Mcfaggen

Could Di Maria be shipped back to Madrid also? He's clearly a rattled boy at OT (I'm sure the home break in doesn't help). De Gea, Di Maria for Bale straight swap?

Would it Barkley be worth a cheeky bid in the summer, say around £12-15m? He's still 'only' 21. They say no, it gets them in a foam and well, stand back & enjoy. If they say yes, give him a year under Rogers patented development plan and he might just be a gem.

And the blatant foul by Fellaini for the second. Comprehensive.

If Gerard is carrying a football through the honour guard, I'd say that's a definite...

I'm not sure the NSPCC would welcome their charity boxes being full of spunk though.

Thinking back to last season's start, after ten games we'd won six, drawn two and lost two. Some of those performances were, frankly flat (and some of those wins were plucked from the air by Suarez and Sturridge). It probably wasn't really until December that the team hit their straps and started flying. I'm prepared to give a bit of patience on the performance side of thing and see if perhaps the regime is designed for second half of the season uplift, but the reality is that if it does not, then serious questions will be asked. The recruitment strategy (being generous) up front was abysmal - to come out of it with just Balotelli and Lambert added is tragic. I'm OK with Lambert being in & around the squad (low cost, motivated), but failure to add a quality striker (or two) to support Sturridge is costing dear right now. Failure to add up top in January will be, in my eyes, criminal. Of course Sturridge's injury is regrettable, but it's not like it couldn't be foreseen. He gets injured quite a bit (he needs to follow club instructions on his programme religiously. If someone demands something different of him, he has to have the balls to say no) but it's not his fault the club weren't ready for it. Watching the team this season, the big things that have stuck out has been the lack of willingness to go straight at the opposition's defence. We're playing sideways and backways mostly... in the early season (I think against Villa) we won the ball from one of their corners and Sterling was on his way... and then, he stopped, turned and played it back to the full back... why? Last season he'd have gone forward, probably lost it but he would have had them backing off into their box. This perhaps isn't helped by Balotelli hugging the touchlines like they're his mamma. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer my strikers in the middle of the pitch. There are times when there is literally no one in the box because he's got the ball on the wing... I believe this is a bit of his natural style, but bloody hell, someone have a word please. Is there a crumb of comfort? Well, the position isn't totally lost... only a few points behind fourth despite the poor start. Sturridge on the verge of returning. If we can get performance levels up, become a bit more direct and start playing the 'in-form' players again (rather than based on reputation), then we could end up in the top four by Christmas... add some actual quality in January and top three / four is possible. And ultimately where he finishes will be the determining factor for me. Top four means yes, he stays. Fifth I'd perhaps consider it if performances are better and the tactics are looking effective... below that and I'd have to say no. In terms of the cups... League Cup is progressing OK... getting through is what matters, despite the poor performances, but things will be tougher from here on in... so performances need to rise to match it. We could win it, or we could get dumped in the next round (though if that happens the post match interview had better contain expletives). I don't see too much confidence at present though. Winning the thing would help him enormously I think in terms of self belief (rather than bravado). In the Champions League, it was always a race for second... Basel away wasn't pretty, the pressure is now on... performances need to improve dramatically to ensure qualification for the next round. Going out in the Group phase isn't a sackable offence in my eyes - finishing bottom of the Group might suggest that even if we do finish fourth in the league this year, he's not the man for the job.

RoI and Scotland hardly reliable at the bookies though! Nuts? Aye, and then some! Possible Busmills overdose on the card if we actually qualified... feck knows what would actually happen in France! Travel Insurance nightmare!

I can't see both Scotland and RoI both qualifing from a group including Germany & Poland... could they? I'm still convinced we're extreme outsiders.

Have a word!

That's awful nice of you, but I wouldn't be betting on us yet! Romania next month is pretty much a no lose situation... but if we take something, we might (he said might) just do it! You're welcome to the party if we do! Points are points... I don't think goal difference is going to matter in this group (I'm still giddy that we've got +5 (PLUS FIVE) after three though!). Hungary are still well placed for the group IMHO. A wee bit of momentum could see you in Paris!

The same 'last tournament' that Northern Ireland qualified for!

We could possibly qualify for a play off spot with 14 points... an away win to Faroes will guarantee us 12... whatever we can glean from the rest of the buggers when they come to Belfast (Hungary / Greece / Romania / Finland) will determine it. None of them are renowned for away victories. My auld fella went to Valencia in '82 when we beat Spain... never heard the end of it. It would be lovely to just go... to get something silly like that is beyond imagination. We'll still manage to find a way to fuck it up.

Won our first three games in a qualification for the first time ever. Our snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory is going to be unparalleled... keep tuned in as we get turned over in the remaining games. That said, I'm fuckin' lovin' it!

Their debt is not about £270m & annual interest is about £27m.

A franchise league. 8 MK Dons whilst the actual national league gets none of the income or recognition.

If it makes you feel any better, that was the first competitive Northern Ireland match I've missed in a Decade... we've won four away's in that time (Slovenia, Lichtenstein, Finland (friendly!) and San Marino). I'm gutted to have missed it.

Pretty much. Northern Ireland have some solid, honest players, but flair wise it's grim. Paddy McCourt (yes really) is probably one of the few who could beat / isolate a couple of players and create a chance for himself or others. He's not been picked for a while now. That said, when Kyle Lafferty plays with his 'level head' on, he causes European defences big headaches. His problem is that he's a few sandwiches short of a picnic... and a basket, and a seating blanket. In fact, he's a tesco cheese & onion sandwich and a bottle of buckfast picnic. There are some promising players, Ryan McLaughlin, Conor McLaughlin Shane Ferguson and Daniel Lafferty have all had impressive games for NI for their ages, creating some good movement and passing down the wings. Reality is though, Central Midfield and up top we're lacking serious attacking quality. It's all very workman like, without the consistency. Put Steve Davis in a corner surrounded by four Spaniards and he's jink and trick his way out looking world class. Put him 20 yards out with a chance to shoot & he's more likely to create an opportunity to play it to the on-running fullback. All our real quality lies in the defence to be honest. McAuley, Hughes and Jonny Evans have all been excellent for us over the past five years or so. In nets Maik Taylor and now Roy Carroll have been more than solid. Yes, we're a limited team and when you're under the kosh mostly, your defence will get the chance to look good, but I do rate them on the international scene. Last night was a great win - very unexpected - but we play the Faroes next month... we've not got a great record v the 'minnows' recently (both Faroes & Luxembourg have caused issues unbelievably - well, with Northern Ireland, believably). It's not inconceivable we could fail to win that game... and well then we're sort of back where we started.

50p a second, or so.

I was in a bar with a Malaysian ManU supporter and a Northern Irish Chelsea Supporter a week or so ago. The Manc has offered us both 3 hours of free beer if Manchester United don't win the league. Read that again.

I'd consider selling him to them for the deeds of OT & a controlling interest in the PLC shortly before asset stripping it so naked, even Lisa Ann would blush.

Poyet suggesting that Borini's transfer needs sorting in next couple of days else Sunderland will move on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuyWCf0DsCc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtimevsOL5o

I bet Richard Scudamore is a relieved man...

Barca 'Transfer Ban' appeal rejected... do they have to send Suarez back?