Leif

I say Shaw is better. I say Shaw is better defensively. I also say he is much better offensively. In fact I'd say he's the 2nd best English full-back at attacking, behind only Baines. I say Bertrand would be lucky to tie Shaw's shoes one day.

That's inconsistent form, not lack of stability as a club.

Is there any way to add the word "Stability" to a banned-word section of this forum meaning if someone types it it can't be published? I hate the word. Definition: "The state or quality of being stable, especially: a. Resistance to change, deterioration, or displacement." Synonyms: constancy - steadiness - firmness - fixity - permanence We've been competing at the top level of football both in the Premier League and in Europe for a decade now. We've consistently had some of the best players in the world, consistently won trophies, consistently challenged for almost every trophy you can realistically challenge for in this country, consistently had some of the best coaches in the world at our helm; Point is - "Stability" isn't defined by how long a manager stays at a club. If you think that defines whether a club has stability or not you are completely nuts. We're one of the most stable clubs in world football with a (seemingly) excellent financial plan too for when FFP kicks in, meaning with our billionaire owner still with us, despite the odd transition season like the one we're currently experiencing, we are very stable.

I remember people saying Pirlo was too old when we nearly got him...

SO THERE'S THIS GAME AGAINST BASEL WHICH COULD SEND US TO A SUCCESSIVE EUROPEAN FINAL AND NEW GTA NEWS IS BEING RELEASED TOMORROW/TODAY. I. AM. PUMPED. May not go to sleep...

3 comments on that Boro page in a row: Now let's not bash their intelligence. They have seen him more than anyone on here including myself have this season. But maybe (consider it), just maybe, that Leif guy isn't some big bad wolf who just singles out McEachran for the sake of it. Some more: For every positive about Josh in the Boro forum, there's around 2-3 negatives. Obviously it's a shame and I should try resisting a 'told you so' sort of situation, but I think they've explained and elaborated well almost exactly what I and a few other members have said about him all season, yet we've got flamed because we don't know any Boro fans in person and all that rubbish.

I want Pepe. I really do. Pepe and Mourinho could work here. We need those aggressive players back. We used to have an aggressive Bison who often played with a scary German, a rock-solid Englishman at the back and a monster up-front. Now we have LadyBoy up-front, Skinny-as-a-twig Ramires in midfield and above average defence options. I'd see him as a Ron Harris import Strikers would shit themselves seeing Pepe and defenders would shit themselves seeing Falcao. Managers would shit themselves seeing Mourinho.

Hopefully if indeed signed by Manchester City he'll turn out to be like all the other Brazilians they've bought in the past! Looks like they'll be moving Yaya Toure on next season or after.

Just want to add to my own PSG - Chelsea bit: Who would Mourinho rather work with? Moura or Hazard? My bet is Hazard, although it could be Moura. Mata or Pastore? Laughable to even suggest Pastore. Ageing Thiago Silva, or blossoming Luiz? Probably Luiz. Old Maxwell or Old Cole? Cole. Shit Van Der Wiel or Azpi? Azpi. Matuidi or Ramires? No idea. Lavezzi or Moses? Lavezzi. I'd say that our current squad would appeal to him quite a bit more than PSG's. Another good tick for us. Finally, there's the point where he could simply just not choose us. Remember the reports of him not wanting to re-join because of interferences when it comes to transfers? He's never had full control over transfers. Porto are renowned for their scouting team. They pick the players. They present them to people other than the manager who say "Yep, alright, they'll make a profit one day" and they're signed. Chelsea are Chelsea. Inter are like us with transfers only with less financial power. Real Madrid are pretty similar to us too in that regard.

Sky Italia reporting that Roman has promised Mourinho - Falcao, Di Maria, Moutinho & Pepe. (I GENUINELY REALLY WANT PEPE HERE OK. DON'T BAD MOUTH HIM. I LOVE THAT GUY!)

