benjii

If you're going to play the Estonia Prospect Variation (ratified) then you're leaving the door wide open for Shatner's Bassoon reversal. On that basis, Cockfosters! Get out of that without opening a straight double reverse!

What a pen!

I forgot Bertrand might be available so he could go on the bench instead of McCarthy.

VVD obviously had a tight hammy or something towards the end on Sunday so I would not bother him for this one at all. Likewise Targett went off injured so I don't see the point in playing him. Fonte needs to play himself into some better form so I would go with him and Caulker at CB and Martina and Soares at full-back. I like Soares and would not have left him out against Man U. Yoshida on the bench to cover all positions across the back. On the basis that I'm giving VVD and Targett a rest then if we feel we have to have another defender on the bench it can be one of the U21s. I would play Gazza in goal. If Stek gets injured he will be called upon and it's no good suddenly expecting a player who has hardly played to step right in. In midfield I would leave out Wanyama. He is important to us and I don't want him picking up a yellow card in this match. Romeu and Davis or JWP ought to provide a perfectly good platform against a second tier side. Rest Pelle and let Long or Jay Rod start centrally. The other can play wide. That leaves two positions. I would have Tadic and Mane on the bench in case they are needed. Juanmi must get a start, I want to see what he can do. I would play Davis or JWP in the other vacant position. That gives something like: ----------------------------------Gazza--------------------------- Soares---------------Fonte----------------Caulker-----------Martina ------------------------Romeu--------JWP-------------------------- --Davis-------------------------Juanmi-----------------Rodriguez-- ----------------------------------Long--------------------------------- Perfectly decent team if the players actually show up for 90 minutes. Bench: Davis, Yoshida, McCarthy, Reed, Tadic, Mane, Seager/Pelle

And a Tadanari Lee goal, to boot. Gazza was excellent in that match. He didn't have much goalkeeping to do but he strolled around nonchalantly, took an age over goalkicks and supplied exactly the right amount of Latino swagger to look faintly ridiculous and competent at the same time. Cracking stuff. It was Shaw's first start but he had previously played against Milwall in the FA Cup (so I think that would be his "debut"). Talking of dodgy defences, Danny Fox played centre back in that match against Milwall and looked much better than at full-back!

---------------------Gazza--------------------------- Cedric------Fonte----Caulker-------Martina -----------------Romeu--Davis-------------------- JWP--------------Juanmi---------------Rodriguez ------------------------Long------------------------ Bench: KD, Yoshi, Reed, Mane, Pelle, Seager, Tadic

I think there's some truth in this. Fonte is well below his best so far this season.

Strange game indeed. We played well for about 40 minutes in total and were a tactical mess for most of it but, all that aside, we would have won without an individual howler and a great goalkeeping performance. The fact that Man U will finish third or fourth shows how ****e the quality of the Premier League is again.

Yes, I agree about Koeman. The first part of my last sentence was in the past tense: "we needed...". That is why Koeman was a great appointment. If we have another couple of seasons in mid/upper table in the Prem it won't be so important as long as we have a manager who engages players and sells or supports a coherent and attractive footballing vision. We were linked with Tuchel previously, for example, who went to Dortmund. He isn't a giant of the game but he was considered promising enough for a massive club like Dortmund. Likewise, Swansea have recruited well under Monk. You don't always need a "big name" but I think a "big name" was perfect for us last summer with the upheaval we had to endure. It reassured the fans and, probably, the remaining players.

I agree. I think Koeman was the right man for the right time but I would like us to go for a manager with a more defined football philosophy next time. I think our team is lacking a little identity. Pochettino was too inflexible but he had a clear vision. I think Koeman is more of a pragmatist (the long ball fiasco against Midgetland being an example of false pragmatism). We needed someone experienced with the gravitas to bring in some good signings but I think after next season we should go for a younger manager with an emphasis on attractive football.

Reading out Joe Public's questions is a complete cop-out but probably quite typical of someone who has never led anything worthwhile. He needs to convince people he has feasible and engaging ideas and policies. Doing the parliamentary equivalent of a radio phone-in isn't going to achieve that. You need focussed question sets that give a narrative and demonstrate the difference between your position and the government's. It was hard to imagine Labour coming up with even more talentless front benches than recent years but you've got to give them their dues, they've pulled it off with aplomb.

I do actually agree with this. Housing market should be much more regulated. Those with the inclination would probably still be able to get around it by employing various corporate structures but there are a lot of very mediocre people accumulating vastly undeserved wealth easily through property.

