Michael* Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Turning to friends in high places to improve our league position. Questionable if even his gaffer can save us now. I guess this makes me a believer. If there's one thing I've learned over the course of this exhausting and relentlessly mental season of 2013/14, it's that predictions are a mug's game. Not that anyone (including Gus Poyet, I suspect) was actually predicting that Sunderland would be relegated, they were saying it as a point of fact and rightly so at the time. Indeed, the obituary I wrote for our Premier League status in this very thread not four weeks ago can still be found with only two clicks of a mouse. Now, we've secured safety with time to spare and in some style too, a magnificent run of five colossal results (at least three of which were completely mind-boggling) in as many games, and it's as if none of it even happened. A bit like when you come back home after a holiday and feel like you've never been away. In spite of survival with this group of players, I don't think we should be fooled into believing that we can rely on the majority of them. More often than not over the last few seasons, they've been dreadful. To their huge credit, Poyet and his staff have created a platform, but they must work sensibly over the summer in order to build on it. I'll worry about that later though, first there's the small matter of all the usual showpiece finals and the World Cup to enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Manchester City's new £24m signing from Barcelona, Yaya Toure, is being paid an initial wage of £185,000. Holy. Mother. Of. Jesus.Toure is not actually that great. He's not a creative genius who will get backsides off seats but a defensive midfielder who stops players who can. He may not even get a game for City, who already have four highly-rated players to fill that role - Patrick Vieira, Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany.I can understand luring the sought-after David Silva to Eastlands for £140,000-a-week, but giving a quarter-of-a-million quid every seven days to a defensive squad player who no other club would have touched for that kind of money and whose name won't sell shirts, is insanity on a previously unimagined scale.http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-reade/Brian-Reade-Column-The-millions-squandered-on-Barcelona-reserve-Yaya-Toure-shows-Manchester-City-are-the-whores-of-world-football-plus-Barcelona-cash-crisis-article521641.html D'oh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 I believe in miraclesSince you SunderlandYou sexy thingYou sexy thing you Manchester City's new £24m signing from Barcelona, Yaya Toure, is being paid an initial wage of £185,000. Holy. Mother. Of. Jesus.Toure is not actually that great. He's not a creative genius who will get backsides off seats but a defensive midfielder who stops players who can. He may not even get a game for City, who already have four highly-rated players to fill that role - Patrick Vieira, Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany.I can understand luring the sought-after David Silva to Eastlands for £140,000-a-week, but giving a quarter-of-a-million quid every seven days to a defensive squad player who no other club would have touched for that kind of money and whose name won't sell shirts, is insanity on a previously unimagined scale.http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-reade/Brian-Reade-Column-The-millions-squandered-on-Barcelona-reserve-Yaya-Toure-shows-Manchester-City-are-the-whores-of-world-football-plus-Barcelona-cash-crisis-article521641.html D'oh! As the kids would say, epic fail. I realise that a quick glance on social media makes a mockery of the idea of football supporters gaining wisdom and I may have to self-publish a book to nail the finer points but, in summary, I think 2010 was the beginning of the end of a more sincere form of Premiership exceptionalism; with a greater influx of alternatives becoming readily available as well as England being unceremoniously battered by a vastly superior team at the World Cup (rather than the usual tears at bedtime penalty arse ache), who's players didn't play in the "best league in the world" and whom weren't previously lauded/revered/known about to the lazier pen pushing toads and sofa botherers. Sky will of course always protect 'the brand' and click bait op-eds by nincompoops saying how Ross Barkley needs a special "deal" between the FA and Everton to "ensure" he becomes one of the best players in the world will continue to exist but the proverbial man in the street, the supposedly naive simpleton in his flat cap, the one who's supposed to be crying at that condescending vomit inducing "#youarefootball" advert, is actually highly aware that all of that is complete bollocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SympathysSilhouette Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 If only this gentleman had bothered to watch even a handful of Barça games, he might not have made such an utter, utter fool of himself.Though perhaps the problem was that Yaya didn't play as much in his second year under Pep? