More madness as Citeh look to buy Bale on the cheap. The deal won't go through.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/12/04/2242620/manchester-city-preparing-sensational-45m-january-swoop-for

Overated ! Overpriced ! Top teams need players who are consistent. Bale isnt, great in some matches then disappears. I would rather have Ji Sung Park in my team than Bale.

I'd rather you would too

Spurs and Chelsea both drop very silly points.

Arsenal go top with a tight 2-1 win at home to Fulham .

Massive matches next week Man U v Arsenal   &    Tottenham v Chelsea

I don't

I think Man U have it.  Arsenal are the only threat.  

Just wondering why you think they have the momentum??? They haven't put a run together have they................no one has lets be honest Matthew. They have only won one game away from home so to me suggests they arent exactly setting the league on fire. Sadly I still think Chelsea are very much in it, they have been dreadful yet are still only 2 points off the top. December is a key month with Arsenal playing Manu & Chelsea.

Arsenal certainly need to get Vermarlen back, Im a bit annoyed to hear AW say he has no intention of spending in January.

Enough of a comment for you

Better than usual I admit, young Marcus

I take it unbeaten in the league all season isn't a run nowadays then?

Not really Matthew , I would rather Play 6, win 3 and lose 3 , than play 6 and draw them all. Its ok staying unbeaten but you cant afford to keep dropping 2 points .

I think thats a decent enough P O V don't you old boy

It's a point of view old bean, I'll give you that

Very well put John !! The squad is a bit lightweight compared to Chelseas, City and even Tottenhams but the Man U team is full of resolve and the 2nd half of the season should see a fully fit Rooney and Valencia back. Man U have quietly gone about there business this season still unbeaten and looking stronger with each game. I belive it will come down to the big 3 Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal but i wouldnt discount City or Spurs.

Chelsea seem to have a problem within the squad, some players are just not giving anywhere near 100%. This needs to be sorted or they could continue dropping to many points. Chelsea are very capable of putting a huge winning run together.

Man U will not have the luxury of being able to keep the squad as fresh as some of the other teams, still reliant on Scholes to make the team tick and to a lesser extent Giggs. A fit again Valencia will be a huge bonus and likewise to get Rooney back to goal scoring form. Man U always come good in the 2nd half of the season and like chelsea more than capable of going on a streak.

Arsenal perhaps need more steel in their team something Wenger has ignored for seasons. Great attacking team but as Matty stated they are often guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net. Always likely to drop pts against a hungrier team and doubts about their mental toughness.

Spurs wonderful attack minded team capable of giving any team a beating however this is new territory for them and the team lacks experience. Lack of defensive qualities will always be under the spotlight.

Man City huge squad of class players but not a happy squad. Mancicni is a very negative coach looking to get draws in some of the big games. City  are a squad not a team, more work is needed to mould these individuals together but City are very capable of beating anyone if Mancini would give them more freedom.

West Brom have a comfortable 3-1 home win aginst Newcastle

Sunderland win 1-0 against West Ham, the unhappy Hammers are now bottom, they wont want to be there at Xmas

[quote=NUT;92829]Houghton sacked as the newcastle manager.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/9261212.stm[/quote]

Total disgrace by Newcastle, What a Joke.

Martin O'Neil worth a punt??

An utter disgrace - it shows that Ashley has learned nothing about running a football club, and reminds me that Newcastle have the biggest sense of self-importance of any club.

I used to like Newcastle under Keegan - a really entertaining playing style and seemingly an underdog mentality. Quickly got all too-big-for-their-boots, though; the fans, the players, the club itself. And that's when people started wanting them to fail.

Newcastle are a medium-sized club with very minimal support outside of their region and a short honours list. They might get big crowds, but that's because they have a big stadium and, despite Newcastle only being a medium-sized city of little national importance, their fans are fanatical. They've had fleeting spells of punching above their weight, but are certainly no giants of the English game.

Hughton is a decent, dignified bloke and has shown to be a good manager. Newcastle sit mid-table and have trounced their hated local rivals already. I hope they now get relegated and Ashley loses more money. It might just remind them and their fans that they're not actually a big club.

Should prove to be an interesting battle. Well worth £10m IMO.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/12/06/2248056/liverpool-to-miss-out-on-connor-wickham-as-teenage-striker

Newcastle fans should be out outside the stadium protesting now, thing is they'll let this ride just as they did when Sir Bobby was sacked. What a disgrace to football today has been, one of many unfortunately happens in the premier league.

Went to the Ipswich/ Newcastle match last season, which was turned into a homage to the great Sir Bobby. Truth is though when town fans sung "We never sacked Bobby Robson" it was spot on, there was a definate feeling amongst town fans that Toon army had been getting carried away with the media induced grief, when they showed the man little loyalty.

Many fans used to have a soft spot for Newcastle under Keegan, that definately isn't the case now.

Have you seen hime play then?

Very far from the finished product at the moment, I've seen him play 4 times this season. IMO he hasn't come on from last season at all, however he is a huge bloke with obvious natural abillity and the right manager could probably quickly develop that talent.

Indeed he isn't. But I put him in the Bale bracket - a player who'll eventually be very very good.