The Fish

What's that?

It must be infuriating for a journalist to get that interview with a high ranking politician and for them to just reel off prepared answers which aren't remotely relevant to the question asked. Honestly I'm always expecting them to just start packing up "Nah, you're all right hoss, we've made a soundboard with all your stock answers, we'll just dub them over and go to the pub."

No, he wouldn't. I am incredibly agile, I would dodge him.

I have suspicions.

Ahhh, you meant the Golden Ball, or Ballon D'or.

Although, to be fair, Nottingham Forest are a mess. Had he been added to a normal PL side, he may have done better. As it is, they've 22 new players and not a very good manager to try and corral them in the same direction.

He won the Golden Boot at Liverpool in 98 and 99 with the lowest total for a golden boot in the PL era (18), and he shared both golden boots with two other players each year. Moved to Real Madrid in 2004. Moved to Newcastle 2005.

No, he didn't. Another thing you saw with your EYES, was it?

I saw him more as cover for Bruno, than as a teammate. I'd like a true blue DM to allow Bruno to play further forward, to allow the fullbacks to push further forward and to provide a bit more support for the CBs too.

Mostly plays on the right of a midfield 2 or 3. More advanced and with more attacking freedom than a 6 would traditionally play. If we had an out and out defensive midfielder, you could play them side by side I guess.

Altrincham host Gateshead in the fourth qualifying round. Another local team I might pop along to with the boy.

Not particularly great at the defensive side of things, is he?

I'd like us to sign someone more mobile and less Hollywood-passes all day long. I want Bruno further forward, but I don't want Shelvey parked in front of the defence, so I guess it's time to bust out the blood money.

Fat chance. (pun intended)

He's actually doing really well on paper. Needs to turn a few more of his chances into goals and a few more opportunities into assists, but it looks like his confidence is growing. He might have scored if Wilson hadn't snuck in (it might have come back off the post mind you), and like I said before he had a copuple of opportunities where another player was offside and thus robbed him of a chance. But he's doing good if you ask me. Certainly isn't the one I'd definitely drop from the midfield. Dunno who would be dropped though.

I did not, because I have never heard of him. >4hrs there, 50 minutes of the match before he wants to go find a play ground, >4hrs back, spunking best part of £200? Nah, fuck that. Age, cost and distance are three excellent excuses, thank you very much.

Arsenal mate was wondering whose is the bigger redemption story, Joelinton or Xhaka? I'd say Joe because Xhaka was decent before and is decent now, he was just unpopular with the fans. Whereas Joe's gone from £40m flop of a striker, with people doubting we'd get a penny for him, to one of the best destructive midfielders in the league.

Not until he's older, want him to endure the shit, before experiencing the good.

League 2 football, you Sky Sports fan! Went with a mate and his son (lads go to the same nursery) and they entertained each other with clapping and shouting "Come on Stockport County" at random points during the match. I'm not planning on taking him to a big stadium until he's 6 or 7. Even when Stockport scored (which is apparently a bit of a rarity) the noise kind of spooked him.

Well, on Saturday I was at Edgeley Park watching Stockport smash the slugs from Walsall all over for 75 minutes until the little lad grew sufficiently restless and wanted to go off and run around a park for a bit. As far as he knows, the blue ones won and the ones in black didn't score an against the run of play equaliser in the 88th minute. Then I came home and between putting him down and Match of the Day I watched the full rerun of the Fulham game and had a browse of the spreadsheets and stats. Because I'm a fucking legend mate.

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?

He was on the bench against us, didn't your eyes pick him out then? Unless you're telling us they all look the same to you? Disgusting.

In this post you've just told me you think Adama Traore plays for Barcelona, when STATS WILL SHOW he plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers. (6 appearances, 1 goal in the league cup against Preston)

Numbers is hard brrrrr

I think you're right for most teams, but with this Man City side, and this Newcastle side? I think our best chance is to double down on the tactics that paid off at St James'. Plus, by the time we face them, we'll have strengthened again.