Christmas Tree

First day of Daddy daycare going to plan. Six year old has so far taken to her new "special forces" type morning routine with reward chart and monetary bribe. 7 month old tried to throw me off with a little package minutes before the school run but I recovered well. Since returning at 9.00 ish, chores done, tea set off in slow cooker, and boys first sleep complete. Just need a quick trip to Asda for breadcrumbs / herby dumpling recipe and the jobs a good'un.

i agree; there's really no other english candidate out there if we're going down that route. who else? hodgson? pearce? at least arry has some champiobs league experience and has won something. plus the players would all love him i reckon. Yep, he would have that Keegan motivation with a little bit more bluff, patter and experience to channel into games at that level.

Why? Ths season... Harper has conceded a goal every 71 minutes. Krul has conceded a goal every 53 minutes Harper has kept 6 clean shees out of 18 which is 33% Krul has kept 4 clean shees out of 21 which is 19% And Lovenkrands is the third most accurate striker in the Premiership according to Opta..... I personally think Krul offers so much more and as Clee says, has all his best years ahead. Sure Krul is still learning but I think he has all more round ability than Harper. He comes for stuff and controls his box in a way Harper never has or will. Krul will only get better, Harper will only get worse. (In my humble opinion). Krul doesn't control his box, he comes out flailing like Mark Kermode during a Pirates of the Carribean review. I agree with your last sentence, but it says more about how much Krul needs to improve to be as good as Harper. Not sure why you see it as a reason to start with Krul. Krul might flap, but Harper is too static. Easier to limit Kruls flapping than to make Harper mobile. Its quite funny how a team goes through periods of time where we have no choice in a position to being blessed with a feast of options. Butt and Smith to.....what look likes a feast in midfield. Four goalies to choose from, three of whom seem very canny. Know little about the fourth bloke. Just a famine in the striker department and some more defenders. Be cracking if we can put that right.

Only one man for the job now and thats Arry. Much as I dont like the bloke that much, he needs a shot at it. Its a fact that our players are not as good as others, but what we can do is create that blood and guts never say die attitude. Time to drop the foreigners and bring in Arry.

At worst I selectively quoted you in one of four examples. You blatantly had a hard-on for Hughton. It's worse watching you squirm than it would be if you just embraced the fact you change your mind. Nothing whatsoever wrong with changing your mind. Would be interesting to understand the reasons why though. In the absence of any reasons I can only assume it's because you're contrary. See Im in a no win situ If I explain, Im desperate to prove myself right Anyone who doesnt change their mind seems odd to me. Its like thinking Allardyce and Ashley may be an improvement to the situation we were in in 2007 and then realising its not. Its like thinking relegation is the end of the world, then realising its not. Its like thinking we'll do a Leeds, then romping the league. Its like thinking we'll go straight back down and then surviving quite comfortably. My "problem" is I often see the the possible "bigger" picture on here so get called Contrary As others have pointed out I expressed Hughton should be given a go when others were adamant he shouldnt. I did caution about him being too nice possibly to succeed. After the good start to the promotion season, lots then agreed with me. However none of us at the time really new how much influence the senior players had put in and were putting in in the overall running of things. Again it became clear that he was merely a caretaker, a yes man and so his sacking in my eyes was not a great loss. As with the senior committee, I think they did great in the championship and our first year back, but that doesnt mean the club should be forced into handing out expensive long term contracts to 29 year olds. How Peasepud cant see the two views being acceptable is quite bizarre. Nolan has two years left on his contract. If the signings we are in for come off, he will struggle to be a first team regular next year, never mind in 3 or 4 years. Again with Ashley, I have said for a while that it looks to me as though he would get things right financially and then on the field. Contrary at the time, but given the calibre of the players we are in for, looking very accurate once again. What can I say, its a gift.

Wahey! House!

I guess we're not all Jackie Chan with medical training It is a good story though, and the animation is astounding. Little things like the sun shimmering on the sea floor was brilliant. I prefer The Incredibles as a film. Also gets into IMDB's top 200 films of all time. And those mocking Mary Poppins......5 Oscars baby.

Im afraid Monkey its all a bit tedious and repetitive and regardless of what I "prove" correct, Team Nasty just go off on another tangent. As usual I make a comment about Pardews possible motives with regard to Nolan, Barton, Smith etc (The power base of senior players). Rather than adding to the debate Penelope Peasepud storms in with a crock of shit about how Im saying "its good to get rid of them". A blatant lie. I didnt say that. I only questioned whether that could be Pardews motive. I try to explain this in the next post. Tom then basically accuses me of lying about praising the gang of four. I quote him posts where I have said it. He's still not happy because I have put the links in to the quotes. So I do. Tom then tries to change the subject. Alex tries to look clever / fails Happy face then mis-quotes me. Tom runs home crying And on and on and on........ All I did was make a simple post about Pardews possible motives.......Team Nasty jumped in. If you want to discuss it any further, discuss it with Tom. Bored.

