marksbros6

Hell yeah. Not quite on the same level of a Schmichael rant but not something I'd wanna be on the recieving end of. Goalies are always pissed at losing a clean sheet, and if there's ever a time where we don't need to be giving away silly goals then it's now.

Caught the highlights on MotD. We seemed to play well, not so much of the long ball with Keano and Defoe up front and all the better for it, though whether we could play a passing game like that against Arsenal or Chelsea is another thing. Good to see Defoe get his goals, and Jonny Jackson getting a run out, shame that Barnard didn't make it off the bench.

...hmmm. Someones got a bit of a downer on our new no. 8. For the record I'm hoping he can fire us into Europe, regardless of being any alleged combination of 'moody' and 'cunt-ish.' And Murphy isn't eligible to play against Charlton. Shame. I can remember them recalling Konchesky from loan and playing him against us the next day a coupla seasons back. On the plus side Davids might play, Tainio might be available, and Lee Barnard is in the squad.

Lennon wasn't at his best crossing against Fulham, by all accounts, but out of all our LM/RM players (Davids, Jenas, Tainio) he's the only one who's a 'leg it to the byline and cross it in' type of player. Without a doubt he's more known for his pace, but he's a tradishional type of winger, 'bomb it down the flank and cross.' Davids seems to prefer to build up play more slowly (though he has explosive bursts of pace on occasion he can't do it for most of the match like Aaron). Jenas CAN cross, but doesn't have the explosive pace to get him into the best position in the first place. The only other 'out-and-out' wingers would be Zeigler (pacey, dribbler, good cross, shame he's on loan), Jackson (long time favourite of mine, unspectacular player, but does his job well) and Routledge.

I'd try for: GK: Robinson RB: Stalteri LB: Y-P Lee CB: King CB: Dawson RM: Jenas/Lennon (Jenas for box-to-box play and shooting ability, Lennon for pace and delivery). LM: Davids/Jonnie Jackson (Come on J.J!) DCM: Carrick/Ghaly/Tainio ACM: Murphy (Carrick is a great midfielder IMO, but according to reports he's been playing below-par lately) CF: Mido CF: Keane I'm hoping that either Defoe starts against Charlton partnering Keane or Lee Barnard gets a chance to play. He's scored 17 goals or something in reserve outings this season, he must be worth a shot. Then again maybe Rasiak will be on form for the match. I always wanted him to do well, but his last-minute signing did seem to smack of desperation, and he seems to be finding the step up to the prem hard. Hopefully Murphy can weigh-in with some midfeild goals to help us stay 4th.

Looks like the Hammers are doing us a favour at the moment. 2 goals to the good with 35 minutes played against the Gooners. One by Bobby Z! Hopefully they'll be able to at least take a couple of points off Arsenal. EDIT: the Spurs-old-boys-club weigh in with 2 goals to knock 3 points off the Gooners. YAY. We're forever blowing bubbles... PRETTY BUBBLES IN THE AIR...

Murphy's a good goal-scoring midfielder, I'd be happy to see him in a Spurs shirt, but with 1 an a half hours to go I can't see it happening. Well, lost to Fulham 1-0. We're gonna have to work bloody hard to keep in 4th position at this rate. Wigan are catching up and Arsenal have a Games-in-hand.

If so then he'd be suitable cover for Davids on the left. After losing Davis and Mendes, and Jenas and Davids picking up injuries we were looking a bit light in CM. Huddlestone hasn't debuted yet, and I wouldn't want to be relying on him at a vital time in our season (Though I'm sure that he'll do well, it'd be nice to have the luxury of bringing him into the squad when we have a few points on Arsenal). And it's official, Portsmouth are now the 'TH-Old-Boys FC.' Used to be Watford (Neilson, Vega and Baadsen) then West Ham (Etherington, Zamora and Sheringham) now we have Davis, Mendes, Pamarot AND Routledge in the squad. Surprised Brown didn't go there too.

