The Fish

Noelie, I think you've been spoiled by Keegan and Robson eras and that you've got to be realistic. We're in the 2nd tier of English football for a reason, most of our team isn't very good. We've a few players who can, on their day, produce quality, but they can't do it consistently and they can't do it in the Premier League. If they could, that's where they'd be doing it and not for us. The best players in our team are average Premier League players, at best, and even then they're not necessarily going to be able to produce that form when they're playing 2 games a week against sides who're set up with 10 men behind the ball for 90 minutes. We'd all love to be watching exciting, expansive football, played by inventive, committed, likeable professionals, but that's just not the real world. Benitez won't often have us playing dazzling football, but he's the best hope we've had of a trophy since Sir Bobby Robson. We will grind out wins and we'll sometimes fail to get past stoic opposition, but we won't be relegated. We'll hopefully climb the league (if he's supported in the transfer window), and he'll aim to build a legacy. I'd have all of that over playing pretty football and failing to get promoted.

Read somewhere that Rafa wanted him to learn English to a higher standard but he hasn't made enough progress, and also that in a particular game he was instructed to play diagonal balls but kept playing them straight and giving the ball away. After that Rafa doesn't trust him to carry out instructions.

Aye, but it's properly riled up them down the road.

I disagree, but I'm going to forgive you because you used "Horse shit" rather than Bull shit.

Thing is, flair is​ an important attribute of an elite player because it's another facet to their game. Yes, Shearer was technically superb and an athlete but he hadn't the flair of Ronaldo, Zidane etc. Christiano Ronaldo is technically superb, an athlete and can do things with the football that would have occurred to Shearer to try during a game. That's why CR is World class and Shearer was probably the level just below that at his peak. Like Beckham or Gerrard or whomever.

Not really, there's usually more snogging.

We also got a shit load of freekicks around the box when we had an absolute embarrassment of options; https://youtu.be/pNujRL_oVuc?t=93 https://youtu.be/mfyty0_9Iyo?t=15

I do not get this reference

It's funny, on here you don't come across as a Juggalo...

We all have pictures of you.

Seen reports that the Man City academy have almost a monopoly on young talent in their catchment area, even Manchester United players are sending their kids to the blue half of the city for training.

Was that rumour in the papers? I must have missed it

Beardsley's the better footballer, Shearer the greater player. Lead a team to a title, nearly did the same with us. Unbelievable scoring record in a team that was bang average more often than not. Did that after coming back from a career threatening injury that forced him to change his game. Beardsley is incredibly gifted and had the right mentality to go with his wonderful skill, but Shearer wins it for me.

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/chant-for-the-early-leavers.1341250/ Have at it Gentlemen.

Unexpected Shots Fired.

Maybe he's sorry?

I don't accept your apology. Bring me cake and we can talk.

Old Tufty is 10/1 for the job, Agnew is favourite at 4/1

Just delete your vote Senor Pissypants.

Schteve & Pardiola dream team?

I'd have him back, because sentimentality in football is more dead than Bruno's baby momma.

Good grief. The tone was a bit unsettling given the topic mind.

I've not seen it. I think it's because everyone on here has become distrustful of MSM at your urging and as such are uncomfortable sharing any news items that aren't 1st hand accounts or funny.