thomas

Owen is better, without a doubt, and will always score more but it seems to me there's a chronic understating on this board of just what the threat of Martins' pace and tenacity brings to our side. I find it hard to discount him just because his footballing brain isn't as good as Owen's when his mere presence drastically changes how defenses line up against us. I'm happy they're both here, end of.

Sorry just having a bit of a rant. No it wasn't specifically but that really seems to be how the majority of other clubs' fans that I talk to about Newcastle get their ideas. Last week I heard "Oh I heard Ashley was selling to the bin Laden family" said dead seriously.

If anything, it's gone the other way. I don't think anyones net confidence level in our setup has dropped over summer. It may have dipped there in the middle when things had gone too quiet but I'm pretty sure it's picked up for everyone. What fans of other teams have to understand is that the nearly hourly ridiculous "CRISIS IN TOON AS MIKE ASHLEY RENAMES 'ST. JAMES' TO 'SPORTSDIRECT STADIA'" or "DENNIS WISE NAMED PRETTIEST PRINCESS IN GEORDIELAND" stories that you all laugh at and mock us for are, naturally, total and utter shite. Fans of all teams generally apply a kind of BS filter to those stories about their own team but completely turn it off when it comes to others: The Sun is one minute the biggest hive of liars and shitballs on the planet when writing negatively about their team and the next minute bastions of truth and honor when writing negative stories about others. Just try to remember that when you're basing opinions of what's going on at the club at reports from the Daily Mail, Guardian, Sun or any other rag.

Professional athletes are so far removed from the circle of things that affect normal people that I wouldn't think that would be the holdup. I'd wager we're not looking at a long term contract when he wants one, or that we're trying to move towards an # appearances/performance based contract vs a higher base salary and that's slowing things down.

OWEEENNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fucks sake.

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

Thinking about it I'm a little less mad at Bolton and more mad at us. They're playing a game of closing down the man with the ball with two bog trolls and we're not moving into the space left or, if we do, we're spoiling the pass. Our long passing has been good so far tbf but anything under 20 yards is just as likely to land at a bolton players foot than a toon players.

Fuck Bolton.

I like how Martins has had about 3 backheel passes to no one in particular, like he was just shown how at training this week and can't wait to try it out :lol:

What fucking world am I living in I just saw Modric shrug off Andy Reid. :lol:

Haha. Now we're doomed. To a draw. With Elmander there was at least the possibility of Bolton only keeping 10 men in their half.

Looking sluggish out there, no pace on the passes.

COME ON LADS If anyone else not there wasn't aware it's being shown on Setanta Broadband 2.

I'm as tense as I ever was before jonas/guthrie/colo got in, but in a good way. I think they'll be getting more quality in, "WOW" or no. I think afar's right in that it won't be before (or in time for) bolton. Damn but a draw at OT does wonders for one's outlook on things.

edit vvvv

We're probably safe for a week or so, he'll not want to come on here while were doing OK and have to eat humble pie. Cracks papered over, false dawn, "good enough for some" ... there's no shortage of cliche'd mongery to use when everyone's on a high.

An extra day for Shola to not go anywhere :\

The super slo-mo of that on SkySports was great for picking out the distraught Man U fans. If they could have played Spiritualized's "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space" over it I might have died :lol:

Half that forum is on suicide watch ffs.

It's a two part effort. Later on there'll be a knock at the door and you'll open it to find nothing but a dog turd on your welcome mat, with a note reading "mong!" attached.

Given - 8 - Saved a few well, very lucky rooney aimed his header at his face. Beye - 7 - Classy as usual. Taylor - 6 - More composed than usual, played Beye into a tight spot a few times. Coloccini - 7 - Good debut, looks smart but not too fast. Hope that's a fitness issue or an optical illusion brought on by the speedy gits he was up against. N'Zogbia - 5 - Good going forward, NOT A LEFT BACK. BUY A LEFT BACK. Milner - 6 - Stood up the ball too many times, slowing down our attack and letting himself get doubleteamed. Tracked back well though. Not half as slow as people think and nutmegging John O'Shea will be on his highlight reel come end season. Butt - 6 - Sound game, might have been higher except for that heart attack inducing foul conceded at the end. Guthrie - 6 - Sorry, I know a lot of people liked his performance but he was largely anonymous for me. Maybe that's the whole point of his role, I don't know. Gutierrez - 8 (MotM) - A terror down the left wing. Fast as fuck, tracked back, good vision, more please. Duff - 7 - popped up everywhere, made runs, distributed well. Martins - 8 - Maybe should have had two but he was dangerous all day.

3-0 the upper limit of acceptable?

Watching him try to cross the ball was sparking so much deja vu. I knew I'd seen that exact body shape and position somewhere. finally it hit me http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/4130/fatmoshgirlql0.jpg

Not able to watch... what they doing ? ran into each other on the tap in (and Keane blocking Torres' shot) after Gordon spilled a deflected Kuyt shot.