Goufrfan that like. Obertan is one of the worst players I've ever seen play for us for more than a couple of game and Pancrate was a joke tbf. Marveaux also doesn't put in near the graft of Gouffran.

You want shooting for that tbh! Also we clearly don't have any wingers who can deliver the ball into the middle so what's the point in playing 4-4-2? I think the opening post is correct. Swap Sissoko and Cabaye round and get them playing in their favoured position. Pardew seems to think we need Sissoko playing up with Cisse but surely that's the point of the two players (Goufrann & Jonas/Marveaux) in the wide forward positions. A stronger midfield set up would improve us a lot imo.

Aye I watched that before Christmas. Written by the bloke who created Shameless. Much better than the film (which wasn't bad tbf).

Anyone watched that Broadchurch? I don't usually bother with anything on ITV but I've been quite enjoying it. Not watched tonight yet like.

I agree with this. As long as you do well for your club fans will be more than willing to forget any poor previous behaviour. Don't get me wrong I'd prefer we didn't get involved with horrible cunts like this but I'm fairly certain that had signed his manager or player (something that I remember was on the cards at one point) the vast majority would be saying that we should give him a chance and judge him on how he does for us. And let's face it, it's not like we on this board have ever had much of a discussion of PDC as person before. It's a bit hypocritical to now have a go at the unwashed for this now. Let's face it, we've got more than enough better ammunition than this anyway.

New season of Game Of Thrones off to a good start other than not enough Tyrian and Bron. Thoroughly enjoying Boardwalk Empire too, should finish season one later today.

I'd struggle to think of a player a I dislike more in world football at present. Utter cunt!

I could have killed me mate who's read all the books for telling me a load of what happens. Fortunately it was when we had a load of gear and several tequila's so I can't remember most of it

I can't remember anyone saying much (if anything) positive about Routeledge once we got promoted. In the Championship he did very well for us but he never looked likely to reproduce it in the premier league. Of course with hindsight, he's done well for Swansea and Obertan is the very definition of dog shite. What you're saying about building I don't disagree with at all. But I don't believe this is the way Ashley will see it because it would require the money for new players coming from somewhere other than player sales. If we only keep shipping out dead wood we will inevitably not bring much money in. So unless we increase our revenue by other means we won't have the funds to spend. What are the other revenue streams? We've just signed with Wonga so our main sponsor and stadium naming rights is sorted for a few years. Are we likely to bring much in from secondary sponsors? I wouldn't think so. Prize money is unlikely to increase without spending more on the squad so nothing doing there. Can supporters spend much more on tickets? Not in this economy! Player sales is the only way to go. I'm not suggesting we're going to flog all our better players in one go but I do think it's inevitable that we will likely lose one each season (the new tv money might give us a season off this summer) and that will be for good money that we can use to possibly bring two first team players in as a replacement. Like you say Ashley is no genius but this is a sensible approach to keep moving on. Let's face it very successful teams in other countries have employed this method for years. Ajax (admittedly more with the help of their academy than bringing in cheap players from France) have done this for a long time and it's allowed them to regularly win trophies and compete in the champions league. The only difference is that they can go further with it in their country because there aren't any other teams there who have access to such a disproportionate wealth like the top teams here can.

There's a few new ones coming in this season too. Although I'm sure there'll be some others killed off soon enough (well I know some who do but I don't know if it'll be this series).

Too late for Reading though imo. Hope they stay with him when they go down as I'm sure he'll do well for them.

Carroll was sold for a ridiculous amount that no club would have turned down (we just should have had a replacement lined up) Routeledge was universally considered to be not good enough Ricky wanted to go and his contract was running out so we were left with little choice Nolan and Barton would have been good players to keep in the squad but I think their sales were tactical due to their age and what were looking to replace them with. I hate Ashley as much as the next man but I don't think these sales demonstrate a revolving door selling policy. I agree with Paddocklad that the only way forward is to sell our better players and I think these sales you mention are an example of that and tbf it's worked. We will need to do the same again with the likes of Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Tiote and Sissoko if we are to move forward again because Ashley won't make his own money available to us and we don't have another revenue stream capable of providing such an influx of funds. Can we sell these players and bring in better? That's going to be extremely difficult imo but what we may be able to fill the squad with a more consistent level of quality that can keep us towards the European spots. Top four though is next to impossible given the gulf in financial muscle between them and us. We may be able to sneak in there the odd time if one or more of the regulars had an off season but if they do they will spend what's required to get back in. We aren't going to be able to do that as long as he owns us. And even selling us isn't going to help unless it's to someone with almost limitless cash that they're willing to spunk on us. Even then FFP may prevent that.

Wimbledon had to start lower than the conference so I see no reason why anyone else should start higher!

Personally I would have GOT way ahead of Homeland (which I like also) and even ahead of Breaking Bad, although that would be close.

I think after the end of season 4 you can't root for Walt anymore. He's a twat now lets face it. Not that I still don't enjoy his character but he's become more of a cunt than Tony Soprano ever was for example. It'll be interesting to see whether they can pull him back in any believable way or whether he gets his comeuppance. I suspect (as I said earlier) it will be the latter.

I see Rangers owner is bleating on about them and Celtic coming to England again. Says the FA can't stop it under EU law but he wouldn't want to start in the premier league or even the championship and would rather start in the conference. Doesn't mention the reason he wouldn't want to start there is that relegation from the top two or three leagues in this country would be a bit of an embarrassment for them! Also seems to think that every premiership game that they're involved in would be a sellout. I could maybe see this happening the first season but (not counting that they wouldn't last longer than that) after that I fail to see why the likes of Wigan would suddenly get a big crowd because they turn up!

Finished Breaking Bad and I think it just keeps getting better and better. They could have quite easily ended at the end of series four with Walts transformation but I guess they're going to take it to a showdown between either Walt and Hank or Walt and Jessie. Can't wait for the final episodes. Starting with Boardwalk Empire now.

Had all of them at the time. That bottom one was horrendous though. Shit collar and awfull shield on the back.

Less happy to see them saying we'll let Colo go for nowt to save his wages. I accept he'll be away but we should be demanding a fee or him to pay his way out.

I thought you had to have travel arranged to get a ticket? Someone me mate knows booked a week in the algarve for £150. Wish I could have too the time off for that!

You on the official trip Berb?

Dropped to zero points so Lisbon awaits!

I borrowed the first two seasons of Boardwalk Empire off a mate the other day so that's next after I finish Breaking Bad (and rewatch the last few eps of GOT ahead of the new series).