Woodsyla

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

a Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha, Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha, HA f***ing dense bluenose t*** Tis better to say nothing sometimes

This content is not viewable to guests.

That was to indicate the number of saves he'd made over the two games.

Precisely, it wont fit with their 'Rotation is awful and Benitez has lost the plot' agenda if we succeed where Arsenal failed and Chelsea failed twice. They are trying to destabilise us. The thing is we have a massive late Jan/Feb coming up and if we continue this run of form and beat Chelsea and Everton at home and get past Barca the press may have to admit that rotation works and is the future. They don't like to admit they are wrong so they are trying to create a situation that isn't there to increase the chance of failure. Expect our season to be over if we don't beat Chelsea on the 20th Jan Rotation is this years Zonal marking. They failed on that one and they will fail with this one.

Moral of story Don't promise former first choice players who are now second string players a game in the cup competitions as they will fail to deliver and then stab you in the back in the press

That's absolute b******s, Henry was anonymous for the first 20 mins. We had the midfield boxed off and both sides were feeling each other out, we certainly weren't 'cut to ribbons', obvisiously after we concede two soft goals they had the freedom of the park, but we were chasing the game so of course that was going to happen. I've been very impressed with Gerrard's discipline since he resumed the central role. I reckon now we can play Alonso and either Momo or Stevie in the centre against anyone who doesn't play with 3 centre mids in which case I'd play all 3.

I've got a few mates who are Norwich fans and they have seen a good few strikers through their doors over the past 15 years and none of them impressed them as much as Ashton did in the short time he was there. West Ham were a top 10 side when he was fit and got to an FA Cup final, when he gets injured they are relegation fodder. I don't think it's that much of a coincidence, that sort of player makes a side more of a threat. Currently, without Bellamy's pace we lack that threat, Kuyt links it all up superbly but we need a player to ruffle feather and I believe Ashton is that man. For next season I'd like a strike force of Ashton, Kuyt, Bellamy and A N Other - the A N Other ideally being a player with great vision (i.e a Litmanen type player). I don't believe you need devastating pace up front (Van Nistlerooy isn't that quick), you need good service and a predator. You need pace to counter attack but that can come from the wide poition or from up front. Without getting all Champ Manager I don't see many faults with Gerrard Momo Xabi Kewell Ashton Bellamy or Gerrard Momo Xabi Gonzalez Ashton Kuyt even Pennant Gerrard Xabi Gonzalez Ashton Kuyt against poorer sides

Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Andrew Cole have league titles to their name, that's a very broad brush.

I don't think we do. I think we have the pacy striker in Bellamy. What we need is a player that creates a real handful for defenders and is superb in the air and can shoot with both feet. I hope West Ham get relegated so we can move for Dean Ashton at a reasonable price. The lad is the next Shearer and IMO is exactly what we need.

Now THAT is a result

I'd rather be out of the cup than have a manager the players don't trust. Rafa needs to be careful what he promises to who in future. Dudek was gash, Riise's positionning is as bad as I've ever seen. On the plus side Rafa has reduced the fixture congestion !!!!

What was hilarious was that Motson and Lawrenson DIDN'T see this and moaned about not bringing on Bellamy, right up to the point we scored. I like Bellamy but if you are two goals down against a side that is defending deeper and deeper then how, pray tell, do you exploit the space behind them. Put Bellamy on the goal line like we did at school ? Aurelio and Pennant's delivery put ARsenal under real pressure and had Henry not killed us off I reckon we would have got a draw. WITHOUT Bellamy Motson you soft c***.

I don't know, it seemed more desperate to me. My main worry is that some will mutter under their breath from Wools at the end of RTK. To me it's verging slightly on the UKIP side of things, i.e. the motives and the ideas are brought out of genuine fears but it's walking a knife edge with what it stands for and what lies beneath the surface. It shouldn't be on the Offal though IMO.

Using that predictor thing I did up to 20th Feb and even winning all our games and giving Utd draws against Blackburn and Spurs and a defeat to Arsenal we were still 5pts behind Chelsea and 9 behind Utd It's too big an ask.

Cna I just clarify, the wailing and hand wringing is due to us having to pay back the money we borrow for the stadium off DIC with INTEREST. If only we'd stayed as we were and funded it by mortgaging the clubs future to the hilt instead .....

I agree with Paul B (looks for wash mouth out smilie !!!) Newcastle have thrown away a 10pt lead at Xmas, so have Utd so have another team I wont mention. It was never the team in 3rd place that caught them though always the team in 2nd place that went on a phenomenal run. We COULD catch Utd, but if we do Chelsea will have won the league, likewise we stand a very real chance of catching Chelsea BUT if we do Utd will be out of sight. Face facts, we are on a great run, playing great football and are in every cup competition we entered. Bar being in real contention for the league we are in the best shape we could hope for.

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.

Absolute class

Good point well made.

This content is not viewable to guests.

Surely that's just like us v Man U - a bitter bitter horrible rivalry but not a Derby Ooops missed the word 'England'