Benwell Lad

Got a feeling a goal is coming soon as he gets to the corner of the box, cuts inside and lets a right footer go.

He did ok against Maritimo. Very busy, always going short to assist a colleague in possession and struck the post with a good effort.

Are they European Shit League Top Dogs (ESLTD), as per that table posted last week, yet ?

Best be careful if you're parking in the Stowell Street area over the next few weeks. The devil makes work for idle hands.

I've met him a few times and as you say, he's a lovely bloke. Made up for him. Exactly the type of person we want in our club and contrast that to some of the dicks we had 5-10 years ago. He is now an invaluable player for us with the versatility and attitude he brings and was excellent again on Sunday. The appalling behaviour of some of our "fans" towards him initially just ticks another box as it proves he has the mental strength needed too. Just wish those who seem to always need a scapegoat would learn and lay off Obertan or whoever else it is they're getting on to at any given time.

Reasons why Marty the vagrant is still the best manager in the world and the darling of Wearside despite not guiding his team to a win for 13 games, playing the worst football the Premiership has ever seen and having a worse record than Brucie did prior to being hounded out :- 1. They'd have beaten Reading. Easily. 2. They're going to beat Wigan. Easily. 3. He knows a good player when he sees one and oozes class. 4. Adam Johnson is the missing link and when he returns they're going to beat everyone. 5. They're nailed on to win a cup. 6. They're going to beat the Mags. Again.

long way off yet Up there with Pedro in terms of talent. Best ever for me. Not yet in terms of what he's achieved or contribution to the club, but in terms of pure natural skill he's number one.

I expect him to score in a 4-1 victory at the SoS after the macums have taken a shock lead and then never be seen again.

Unprofessional imo, almost schoolboyish. If we're winning 4-0 then maybe that's different. Not even then IMO. Team always comes first. Concentrate on winning and the goals for Cisse will come. The more they try to force it, the longer it'll take. A lack of consistent penalty taker is never a good idea in my book. Assert your authority, have 1, 2, 3 sorted out and stick to it. Otherwise only problems can arise (when penalties are missed and the such). I think part of the problem may be the lack of authority held by the captain of a football team - a phenomenon that is unusual in team sports. You never see two rugby players arguing about who's going to take a kick, because the captain decides. In football, there seems to be a power vacuum because the captain's role in tactics is small compared to the manager, but the manager is off the field and can't intervene in arguments between players. I'd agree that the manager has to have a plan for penalties, but it's equally important that the captain has the authority to enforce it. Good point and I think it may be especially so for us. Nothing against Jonas but I don't think that would have happened if Kevin Nolan had been around. Also while I don't like to see players surrounding officials en masse, I do think we're a bit of a soft touch when it comes to 50/50's, apealling etc and could do with one or two "captains" letting their feelings be known from time to time.

Good article. Love the comment reply from Greek Geordie too! http://www.themag.co.uk/blog/born-in-the-usa-newcastle-united/

The club need to address it, it's quite tortourous now and makes any form of conversation impossible. Ruining the atmosphere.

The "old" Steve Harper showed yesterday, once again, what a very good goalkeeper he is. I repeat myself, but he never has and never will let Newcastle down. I hope some of those who threw prejudiced and disrespectful comments at him recently were in the stadium to watch yesterday. The saves he made were match savers and a punch he made from an inswinging cross from the left in the first half was vital too. Also his throw out distribution remains first class. Like everyone else though (probably himself included) I can't wait for Timmy to be fit again.

Expect changes but not to be far away from full strength.. The game after all is being played in Manchester not on a rock in the Atlantic Ocean with a no darkness flying airport. Fergie and Pardew will be playing cat and mouse on team selection, Fergie will want to make changes but will want to play a side he thinks is stronger than ours and will be spying/second guessing Pardew's selection as best he can.

Distinctly noted that and thought exactly the same. However if you watch BBC sports news regularly you notice that headline sentences about Newcastle often contain a subtle word or two which will spin a negative connotation without altering the facts. They are also very willing to follow any flimsy national scoop which is negative towards NUFC too, unusual and lazy for a regional broadcaster. They remain very "softly softly" around Martin O'Neill for some reason and don't seem to find his current run of 13 games since a win particularly newsworthy. Definitely a mackem in production there, playing a wee game at the licence payers expense.

Unprofessional imo, almost schoolboyish. If we're winning 4-0 then maybe that's different.

Speaking of this NETD thing does it actually exist anywhere else apart from the deranged minds of macums ? I've never heard anyone in Newcastle mention it, other than in a macum piss take way, and we're supposed to be the NETD. Does it go on elsewhere for example ? Do Man City proudly use the letters NWTD, are Norwich EATD, are Chelsea LTD and are Montrose or Arbroath the NESTD, or it it a uniquely macum thing ?

Dinna yew worry marra weey'll be first before long. ESLTD 1-9 FTM

ETDL 1-9 FTM

Bruce's last 12.......10 points O'Neil's last 12.........9 points Quite amazing that. More so when you compare the vitriolic bile and hatred aimed at Bruce during that run compared to the blind and irrational love they still appear to have for Marty.

Agree with much of this, but I mainly enjoy how laden with historical and religious language it is. Not sure if it was intended, or if the inner-GCSE history teacher in you is bursting forth! Been called many things, often of a four letter variety, but never a "GCSE history teacher" I like it, but definitely too late in life for a career change. EDIT. Maybe it's just Arty's way of going about things and the macums irrational devotion to their owners/managers which leads to the profusion of historical and religious language

I just love waking up and knowing I'm gonna watch Hatem Ben Arfa play football today.

Have to say Fletcher took his goal exceptionally well yesterday and they do look to have a very good keeper. They had better pray that nothing happens to either. However I'm begining to think they've made another terrible managerial appointment. Twelve games without a victory and an inability to hold on to a lead are damning enough but it's the statistics beneath the results which should really be setting alarm bells ringing down on Wearside. O'Neill looks increasingly like "yesterday's man" and totally out of place in top flight football in the 21st century, he's also starting to look increasingly uncomfortable. Our poster Brummie has predicted it all with eerie accuracy having seen his own club's demise under Marty's archaic methods. I think they'd be doing themselves a huge favour if they made a very bold decision and called time on him before the rot sets in even deeper. Of course they won't. They fiddled while "Rome burned" over Bruce and Keane and they'll do it all over again this time. Although some savvy mackems are starting to see whats happening the majority worship him like some sort of medieval priest who cannot be challenged without fear of being hounded out and burnt at the stake. Four draws out of four games can easily be dressed up to defend their latest "messiah", but three corners in four games probably paints a more vivid picture. I sense that Sunderland detractors will enjoy O'Neill's remaining time on Wearside more than Sunderland fans will.

12 games without a win did Bruce ever go that long ? His teams tried to play football and go for a win too. Just as well O'Faill hasn't got any tenuous Newcastle connections or they'd be hounding him out by now.

Anyone doing the chicken dance at tonight's marty party?

Not sure he's got anything to apologise for. His agent shit stirring ? I've certainly seen nothing directly attributed to Demba which wasn't positive about him and NUFC. I for one loved his "angry" reaction to being dropped at Everton, I'd be disappointed if a top player didn't get upset at not being picked. Perfectly natural behaviour - until the media twist it of course.