avfc_in_essex

3-0 - great strike though

2-0!! Friedel should have done better there.

Wish Ash could use his left foot!! Its very obivious to full backs which way hes gonna go.

Cueller off, Davies on......worrying

Bollocks

Im watching the one on iraq goals. Good quality but foreign commentary. Do any of the above links have english commentary on?

This is the consistent response of those that prefer Stan and I just don't buy it. Bolton finished the league in 14th position ahead of Wolves, Wigan and West Ham, all of whom we failed to break down at home with MON's preferred DCM - Stan. This was, as I said, the only chance that Nigel got in a 4-4-2 with an attacking CM partner and he was very good and very disciplined (which was Jonno's question mark I believe). I accept that he is not an Alonso or Huddlestone but his short passing was consistently good, when given a chance, last year and I feel he creates a much better tempo with his drive and energy. The lesser teams will not take us on for football but they do have energy and can press us/overcrowd us, which I think negates Stan's footballing ability, forces him to look back for an outlet and allows them to get ten men behind the ball which we then struggle to break down. Nigel is much more direct and wants to drive or pass forward - doesn't always work (forward passes are obviously much more risky than sideways/backwards) but when it does it can open up these poorer sides. Against the better sides, if we are playing 4-4-2 which I wouldn't, Stan's calmness and ball retention is probably more suited, although I still think he tires after 60 and either needs to be supplemented (with a switch to 3 man CM) or subbed to give us some energy and push back. Bear in mind when we played Bolton at VP they were still under Gary Megson and if i recall were very close or even in the relegation zone. However that is besides the point and as i said im not taking anything away from NRC's performance that day. However i dont think the result would have been much different if Stan were playing. Personally i dont think either are good enough to where we want to be. The most obvious and realistc target in that position would be Scott Parker but even then questions could be asked about his age and the fee.

I think you are wrong here. I have changed my mind somewhat over the last 12 months. I can now see a starting XI with Stan in it BUT only if MON recognises that he either needs to play a three man CM (at least for part of the game) or sub Stan when he tires after 60 minutes or so. But even here I think there are some games that would be better suited for NRC to start ahead of Stan. I think our back 4 should be fairly steady and not changed ad hoc but the front 6 should be much more fluid and interchangeable (starting XI and substitutions) if we are not going to burn out again and to keep the opposition guessing as we are too predictable at the minute. Did you go to the Bolton home game last year Jonno? NRC sat in front of the back 4 and Sidwell was much more advanced. The only chance that NRC had last year in competitive football in a 4-4-2 with a more attacking CM'er in front of him and he seemed to accept this role pretty well to me. I was at the Bolton game and to be fair, Bolton were so poor, Guzan could have played in CM and we'd have still won comfortably. Not taking anything against NRC from that game however, for me personally i would always pick Stan over NRC. However i would use them both in a 4-5-1 against sides like Chelsea, Everton etc who like to play narrow. The problem with NRC in a 4-4-2 is his lack of footballing brain. He's hesitant on the ball which often leads us giving away possesion, he doesnt pick out obvious passes and alot of times will make the wrong decisions. The way we play with a 4-4-2, we need to be getting the ball wide quick in order to break sides down especially at home. If NRC was to become the first choise holding player - this wouldnt happen (or happen even less). In a 4-5-1 he can play the destroyer and put in MOTM perforamnces (Anfield last season) but i think a 4-4-2 to be just a tackling player isn't enough to break down defensive opposotion. FWIW i do like NRC and i do wish he was used more often from the bench, purely for his energy and determination but for me Stan is the preferred option.

As long as MON and Gabby Agbonlahor are at the club, we wont be signing Darren Bent. Similar reasons for not signing Defoe a few season ago. All three like to play of the shoulder of the last man, and rightly or wrongly, there is no way MON will sign a player who'll get in the way of Gabby's progress. I still like the shout for Robbie Keane. I think he'd score 12-15 goals, he'll drop deep and interchange passes with Downing and Milner/replacement, allowing Young and Gabby more space to use their pace and get beyond the defence. Similar to how we were playing when Heskey had that brief spell of confidence last season. Also his age is ideal for Delfouneso to be brought through without to much pressure to soon. Interesting to see Yaya Toure being linked with City. With Milner potentially there other big target, it's getting a bit tight for places in their midfield. £10m for Milner plus Ireland and Barry?? Midfield would be sorted and we'd still have £10m to invest towards rebuilding elsewhere.

