Big Onion

Hopefully not.

As soon as Owen is fit he has to go straight back in for me. We need every advantage we can muster and his goals could be crucial. I'd play him and Martins - they're maybe not an ideal combo but it's worked well the two or three times they've played together this season. May as well forget Viduka, Shola's shit, Carroll's a kid and Xisco has obviously been written off.

It also shows, not for the first time, just what a clot Llambias is when it comes to this PR game. He was embarrassed at least twice in the recent meeting with fans (apparently unaware of Ashley's 'top six' remarks in the programme, and the mess he got himself into over the Arsenal/Villa model business); and these quotes from Bassong come, I believe, from an interview with John Gibson weeks ago. Liars need good memories

I was just reading N-O and noticed that immediately. Imagine the indignation if Keegan had been shown to have lied about which players he's signed in order to discredit Wise? There'd be calls to burn the bloke at the stake.

The important issue now is less who signed who, more Llambias's motivation for the remarks. We all know what that is.

If Llambias was happy to lie about Bassong in order to big up little Dennis, it's as sure as eggs is eggs he did the same thing the other way round with Xisco.

I wonder if Llambias will come up with some 'misquote' excuse, like he did with the Villa stuff? SJP is a bullshit factory these days.

I nicked a collected Stevie Smith when I was a poverty-stricken student donkeys years ago and I still have it That was back in the days when we were where we seem to be heading again

If we're talking poetry I'd suggest Not Waving But Drowning would suit the current situation

Pretty much how I see it. And KK would effectively be a stand in for Joe fucking Kinnear at Newcastle United - the very thought makes my head wobble. I'd bet good money the idea has crossed Ashley's mind recently though. No chance it'll happen for me.

The eagerness to blame Steven Taylor for Ryan Taylor's error in this thread Taylor (that's Steven) marked Ronaldo tonight, and Ronaldo did sweet fuck all. He'll get no credit for that though.

Christmas tree, you're a wanker. Enrique MOTM in my opinion. Bassong was good again, but it was Enrique who shone. Very good on the ball, made one bad cross where he hit it first time when he should have taken a touch, but otherwise was outstanding. Saved our bacon on numerous occassions including one time where Bassong was plainly stood up by a Manchester United forward. His pace came in extremely handy in him getting back to prevent the break away, and his strength on the ball meant that when he did get back he always kept the ball. He was an 8 or 9 IMO. Can't ask for more from a fullback as he also put a couple of very dangerous balls into the box, linking up with Jonas impressively on many occassions. And then you spout off about how great Enrique was, not Jonas. Hmmmm Enrique had a great game, definitely MOM.

Take a tape-recorder next time lads, and get it leaked

That's how the game works. If NUSC wants to survive, it will realise that and get tactical. You're right of course. Reading stuff like that still boils my piss though.

I can't bring myself to bet against my own team, but if I could I'd say Manu to win to nil is a fucking knocking bet

Ryder has gone right down in my estimation for that. Astonishingly vindictive in tone and far more extreme than anything in the NUSC email. Wanker The club are getting Thomson House very much onside now, I'm convinced of it.

Bandy legs. Loads of players seemed to have them in the '70s. Supermac was the obvious one but I seem to remember Stuey Barrowclough, Tommy Craig and Alan Kennedy were all of the bandy-legged persuasion. Loads more no doubt. Have bandy legs gone out of fashion? And hair, absolutely everywhere. Big hair, perms, tashes and sideburns galore, on and off the pitch. Even the baldies used to cling for dear life onto what measly straggles they had left - anyone remember Ralph Coates?

Oh aye, I forgot about the seven-years-long five-year-plan I wonder if they've taken into account the possibility that people might just miss out the bad years and come back when it's all sorted out

Just been looking at our home fixtures. If we don't get a win against Manu, Arsenal or Chelsea that takes us to the Portsmouth game. That would be four months since our last home win

Nice post. And of course Keegan could still do it. No reason at all to suppose he couldn't. I think it's extremely unlikely he'll ever be back though, and certainly not under these cunts.

Indeed. The trouble is, the only meaningful thing he could do (now the window's closed) to change things this season is to bring in a temporary manager. No guarantee it would work either. With eleven games left, the best way to inject a bit of impetus would be to bring in a motivator, a player's man who could galvanize what we've got into playing above themselves. Can't think of anyone who fits the bill myself...

I'd say JFK has a more convincing managerial track record than Wise. Academic I think, as he'd not do it and there'd be hell on if he did. Poyet I've long thought is likely because of his previous with Wise, but really he's got very little on his CV to suggest he's up to it. He'd be a gamble. Being a good fit for the system is a pretty flimsy justification for appointing him. On the other hand we have so many fucking spud rejects on the books now another one probably won't make much difference either way.

What's the fucking point in publishing that? It's not telling us anything we don't already know. Very strange. Out of nowhere, and for no obvious reason that I can think of. It's also curious that the club is speaking on Keegan's behalf - strikes me as a bit odd anyway for the club to be making statements in the name of both parties. Why not just say the club is in the arbitration process and will be making no comments? And, as you say, it tells us nothing we don't know. I've been trying to work out what might have prompted this but can't think of anything at all. Joint statement, the LMA put out the same. http://www.leaguemanagers.com/news/viewfromthetop-6298.html Ah, cheers. Curiosity killed then

I don't believe the Xisco stuff at all. Only a few weeks ago, probably to explain away Kinnear's apparent refusal to even consider playing the lad, the club said he was bought as 'one for the future' - surely Wise's territory. Yet now we're supposed to believe that the young French kid who's done well is a 'Dennis' signing while the young Spanish flop is Keegan's. Righto

He'll not do that like. He'll stick with his mates, as September proved. I also reckon if a new owner came in (well I can dream ) Shearer would be more likely to get it than KK, but that's obviously just a guess.