Howay

Seems to have worked FIsh, I also worked hard to improve my scouting up to about 55% knowledge of the world in 3 year. I've had 2 English attacking midfielders through who seem to be similar to Jack Wilshere and a good left back, I had San Paulo, Dinamo, Ajax and fenerbache as feeders but they all cut ties this season.

Aye it's a big year for them to be hit with this. Hope Athletico can win the title this year so they have money to invest heavily and convince Diego Costa to stay.

Just seen it does block the Halilovic move as well.

Ouch, there's no chance Delofeu will be leaving now they'll need all the talented youngsters they have. Can see Real Madrid spending massively now, the rumoured summer bid for Suarez looking all the more likely. This sets up really big trouble for them with Puyol and Valdes leaving at the end of the season, wonder if Puyol will rethink retirement. I'm assuming that lad Halilovic is still allowed to come in as they've already got the deal in place? or does it block that?

Aye, they're all around that level quality wise. Hopefully they'll be mid table championship fodder within 2 year.

Aye there's bound to be some cheering if it happens, but they had grown men crying in the stands and hugging their sons it was like fucking VE Day there.

Aye Sunderlands squad isn't close to the one we had when we went down, they're going to lose Ki and Borini as their loans are up. Iirc Larsson and I think Colback and Bardsley are out of contract, I can see Adam Johnson moaning and getting a move. Short of that group of players they're looking pretty dreadful tbh (I'm not 100% on Colback and Bardsley, just remembered they have a few contracts up at the end of the season). Short is going to need to buy a fair few upper level championship players which it seems they started to do bringing in Bridcutt.

Howay Fish, are you saying that 3 strikers with 2 Premiership goal between them aren't good enough?

Spot on post that Stevie, Pardew genuinely looks clueless at times and I seriously hope the decision to keep bringing on Left backs against So'ton was Carvers choice as it worried me even more if that was Pardew's work. A good number of the players we have signed in recent years have regressed under Pardew, imagine how good someone like Sissoko would look under Robson compared with his performances this year, when he first come he was driving at teams and really asserting his will on them whereas now he is often crowded out and if he does get a good run going overthinks the pass or shot. Like many have brought up the amount of times we just roll over and take a stomping under Pardew is a total disgrace, and truthfully half the time he doesn't look as bothered anymore. We were far better under Hughton tbh, we played more expansive, attacking football, under Pardew we look scared, we sit deep and look nervous to concede which invites pressure. The season we finished 5th was class, we rode our luck at times but I hand it to Pardew he did well, but like you say since then has been utterly miserable, I struggle to think of many games where we were the better team for 90 minutes, we either come out swinging and go one or 2 up in the first half then sit back and try and hold out 2nd half, or roll over first half and come out swinging 2nd half, is it fitness? or tactics? it's just odd. We were "the comeback kings" under Robson, under Pardew you can pretty much give up on a game once we go a goal down with the lack of times we've recovered from a losing position, it's pathetic. I said in the other thread the blame falls on everyone, and I think that completely, the players shouldn't escape blame for their terrible performances because Pardew is poor, but Pardew makes it hard not to just blame him. The man is a right sack, he comes across as a smug wanker when we win, thanking Mike, then he rolls out excuse after excuse if we lose, blaming the fans numerous times for things (which I think is unforgivable). This bloke deserves all the stick he gets, I remember when Parker lost the fans after swearing at the fans who were giving Carr a rough time, I'm surprised Pardew doesn't get more direct stick at games, maybe it's the apathy nowadays.

What a joke of a club, all the time they've spent in the Premiership and 2 7th place finishes is the best they've managed, no games in Europe (besides what 2 games against Ferencavoros yonks ago?). The mackem someone quoted is bang on, they belong down there and I really hope they just fucking stay down there this time.

Game in hand on West Brom (which is against Man City at the emirites) and 4 points behind them, .

Adam Johnson, surprised he didn't start the game tbh.

2-0 Diame, bye bye mackems. Big Andy with the assist.

