Zog going nowhere

Following on from his recent good performances, it has been confirmed that Charles N'Zogbia has signed a new five year deal to stay at the club. No doubt, this will have involved a hefty pay rise for the player, but given his recent performances, and his undoubted talent this still represents an excellent move by the club, and which should finally ward off alleged interest from Fulham and Arsenal.

The fact that N'Zogbia was roundly (and deservedly) criticised for his texting exploits at the end of last season only emphasises how far the player has improved in recent weeks under the new regime. According to reports, this is in no small part down to Geremi, who has apparently taken the young Frenchman under his wing.

What the Zog's recent performances have shown is Allardyce's ability to coax the best out of players, for which we should all be grateful.