BottledDog

Very rare for a player to make me that angry that I just want shot. Today more than ever was that day for Shola.

Spot on. Anyone giving our higher marks is just daft tbh. Agreed. Yeah, pretty much agree with those scores too.

Was decent when he came on today. Some surprisingly good touches.

So comfortable and confident so far. Been fantastic turning defensive scrambles into a platform to attack.

Either him, or the wind helps, yes... Until he boots it out for a goal kick, or puts cross field balls straight into touch. Not had the best of games yet. Love to see him out on the pitch though, great to see him working hard, hope he scores in the next 45.

He said that Pardew told him yesterday about the team for today - Ryan Taylor at RW, not Ben Arfa. Seems like he has changed his mind over the night. Like he is going to a tell a journo his team the day before a game. Indeed.

Loved the question about how he'd feel if Mike Ashley sold the naming rights to 'Alan Pardew'.

Bollocks. Just saying what has just been said on the radio. Pardew said yesterday what team he had in mind and it was Ryan Taylor at right, not Ben Arfa. Mind games, same with Cabaye and his injury struggles. Fulham won't know what's hit 'em.

Bollocks.

True that.

Yup, can't deny I'm loving the team we have now. It's been a great season so far.

We looked f***ing pretty good at home to Villa, the mackems, away to Arsenal etc. And if you want to raise the Stoke at home card or Blackpool at home, WBA away etc. Pardew has had similar poor 'unexpected' results. You keep saying Pardew is the better manager and deserves huge credit and fair enough that may be, but I think being 6th in the league is less of an achievement than winning promotion and at the time of his sacking, getting to mid-table, (the same position Pardew actually took us to at the end of last season) given the circumstances. That and the fact that Pardew has actually seen some investment his way. Hughton had to sign championship players. I actually do believe we were a better footballing side under Hughton and if he were manager of these players we'd be acheiving the same kind of results and perhaps even better results. That's all down to speculation and theory though. Don't kid yourself abough the merits, strengths and results of Hughton though, not when you practically salivate over Pardew who has achieved f*** all yet. Hughton may well get there one day, but Pardew has achieved more promotions than Hughton and even a flipping trophy with considerably less resources fwiw, but there we go. At Newcastle? Because that's what we are talking about here, i.e. their respective achievements/time/etc. here #windyourneckin #windyourneckin? Fuck off. You speculate on the quality of two managers, but happily dismiss the history of one. Aye, ok then.

We looked fucking pretty good at home to Villa, the mackems, away to Arsenal etc. And if you want to raise the Stoke at home card or Blackpool at home, WBA away etc. Pardew has had similar poor 'unexpected' results. You keep saying Pardew is the better manager and deserves huge credit and fair enough that may be, but I think being 6th in the league is less of an achievement than winning promotion and at the time of his sacking, getting to mid-table, (the same position Pardew actually took us to at the end of last season) given the circumstances. That and the fact that Pardew has actually seen some investment his way. Hughton had to sign championship players. I actually do believe we were a better footballing side under Hughton and if he were manager of these players we'd be acheiving the same kind of results and perhaps even better results. That's all down to speculation and theory though. Don't kid yourself abough the merits, strengths and results of Hughton though, not when you practically salivate over Pardew who has achieved fuck all yet. Hughton may well get there one day, but Pardew has achieved more promotions than Hughton and even a flipping trophy with considerably less resources fwiw, but there we go.

Happy now?

Clearly not luck then. Yes the replacement striker is in monetary terms less than Carroll, but I think it is primarily the intention that is being applauded (warily) as it has surprised some of us here. They have been seen as asset stripping profiteers with no interest or ambitions beyond bobbing around mid table, spending enough to get by and be at best the next Everton. That is increasingly difficult to argue now.

The fk is Paul?

Unlikely, the offer already on the table has a modest pay increase. Would the club go on to increase a wage allready 40% over the wage cap? Might be estimated bonuses etc. that is, if he's on the reported 80/90k/week. A lot of players seem to have contracts that increase automatically, season on season. It would could well be a possibility that the offered contract (as it is likely to be his last, and over time his role will diminish in the team), forgoes the automatic increase, and instead offers simply a higher initial salary that stays the same over the length of the contract. That'd be my guess, but yeah if the reports are right, could be bonus' etc.

It would be fair to say that nobody here knows the details of any individual players pay or the offers on the table. I would suggest that a journalist (who doesn't even qualify his statement with 'reports suggest') may have a better knowledge. It may not be fact, but however cynical you are about the club drip feeding info, it's the closest you're going to get until there is something tangible to contradict it.

Unlikely, the offer already on the table has a modest pay increase.

Says I need 'Sky Entertainment Extra' for another 5er a month. Ruinous bastards.

Yep. Eh? I dont.

That is fkn gerld. A whole article based on some dodgy screen grab. "United fans have been lining up to congratulate the Toon owner for his dedication." Christ.

Quite possibly, but I'm not particularly worried long term. Pardew certainly still rates him massively, comparing him to Ronaldo in his first season, and putting him among our top three players.