The Fish

Nope, a weaker team than the one that managed the heady heights of 17th last season should be performing much better than it is currently, and that's Moyes' fault. Not Allardyce's for his short-term fix, not the players for being dogshit, not Short's for failing to invest, but David Moyes.

On top of ludicrous wages, I think they're still paying for players who aren't even with the club any more ( as we did under Shepherd & Hall), and that Alvarez debacle was hilarious.

Defoe was an inspired signing, is has to be said. Kirchoff was exactly what they needed last year, but he can't manage more than 60 minutes, it seems. I think their biggest problem is that their few good signings are good for 1 thing only, dragging them to safety, that season. They never buy for the future, they have too many shit footballers and too few players with any real quality. Moyes wants them to play a passing game, but they simply don't have players who can do that. And it seems that Short won't give the managers the money to address the weaknesses. They've crippling debt and while relegation is something clubs like Aston Villa, Norwich and ourselves can manage in our own ways, I'm not sure that Sunderland would be able to swallow a season or two outside the top flight and the frankly obscene amounts of money that that brings. Didn't they make a £25m loss last season? That's bonkers for a top flight team that isn't pushing for honours.

3 more and it's a full league season without a win. I wonder how many of those games were losses "BUT THEYER PREMYAH LEEG LOSSES!" "FTM"

Said elsewhere, but that's a classic "fuck this shit" injury.

Aye, and she's "gone" "out" this "morning" to "meet" a "friend" for "coffee".

Dr Strange: Trippy, Superhero origin movie, some good performances and sets up nicely for Drimblesnatch's future in the Marvel cinematic universe, but suffers with a fairly average antagonist and a pretty by the numbers Origin plot. Definitely one to watch in 3D on a big screen though. The visuals are incredible.

My lass is being unreasonable, she used to go out with Simon Tweddle at school and he's now the Senior Fitness Coach at Newcastle, and she won't get back in touch with him to clear up who's injured, unfit etc.

Definitely not writing him off, I think he's a really exciting player and I'm not so arrogant as to think I know better than Rafa, but I do wonder why he's not featured more than a 6 minute substitute appearance at home to Brentford. As above, not expecting him to start games away to Villa, but less than ten minutes when there've been a few games we've completely bossed, is significant for me.

We're 14 league games in and he's had 6 minutes.

You're a right bunch of bastards, you know that?

Guessing Grayson was just trying to foster any nascent complacency in our lot, maybe lay the challenge down to his lads? I'd be staggered if we had as easy a time against Preston's 1st team at their place when their pride is at stake, as we did against their reserves at our place. That said, apparently Aleksandar is ablaze and their back four are shitting themselves.

I thought Lazaar got over his knock? Either way, Lazaar has only managed 6 minutes in a Championship campaign with 2 games a week.

We should beat these 2-0, which is what I've gone for on here. However, football is shit, so I've put money on them to beat us and both teams to score.

Definitely need a RW. If Ritchie gets injured or drops out of form we're playing Gouffran or Yedlin. I'd want someone like Shelvey, because if he doesn't maintain this form, we've not a lot of creativity in the centre. Perez and Diame want to play further forward and Anita, Colback and Hayden aren't creative. I'm hoping Lazaar comes good, but he can't even get a game in the Cup against Preston. Another Striker would be good, but might not be a priority if Gayle and Mitrovic keep scoring and Armstrong continues to improve. Good post

You can't sensor me!

And that's ignoring the lack of caps.

Agree, if we're to go up we'd need to add quality in certain areas, rather than bringing in 9+ new faces. This squad is good enough to go toe-to-toe with most of the bottom 6 or so, as those teams are as good/bad as the top Championship sides. A few our first team are mid-table Premier League standard already, (Krul, Mbemba, Shelvey, Ritchie, Gayle) some might grow to become that modest ambition (Sels, Darlow, Gamez, Yedlin, Lascelles, Hanley, Clark, Lazaar, Anita, Diame, Aarons, Perez, Mitrovic, Armstrong) and some will never be good enough for that (Dummett, Colback, Gouffran, Murphy) So replace those that won't be good enough and safety should be doable. Mind you this is forgetting we've another window in the Championship where Rafa could add to the squad now, with the promise of Premier League football in 6 months. Say we brought in another CM, another winger and another fullback. Young lads from the Championship like Will Hughes, Anthony Knockaert and Charlie Taylor. Derby and Leeds aren't likely getting promoted and Newcastle likely are.

You hungover mate?

Some wags on Twitter were saying Moyes got sent to the stands for throwing a pack of ham at the 4th official oh and apparently

Because the Premier League is filled with excellent players and the Championship is a tinpot league full of mugs. Even though at least three teams have players who were muggy cunts in that tin pot league lss than 6 months ago. There's a magic doorway they walk through to become another addition to the pantheon of gods that play in that league, for such powerhouses as Burnley, Middlesbrough, Hull and Bournemouth

Heading up to see the better half's mates new baby this weekend, might take a laptop and "do some work".

Another to add the list of things Aston Villa would be if they were... Pizza - Margherita Band - Coldplay Ice cream - Vanilla Colour - Beige NFL team - Cleveland Browns