So, now with BOTH Arsenal and Spurs out of the cups, my eyes turn to the LAST EVER N.London derby at Highbury. The league race is tight at the moment, and I'm starting to think that 4th place might be settled there. SO... ...anyone think we can win it? I'm full of confidence regarding Spurs this season, but even the loyalest supporter will have to admit we have a habit of chucking it away when it matters the most (League cup final against Blackburn? Last season in the league at 'Boro for the final UEFA Cup place?). Form wise Spurs and Arsenal are much closer than any season in the last 10. A lot is gonna hinge on the availability of Henry, Bergkamp, Davids, Mido and King. Also I'm convinced that Sheringham isn't on his way back to WHL. But anyone think we'll make ANY signings before the transfer deadline? We've tradishonally left it to the last minute in January, but I was convinced that Jol would be bringing in a new striker, as Rasiak hasn't set the world alight (Though I'm still fervanty awaiting the day he will replicate his FM2006 form for me and score 13 in 15 appearances :lmao: ).

So now BOTH N.London clubs are out of both cups. Darn, I feel so sad. On a serious note I watched the Bolton/Arsenal game and you guys were barely in it. I bet Wenger's rueing the day he let Patrick Viera go, because without Henry and Bergkamp you guys are definatly beatable. Quote of the match has to go to Ian Wright, in the studio at half time (about Diaby): "People are already comparing the kid to Patrick, which isn't exactly fair, I mean they are both brothers, and both are kinda tall..." As for all the bitching about Reyes, yep, ask any opposition supporter, the diving gets annoying. Oh well, roll on the last ever N.London derby at Highbury, on this form we might be able to make up for the draw you managed to snatch at WHL earlier this year.

Why in gods earth would you wanna do that ?! and i must say i gotta agree with you about the David Plet 2002-03 era that was freakin awesome . £13 a ticket and the game was always quality

Hopefully we'll be suprised. Maybe whoever is appointed next will be the best England coach for years, lead us to the next European Championships and win, not talk to any Shieks... (incidentally how screwed must they be feeling now, some of those guys have LEGITIMATE BUISINESS DEALINGS! no-ones gonna want to associate with them now, poor rich bastards!) Maybe Sven will lead England to the world cup victorious, the FA will beg him to stay and everything will be peachy? But the current crop of England candidates just don't scream INTERNATIONAL MANAGER! At least not the English ones.

In my game (first one I started on FM 2006) Played as Spurs (natch) and managed to do the double in my first season in charge (was second, first or third for most of the season, won the last game of the season with Chelsea drawing at Man U to give me the title!!! On this tide of confidence beat Chelsea in a Penalty Shootout in the FA Cup Final to lift the FA Cup). Was offered the England Job after England went out of WC 2006 (got to the Quaters if I recall). Spurs are currently top of the table (Beating the Gooners in the league, and Inter away in the Champion's League being Highlights) with a game in hand and 17 games to go. England have been beating teams left-right-and-center in the Euro Qualifiers (Though my comp crashed when we were 5-0 up against Latvia before 1/2 time, so I don't know how that would have worked out). As for players, aside from buying Mido, and Robert Green from Norwich havn't done much. Robinson is injured at the mo and Greeny is my current first choice for England and Spurs (Though Cerny has done a good job for me too, he was Keeping goal in a 1-1 draw with Inter at WHL). Mido has been injured, only made 6 appearances for me this season, Rasiak has been filling in and is my top scorer with 13 goals in 15 appearances (3 as sub)!!! It's fun, but after the transfer window is shut in real life I'm gonna update the Database with the major transfers and start a new game with a non-league side, and maybe another game in the MLS league.

