Yorkie-Geordie

I think atleast four points from our next two games really is absolutely imperative now.

If we DO go down, i'll pin the 'where it happened' tag on the Blackburn game, i would have thought. We were potentially nine points clear of the drop zone at ten past four that weekend. 35 minutes later we were three points off it. And now Reading are actually above us. WOW the next two games are pretty huge.

Have we switched to 4-4-2 now that Martins is on...?

Because that sequence of events is just so typical of a team that is going down. Play well for forty/eighty minutes, then fall apart and lose the game in an instant, with a massive slice of 'un'luck.

Yeah, how dare he try to clear a ball upfrield. What ameteurish prick taught him that?

Christ.

1-0 Liverpool.

What evidence is there of success against the top four, when we've played defensively? Especially with Owen upfront? We went to Arsenal, played 4-4-2, and attacked them. And we were the better side for 45 minutes. Their quality just got the better of us late in the second half. We went to Chelsea and Man Utd, played defensive and lost both games, getting absolutely battered in one of them. We went to Wigan and Derby and played defensive, and were comfortably beaten. Like i say, what's most worrying is that Keegan simply hasn't made his stamp on things in terms of the teamsheet, he's just doing the exact same things that Allardyce did.

Front trio of Owen, with Milner and Duff on the wings/supporting strikers. I swear that was the last thing Allardyce tried in the Premier League before he got sacked. Fairly sure we lost 6-0 last time we played a top four team with Owen up top on his own, too. What's he playing at? I desperately want Keegan to succeed and i think he can, but what's more worrying than anything, is that he's making the exact same decisions that Allardyce did line-up/subs-wise that got him sacked, with the team looking less fit aswell.

Martins on the bench. Have to say i agree with him in the respect that we need a consistent team with similar personnel, but this consistency is going to send us down. Taylor in for Caçapa - why? Smith in for Martins - why? Butt still can't get out of the team - why? Rubbish. 3-0 Liverpool.

Did Mourinho get him?

I take your point, but is it fitness or character ? for me I think as soon as we conceed the heads go down. It probably is more a question of character really. I wasn't exactly saying that the fitness is really poor or anything (i don't think it's great), i'm just arguing Duff's point that it has 'improved'. That's a load of nonsense to me. And if it is to do with character, surely that's 'mental fitness', or something?

You could possibly be right. I can't really comment on that to be fair, i didn't see the game. I saw the others though, and in contrast to several late victories or comebacks when Allardyce was here, i fail to see where this great upturn in fitness is really shining through. I'm not exactly standing up for Allardyce, he certainly had his faults, i just don't think it's very clear that the fitness is considerably better now that he's gone. It doesn't look it to me. Like i say, it's concerning. Because when we concede, we frequently look like we're going to concede more and more. Which we have done. We were inches away from losing the Boro game aswell!

I find this pretty difficult to believe if i'm honest. Yet to see any evidence of an improvement of fitness, infact, it's one of the things i'm most concerned about! Arsenal cup game, late collapse. Middlesbrough, late collapse. Villa, second half utter capitulation. Man Utd, constant bombardment. Blackburn, late collapse. Aye, i know two of those were Man Utd and Arsenal, but the consistency of it is worrying.

Anyone know of any score?

Wahey, Zamblera.

Superbly done.

Stopped reading at that point. It's just regurgitated from the Daily Mail though, and there's quotes there. It probably holds some water, atleast a bit. I think McGeady would be a good signing from what i've seen. He looked good against Barcelona the other night, and if it means offloading Duff then i think it's a good plan. I don't mind Duff but he hasn't really got it for the Top 6 anymore, even though he's improved a lot since the crap he served up last season. He's got decent movement and is pretty intelligent, but he's still pretty slow, struggles to beat his man and has got bugger all crossing ability. Knowing the current situation though, McGeady would probably be a replacement moreso for N'Zogbia. Know nowt about Fletcher.

Get a couple of games? He should be in the team no question imo. That's of course if he isn't AWOL or something.

The Chelsea one in 03/04 was better IMO. Which on wazzat? Can vaguely remember it, but tbf the only thing that stands out from that game was the goal. The way Shola turned and buried that was sublime. Anyhow, was it against Gudjohnsen or something? I remember John Terry hitting the post right at the end or something... Given's best save imo was that double one he pulled off against Spurs in the FA Cup QF (04/05).

Crouch, Arteta, Carrick, Wright-Phillips, Dunne. But that pushes the realms of realisticness to the very limit.

He looked pretty good in the Champions League imo. I thought he was a good player in his time here but went on the way-side (is that the right way to say it) at Portsmouth. Wouldn't be massively keen but out of a lot of players who would love to come back here, i wouldn't be as dissatisfied with him as i would be with Robert for example.

I'd rather we just tried and utilised Viduka properly. He can be just as effective with Owen (or Oba), albiet using a different method. Pump balls constantly to Viduka's head and he'll get you nowhere. He's not been scintillating but he's got a decent goals to starts ratio this season and when he's good he's excellent. Quality footballer if used right (could be said for so many of our squad). Heskey's a bit one dimensional imo.

I'll be surprised if he doesn't have a sniff around the Wright-Phillips situation.

Not Ready Brek?