OTF

What do you mean back to?

It's lucky that Kinnear went to hospital, couldn't have done his health any good having to watch that match.

Hope we keep attacking the in second half. Our strength is their defense, so we need to take advantage of that as much as we can. Credit to Ryan Taylor, looks like we finally have someone taking our set pieces who doesn't hit the first man!

Radio isn't wrong, though Alves's finishing should have been better so helped him with the saves.

Damn. Where did you hear that? That's a massive blow.

Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and all that TBH.

Ryan Taylor can also play in right midfield, so I can see the merit in playing him there with Gutierrez out. You could play Duff there and Lovenkrands on the left, but Duff offers very little defensive cover, where-as Ryan Taylor is predominantly a defender so should do a good job of helping out in defense when required. Wouldn't start with Viduka up front, because he'll no doubt be well and truly not fully match fit. Maybe use him late in the match. Wouldn't have minded seeing Carroll partner Oba, but I think they'll favour Shola because of his experience.

I hope it's nothing too serious, and he's just been taken to Hospital for precautionary measures. Having read that the club's medical staff saw to him I'm fully expecting the hospital to discover that Joe has a torn hamstring.

Shay keeping City in it TBH. Man City are dazzling the fans with step-overs, back-heels, twists and turns... in the meantime their scoreboard attendant has dozed off. They've got a bunch of midgets up front (Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Robinho, with Noddy/Ireland getting up there as well). Anytime a ball is crossed in, it must be like the land of the giants for them.

3 key saves from Given in the first half. He's finding out quick smart that the City defense is on par with Newcastle's! At home to the side running second last and they've given up the better chances. Mind you Shay could do a lot worse than keep Middlesbrough below us on the table! A 0-0 will probably suit, though I can't see this one lasting all game without a goal. Man City players (including their fullbacks!) love to get way up the field, leaving them exposed at the back. It's as though City think they're a darn sight better than they actually are. Step-overs, back-heels, they've got it all just don't expect them to score goals*. * - They'll probably score three in the second half now that I've said that.

FA Cup Final vs Wet Spam. Horrible keeping by Reina in that. If it wasn't for Gerrard and one of the worst ever penalty shootouts from West Ham Liverpool would have lost. Also that 0-3 loss to Everton - there was absolutely comical keeping from Pepe. Around the same time that he was setting records for clean sheets. Calling him shit was a bit over the top, I'll give you that. He's not a horrible keeper. But IMO he's vastly overrated, a myth propagated by having a well organised defense, and a very good midfield in front of him. He is still young though, so he does have that on his side. Regardless, there's other keepers in the league that I would rate over Reina.

Reina is shit. Organised defense, and posession controlling midfield in fornt of him, before you start quoting clean sheets. Ordinary as in terms of controlling his box.

Wise was driving him at the time tbh.

Harper S.Taylor -- S. Bassong -- F. Coloccini -- J. Enrique R. Taylor -- N. Butt -- K. Nolan D. Duff -- M. Viduka -- O. Martins

And Jose! Has been improving lately for us, and getting forward to give extra attacking width. Has played a few great balls into the box usually for Duff to then stuff up the chance. His pace is very valuable as well. He showed in the Sunderland match that he is up for a struggle and will give his all. With us having virtually no cover at left back (Ryan Taylor can play there I guess, but isn't left footed) he'll be very important.

This is about it for me also. What started as a passing interest has developed into a fully blown addiction. Watching all of our macthes over the past 2 seasons, despite many of them being on over here at ridiculous times like 2AM.

I was pretty realistic with my appraisals. Certainly wasn't expecting us to finish as high as we did. I think with Martins coming back into the side we'll have an extra dimension to our attack that we've been lacking of late (Speed, and Goals).

I did it as well. This is what i came up with. Anyone else want to give it a go, here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/e...tor/default.stm

6 million was the figure for Given apparently.

Five? Typical dumb blondes. What's with his hairstyle BTW? Extra for Wedding Singer 2 - Electric Boogaloo?

*** WARNING WARNING *** To be honest I'd sooner move Ryan Taylor up to right midfield, more Gutierrez to left midfield, and Duff to the bench. Taylor and Gutierrez will help out in defense, where-as Duff is pretty much a certainty to be of no defensive assistance at all. When you're in the depth of a relegation scrap you need players who will defend from anywhere on the pitch. I know Smith has been out for a long time, and that he's been crap for us in the past (haven't forgotten the many hopeless games that he had for us in the past), but I can't help but feel that he should get a chance in the side ahead of Butt in midfield (or alongside Martins up front). Butt is too slow, and doesn't help out enough in defense. Yes, he makes some good tackles, but rarely covers any ground to do so. You're 100% right there. You can only hope.

JFK is the perfect distraction from the incompetent ownership.

Looks more like he's seen a cute bird in the crowd and has forgotten altogether about the ball.

Lee Clarke to return as player/coach tbh, and they've lured Kluivert out of retirement.

Don't know anything about this Canadian bloke you're talking about, but agree with your sentiment. Our back four get precious little cover from our midfield, because Nicky Butt is lazy and slow. He'll attempt a tackle (and often come away with the ball) when the player is within his reach, but otherwise he doesn't track runners. Consequently makes it much harder on the defense. Same can be said for several of our other midfielders (Duff and Geremi come immediately to mind).