Manchester U v Newcastle United.

[Park Life 71]

I thought Man U were superb, their work rate was exceptional too. Unsurprisingly, Nani gave Perch a nightmare but Enrique kept Valencia very quiet, Scholes gave a performance that should shut the moustachioed-one up, comparing Smith to Fletcher is like comparing a state of the art mobile to a landmine, Carroll comes out of a comparison to Rooney quite nicely iyam, Evans was comfortable dealing with Jonas who was very poor and Evra got the better of Routledge.

 

The bumming from Sky was just horrendous though, 'oh lets look at the stats and er.... oh there are surprisingly few shots on target... and er... they seem quite even ....OH BUT LOOK AT THE DOMINANCE ON POSSESSION'.

 

Honestly want to find Gray and Keys, truss them up and gimp-rape them with a spelky oar.

 

FYP

[LeazesMag 0]

I thought Man U were superb, their work rate was exceptional too. Unsurprisingly, Nani gave Perch a nightmare but Enrique kept Valencia very quiet, Scholes gave a performance that should shut the moustachioed-one up, comparing Smith to Fletcher is like comparing a state of the art mobile to a landline, Carroll comes out of a comparison to Rooney quite nicely iyam, Evans was comfortable dealing with Jonas who was very poor and Evra got the better of Routledge.

 

The bumming from Sky was just horrendous though, 'oh lets look at the stats and er.... oh there are surprisingly few shots on target... and er... they seem quite even ....OH BUT LOOK AT THE DOMINANCE ON POSSESSION'.

 

Honestly want to find Gray and Keys, truss them up and gimp-rape them with a spelky oar.

I thought they were average at best by their standards.

 

Average is the wrong way to describe the performance -it was more like they were playing an exhibition. They looked like they could step it up 2 or 3 gears at any point. Its probably a good job we didnt score-they might have got angry.

 

yes. And the fact that they only had to play it like an exhibition match, makes it even worse.

 

 

 

 

Cobblers tbf. Chelsea won 6-0 at the weekend. If we were as bad as 6-0 then Man U would have scored 6 against us cos thats the business they're in.

 

Chelsea didn't let West Brom off the hook, but Manu let us off the hook last night. You're talking shite. It was an absolute stroll for them.

 

You can comment constructively on the rest of the post if you like, rather than clip it.

Edited August 17, 2010 by LeazesMag

[manc-mag 1]

I thought Man U were superb, their work rate was exceptional too. Unsurprisingly, Nani gave Perch a nightmare but Enrique kept Valencia very quiet, Scholes gave a performance that should shut the moustachioed-one up, comparing Smith to Fletcher is like comparing a state of the art mobile to a landline, Carroll comes out of a comparison to Rooney quite nicely iyam, Evans was comfortable dealing with Jonas who was very poor and Evra got the better of Routledge.

 

The bumming from Sky was just horrendous though, 'oh lets look at the stats and er.... oh there are surprisingly few shots on target... and er... they seem quite even ....OH BUT LOOK AT THE DOMINANCE ON POSSESSION'.

 

Honestly want to find Gray and Keys, truss them up and gimp-rape them with a spelky oar.

I thought they were average at best by their standards.

 

Average is the wrong way to describe the performance -it was more like they were playing an exhibition. They looked like they could step it up 2 or 3 gears at any point. Its probably a good job we didnt score-they might have got angry.

 

yes. And the fact that they only had to play it like an exhibition match, makes it even worse.

 

 

 

 

Cobblers tbf. Chelsea won 6-0 at the weekend. If we were as bad as 6-0 then Man U would have scored 6 against us cos thats the business they're in.

 

Chelsea didn't let West Brom off the hook, but Manu let us off the hook last night. You're talking shite. It was an absolute stroll for them.

 

 

 

 

 

3-0 is a stroll in anyone's book, I don't disagree with that, but that owed mainly to the fact we didnt trouble them at the other end for any period of the game so they were never 'in a game'

 

It wasn't a 6-niller tho. If it was, they would have scored 6. We'd have had to have been much worse and we weren't.

