HanoiVillan

I've defended them a lot, but that is an embarrassment.

Gayle has just signed a new contract at Palace and is starting more in the first team, he flatly won't be available anyway.

This is exactly what I was saying at the time. We were a fortnight too late sacking Sherwood, he deserved less time than he got. Allardyce was always going to go to the first club with a vacancy in the bottom half, and the problem with letting him go elsewhere was not just weakening ourselves but strengthening our direct rivals as well. I really do think he'd have kept us up, though it may have been by the skin of our teeth. Possibly our lack of a decent striker would have sunk us anyway, but even if that were true he'd be exactly the right person to get us promoted next season. Stupid, stupid decision from the board.

The Tsingtao we get in Europe is a decent-to-good quality light lager IMO. I often order when it's available, and certainly it's much nicer than Carling or Carlsberg or Fosters. Interestingly, it's nicer than the Tsingtao you get in China, which has less of a tang to it. Nevertheless, Chinese Tsingtao is still better than every other Chinese beer, China being something of a wasteland for good beer (it's mostly served at room temperature and consumed in small glasses which go 'down-in-one'). Anyway, this China story was just in the Mirror wasn't it? Has it been verified by any reliable sources?

I'm under no illusions with this guy, but if he tries hard, wants to be here, doesn't drink himself stupid and gives it his all I'll like him much more than most of the rest of the team. We'll need him next season, anyway, so it's good he's got a few minutes. Shame Black hasn't given anybody else a chance.

Glenn Murray is a good shout IMO.

I do think we'll be able to pick up players on loan from the Premier League, they just won't be especially good ones. You've got to think, what's the calibre of player we've loaned to the Championship? Baker, Steer, Gardner, Daniel Johnson. So that's the sort of player we'll be able to get.

There's no chance of loaning any of them either, I'm sorry to say. Leicester have just won the Premier League, with a small squad. They aren't going to want to let many players go, either temporarily or permanently, and even if they do, those who have played many games this season will have far better offers than going to a Championship club. Inler might not have played very much, but he has a big reputation throughout Europe and in no way needs to be playing second division football. He could move to a top team in Serie A without difficulty. I doubt we'll be picking up any loans from Bournemouth either, and certainly not Callum Wilson who is first choice when fit. Grabban has achieved nothing there and probably genuinely isn't good enough for the Premier League, so that's why I allow he's an outside possibility. Basically, I just think you're going to be very disappointed when you see the calibre of player we're actually able to attract.

I think he'll be too bust midweek next season, playing in the Champions League

I think the disaster of the last year has allowed me to put Paul Lambert's time in some more perspective, and I'm grudgingly prepared to admit that it was probably a bigger feat than it seemed at the time keeping this shower of shit in the league. So, I guess, 'thanks' for that. Nevertheless, I would never ever ever ever ever ever want to see him here again.

I'm absolutely convinced he would have a] taken the job, and b] got us (just) to safety. I said as much at the time, and nothing I've seen since has suggested I was wrong.

My teachers at primary school used to warn me about going running with him.

Ulloa - no chance Dyer - maybe Inler - no chance Simpson - no chance King - no chance Wilson - no chance Afobe - no chance Grabban - maybe Iturbe - no chance Gayle - no chance Dyer or Grabban the only two of those who might move to a Chumpionship club.

Yes, the name 'Derek Scissors'!

Definitely don't buy a football club then!

I have personal experience of trying to persuade an elderly woman to give up her car, and I can tell you it isn't easy. A car is independence, freedom, the possibility of going somewhere without other people. But she was absolutely a danger to other road users. She could barely see over the steering wheel, and has arthritis in her hands that means she can't move several of her fingers. You should report the woman. Probably she's in utter denial about her driving. But her decision, while understandable, is still incredibly selfish and dangerous. You have to think that by reporting her you may well be saving a life.

Yes, I'm desperately looking forward to his video this week, it should be one for the ages.

They may be good for us; they may not be good for us. Time will tell. However, that's a risk we signed up to when we started chanting 'Lerner Out', and I've been chanting as loud as everyone else. There are only a very small number of people or groups prepared to invest £100m in a shit football team who are going nowhere, beggars can only be very limited choosers. Am I nervous? Hell yes. Is it guaranteed to be good for the club? Of course not. Do I think transferring ownership is essential, and quickly? Yep.

I don't disagree with a thing he said, but boy did it hurt hearing him saying it.

While I have absolutely no care in who our next manager is, at least until we get a new owner, I will say that I don't think anybody outside of this thread has accused Pearson of bullying his own players. Being a disagreeable arse, yes, impatient with and vindictive to journalists, yes, quick-tempered and lacking in judgement, yes, but not actually bullying his own players.

The gap between reality and rhetoric is alarming. He genuinely seemed to feel quite chuffed with himself in that post-match interview. On MOTD that interview was followed by what was honestly the most dismissively contemptuous analysis I've ever heard summarising our performance. What was even worse, it was Wrighty giving it, which hurts me profoundly.

Only spoke more than a few words to one fan today, but he was really sound, sympathised with us a lot. In general they seemed beery as always but I didn't think there was any edginess to it.