shurlock

Fair enough- though I thought he did it a bit early at times and at times the runs were sideways rather than diagonal. FWIW I think he needs to be starting games - away from home, we can sometimes look a bit one dimensional and we lack that bit of pace that makes defences wary of pushing up.

Some nice flashes but not sure he added a great deal, esp as Chaplow had such a good game. Cut a bit inside too much for my liking.

Your lad must have had a great day - did he manage to have a kick around with some of the players? While we bossed the game, was slightly disappointed that we didn't turn the screw at 1-1, especially given how strongly we've been finishing games (and usually from a situation of playing poorly). But the onslaught never quite came and the last 20 mins were pretty scrappy. Of course, the tempo was killed by a stream of stoppages and injuries. Not sure if all the subs worked today - if FR went for an injury, that's OK but Chaplow's sub was a rad odd. IMO he was up there with Lambert for MOTM.

Yep, I'd go with Chaplow. Better not to give too much away early doors- and if we then need to go chasing the game, bring on Holmes.

No - regardless of who's in power, young people typically bear the brunt of recessions - understandable as they have fewer skills, less experience and weaker networks to get by. And if you're talking about Labour's record on youth unemployment pre-recession, it was no worse than in the Thatcher and Major administrations. At least, Labour is thinking about a plan B/stimulus which is probably the best and only way to ensure that today's youth does not suffer the same scarring effects on wages and prospects that it did in the 1980s.

Got a pathetic 12 but I've already had the pleasure of being detained and having my fingerprints taken by the UK Border Agency, so f**k em.

Anthony Worrall Thompson Eddie the Eagle Gok Wan

Think you're both right - Guly does indeed bust a gut and is aware of his defensive duties but in doing so he can be quite undisciplined. He'll often get sucked into the middle or go out of position to chase down the ball, thereby exposing Richardson. Ironically, Guly is perhaps too eager.

Agree with this - same team v. Watford. Hammond and Cork have a good understanding -and Chaplow has been great coming from the bench. Possibly Chaplow could start for De Ridder but it would be slightly negative and we've sometimes missed a bit of pace away from home where teams hold a higher line and there are opportunities in behind them.

A mate of mine grew up with him in Essex and says Barney is totally dedicated off the field. Only cares about his football and is the last person who would do anything to jeopardise his career.

Brum fans haven't rated him for a while.

TBF - Iceland U-21s were conference quality.

Obviously form is temporary and class is permanent and all that horsesh*t but he played LB against us (a position we're not exactly short) and was dreadful.

Wouldn't agree about Osborne - he's a pragmatist and political strategist through and through. Gove, however, does have a vision even though it is totally demented.

Thatcher laid the foundations for Blair and Cameron - a lot of her appeal was style rather than substance. People lapped up the iron lady persona at the time the country was in the doldrums. She succeeded because she appeared populist and authentic, a trick Blair managed to pull off albeit under different circumstances. As Trousers article argued a while back, her policies weren't particularly radical and were pushing with the tide. Like her contemporary Reagan, she was a fantastic actor.

Ken Clark, Vince Cable, David Willetts, John Denham, Paddy Ashdown, Claire Short...

It seems that some of you mugs liked to be f**ked softly. Still, regardless of what you think of his policies, politically, he's a very effective Trojan Horse for the right.

Hope it's nothing too serious.

Spot on -nobody knows and there is no benefit or rush to do things now. If crowds go up -and who says they wont, they will be initially led by success on the pitch. But that's a massive if requiring greater investment in the team and the playing side than a stadium and until that day, attempts to justify and predict a number -whether on the high side or low side- are each ludicrous in their own way.

Reading John Crace's Vertigo about a year in the life of a Spurs fan during their Champions League season. A bit underwhelming, though it does point out that waiting lists for season tickets at White Hart Lane are only a recent phenomenon. Up until the 2000s they struggled to give them away - supposedly new applicants were even invited on stadium tours to handpick their seat. Nothing's set in stone and history is a poor guide. Success, habit and herd effects go along way to predicting attendances -and all of which can be influenced to a large extent.

Good win for the Ravens and an unbelievable game in which only 7 points of the 51 were scored from the line of scrimmage. After their freakish performance against the Rams last week where Flacco was trigger happy with the ball, they went back to basics and let the defense set the agenda scoring three TDs from defensive plays. They struggled against the West Coast offense of Hasselbeck and the Titans; but that performance looks like the exception rather than the rule. Ngata, Lewis, Reed and Suggs really are a frightening foursome, likened by the press to the Goth army spilling over the gates of Rome. The Cowboys-Lions game was also fantastic. Along with last week, really has been a season of incredible comebacks.

Thought it would be up Wilko's ar$e - the way they screwed him over.

That's why the EU and Euro doesnt work - trust the wops and their inefficient judicial system to bumble the investigation and case.

Lambert is a tough nut - remember his clash of heads up at Burnley with Bikey/Amougou. To say he's a big lad is an understatement. Both were shaken but Lambert shrugged it off quicker - same couldn't be said about the defender.