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 Hopefully ominous for next season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 If only this gentleman had bothered to watch even a handful of Barça games, he might not have made such an utter, utter fool of himself. Though perhaps the problem was that Yaya didn't play as much in his second year under Pep? It's easy to be wise after the fact, I suppose, but sometimes it's quite a lot of fun too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 A 14th-place finish, then. Lower mid-table obscurity, how frightfully dull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I've clearly underestimated Bruce Springsteen's popularity in Hull. Unless......nah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effyja2012 Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Amazed that ManU will actually not be in any Euro competition next year. Its a pretty shocking collapse. I wonder what Sir Alex is thinking right now. Glad to see Bayern wrap up another league title. Hated to see their CL repeat quest end with such a thud vs. Real. I guess eerything is relative. A romp to a league title and a semifinal run in the CL is a great season for most Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I met Randy Lerner and Paul Faulkner purely by a chance a few months after we appointed McLeish. Nice guys, both surprisingly candid; it was a good half an hour shooting the breeze, for a supposed recluse Rando didn't bat an eyelid about taking a picture. Its sad that it has come to this but a parting of ways has felt inevitable for a really long time now. No hard feelings but time to move on. I feel the same about Lambert, he's not a bad guy but is he deserving of a third season in charge? No, not objectively speaking. Hopefully we get a smooth takeover and a new, honourable custodian with a few quid to waste comes in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I've clearly underestimated Bruce Springsteen's popularity in Hull. Unless......nah.Given Hull's penchant for managers that croon, I expect Bruce has been rehearsing for the cup final hootenanny for weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I met Randy Lerner and Paul Faulkner purely by a chance a few months after we appointed McLeish. Nice guys, both surprisingly candid; it was a good half an hour shooting the breeze, for a supposed recluse Rando didn't bat an eyelid about taking a picture. Its sad that it has come to this but a parting of ways has felt inevitable for a really long time now. No hard feelings but time to move on. I feel the same about Lambert, he's not a bad guy but is he deserving of a third season in charge? No, not objectively speaking. Hopefully we get a smooth takeover and a new, honourable custodian with a few quid to waste comes in.Always got the impression that Lerner's heart was in the right place, but there must come a point where pumping money into your club year in, year out and seeing little in the way of significant progress starts to feel rather futile. We may well experience a similar realisation from Ellis Short in the not-too-distant future if we don't start getting our act together fairly soon.Is there a potential buyer on the horizon or is it simply a case of keeping the seat warm until one comes along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 England squad more or less as expected, with a stand-by list of Carrick, Cleverley, Flanagan, Stones, Ruddy, Defoe and Carroll. Fingers crossed that nobody gets injured, then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Is there a potential buyer on the horizon or is it simply a case of keeping the seat warm until one comes along? There's a lot of tittle tattle out there as you can imagine but scant substance, as of the moment. My own opinion is that its inconceivable that there isn't a buyer in place but we shall have to wait and see. England squad more or less as expected, with a stand-by list of Carrick, Cleverley, Flanagan, Stones, Ruddy, Defoe and Carroll. Fingers crossed that nobody gets injured, then!Can we start a hashtag campaign to get Scott Parker in the squad? That's what the 'kidz' do, right? The back four looks ropey whichever way you slice it (and make no mistake, sliced it SHALL be!) and I certainly don't like seeing duffers like Smalling selected but reality is, the alternatives are just as inane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Just £9.99! Warning: disc may stench of small time nothingness! Hard to believe this giant of the global game currently don't have a manager! Does anyone know where I can order the Best Of Pepe Mel Boxset?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SympathysSilhouette Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 So even in an injury-ravaged season, Benteke still had the joint best record against the top four. With Lukaku as the other guy sharing the top spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Congratulations to Ed, our resident J.D. Salinger, who comfortably lead the field from beginning to end. And congratulations to Michael for winning the Head to Head version of proceedings. King Kev himself would be proud at the way my title bid so hilariously collapsed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 And congratulations to Michael for winning the Head to Head version of proceedings. King Kev himself would be proud at the way my title bid so hilariously collapsed! Thanks Fred! When I apply for the various real-life Premier League vacancies this summer, I'll be using that very screenshot in my CV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Taxi for the Sherwiff of Borehamwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael* Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 As tiresome as Timmy's unfounded arrogance and 'proper football man' shtick could be, his record in the Premier League was ultimately pretty decent. Still, he presumably knew the score when he took over and will almost certainly walk into another job as a result of being gifted that initial chance. Such a shame for the hack pack that Stuart Pearce is taking charge at the City Ground next year, they'd have loved the sound of 'Sherwood Forest'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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