Gerrin Big Andy

They're all at fault, the players aren't doing their job as they're vastly underperforming. The staff are at fault as the team seem to be out there without any direction or hint of tactic, it's not enough to say "ahh well they're professionals they should be able to play football" they're going up against 11's that are also professional but have a clear philosophy and tactic in place for the game. They're both at fault for motivation, it's the staffs job to motivate the players but they players are also responsible as at the end of the day this is their job, in an office it's your bosses job to supervise you and make sure you're on task, if he wasn't doing his job it wouldn't give you the right to dick about doing nothing all day. So in short they're all at fault for this, the reason Pardew gets flak instead of Carver and Stone is that he's the boss, he makes the final decisions and he's supposed to be devising the tactics etc.

Aye have to say I'm a lot less bothered by results, I think the frequency of the 3-0 and 4-0 drubbings we've had this season has really helped that. There was a time where a 4-0 drubbing was completely embarrassing, but in recent weeks it's come to be expected and almost feels the same as a 2-0 loss which is ridiculous. Everton walked through us as if we weren't even there, Southampton done likewise, I'm at the point where they can all do one tbh. Pardew for his shite tactics and decisions, Ashley for his large part and the players for being embarrassing on the field, I understand the point about how the knackers in charge have made the players apathetic but I still expect them to show some effort and have some pride. The recent performances should make the players ashamed of themselves. I'm pretty apathetic to Ben Arfa leaving tbh, we barely ever see him play anyway and as much as I love watching the lad I'm frustrated with him for clearly letting himself go. I can also get his apathy towards his place due to poor management but he's still an adult and has been unprofessional himself. Like I said though, it barely matters as Pardew has no clue how to use him anyway and would far rather have someone like Danny Guthrie.

Got to give credit to Rodgers mind, many (admittedly myself included) thought he was going to be poor but he's really stuck by his guns and built a team around his philosophy, has them playing very good and effective football. Really turned round players like Henderson, and Gerrards new deeper role has worked very well. Of course I don't want them to win the league but if they do they still deserve credit. I agree on how ridiculous the "plucky underfunded underdogs" story is, they've spent less than their competitors but have still spent a lot but being honest you can't win this league without spending big.

Yeah, it looked bizarre at times but it all worked really well. The uses of 'bad' CGI worked great as well. I'll definitely be giving it another watch sometime, especially as I missed Bill Murray's cameo. Shame it's not out down there, it luckily has a run at a cinema right next to me as the closest one after that is a good hour or so drive away. Those videos are interesting Happy Face, he definitely uses both those shots extensively in Grand Budapest Hotel, of course the videos have some examples from the trailer but there are a lot of shots of Ralph Fiennes character and his friend Zero's faces close up and centered. Beautiful film.

Just saw the Grand Budapest Hotel, really enjoyed it, lots of very good performances. Ralph Fiennes was hilarious in it.

Agreed I thought their poor defence would have cost them by now, but they've managed to keep up their crazy high scoring rate.

We finished the game with 3 left backs on the pitch, what a shambles.

Just so you know you aren't 'getting to' me or upsetting me, I'm just shocked you can find it so hilarious to keep using that word to try and rile someone up on an internet forum, on a Saturday. Just know because (I'm assuming) you're fortunate enough that no one close to you could come under the broad derogatory term retarded it doesn't make it okay to be ignorant towards this. I don't expect to get through to you so this will be my last post as I'm off out anyway, but I hope you pack using that term in sometime in the future and realise how unintelligent using it makes you seem.

And if I was there would be something wrong with that? Honestly you're disgusting, worse than saying racist things tbh as the people you're referring to are largely incapable of standing up for themselves. I hope you're banned soon, I never give a damn before but now you're just really working to try and offend people it's pathetic that you'd spend your time doing this.

Aye you're right, I normally avoid bothering with her but I can't tolerate the use of that word tbh. Anyway another woeful result, roll on next week...

I couldn't care less what you say, people that use terms like retarded to insult others are among the lowest of the low. You're an embarrassing excuse of a human being using terms like that.