The Fish

I don't understand why so many would prefer to rinse and repeat, finishing 17th every year, rather than accepting relegation as part of the rebuilding process, so that they return to the Premier League without the millstone of a losing culture dragging every effort to progress back into the mire of survival.

Took them 25 games to get 20 points last season, they only had 12 by the start of January.

I forget that people are entirely incapable of inference once they've a nostril full of gusset gas.

LeazesMag just looked up from his Bigot's Wives magazine to declare to his long suffering wife "I sense a great disturbance in the force!"

Parents booked Butlins instead of Tenerife again?

Mad isn't it? We've hated Ashley for years and now that the right manager has come in and laid down the law, nobody is as vocal in their contempt for him. Down the road, however, Short has been similarly destructive to their football club and doesn't seem to get nearly as much abuse. They seem to point the finger at the manager or the players, something that they derided us for doing when PardewOut.com was at it's peak.

You'd think, with the quality we have on the flanks in Atsu and Ritchie, it''s begging out for options in the centre. The former might not be great at delivering a cross, but certainly has the quality to get to the by-line and pull a ball back.

After £50m was spent on their squad. Do sunderland have £50m to spend on an overhaul?

Fair enough. Lazaar looks like he has plenty of tricks in his locker and I think Rafa is right in introducing him slowly ('I'm sure Senor Benitez would be relieved to hear he has my support), I was also thinking it's possible Lazaar is being prepped for a left wing role, rather than fullback? Personally I'd play 2 up front at home, certainly against the teams lower in the division. Shelvey and Hayden or Colback are more than capable of controlling most midfields, especially when the opposition are setting out their stall to defend and counter. The pace and quality we have on the flanks in Atsu, Gouffran, Lazaar, Ritchie and Yedlin should be able to put the quality into the box for a combination of Gayle, Mitro and Perez to cause no end of problems for the defence. Darlow seems to have sewn up the 'keeper spot and Clark, the player most people's eyebrows raised highest at, seems to be a really solid centreback at this level. Next 5 league games are against 11th, 17th, 18th, 21st and 13th. Only two are at home and both the top-half sides are away. I would have like it to be the other way around. 3 "easy" away games and a couple of tricky home ties. I know the fixtures have to be played at some point, but it would have been nice to try and pull away from the chasing pack before Xmas, strengthen in January and romp down the home stretch, twatting everyone 6/7-0 I'd like another left back because while Dummett isn't embarrassing himself every game in the Championship, it'd be nice to go into the Premier League season (if we go up) with a left back who can play at that level, already bedded in.

Just said he was in that mould; Busy, quick, a nuisance.

I'd like to see us start with two up front. Especially when Shelvey is stretching the play as much as he is. Atsu, Gouffran Lazaar, Ritchie and Yedlin providing width for two strikers would surely be too much for the majority of the visiting teams? Speaking of which, how were the two full backs in their more advanced positions?

Dunno if Defoe would leave to be honest. He's on a decent wage even with any relegation clause and he'll be 36 next year. He's out of the International scene and I can't imagine he'll have another top flight club coming in for him that can offer the same wages he'll be on. Their biggest problem will be their finances and the fact that there will likely be clubs sniffing around their younger players like Watmore and Pickford. Those two might not be good enough for the Premier League at the minute, but they'll likely be 1st teamers in the Championship. Some mid-table side may fancy taking a punt on a young 'keeper getting plenty of games at the minute, for their bench. And some newly promoted/just survived team may fancy taking a punt on a young forward player in the Shane Long mould.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him at Palace if they finish 16th or lower.

Was Perez better than Diame's been?

There's a thread dividing them on RTG, one half think the current squad would piss the Championship if they went down, the others think they'd struggle to break into the top half.

A write up from a Brentford fan. They've all been very complimentary about their away day, talking up the quality of; our team, our stadium, the people, the pubs and the city. Don't seem to have been massively impressed with the atmosphere mind and the last few times I've been able to make I've thought it was pretty shit as well.

Thanks for all the advice lads

Fancy Brentford to turn us over. 5/1 is decent odds as well.

Poyet in the Guardian Pretty damning.

to be sure to be sure

A lovely new addition to the Masturbatorium. How long before you wonder how to print a 3D mock up of a vagina?

"to dumb"?

Parky really struggling to keep his inner angry gamergater in check here.

When advising Gloomy, could I get some advice too? My dad needs a new phone, he only needs it for phonecalls, and texts and even then he uses it rarely.