JawD

Geremi and butt. Fucking hell. Fat Sam struggled to keep up with the modern game so he decided to employ the slowest players he could fnd to help him keep up.

that isn't the issue at all. The point is that the club should have kept Enrique, Barton and brought in quality players to play up front with the money from the sale of Carroll. This money is still there. Why not bring in Demba Ba for a free [as you are mentioning him, but he would not have been my first choice, how many other clubs were in for him?], and other players alongside Enrique, Barton and all the best players from last years team ? This is what building a team is all about, not selling [your best players] and buying like the world is about to end. How many times does the policy need to be discussed like this ? One transfer doesn't make or break the overall policy. People have knocked the spending of Liverpool. Who will finish higher, us or Liverpool ? Who will qualify for europe and/or the Champions League first ? Us or Liverpool ? Enrique wanted to leave so I don't see the issue in him leaving. Just like when hamann wanted to leave for Liverpool. I agree we should have kept Barton, was his spat with the owners why he left, to frigging stubborn to sort it out for the benefit of the playing team. Didn't sell him though, left for nowt (wages aside) Don't see problem bringing in Ba whether others wanted him or not. I'm happy if we get a good deal and he seems to be and he seems to have improved the squad making him a good addition baring in mind he was brought in with the intent to bring in another. While Liverpool have spent (a fucking lot!) they will be well pissed if the gamble doesn't pay and they don't hit the top 4. Fact is we are way behind Liverpool right now and are recovering after MA took us down. I do blame him completely and put it down to him fucking around with managers. I take each thing on merit whereas I do think you see every decision as a negative no matter what.

I still think it is, everything good that's happened (in terms of Ashley's input) has been luck more than judgement. Nolan will settle down and score 15 goals this season, fans are fickle wanks, they were saying he was great a few games ago. While you know my stance re Ashley. There is a saying that it's funny how the more successful you are the luckier you are said to be. At the moment it's easy for people to point and say MA method while bucking the trend, is working. Long term we all (I think) know it can't. By this I'm referring to a small squad that hasn't been tested across the whole spectrum of a season as injuries hit. On Nolan I'm not totally convinced where the blame lay. Perhaps they knew cabaye would offer more? But if Nolan wanted to stay as bad as he did then I think he could have (taken a shorter contract offer). Course we have also heard the club went back on a deal. That I could believe as DL seems the seedy slimy untrustworthy spineless type. Not sure about the selling club tag. Depends on the definition. I think we're more willing to sell given the right offer but I'm not sure we're necessarily looking to offload players for a profit at the first offering. I wonder what people think the bad deals were recently? Who did we let go too cheaply. Jose wanted away and fucked the club over imo. Carroll was a mental offer. Nolan is tricky as we look better now without? Barton I'd liked to have stayed and I think that one for me was wrong, but that wasn't really about selling as we let him go (stupidly) on a free. The key would be accepting mediocre offers for tiote, cabaye, colo etc returning a slight profit at the detriment to the first team. But if a stupid offer came in, whereas spurs showed they can dig in and keep their best players (Modric) I don't think we would. Not sure about the mediocre offer.

My youngest has cold so kept waking up during the night and needed nursing back to sleep. Then eldest was up a couple of times as well. It's unusual to have them both at it in one night. It's a bitch when they do that. Especially considering I was working away and wor lass was dealing with this on her own last night. Oops...

Fucking hell that's shocking. My eldest is 4yo and I know what it's like getting to grips with the whole toilet thing. But letting that happen in front of the whole class AND then not have the decency to clean him up? AND then send him home like that? I'd be absolutely livid. Poor kid. Kids need confidence growing up and thats a right kick in the bollocks all by their doing. Not read the rest of the thread yet..

Pardew wanted to keep Carroll and Enrique too. Difference is they didn't want to stay sigh. blah blah blah tbh that gif should be :LM: tbh

"Fact is if Bruce were not a Geordie we would have won the derby, they would have 9 points and we would have 8 points and everything would be (relatively) OK. Instead he lost it again and now we are in this mess."

I've always thought Steven Taylor is a potential top class central defender. He needs to play in a team that is more successful, alongside better players, to improve. People knock him for his "pointing" etc, whatever that is supposed to mean. Is it just criticising for the sake of it, because they think someone else raises a point and they feel they need to agree with it ? My view of that, is you need leaders at the back, I don't see any problem whatsoever in pointing and directing. In fact, its a big plus. He's no ball playing defender, but he's a solid stopper physical player who stands up when the going gets tough. It depends what you want from your central defenders. Williamson can't lace his boots. If playing alongside Colocinni is good for him, it only re-inforces the view that playing alongside better teams and players with more technical ability is good for him, to be correct. The point being that a "ball playing defender" while advantageous in some circumstances, does not change the fact that a defenders first priority is to defend, and Steven Taylor is a natural defender, and a hard physical one who can more than hold his own against quality strikers, especially in the premiership where it is a physical game. Agree LM. While not the same level, Bramble always played better when with Woodgate. Was like having someone to think for him. Colo is more the ball player but Taylor is doing his main role which we need. Long may it continue.

