Neville Neville Neville

The silence is deafening. Wasn't me. I don't do running or jogging. I go to a climbing wall once or twice a week, play badminton occasionally, go hill walking when I can, and do feather dusting. No point in doing an exercise you don't enjoy and anyway I don't have the time at the moment. The cycling shorts sounds about right, mind. You weren't running for the bus to the cycling wall earlier were you? Cycling wall Sounds like hell of an exercise

We need to get Brum's fitness team over to work their magic on nolan's legs/belly. Carr was like a man possessed

and now martins

Really entertaining match. Completely different Birmingham to the one who were so meek against us. Anyone else feel bizarre watching this alternative reality where carr and bowyer are taking arsenal apart several years after they looked finished for us

fixed your post

I couldn't find him on Premier Manager 2 but Ryan Giggs is world class and young so we should sign him

deadman'd your post

Ah, the inevitable pre-match ridiculous optimist throws a ridiculous post-match hissy fit. Really entertaining first 35 minutes or so until became streamless. Comfortably on top. Didn't managed to get the game back until we were down to 10 men, but I thought we did pretty well for 10men against a pretty decent prem team. The people who have done predictions for us winning most of our games before the end of the season have to look at our form for the season so far - just how many winning runs have we been on? For those at the game, or who had a decent stream for the 2nd half just what shape were we playing with 10 men once saylor and ranger were on. Saylor and Jose seemed to be full/wing backs, and I couldn't quite work out whether simpson and tiote were playing as defensive mids/spare centre backs or something mad. Whatever it was, it did a pretty good job. And if thats enrique on the wain after 92 minutes......

Tell you what, new awesome way to lose weight fast http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12462447 Look at the before and after of the lass on the iplayer image before it loads. She's shed loads of weight in 45 hours!!

Sherla?

lowest common denominator stuff but obviously there's suspension of disbelief in a connery film. but it starts off with him speaking in subtitled russian so clearly there was an attempt at authenticity. still, really like the film. plus, not sure if the fish was serious or not, but laurie's pretty much critically acclaimed for his american accent on house. not heard enough natives from that part of the US to comment myself though

sounds like he'd rather smash it or hang out the back of it, rather than have a wank. perhaps a career on sky sports beckons plus I best he has Joe Esposito (on a constant loop) playing in the background when he is smashing it... and maybe wears that mask as well

Clearly not being led by Ashley

If I won 5 million, i'd invest it in 83% of Alan Smith.............

Couple of my thoughts: 1/ Am not a massive fan of ranger but I think having a go at his missed chance, as outlined by parky, etc, is unfair. Don't think there's many players who would have got to that position and been able to spot the available passes (whether there was actually an available pass on, i haven't seen it back again). And definitely noone who would have joined newcastle on a free and be happy as an impact player 2/ Lovenkrands really frustrates me. I am really impressed by his ability to get into these goalscoring positions again and again. Its not like he has the pace he had a few years ago, so it must be that he's really good at reading the game (despite the comments made by others about his position on the ranger chance) and gambling on things. Always seems to get one or two really good chances, even when there's not many. His finishing has gone like. However, again I wouldn't blame him for today's big miss. I thought he made a lovely run, and chose the right option of where to put the ball, it was just one that from that position, if the keeper does well you can't really score 3/ I am a shola-phile. I think he's a much better footballer than a lot of people give him credit for. He's infuriating of course, and is not adverse to the absolute ridiculous (note his 50 yard through ball/attempted lob/passback)), as well as the sublime. But come genius, come bambi-on-ice, there's always something to comment on with shola, and always something to laugh/marvel at. Anyway, I thought he had a reasonable game today. However, he's the one who I'd have a go at for not getting the second goal. This season he is at times unmarkable/unplayable on corners (which we seem brilliantly drilled on all season, attacking ones anyway), and his run and barton's delivery were sublime for that chance. Was sure the net would bulge, but it was a pretty horrendous header by any striker's standards, let alone sholagoal's. What we (well, Pardew) need to be quick at is spotting once shola's done for the day (usually around 60-70 mins in) and getting him off, as he's not really a 90mins player. I thinks its probably more to do with injuries and fitness than motivation but once his legs have gone for the day, he should be hauled off 4/ Thought jonas was really good today. Come to expect the performances from colli and enrique and barton (slightly wayward passing today withstanding) but thought he put in a brilliant shift today and even got some reasonable crosses in. One moment early in the second half where he carried the ball across field and ended up on the right with a decent delivery i thought was really good, and something I'd like to see more of. 5/ I was pleased with the performance (as I have overwhelmingly been this season). I'm not overly critical on us dropping the points (again) as it does happen and I woudn't really blame the players on the pitch. The main problem is the bench options. When you're 1-0 against a team able to keep/move the ball like spurs, and desperately hanging on, you ideally need 2 players with legs. The striker to latch onto clearance/hassle and harry, and someone with the legs and composure from midfield to join when the opportunity arises (but still be defensive minded enough to stay back until the break is on) and offer the right option. Ranger (despite his limitations) did the former but there was no one for the latter. Don't think routledge would been that player. Lovenkrands would have been ideal a few years ago. Barfa hopefully will be capable. Nolan, Barton, Guthrie, Jonas at the end of a hard shift definitely aren't. Would be nice if we had a rangy central midfielder coming through the youth system/reserves who could come on for the last 10-15 mins if we're on holding on to do that. Was trying to think of examples, obviously there's top players like yaya, diaby, but a more realistic one would be someone like jenas in his early days.

