OTF

There's certainly some similarities between our position last season and their's this season. We both seemingly had a better quality of player than the teas around us, but we both also had confidence that is at rock bottom. Portsmouth and Burnley seem to be nailed on for the drop, so like last season there's a collection of teams that could fill that third slot. I honestly think that this year Hull will go down, Wolves will escape relegation by the skin of their teeth (but will go down next year) and Sunderland will be spared the blushes.

Frustrating as he is if you can't see the value of a player who can hold possession and continually beat and frustrate the opposition then you're on a different page altogether.

Pretty much on the money here, though Coloccini still doesn't look comfortable against pace with the ball on the deck. Enrique was definitely green when he first came to us, and had some injury problems coupled with a manager who seemingly refused to give him a consistent run in the side. As others have pointed out he's not yet at the top level in terms of attack from a full-back, but he's constantly improving in that regards. In terms of defense as I previously mentioned he's better than Baines. Bridge is decent, but in my humble opinion is terrribly overrated. Whoever said that Enrique was continually exposed in the Premier League obviously didn't watch any/many games. He not only did his part, but also helped on many occassions to cover for the complete lack of pace that we had across the back (Coloccini and Taylor in particular are slow, and Beye is also not quick). I remember him largely nullifying an in form Aaron Lennon last season, something that not many fullbacks in the league would be capable of. One thing that does concern me is that this season he's perhaps a little too confident on the ball - in that he'll keep the ball at the back because he's confident he will be able to beat the player trying to close him down. Just about without fail he does however in the Premier League against a much higher class of opposition he'll be doing it much tougher and the risk will become much much greater. On the whole though he's not long been 24 and continues to show signs of improvement.

Does this include the funds generated from the sale of players (including those at the close of season)? If so it will have been inflated by the great many sales totalling 30 odd million pounds .... Milner, Given, Bassong, Duff, N'Zogbia... If it doesn't it should give a good indication of the level at which we should be aiming at competing. Our revenue should return to being at this level (or above if TV money has gone up) for next season, whilst our outgoings have been reduced drastically - not just on wages, but also general operations. The wages will go up (hopefully) with the purchase of some better players and the cost to get them in initially will be a big hit but balanced over 3 years there should be no reason why we're not back in the top half of the premier league.

Not even close. Habib Beye was past his best when he came to Newcastle. He was an excellent player for us because he read the game well and when he committed to a tackle he just about always pulled it off. At Villa there's very little reason to invest in Beye. He has a few years left at best. He's there simply to be cover in the event of injuries. Mind you in our side he'd waltz straight back into the right back position. Enrique has been on the improve ever since coming to us, but always had the foundations to be an exceptional player. He's quick, he's strong, and he has a powerful left foot. His reading of the game has improved immensely, as has his ability to combine with the midfield on attacking raids down the field.

I agree about Enrique, I always thought he would be a good player. He is one of the best full backs playing in this country. However, your estimation of 5 players is a bit short, and even 5 players would cost a fortune. So it isn't going to happen. I agree that it won't happen, but I do think that that is all that is required (assuming a good run with injuries). I think there's a chance that we will see 5 players come in but they won't be of the standard that is required. I really wish that Best was not bought, thus far he seems to only just be championship standard and will be well out of his depth in the Premier League (would LOVE for him to prove me wrong). As a result I see any money spent on him as coming off whatever amount will be spent over summer which is certainly not a good thing.

Quality images.

I'll go on record to say that there is no way in the world that Enrique is not a top half of the Premier League quality left back. He's better than Wayne Bridge. He's a much better defender than both Baines and Bale. Given their current Spanish influence he would be very at home within Liverpool. IMO we're five good players and a good manager away from midtable premier league. The difference between mid-table and top half is nothing more than a bit of belief and a good injury free run.

Scary how poorly they're doing with the amount of money spent of late. We won't spend anywhere near the amount they have in the past several years.

Tamas Kadar does look promising, composed on the ball, strong and aware but he is predominantly a CB not a LB....i'd rather him and Williamson be back up for CB alongside maybe another CB and us go and get another natural LB as cover for Jose. I agree that Kadar is decent backup for Jose at left back. Tall for a fullback, but I think he fancies himsefl to be able to play there - seems to like being n the ball and getting forward. Predominantly a central defender becuse of his height, but at a pinch could be played left fullback. Ryan Taylor should laso be able to do a job there at a pinch, so I'd say getting cover in for Jose should be lower down our priority list than some decent central midfielders and a quality forward.

Nervous moments at the end there. Looked shaky as.

Quality header.. he seems to head a lot better in traffic.

Awesome start....

When is van aanholt's loan up?