 

Which is a good thing, I choose to take that as a positive.

[LeazesMag 0]

I thought Man U were superb, their work rate was exceptional too. Unsurprisingly, Nani gave Perch a nightmare but Enrique kept Valencia very quiet, Scholes gave a performance that should shut the moustachioed-one up, comparing Smith to Fletcher is like comparing a state of the art mobile to a landline, Carroll comes out of a comparison to Rooney quite nicely iyam, Evans was comfortable dealing with Jonas who was very poor and Evra got the better of Routledge.

 

The bumming from Sky was just horrendous though, 'oh lets look at the stats and er.... oh there are surprisingly few shots on target... and er... they seem quite even ....OH BUT LOOK AT THE DOMINANCE ON POSSESSION'.

 

Honestly want to find Gray and Keys, truss them up and gimp-rape them with a spelky oar.

I thought they were average at best by their standards.

 

Average is the wrong way to describe the performance -it was more like they were playing an exhibition. They looked like they could step it up 2 or 3 gears at any point. Its probably a good job we didnt score-they might have got angry.

 

yes. And the fact that they only had to play it like an exhibition match, makes it even worse.

 

 

 

 

Cobblers tbf. Chelsea won 6-0 at the weekend. If we were as bad as 6-0 then Man U would have scored 6 against us cos thats the business they're in.

 

Chelsea didn't let West Brom off the hook, but Manu let us off the hook last night. You're talking shite. It was an absolute stroll for them.

 

 

 

 

 

3-0 is a stroll in anyone's book, I don't disagree with that, but that owed mainly to the fact we didnt trouble them at the other end for any period of the game so they were never 'in a game'

 

It wasn't a 6-niller tho. If it was, they would have scored 6. We'd have had to have been much worse and we weren't.

 

Which is a good thing, I choose to take that as a positive.

 

They won't have many easier games than last night. We got off lightly. They passed us off the park, completely. As has been said, if Carrol had had the audacity to have scored that header, they may actually have got angry.

[Dr Gloom 22143]

I thought Man U were superb, their work rate was exceptional too. Unsurprisingly, Nani gave Perch a nightmare but Enrique kept Valencia very quiet, Scholes gave a performance that should shut the moustachioed-one up, comparing Smith to Fletcher is like comparing a state of the art mobile to a landline, Carroll comes out of a comparison to Rooney quite nicely iyam, Evans was comfortable dealing with Jonas who was very poor and Evra got the better of Routledge.

 

The bumming from Sky was just horrendous though, 'oh lets look at the stats and er.... oh there are surprisingly few shots on target... and er... they seem quite even ....OH BUT LOOK AT THE DOMINANCE ON POSSESSION'.

 

Honestly want to find Gray and Keys, truss them up and gimp-rape them with a spelky oar.

I thought they were average at best by their standards.

 

Average is the wrong way to describe the performance -it was more like they were playing an exhibition. They looked like they could step it up 2 or 3 gears at any point. Its probably a good job we didnt score-they might have got angry.

 

yes. And the fact that they only had to play it like an exhibition match, makes it even worse.

 

 

 

 

Cobblers tbf. Chelsea won 6-0 at the weekend. If we were as bad as 6-0 then Man U would have scored 6 against us cos thats the business they're in.

 

Chelsea didn't let West Brom off the hook, but Manu let us off the hook last night. You're talking shite. It was an absolute stroll for them.

 

 

 

 

 

3-0 is a stroll in anyone's book, I don't disagree with that, but that owed mainly to the fact we didnt trouble them at the other end for any period of the game so they were never 'in a game'

 

It wasn't a 6-niller tho. If it was, they would have scored 6. We'd have had to have been much worse and we weren't.

 

Which is a good thing, I choose to take that as a positive.

 

They won't have many easier games than last night. We got off lightly. They passed us off the park, completely. As has been said, if Carrol had had the audacity to have scored that header, they may actually have got angry.

 

aye, you've got to wonder actually whether keeping the score relatively respectable was due to our organisation and team spirit or them taking their foot off the gas.