Ok, this is a basic BMR calculator here If you are training 3-4 times per week then select moderate. This is how many cals you need to stay still weight wise. For example, mine is around 2450 per day. So I eat that many (approx) once per week. Other days I aim for 80% of that which is near enough 2000 cals per day. This is solely to lose weight. Bare in mind you may lose lean mass as well as fat doing this. Thats why its best to read up on carb cycling if you are bothered about that. If you want to grow (lean mass) then you need to be in a calorie surplus so like say 10-15% over you BMR. This is why body builders have cutting phases (to shed fat) and building phases (to pack in muscle but likely some fat with it). Some people also go on about protein drinks etc. Thats only if you want to boost your daily protein macro and you cant get enough from real food (which is a better option). Its not a wonder drink or anything, just replaces eating yet another can of tuna for example. Need to watch out for them though as some are loaded with sugar (simple carb). Basically its as simple as eat way over your BMR you get a fat bastard and cut too much you become a skinny weakling. Its not recommended to cut more than 30%. I find 20% comfortable. And try to stick to around 40/40/20 P/C/F as a basic macro ratio unless you want to read into tinkering with that.

So do you think it better if he hadnt signed? Im struggling to see what you want here LM? I agree it doesnt mean he will see out the full term, I also agree it enables us to command a higher fee should we wish to sell. Isnt that a good thing though rather than have him walk for nothing or minimal like enrique?

Ah now I see what you mean by contrast. I thought you meant between the black/white levels. Im in london at the min but yeah I can dig out the colour image later in the week if I think on.

Supports what most of us were saying in the other thread. Similar games previously we'd have dropped points. Be interesting to compare when we have played a greater mix of quality.

Have to say Im surprised by this. Recent rumblings had me expecting his contract to run down and him leave. I know he can be frustrating at times but I think he is a valuable squad member. Pleased with this.

Good pics... what's the colour one for the top pic look like? Just wondering if there's a little too much grey in the pic and not enough contrast, was thinking the leaves will probably be a nice colour and it may make the image stand out more and add more depth? /? Had it in colour first and yes the leaves are a golden brown, but I fancied trying it as a mono shot. It's actually got the contrast boosted very high on that top shot if thats what you meant? Hence the deep shadows and bright highlights etc. Down to personal taste again I think that one, personally it's one of my fave more recent shots. I like the stonework being in mono and the leaves being the same but a different material breaking up the top of the image. But again as you know, I lean towards preferring mono images

Oh, you said "Walker" Aye, already looking at getting up early now that sunrise is around 7am and getting some landscapes done. I agree on the colours this time of year. Alot of heathers are in full bloom and the trees are bringing in a lot of shades. Get that along with some low sun and long shadows and you can get some stunning shots.

Well I go to the gym in the morning, usually leave house at half six and in the gym for 7am. Nee chance after work. Too tired and as you say I've the kids to contend with. As for cals, there a method to check what to eat I'll post later, but if it's working now and you don't struggle with what to eat etc then just stick to that.

As said, you can only play the teams put in front of you. I agree it's been a fairly easy start but it's been typical of us in the past that we would fight for a draw against a top side and struggle against a lower side. We always say we have to get points from these so called poorer teams and that's what we have done so far. I'm not too sure what else we could have done. A bit of luck rolled in with some good spirit. Can't argue. That said, I'd agree some realism is needed. We have a tough patch coming and it's fair to say we'll not be top 6 by Xmas. But that's fine. I'd be content to maintain top half. As ever we are 1-2 injuries away from being fucked (it feels). What happens if we lose colo or tiote? So far so good but I'll reserve judgement till Xmas.

Aston Villa 1 Wigan 0 Blackburn 0 Man City 3 Everton 1 Liverpool 2 Man Utd 3 Norwich 0 Sunderland 1 West Brom 0 Wolves 1 Newcastle 1 Bolton 0 Chelsea 2 Fulham 1 QPR 2 Swansea 0 Stoke 1 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1

Never rated him but he's doing the business so far. Fair play, but I'd not be hesitating to get a new forward in Jan.

Oh, so he's a Geordie again now eh

I think 3 days a week is good for weights. You need the rest time as well so I do like mon, wed, fri and then cardio tues and thu or sat. If you want to lose weight as a first goal then you want to eat around 20% under you BMR. But have a day when you eat 100% If you can be arsed it's worth looking up carb cycling. If not, then like Dr Gloom says make sure you are getting enough protein. Typically people eat mostly carbs without thinking about it. Most of my progress has came from moderate training, cutting out shite (pastries, chocolate and late night carbs) and readdressing my food so I eat around 45/35/20 protein, carbs, fats. I'm not hugely strict so that it's too hard to stick to but enough to make a difference. Also drink lots of water.

Love that water loop like

Karma is a bitch aint it

CT's daughters approval is all your worried about what's shiteseats *goes and looks* Ohhh right the lads who did all that LeonBestIsMint crap on twitter, aye i had to remove following the people doing that, bored the balls of me personally, that and "ItsOverTheWall" whoever started that too. Both rile me irrationally.