Benwell Lad

Reckon we'll start off with the most packed midfield in the history of NUFC.

Absolutely nail biting at the end but maybe that was more to do with the importance of the win rather than what they were doing to us. Considering, like most people, I thought that starting eleven had no chance, and when we hit the woodwork twice it looked like Everton all over again, it really was a decent performance and a huge result. So pivotal in the context of the bottom of the league at this stage of the season.

...... and we thought that they were just flouting the FFP rules a little bit........

I suppose because he has absolutely no experience or qualifications to hold the position he does. He's another Ashley 'yes' man and that's the only reason he was fast tracked to MD of Newcastle United. Of course he gets a lot of backlash purely for being at the club under Ashley tenure, but there are also legitimate reasons for the animosity towards him. But hasn't Rafa said that he works well with him? And out of interest which "qualifications" is he missing to be MD or CFO or whatever his title is ?

There's been an underlying inevitability that it will happen for some time, the curry date all but confirmed it but quoted prices and time frames remain little more than conjecture from hacks desperate to have a story. Just out of interest, why is there so much dislike of Charnley and eagerness that he goes? He may well of course, but hasn't Rafa commented on more than one occasion that they have a very good relationship ? Okay he comes across as a typical boring bean counter (apparently he even makes his missus pay for a ticket) but those who know him seem to like the guy and running the club between Ashley and Rafa must be quite an achievement in itself.

Spirit is undoubtedly there, it's just that frequently losing leads does have a negative impact on self belief. Lascelles, though not the best player around, does bring something to the team in terms of belief that no one else seems to.

He knows we'll lose the lead? Aye, I'm thinking of packing in celebrating going 1-0 up early on as well

Whether this is "must win" or not, and it probably is, it's certainly a game where a lot of character has to be shown by all involved. There's a fragility creeping in which needs to be sorted right now.

Starting Mitrovic if playing two up front ? Playing Merino as a 10 if playing that way ? Playing Mbemba at left back when fit ? He's tried everything within his own very narrow defines of using players who follow his instructions the most seemingly regardless of their performances. That is absolutely it with Rafa. Ability will be secondary to following rigid instructions and is the reason some clearly better players are on the bench. Ideally of course he would like players with ability who will follow his instruction to the letter.

Although it will be a tiny minority saying it, wanting to replace Benitez right now is quite ridiculous. However equally perplexing is the see no wrong Kim Jong Un type devotion some on here appear to have towards him. The facts are that a squad which looked very hard to beat just a couple of months ago now looks like the softest touch in the league and are sleepwalking to relegation. We don't see what goes on on the training ground but his team selection, tactics and substitutions continue to puzzle most of us. While his squad is undeniably limited there was a lot of money on the bench yesterday. How Shelvey cannot get into that midfield, especially for a winnable home match is the biggest mystery of all. Saying he should go is crazy but any criticism he is receiving at the moment is probably justified.

Good point! Urghh I had forgotten about that! Aye he did cost quite a bit like and he made goal scoring look easy when he could be bothered. Wish we had someone like him playing tomorrow

Classic mackem rabid dimwittery. It's the one thing they excel at

Super moon last night.

Yet another big decision wrongly given against us as an out of his depth referee desperately tries to prove that he will not be swayed by the St.James' crowd.

They won't make a return on their money unless they run us correctly, as we'll be in the Championship missing the sky money. Either way, I want Ashley gone, full stop. Genuine question. Which owner of a football club has made any profit on it? I'd be worried about any potential owners who saw the club as an opportunity to make money. Even with the rise of the TV deals, that's just going to push up the player costs with it. Breaking even or making a very modest profit are medium term goals. There are much better things to invest £300m + into if a good return on the investment is the main reason behind the investment. Cronky is bang on regarding what a managed fund will want from the ownership. It's the reason they exist and the reason people place money into managed funds. It could be viewed by a fund manager as something worth taking a risk on, by investing more in it, growing it and selling on at a profit or perhaps just a safe haven to stick 300 million or so knowing they could get it back if needed. If it is this type of ownership there'll be little emotion involved, no matter how they try to dress it up, we'll just be another part of a portfolio with the objective of increasing their clients' investment, or at very least not making a loss on the deal.

That really is quite funny

You never know with managerial appointments and they can be a surprise either way but I just can't see any fit between Coleman and them with their current state of finances and available playing staff.

Personal abuse of Ashley is to be expected but I fail to see how it can be extended to "because he's a twat he'll be awful to deal with". There can be few people at the high end of business who have been involved in more sales and acquisitions than him in the last few years, when it seems he's taken over half the retail world. Also wonder if selling a football club is as relatively straightforward, compared to other businesses, as some seem to think ? Players' values are huge, the transfer market is volatile and their contracts can be very complicated. Agreeing a value for that part of the business could require a lot of negotiating.

He seems to be the slightly more retarded of the two Neville brothers. Would be great.

The MOTD analysis was bizarre. It was like they wanted a story about what Howe said at half time and the reporting was designed to suit that agenda. It looked like it was all Bournemouth and several key moments and decisions were omitted to suit.

Who here thinks they were booing the team? I was sure it was at the goddamn awful officiating. Cook has admitted it was a foul and thought he may have got a red. Was total disbelief around the stadium that the referee and linesmen totally missed such a clear and obvious foul and gave nothing. Add that to the pivotal offside decision and previously mentioned strange imbalances regarding penalties and sending offs and you really do start to wonder when the often assumed "balances itself out" theory will kick in.

Relegation is a possibility and a relegation struggle quite likely. Four unnecessary defeats already against teams who we were no worse than only leads to one thing. Sadly it will impact on the possibility of a takeover if Premiership survival is not guaranteed.

Sauce told me that Ritchie would like a No.10 type role, and it would provide a pathway for the pace of Murphy or Aarons to be brought into the team.

From a financial angle it's really surprising that they sacked Grayson. They are absolutely committed to shaving every penny off their external debt before 2019 in the hope that they can get it to a level that will be practical to refinance. That means every penny of income, any player with a transfer value and even savings from switching off lights which may previously have been left on will go towards reducing debt. Can only assume that Grayson himself became so disillusioned that he offered to go on a very reduced package and not the full contractual agreement, otherwise they'd most likely have had to keep him regardless. His replacement will be a very cheap option

Why is he trusted, and reliable, playing in pressure matches for Serbia but not for his professional club ? Does he undergo some change between the two ?