VillaChris

How much did Wigan sign him for though, 6m wasn't it? Anyone who wanted to sign him this summer would've paid that. Was Downing that much better than him at Boro? We paid 12m for him and he had a broken leg at the time and was shite when he started playing.

Yeah he could certainly see the potential of City and dodged a bullet going to Liverpool, funny how it all works out in the end. Back in the europa for now though. :winkold:

Pretty sure England's record on ITV during major tournaments since 1998 has been a complete disaster.

Yeah same for me. Most of the xmas presents I'm getting for friends and family are books and DVDs and I'm getting them off Amazon rather than going to Waterstones and HMV.

Yep, was just going to mention Holden, got injured in March just as the decline started.

Only two I'd both to try to sign out of those would be Samba and Holliet. rest are average. Blackburn's big error was sacking Big Sam, they were never in any danger of being relegated under him.

Same as it is now although of the promoted teams I actually think Swansea will go close to doing a Blackpool.

Sorry yeah, remembered that as soon as I typed it, opps! I meant more at VP.

Anyway back onto the game... Watched 70 minutes of it and thought Sunderland were really really poor, pretty surprised they won it but it was Blackburn tbf. Can imagine Larsson will be their poor man's Ashley Young, whipping in crosses and saving the day with free kicks but apart from him and Vaughan, I really don't see too much quality there. Just annoyed they won in the last minute, can barely recall a time when we did that under MON! I thought Titus was still suspended by the club aswell?

Not sure his health is 100% at the minute.

That second one took a nick off Cahill, might have been going in if it hadn't?

Yep, looked good on the highlights. Just a bit worried he's unsure when to come off his line, think he'll struggle at Stoke but be relatively o.k in the other games.

That's one thing I thought we would be good at as pretty sure SHA used to score shed loads from them last season and the one before.

The only game I worry about with him is Stoke away. All the others we're playing he'll be o.k in I think, certainly we would concede goals in those games with Shay in goal so doubt it will be much of a difference.

I think if we don't win on Saturday, we could easily go on to lose the next four (Liverpool and Arsenal home and Chelsea and Stoke away). If that happens McLeish would have 1 win from 12 league games. I'd say Randy would have his finger pretty close to the trigger then.

Yep, expect a home win. Even McLeish comfortably beat Blackburn at the start of the season.

No point, you can't watch the players train at BH anymore so I don't bother going down there now. I really can't believe it's as simple as players playing beautiful one touch passing football on the training ground and then as soon as the match starts their bottle goes and they just start hoofing it. Surely what you practice and preach in training will be replicated in a match situation?

I know, I chuckled when he came on aswell! Didn't he play against us for them when we played Basle in the Intertoto in 2001?

Quality DDID! MON wants to recall Gyan in January. Can he do that and send Bendtner back?

Sunderland have no chance of top 7 this season, they're what 15 points behind Newcastle? He'll keep them up this season, that's all.

Just looked at their fixtures and I would expect them in MON's 1st game to beat Blackburn at home but after that they have QPR, Spurs, Wigan and Chelsea away and Everton and Man. City at home so not an easy start for him at all.

Really hope Udinese win the league tbh, great side to watch.

Gardner will be playing at RB shortly for them I think.

I think the comparison last season is a bit off as SHA went down on 39 points which was the highest for a long time. I think teams will stay up on 34 or 35 points this season so I don't think we're in any danger of going down as we've beaten the likes of Blackburn and Wigan who I think will be relegated. That's not to say I don't want him out as the football now is as dire and negative as it was in Gregory's last season. Bolton to me is a must win and I would actually like us to put in a decent dominant performance away from home for once, it's not too much to ask for surely? No doubt what will happen is we'll scrape a 1-1 with two shots on goal and McLeish will survive on. It's going to be that sort of season.

Quite happy with that as I do like big Mick and think he's a better manager than some give him credit for.