I will never forget that Reading game. I went berserk when Steve de Ridder smashed that equalizer home. Great memories - thanks Nige!

It is odd that Juanmi hasn't been used more. He has always looked very tidy and composed in the short appearances he has made. I doubt he will start this weekend (probably Wanyama, Romeu and JWP in midfield is my guess) but hopefully he gets a start against MK Dons and makes himself un-ignorable. I would go with: Stek Cedric - Fonte - VVD - Yoshida ------Wanyama---Romeu---- --------------JWP------------ Mane--------------------Tadic -------------Pelle------------- Bench: Gazza, Targett, Caulker, Davis, Juanmi, Long, Jay Rod

Seem to be fewer chavs now, f'sure. Also, what on earth was the steel drum, reggae nonsense at the start? Odd.

That's horrible, sad and a terrible scenario. However, I don't think this bill would have helped her anyway. It allowed the patient to make a conscious decision, if mentally sound and considered to have less than six months to live. My understanding is it didn't permit forward "opt-in" so wouldn't have had any relevance to those who suffer a catastrophic sudden event. Of course, it might have evolved over time.

I decided to go for the Mazda. Got a good deal. For an equivalently equipped BMW or Merc I would be looking at another £10k at least. It's really not worth it for a badge and personally I think the 6 is a better looking car than a 3 series or a C class. I still like the XE but, again, it would come in several thousand more and probably be less reliable. Performance is a bit better but not much in it. Hopefully I like it as much as you like the 3!

The boys are back in the barracks.

I don't know who invented the bloody skip. Bobby Moore. I don't bloody know, do i? I'm just sick and tired of you slagging farmers off. Are you going to apologise to them all on your show?

I might drive my Rover Vitesse Fastback to this event. It's the leather and walnut interior which really gives the car a premium feel and I think I'm right in saying that its mileage figures make it a class leader.

With special guest, Sue Cook.

Reasonably interesting piece from Robert Peston on why Germany has a particular need for a growth in its younger workforce: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34172729 An excerpt: "So in Germany, age-related spending on pensions, health and long-term care is expected to rise by a hefty five percentage points of GDP or national income by 2060, more than double the projected 2.3% increase anticipated for the UK. Here is the thing. Wherever you stand in the debate on whether immigration is a good or bad thing - and most economists would argue that immigration promotes growth - right now immigration looks much more economically useful to Germany than to the UK. Which is perhaps one of the unspoken reasons why Germany is being much more welcoming to asylum seekers from Syria and elsewhere right now. That said, some business leaders and a couple of Tory ministers gave me what can only be described as an off-message critique of David Cameron's approach to the migrant crisis over the weekend. They said that Angela Merkel is creaming off the most economically useful of the asylum seekers, by taking those that have shown the gumption and initiative to risk life and limb by fleeing to Europe. Precedent suggests they will be the ones that find work fastest and impose the least economic burden on Germany or any other host country. By contrast, David Cameron appears to be doing what many would see as the more morally admirable thing - which is to go to the Syrian camps and invite children and the most vulnerable of refugees to Britain."

I am not entirely sure if St George's posts are genius responses to the original question or the rantings of a dimwit. Sadly, we're probably in dimwit territory but they (the posts) still possess a certain pithy brilliance that really does get to the crux of the issue.

I think it's clear that his problem is either fitness or a lack of commitment/attitude (or both). He had several promising spells under Adkins and Pochettino and every time a spot was about to open up for him in the first team (ie. Lallana/Puncheon/Rodriguez/Davis etc out injured) he would invariably get injured himself and by the time he was "fit" again, the window would have closed for the time being. Same at Hull. Bruce gave him enough chances but he didn't grasp them and ended up injured a lot of the time. Last season he was involved in pre-season; I remember him playing against Brighton and then we shipped him out again. It's clearly not an ability/footballing issue as one thing the squad is obviously lacking is a genuine number 10 type, which would be his best position, and he clearly has ability. I'm not sure if he regrets moving to England, is depressed, has been genuinely unlucky with injuries or whatever but I am guessing that the likelihood of things turning round now for him at Saints are pretty slim.

I've just seen the Independent's front page for tomorrow band I have to say it's one of the most upsetting things I've ever seen. I would hope it has some sort of positive impact, rather than a negative one, but I have no idea what "the answer" is. I find it hard to feel sorry for people who "don't want to see that" when there are other people who have to live it.