OTF

I'm sure there's loads of PMs linking to old streams hanging around. Was hoping this was going to be about cleaning up some members.... I'd say if certain members stopped with the massive quote pyramids, and/or just linked to their standard reply there'd be plenty of savings.

Be careful, I'll be posting a rating of you as a footballer come Sunday night! Steady on! I'm returning from a skillectomy...

He's not bad, though it really is impossible to judge someone from their time in the A-League. There's some players that look great in shit leagues and shit anywhere else, then there's some that look good in shit leagues and good in good leagues. I think though, for his developmental sake he'll need to leave Aus ASAP if he wants to kick on and be our next big hope. He'd be worth a look in training, but a long way from having any involvement in the first team. I should have prefaced that by saying that I unfortunately find the A-League very hard to watch in anything more than small doses. There's the odd good game, but for the most part... hmm.

Yes. Though I wasn't one of them.

Even with Carroll we should have been looking to get a new striker in.

Defensively not very good, but showed some promise in attack. He had an attempted cross saved off the line.

Keep Colo at the back, very good at playing the ball out instead of hoofing it. Our other options will just hoof it.

Indeed. Worrying stuff.

The challenge is to find the positive in the 4-0 loss that sees one key player reinjured and another suspended needlessly for two matches.

This game has the definite stench of 2008-09 about it.

Only we could make Walters look any good.

Jonas clearly upset about having to come on as it will mess up his freshly primped and blow-dried hair.

Ferguson canny run there, shame he didn't have a right foot at the end.

Barton having a rubbish game. Time to bring on Jonas says Pardew, let's see if we can re-injure him as well...

Game over. Loss, check. Enrique injury tweaked, check. Tiote suspended, Cheick. Ferguson's confidence dented, check. Back in the scrap, check.

Steve Harper FFS.

Only one stat that ultimately counts, plenty of teams will go there and be on the better end of many statistics and will still leave with nothing. Our shots on have been weak, our final options for the most part poor. If we get some possession in their box that's what will worry them.

West Brom leading Arsenal 1-0 at the half. At this stage of the season Arsenal is the team you want behind you if you're top of the league.

Shawcross is an ugly caricature of Nolan. Tiote yellow FFS. Misses two games, if he didn't get a card in this the slate was wiped clean. Harsh call from the ref, no way it was a yellow though no doubt he'll say it's for persistent fouling.

Colo just saved Ferguson's bacon, lesson clearly not learned as he just did the same thing.

Yeah, his enthusiasm got the better of him and he forgot about his primary duty. Let's hope we don't see any more unmarked crosses from Pennant.

Why? Colo, Willo and Taylor all ahead in the pecking order?

I'd prefer Ferguson to start at left back over Taylor or Perch either hijacking Simpson on the right or filling in on the left themselves. I'd say though that Pardew will want Taylor out there to assist with defending their set pieces and long throws. Carroll would have been good value in a game like this, Shola by contrast is useless in defending set pieces - loses his man most of the time.

This is going to be painful to watch. With no Enrique and Jonas we lose two of our players who are strongest on the ball. On their narrow pitch with no real wide players we're going to have limited constructive possesion, can see us reverting to lumping the ball up towards Best and Zorro, if they start with two up front. Otherwise I guess Shola with Nolan looking to pick up scraps. Whoever we play I can't see this being a very entertaining match. A point here would be a good result, though with the high possibility of another Steven Taylor or James Perch fullback performance I'll be highly surprised if we don't gift them several chances though Taylor giving too much space, or Perch goin missing or diving in committing reckless fouls. Hopefully Simpson starts at right back. No sense in shifting him to the left.

Spurs won't progress. Especially not if Ronaldo is fit. Their defense is crap. Still an admirable run in the competition. Inter aren't very good at the moment so I'd say who ever progresses out of Chelsea and Manure will be in with a good shot of reaching the final. Against manure it's Chelsea's to be won IMO. Manure are consistent, but on their day Chelsea is capable of better. On the other side I can't see Real progressing past Barca who seemingly have their measure.