OldhamSheridan

Aahhhhhhhhhhnd, relax. Yankees out now. Don't give a who wins it now (although I'd still prefer Boston, so I guess I do to a small extent).

Yes, of course that's what be are advocating. Gregan up front and Liddell in net. Pull yourself together. We're taking about playing a player in a position where he spends half his time anyway and is quite handy at, not sticking him left back or owt. As for the Ronnie/Killen/Porter/Haining comments, how are you to know what our thoughts on these were? (Porter's a mute point anyway)

The Stats can speak for themselves, and to be fair there have been a couple of games where there is at least some production. The goal being the obvious one, and the chance he missed against Leeds (provided by Davies on the, err, left). However, I'd be inclined to mention that most of last seasons good stuff happened earlier in the season and he fell away dramatically and hasn't really returned in any way. But watching the games certain things have crept into his game. When receiving the ball he no longer moves towards the oppositions goal, but turns around and feed the ball back to Eardley. Whether this is because Eardley is not making any runs past him any more, or Eardley doesn't make the runs past him any more as he can't possibly receive the ball whilst Liddell is facing in the opposite direction is neither here nor there. The best part of Eardleys game is his ability to get forward, if he isn't doing that then half of his game is gone and half of our attacking ability (if not more) down that side is gone. Whether shifting Taylor onto his correct foot is the way out remains to be seen, but I personally think it is worth a go as he just doesn't have much of an end result (for all the promise) whilst playing on the left. I am aware that Sheridan, being an ex-professional footabller, and a manager, and a person who sees these players day in day out may know more about football than I. However I think it is of that period of time when loyalty to Liddell has to be foregone to making the team better. I'd love nothing better than to be proven wrong.

Can't think I can possibly agrre with that I can't think Colarado won't see off the Phillies, but Arizona will be a much sterner test. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland. Come on Cleveland.

From the bench I wouldn't mind. I am unsure of whether he can run away from players enough when they are knackered and he is fit enough to get a cross in, but it would be better than the status quo. I think with Smalley, Hughes and Allessandro to come back there are a whole load of option about to open up. I've really liked the looks of Smalley so far, so let's hope he doesn't get stiffled.

I'd love it to be an option, but if you are struggling to run enough as a winger, then you are certainly not going to be able to cope as a CM, where the running about is alot more (look at Allott, Kilkenny and JP). I, personally, think JP has been a very good addition to the squad (either him or Davies being the best) and would be hard to displace with Neil being the attacking midfielder. As for the waste of Ricketts, it's justa metter of time bfore others get on his wavelength in my view. It'll come good. Maybe.

And just so we all know. LIDDS' LEGS HAVE GONE. Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone! I'd drop Lidd's and play Davies on the left, Taylor on the right and Wolfy/Allessandro/Hughes (if fit) up front. (Obviously Hughes would be ideal). GONE.

Chicago swept. Arizona* through. *If only this was NFL I'd be joyeous.

Moving Taylor to the right I am in full favour of. Moving Liddell to anywhere other than the subs bench is a no-no with me. His legs have gone and he is more of a hinderance than a help in my view*. Keep him on the SB until Smalley is alright and then another decision has to be made. I reckon Taylor would benefit, but more importantly Eardley would too. Eardley can't venture forward as (a) Liddell can't track back and ( Liddell can't play a ball forward as he is constantly facing in the wrong direction. I sound like a real anti-Liddell bloke here, but I honestly can'ty see how he improves our side anymore. In the past he has been good, and I don't like being harsh, but it's just the way I see it. the sooner he is gone the better.

Managed to watch the Yankees game through to 4-2 Indians, then had a lie down whilst watching it and woke up and it was 4-2. To Arizona. Nice to see the Yankees getting beat, but when watching it you just got the feeling there wasn't a chance the Indians were going to lose such was the atmosphere, and Wang's distribution of every third ball being high and floaty.

