Wullie

Can't say I've noticed a massive difference between them defensively this year, and offensively (which is just as much a part of a full back's job) it's chalk and cheese. I reckon Simpson could try 100 times under no pressure and not deliver a single decent cross. Even the chances of him managing a simple pull back like Taylor vs Bolton are zero. Seeing as Pardew played Taylor there for most of this season ahead of Santon, he obviously disagrees with you anyway, which still begs the question of why not play him at right back, or left back and switch Santon? Moral of the story: play Ben Arfa ffs.

His delivery has been a big contributor but that's only because of how little we create through the midfield and his being there is part and parcel of that. His ability to pass and move is nil. Not having a single wide player who can deliver a ball a) naturally and b) competently is a big issue for us. I'd have him at right back too personally - for someone who makes a big deal, when it comes to Ben Arfa at least, of dropping players if he thinks they're not doing it, Pardew doesn't half give Simpson plenty of rope. As someone who is clearly our weakest link amongst the regulars, him being our only ever present just blows my mind - he's even started every cup game ffs.

Frazier Campbell!

Find myself really gutted that we'll not see Ben Arfa from the start, if at all. Depressing state of affairs. I want to see the best players playing for Newcastle, not sitting on the bench. If someone had told me after that Everton game that he'd eventually be behind Ryan Taylor in the pecking order, I'd have had them sectioned.

Feel a bit sorry for him really but then he has signed Gary Cahill so maybe he really doesn't know what he's doing. Bringing in a manager based on success in the UEFA Cup is nearly always a disaster mind.

Keith Treacle.

Flip Neville.

We should have fucking beat Chelsea at home. Still annoys me. Robbed.

That's the point though, we're not up against top teams. Two of our three rivals are Arsenal and Chelsea and they're both in a state of near-crisis. It's the weakest pool at the top for years and we've every chance of getting our foot in the door.

If we qualify for the CL, there's every chance of keeping him.

That first twenty minutes against QPR with Taylor right of a four was as bad as we've been all season.

Has everyone else already seen Hugo Viana scoring an injury time winner for Braga from his own half?

How's that a joke?

Think some of us have taken Tiote for granted a little this season. With big breakthrough seasons for Krul, Cabaye, Ba as well as outstanding displays from Coloccini, it's been easy to forget just how important he is. Even when he's having one of those games when he's a bit sloppy with the ball, when it comes to stopping other teams playing, nobody in our squad comes close to Tiote and that has been obvious in the last month. Nobody would have questioned him as our most important player last season but I think few would have chosen him this time round if asked a few weeks ago.

Is playing "good football" the only way not to concede 5 at Craven Cottage like?

Depends what you mean by "let us down". Against Norwich and West Brom Perch was absolutely horrendous, he's a million miles away from being a Premier League centre half.

I agree absences have really affected us, I feel we should have been able to concede a lot less chances than we have even without those players though.

What's this about "wonderful entertaining football"? We concede chances like nobody's business, I'd settle for putting a stop to that first off - Fulham and Tottenham were pastings and if Yakubu had played, I don't think it's unfair to say Blackburn might have gone the same way and while Brighton didn't create much, we were absolutely dismal on the night. Is it also fair to say that if QPR had a striker worthy of the name on the field, we could have lost that game in the first twenty minutes? Apart from Villa which was a reasonable showing, that's our form. Nobody's arguing with the results, not least because we're amongst a load of other teams shelling goals and points, but it's hardly unreasonable to point out that our form, performance-wise is poor. Some people are just so desperate to defend the manager that they'll bat away any criticism or discussion, even from people who say "he's doing a fine job, however..." Why contribute if you've nothing to say beyond "everything's perfect"? With any luck, our rather porous (at the moment) will stop with Tiote's return, at which point we need to start creating more chances and getting goals from midfield. We'll never get a better chance than this to qualify for the Champions League, that's my take on it, and I think if we continue to perform like this we'll fall short - don't get me wrong, 5th, 6th, 7th would still be a great season but we've got all the pieces to make it an incredible one if we fit them together properly during the run-in.

Exactly. I'd say we dominated against both Blackburn and Stoke for example, 3-1 so not thrashings but both at a canter really.

What an absolute fucking headcase.

It won't become the norm.

Little bit simplistic that. Harsh on Krul for a start.

What sort of warped world do you have to live in when you equate changing the name of the ground with the league position? Is it 7th and above = change the ground name, 5th = the colours, 4th = the name of the club and being champions = move the club lock, stock and barrel to Budapest?

all graffiting the stadium does is degrade it further, have no idea how people don't understand this. Degrade what? the prestigious 'Sports Direct Arena'. Bollocks. This is in response to the current degradation. It's not 'Jonno woz 'ere' It's the name the fans grew up with and love. If you were walking upto a stadium and it was covered in graffiti you would think what a shit hole, im sure Barnsley was like that went i went in the Championship season. Have you been in our ground lately? It looks absolutely vile.

Grow up man. This is childish in the extreme. I hope they get the fuckers and ban them. Makes us look like fucking mugs! If Ashley has enough and says fuck it I can't be arsed anymore with this shit, I hope your prepared for the alternative!!!! Aye, this is definitely the piece of graffiti on the ground that makes us look like mugs.