Tottenham Hotspur FC: Pedro Mendes. PEDRO FROM THE 'ALF-WAY LINE!!! a quality player, experienced at the highest level. He would be first choice for me if any of our first team midfielders were out for any length of time, and he would have come into his own if we manage to get into the Champion's League. Neil Sullivan. Always rated him as a great keeper. Radek Cerny is good, but not quite in the same class as Robbinson IMO. Keller was good, but I always preffered Sulli in goal when they were both at Spurs. Simon Davies. SOOOOOO-PER, SUPER SI, SOOOOOO-PER, SUPER SI, SOOOOOO-PER, SUPER SI, SUPER SI-MON DAVIES! Always rated him, despite his career being interrupted by injuries, he was my favourite player at Spurs for the last 3 seasons, his name was at least one of each season's replica shirts and I thought he'd be a part of the team for years to come. Was gutted when we sold him, to EVERTON! even though we made a tidy profit. i'm convinced that if he'd stayed, then he would have had his best season yet under Martin Jol. Still, in that case we might not have had a chance to admire the emerging talents of young Aaron Lennon! If we could have back ANY player (in their prime) from history I'd pick. Lineker. Greavsie. Mabbutt. While we've had some great midfield talent (Hod, Waddle, Gazza, Ossie, Villa et al) Our Midfield is a really good unit at the moment. Jenas to attack, Carrick to hold, Davids to play the wing and cut inside when needed, Lennon/Routledge/Reid to get the crosses in, and Teemu Tainio to just be brilliant wherever we play him. We sometimes don't score goals when we really need to, though our forward line is the best in years. Gary and Jimmie would give us an alternative and Mabbutt could lead from the back and add experience to a very young side.

Havn't been to a game all season that's the problem with being an self employed, no work, no money. And when I have had the money it's been a sell-out. Damn Martin Jol! things were never this bad under David Pleat when we lost all the time! Had a lot of work recently though, after i've fixed up my bike I'll have to see a coupla matches for sure (also promised my sis I'd take her to Highbury before they closed it, little Gooner Why can't she be grown-up already). Can't wait to see Davids play, get my shirt printed up (probably with Stalteri since Davies is long gone). Hopefully Mido, Jenas and Tainio will be back in a coupla weeks too. Hoping we can get into the Champion's League, even if we don't this is the best season we've had since I became interested in football when I was a nipper wiv, Lineker and Gazza, Erik 'The Viking' and Mabbutt.

Anyone think that the reason Sven's been in the job so long (he's the longest serving manager in recent times at least) is that there ISN'T anyone who could adequatly replace him. First off I'm no big Sven fan, he's done a reasonable job, but some of his tactical decisions (4-5-1 against N Ireland and failing to push the team forward when in possesion of 1-0 leads) have been costly. For a 'master tactician' he has made some choices that even the armchair managers scratch their heads over. He has got the team to three major international tounaments. Once there we've never really fulfilled our potential, but some of that has been down to bad luck, disallowed goals (I'm thinking Portugal here) and just the nature of the game (Ronaldino's free kick that put us out in Japan, and one team HAS to lose a penalty shoot-out- shame it had to be us). Overall he has done an acceptable job, despite being criticised for a lack of passion, and the tabloids poking around his private life. I think it's bloody sad that some of our nations newspapers, in what most pundits are calling 'England's Year' are set on sabotaging the national team's chances. Look what happened to France when Santini announced that he was leaving to go to Spurs, crash and burn. I wonder if the same thing happened prior to the 1966 World Cup. So now he's leaving, and I can't see anyone really equipped to take over. Pearce? I'm a big fan, badly wanted him to take the Tottenham job in the bad ol' days of David Pleat. But he's only in his first full year of managment, and it really is too soon to take charge of a major national side, despite what everyone is saying about Klinsmann and van Basten. He's serving his apprentiship for the big job, if you will, but he DOESN'T WANT THE JOB (seeing how the England manager gets treated by the press, who can blame him). I'm sure that one day his passion will be a benifit to the National Team, but now is too soon. O'Neil? taking time off, putting his family first (good for him). Probably wouldn't want the job anyway. Maclaren? Probably the best of a bad bunch. Already involved with the England side, but not setting the world alight at 'Boro. Allardyce? Not doing too shabbily at Bolton. Managing the international side would be a big step up from the young loan players, ageing Internationals and cast-offs that he's used to working with (Though he does do a fantastic job with what he's got). Anyone foreign? I don't think we should pick another foreign manager. The Sven experiment hasn't been a shining success. Seeing Scotland under Berti Vogts was painful. We are seeing the effect of the top club sides in the country all appointing top foreign coaches. You have to go down to 6th place before you get to Wigan with Paul Jewell. And who was the last English manager to take a team into the Champion's league and be successful? No-one springs to mind, feel free to help me out. I imagine that Maclaren will get the job if the FA appoint an Englishman. If not then Hiddink will probably land it (which might work out, I just don't think it's best). Whatever happens I still think that the way Sven has had to leave the job, prior to the biggest World Cup in terms of expectation for years.

