shurlock

We're better under MP, though ultimately a manager is only as good as the players he has at its disposal. Success is defined by the ability to squeeze that bit extra out of players, not to refashion them into world beaters. We're more solid, aggressive and difficult to beat under MP. Our away performances haven't got the points they've deserved - MP hasn't had the equivalent of a Villa away where the team rode its luck. Indeed, cannot think of an away game -perhaps the first half at United and parts of the Swansea game- where we were outplayed. In many, we've controlled possession and the tempo of the game, no mean feat in the prem. MP has shown he can adapt - he's far from a one trick pony. The argument was that our high line press was vulnerable to pace, though we managed to design a gameplan to nullify spurs, one of, if not the quickest team in the league. Am very grateful to NA - and reckon we would have stood a good chance of survival under him. But the upside is greater under MP. We'll soon see if one of his touted benefits, his X-factor in the transfer market, comes as advertised.

He would be good in the hole but don't think he could cope with the physical and defensive demands - we saw quite early how MP opted for caution, replacing Rarimez with Davis. Its clearly helped make us difficult to beat, albeit less expansive. Can't see him changing things too drastically next season. For all the flack Lambert is getting - he was OK today, an improvement on the Swansea/WBA games, Jrod's recent form has been just as worrying. If Lallana and Jrod aren't firing on all cylinders, its unfair to single out Lambert, not least because he's get more attention from defenders if others don't provide a credible threat.

Its never happened before. There's a first time for everything.

He's very good but when he's not firing on all cylinders, he can try too much and gets quite erratic. Was poor against Swansea and had been out of form recently. But he's young and consistency should come with experience and maturity. But like other home grown players, someone will end up paying over the odds for him. Unsure whether the value will be there.

And the Barton haircut

Jeremain lens is better.

True it was a witches brew of self interest and the likes of the FA and FIFA were equally complicit. But that doesn't exonerate United -and by extension Fergy who called the shots on most major decisions.

The weekend everyone is fawning over fergy and his legacy, the impact of that decision can't be underestimated. Disrespect of the highest order.

Yep they're going to score more goals next sunday than they have away from home all season.

Well done- more chance you admitting you're wrong once in a while than any of this happening.

Ignoring is too strong -not addressing properly is more accurate. Nixon's modest contention we couldn't make up our minds says nothing about poor prioritisation which is what got peoples knickers in a twist on here. As it turned out, our transfer activity for CBs was massively disappointing, though the story might have been different if a supposed bid for a CB which would have exceeded the Ramirez transfer fee, had not fallen through at the 11th hour. But that's neither here nor there.

Iirc, Nixon was knocked because people misunderstood his statement -they assumed Nixon was suggesting we weren't after another CB or that our priorities lay elsewhere; when, in fact, what he really meant was that we wanted a CB but couldn't decide which one we wanted (it turns out NC wanted Yoshida while NA wanted Nuytick). Understood correctly, very few people would have disagreed with Nixon. Iirc, you also got the wrong end of the stick, taking Nixon's statement as evidence that we were ignoring a crying need in the squad and yet more incompetence by the hallowed transfer committee.

Agree. Perhaps would take an all purpose fullback instead of a second CB. And another box-to-box, ballwinning CM just because our system relies so heavily on this mould of player Neville said something interesting the other night, namely, that English sides, in recent years, have suffered from a dearth of CMs who are equally comfortable attacking as defending. You're either a Mata or a Lucas. Hyperspecialisation is the trend. The Germans sides are so good because their CMs have the energy and versatility to combine both roles.

What was the last away game you went to?

Slight difference is that we, as fans, have as much control over own results as wigan's. Which is to say, f**k all. On that level, there is no difference between how we do and how others do. By contrast, players do have a degree of control.

Would be an absolute steal given they were talking double that last season. Starting games up top for Netherlands with RVP and Robben ain't too shabby. Our right hand side would be frighteningly quick.

Which is fair enough and I agree that some, though not all behavior off the pitch is very important, and not because in some convoluted, cynical way its going to hurt the bottom line.

Which makes it baffling that, empirically, the number of critical posts and the tone of those posts far exceed the number of complimentary posts. And by a long margin. Baffling really when in the abstract the views expressed above should lead one to moderate or temper one's position. There are plenty of posters on here who hold similar views to those expressed above while they are also very critical of club's handling of various issues. However, they do not end up holding positions that Turkish regularly adopts.

And where does this stuff rank in importance -compared to the things you're more critical of?

For future reference, it would be good to know what things you give NC credit for and what he's done wrong - and where they rank in order of importance and priority.

As I said above, nobody wants to go to court and incur the time, the expense, the emotion and probably in Nik Nak's case the publicity. It's a measure of last resort. Courts themselves make strenuous efforts to encourage parties to resolve matters privately. Maybe they're happy with the settlement, maybe it's closer to their valuation than Frannie's. Until we know how much the parties settled for which would give a fair idea of where the rights and wrongs lie, the rest is really just noise.

Caved in? I'll go to a lawyer if I want legal advice, I'll come to you if I have a paper jam.

Agree. At the same time, very few games finish in such margins, so the impact would be pretty limited. Would also add interest to games in which a team is leading quite comfortably. Does a side sit on a two goal lead or gamble for the third, possibly letting the other side back in?

Burnley away the season we went down was surreal - 3 down in the first 15 mins in the driving rain. Just remember looking around and seeing all the wtf expressions on peoples faces. Difficult to think of many ocassions where I knew exactly -and I mean exactly- what everyone around me was thinking.

A bonus point for a convincing win. 4 points for winning by a margin of 3 goals 3-0, 4-1 etc.