Let the banter begin, Prem Weekend 1st December-->

Luis wrote:Chelsea deserved the win in the end, I think Mikel was really poor though.

Depends on how you view it. I thought he did very well considering he was being kicked all game. Typical Mikel reaction to lunge back and in the end should have been sent off.

I was far less happy with Lampard, Sidwell and Kalou.

Rovers 2-1 up, Alladyce out!

Newcastle have been marginally better, but I'll take the fantasy points from Bentley, thank you very much

Newcastle and Spurs have a real battle on for underachievers of the season, you'd have thought Spurs were favorites but Big Sam doesn't shy away from a challenge.

Only 7 goals so far in 6 games today.

Poor day of football, reason = no liverpool

kas wrote:Only 7 goals so far in 6 games today.

It's just not as exciting without the league entertainers liverpool as luis said and arsenal involved

Watching the last 20 minutes of Blackburn-Newcastle game. Newcastle are all over the place, gung-ho approach, lots of hoofing and puffing, Fat Sam football.

Blackburn have come close many times to scoring a third goal. Newcastle are not out of it, a dead ball situation, a loose ball, bang bodies in there, a prayer somewhere, and Fat Sam can get a goal just the way he likes his football...all stupid!

Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Gardner, Petrov, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew


Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Diarra, Flamini, Rosicky, Hleb, Adebayor

It seems Clichy and Hleb have passed their late fitness tests.

Sunderland 1-0 Derby

Stokes scores in the last minute.
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Blackburn 3-1 Newcastle

Tugay with the third I think.

Please let it be Tugay!

I feel sorry for Fat Sam. Every opposing manager is giving him a can of whoop ass. Even the guy from Derby County managed to beat him, but what can we do about Fat Sam? You all can see how he plays his football.

4-5-1 which may be a slight shame but is understandable. Will give us some much neeed creativty through the centre as Cesc is out.

Luis wrote:Please let it be Tugay!

Yes, it was Tugay. He toe-poked it.

Sheffield gunner wrote:


Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Diarra, Flamini, Rosicky, Hleb, Adebayor

It seems Clichy and Hleb have passed their late fitness tests.

shazlx wrote:

Sheffield gunner wrote:


Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Diarra, Flamini, Rosicky, Hleb, Adebayor

It seems Clichy and Hleb have passed their late fitness tests.

6th choice

Yeh, i dont know if Batman was out on the WUM or genuinely thought that.

3-1 down, 94 minutes, Martins defending in his own penalty area!
Newcastle really put their all into it today - so Fat Sam's man management is on the up. Barton/Butt wasn't really creative enough though, and Milner still out on the left. Roberts did really well as an impact sub, Bentley invisible until he scored.

Chap wrote:3-1 down, 94 minutes, Martins defending in his own penalty area!
Newcastle really put their all into it today - so Fat Sam's man management is on the up. Barton/Butt wasn't really creative enough though, and Milner still out on the left. Roberts did really well as an impact sub, Bentley invisible until he scored.

Never good if losing 3-1 is a good sign

If he keeps smith out of midfield he should do ok but he'll never give the geordies what they want

Sheffield gunner wrote:Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Gardner, Petrov, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew


Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Diarra, Flamini, Rosicky, Hleb, Adebayor

It seems Clichy and Hleb have passed their late fitness tests.

you've got to say on paper that looks like an awful Arsenal side, if you showed that to most Arsenal fans 18 months ago they'd be in tears. They'll still win 3-0 though, Villa have been impressive recently but I can't see them getting anything today.

Newcastle were unfortunate today. We were the better side in the match, and played some real football at times in the first. The second became quite scrappy but it was exciting stuff, and you certainly cant fault our performance - I thought every player bar Butt had a good game, and the only mistake Allardyce made was perhaps in not taking him off for Emre.

