MJB

Started an unemployed game last night but with a very good reputation because I wasn't sure who to start with so I'd just start with whoever offered me the most money first

Anyway, come Dec 16th 2011 it was Arsenal and At. Madrid who came in with offers. Both with just under £30m to spend but Arsenal's wage budget was higher so I took them up on their offer. They were lying in 15th with a record of 5/4/7 and had conceded the joint highest number of goals. So yeah clear where my problem was. With Szcezney out untill March with a bust knee, Fabianski was at fault for almost everything although the two CB's weren't exactly great. I had about two weeks before the window opened and here's how we got on.

Birmingham (away) - Won 3-2 in the last minute

Chelsea (away) - Drew 4-4 in the last minute

Sunderland (home) - Won 3-1

Tottenham (home) - Won 4-2

Man Utd (a) - Lost 1-3, Fabianksi got a 4.3

Yeah so my defence was shit. So that's what I looked to improve during January. Before the window opened, I had managed to move on lots of players, including Vela, Djouru, Squallaci, Diaby, Fabianski and many more. But on the plus side, my attack had been awesome, Fabregas, Nasri, Wilshere, Chamakh and Van Persie had been pulling every defence apart, so no need for any improvement there.

David De Gea from At Madrid for £16.5m

Mamadou Sakho from PSG for £12m

Phil Jones from Blackburn for £14.5m

Arturo Vidal from Leverkusen for £13m

That was a total of £56m, and it's sole purpose was to shore up the defence and start to climb the table. That's exactly what we've done, I'm now in the middle of February and we haven't conceded a goal since the Man Utd game. De Gea and the two CB's have been absolutely awesome and Vidal playing just infront of them is breaking most attacks up before they even get started. United are a long way ahead, and are unreachable but 2nd is now my main target, along with the FA Cup. Technically, we're still in the Champions League but without Jones, Sakho and Vidal it's going to be a struggle. Strangely though De Gea is allowed to be registered, oh well.

Here's how I line up atm

GK: De Gea (Goalkeeper, Defend)

RB: Sagna (Wing Back, Support)

CB: Jones (Central Defender)

CB: Sakho (Central Defender)

LB: Clichy (Wing Back, Support)

DMC: Vidal (Defensive Midfielder, Support)

MC: Fabregas (Advanced Playmaker, Support)

AMC: Nasri (Attacking Midfielder, Attack)

AMC: Wilshere (Attacking Midfielder, Attack)

ST: Chamakh (Target Man, Attack)

ST: Van Persie (Advanced Forward, Attack)

Oh and one more thing, Chamakh in that role, with Target Man ticked, has been awesome. 8 goals in 7 games for me so far.

Shane 'O'Mac next to Rory's dad on the 18th fairway. Wasn't he at the Masters aswell?

Yeah Jenson is under investigation for the crashes with Lewis, and probably more importantly, Alonso.

It would be really typical if Jenson got a penalty and Vettel won.

Schumacher to win the race? Maybe not but it's his best shot since his return.

I think that we should try and keep as many players as possible, but the players I expect to leave/ wouldn't be sad to see the back of: Campbell, Guthrie, Routledge, Lovenkrands, Smith, Best, Ryan Taylor and Kuqi.

Letting any of those players leave would mean we have to bring in a replacement (with the exception of Taylor if you trust Simpson/ Perch at right back), such is the state of our squad, so Pardew needs to be wise with whatever of the Carroll money he sees. This means not blowing silly money on Charles N'Zogbia.

In terms of who to bring in, I have no idea. I expect us to go back in for N'Zogbia, but with Wigan surviving they'll be able to hold out for better money and we'd need to have all of the Carroll money and then some to be able to pay 12 million plus on one player.

We tried for Seb Larsson in January, so I think we'll try again with him too, we have a better chance because Birmingham have gone down, but I'd expect a lot of competition with him being free.

Also I've yet to find a Newcastle fan that agrees with me but I really think we should try and get a goalkeeper. The injuries have taken their toll on Harper and Krul makes me nervous constantly.

