sweetleftpeg

It's all about self belief, confidence, and being allowed to express yourself. I've always been anoyed by managers who worry too much about the opposition and not playing to your own strengths. I know that occasionally you need to target an opposition player, Sir Berb used to do it sometimes with varying success (fucking Poyet) but if you do it all the time then what are you actually achieving? I truly believe that at SJP we can be the 12th man, but we can also be a right pain in the arse if things aren't going well..which is when players lose their confidence and play the safe ball rather than the clever one. I think England are in that rut at the minute, it was classic McClaren and the reason he got the boot, but it appears to have crept back in.

For whatever reason Lampard never performs for England, although he seems to escape the stick John Barnes used to get. It pains me to say this, but I actually feel sorry for Gerrard shafted out on the left. I also disagree with this no passion being banded about by sections, I thought Rooney apart the attitude was alright, they just look a little bit stifled in the system. You look at other sides who are deemed not World Class yet look confident and express themselves, Chile and Mexico for example. To be honest, I think alot of our lot look shit scared to make a mistake, bit of press and supporter pressure I reckon. Caught the back of one of the Rags today (think it was either The S*n or The Mirror) and the headline was 'Time to go Fab..and take these loser with you.' I mean, for fucks sake.

Personally, I'd be dropping the anonymous Lampard (the new John Barnes I'm afraid, excellent for his club, awful for his country) moving Gerrard inside and playing Joe Cole on the left. I'm not Gerrard's biggest fan but he's been the only plus for me, looks a bit more up for it and shraper than the rest of them.

He's got a touch like a rapist at the moment.

To be honest, I think the PL has become stale and defensive in the last few years anyway. The problem in the PL is that you have quality players at peak fitness, everyone is so well organised and scared of getting beat..add these factors together and it's a horrible recipe for cancelling each other out.

The only consolation for me is that thankfully the crest and puma badge are on either breast and not centre, which is shit.

I've lost a shit load of weight since January as I'm walking the Sahara for charity next year (don't worry, details of how to donate to follow soon ) and it's basically down to cutting out a lot of shit and doing some exercise. Not too much exercise too quickly though. I started swimming a little, then built it up. Then I started cycling a little, then built it up. Now I'm on to running every morning but, again, little by little. My only vice is drink, I'm sure if I gave that up I'd being doing even better but the point is you don't want to be fucking miserable! It's all about routine.

If I told you I would have to kill you.

Man U (h) Mackems home October 30th. Nice easy start.

I've just been trying to watch the ITV live stream on our projector and big screen (all in the name of research of course) and it's not working already. It's definately not us either, so good strart ITV!

I got the 1990 one from Toffs a couple of years ago and it cost about £25..so I think £40 is a total rip. Then again, I think any football top at £40 is a rip.

Out with a bunch of Northern Rock lot on Saturday night (mate works there) who were begging to be made an offer they couldn't refuse!

Might have a lot to do with the way we seem to muddle together a midfield in the last few years in order to cater for both Gerrard and Lampard, doesn't exactly help the forwards.

It's not even a proper apology, not that I expect one either from him or the paper. 'I apologise if anyone has taken offence' is the usual bollocks that gets churned out by arseholes who know they're wrong but just haven't got the balls to say it in case they lose face with their peers. Cock.

I remember being handed NF leaflets outside SJP in the late 80s when I was a kid, and the disgraceful deafening monkey noises when we played Spurs at the start of the 88 season...we don't deny any of that..but this is just a blatant fucking lie to try and make a point.

The problem with Harriet Harman is she's shit when pushed into a corner and is a really bad bullshitter. Always has a shitter on Question Time or Newsnight when pushed. Part of being a good politician unfortunately is being able to bullshit without it actually sounding like it's bullshit.

Regarding the article, lazy piss poor quoting that I don't expect an apology about despite the fact we deserve one. As for Asian kids in football, when I play at Westgate you see groups of superb asian lads playing..bizarre how we don't see more make it.

I have an official Puma Olympiakos top off a couple of seasons ago (swapped it with a Greek for my home top whilst on holiday..black and white for red and white..it seemed funny at the time when pissed honest) and I have to say they do look cheap as fuck as its plastic transfers. Bit like what everyone was producing in the early 90s. On a plus side, it is very light to wear..I play 5 a side in it occasionally because it's comfortable as fuck.

I think the major problem with Balls, and pardon the pun here, he comes across as a bit of a cock.

As an aside, I really liked the Football League numbers design far more than the PL ones. Maybe this old bastard could make them out better.

The old 'where were you and what did you do' memories. I watched it in the Hotspur, then went onto the sun terrace at the Telegraph and got hammered.

The mock up that Matt has done certainly looks better than the pictures. I'll say what I always say about any strip we have where a badge is down the middle..I don't like it. The crest on it's own in the middle with the Puma marks only on the sleeve I could live with, but not that design.

There is something about Ed Balls I really don't like, the story about him getting 3 points for driving while on his mobile with his kids in the car didn't help either. Although, that is totally irrational. David Milliband for me seems a lot more human than his brother Ed, who comes across as an uncomfortable social spastic. .

I got to the end of Series 2 but every episode just seemed to throw up more questions than answers. I quite liked that about it in the 1st Series, but just couldn't be arsed with it anymore after the 2nd.

The money in a jar thing is a good idea. When giving up anything or changing lifestyle etc it's always best to see the positives and the rewards to keep you going, which is where some people go wrong. I expect seeing that jar fill up every day will be a great incentive.