Cornish Steve

Injuries have really had an effect on the midfield - which is usually where games are won or lost. Hopefully it won't matter too much against QPR; still, that's very much our Achilles heel. We really need McCarthy back.

You can be done when lukaku does 10-12km a game. I respect you, but respectfully I disagree. He covers about 7km a game at best.

 

I broke toe in two places launching into a disgraceful tackle playing against ellesmere port in the west Cheshire league, the inflammation took the nail off and the toe should have been drained. I went skiing on it a week later and played two weeks after.

 

Once it's in a boot and pain killers have kicked in its nothing. Rom started giving it the holding foot bollocks at 85 minutes - absolute bullshit. Attention seeking 8 year old nonsense.

 

Yeah it hurt but when I couldn't control a ball 8 months after was that the reason??? No just me being shite and that's why I do a 35 hour a week job.

In every discussion, it seems, no matter what the subject line, I'm seeing this same "8 year old nonsense". It would be such a relief to read this forum without wondering how long it will be before Lukaku gets slammed yet again. It is so BORING! :dont know:

One bad game and he was completely written off as a waste of money. Now, thankfully back after a major injury: One good game and he's not only better than Lukaku but the team's potential messiah. I've been a consistent supporter of Kone throughout, but let's not get carried away. I seriously wish him well, but only time will tell whether he can repeat his goalscoring abilities from previous seasons.

I'm potentially fit.

As a reminder, this prediction appears to be coming to pass...

http://www.toffeetalk.com/index.php?/topic/26535-kopite-thread/?p=438668

How can a team as poor as United be two goals up? Only because they're playing a team as poor as Liverpool.

That was such a huge mistake that I never even spotted it - especially after reading "Stramford Bridge."

And Robles is not as bad as he's being made out to be. And we bought a young keeper in the summer window.

 

That's been discussed several times. I hope it never happens.

Totally agree. It would ruin the sport and squeeze the very life out of it.

 

Thought you were being sarcastic, sorry. Not forgetting Cardiff (Welsh playing in England), Merthyr Town, Newport County, Wrexham and Colwyn Bay (also Welsh in England) playing further down the pyramid. Also Guernsey play in the English system.

 

 

 

Absolutely.

For example, I could see the Benelux countries forming their own league at some point. Guernsey could play in the French leagues. Maybe, over time, there will be a European Super League. At that point, UEFA are going to have to switch explicitly from national leagues to simply leagues.

Thinking about this more, it could get even more confusing if/when the Ulster teams play in the Irish league. The rule, in effect, has nothing to do with countries but with the leagues in which teams play.

Which English team is Scottish?

Berwick Rangers. Berwick-on-Tweed is just south of the border.

 

As you well know Steve for the purposes of football England, Scotland and Wales are separate countries......apart from the several Welsh teams that count as English and the English team that's Scottish. It's perfectly simple .

I wasn't 100 percent sure, because there's a certain greyness to it. As you say, Berwick (English team) plays in the Scottish league. Swansea (Welsh team) plays in the English league while Rhyl (Welsh team) plays in the Welsh league. What if Rangers, for example, chose to play in the English league? It gets a bit messy. Anyway, for now, what you're saying is that Everton could face Celtic.

RM says 4 players are being assessed ahead of QPR -- Stones, Naismith, McCarthy, Gibson. I'd prefer none of these be rushed back, as Everton have 4 matches in 13 days starting Sat Dec. 20, and 3 of those are away.

 

For QPR, I'll hope it's .......

 

.............................. Howard ...............................

 

Coleman ....... Jagielka ....... Distin ....... Baines

 

................... Besic .............. Osman .................

 

McGeady ............. Barkley ................. Mirallas

 

.............................. Lukaku ..............................

 

Subs -- Hibbert, Garbutt, Pienaar, Oviedo, Eto'o, Kone

I agree with this, except that I'd start Eto'o or Kone instead of McGeady.

More than once, he tried to do something clever (read, stupid). When it failed to come off, he just stood around as if it was a training session. I was not impressed at all.

This is one position where we really shouldn't bring in a younger player. 26 or older would be best.

For the record, I'm not willing to write off Robles. It's not easy to come into a regular game having been on the bench for months. Difficult to know when he'll get more time, though, until Tim Howard get injured. People always focus on the one mistake (understandably so because it cost a goal), but his play in the rest of the game was not bad at all. His confidence will grow only as he is given more opportunity. For his sake, I hope we have an extended FA Cup run.

Isn't Celtic the same country - or did the Scottish independence vote actually pass?

What this game really pointed out is our lack of depth in midfield. When McCarthy is out, there's just no one to take his place - and neither is anyone coming through the ranks in that kind of role.

are you sure you were watching the same player ?

I thought he looked the best of the bunch his passing was on the whole v good.

Yup. Tried to be too clever more than once, and seemed to lack creativity. The key point is, though, that he had little impact on the game and appeared at times to be wondering what to do. Compare that with Garbutt, for example, who in many respects ran the game and was full of ideas. Having said all that, though, Ledson is young and will improve. A less than flattering comment after just one game does not mean I'm writing him off.

Kone, especially given the context. Hardly put a foot wrong, and was full of energy. The guy really wants to prove himself.

Robles is a headless chicken.

That was a bit of a fowl comment. You're right, though, that Robles did not shine at the one moment he needed to. Bit of a poultry performance. A bad egg all round, you might say.

I'm glad that Kone had a good game. It was nice to see him power through their defence near the end, and it's a shame he didn't take a shot instead of laying it back. Garbutt was class and deserves some first team games. The rest, I thought were rather average. McAleny was disappointing. Pienaar really should be traded. (I know, I know, some want to keep him, but not on that performance.)

Am I the only one who thought Ledson looked like a seasoned player.

Yes, you are. I thought he looked immature and out of his depth.

Should involve as many as possible..why only 2

It's absolutely pointless starting almost all bench players. The youngsters already play together in U-21 games. If we're going to learn, they have to blend with at least some starters. Osman should be in there, for example. Hibbert, Pienaar, and Kone, yes. But I'd like to see some of the younger players learn too from Eto'o, for example.

You sleaze ball you.

 

Get outta here!!!

And may I say that you are far and away my favourite poster. Such eloquence, such conciseness....