Would like to see El Hamadaoui get a shot as well, dont think he's an African Nations player, though I believe he is eligible to play for Morroco if my FM 2006 game is anything to go by.

Fair point, the squad we have now is a quantum leap in development beyond what we used to have. I'd also love to see a quality signing like Kuyt come in, but it looks increasingly like whatever money we've got in the transfer kitty will be spent on signing Mido on a permanent basis. Iverson was always the best all-round striker out of Ferdinand, Armstrong and Rebrov. I just think he'd be a great short-term signing while Mido's away. While not the tallest he's good in the air, giving us some much needed firepower there, and he's a proven scorer, still an international and I think he'd fit right in with the team and playing at a Premier league level (something that Rasiak has yet to show). At the moment if Mido gets injured we are stuck with either Keane/Defoe (who I like together, but we lack hight when we play with them) or Keane (or Defoe) with Rasiak, which has failed to convince so far (though like everyone I'm hoping Rasiak will find his feet at this level and go on a tear). Well looks like we'll be left trying to catch up with Liverpool after all: Man U 1:0 Liverpool.

Personally I'm just hoping that Liverpool beat United later. If they can take second and heap more woe on Alex Ferguson's team they might start to slide down the table, giving us a chance to steal third. Though truth be told any decisive result one way or another will do. Interesting that Jol went with Defoe and Keane up front. Though I thought that Rasiak's performance against Leicester was regretably woeful. Wonder if he'll stick with it. Did see that Steffan Iverson was available on a free transfer, and attracting some Premiership interest. I'd love to see him back at the Lane (if only for a short time as cover for Mido). IMO he'd be far more reliable than Rasiak, being a proven scorer in the Prem.

it's not a BAD suit. I like the fact that it's tied in with Iron Man, and in Tony's colours. It'll be interesting for a while, but you just KNOW they'll be back using the classic red and blue suit before long. The 'Iron Spider' suit'll get destroyed, and MJ will sew together the next evolution of the classic red+blue suit (probably subtly re-styled like the previous evolutions have been).

Amen to the comment about Eddie. As for Legends for 2007: I'd really like to see all three 'faces of Foley' in the game, and have all of them playable in season mode (Playing season with Cactus or 'The Loved One' would rawk). Of the current and previous guys as Legends I'd like to see: LOD (Hawk and Animal-maybe just Hawk if Animal's still on the roster by then-he can have alternate attire) Roddy Piper (with voiceover for season) Bret (just came back and beat Shawn Michaels for the WWE belt at SSeries in my GM Game!). Hogan( current attire w/alternate nWo attire, and proper nWo music) Austin Mankind Sgt Slaughter Rock (w/current attire/tattoos). Guys we havn't seen before, who I'd like to see at some point: Demolition (Axe, Smash and Crush, Bad-ass theme song) Big Boss Man Ricky Steamboat Macho Man Cactus Dude Love Owen Hart Mr Perfect Yokozuna Vader (more of a WCW legend, but hey) Maybe Diesel and Razor Ramon I like having guys like Andre the Giant and Davey Boy included (though I rarely use them for season/GM mode) It would RULE to have Goldberg, Lesnar, Sting involved, but that'll never happen. Never really used Hillbilly Jim, Iron Sheik, Nikolia Volkoff in season mode. Ditto for Snuka. Maybe with the 'One Night Stand' PPV set to go ahead next year we could see a few ECW legends. Dreamer, Sandman (Licenced Music PLEASE!!!) and the Dudleys (seeing as Vince owns the copyrights).