Actually, if Barnsley beat Huddersfield 1-0, Sheff Weds, Millwall and Peterborough all overtake us and we lose our last game by 15 goals, we'll go down.

That's not funny this season😳

Goodwillie is suffering due to the delusional one being vindictive enough to use him as part of the power struggle. If he was brought in over Keano's head ,Kean is twisted enough to make sure he doesn't make it just to prove a point.

I'd feel sorry for anyone in that situation especially a young guy trying to make a career in a difficult occupation.

In this league a million pound signing has to play. Goodwillie and Rhodes could develop a partnership but the one up front on own tactic will make sure that doesn't happen.

I just hope Kean doesn't take the same attitude with Rhodes as he appears to be a Shebby signing.

Sick man.

Europa Cup Schmuck. Boring until the semis. 3 good games a year thats all.

I wasn't surprised. For all the upfront hype the two best players in the world are Iniesta and Xavi. Leave them alone and you're dead. Which is what the red scum did.

Some points

- Fergie has relied on an outstanding core youth product for 20 years - the golden generation - and it has caught up with him at last. Giggs looks old and Scholes even older (should have started though)

- His awful buys are often covered up by this 20 year old core.

- His tactics are suspect

- Just how bad was Anderson?

Chelsea have a powerhouse of a midfield when they are fit and would have undone these teams (ref permitting). They have 3 -4 ball winners and Utd had none. Big spend coming up followed by (you can't buy the title)

But if the President of FIFA want's you to loose maybe it's time to give it up.

I'd love a hat trick.... Coyle to Celtic would make my year!

As for the game............ Utd's big players didn't turn up. VDS never caught a ball all night without dropping it first. The midget Messi scored with a far post header! Carrick is over rated and the front two stars were played out of position. CF on the wing and a winger at CF. Capello would be absolutely slaughtered by the press and media if he played Rooney on the wing for England!

In a nutshell Fergie screwed up.

btwe JW must be tearing his hair out. All the initiatives he's dreamt up to get folk in from whalley and audley ranges and a bus load turn up in Rome! They must have a doozy of a prayer room there.

Oh I think Coyle's off. You got 'I'm going on holiday as Burnley manager' not 'get stuffed I'm having a bash at the Prem.' He will probably come back as Celtic manager though.

As far as I can recall, whenever Berbotov's stats are shown, he has covered more ground than the United team's average. Berb is an extremely deceptive player- looks languid but is in fact extremely quick. All that drifting past people is done at very high pace.

Certainly Benni was playing too deep on several occasions against Portsmouth but given Grella's limited range of passing he needed to be behind or level with the midfielder in order to receve the ball. But otherwise Benni was absolutely superb yesterday and did a huge amount of tracking back saving the legs of the generally less mobile Samba.

I wouldn't quibble with Benni's MoM award.

I don't think we can afford Berbatov.

Benni's goals - fat or not - have kept us up. Looks a different player in and around the box and with support and minimal service. People need to lay off him.. look at the list of costalots that have played more games, had more service and scored lots less.

"Putting the boot in" on and off the field ??

He doesn't put the boot in on the field where it counts though. (oh ho - see what you mean Alonso was off the field!)

Maybe after Blacknburn http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/arti...p;in_page_id=43

Oh dear. Might join Waggy.

Still no-one seems to be able to say what he's good at (in a football sense)

Most of Barton's good performances came before he moved to Newcastle, he hasn't really produced anything of note whilst he's been there. Think he's had 9 appearances this season? He did look the most committed on Sunday, but then, it's not hard considering the other players seemed to be going through the motions on their way down to the Championship.

What's he good at though? I just can't see it. I saw him a few times with City and he was never their best midfielder IMO.

is he actually *any* good?

Well I've seen him playing a number of times against us and I just cannot for the life of me see anything that makes him stand out. He's either gone missing big style or bottled it or isn't 'any' good.

For all the talk by a few on here of talent I would think if he ha any he would have looked the part at least on occasions as we have a less than dynamic midfield but he just doesn't show. In fact I have seen him look distinctly second rate against the like of Bentley, Tugay, Dunn and Reid. Just thinking back to the last city game when Hughes was here - got loads of grief about how 'The Boz.' whould destroy our midfield. After we passed them to death in the most one sided of games I've seen in years (think we only won 1-0) they were all going on about how the top four sides would struggle against us. Think there is an element of winding up on here.

Not guilty. I didn't do anything on facebook. I have it to communicate with a son and daughter who live abroad and want to show me photos of what they are up to - that's all.

They all say that!

I'd have him, he's streets ahead of the dross we've got pulling on shirts in central midfield at the moment. Barton or Andrews- err, let me think. At least he cares about losing, I'm exempting Andrews from this , he cares as well. The rest , well do they ?

