Harsh on Gerrard. His biggest [club] game was in Istanbul in 2005 when he dragged his shell-shocked team from a 3-0 half-time deficit to a win on penalties, with an outstanding second half performance.

He’s put in some quality performances for England, too. His biggest problem has been that successive England managers have insisted on playing him and Lampard together, which just won’t work as neither can play their natural game. Gerrard’s been played on both left and right to accommodate Frank in the centre (who’s not then justified his selection anyway)

Now that Matthew’s caught his CFP quota for the thread, I can safely say that Scholes has been a top quality player. [see, I have no need to be churlish] He was one of the most gifted playmakers of his generation, with a great vision, feel for a pass, and instinct to crop up in the right place at the right time. Had a dirty side to his game and those trying to make out otherwise are deluding themselves (nobody can mistime so many tackles so painfully for the other player on so many occasions when the game’s going against you)

I don’t reckon he ever scaled the heights in an England shirt that perhaps he could have done. Maybe that’s down to his lack of ego, maybe being played out of position, maybe the managers, maybe the players around him. Consistently very good, but IMO he was never a true great of the England team.

I was only just getting started

Good to see Matty hasn't changed since I last posted on here some two years ago.... Looking forward to next season with much excitement....and will be back for the scores predictor.

I'll take my original statement back, in that game Gerrard did indeed lead from the front, although I still say that him having Alonso behind him doing his thinking for him gave him the license to go and do what he did.

He also came good in that 5-1 game over in Germany.

I should have said generally bottled the big games rather than always.

Ryan has been caught wiht his trousers well and truly down...supposed 8yr affair with his brothers wife reported.

WOW, sister-in-law...............a new low???

Good move by Fulham to appoint Martin Jol.

Excellent manager who was treated shabbily at Spurs.

I like Jol a nice bloke but may need to toughen up a bit for his next stint at the premiership

And to think there are so many Utd fans who will never know that factoid.

I think he needs help, paid all that money and can't find anything to do. I assume the 2 resteraunts he is referring to are Bem Brasil on Deansgate and Bem Brasil in the Northern Quarter.  All he ever does is moan, I remember when SAF got rid of him and the fans weren't happy about it, turns out it was the right decision.

The new fixtures will be announced on Friday. Time to predict which easy game Man Utd will get on the final day.

In recent seasons, they've had last day games against Southampton, Charlton, West Ham, Wigan, Hull, Stoke and Blackpool. You can bet that sequence will continue next season with a game against one of the promoted teams (or a team who narrowly avoided relegation)

Fingers crossed. I'm sure SAF has had a word and bunged them some cash.

Yes a laughable price, but I fancy him to do well at one of the big clubs. He has a calm head and is reliable, two good defensive attributes. Still a risk though, could easily end up the other way round with him being farmed off to a midtable club on loan and fading out into obscurity come next year.

Just a warning, Phil, if you're reading

Fixtures are out tomorrow.

Mark it down on your calendar, Man Utd v Norwich, Sunday 13th May 2012 4pm.

If not Norwich, then you can be guaranteed they will avoid a tricky game on the last day yet again.

Sunderland Away.

Someone's head is for the chop for warming the wrong ball       

Is Lerner aiming for mid-table mediocrity the boring way?

I cannot fathom the logic of appointing McLeish. Villa are a big club - fanbase, history, etc - and as long as I can recall have had a reputation for playing decent football.

McLeish had Birmingham set up to play negative, uninspiring football. OK, he had limited resources - but other managers in similar positions have at least tried to play football. He won the Mickey Mouse Cup, but then couldn't gee his team out of a freefall that ended in relegation.

I can understand the anger from Villa fans. McLeish's sides play negative, boring football; ultimately he's been a failure in English football; he's coming fresh from Villa's hated rivals.

WTF is Lerner thinking????