Ex Lion Tamer

Miliband is actually doing a decent job now, he is making the right policy choices and putting the tories under pressure on most big issues when they arise. He battered Cameron in PMQs this week. The problem remains in communicating to the electorate and the fact he is seen as a geek, and he may never entirely overcome that, but he is starting to look more confident. I could certainly see him winning the election.

I say this not too be negative as I'm sure he's really good. But do I remember right that Adkins targeted him as a weak link when we played them last?

Amusing story about his wedding here! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/9322530/Police-called-to-wedding-of-Newcastle-Utds-Danny-Guthrie-after-stately-home-brawl.html

I maintain that it was Palmer who kept us up that year

He's exceptional in the transfer market and has proven this again at Newcastle

Its important to remember that no manager has a 100% success rate in the transfer market. Bebe anyone? Its probably fair to say that Nigel's record is hit and miss, but would give benefit of the doubt at this stage

The players will already be fired up so if anything they will need calming down. I would concentrate on trying to get them focused, talk tactics and tell them to go out and do their jobs professionally

Two players in each position, backup/competition in brackets: ????? (Kelvin) ???? (Frazer) Hooveld (Fonte) ???? (Martin) ????? (Fox) ????? (????) Morgan (????) Cork (????) Lallana (????) Rickie (Sharp) Lee (?????) I make that 10 players we need, perhaps a bit ambitious

Just speaking to a Boro supporter and he said that's the best they've played at home all season. That said, we still have problems in certain positions, but given how far we've come in just 2 seasons, understandable. Hopefully in the summer we can get the final pieces of the jigsaw in place, whichever league we're in

This. Plus we were unfortunate that Chaplow got injured, for some reason we seem to play better with him in the team even when he doesn't have the ball. To say we were gutless is a joke, we fought hard, just didn't have the quality and the luck to get a win away against one of the better teams in the league

If they expand it I hope that means more bars and no more ridiculous queues

Along with fitness, it's Adkins' psychological control of the squad the marks him as a great manager. We may not have the perfect squad but he has kept this team focused and brought the best out of them, particularly in the slippery games against weaker teams

Chaplow is not a RM, he is a CM, although I still think he is probably our best bet at RM because he is the best at protecting the RB. He was also getting into good positions going forward but the trouble is he's not very good at crossing (because as I say, he's not a RM). He's much better at arriving in the box late to finish a move.

Chaplow's our only midfielder who can get box to box in central midfield, we need him to find his form in the centre and not waste him on the right as Hammond and Cork together are not adventurous enough

Should only be played in CM I think, he's not a RM

He was quality and I could never understand the criticism he got, although yes, he didn't offer as much cover defensively as someone like Telfer did

This is my number one gripe. There must be something they can do make it possible to buy a halftime pint without having to miss some of the match? They would make more money if they did, as no doubt more people would head down to buy if they knew they could get a promptly served drink, so everyone's a winner

I miss Benthelegend

There's a picture in the concourse at SMS where at least 50% of the fans pictured have moustaches, its odd

Echo saying Saints have a financial arrangement with the BBC, anyone know what this is?: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/8726935.Saints_chairman_breaks_silence/?ref=twt

Surely its more that the Dell was a massive benefit to us as teams hated playing there due to how close the crowd was, and it was that that helped us punch above our weight for so many years

Looking at the latest Echo story they appear to be very much back in the loop with insider knowledge. Loooks very much like the info has come with the blessing on the club. It seems to me that, in what is a testing time for Cortese, he has realised how much he needs the Echo

They want their logo in as many places as possible to get value for money

It would be sad if we did it every week. As a one off to demonstrate how easily we were winning a wembley final, it was fun. Especially taunting the Carlisle fans for not joining in

I read this one, its pretty good though no idea if its better or worse than the others mentioned: http://www.thefootballforum.net/ The design's nicer at least