I actually find that offensive TS. Tugay, Dunn, Grella, even Mokena and Reid, not to mention Savage have all played against him in games I've seen and he bottles it when the opposition make it know they are not 14 year old kids. Complete coward and a bully who isn't afraid to hide if the opposition stand and fight. I can count at least 3 no shows with City on the pitch against us and goodness knows how many games missed because of suspensions/incarcerations etc.

You really think his type could hold a candle to Tugay. For goodness sake, I think Andrews realises he's out of his depth but he doesn't hide and isn't a bottler.

Oh oh, I sense a facebook petition coming on...

People said the same when 'arry signed Di Canio and he did alright.

Faced with a choice of playing it safe and buying cheap, worthy losers of the likes of Keith Andrews or taking a risk with a discount, damaged goods talented nutter of the likes of Barton, I'd go for the latter.

All Sam has to do is get Blackburn Mags to slap a restraining order on him from going within 50 metres of MacDonalds or Xabi Alonso and hide the cigars.

Sorted.

That bits right apart from the underlined bit!

Di Canio = Barton? yeah right. Sort of sums it up.

Great post as usual AESF, but on this occassion I beg to differ.

In a minority of one and it won't happen, but I would be happy to see JB playing midfield in a Rovers shirt next season. He's far and away better than anyone we've got.

Get lost - (missed this) nobody is that thick or so poorly capable of judging personality or talent. Wind up merchant.

Could we have a role call of all the idiots who wanted that idiot down here please! Guy's a sicko!

Knowing what little I do about Benni this sounds like we've got a press grippy on the players at long last. However Benni is something of a playboy and I doubt if his family are even in the area! I bet he doesn't know he's said it!

Yes but without Roque we do still have quality up front. However we do not on the right side...if ever Emerton got injured we really would be totally screwed.

Add to that a central midfield composed of sicknotes, mediocrities and a 38-year old despite the numbers we have there and we are struggling with other areas. In fact it shows the problems we have that the left-side is no longer considered a problem area despite Pedersen being such an anonymous figure there. To be fair he is showing signs of improvement however.

Selling your best players is not usually the way to go but when you have one is missing a load of games, does not look interested, keeps bleating to the press and will bring in top dollar now like perhaps never again then it seems best all round to sell and use whatever money we get to allow Sam to really stamp his mould on the team and influence those problem areas.

No but I'd put Roque out on the right. He's too big for most full backs - even good ones (see: Mr. P Evra earlier on in the year) and takes 2 players out of the opposing team. As long as Benni keeps scoring.

Roque stays.

Can't stop laughing - This needs to be on the main thread on it's own.

I saw this on another forum about an hour ago and cried with laughter. What on earth was he thinking?! I almost wish we'd got him just to hear his stab at East Lancs.

Oh for heavens sake just watched it again and it is McClaren speaking, I thought it was dubbed!

Interview at Rovers would have been a sort of 'Eeee up John, Ah'll mek it t' top wit lads wi 'ave 'ere.'

Unfortunately a good friend of mine is a Twente fan and he does speak English with a little accent but not like McClown was doing then. I would think he's horrified.

Oh No!

from a man city forum

If Nicko's stuff tomorrow is better than this I will for the first time in my life be speechless. Going to drink on this now! Have you got the link EG?

He left, he's gone, there is no going back.

BUT is back room staff are welcome

Good point Splitty! This would be a huge bonus and set Ince up well..

Wonder if we'll be wanting him back by Christmas? And if he'll come?

No - he nearly killed the club - squad value was nil when he left - it must be £50m now. Silverware wise okay - but anyone can buy success. Hughes nearly did it without any cash at all so to speak.

Excellent post - must have cost the club millions. Right manager to start - disaster by the end.

The third division was and is a very light place and enjoyable.

And you'd like to go back?

He's just a bully who goes missing when it looks tougher than he can handle - sorry but there it is- and I still don't rate him as a player. Anyway he hasn't got any boots to p;ay in now either.

I'd have gone to Villa!

We're taking 1/6th of the towns population. If Arsenal Did that they'd take 1,200.000 people!

I'm not going 'cos

-it would cost £250 for us four and junior gets fed up.

- I went last time so Mrs Prof will take Big Lad

- It was a minging trip

But I'm thinking of what I might miss more every day now!

We could only get £45 tickets to. £25 were', available even for Big Lad whose 12.

so I'm also not going 'cos it stinks of another Southern ripoff.

Bob on JW.

Play MGP up front.

1. On tactics - Mokowena was awsome in midfield and provided superb cover for a back for in which Matteo was awful (can he pass?). When he moved into centre back the whole midfield fell apart defensively. If Johanson had been at L/B from the start he would have gon to C/H and I would have put Emmerton into R/B and Neil left back. Midfield would have carried on pressing (or axing) the game in Arse's half.

What's Eric done wrong?

2. We would still have lost 'cos Dickov in not up to it but neither are the other forwards (MGP excepted). £10,000 a week and not one decent cross.