WhatTheFunk

Mort is talking sense, but as I've suspected for some time he is of a very conservative nature. It's all very well saying we want to be like Arsenal etc...And thinking long term...But we're only half way through the season and some of the top 6/7 are still losing games and will continue to each other...I feel one or two good senior signing in Jan would make a big differeance. I think it would as well, but maybe their approach is to get some youngsters in, then if a decent player for a decent price comes up then go for him; instead of publicly looking for players and to be held over a barrel ala Boumsong a few winters windows ago. Plus, I think the days of coming out to the media and bragging about the money we will need to spend strengthening the defence etc.. are long gone with the previous regime having now thankfully fucked off. Mort's comments could well be a smokescreen. I hope they are. But if not, then I'm still not worried, as I personally have faith in Big Sam's plans.

Rather like the sound bites coming out of this chairman. Sounds like a really sound bloke, who by the sounds of it is getting to grips with football a lot quicker than expected. I'm not half tripping on...sound!

"1603: "So Spurs are leading after scoring with a handball in an offside position from a free kick they shouldnt have had... hmmm" John in Manchester via text on 81111 " Aye. Berbatov blatant dive

are you saying if i dis possess an attacker with one foot, kicking the ball away, towards goal, so neither of us have clear possession, and then proceed to hack the attacker down with my OTHER leg, stopping him from competing for the ball, then that isnt a penalty? Thats exactly right. Its not about getting the shot on. It's about competing. Just like you get fouls pulled up for off the ball obstruction. IIRC one of our players got booked for that in the same game (or Arsenal?). What about this scenario: The player is one on one with the keeper, and is very close to the touchline. The player kicks the ball a bit too hard in front and overruns it as he is tripped by the keeper. The attacker wouldnt get the ball in a million years, but the penalty is given every time.

The defender got a touch of the ball before he got Martins. With his other leg Penalty is as clear as day

Bitch. Nope. Stayed home to think up the title thread me thinks

I was praying he would take the penalty. IMO all he needs is a goal to vent his frustration. I'm confident once he celebrates his first couple of goals in front of the Geordie public, his hunger for goals will return, and will give him and us a massive boost. I keep saying, Smith returning to goalscoring form (let's say to that of Bellamy numbers i.e. 9 or 10 a season) will make the difference between top 6 and top 10 for us.

lock this thread plz. no offence to the opening poster....but it's got to be locked.

Crumpy Gunt in grumpy cunt mood controversy!!! The only one thick as mince is you my friend No offence mate, seriously think a lot of the points you make are valid...this one isn't one of them i'm afraid. Uncalled for.

cant believe this thread has gone to a 2nd page!

Topic title to you too ban

bring back thread moderation

Adebayor's finish was as good as they come!

I don't think Viduka has the legs or the fitness record to be scoring loads of goals for us this season. And in a team struggling to supply the bullets he's a luxury we can't afford. He'll do a job as a bit-part player but we've been carrying him a lot this season in all honesty. When we don't have the ball it feels like we're down to 10 men, he does next to nothing to chase from the front and we see our midfield getting overrun. He doesn't have a reputation as a lazy forward for nothing, he's been like this throughout his career. Arsenal couldn't do that, Smith was never going to let Toure stroll up to the half way line and start attacks. They tried to play it out of their own half but we didn't let them and they resorted to punting it long or making mistakes trying to play it out. Yes, Arsenal, punting it long. Compare that to Viduka and Martins who were both lazy against Liverpool and as a result Liverpool were always on the front foot, their defenders bringing it up to halfway and creating big problems outnumbering our midfield. They didn't make mistakes at the back because they had all the time in the world. We've got to look at the team and not just the individuals. Smith will always chase defenders and when defenders don't have time they make mistakes or they launch it long, often giving possession straight back to us. Arsenal tried to play it out yesterday but we were onto them every time, no defender had time to take two touches of the ball and when they weren't making mistakes they were launching it long where Taylor and Rozehnal picked it up. This was the basis of our dominance for long periods in the second half. Smith's running around in midfield makes him look like a headless chicken, but put him up front and that weakness becomes a strength, espescially for a team like ourselves trying to fight their way out of a problem. When you're lacking quality you need fight and in recent weeks we've had neither. Smith has shown Viduka up for his laziness IMO. Thats a good post....but... How did Viduka score double figures last season for a struggling shower of smogshite? was that team more creative than our current crop?

He's more of a creator of goals tbf. A lack of goals will always be his problem though. Its his movement. Absolutely abysmal. He never gets anywhere near the 6 yard box to get a chance. Always dropping off or summat. I reckon its all been coached out of him when Taggart tried to turn him into a poor mans Robbie Savage. Sir Alex "Greatest manager ever " Ferguson has destroyed his career tbh. Spot on. Definitely not one of SAF's finest hours. Have people forgotten the type of goals he scored for Leeds?? The boy can finish. It's just been removed from his arsenal in the last few seasons, and he will need to get it back slowly. As I said earlier, if Smith can regain his goalscoring touch, it could make a huge difference to our season, and could be the single most important thing for the team to move forward that extra step up into the top 6

Absolutely spot on. Isn't it just as simple as being a lot more fun and meaningful when the house is rocking like that!! The f****** pissers and moaners have no place at the match. I wish the c***s would stay at home. If we're just so s***, and have a s*** manager/out of his depth/not good enough/s*** players/smith/erratic taylor.....then why go to the match? do us all a favor and give up your f****** seats!! I would rather their seats went to corporate goons who just sat there and applauded than to have these f****** pissers and moaners poison the atmosphere! Great atmosphere made for a much more riled up home team. I hope we keep this up as it will be key.

Was an absolute beast tonight. Long may it continue. Decent crossing as well. Best performances at RB for newcastle in eons

Thought he was excellent tonight. A goal for Smith some time soon could go a long way to turning our season around. He didn't make it as a PL player by being a shit striker. Needs a goal desperately. More of the same.

yeah i once got on 606 from cyprus and talked to mark lawrenson about Dalglish. he wasted about 2 minutes on air asking me about the weather down here!

Some of the replies on here against Big Sam, and how people just KNOW he's not good enough.....it's really baffling!!! We have some proper shit fans!! Wish they would just fuck off

Give it to Bora Milutinovic Wouldnt mind Shearer though

The thing is, he has 5 new defenders he has to bed in slowly. I think his thinking behind the rotation is to make sure they all get a game every now and then, so that if called upon because of injury or such, they dont suddenly find themselves in the deep end. I'm sure we will see a much more stable and thus solid back 4 from february onwards. All part of the rebuilding task.

Myopic? Had a look in the mirror any time lately?

utter bollocks

brilliant finish in the top corner