Only problem with Colorado though is that they look like they are peaking a bit too early. Timing is everything in these things (see last year). Either that or being miles better than everyone else, which doesn't really appear to be the case this year. If I was guessing, then: Rockies to beat the Phillies Boston to beat the Angels Arizona to beat the Cubs (certainly not unfortunately as the Cubbies only made it by default) NY to beat Cleveland Then... NYY to beat the Red Sox Arizona to beat Colorado Then NY to win. Obviously we'd all like NY out (I'd prefer the Red Sox to win it now). Edit: Scores so far: Boston beat Angels 4-0, as mentioned Rockies beat Phillies 4-2 and Arizona saw off the Cubbies 3-1.

The Lashers were louder without a doubt. We were louder against Swansea, but I suppose that was a much better game.

Being honest, I didn't see them giving the v's or 'asking our fans out'. And yes, that isn't the behaviour you would expect in an executive box, from either home or away fans. Anyone performing such actions should not be allowed back into the boxes again. However, this should not stop us from renting a seperate part of the ground to home/away areas to away fans. Because it IS more money to the club, and we aren't rolling in it.

Thought Gregan (after that daft bit of poncing about and then foul on Wayno) was exceptional. They did play to his skills by pumping long balls in. Hazell barely put a foot wrong too. Overall a very good defensive display. Although Kilkenny 'ran' our midfield I felt that Leeds did have the command of that area. Prutton and Thompson, although getting on a bit, still have a fair bit in their reserves and it showed a bit. Plus, Kalala to me got injured towards the end of the first half and wasn't quite the same again. Up front, Ricketts had a decent performance against what looks a quality defence. To compare him to Davies will always be a daft move as they are totally different players. one to win the ball the other to run on it. They just aren't there at the moment, but striking partenerships rarely start up overnight. The Ricketts miss was a foul (right in front of me). It was good defending as it was enough of a foul to put him off, but not enough for the ref to give anything. Davies started well, with that cross-field ball to Liddell the highlight of his day. But for god's sake he lost nearly all his marks with his gob. I'm surprised the ref didn't send him off, as most would. Hell, I would. After his period of idiocy he became a bit ineffectual as he had to go in his shell. I'd have had Wolfy on the moment he started looking more likely to walk than spend five more minutes on the pitch. Shame about the end, but we will play many worse games and win this season.

...and I think this is why the majority of those Leeds fans were in our end. What is it? £32 for an away membership. Plus paying to get in. If this is a game of few ones you go to then you could conceivabley be paying £50 to watch last nights game otherwise. There didn't seem too many anywhere near me. NB. I've never had a problem with away fans renting the "Executive Boxes", it's money into the club and the more interest in the boxes the more we can charge (in the future). Are we really that bothered about people cheering for their team?

I Need More Televisions. I can't watch baseball and American football on one TV. (never mind the Spanish football)

If he is up to it I can't think of anything better than have him along. Maybe get Newcastle (veterans) and Bury to help too.

On a complete side note to the thread on a whole, but that save at Hartlepool by Lee Grant is by far and away the best save by an Oldham Athletic goalkeeper I've seen in the nigh on twenty years I've been watching them. Gary had very many good saves, but that one continues to take my breath away. NB. And what the hell do people have against Dougie Hodgson. He wasn't a bad player and was 100% committed. I can think of MANY worse players than him.

Both LA teams are up there in the spending. Never sure who spends what myself though. However, he's not wrong about the Mets. they are throwing it about like money's gone out of fashion at the mo'. They are opening their own TV station in an effort to get up there. As for the Cards. they have the second biggest income, behind the Yankees, but don't go too silly with it.

And I love the use of the term 'back then'. Barry Bonds, cough.

By golly, there's a baseball thread that isn't touched in months, then along come the playoffs and in one night you gloryboys jump on it As some may remember from last years drunken ramblings I'm a fan of the current World Series holders (finally). This year we've suffered from the odd pitching problem (such as long term injury to our main guy and another one kind of, errr, dying), so maybe next year (so long as La Russa stays as manager). This year it is a bit open. I'd like Boston or San Diego to do it, but to me (sadly) the Yankees are starting to look the team to beat. After their horrendous start to the season when Boston trounced them into what we thought was next year, they have come back very strongly.

I have to admit, I too was a "he's to small to be a goalkeeper" member. Let's be honest though, if he was taller he would never have been playing for us. Moreover, this is what I want to see at our club. Not the best players in the world (I wouldn't mind that, but it is unlikely), but players who make the most of what they've got and put an endless amount of effort to succeed as best they can. I feel, along with players like Duxbury and Andy Barlow, Gary Kelly fits this category. We may have had better keepers, but Gary Kelly is a legend in the best possible (look yourself in the mirror type) way.

