OTF

It will be amazing if Tiote lasts the half without a yellow.

Possession 71-29 to them... At St James'

Commentator nailed it about the Fulham strip. Utter shite.

Saylor trying to take out Raylor. No 1 Taylor in town. Tiote well off the pace again. They look much more fluid, but then their season started a while back. Barton already being missed.

Not unless they find a way to do less than nothing.

I'm pretty sure there are exceptions allowed for those in physically demanding jobs.

Jonas is a certain starter, Obertan quite possibly as well, with both being rested for the Scunthorpe cup match. Likewise it will be Shola up top with Ba likely to be alongside him. Tiote back in central midfield alongside Cabaye, with a back four of Simpson, Colo, Saylor and Raylor. He'll get Marveaux out there at some point and possibly Sammy as well. Gosling could also come on to replace Cabaye if he looks to be tiring.

Didn't have any implications for Barton..... But this will surely be the end of the Lone Ranger at St James' Ranch. Stupid is as stupid does.

But every decision made is the right one financially speaking, in terms of actually saving money, irrespective of league performance. I realise you're taking the piss, but by this token they could have a fire sale and get rid of the entire first team. We'd have the lowest wages in the league!

The 2.5M would easily be recovered based on league position alone. He's been instrumental in the 4 points we've got thus far. Remember we lost 2.5M+ just by putting Alan Smith on the pitch in the last game of the season (and consequently blowing a lead). Joey and QPR win.

Aye, they couldnt force him out because he went to prison but his comments on twitter were just the ammunition they needed. I was all for tearin his contract up when he was sent to prison. He'd been an unmitigated disaster up to that point. Completely baffling that now that he has finally come good the club have let him leave for free, in the process strengthening another team in the same league. Our player of the season last year, someone who the manager obviously has a lot of faith in as a player, and yet the hierarchy try to win one over on him by telling him he's free to go. They look double the fool now as he moves on increasing his wage and securing his footballing future. In the scheme of things 2.5M is nothing. The club would have you believe that making a free transfer costs that much. Certainly his value to the team was so vastly in excess of that figure, just for this season alone, that this merely confirms again the complete and utter incompetence of Ashley and Llambias.

Valued possession which is a good start.

They have no problems completing a deal if it's an outgoing one.

Explains how we've conducted any business. If it was Derek on the phone or worse, showing up in person we'd be straight on the black list at every club.

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLkick ..twas actaully a goal

Wigan 1 QPR 0 Villa 2 Wolves 0 Blackburn 1 Everton 2 Chelsea 4 Norwich 0 Swansea 1 Sunderland 1 Liverpool 2 Bolton 0 Newcastle 1 Fulham 0 Tottenham 0 Man City 1 West Brom 0 Stoke 1 Man Utd 2 Arsenal 0

On the phone to Mike Ashley to find the dimensions of our bore hole tbh, short of water in Ireland they are.

That's it with Gosling in this game. Marveaux on the other hand really valued possession and seldom gave it away. The sign of a composed player, playing at a comfortable level. Of course it would be foolish to write anyone let alone Gosling off after such a small amount of time on the pitch after coming back from injury, especially when they've been moved around so much they've probably forgotten what their preferred position is. Everyone can have a bad game as well. Worth noting that Raylor would have finished the game with a goal, an assist and a penalty win if the officials were competent. He's not a defender, least of all a left sided one, but with Barton's exit imminent his delivery could come in handy from the right when deployed in midfield, somewhat restricting the negative impact of the lesser aspects of his game.

And don't discount our £20M free signing Demba Ba, who thus far looks worth every penny.

That's him cup tied then, no way we'll be in for him now as we'll need him for our champions league fix... viewing parties.

Ah who gives a shite. On it's own sure. But in the context of everything - why even be talking to a goal keeper? All resources should be working on filling the positions where we have no one or no depth. Instead they're out chancing their arm looking for bargains and doing so illegally.

Aye I was thinking that. He knocked the ball past their centre half at one point and looked like he was running in wellies to get past him. Slow to get going or change direction I think because of the size of him, decent pace once he gets going.

Now Charlton have lodged an official complaint about an illegal approach for Elliot. FFS.

Abysmal first half, entertaining from then on. Krul had a fantastic game, kept us in it in particular with that save from the Coloccini deflection. A lot of poor signs particularly in relation to Gosling and Ba. Best scored a legitimate goal but was extremely wasteful otherwise. Lovenkrands was at best ok in tiny spells but otherwise was anonymous out there. Marveaux had a go and will really benefit from having other attack minded players inside him to work off - I'm thinking HBA there. Vuckic and in particular Sameobi looked dangerous when they came on, not afraid to take on their players then put dangerous balls into the area.

Wonderful finish.