Spider Jerusalem

A total bum-raping - Ferguson will have them watching that 'penalty' incident on repeat every moment until kick-off.

What the f*** was this? Makes us look like a well run, professional outfit.

Yet more dialogue from Pardew that doesn't say hands off as much as putting out a for sale sign.

Why you tinker Pardew, saying we're not bringing in a striker to keep the big boys away from your transfer dealings that have been protracted over three transfer windows. No doubt it's a £12,000 fee + about £5million in agent costs by NUFC economics. I've seen a canny decent defender playing in the street a few days ago as well if you want details Alan, may even command a free transfer (plus agent fee of course). Still, at least he may be more likely to score than Alan Smith.

I thought it was a brand new thread started up after the inevitable news broke today. Think it's still a bit optimistic mind...

Personally, if I was in charge of the club, I would be thinking about one permanent and one loan if possible at the minute. We needed one extra as cover at the start of the last transfer window, but Taylor's injury has increased the need for players in that position.

I wouldn't call the club trying to address a serious weakness in our squad depth a defeatist attitude. Prior to August we were being told that we were going to be bringing in several players, definitely a striker and a left back and A.N.Other. As August drew on the definite striker and A.N. Other disappeared from the agenda and then we may get a left back over the line. We are already getting the same defeatist dialogue of mid-August with regard to incoming transfers before the next window has even begun. The injury to Steven Taylor shouldn't have suddenly kicked us into gear that we needed another centre-half - it was a weakness that needed addressing before Williamson got injured and we relistically should be looking to bring in two players in this position to get us through the rest of the season.

Absolutely no surprise in this. The only talk of transfers since the Maiaiga transfer 'collapsed' has been the same defeatist 'we may get a defender in' that we were getting from the start of August with the added 'but the January window is so hard to do business', as well as the high probability of Tiote being sold. With Tiote it doesn't sound like a hands off warning but more like an invitation to the big clubs to bring their chequebooks.

Justice for the bummed is what I say, feeling oddly confident after today.

Must have been that period at Celtic when he continued his jobs for the boys approach and gave John Barnes a management job he was nowhere near equipped to handle.

Can't see anything than some variety of being bummed in the face to be honest.

He'll be branded a racist and his image, endorsements and status will be damaged beyond repair. He's f***ed. Basically. I would hope the FA have enough sense to drop him from the England team too. I don't care if he's captain, you can't excuse racist behaviour and it would be a detriment to the team at the Euros too (media coverage and all that). (Plus he's not the defender he once was). At the moment The FA may be under advisement that they cannot strip him of the captaincy or drop him from the team as such a high profile action could be seen to predjudice the case. Luckily they don't have a match between now and the hearing so they don't have to make a decision, but appear to have thier head in the sand like LFC and thier support.

Too true. Loss by 2 clear goals.

Was always going to be judged after the three nightmare fixtures and how well we bounced back. Injuries haven't helped but neither have his team selections and random substitutions. Before this run of fixtures I felt that five points would have been a disappointing return but acceptable, but 1 point is fucking dismal.

Don't want to spoil the party, but won't believe this until I actually see him playing for another team. There have been too many false dawns that this waste of skin is leaving to get my hopes up.

Definitely I'm afraid. Was always going to be a high risk signing and has lost a season of his career here all ready after playing about a game and a half in anger. Not his fault mind and hopefully he'll turn it around.

Five year contract Looks like we may have signed our next drain on resources before Smith has even left.

Looks more and more the typical Man Utd sale with every match. Surely some managers should have worked out if Taggart is willing to sell a player to another team in this league to steer clear.

The only way I can describe the starting 11 today was a Souness-like decision. He decided to play two players out of position, one a dwarf and the other an out and out wreck of a player, than choose someone that was the only real option left in the squad in that position. Having a natural centre half on the field may have stopped us conceding three goals from free headers and not made the defence shit bricks whenever the ball was played into the general vicinity of our penalty area.

I'd say panic due to having no real cover in a paper thin squad.

Aye, that starting 11 and bench show that he's not got a future here and needs to get out as fast as he can. Even wanker Smith made the bench for fucks sake.

Which European qualifier would buy him though, and do you think we'll make a profit on the sale?

He didn't get the ball under control because he was chopped down by the last defender before he could run onto a fantastic through ball that was a couple of feet away from him. As soon as he's given the free kick in that situation he has to give a red, and would have if it was any team not on the FAs wanking list.

Unbeleivable. Put Sky Sports on at the very point Goals on Sunday put the tribute page up and thought it was some sort of gag and then my mate called to tell me.

Of all the fixtures today the only reason I can see behind choosing this one for live coverage is to fill two slots their 'shit team quota' in one swoop.