MrDuck

Wow. Interesting stuff on there!

Breakdown of DNA across Europe.

Interesting article here on Poyet http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/apr/08/sunderland-fulham-managerial-changes-premier-league-relegation-ellis-short-steve-mcclaren I suspect you know what you're gonna get with Pulis, with Poyet I get the feeling it could easily go dramatically either way.

I'm not sure how many clubs Allardyce has left in questionable shape. His record is excellent, and generally clubs such as Bolton and Blackburn have gone downhill when he leaves because they employ someone with nothing like his ability (eg Sammy Lee, Gary Megson, Steve Kean). He joined Bolton when they were in the Championship, and left them after four consecutive top 10 PL finishes. I think most clubs would take that kind of "questionable shape"! As for Pulis (who was never at Bolton)... took over Stoke as a poor championship side, left them as an established Premier League side, and even Mark Hughes hasn't been able to bugger up all his good work. Again, I can't see how short-term fix or a questionable shape applies to Stoke, and certainly not in comparison to the likes of Sunderland, Cardiff and Fulham.

I'm sure you're right. But I think for any of the clubs outside the top 8 or so should be happy with a Pullis or Allardyce. It might not be great to look at, but they get results and your team doesn't spend it's time fighting relegation. Which these days seems to be about the best the rest of us can hope for.

Likewise. Now Everton could get 4th, I hope this doesn't happen to them! Now if Spurs could only grab 4th and Utd win, that would still be acceptable

I think it's like West Ham with Allardyce - strange delusions that they deserve a certain style of football.

Bang on. Frightening really.

Always sad to hear a mother of two young kids has died, regardless of who it is.

I really didn't fancy Martinez coming to Villa when there was talk of it, and was glad we ended up with Lambert. Doh.

Fair enough re Sunderland. I'd forgotten they only had 1 point when they sacked PDC! Interesting that the other clubs sacking their managers - Tottenham and Swansea - have also failed to improve. Palace were the only club who sacked someone then hired a proven premier league manager, and they're the only club who it's really worked for. So often these days it seems a panic decision and so often it compounds the problem rather than helps. Unless the situation is irreparable - see DiCanio - then sticking with what you have seems a better option.

I think Mackay would argue that he did alright getting Cardiff to a cup final and then winning the championship... certainly not an "awful job". They'd been spending a lot of money for years with no joy, it took Mackay to take them up. And ultimately, Cardiff were not in the relegation zone when they sacked Mackay. Fulham had 10 pts from 13 under Jol, and since he's gone they've taken 14 pts from 19. West Brom had 15pts from 16 under Clarke, and managed 14pts from 15 since he left. Only Sunderland could be said to have actually improved, but not very much and they're still deep in the shit. It's a gamble, and I think more often than not it doesn't work. West Ham were in the shit, stood by Allardyce and they won 4 or 5 on the bounce, now look safe. Something to be said for sticking with your manager through the rough times I think.

Crystal Palace and Tony Pulis say hi. Gamble though isn't it? And they're the only team it's really worked for this season. And Pulis I think was the only manager that came in that actually had a record of doing well in the Premier League. Lesson to be learned perhaps.

It's lucky Fulham, Cardiff, Sunderland and West Brom replaced their managers, else they'd still be in relegation trouble.

Over/undertaking is something of a free-for-all on the roads in Victoria, and indicators are for the most part unheard of. Survival of the fittest!

Knowing the way English cricket operates, I fully expect to now see Ashley Giles given the role of head coach.

Enjoying this one from Lonely Tourist Includes a cracking tune about a footballer, The Ballad of Paul Tierney - a Man Utd youngster who didn't make the grade:

Good article I read today:

<yawns> Although, perhaps a better option than all the pointless friendlies? http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26747394

Yeah. Liverpool '05, Milan '07 and Chelsea '12 all won it while being very poor (by Champions League standards), but over 2 legs anything can happen really, then certainly the same can be said for a 1 off Final. I think the current Madrid and Bayern are like the Barca of 4 or so years ago though in that I think they're just too good. Whoever wins when they play each other will win it for me. The difference between Chelsea '12 and this United team is that Chelsea could at least defend. You can not say that about this united, who look awful at the back. Evra looks a shadow of his former self. Rio's past it, Vidic's mind is on his new club, Evans and Jones, not good enough yet, Rafael poor; Christ, i even fancy the Villa's chanes against their defence/. Yes there's no chance of them winning it. Especially now they've drawn Bayern! It might disproportionate compared to the number of other clubs there are but it probably isn't disproportionate if you consider the number of fans they have reading the BBC website, far more than any other club in the country. I always thought the BBC website seemed to be more of a Liverpool love-in.

I see Moyes thinks they can go on and win the Champions League Actually, that'd be pretty cool. But it seems just a tad unlikely...

Every time our best players get picked for England, they leave Villa. The longer Delph is not involved with the national side, the better.