The Fish

Shit education and a deliberately provocative media?

I was wondering which misery would ruin the fun and, Bob's your uncle, Gemmil turns up.

I only used League performances because there are so many variable in cup competition that, without proper interrogation, could skew results greatly. Without knowing, he may have scored a stack of goals for CSKA Moscow at home vs crap teams? Dunno, but performing well in the Russian league doesn't really have my heart all aflutter. Once bitten and all that. I'm not saying never play him, I'm asking what has CT seen in those 32 minutes that make him think he can play as a lone striker away to Leicester and as yet, he's been unable to come up with a single reason beyond "he's scored goals". Well, Doumbia hasn't scored since 21st October 2015, against Man Utd. CT hasn't said if Doumbia can hold up the ball, if his touch is good, if he can fashion chances for himself, if he can get past a couple of players, or anything like that.

I don't buy that I was just thinking "That Gloomy, with one mohican get right back on the horse!"

FFS man, have a care

Don't be hasty, mullet over a while.

13 in 21. It's excellent no doubt, but as others have said, why wasn't he rated in Italy and why, after 6 weeks, is he still slowly being introduced to the team? I'm not writing him off, but I'd rather give Mitrovic the nod (given he's likely to get more support under Rafa than under McClaren).

trust me, if I didn't there'd be Hell toupee

He's a top manager, but I don't rate his transfer dealings.

I'm not writing Doumbia off man, but I certainly can't understand from where you've drawn the conclusion that he's the best bet to lead the line against Leicester at the King Power. I just have more confidence in other players, especially given Doumbia hasn't exactly shown sparks of anything. At least when Perez was being introduced to the squad we saw flashes of quality. Doumbia hasn't shown me anything, yet. You're honestly saying that, rather than trust a top class manager to improve the performances of a couple of players who've shown they've the ability to perform at this level (if only in flashes so far), you want to gamble on a player who, when he's been tried at a top level (Serie A) failed to impress? You do this all the time man, you arbitrarily pick a player to get behind, they then do absolutely fuck all, yet you insist they deserve their chance. Marveaux ahead of Ben Arfa, Shane ahead of Jonas, LuaLua ahead of Jonas... and have been proven right on no one (that I can recall).

I agree that I'm the voice of considered reason, thank you.

Just a telegraph article on the players that Rafa bought at Liverpool that flopped. Not my list.

And if it's only goals that we're judging a player on, why not play Cisse who has a career avg of 2.45 Games per Goal?

I'm still waiting to hear "The Fish Was Right" from some people... Those follicle words would make me so happy.

I believe it's the secret to the hirsute of happiness.

There was a lot of time between that last day and the start of the new season.

Reckon I was quite magnanimous at the end of the season, mind. I took a lot of shit about my bold prediction, January onwards.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2009/may/20/liverpool-transfers A worry, no?

Ok. If we're judging a striker on goalscoring alone; in terms of top flight competition (which I think we can agree the Belgian & Russian leagues are not) Doumbia's performance is piss poor. Worse than Shola's in fact.

goal percentages? Do you mean Goals per game? Or Goals per shots?

Aye, but even during Carver's capitulation I thought we'd get enough points to survive. Honestly didn't think it'd go to the last day.

In the Russian league, where Ferreyra looked a world beater. So, barring a stint in a good league he's scored lots? So did Alves