OhForAGreavsie

Almost all of his touches have been poor since you said this.

What do people see in Baba? He clearly has not reached the right level yet but I see nothing to suggest that he ever will.

It was really enjoyable on Sunday afternoon. I got there a couple of minutes after kick off so was a bit shocked when the people I was chatting with told me the score was 4-1. I missed their first goal and had thought we were 4-0 up. Among the four was an effort by Fran Kirby that would have been a contender for goal of the season if she had scored it in time to be nominated. She latched on the a great ball from Eni, jinked one way then the other to beat a couple of 'men' before finishing with a curling left foot shot. The ground erupted, it was a special goal. Emma Hayes has put together a terrific squad. She rotates every game but the team never seems to miss a beat. On Sunday she was able to withdraw Eni Aluko and replace her with an even better player in Gemma Davidson. Gemma was brilliant as usual, setting up a couple of sitters which should have been converted as well as two more presentable chances. Granted squad building is way easier at the top of the women's game than it is in men's football but it's nice to see such a powerful group in blue. Getting over to Staines for a game is well worth it in my opinion. If you can get there sometime, I think you'll enjoy it. I'm also taking my niece and a friend to Wembley. Be great if there's a good crowd for the final.

On the other hand the view at the Emirates is fantastic even from seats in the corners near pitch level. I don't know if the rake of the seats affects the atmosphere but you could be on to something when you say that it might.

Charly's Spanish is at least as good as his English. Assuming Charly is still there, they'll communicate in Gus's native tongue.

Would absolutely love to have either of those players. We have been linked with Bonucci several times. Although the possibility that he'd Join Chelsea seemed to have been reliably quashed, it resurfaced again this weekend. Like everyone else, I doubt that our stock is high enough to attract class A players. It is high enough however for agents to use our supposed interest for their own reasons.

You have to respect a man who understands what's important to his club's fans. They want this match, he's going to try to give it to them. That's all good.

With what effect using our players? You are making the same mistake the criminals in the squad made when the betrayed Jose. You think they are better than they are too. Stupid is a good word but Guus should not be its object.

Let me rephrase it for you then; the best that could be done with what he had.

Those two at Chelsea, with this squad, would be picking the same players and you'd be calling them a waste. It is a truism that if you are good enough then you're old enough. The concept is not commutative however. Just because you are young enough does not make you good enough. Had the players not given up on Jose we'd have done better under him than we have under Guus. The players did give up however so Guus had to do a rescue mission. He has accomplished his task as well as anyone could have done.

Get padded up everyone, E19's gonna be coming in off his long run if we don't perform today!

I agree. I'd have broken up the Mikel/Matic pairing but Guss sees it differently. I can live with what the boss has done and with why he's done it. By the way, I'm not a fan of Baba's so I'm pleased he's out of the side. Kennedy I'd have been happy see get another run at LB.

No, he's picking the best side he can from the players available and deploying them in a way he thinks best. Our problem of course is that our best available team ain't all that great but what on Earth could Guus do about that today?

Like Jose he is a brilliant coach who finds the best solutions possible. Given that the squad is the same it's hardly surprising if those solutions are pretty much the same. P.S. I'm not a fan of Matic or Mikel so I'd probably not have picked that pairing. As confident as I am about my footballing opinions however, there are still moments when I remember that most of the world happens outside, not inside, my head. Just because I think something does not make it so. In the end someone has to choose the team, and Guss is that someone.

Says you.

He's picked what he considers to be his strongest line up for this game. No one can ask any more of him than that. If you or I would have picked a different side then so be it but Guss is the boss so he gets the call.

It is not a meaningless game. Some here may not care about our obligations but Guss should and he does. He is a high class man. In any case the voices now moaning at him for having some integrity, would be the first to cry foul if we needed another team to drop points and their opponents turned up with the beach sandals on and the umbrellas up. Guus is not only trying to do his best in this game, he is making sure he is seen to be trying to do his best. Well played Mr. Hiddink.

What has he done? The best he can with what he had. Once again, thank you GH.

Couldn't disagree with you more. Guus has done a great Job for us. Thank you once more Mr. H. Given the squad, he did what could be done. Other options are just figments of people's imaginations.

As you know, when Guus said fair he meant fair to Newcastle and Norwich. Quite right too Guus. Well played.

Why so eager to criticise without knowledge of the full facts? How do we know, for example, that the agent didn't phone them and ask to be told? Insisted in fact on being told then and there? He may or may not have done that, we don't know. Maybe I should be more accurate and say, I don't know but you take the point. In any case, the agent was not told that there would be no offer. He was told no offer yet. He and JT, mainly the agent I'm sure, then cooked up their media offensive to put pressure on the club. That was not necessary in my opinion. The board have worked with JT closely for years and have been very loyal to him. He and his agent should have found a better way. If I were a club official seeing John behave like that would have saddened and disappointed me.

Don't know, but if they are different then mine is obviously better. I'd talk about twenty-two world class players, made up of the theoretical starter and his backup for each position. If that 'squad' were to be selected, I wonder how many unanimous picks there would be? My guess is two; Suarez being the other one.

If Guus feels obligated to field a passably strong side then I can't say it would seem strange. We did our best for Leicester so we probably have to accept the responsibility to do our best for Newcastle and Norwich.

Higuain is a tremendous player. I'd take him even if it meant Costa left. Diego attracts too much hassle and his mere presence gets oppo fans right up for it against us.

Agreed but let's also pin some of the blame on agents who are only too ready to use Conte's new job to aid their negotiations.