 

there were some pleasing things to come out of last night's games. we did keep our shape and we defended well at times but you're right in that they had almost all of the ball. our midfield was pedestrian, our ball retention pathetic and carrol was way too isolated up front.

 

nolan doesn't look like he'll be able to continue the role he was use din last year at this level. doesn't bode well given he'd been made our skipper.

[LeazesMag 0]

I thought Man U were superb, their work rate was exceptional too. Unsurprisingly, Nani gave Perch a nightmare but Enrique kept Valencia very quiet, Scholes gave a performance that should shut the moustachioed-one up, comparing Smith to Fletcher is like comparing a state of the art mobile to a landline, Carroll comes out of a comparison to Rooney quite nicely iyam, Evans was comfortable dealing with Jonas who was very poor and Evra got the better of Routledge.

 

The bumming from Sky was just horrendous though, 'oh lets look at the stats and er.... oh there are surprisingly few shots on target... and er... they seem quite even ....OH BUT LOOK AT THE DOMINANCE ON POSSESSION'.

 

Honestly want to find Gray and Keys, truss them up and gimp-rape them with a spelky oar.

I thought they were average at best by their standards.

 

Average is the wrong way to describe the performance -it was more like they were playing an exhibition. They looked like they could step it up 2 or 3 gears at any point. Its probably a good job we didnt score-they might have got angry.

 

yes. And the fact that they only had to play it like an exhibition match, makes it even worse.

 

 

 

 

Cobblers tbf. Chelsea won 6-0 at the weekend. If we were as bad as 6-0 then Man U would have scored 6 against us cos thats the business they're in.

 

Chelsea didn't let West Brom off the hook, but Manu let us off the hook last night. You're talking shite. It was an absolute stroll for them.

 

 

 

 

 

3-0 is a stroll in anyone's book, I don't disagree with that, but that owed mainly to the fact we didnt trouble them at the other end for any period of the game so they were never 'in a game'

 

It wasn't a 6-niller tho. If it was, they would have scored 6. We'd have had to have been much worse and we weren't.

 

Which is a good thing, I choose to take that as a positive.

 

They won't have many easier games than last night. We got off lightly. They passed us off the park, completely. As has been said, if Carrol had had the audacity to have scored that header, they may actually have got angry.

 

aye, you've got to wonder actually whether keeping the score relatively respectable was due to our organisation and team spirit or them taking their foot off the gas.

 

there were some pleasing things to come out of last night's games. we did keep our shape and we defended well at times but you're right in that they had almost all of the ball. our midfield was pedestrian, our ball retention pathetic and carrol was way too isolated up front.

 

nolan doesn't look like he'll be able to continue the role he was use din last year at this level. doesn't bode well given he'd been made our skipper.

 

my point is that although I recognise they are the 1st/2nd top team in the country, or whatever, that good defensive organisation won't prevent a lot of backs to the wall performances like this because basically if that is your main strength and you don't have the quality to get a hold on the pace of the game and take the game to the opposition then that will be the result.

 

We will probably have a few slogging matches with the likes of Blackburn and Stoke though.

[Guest alex]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

[shackbleep 0]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

[LeazesMag 0]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

 

Which is pretty much what Hughton said before the game too. Nice guy, but is this the attitude infiltrating out of the club these days. We are Newcastle, not Stoke or Blackburn or Bolton. We have to play these teams at their own game and we must have players in the team that they themselves would want to have.

[Dr Gloom 22143]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

 

Which is pretty much what Hughton said before the game too. Nice guy, but is this the attitude infiltrating out of the club these days. We are Newcastle, not Stoke or Blackburn or Bolton. We have to play these teams at their own game and we must have players in the team that they themselves would want to have.

 

i agree, but that's not going to happen as long as the fat cockney twat is in charge

[LeazesMag 0]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

 

Which is pretty much what Hughton said before the game too. Nice guy, but is this the attitude infiltrating out of the club these days. We are Newcastle, not Stoke or Blackburn or Bolton. We have to play these teams at their own game and we must have players in the team that they themselves would want to have.