"Where I love to be" - SO! Let's dissect this. Teams he's managed:- Benfica Some team I can't spell Porto Chelsea Inter R. Madrid. The bolded teams are the ones which I believe he does indeed 'love'. I leave out Porto because despite his success with them, I think that's all it was - success. He may love Porto, but at this point, I wouldn't say Porto is a team where he would "Love to be". So that leaves Inter & Chelsea. Inter have pretty much confirmed (or outright confirmed perhaps; Can any avid Serie A followers give this the nod?) that they'll be keeping their young manager Stramaccioni next season. They seem to share a vision, he and the club, and really want to create something special with him. Jose left Inter in the best way possible. It was a fairy-tail ending. I could only see him going back when he's 60 or 70 and wants one last hoorah. Then we have us. He wasn't sacked, he didn't outright want to leave; but differences which we don't have explicit details of seemed to end up with Roman and Jose mutually agreeing that he was no longer right for us (in Roman's mind anyway), and thus he and the club part ways. He hasn't won the Champions League with an English side, and I really think he wants to. I also think we're the only side he wants to win it with. You can throw in "Manchester United" as a destination as it's easy to do, but really? He wants to create his own legacy. He doesn't want to eventually just end up following in SaF's footsteps! Another 'option' is Manchester City. The club is run by odd people. So odd that from the looks of things, they may actually be keeping Mancini on for another season. Even if he was to depart however, City don't want to be 'the next Chelsea' and specifically want to do things their own way. Due to this, and the fact a member of the club with a high status was one who swayed Barcelona into the decision of not signing Mourinho on as manager many years back, I can't see him going there. Chelsea. Chelsea are the only team in England for him. He despises Spain from the looks of things, so he won't join another team there. There's not a team high caliber enough for him in the Bundesliga. Inter & Juventus have their managers set in stone, and he'd never manage AC Milan. Now we have to consider that fact that he'd probably quite happily face a brand new challenge, and in fact perhaps prefer that option, and opt for a team he doesn't "Love being at", but thinks he could be loved at. This leaves us with Chelsea and PSG now as realistic options. (If you've stuck with me this far I'll be impressed.) PSG can offer him almost everything we originally did. What they can't offer him though is an exciting league. He would win Ligue Un every season he's there. Perhaps the idea of leading a French club with a huge vision to a CL triumph, in a beautiful city too, would entice him however. Also the fact that PSG seem cool about letting Ancelotti potentially leaving at the end of the season for a club such as Madrid suggests they have a high-caliber manager in mind to replace him. I think they'll end up with Pellegrini for some reason though. Well, if we don't that is. So it's either Chelsea, PSG, or a team not in the top 5 leagues. (I always thought he'd consider a team like Galatasaray you know.) The ball is in your court, Roman. (That was fun.)

If Roman chooses someone like Pellegrini over Mourinho... just... we'll need to take some course of action.

Reporter: "Maybe next season with Real?" Jose: "Maybe not. I love to be where I love to be; where people love me to be."

The players lost the game tonight - not him. He actually set the team up perfectly I felt. If players like Higuain, Ozil & Ronaldo had taken their chances, which they really should have, Madrid could have won 4-0, even 5-0 tonight. I mention this because there'll probably be the almost inevitable - "You guys still want Jose back after his loss vs. Dortmund? :s" from a member who started supporting after Jose left us and thus never felt his magic.

So - Who still wants Higuain?

When we beat Barcelona our players and staff couldn't hide their smiles. This Dortmund team however, Sahin, a bloody sub aside, can barely crack a smile. I hate that.

That was a decent dive by Ronaldo that was.

Ronaldo is such a choker.

ffs

WOT R U DOING

GO HURRY GET THE FKING BALL UP

ESSIEN HIT A SCREAMER

LESS THAN 2 MINUTES GO GO GO

RAMOS U KUNT

DROGBA. GET DROGBA ON