Villa Park Wembley (new and old) White Hart Lane (Spurs) Upton Park (WHU) The Valley (Charlton) Portman Road (Ipswich) Carrow Road (Norwich) Weston Homes CS (Colchester) Layer Road (old Colchester stadium) Roots Hall (Southend) Kenilworth road (Luton) London Road (Peterborough) Adams Park (Wycombe) St. James Park (Exeter) Madejski (Reading) Eastlands (Citeh. though for an oasis gig, not football match - dunno if that counts) Hillsborough (Sheff Wed) Highfield Road (Coventry) Selhurst Park (Palace) St. Marys (southampton) Also watched Ajax thrash a side who i cant remember at the Amsterdam Arena.

We can also offer more stability than City. Come xmas Mancinis position could be looking very doubtful if they aren't looking like getting into the top 4, a new manager could be brought in and make new changes. Afterall, this has only been Jimmys second season that he has started and ended a season with the same manager.

Considering Milner is only 23 and is scoring the same amount of goals as Lampard did for Chelsea at that age from a similar position, doesnt really seem that funny to me.

I think Jimmy will be here next season, i don't think he'll feature much in the WC - not in the central role that he has been most noticable this season in anyway. However i have a funny/bad feeling Chelsea will be coming in with a bid next summer depending on how he does next season. Lampard has arguably 2 good seasons left at best, Milner could be an ideal replacement.

I can't see Milner going to City. They don't exactly offer the most stability for any young english player who is on the fringes of the england squad and i think Jimmy's feet are firmly on the ground to realise this. Plus i think they're happier attracting the bigger european names, regardless of whether they're past their best e.g. Vieira. Besides, James Milner doesn’t roll off the tongue in Beijing :winkold: Depending on how Milner does in the WC and next season (where i still think he'll be at VP). If SAF doesn't go for Defour i could see him going to Utd or Chelsea, seen as most of their midfield seem to be approaching 30. Shame to admit, but i think that is the harsh reality.

I found this highly ammusing when i read this at work earlier.

Clear red card for me. It was in a similar position to Belletti bringing down Barry yesterday. He got a straight red and the contact was minimal so there was no reason why Vidic should have stayed on. I'm sorry but i think if that had been Dunne or Collins bringing down Berbatov or Owen that early on, i think we'd have seen a red card appear very quickly. Some of the decisions were shocking. He booked Downing and Collins for similar tackles in which he let Rafael and Carrick off with a warning. I think today was first-class evidence of how SAF's comments about referees can give Utd an advantage. With the 4 minutes added on, Utd must have wasted a minute with goal kicks etc, yet bang on 94 minutes he blows the full time whistle. I'd accept that if it was consitent but it isnt as we saw in the Utd-City game earlier when Owen got the winner after 6 minutes when 4 were added on (i think those were the numbers). I dont mean it to sound like sour grapes because overall we were beaten by a far better side, but it could have been so different if we had been given the same advantage.

Are you sure that's not David Gold topless with a Carson Yeung mask on?

Yea i'm sure Bale has been delighted with his career at Spurs so far, as second choice left back to Assou-Ekotto.

Atleast he's picked NRC over of Sidwell. Hope he keeps Gerrard quiet like he did an Anfield. Come on you Villa boys!

Though it would seem footballers and football supporters come from different planets (wages,lifestyles etc) i think these huge gaps between clubs and fans stem from the likes of Garry Cook and Peter Kenyon. I do have sympathy for Mark Hughes, he was thrown into the deep end somewhat. To go from coaching the likes of Ryan Nelson and Christopher Samba to Adebayor, Robinho, Tevez etc, is a huge step up. I doubt the respect was ever there especially from Adebayor. And i wouldn't be at all suprised if Cook viewed Mark Hughes in the same way he viewed Richard Dunne. It all seems to be about big names that will sell shirts all over the world, with the expectancy of success to happen over night.