sharkyvilla

That is roughly the way I'd go, though I would hope Guzan couldn't screw up two matches running, and I'd expect Ayew or Sinclair to provide more goal threat. Crucially, that middle 3 is the way to get Gil playing to his best and has been obvious ever since he joined in January he is a perfect number 10. If we'd stuck with a similar system al season we wouldn't be in this mess, I know players have missed the odd games but there are enough options in the squad to cover. I still have hope we will win tomorrow.

When I went to Melbourne I did the standard day trips, a trip to Phillip Island to see the penguins, stopping at a vineyard and koala sanctuary on the way, the MCG and of course the Neighbours tour. Melbourne is brilliant for sport, not so much for beaches, though St Kilda is quite nice. I was violently sick after stroking a python at the zoo there, so be warned. Wellington I don't remember much about as I really just travelled through to see my parents.

I remember the uproar when we were linked with Lennon, Townsend and Huddlestone I doubt any of those players listed would be on the wages of those three, and certainly not in the same league in terms of transfer fee for Townsend, who would have cost north of £10m. Lennon would have been ok value but I suspect he'd have chosen Everton over us anyway. Either way we are seriously underachieving considering the players we have.

I suspect that both sub teams only have one phone between them as well which makes things a bit harder, especially amongst a team of women.

I still go back to that Leicester match. We played really well in the first half, then got a second goal on the break. He had the team and the tactics right there. It only had a couple of the new lads in it, which meant that he could introduce some of the others more slowly if they've been struggling a bit to settle. His subs obviously cost us the game, but instead of sticking with those starting players and system as close as he could, he decides to rip up the team each week. That's why the 'oh these aren't my players, they haven't settled, they're from another league, they're losers, they're not good enough' and 'I'm trying something new every week, we won't get relegated I guarantee it' etc etc is just so wrong, and I think anyone despairing about us being doomed and that no manager can fix it should chill out. Anyone with some sort of managerial ability will sort us out.

Why were they going to restaurants for snails and muscles? Morons They said that they were doing it mid-afternoon, by which time the fish mongers would have all sold out or not had enough until the next day. There are several huge hypermarkets around Calais and Boulogne though.

Could you still fix it so the missus spends £85 less on future haircuts as a kind of punishment as well as not paying the fine, then you're quids in.

No way, Vana is an absolute dog and should have got booted tonight

Bloody new vending machines at work make the weakest cups of coffee I have ever had the misfortune to drink. There was nothing wrong with the old one which you could adjust the coffee and milk settings but they get rid of it, yet keep the shitty sweets/crisps one which chews your money every other time you use it, the bastards.

Whenever I watch something Stephen Graham seems to turn up in it. Homeland was good, the last series was absolutely outstanding, well worth a watch for anyone who gave up after series 3. Hopefully this one is as good.

I got accepted for a maths course at uni despite getting a C, and rather predictably it was an unmitigated disaster. I swear they only accepted me for the money, I know I have to take responsibility for failing myself, but I agree with you, someone has to say no, degrees are for the best and not to take on just about anybody. I got really homesick and depressed by the whole thing as well, which put me back a couple of years. Sorry if it sounds like a whinge, as it is obviously brilliant for anyone who gets what they want out of it, in fact I'd quite like another bash at it now if I could.

it could just be that Tim's targets were beyond our budget. We did sign 3 experienced PL players, and we have been stung for years by paying over the odds from other PL teams. I can totally understand the model we are using in recruitment, I really don't think it's as difficult as is being made out but if it needs negotiating over with Moyes or whoever, then so be it. As it is, when Lambert was on MOTD extra the other week it sounded like he did a lot of the leg work himself when signing players but every manager needs scouts, and all clubs have a budget to work to.

As we were in for Adebayor up until the end of the window, surely we must have that £5m hanging around to go towards paying him off. Then give his salary to Moyes, which would be a pay rise for him. Sorted. I think what he just said must be the final nail in the coffins for fans who were willing to give him more time. What he said is utterly ludicrous, he leaves out Gil all the time, the one person who has the ability and intelligence to play between the lines, or plays him as a right midfielder that wastes his talent. Even Grealish isn't quite experienced enough yet to pull it off on his own even with his natural ability, if you play without these kinds of players then you have little option than to pass it sideways, especially if you play 5 at the back and an immobile lump up front. He hangs his players out to dry on and off the pitch, he's an embarrassment.

Van Persie was a little leaving gift for Fergie, he was the signing that pretty much guaranteed at least a top two spot for his last season but was very unlike a Fergie signing in that he would have a limited impact at the club due to his age. Moyes never got the backing Van Gaal did to rebuild the squad, and I'd have expected him to have done a lot better last season with the money that was spent. Anyway, off topic (for the moment). I really hope we've heard something by tomorrow, otherwise it's another week wasted.

Katie Derham's 45 and is fit as **** on Strictly (not that I watch it of course)

Van Gaal hardly did any better last season with Utd, and that was with over £100m spent plus no European football to concentrate on. I think the Utd job was a bit of a poisoned chalice and to Moyes's credit he has gone abroad in the meantime to broaden his knowledge and experience. Most important is the job he did at Everton.

nah it's 36 points from 28 matches, which is very doable.

After doing some googling, Moyes is on €2m at Sociedad and Sherwood £2m here, so I really don't think salary would be an issue. The pay off however will be a sticking point. I just hope Randy and Fox get it done.

There's a difference between playing as a wide forward and a wide midfielder. It seems simple to me, play him where Zog was playing last season alongside Grealish behind the striker, or as a number 10 off the striker.

I think a defeat for them would be handy for us, as they may just agree to let him go if we phoned them up tomorrow asking if we could have a chat. I wonder what kind of salary he is on in Spain. I'm pretty sure Randy has always rated Moyes and would jump at the chance of getting him in, as would I.

The problem is dropping him last year but not securing a replacement in the summer, we've ended up with the worst case scenario, a keeper who is under pressure, out of form and clearly not really wanted by the manager. He was one of our best players for too long to become a Championship-level keeper. I still think there is a more than good enough keeper in there, perhaps a new manager would help him too.

Unsurprisingly I disagree, ok they were not good enough today against Chelsea, but the forward players in the XI could have easily played against Stoke and got us a win. We were two-nil up away to Leicester who have been flying with our best players on the pitch, since then we've barely seen Grealish and Gil together and barely got a point. The solution is just so blindingly obvious to me, and that's what worries me about Tim, how long does he need before he works it out?

Doh, I was hoping the fact that we hadn't heard from him meant there was a meeting going on.

The only thing that really annoys me about today is that the XI would probably have beaten Stoke, with the odd change. I'm hoping they've been working behind the scenes to get a new manager in and hence just kept Sherwood on for this weekend, because otherwise I can't see them getting rid after a defeat by Chelsea and we will have to wait.

Since Benteke left