CaptainXabi

Ooh, another possibility for the lineup: ----------------Back 4---------------- ----------------Alonso------------- ----------Gerrard------Zenden -------Kuyt------------------Speedy -----------Rampaging spider-------

I think Rafa may put Bolo left, Speedy right. Just a hunch.

Shoot on sight policy today then.

I guess I'm a cold hearted b*****d then...

Jol is putting Defoe on? For Keane? My goodness

Soopa Frank with a brilliant miss.

Robbie Keane you idiot!!

Drogba's instinctive finishes have gone up a notch. How did that happen? It's almost like the less of the goal he sees the better off he is.

Andy Gray, is that you? You're still right though

What was Fabgregas thinking?

100mph doesn't even begin to describe West Ham - Arsenal. Hammers have done well too.

Momo...is Boss (obviously). Never heard him speak until the Press conference from yesterday on e-season ticket. Even his Frenglish is boss.

I like your thinking. If we play 40 players, we can afford to carry the 9 per game we have been so far. Brilliant!!

Brutal

My opinion is that we switch to 4-3-3 like the Chelsea of 2 years past or Barcelona. FINNAN - CARRA - AGGER - RIISE -----------------XABI -------------------------BIG MO ----------GERRARD ----BELLAMY--------------SPEEDY -----------------KUYT I like that arrangement because it can dynamically be reconfigured into a lot of formations during the game, and I think plays to the teams strengths more. It solves the following things, which I think are issues: 1. Provides Gerrard central space to burst into (if he doesn't get it, he'll wander until he finds it, so might as well structure the wandering) 2. Puts 2 "wingers" who have an eye for goal. Width is good, but scoring is better. Bellamy and Gonzalez are capable of providing width and storming inside to create a chance (especially with Stevie arriving late), even if they are masters of neither. That uncertainty for the opposition defenders will only help us. Realistically, if you're defending Pennant, you know what's going to happen. 3. More nearby options for Momo to pass to, thus helping us retain possession. 4. We can actually counterattack sometimes. Again, more variety in our play, it can only help. Of course the first thing people will say that Speedy isn't Ronaldinho. No he isn't, but a direct player can be very effective in this league. Ronaldinho's style suits Spain, I think a Robben/Duff style (which hopefully Speedy can emulate) suits England. Bellamy is very dangerous in that wing forward position - if he's happy enough to play there. I for one think he'll get plenty of goals from there and will get his chance to move centrally as Stevie swings outside occasionally into the space on the right side.

I know we love thread hijacks around here, but this anny/rafa bumming thing really, really needs to stop...I can't deal with even the slightest hint of that imagery.

It's a mistake to do that though. I love Xabi (obviously, look at the username), but he's not built for this league physically. He's so intelligent and skillful that he can make up for it, but at the end of the day, in the Premiership, incisiveness, physicality, the knockout blow will always be king, not suffocating your opponenets into submission with skill and possession. Xabi's good for the latter, Stevie is (usually) good for the former. On that basis I would keep Tintin.

We're bound to win it now.

He also actually scores goals, so I'd put him back in.

Did Momo throw in a couple of stepovers at the end there?

So...Frank Rikjaard has just put on Oleguer....for Puyol...

I wasn't complaining about the board, just kind of resignedly stating a fact. I don't expect 20M January purchases by any stretch. Anyway, I'd be willing to sell Crouch to (help) finance the deal. Fair point on the other positions.

We need to get in on this, but of course we won't.

I see the trade in too. What I want as a replacement (or an addition, whatever) is a genuine jammy, ball-off-the-a***-while-he's-chatting-up-the-bird-in-the-front-row striker. Forget all this working hard stuff. Just put the ball in the net and we'll talk details afterwards.