What makes it worse is that Bentley should have been sent off before his second goal. He received a fair booking for a foul on Barton after his first, but before that goal hed clearly dived in the box and so could have been going off rather than receiving a first booking. Blackburn in general were dirty, Jason Roberts came on the pitch just to act the fat sod and push and foul our defence, Steven Reid made one particularly nasty challenge on Barton, Samba was fouling, Tugay was kicking the ball away and acting up. And we should have had a penalty at 2-1 for a Emerton handball in the box.

Like I say, I actually thought it was one of our better performances this season, and we deserved at least a draw. Martins was excellent, barring a chance from a header that, despite a high bounce, he should have scored from. He was terrific on the ball, pulling it about and creating chances and constantly making threatening runs. Milner had a great game too, N'Zogbia was making some good runs in the second half, Smith constantly battled and for once to some affect, and won a good number of balls, Viduka came on and almost worked his way through to goal a few times. Barton was a bit clumsy at times, especially in the area, but by the same token made some good passes. Rozehnal played well and pushes the team forward. Given made some great saves. Like I say, Butt was our only poor performer. Hes fair enough when we are constantly under pressure but he lacks the pace and nous to be any use defensively when the game is fast and open and we are facing counter attacks - he goes absent and offers no protection, whilst his passing today was poor.

It was certainly a step in the right direction, a step towards a much more balanced, footballing team. I think, if Allardyce is going to refuse to play a 4-4-2 with wingers and full backs, then a 4-3-3 might be the way to go - there we sacrifice one attacking player and could do with more creativity in the midfield, but the fact that we play with proper full backs and have the wide players up front means we look more balanced. Martins and Milner are a threat to anyone. Certainly, Allardyce must be happy with the way the players responded to last week, though hes still under pressure having lost the game - however, with a poor performance here and a loss to Arsenal on Wednesday, I genuinely think he might have gone, and so the performance today has been beneficial. And we had 7,000 fans there today.

All effort no quality. With a midfield like that, even if we take the lead like we did today, we can't control a game if we can't keep the ball ffs. Absolute bollocks.

Puro wrote:

Cinders wrote:and just why is that a foul by Drogba?

Drogba's been close to scoring a couple of goals.

I actually thought Gabbidon was WH's best player today. He did a super job on the Drog, but of course nobody can keep the Drog quiet for 90 minutes.

Come on the arsenal!

Have a good feeling for this one despite our injuries. think we'll get a draw or maybe nick a winner

I agree that the midfield was our weak area. Butt was useless, Geremi looks laboured at the best of times, and Barton was a bit hit or miss - he played reasonably well, won a fair number of balls and made some nice passes from deep, but his play around the penalty area and whenever he had a chance to score was poor. We lost the centre a little in the second half, and whilst I though Viduka for Carr wasnt a bad move, and whilst we were chasing the game, we could have done with more in the midfield area - Emre for Butt, for instance, and a little more calmness on the ball and less hoofing. I still thought it was a huge improvement over last week, whilst Milner and Martins did show quality out wide and I thought Viduka looked fairly classy when he came on. We didnt deserve to lose the game and have a right to feel aggrieved after some of the decisions went against us.

Like I say, with a 4-4-2 with Enrique and Beye as proper full backs, with N'Zogbia and Milner on their respective wings, Emre in the middle, and Martins up front, we could have an excellent, attacking team with pace and creativity and variety. But since Allardyce looks unlikely to go with two wingers, I think the 4-3-3 might be the best option. We could even try a midfield 3 of Barton sitting a little deeper, then Emre and N'Zogbia, though thats perhaps unlikely. To be honest, besides from the Tottenham game, there were points today where we played our best football this season, and even in the scrappier second half we genuinely tried and produced an exciting game with some moments approaching inspiration from Martins in particular. Certainly, whether or not it lasts, it was progress and a suggestion of what we might be able to do with the same positive attitude but with work and some tinkering.

Gardner!

We started quite brightly but gave the ball away too easily leading up to the goal. Even then we had the situation covered fairly well but Carew's cross took two deflections off Arsenal players and fell perfectly for Gardner. Very frustrating for us, but still plenty of time to get back into the game.

yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a goal!!!!!!!!

Ade and eboue in the build up =