The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[HailtotheYo]

YES ! VERMINATOR !!!!!!!!!!!

[Lineker]

Bugger, he scored at the right end this time.

[Summers]

Nice finish from Vermaelen, turns out Van Persies not the only goalscorer left.

Too true.

[Colly]

That's what I meant. Called it well ahead of time. Now get another, I've money on this...

[9 to 5]

My net has been fucked and it's saturday, do give me time to ome in and moan HttK. And no matter how shit we are, we still kicked Arsenal's arses all over the place!

[Dingle]

Really felt for Arsenal then, but Fulham organised very well in the first half. Although the last 15 minutes I thought might've given Arsenal the 3 points. Still, after the first half they might be happy with the draw.

Shut up Dave, your team sucks big balls.

Edited November 26, 2011 by Devil In Jouzy City

[9 to 5]

Yours is hardly doing much better, James!

[stokeriño]

Today's draws please me.

The Spurs result, not so much.

[Gazz]

Tim Krul, best shot stopper in the Premiership, take a bow son.

[Lineker]

Question to everyone but particularly to Ace who I am sure will reply extensively when he sees this: has time run out for Steve Bruce at Sunderland? I know that they have had horrendous injuries for the last year but even so, with the money he has spent, you'd expect better; surely?

[Gazz]

Question to everyone but particularly to Ace who I am sure will reply extensively when he sees this: has time run out for Steve Bruce at Sunderland? I know that they have had horrendous injuries for the last year but even so, with the money he has spent, you'd expect better; surely?

God no, they should make him manager for life.

[Lineker]

Predictable

Geordies aside, please?

[Jimmy]

Watching MoD, Krul was fantastic. Penality was never a penalty aginst United, but these things even themselves out over the season.

[Dynamite]

It'll go in Bruce's favour that the league is still pretty tight. They are 4 points away from being bottom but also only 5 points away from 8th. Just looking at the fixture list and their next two games are Wolves and Blackburn which they should really be getting points out of. If they don't then they'll be in trouble but personally I'd say it's too early to get rid of him yet.

[Dingle]

Yours is hardly doing much better, James!

Hey, we won today, and our manager is just young and getting used to the job. Keane needs to go for you to do better.

[Lineker]

Inter Milan have signed promising 15-year-old Guilherme Celestino from Sporting Lisbon - after he was rejected by Aston Villa.

The Brazilian was given a secret trial by Villa who decided he was not good enough to make it as a top flight professional.

However, the midfielder is highly rated in Portugal and has picked up awards previously won by Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Agent Barry McIntosh told The Daily Mirror: "It's a shame Villa did not spot his potential. He's a talent. It was clear to me and Inter Milan recognised that quickly."

Watch him go on to become a world-beater

And Warnock is having a whinge again, although he may have a case this time:

QPR boss Neil Warnock says the Premier League favours big clubs after it refused him permission to sign a back-up goalkeeper.

Rangers wanted to make a loan signing after they learned first-choice Paddy Kenny may be out for two months with a side muscle injury.

After his team's 2-1 defeat at Norwich, Warnock said: "If it had been a big club [it would have been different].

"Once again it's the little club who gets punished."

He added: "I'm disappointed with the Premier League that they haven't seen fit to help us out.

"It's absolutely pathetic the decision, but it doesn't surprise me. There has got to be some common sense but there isn't with the Premier League. It's them and us and we're 'us'."

In March 2011, Arsenal were given permission to re-sign free agent Jens Lehmann after an injury to goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, while Manchester City snapped up Marton Fulop from Sunderland in April 2010 as cover for Shay Given.

And Warnock added: "Look at Arsenal last year and Man City."

With QPR reserve goalkeeper Brian Murphy already out due to a calf injury, Radek Cerny, 37, made his first start of the season at Carrow Road.

Warnock also recalled 20-year-old Elvijs Putnins from a loan spell with non-league Boreham Wood to be his substitute at Carrow Road.

And he said: "We genuinely lost two keepers and have Radek, who has had a permanent problem all season and only played two reserve games, yet the Premier League cannot help us.

"They talked about it for two days and then decided I've got to bring a lad back from Boreham Wood who we gave a free transfer to nearly two years ago but is kept on the books because he is a nice lad.

"If not [him], then we had to play a 17-year-old that has not played a reserve game yet.

"I won't be signing any other young lad on a professional form if that's the case [that we can't sign an experienced goalkeeper]."

[Colly]

Interesting thing I discovered yesterday, Warnock has no eyebrows. He can't be trusted.

[IAceI]

Question to everyone but particularly to Ace who I am sure will reply extensively when he sees this: has time run out for Steve Bruce at Sunderland? I know that they have had horrendous injuries for the last year but even so, with the money he has spent, you'd expect better; surely?

I think his time is up to be honest. He's got to the point of no-return with most fans, yesterday was my tipping point but I know a lot of people went well before me - and some never even wanted him at all, ever. But when that second goal went in I just walked. I've had enough of watching us at the minute, we don't have any semblance or grasp on tactics. Richardson has been played all over the park without any sort of return from him, Cattermole is persisted with entirely because he's one of Brucey's boys while Gardner and Vaughan sit idly on the bench.

It was telling that he brought his subs on at 60 minutes yesterday when he normally waits until 70. He's realised he isn't given them enough time, and with Ellis in town to have a look on proceedings I think Bruce knew his neck was on the chopping board and wanted to look pro-active instead of settling. We shouldn't be playing catch up or playing for draws when at home against West Brom, Aston Villa, Fulham or Wigan but they are four matches we've only took three points from at home. That's unacceptable for any team. Not a single team in the league will fear playing us, not a single team will even fear coming to the Stadium of Light. The fans are too busy chanting for the manager to go instead of getting behind the players.

Once the fans have turned I don't think there's any point of return. It's like trying to out-run a fall. His legs are going and he's keeping himself upright but sooner or later he'll fall over. He refuses to go with honour so I think Ellis needs to wield the axe sooner or later. We're looking like relegation fodder at the minute and while I yearn for the days of winning at Barnsley and Leicester and having a good, winning, season - Ellis won't stick around if we went down and we need his investment and his backing. The problem is there is no one to replace Bruce with, not that I can realistically think of anyways, and with such a recent overhaul of players I can't imagine the manager being given freedom to sign who he wants so he would have to work with the limited talent he has.

It's all very disappointing to be honest, I have two weeks before I have to go back to the Stadium. The people I go with are brilliant, it's just a shame about that 90 minutes of football I have to watch at the minute.

[Baddar]

Maaaan. I knew he'd take it literally.

Also, fuck Tim Krul - again.

[Lineker]

Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Williams, Monk, Taylor, Sinclair, Britton, Allen, Gower, Dyer, Graham.

Subs: Tremmel, Dobbie, Routledge, Lita, Moore, Richards, Moras.

Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, N'Zogbia, Delph, Herd, Bent, Agbonlahor, Heskey.

Subs: Guzan, Jenas, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Clark, Cuellar, Bannan.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)