FirstDescent

Was out watching the game with my b'burn mate tonight and to give him a mockering! f*** OFF PURSLOW!

Tell us more!Wgat does TIA mean?

Nani, Arschavin, Nasri etc.

As said, Maxi had a shaky start with us last season, we were rubbish and he was new to the league. To see his qualities he needs mobile players around him, quick passes and movement, something we've done in lapses since he came. I think he is very similar to the way Scholes works for manure these days, not much pace over a distance, but enough to work on small areas.

26th of May

What kind of a winger is he? Cuts inside all the time like the rest of the dross we've had or go outside for the cross? Or both as Nani?

Noticed Agger beating Kevin Davies in a few aerial challenges today, and that Agger stayed in defence on our attacking corners. Or was it just the one I wondered where he was that he stayed back on?

Gerrard Torres Maxi

wonderful!

Typical of a team struggling this, starting off "positive". The other team scores one from a moronic foul and we cant score on the best of chances.

Dont understand why RH would use Agger when the reports are saying hes been offered to a bunch of clubs around Europe.

I wonder what a video like this of Fabregas would look like, Suso is about the same age as when Fabregas started playing for the Arsenal first 11 isnt he? Fingers crossed he'll get his chances with us, looks awesome.

Well how many other teams have broken into the title fight from outside the "big 4" to challenge? 2 out of 2 makes it a fact as well as it being a way of operating. And as you say time is running out on that approach and I say, not saying NESV wont buy big to get us up there, that there is a chance of us becoming a new spurs for example. The financial fair play rule is based on each clubs respective income vs. salaries etc isnt it? As it is now and will be for a few more years I assume our platform will be a little higher then Man City at least who dosnt have that fan base that we have.

The main reason for that approach would be the new rules for homegrown players. The lower age group you go to watch a player the more prospects there are to pick from and not a lot of dvd's etc. to study them on.

Yeah im not judging them yet. They seem like a well run and levelheaded group. Im sure they will draw up a roadmap to make us challenging again, cause thats where the money is and thats ultimately why they are here. It all will be revealed in the summer I guess.

Yeah, but as we have seen with Chelsea and Man City it takes huge amounts of money and players thats already at peak value to break into the title fight. I assume NESV is trying to emulate the Arsenal way and they have won nothing the last 5 years, about the time they started selling their top players for top money. And you can argue that they sell them at the right time as well cause none of them have hardly achieved anything better then when they were at Arsenal. If we use this long term approach to being back in the title fight our current top players will most likely be past it and they would need replacing as well. I just dont see how we can stay competitive without a massive boost now or fairly soon considering those already up there will only go from strength to strength. Henry has stated that he admires/like the way Arsenal do it at least. As far as I understand the term they are as close as you get.

Anyone believe this moneyball approach will take us back in the title fight within the next 5-10 years?

Youre comparing Rafas spell with us to the 6 months with RH?

Evidence if you have any...?

His team got praised for playing "better football" in the early stages of the season and they we're up there and it was all wonderful. He won two trophies, and with their games in hand they might be well in the race again. Still in the CL, italian cup... Remember that Inter went backwards in the summer, selling Balotelli and recruiting noone? Milan got Zlatan, Robinho++. Roma, Juve strengthened as well. If thats so terrible youre standards are impossible to please.

I hope they havnt, that would make them just as bad as H&G with Klinsman IMO, even if it is RH in charge right now. They should back the manager whoever he is. Though, they are f***ing loonies if they havnt considered him, and when the time comes they would be mental not to have him on their list.

Huth, Carra and Skrtel. How many penos against would that result in during a season?

How many bad returns have we had? Considering a lot of people mention this... The only ones I know of is Rush and Fowler/God, and they werent that s****.

Yes, he should never have been sacked. Hes putt a lot of work into the project he started with us and as of now not all of it is undone.

Boring draw, 0-0 or 1-1. Hangeland is gonna have a good time clearing the hoofs aimed at Torres.