Tomo

Coutinho really isn't all that, he's like another Joe Cole ie a flashy 1 in 5 player.

2011? that year was a horrible year, the fact we finished 2nd despite not having a real convincing performance (even the early games were closer than the scores suggested) says it all.

iirc 5, Arsenal, QPR, Marinbor, Liverpool and PSG. 20 goals a season would be brilliant factoring in what else he does.

The two aren't mutually exclusive, Cesc could still do likewise in the prem this year yet imo Barca didn't make a mistake letting him go.

Also to add Jose/the club sold him knowing he was capable of a really good career, that wasn't the reason he didn't work here, this wasn't a blind sale like Matic's was, for example.

Tbf a lot more people defended AVB than not, the general consensus that after Carlos approach of letting the player's do what they want (Flos hairdresser, Ashs shotgun both finding their way to Cobham) that it was refreshing seeing a manager prepared to stick the boot up the "egos". When AVB got sacked many people on here were quick to let there disgust at Lampards role in the whole farce public knowledge.

The thing is, KDB was in no worse a position than Zouma was this season or Cesar last. When you are out of favour in a competitive squad you simply must make the most of the limited chances you get, Zouma and Azpi did, KDB and Salah didn't.

Zoumas a case In point, he took the limited chances he got and impressed enough to turn them into regular games. At the start of the season every single member of our squad bar Mark Schwarzer knew they were going to get a chance in some capacity and it's up to them to make use of it.

So a bit off bad form from Matic and we are talking about replacing him I know the grass is greener on the other side is a strong philosophy here but this just takes the piss.

Arsenal have two boom bust cycle's. Start the season really well, have people talking about title, Wenger finally getting it and the transition over, only to collapse badly and end up 3rd or 4th. or start the season abysmally, Wenger out etc only to be resurgent in the second half and get 3rd/4th, it's been one or the other for them since 2007. And as u said in the title race thread, we can afford to be above average and still be all right.

That team also won La Liga against the two most expensive squad's in football history.

The 'lack of rotation' is partly the reason we have such a lead. Upto November we were almost flawless because we had a settled side while our rivals were tinkering and dropping point's like it was going out of fashion.

He got chances but he didn't really take them and decided to leave. Look at Harry Kane, he was only getting games in Europa early this season, but he was happy to go to Timbuktu and prove his worth, and is now reaping the rewards. Either way, what's done is done.

Not as simple as that, last season for example Eto'o was much more suited to us. It's not as easy as saying Lukaku would score goals and would have won us the league, there's also factors like general play, for example Hazards 2nd vs Newcastle last season would have never happened if Lukaku was playing instead of Samuel.

Please say they won't be wearing Liverpool shirts?

Also I think Allardyce gets unfairly branded aswell, West Ham were playing some great stuff early on and his Bolton team with Okocha and co played some pretty good stuff aswell. Dare I say if he was skinny and more of a looker, he would get the credit he deserves and probably get shots at top jobs.

Very true, someone asked me the other day why don't I go on the rampage on facebook anymore and I responded "Jose does it for me"

Not so much carried away, however the advantage we have now is massive that even if the worse happens tomorrow (today technically but meh), it isn't an immediate issue. 6 wins and 3 draws is enough if City win 8 out of 9, 6 out of 11 would be bang average form for our standards but it should be enough, the result today for me was one of the moment's that started to really swing it hugely in our favour the same way Palace holding United did in 2005, for me anyway. Ill never take anything for granted until it's mathematically sure, but I can't help but look at the situation and be incredibly excited.

Could be an issue, but on the other hand I think the room for error we have now should help a lot, we can basically lose the next 3 games and it's still in our hands, that is a huge advantage at this stage.

City on 58 with 9 games to go. We are on 63 with 11 games to go. The most point's City can get now is 85, if they win 8 and draw one we need 7 wins out of 11 or 6 wins and 3 draws and we have done it. They need to win all 9 to even have the remotest sniff unless we have a complete meltdown. Basically we can be above average from now on and still do it, it will take form mirroring the last 2/3 months of AVB to blow it now.

Torres may have netted more in Europe but his performances were still shite.

especially at Shrewsbury.

An example of just what a state the squad was in when he took over.

Well without meaning to sound like AVB I would rather look at the collective, what it's done as a team. When Jose took over in 2013 our squad was a complete unbalanced mess, every bit as much as Uniteds squad is currently if not more, on a £36m net spend (that's £9m per transfer window for perspective) he has turned this unbalanced mess into genuine title contenders and 2/3 signings away from hitting the top level in Europe. He's quite clearly doing something right.

He was called a coward on either this or the match thread (can't remember which) last night. I have heard other things on par with that in the past. Could you imagine one Tottenham fan branding Nicholson a coward? One Liverpool fan saying that about Shankley or even Dalglish? One United fan about Fergie? Criticism like he isn't getting the pressing right for example I genuinely don't have a problem with, but when it gets to 'coward' territory' or before the carling cup final someone telling him to fuck off, I don't like.