Legod Third Coming

Apart from the first fifteen minutes, totally outplayed a team worth a hundred times ours. Brilliant performance from the young lads again. Top top class. We really do play great football. And after three defeats could easily have knocked our confidence. Not a bit of it.

WHAT A GOAL!

Yep. We also outplayed United for most of the game at OT. We just didn't have Lovren and lacked a bit of luck up front...

27 - bit old for us?

Good article. What's encouraging is that in all those games against the top 6 we could (and maybe even should) have got something. Especially that game at WHL. This season I don't think Shaw would allow Bale to cut in on his left foot - and thank God we don't need to find out!!

NC has an eye for the right manager at the right time. And is ruthless in that regard. And all the better for it. People said Adkins was treated badly. But was he? He was fired - true. But is there a good or bad way to be fired? The football community thought it unfair because he'd managed to get us promoted twice. He did so with unbelievable resources compared to the competition and I will be forever indebted to him for his attitude and approach. But there is no doubt in mind MP is a better manager - tactically and strategically.

I did buy into the top ten and found the season ultimately a bit disappointing. For too long this club has worked within a glass ceiling of expectations - the plucky little south coast club who punched above their weight for 27 years... It's a myth. Sure, we're not a United or Arsenal - it would take decades and more to inherit a fraction of their history. But it's not impossible. And we shouldn't EVER feel it is. Yes football has changed since the 80s when we threatened to be a bigger club for 5/6 years. But football hasn't changed so much that a good team cannot beat good individuals. And we shouldn't lose sight of that. We can compete on the pitch even if we cannot compete financially off it. And a couple of good seasons will bring more cash, better players and so the growth can go on. I doubt we'll achieve a CL place this season, but in 3 seasons from now? Why not.

You're right. We couldn't possibly go to Anfield and win... ever. No chance we will finish above Spurs this season, none...

Other clubs do harbour ambition. But surely you would agree we appear to have a better strategy than say Newcastle? Or Fulham? Or Sunderland? Or West Ham? Or Villa? So why can we not compete with the teams who have a similar strategy to ours? Like Spurs, Everton, Liverpool? And then if we can have some success, combined with more money, we could have a crack at fourth place. You're right, it won't be easy, but if you cannot read that article and see the evidence with your own EYES that our ambition is matched with a decent strategy, then you can't be looking very hard...

Just for clarity we have won more trophies than Spurs or Arsenal in the past 8 years.

It's a big ask. But one way to guarantee not to win anything is to set out not to win it. Cortese has had his ambition questioned throughout his time and not been found wanting so far...

If Osvaldo goes on strike and then joins Sunderland I will give you £1,000 and my marital bed.

I thought he played quite well at the library last week. Made one excellent run, beat a few players, but irritatingly scuffed his shot. Looked sharp though. Sharper than Rickie who had a very quiet game.

I hate the Daily Fail, but finally some vindication for Cortese. The man deserves it. He took over a basket case of a club and we're now 4th in the best league in Europe. And still some people aren't happy. Well, to echo Jeremy Clarkson, anyone who isn't happy should be taken out and shot.

Wigan fans? What they think of it is that they don't understand how they won a trophy at Wembley but didn't beat Hull Kingston Rovers in the process...

Agreed. So stay at the end, have another pint and let the crowds drift away... At the Cup Final in 2003 MORE of us watched them lift the trophy than Arsenal fans. Why? Can't they stomach more than 85 minutes in the one seat...

Pah. Maybe it's catching... Seriously though. Who watches a ferking penalty through their phone/iPad? Answer, every Arsenal fan in front of or around us.

Couldn't help thinking this on Saturday. Same tonight. Turn up, make little effort, watch the game through their iPads, go home on 80 minutes. Passionless and the worst type of football fans. Or is it me?

Agreed. Worth remembering that our midfield did a great job against a bloke who is widely regarded as one of the best in the world and cost £40m! We looked a match for Arsenal for most of that game.

Er, think you must have watched a different game. We were in no way outplayed. We were done by a keeper having a brainstorm and the worst reffing decision I've seen since Howard Webb tried a perm... Sat in the Club Level seats with Arsenal fans gives you a good independent assessment of where we are as a team. And where we are is a couple of better/stronger shots off drawing with the league leaders. Jay/Rickie/Osvaldo, all had chances that could/should have hit the target. For the first 15 minutes of the second half, the best ball-holding team in the league couldn't touch the ball. The chances we created given we had players playing well out of position were pretty bloody good. Yes Arsenal had chances and their movement was great at times, but so was ours. Get them to SMS with Lovren back and the right line up and I fancy a different result.

21?! Wow. The guy is a bull now. Imagine what he's going to be when he grows up. Man Mountain.

Be part of history and qualify for the Champion's League or play in a country no-one cares about in a league no-one watches. Tough call...

Ramirez turned down Spurs? Or we offered a higher salary? Or his agent was angling for more money from us/them? I know you're not really this dense. If you are, I normally charge for educational talks. But I'm banking on your just wanting to waste a little of my time. Which, looking at my watch, I've just run out of. Ciao.

Yep. But you would agree I guess that we have more money to throw around than Wigan? Most likely because we're higher in the league (although pitifully cupless - woe is us...)

No idea. But it doesn't hurt for the club PR to have you believe that does it? Some days I long to live in a world where we can believe what we read in newspapers...