Good job of throwing everyone off the scent, Mr "complete stranger" Aye, its usually someone close rather than a complete stranger.

What about Wilson in that 6-0 drubbing of aldershot....

screamer from the big AC. and i enjoyed it

Barton today is reminding me of parker from that game (vs arsenal IIRC) where he completely ran himself into the ground and threw up. covering the entire pitch in a virtuoso performance also, campbell looks finished. thought he had another year in him after his first couple of games but he can't be risked anymore. dunno if he's a good presence to have in the dressing room but when we're short at the back, its got to be kadar ahead of him now hughton's team, playing and winning by hughton methods. it'll be a good few games (whether good or bad) before pardew has an influence well done chris. who'd have thought that the return of our most influential midfielder would have had an impact....

FYP

If we're going to have these bickering arguments (obviously the ideal would be not to have them), could the guilty parties refrain from quoting every previous bit of bickering within said thread. Its obvious who you're each replying to, and I'm pretty sure there's no one going through things with a fine-tooth comb to see exactly what each party said and how they responded before every fucking tedious post. Its not a fucking game of chess where you can go through each move and see how cleverly player a set up player b in his trap before pouncing. Just quote the post you are responding to, although you're not really responding to the previous post tbh IMO

footballers' theory test: You are driving at 110 mph in your tinted window Bentley Continental GT in a 30 mph area without insurance (even though you can really really easily afford to, and could just ask your arse-washing agent to sort it out for you) under the influence of drink and drugs. As you approach the junction at what distance do you switch your attention from roasting the random WAG-wannabe you pulled with your mate, and consider braking?

Not sure if I'm being completely whooshed but surely this post is criticising the purchase of luque and boumsong, who were sanctioned by the old board, for a manager they appointed, and at prices of approx 12 mill and 8 mill could even be classed as "trophy signings." An odd subject for the poster, apart from the incredibly subtle digs at the new board/NO/foreigners (a perfect LM hat-trick) but thats a given tbh.

Interesting fare that. Not quite sure what everyone is moaning about. I make it we're still at least 10 points ahead of where we deserve to be. I thought we gave it a much better go in that first half than we have done most of this season, we just didn't get the goal we have been (often luckily) getting when we've been on top of games for far shorter. Second half we were v v poor and lacked urgency and looked really unfit, but then thats no different (with a couple of exceptions) for the last 2 seasons. I could count on a couple of fingers the number of times we've performed in both halves in the last couple of years Credit has to go derby for doing so well on the last ditch defending, especially the mint set pieces that taylor was knocking in. No, I'm not happy to be held at home to derby but there's a reason why this lot of players is in this division, and I actually found that game as a whole more encouraging than a lot of others. We're shit, most of the division is shitter and we have to accept days like these, and be grateful for the ones when shola/nolan pinch the undeserved points.

barnsley and stoke