 

i agree, but that's not going to happen as long as the fat cockney twat is in charge

 

Agreed.

 

Depressing.

[donaldstott 0]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

 

Which is pretty much what Hughton said before the game too. Nice guy, but is this the attitude infiltrating out of the club these days. We are Newcastle, not Stoke or Blackburn or Bolton. We have to play these teams at their own game and we must have players in the team that they themselves would want to have.

 

i agree, but that's not going to happen as long as the fat cockney twat is in charge

 

We've haven't truly matched them since KK was in charge.

 

Re: Leazes point in bold, I don't think that Hughton sent them out in a negative way to sit back as deep as we did. The problem is that we were playing against WORLD CLASS footballers and they force that upon you. .

 

The only way we were going to get anything from the game was to try to keep them out at one and and counter attack/rely on set pieces at the other end. Suggesting we should be going at them is a nonesense, they crave stretched games where they can take advantage of space

[shackbleep 0]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

 

Which is pretty much what Hughton said before the game too. Nice guy, but is this the attitude infiltrating out of the club these days. We are Newcastle, not Stoke or Blackburn or Bolton. We have to play these teams at their own game and we must have players in the team that they themselves would want to have.

 

No but sadly by definition we're on a par with them at the moment.

[LeazesMag 0]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

 

Which is pretty much what Hughton said before the game too. Nice guy, but is this the attitude infiltrating out of the club these days. We are Newcastle, not Stoke or Blackburn or Bolton. We have to play these teams at their own game and we must have players in the team that they themselves would want to have.

 

i agree, but that's not going to happen as long as the fat cockney twat is in charge

 

We've haven't truly matched them since KK was in charge.

 

Re: Leazes point in bold, I don't think that Hughton sent them out in a negative way to sit back as deep as we did. The problem is that we were playing against WORLD CLASS footballers and they force that upon you. .

 

The only way we were going to get anything from the game was to try to keep them out at one and and counter attack/rely on set pieces at the other end. Suggesting we should be going at them is a nonesense, they crave stretched games where they can take advantage of space

 

yes and no. I am aware we don't have the players to go at them. That is the point.

[Guest]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

[acrossthepond 878]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

I thought you'd taken the huff and flounced off? Would you kindly?

[LeazesMag 0]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

[Guest]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

 

 

We won't challenge the top clubs for a long time. We got up there, dropped out, and wasted too much money ontoo many shit managers trying to get back in. No club can mount a continuous challenge to the top clubs for years and years, and when it slips away you have to pick up the pieces and start again.

[LeazesMag 0]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

 

 

We won't challenge the top clubs for a long time. We got up there, dropped out, and wasted too much money ontoo many shit managers trying to get back in. No club can mount a continuous challenge to the top clubs for years and years, and when it slips away you have to pick up the pieces and start again.

 

in other words, it could take a long time before someone comes in and matches what the Halls and Shepherd did ?

 

Fine. I can accept that. Thanks for admitting it at last.

 

Back to the thread.............

 

Any owner who does not harbour the highest of ambitions and is prepared to back their managers is basically not good enough or suitable enough for Newcastle United. And when we have someone who does not have these aspirations we should make it quite clear that this is the case and all be in total agreement that the sooner they fuck off the better, accepting they make mistakes of course, in what is a knife edge high profile sport where there are very few "winners".

[brummiemag1 0]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

 

 

We won't challenge the top clubs for a long time. We got up there, dropped out, and wasted too much money ontoo many shit managers trying to get back in. No club can mount a continuous challenge to the top clubs for years and years, and when it slips away you have to pick up the pieces and start again.

 

We will never challenge the "top" clubs as long as someone with no ambition like Ashley is in charge.

 

We were and should be one of the top clubs, based on our level of support and potential support we are one of the top clubs and we should be challenging or building to challenge for major honours but that will never happen with Ashley in charge, we are destined to become one of the also rans if we're lucky and for a club of our size that is completely unacceptable.