I don't think I agree with that at all. Besides the fact that Best has been outstanding this season when fit (6 in 10, and looks very up for it) so will be second choice should we sign a quality striker, the majority of the others are surplus to requirements (though I do have a soft spot for Ryan Taylor as backup to about 5 positions...). Granted if they all go we've got some signings to do, but we'd be unlikely to miss Smith and Kuqi. Priorities are a new striker plus a proper right winger to allow Barton to battle it out with Nolan to partner Tiote in the middle. It sounds like we're likely to be playing Ben Arfa off a lone frontman so even without a signing I'm happy with Jonas moving right and Ferguson on the left (looks like Pards doesn't rate Routledge so he's on his way out). I definitely wouldn't object to N'zogbia though, him, Arfa and Jonas even behind Best is pretty formidable with Tiote and Barton behind.

Besides that we'll need a left back if Jose goes (or some backup if not, we've not had a sub left back in my lifetime...), some cover at centre half (happy with Colo and Taylor, but unless Kadars ready for the step up we need more cover than just Williamson) and in my opinion, and quite a lot of the crowd around me, a new right back. Danny Simpson frankly isn't good enough if we're to push on and is noticably the weak link of the team. Fine going forward but defensively woeful unless someone can coach into him actually getting tight on his man occasionally.

As far as goalkeepers go you've found yet another person to disagree with you. Granted we've been spoiled by having Shay Given for years, and I'd agree that Harper isn't quite at that standard, but Kruls a 23 year old who's made about 2 errors in his short Premier League career and Fraser Forsters just set an SPL clean sheet record at Rangers. Our back up is better than most teams first choice, we don't need a goalkeeper.

Celtic surely? I thought Rangers' keeper was McGregor?

Sturridge's tackle on Dzeko is shocking. Gera's isn't much better either.

Bit of a mixture of old and new, would be pretty sweet to see this team with all at their prime:

GK: Van Der Sar

DL: Roberto Carlos

DC: Rio Ferdinand

DC: Nemanja Vidic

DR: Dani Alves

DMC: Roy Keane

MR: Cristiano Ronaldo

ML: Ryan Giggs

AMC: Zinedine Zidane

ST: Ruud Van Nisterlrooy

So good, it only has ten men

Blackburn have now got three.

lol Wolves

Told you they'd score.

And Blackpool are now staying up on goals scored.

That looked like a penalty on Park there for United.

Replay . . . and yes it's a clear penalty. Blackpool get away with that one.

Park. 1-0

Bad defending from Evatt

Van Der Sar captain for the day. Nice touch. Blackpool to attack from the word go I suspect and to give them credit, I think they'll score at some stage. It's just that we could get six.

Fuck Red Bull.

That is all.

But Newcastle have it at the minute. Under Keegan I'm guessing, and that's annoying.

Seal the league on Saturday against Blackburn now and then let Blackpool win on the last day so they stay up. Great end to the season.

Nope. Beat Blackpool and extend the winning run to 15 straight games. A record.

Thank God for that.

Couple of weeks for Rio's knees to be glued back together, Ryan to recharge his batteries and Hernandez to sort out whatever was wrong with his eye and we'll be ready for Barcelona.

2-0

VIDIC!! FUCK YEAH!!

Seen quite a lot of belt requests in here lately so I thought I'd put this one out:

Triple H with the WWF Championship

Chris Benoit with the Intercontinental Championship

Christian with the European Championship

Sabu with the ECW Championship

Psychosis (with mask) with the Cruiserweight Championship (WWE's version from about 2002)

Dudley Boyz with the Tag Team Championships

Lita with the Womens Championship

All on KyKy please

And they've done it. Remarkable story.

Great cross, good header and Norwich are one up.

Cardiff 0-3 Middlesborough after 70 minutes.

If it stays like this, a win for Norwich would get them promotion.

I actually feel sorry for the referee.

Norwich vs Derby is quite entertaining at the minute. Norwich have dominated every single minute of the game but yet Derby have scored with both of their shots at goal.

lol Arsenal.

I'd love to have seen a camera in the Liverpool dressing room to see Carragher's reaction. Oh and lmfao at Kenny telling Arsene to piss off.

YES!

I love Arsenal, possibly. If Kuyt puts this in.