Istanbul05

He just stands there on the penalty spot doing nothing at all, never mind anything useful he just doesnt seem to move until a ball is flashed across goal and he's too flat footed to poke it in. On the rare occasion he does make contact he tends to miss like last night. The real problem is though is the effect he has on the rest of the team. I cant recall how many times in the League Cup game at Chelsea balls were just lumped at his head in hope he'd perform some miracle with them. Henderson was particularly liable for this. Its not Carroll's fault everyone just wallops the ball at him but when he's not there it doesn't happen. He slows us down way too much and the imbalance between Suarez and Bellamy, two pacy players, and Carroll ,who even at his best is laborious with the ball, was ultimately costly. We just at this stage can't afford to play him. Its left us in the shiter big time.

Steven Gerrard got away scot free for doing this to the referee when we lost at Wigan in 2010. I maintain hope the same will happen here.

They are a disgrace. Every game we've lost we've either had a man sent off or a penalty given against us. And looking beyond ourselves Newcastle would not have lost 3-0 to Newcastle if Luiz had gone and same for Bolton had Cahill stayed on. As funny as it was Newcastle's penalty against United was a disgrace too.

I dont know really about this. Last season when he came on against Arsenal on the opening day of the season I was absolutely livid because I felt he offered us nothing on the field. I think it was when he got sent off away at Stoke later that year that I just gave up on him. But now he is our best player. I think at that moment he himself began to take games by the scruff of the neck and his performances at Chelsea and Man City in the league and his one man mission to go after Torres in the League Cup were simply heroic. I think he has improved and really turned a corner for us. On the other hand I may have just been comparing him to Alonso and Masch for too long. I can see why other think he hasnt improved but I believe he has.

I remember the Europa League game against Benfica in the Da Luz in 2010 when Torres was kicked around the place by Luisao and David Luiz. I was livid with the way he was treated and raged that he needed to be protected. Now he's gone and Suarez is in and the same point has been raised. Makes me think that maybe our strikers should toughen up rather than just a conspiracy against our front men.

It could be tough to prise money and their top scorer but if that doesn't work we should forget the idea. We can get a better striker than Ba and surely some team will pay a reasonable fee for him. Chelsea seem to pay huge money for our shit. We could cut them a loyalty discount

At the start of the season available for selection and considered as central midfielders were:Gerrard, Lucas, Adam, Aquilani, Meireles, Spearing, Shelvey, Henderson and if it all went wrong Joe Cole and Maxi could go in there. Now only 3 of them are available for selection against QPR and thats after we called back Shelvey. We let the wrong players go and now were back looking at midfielders in the transfer window when we still haven't solved the winger or striker problem.

We went from having an overload of midfielders to what looks somewhat like a midfielder crisis...Or well at least I consider it crisis when people are looking at Joe Cole as needed back in the squad.

I heard on the Guardian that we were considering sending him back to Newcastle in return for Cheik Tiote. I don't about this really Tiote would do Lucas' job until he comes back but he isn't much more of a player than Lucas is. I think if we are going to take a holding midfielder we should go for someone better than Lucas who will improve the team. I'd take Ba and a 20 million and be gone. Could even ask for Cabaye. Would love a player of his quality but we need a bit of dosh for the boy. Can't really afford a 35 million pound loss if we want consistent investment from NESV

Yes but we sit and laugh at their ludicrous merry go round policy of player and manager alike. Their club is a mess because they just keep messing with it do we want to sink to their level by selling our record signing after a year?

We didnt spend 35 Million on Robbie Keane though and Rafa was never talking about him being a future investment. Infact if my memory serves me correctly he just kept calling his shit. And Robbie was always second fiddle to Torres, Carroll is meant to be our out and out striker.

Where the fuck was Maxi Rodriguez?? Surely a hat-trick on this ground and 2 great goals in 2 are enough to start? Wouldve done a lot more than Carroll linking up with Bellamy and Suarez. And refereeing standards have gone to shit. All of our defeats have contained either a red card or a penalty against us.

We are not going to sell him. We cant give up on a 35 Million striker after just a year. We would look as bad as Chelski

I think we should have a pop at Drogba...He wants out and Chelsea can just replace him with someone else...plus the cunt can score goals

I can look back and laugh now at Pegguy Arphexhed's moment against Stoke in the Carling Cup of 2000 seeing as we won 8-0 but by god was he awful. I was also completely deflated when I heard that King Soti was sold. Alberto Aquilani anybody?

Steven Gerrard scored a typically brilliant goal against Southampton at home sometime in the 2000/2001 season. Also Agger's goal against Chelsea in the Champions League Semi Final of 2007 was beautifully crafted

If we do win the cup though nobody can accuse us of taking the easy route. Exeter Away Brighton Away Stoke Away Chelsea Away I think the Stoke win was sign enough that we really want to win this as that is the kind of fixture we fall over every single year..well that and Northampton...

Surely the draw is fixed. We haven't had a home game all tournament and the Mancs again get the easiest team in the hat and for good measure get them at home this time. I'm getting pretty fed up of this now :/