Gribz

With Chelsea winning thats the league race wide open between Man U and Arsenal. Bizarre game last night, Man U looked more comfortable in the first half but neither team looked impressive. Chelseas goal came out of nothing then they got a spark and dominated. David Luiz should have been sent off while it was 1-1. I fancied it to be a draw but a good result for Arsenal. Bad result for Man City and Spurs as Chelsea have the advantage of 3rd now, they win their game in hand against Birmingham at home and they will be 3rd.

1-0 Rangers. Jelavic The performance cant be worse than last time. Lets get into them.

It doesnt solve anything if the fixture pile up still comes in Feb to may. You cant play your advanced cup games in Sept when you havent made it past the earlier round. So whilst in theory starting the league earlier seems it will free up some space if we go on another Euro and league cup run next season plus need any replays in the Scottish cup the exact same thing will happen. This guy Doncaster is getting worse by the week. If he wants to ease fixtures then move the league cup back to Aug to Oct, start the season earlier but have a winter break which plays any backlog of games. Soon the season will be a full 12 months. Only the SPL can come out with trash like "lets start the season but you can opt out of a game to go play in friendlies". Yet they cant extend the season when there IS a back log of COMPETITVE games because Celtic want to tour Japan for friendlies. What absolute garbage. Do the Scandanavian and Russian teams do that??

This is the big week as far as the title goes. Man Utd have Chelsea tonight and Liverpool away on Sunday. If they get 6 points they deserve the title but I think they will get 2 draws. After the 4-4 game with Newcastle I thought that might be the game which costs Arsenal points wise but they still have a chance if Man U drop points this week. Arsenal have Sunderland at home at the weekend and while Arsenal are capable of the odd collapse you'd fancy them to take all 3 points. So if Man U do drop points it will be set up for the Arsenal v Man U match for the title. Man City should have cemented 3rd on Sunday but now Chelsea can still catch them by winning 2 games in hand. It will be a good 3 way battle for the 2 remaining CL spots. At the bottom West Ham were a different team on Sunday against Liverpool. Since being 3-0 down at West Brom they have found something different when Scott Parker took over the dressing room. Since that they came out and pulled West Brom back to 3-3, stuffed Burnley 5-1 in the cup and Liverpool 3-1 so we may have turned the corner. Thomas Hitzelspirger is fit now and is a new signing. Wolves are a good footballing side but dont show it with points. Id say Wigan and West Brom are down but I wouldnt like to guess the 3rd. Birminghams cup win may save them as it gives them a spur but they are right in it, they have 2 games in hand but they are against Chelsea and Everton both away.

There will be more twists again this season but now its all about the most consistant team. Yesterday was perfect. Win our games in hand and we are back on top and the last OF game at Ibrox may be the decider.

I had this down for a draw on my coupon, just fancied them to drop points somwhere but 2-0 is even better. Well done 'Well

Thought Arsenal would hammer them. They need to get their finger out and go win the Premier League now. Dont mind McLeish but cant stand Birmingham.

Good game. Saw Wilsons name before the game but didnt see him touch the ball. Cracking win for WH though.

Talk the talk Ally but come July it will be walk the walk. RE Signings I like what he is saying that he wants a bit more excitment in the team although I have no idea where he will find that sort of players on our budget. Ally did do the world cup last summer so he may have a few in mind from countries which were knocked out early. He talks about the budget but Im sure that will depend on Champions League qualification. As for Captain as the squad currently stands I hope Bougherra would pick it up next. Back room staff: I really think he needs a Ray Wilkins in with him. McDowall and Durrant will be fine coaches and assistants but a experienced name like Wilkins could end up being his best signing. I wonder if he fanices asking Souness! Not sure if calling up Walter would be the best thing to do, after being next to him for 7 years if he doesnt know WS methods inside out by now then something is wrong. Of course every manager needs someone on the end of the phone now and again...lots call up Alex Ferguson all over the place.

Some good games today other than our own. EPL: West Ham v liverpool. Must win for the hammers. Man City v Fulham. Carling Cup Final: Arsenal v Birmingham. - Arsenal should be a banker for the cup. SPL: Motherwell v Celtic - Come on the Stuart McCall!!

International week in March when there is no World Cup or European Championships is mental. Remove this when there is no international comps. League Cup Final should be October. If the 2 above are done then there it would have fitted in 2 or 3 games. 1 league game in the long month of March is crazy. Im all for playing on easter Friday or Monday if it eases our schedule. I remember the Premier league down south had easter games once and it worked fine.

Werent Lyon top of their league when we went there and won 3-0? Cant remember how PSG were doing when we knocked them out in Paris under Advocaat. Marseille were top notch but we drew with them in 1993 so we dont have a bad record in France. The French league blows hot and cold, it has produced a number of good teams over the years. But Id rather be playing against French sides than Spanish or further eastern european sides.

Another 6-0 Jelavic 2 Diouf 2 Edu Bougherra

Hindsight says he has played on 1 year too many but can it be argued WS has ruined him this season in playing him non stop??? Going into a season with about 5 defenders is dreadful but knowing 1 of them is 40 and has to be played slowly is another thing. Cracking centre half on his day, and wish we got him 12 years ago but it doesnt auto qualify him for management material.

In fact...Totti you thought we were out in this round but yet we came all good.

Mr Negative at it again You just look for faults. We all know things arent the same as ten years ago, but get over it and support the team. I can understand if you criticise formations etc Would you have posted the exact same thing 3 years ago at this stage?? Sporting are horrendous, but Portugal in general and supposed underachivers but havent won a thing. Lille are a french pub team. Sampdoria are still building. The peaks of the early 90s are a long gone from them. they have a good reputation but i cant even name 1 of there players these days. Dont get me wrong every one of those leagues have better set ups and structures but Id say we are as good a team as any.

I wouldnt put money on it either with how bad i am at backing teams. But yeah its all close ones and PSV isnt the worst draw at all, id rather be going there than Ukraine or Russia.

Some good games there meaning a few of the better sides will go out. The Competition may come alive now that the first 18 rounds are out the way. IMO its a last 8 of: Benfica Man City Zenit Porto Rangers Bayer L Ajax Liverpool

And helped by McGeady of all people. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/9407038.stm

Half agree with your point about not having a run upfront, and Id prefer to see him playing as the old Number 10. but half the time he has been injured is because of his own silly antics.

Calscot is right. Miller would chase balls down but was classed as a headless chicken for doing so. It was the wrong decision to let him go and could end up being more costly than the fee we got for him as we are now the ones doing the chasing. Im hoping Diouf can step up and be the one who gives everyone a lift. Was impressive in his first few games but needs to get better.

Was going to say 0-0 but I'll change my mind and go for a 3-0 Gers win.

Nope....we just have to win our games in hand, win the last OF game and then better the other games than them.

Read again. I said 'Either' ONE (not won :robbo:) of the games was a ONE off

Id be happy for the planning ahead to be kept inside for such issue. Not only motivation but running out of ideas and the same players being used week in week out. We do still have 2-3 months to turn it around though.