 

To be upbeat and take positives out of a 3 0 hammering, when not so long ago we were competing with them for trophies, just sums up how low the expectations have become and Ashley can at least take credit for that

[LeazesMag 0]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

 

 

We won't challenge the top clubs for a long time. We got up there, dropped out, and wasted too much money ontoo many shit managers trying to get back in. No club can mount a continuous challenge to the top clubs for years and years, and when it slips away you have to pick up the pieces and start again.

 

We will never challenge the "top" clubs as long as someone with no ambition like Ashley is in charge.

 

We were and should be one of the top clubs, based on our level of support and potential support we are one of the top clubs and we should be challenging or building to challenge for major honours but that will never happen with Ashley in charge, we are destined to become one of the also rans if we're lucky and for a club of our size that is completely unacceptable.

 

To be upbeat and take positives out of a 3 0 hammering, when not so long ago we were competing with them for trophies, just sums up how low the expectations have become and Ashley can at least take credit for that

 

nailed and beyond dispute.

 

Making mistakes is one thing especially when you concede a mistake, make the change and retain the ambition, but not having it at all is a different ball game altogether.

 

I hope this is the end of this and we can look forward to hopefully getting good owners at the club again as soon as possible - and personally I don't give a fuck if the owner comes from Mars and has green skin, pointy ears and tells the world how fantastic Geordies are on a daily basis so long as he shows the ambition to back his manager and gives me a good team again.

[Guest]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

 

 

We won't challenge the top clubs for a long time. We got up there, dropped out, and wasted too much money ontoo many shit managers trying to get back in. No club can mount a continuous challenge to the top clubs for years and years, and when it slips away you have to pick up the pieces and start again.

 

in other words, it could take a long time before someone comes in and matches what the Halls and Shepherd did ?

 

Fine. I can accept that. Thanks for admitting it at last.

 

Back to the thread.............

 

Any owner who does not harbour the highest of ambitions and is prepared to back their managers is basically not good enough or suitable enough for Newcastle United. And when we have someone who does not have these aspirations we should make it quite clear that this is the case and all be in total agreement that the sooner they fuck off the better, accepting they make mistakes of course, in what is a knife edge high profile sport where there are very few "winners".

 

 

No, in other words, what the Halls and Shepherd did before they left, blowing a massive wad of cash trying and failing to claw back into the top 4 has restricted what we aim for now. Where do you expect investment to come from? The previous owners weren't investing money, in fact they were taking money out of the club

[Guest]

Aye, they were always close games when Sheppy was around

 

Fuck off man

 

 

have you anything constructive to add here, regarding what is required at the football club to improve and attempt to challenge the top clubs ?

 

 

We won't challenge the top clubs for a long time. We got up there, dropped out, and wasted too much money ontoo many shit managers trying to get back in. No club can mount a continuous challenge to the top clubs for years and years, and when it slips away you have to pick up the pieces and start again.

 

We will never challenge the "top" clubs as long as someone with no ambition like Ashley is in charge.

 

We were and should be one of the top clubs, based on our level of support and potential support we are one of the top clubs and we should be challenging or building to challenge for major honours but that will never happen with Ashley in charge, we are destined to become one of the also rans if we're lucky and for a club of our size that is completely unacceptable.

 

To be upbeat and take positives out of a 3 0 hammering, when not so long ago we were competing with them for trophies, just sums up how low the expectations have become and Ashley can at least take credit for that

 

 

We weren't in a position to challenge the top clubs when Ashley took over ffs. How much more do you think Shepherd could have feasibly borrowed/freed up/found for transfers if he hadn't left?

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

That 2-6 game was a freak, we always had a chance against them, and if we'd not missed a sitter at 1-0 after 30 mins we'd have been 2-0 up instead of 1-4 down at half time. The difference is SBR was an intelligent man, but it doesn't take a genius to build a good team. Your teams need five things which largely only a manager can provide:

 

Character: It seemed every week we'd go behind in the good days under Robson, we did against Leeds four times in that era to my mind, we even did it at Highbury we fought for 90 minutes

 

Ability/spotting ability: Classic case with Bellers, absolutely ridiculed at Coventry, FFS questioned SBR's desire to bring him in, but he knew he wasn't a winger which is where he was employed there, brung him in the middle and he was sensational for us at times, a real success. You need a team of talented players.