Simply put: We go to football to be entertained in some way. Ronnie's football is the worst I have ever seen from any team ever*. Warnock's was very poor, but was at least caused by a lack of resources. *Including Scottish Football, pub football, kids football, girls football, American football, Australian Rules football, Handball, Volleyball, Korfball, netball, basketball, baseball, rounders, three legged race, sack race, cross Country, tig, that game where you all play with a tennis ball and if someone hits it twice without getting to the wall you beat hell out of them, championship daisy chain making,...

A man walks into a bar, and half his head is an orange. He sits down, orders a drink. The bartender eyes him warily, but gets him what he wants. The man sits sipping the drink, idly watching the soccer game on the bar television. After a while, he runs dry and orders another. "Tell you what," says the bartender, "this next one's on the house -- but you've got to tell me what happened to your head. I don't mean to be rude there, but..." The man smiles. "No, not at all. I get this all the time. Well, it started with the Gulf War. I was a young kid fresh out of high school, but I was poor. I needed money for college, and the Army looked like a good way out of the ghetto. But then they shipped me over to Kuwait. My platoon took some heavy fire during Desert Storm, and I was separated from them. I wandered the desert for days, with only the contents of my pack to sustain me. I ran out of water, I ran out of food. I was desperate, on the verge of death -- when suddenly, I saw a glint of metal in the distance... I forced myself onward, hoping the shining brightness was a glint of gunmetal from my platoon, or a city on the horizon, or anything. When I finally reached it, it was a piece of metal half-buried in the sand. I dug around it and excavated what appeared to be an old Persian oil lamp. There was an inscription on the lamp, too covered in dust to read. I rubbed at the embossed lettering -- and then, a swirl of smoke and light surrounded me. Suddenly, before me, stood a ten-foot tall being, dressed in traditional Arabian garb, arms crossed. 'I am the Djinni of the lamp,' said the entity. 'For releasing me, I shall grant you three wishes. What is your first wish, my master?' I was incredulous, of course. I deduced I must be hallucinating, that this was desert madness. I decided to test the mirage. 'Alright,' I tasked it, 'I wish for a wallet with a million dollars in it, that I can never lose, and whenever I take any money out of it the sum is immediately replenished.' 'Your wish is granted!' boomed the Djinni. I felt a bulge in one of my uniform pockets. Reaching in, I pulled out a new wallet, stuffed to bursting with crisp, new American bills. I counted them -- sure enough, it was a million dollars. I ripped up the bills, cast them to the four winds, and threw the wallet as hard as I could. The moment it was beyond my sight, it teleported instantaneously back to my pocket, refilled with another million dollars. 'What is you second wish, my master?' I pondered the notion for a long moment, assessing my needs. 'Djinni,' I said, 'for my second wish, I want to be transported to a cool, abandoned palace, into a harem room with a hundred beautiful young virgins who will all fall madly in love with me at first sight, before a buffet table set with a feast fit for a king.' 'Your wish is granted!' Poof! I found myself in a royal harem, escaped from the heat of the desert. All around me, nubile girls eyed me with keen interest. In front of me, every conceivable type of meat was roasted to perfect tenderness, set with all the appetizers, side-dishes, salads, soups, and desserts of the four corners of the globe. I dined until I was near-bloated, and then I had a lot of sex. I mean a lot. Several hours later, laying upon a bed of feathers, brown and blonde and red haired beauties nuzzling into me like puppies at their mother's underbelly, the Djinni stood before me, looking down in satisfaction at his work so far. 'What is your third wish, my master?' I thought long and hard. Truly, this last wish tasked the very limits of my imagination, my beliefs, my ethics, my philosophy. Hours passed in silence, save for the gentle snoring of the ladies surrounding me. At last, I spoke. 'Djinni, for my third wish, I want half my head to be an orange.'"

Drew 3-3 didn't we. They were on the verge of relegation, and I took a fair few Dale fans who enjoyed the whole experience very much. Linkage to game: http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=250984