OTF

Did well just to get his foot to it I thought.. took a deflection before it got to him.. through a crowd of players.

Danny Simpson good overlap, didn't want to cross on his left but when he did earnt us a corner... only for Jonas to take it weakly.. but he's earnt us a free... .....damn... close there, Williamson got a touch on it but coulnd't divert it goalbound.

So typical of us. 1-0 up and cruising, before you know it we're 2-1 down and one of our best players is off injured.

They were just teasing CT. The Mask is on Simpson to left back...

Enrique off???? FFS Ferguson on at left back...

The Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor experiment is not working.

FFS. Arteta milks it, and they score from the free-kick.

Arteta given way too much space there, and noone picking up Osman. This isn't a dig at him because it's not his position but Simpson seems lost out there the majority of the time. Oh, and one goose step from Stevie T thus far.

There's pro-Ashley fuckwits still?

Mike and Derek taking turns to slip into his place and give him dead legs in his sleep.

Simpson did ok as a stop gap playing in a wing back role but I don't think he'll be started on the right. Between Barton and Ireland they'll figure something out, but if not Lovenkrands will drop back to play on the left with Jonas moving to the right. This would give Ranger a start up front, though if Shola's back the phantom will play alongside Best keeping Ranger as an impact player which is where he is best utilised IMO.

Plus he's 30 years old.

Based on their on field performances I hope they stay up. They've turned in their fair share of entertaining performances and then some. If they do manage to stay up, the pressure will be on them next season when teams take them more seriously. They'll never be a permanent (or there abouts) fixture in the top flight, but credit to them for enjoying it whilst they're here.

In tontatic!!! To many quotes!!!

I hope that's not the plan.

Fellaini's called it so he doesn't have to hear 'You're just a shit Coloccini' again this season. If they beat us by 3 goals they'll actually go above us on the table and they have a game in hand... so I'd say taking all three points here would go a good way to helping us finish above them this season. A win is a definite possibility; with no Cahill they'll lack that extra scoring punch, and with both him and Fellaini missing they'll be much weaker on set pieces. It will bee interesting to see Ireland play if he does get on the pitch. Hopefully Barton is fit, makes a big difference to the way we play.

Heh, looks like you were having a great time.....the look on your face reminds me of this character: You're saying he looks like someone's got their hand up his kaiser pass? If so, I agree..

...unless he gets niggly injuries from coming back too soon of course. I reckon they won't bring him back any quicker than needed as it happens, it's not like we're in a desperate position. Yep, this is a huge problem when returning from lengthy injury spells. Other muscles have also lost conditioning, which will become apparent only in match situations, and often result in injuries. Some behind closed door friendlies where he can hold back and play limited minutes to ease him into playing at the top level again. Once he does return should be in limited spells initially working his way back towards starting. I do agree that it would be good to get him out on the pitch in a few games before the season is out for sure, but only when completely ready.

As others have said, it makes absolutely no sense to rush him back. Nurse him back to full fitness and get him out there for a few games so that he can have as good an off-season as possible.

Such an odd rumour to be completely fabricated.

Said this elsewhere, there is no way Graham Carr has suddenly developed genius talent spotting ability like Peter Taylor [of Brian Clough's partner not the hopeless cockney who has managed about 30 lower league teams by now]. He got lucky, a great spot but lucky all the same. You sign these bargain basement players for nowt or small fees, about 1 out of 5 or 6 will be hits and the rest will be a Perch, Lovenkrands, Routledge etc. Perch is the only of those three that hasn't worked out tbh. Lovenkrands scored 3 in 12 games in our relegation season, then picked up 16 in the Championship. Has scored 4 thus far with limited consistent game time. Looks lightweight granted, but cost us nothing. Routledge came and solidified us in the second half of the Championship season, kept us fresh and added some much needed pace. He's been moved on now and if QPR are promoted (which looks likely) he'll be off to them for what we paid for him. Besides the point though, Perch is out of his depth.

It would be mildly disappointing given where we are now and taking into account some of the points we have thrown away.... But on the whole most (myself included) would have taken it in a heartbeat if we were offered 10th place at the start of the season. Nothing is sewn up yet, but I'd say Birmingham's victory has just about put an end to the European ambitions.

He has played since then. I swear the football gods were shining down on me the other day. I heavily criticised Guthrie for that touch when he injured himself and we conceded a gaol as a result, I did very similar (without injuring myself, and without conceding a goal) went to dribble the ball through a gap between two defenders, fucking trod on the ball and slipped over and they were off with the ball whilst I picked myself up as quickly as possible. I was playing on 4 hours sleep so that's my excuse - that and the fact that I'm not a professional football player.

I can see from your pictures Paul that you were instrumental in getting Steven Ireland to sign. Cheers. This thread is officially tragic.