 

Pace: I'm a firm believer that at least 6 of your players have to be exceptionally quick, we had Dyer, Bellamy, Robert was quick, Jenas, Bernard had pace, and that pace made the difference we were as quick as Arsenal were then for a while.

 

Team Spirit: You can have all of the above but if you don't have this you underperform massively

 

Respect for the club: There wasn't too many of them who were wanting to be away we were viewed with respect we had players who we couldn't even dream of now who were linked with us, and we could attract them

 

To be honest, I don't care how many times I hear what a great bunch of lads there are at the toon, and how good the team spirit is, I was in the motor earlier listening to Super Alc, and he was spot on. Barton last night played like he genuinely didn't care, and there were one or two others, but particularly Barton. I don't think the team spirit is as good as it's made out, and that is the only one of those five facets you could even put an argument up for saying we have across the side, the squad and the club.

 

SBR got the lot, KK got the lot, and until we have a manager who can get these five assets back in the team then I'm afraid the best we can hope to be is a massively supported Bolton. I can't understand managers who sign slow players. Look at Vieira, a magnificent player for Arsenal for years, but everyone knows he's finished because he can't run, Mancini isn't a brilliant manager and he'll be gone. If I was a chairman of a football club I'd judge my managers performance over three years with those criteria I've listed above, and if we're all honest we have none of them.

[Park Life 71]

Tbf we haven't been competing with Man Utd for years.

 

At least 6. The cup semi-final in 2005 was no better than yesterday's performance. Last time we were competing with them was under Robson (probably the game where Keane was sent off having tried to lamp Shearer) and even then they always just had the edge.

 

We have had a few beatings by them, but the difference was that we had a quality enough to have a go and think we had a chance to give as good as we got. The worst thing of all is just to sit back and accept inferiority and be happy to keep the score down.

That 2-6 game was a freak, we always had a chance against them, and if we'd not missed a sitter at 1-0 after 30 mins we'd have been 2-0 up instead of 1-4 down at half time. The difference is SBR was an intelligent man, but it doesn't take a genius to build a good team. Your teams need five things which largely only a manager can provide:

 

Character: It seemed every week we'd go behind in the good days under Robson, we did against Leeds four times in that era to my mind, we even did it at Highbury we fought for 90 minutes

 

Ability/spotting ability: Classic case with Bellers, absolutely ridiculed at Coventry, FFS questioned SBR's desire to bring him in, but he knew he wasn't a winger which is where he was employed there, brung him in the middle and he was sensational for us at times, a real success. You need a team of talented players.

 

Pace: I'm a firm believer that at least 6 of your players have to be exceptionally quick, we had Dyer, Bellamy, Robert was quick, Jenas, Bernard had pace, and that pace made the difference we were as quick as Arsenal were then for a while.

 

Team Spirit: You can have all of the above but if you don't have this you underperform massively

 

Respect for the club: There wasn't too many of them who were wanting to be away we were viewed with respect we had players who we couldn't even dream of now who were linked with us, and we could attract them

 

To be honest, I don't care how many times I hear what a great bunch of lads there are at the toon, and how good the team spirit is, I was in the motor earlier listening to Super Alc, and he was spot on. Barton last night played like he genuinely didn't care, and there were one or two others, but particularly Barton. I don't think the team spirit is as good as it's made out, and that is the only one of those five facets you could even put an argument up for saying we have across the side, the squad and the club.

 

SBR got the lot, KK got the lot, and until we have a manager who can get these five assets back in the team then I'm afraid the best we can hope to be is a massively supported Bolton. I can't understand managers who sign slow players. Look at Vieira, a magnificent player for Arsenal for years, but everyone knows he's finished because he can't run, Mancini isn't a brilliant manager and he'll be gone. If I was a chairman of a football club I'd judge my managers performance over three years with those criteria I've listed above, and if we're all honest we have none of them.

 

One of your best posts Stevie.