youlots

Why can't we just have Steve Clarke in charge for the rest of the season - at least he has the player's respect. Instead we've got the soft toy (allegedly), the psychopath and the Tsar calling the shots in no particluar order and without any seeming rhyme or reason. Its a pantomime.

No it doesn't make me feel any better but thanks anyway - this was Tottenham for christ's sake. Tottenham!! Then again with a soft toy in charge what do expect. 5 out of those 9 were won when JM was in charge. Its a bitter sweet memory with the accent on the former. Tottenham! This is going to take as long as '67 to dilute.

Brian not so much the case of "being found out": rather that the truth will always out eventually. He was never the business - we (well some of us) knew it from day 1. Since then we've constantly had to read these pages stomaching the soft cock and mostly assinine comments from various quarters about how well the Panda has done (like against the Arse or Manure of the filth or lesser teams) when the reality is we've been mostly getting by against lesser teams on the strength of our squad rather than on any notions of "superior" and "attractive" football. If we lose against Olympiakos (God Forbid) or in the quarters (even chances depending upon whom we draw) then not only will it be a comeuppance and reckoning for the Tsar (regarding his treatment of JM and this club) but it may hopefully provide a silver lining and the impetus for him to bring in a proper manager, a couple of high quality wingers and perhaps a playmaker in central midfield (together with another striker should Drogs leave). Although I wouldn't hold your breath - Tsars have a habit of being particularly intransigent at critical times. Frankly, if we're dumped out of the CL and don't win the FA (given we'e not going to win he EPL) then I wouldn't be surprised to see the Tsar depart sooner rather than later.

4-0

He should have stuck to black and white - after all he lists all his favourite films as shot in that medium with the odd exception being Mon Oncle. IMO he never really succeeded after Elephant Man - surely his legacy. What a great film.

Probably not a fan of Barton Fink either. Elliott, have a look at Miller's Crossing if you haven't seen it. Still their best IMO.

It's got my in principle support on the strict proviso that the 39th game is always played at Mollymook oval - (2nd) home of the Blues!

In no particular order: FTroop, Welcome back Kotter, Rockford Files & My Favourite Martian

Hope is a good thing, may be the best of things...

Bogarde to bring out his footballer's autobiography. I mean it's not as if he didn't have the time to write it. I want to know how he dealt with the sidelines, match after match, year after year. Maybe he's agonising over the title. Suggestions welcome.

He was the major reason we couldn't do the treble last year. Could be the same this year (although the Arse is in the mix which makes it different). bar steward. Bloody good footballer though. Sometimes watching him and Giggs play together when they're on song is well....bar stewards.

Foot/ankle injury wasn't it? Anyway agree that the tank has been really solid in the last month or so. H'es always been class.

If the remainder of the season for Manure and the Arse go the same way as the 1st half then we're going to be pushing it. I hate to say it but I think we need dramatic changes of form from either or 6 to 8 week injuries to major players on either side (or both) and, of course, we must be both of them and hope they play out a goaless draw with 8 red cards!

...and the winner is Brian! Well done mate.

At least the deal hasn't been a drawn out affair. Can only hope there's no devil lurking in the detail. Can we assume that he can start for us on the weekend then?

Apparently either Hicks or Gillet is flying over this week to make the final decision on the new latrine (ie the new poo stadium design). The Daily Mail, among others, is opining that there is also now to be a meeting to decide Benitez's future. If that is true then it would explain the rather self-pitying and bathetic bleatings of Benitez post the Luton tie in which the poo were, by all accounts, truly woeful. Of interest is the fact that none of the senior poo players have come out in support of Benitez in recent weeks post that December meeting between the owners and Benitez and that is significant. IMO Benitez has now lost the support of the players and certainly Hicks; Benitez knows this and hence the belated "I luv youse all" speech. I wouldn't at all be suprised if Benitez and the owners come to "an amicable arrangement" this week and nor would I be suprised if the owners weren't already talking to Jose. On the other hand I don't think Sam will be given the flick this season albeit that he probably deserves it. So my money is on Benitez.

We need him straight away. Let's hope the wrangling takes no more than a week.

Big shame we don't have Maka for this. At least we have some goalkeepers back though and the tank. Time to shine Sidwell.

Better still, why not just f**k off Enrico. Take a peasant that a pissant softtoy for brains like you anyday. Wholeheartedly agree with Brian and Callista on this. The article is just recycled rubbish.

When it's committed by Carragher.

Isn't Maka injured?

With respect, your "point" was rather obvious and hard to miss. I agree with you that the defending today was the reason for our woes. However, I think what some others are saying is that probably wouldn't have happened under Jose which is not to say that it might not have happended had he still been with us. Of course we'll never know but it does seem highly unlikely. Whether one can then go on to blame Grant for the woeful defending is more problematic and highly subjective. Personally I agree that one can't. As for your other points, yes Joe did buy the likes of Ferreira, Kalou and SWP: the first is a shadow of what he was when he first came here (and we have all discussed the reasons for this on here ad infinitum), Kalou doen't have the finish and we all know it (sorry Jack) and SWP is still so erratic (but looked a good buy at the time as a "developing" player as did Kalou). As for Pizza - free transfer wasn't he and when the cheque book was firmly closed: The point being that you seem to utilise the same sort of argument regarding Jose that others do when citicising Grant. I don't think that you're anti-Jose per se but I do think that you can be over critical of Jose at times given all he achieved. As for Grant I think that we all know that he hasn't got the goods. You yourself made reference earlier to Capello and your point was well made. Why the f**k the Russian didn't buy him is beyond me and was a crtical mistake which I think will become more magnified as the season wears on. Finally you say that it would've have been different today had we had Drogs, Terry & Malouda. We'll never know will we but I hazard that the only difference today had any of them been available would have been Drogs.

Loz I think you're reaching a bit. I seem to recall that we had numerous shots in the 1st half at Villa Park, the corner count was something like 9-0 in our favour before half-time, SWP had a hatful of shots (but couldn't convert) and Villa fouled him and Drogs all day. Plus we didn't have Frank or Riccy in that game and Alex and Belletti were just settling in. As soon as Villa got the 1st goal after half time they parked the bus and defended stoutly and then Mikel and Drogs got injured. The Villa 2nd at the end of the game was a pinball goal if I remember correctly. They did create havoc with their wingers though: a re-run there. Ferreira, and to less an extent Cole are both highly susceptible to this and O'Neill knew it. To say, as you do, that Jose failed "miserably" in that away game is absurd and I doubt there'll be many takers (apart from the obvious that is). The way I see today's game was that Grant probably did all that he could do with who's presently available. Our squad just doesn't have the depth and cohesion and is wanting - I think that all stems from 12 months ago when Roman closed the cheque book in the transfer window and from 12 months of constant injury. Plus I think we have to be realistic in respect to the likes of Sheva, Kalou, SWP, Ferriera, Pizzaro etc. I mean how many of them would get a game with the arse or Manure? None of them.

The tank for sure. Sheva only started looking good as he always done when he has space. Thos bionic legs have helped as well.

Just Player ratings and comments spot on. Let's hope this is the end of the injury cycle, Anelka and a few others are on their way soon and that manure and the arse drop some points over the next 3 weeks. All in all a bit of re-run of our similar problems some 12 months ago. Except of course Jose's now gone. Now we've got "entertainment" like some old hollywood dance number. Jesus.