*scene* Btw CT, reading the last few pages here, do you have periods too , you bloody massive woman? Given the number of bitches on here, I think theres a long queue ahead of me at the Tampax machine.

Oh dear run along with your ball little lad. I dont usually call people, get proved wrong and not have the good decency to apologise. Manners Tom, manners. Takes a big man and all that.....

Tom you fool! (Tomfoolery ) You've done it again..... Jumped straight in with a smiley without checking You havent even apologised for the last one yet.

When you've credited EVERYONE and blamed EVERYONE then you have posts that suit all your needs really. It's the old Phil 'The Power' Taylor act. You said Hughton's "tenure restored a lot of dignity to the club." http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?...&hl=hughton You said it was "refreshing to have a man of his ilk in charge." http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?...&hl=hughton You said "he's gained the respect of the players, he's created a good club spirit and deflected the press well " http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?...st&p=726566 You said you were looking forward to being "led by a new generation of Hughton's entertainers." Very apt in this thread. http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?...st&p=726610 And then you said you were over the moon he was sacked, that it was all the players that made the difference and you're heaping exactly the same praise on Pardew you'd give Hughton. Do you not get dizzy spinning round so much? Oh dear even Happys joined Team Nasty You say I said. "it was refreshing to have a man of his ilk in charge". I actually said. "it would be really nice if Hughton can make the grade. I know they say nice blokes come last, but it would be so refreshing to have a man of his ilk in charge. Quite a difference. Shame on you If you fiddle things like this to score a point, surely it brings your whole Ashley blog into question? Oh Dear

I think, as usual, your eagerness to try and catch someone out, makes your posts weak at best. Barton was quite clearly one of the gang of four who "took control" of the team / dressing room etc following relegation. His lack of playing had no effect on his lack of "management" off the pitch, as commented on many times, Himself and the other three.

Thats very nice Tom but not the point we were talking about when you doubted my sincerity.

Some of us are working Thomas. http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?...&pid=818674

You often say things like this but you never prove it. The bottom line Tom is I always do, but each time Team Nasty pop up with a shot, some are so gullible that they just swallow it. Relating to the gang of four above, surely you cant forget the whole "Aldershot" incident in the "Hughton sacked thread", where I was arguing promotion was mainly due to the gang of four and not Hughton.??????? I could drag up more but is there any point really.... An acknowledgement of your error would be refresshing Tom

Re-fuckin-markable. About a year ago you were blowing the smoke about how good it was that we had this very same "shop steward power base" at the time when that appeared to have some power and many of us were saying it was a bad thing. Yet here we are a good while later and theres been no sign of any power struggle from the ranks yet you're saying its good to get rid. You really couldnt make you up, you're a psychologists dream. Its a well known fact, not hidden by the club and not some remarkable ITK that only a few select are privvy to that pardew is desperate to hold onto Barton and Nolan while its the idiots above that want rid. As usual you are wrong again First of all. I haven't said I am glad to get rid of Barton or Nolan. In an ideal world they will stay. A year ago I was giving the gang of four credit for our promotion season when the majority on here were saying it wasn't them, it was Hughton. Here, I am merely pointing out what I think is going on with Pardew and the gang of four. You say he wants to keep them and it's all nasty Mike. It's possible, buts it's also quite possible that Pardew, as a new manager, desperate to prove himself, wants that Powerbase either out the way or broken up.

aye - he'd be a canny scalp like I'm sorry, but he's not apache on Gervinho.

Pardew has basically said he wants both to stay - so he - again - looks like an utter moron because of those in charge. Crocodile tears me is beginning to think.

The Journal / Chronnys chief sports writer, Luke Edwards is saying on twitter.....

The entertainers are not back, but it looks as though Mike Ashleys motivation to do something with the club is back. I quite like this new John smiths approach with regard to ageing players and deadwood and feel positive about the calibre of players we are trying to attract. It would be interesting to know how much involvement Pardew is having in the incomings or how much it is Ashley backing the scouting team. Being a products man I could quite easily see him taking a "product" view with the players and therefore putting all his faith in "buyers" / scouts. Pardew I'm sure has a hand in briefing the scouts about the type of players he is after. I think possibly with Barton and Nolan, Smith and possibly even Harper, we are seeing Pardew dismantle the shop steward power base so that it is his team, his dressing room and his word that is law, regardless of how much spoke he may blow up their Arses in public. One by one ther being picked off.

Didn't Nolan even come out and say he had offered Ranger extra help but he had turned it down! The clubs also got to weigh up their striker plans. Who is coming in, who is on the books who they are unlikely to shift, and which youth players they want to channel their efforts and time into. I don't think their is any chance that Ashley would let a rough diamond go if there was a possibility of turnin him around for future profit. Big time Charlie without the skill by the sound of it.

Brilliant film.