Thing with Hughton is that they had a pre-existing relationship with him as one of their trainers/coaches and so would have already been calling him by his first name. He's more or less been the right man for the job, keeping the squad happy and performing pretty well, deflecting any potential bad publicity/media beat ups with his calm persona. Next season though it will be a completely different story. The confidence could disappear very quickly and the heads will drop. What Hughton can do in a situation like that is perhaps an unknown entity. He did have some experience in that sitaution last year but without the year of experience and the deeper relationships that he will have forged with our players. Given that he was signed for multiple years, and that he's done a good job so far if we're promoted there's no way Ashley will get rid of him. That is unless we find ourselves in a horrible predicament mid-season. If he does choose to part ways with Hughton under circumstances like that we could find our old friend Joe Kinnear back in a 'caretaker' role.

A few weeks back on the Guardian.co.uk, Football Podcast (with James Richardson) they were talking up his prospects as an option for England on the left.

And we only have to think back one season to remember what we've got in store in a fourth bottom season. Were it not for a mistake from the linesman in the penultimate game last year we'd have finished exactly there. Season of Dross here we come!

He does have good technique under pressure, however what happens quite a bit is he'll beat one player whilst looking for a passing option and will then have to try to beat them again or thread an impossible ball because no passing option s have presented themselves. I'd put it down to imitations of other players which in turn goes back to team selections. Guthrie doesn't have pace or trickery, but he's half decent at using his body to protect the ball. It would be nice to see him form some sort of partnership with a steady midfield setup. I really thought he'd be a central figure for us this season - hasn't turned out to be the case because of what appears to be blatant favouritism towards some of the more 'experienced' players.

Super Subs.. PS - Accaspacca's master plan undone by a flukey goal...

Sounds as though Coventry have been chasing all game with the amount of fouls and yellow cards they've conceded. Why can't we aim to play like this every week regardless of location?

Can I please have the few minutes back that I wasted reading that?

True, it doesn't affect us and seemingly won't for the next 5 odd years (and who knows from there) assuming we're stillunder the control of Ashley.

Yep, the treatment of that girl was horrible, by a complete cunt of a stewardess. She was supposed to ask Smith if it was OK if she encroached upon his additional seat. Wouldn't have mattered to Smith anyway as he went the entire journey sitting in his one seat with the armrests down just to prove his point. As he says on the SMod it likely wasn't the Pilot who requested his removal from the plane but more likely the member of staff he enountered whilst boarding the plane. It couldn't have been the desk clerk Susan who attracted most of his ire, because she was the one who organised for him to board with only one ticket allocated. If it was her she must be a particularly heinous bitch on a super power trip. Quite frankly she doesn't sound intelligent enough to be that sinister.

bull-shit, a one off game doesn't mean anything, should we give Leeds all of Man Uniteds CL fixtures since they knocked them out of the cupt? why bother with the whole league system? If Manchester United fielded a weakened side in a fixture with such meaning then sure. Of course Leeds are a long way off finishing in the top 6 of the Premierleague, so that's hardly applicable. Manchester United were beaten by Leeds because they more or less couldn't give a toss about the FA Cup. A touch dramatic with the who league system comment - It's making a modification to the league system where-by some of the meaningless end of season fixtures will have new meaning given to them as teams in the top 5 (I'm adding Machester City into the mix because feasibly next season they'll be there) push to ensure they gain automatic qualification to the Champions League and teams in the middle push to have a shot at picking up that fourth Champions League spot. Noone really gives a hoot about the Europa League (not the least because it sounds like some kind of talent competition) but the chance to enter a playoff to get into the Champaions League qualifiers would have huge appeal. Every year since 2005 the same four sides have gained Champions League qualification. This will seemingly happen over the next 5 years as well, with only Manchester City being thrown into the mix courtesy of their new money. Arsenal in particular have created a side that is unlikely to challenge for a title, but is more or less assured of finishing in the top 4, so a move like this may make a team like that strive to try to win the title, rather than play it safe just aiming for the top 4. Chances are that the playoff match would see the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City playing between themselves for two out of the three spots, so in effect not that much would change, except that the competitiveness of the league season would be prolonged.

But is that a desire for a particular outcome or is it a desire for the actual format? How would you feel if Liverpool finished 7th but won the play off thus qualifying them for the CL when 3 teams who finished above them don't....? Largely a desire for the particular outcome. In my system only the top 6 sides would be eligible, so Liverpool couldn't finish 7th and get in. If they finished 6th and got in then I'd wear it with a grimace. The way I see it for the next 4 or 5 years we won't see anyone outside of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City finish inside the top 4 in the league. Aston Villa and Tottenham are trying to play catch-ups with these sides, but just don't have enough money to feasibly have the depth to compete with the big sides over a 38 game season. Everton have stability on their side, but with the money not there to continue investing they too suffer from lack of depth. The fact that they have built a strong side on reasonable wages should be recognised. Firstly, it's not a lottery if there's only 3 tickets. Secondly if you can't beat another lower ranked side on your home pitch then do you really deserve to go through? Did Collymore argue that there was no point in having a World Cup? This is true, however it is patently clear that there is four English sides who are very much good enough to compete and go far in the Champions League. Having only one team from each league in there would lower the overall standard of the competition because of the intense concentration of ability within three leagues.