Benwell Lad

This thread is starting to keep me awake at night. Keep looking in for someone to come up with conclusive proof that we qualify for CL but end up with half a dozen optimism/pessimism swings in five minutes. Of course the bookies have us 1/4 to qualify and Forest and Villa odds against but that factors in Forest being 5/2 just to win tonight. If they do pull off a win it changes significantly in their eyes. It's going to be an excruciating three weeks.

The play offs will be the usual lottery, anyone can win and the team who finish 6th have almost the same chance as the team finishing clear 3rd. I have to admit to not watching much of Sunderland, sometimes part of the games they have televised if nothing else to do, but what I have seen of them leaves me unconvinced they are anything remotely resembling a serious promotion team. Take away their impressive start, when they seemed to catch the opposition cold, and they have looked nothing other than an average mid table championship team since, and often not even that. They never win convincingly, if at all recently. They lack any stand out individuals (despite the hype and claims of "generational talents") and often look cumbersome and awkward in possession.

Branches. Not the restaurant in Jesmond.

Fun, and seemingly widely unknown, fact. Miley isn't actually "slow" - quite the opposite in fact as analysis data will bear out. His perceived "lack of pace" may be due to the fact that in his appearances to date he hasn't been in a role to go on blistering runs. Wait for it, it will be quite a revelation. On the broader point his "problem" is (though it's not really a problem) that he is an 18 year old in a squad which has the best performing midfield 3 in football right now. If that 3 are going to play 50 odd games without suspension, injury or anything else then yes he needs to move on. Of course any sane person, or non-journalist, knows that that is not going to happen and next season (if not already this) he is our next best midfield player. Can't see any situation, currently, where it would make sense to let him go. Is there anywhere else that would be better for a talented 18 year old midfielder, than to be working with those 3, as well as the rest of our highly talented and motivated squad, right now ? We, like him, just need to be a little bit patient for now but his time will definitely come.

We should have nicked Hell's Bells before St.Pauli got it. It's pretty awesome as the bells start chiming around the Millerntor just before kick off. That said Local Hero, though initially nothing, has become intrinsically linked to SJP and Newcastle and can be quite emotional at times.

I'm old enough to remember when Murphy and Dan Burn were deemed not good enough for us by many on here TBH I always thought he offered something and often made things happen when he came on as a sub, but the level he has reached could not have been predicted by anyone. The sheer joy and pride he has always displayed playing for Newcastle makes his success all the more satisfying.

The Karoline Leavitt of the football forums' world.

A recent microcosm and illustration of the current position and direction of the two clubs was the moment when O'Nien tried to maim Izak in the cup derby last season and just ended up looking totally stupid and hopeless. It said a lot.

West Ham, Brighton, Bournemouth and Fulham, at home, levels of pre match optimism kicking around at the moment before playing a very decent Brentford side. Could do with some of that Arsenal and Liverpool pre match pessimism.

Has to be one of the best NUFC moments ever.

Aaahhh..... the start of a free hit weekend. So relaxed.............

We were the better side over two games against PSG last season and PSG have been much better than them over two legs this season. Just saying like.

Wow. They'd have no chance in the PL with current regulations in place.

SoL has always been too big for their requirements. Even during their relative good years in the PL it was never full and they were forced to give away discounted and free tickets. It costs money to service an oversized stadium and they will never be able to sell tickets at a premium due to supply outweighing demand. Additionally they'll never be able to generate the atmosphere that a full stadium can. If they'd gone for something similar to Derby or Boro for example, they'd have a far better full atmosphere and, ironically, probably generate higher gate receipts. Building a stadium to a capacity just so it can be filled when they play Newcastle every few years seems like business insanity really.

Not just last night. It's been happening all too often in recent games, careless passing, losing possession and turning into trouble in and around our own box.

Just switched on Norwich versus Oxford and thought they've both won a domestic trophy more recently than us. Crazy really. Has to be put right whatever the circumstances.

Watched as good a game of "non league" football as I've seen all season yesterday. Newcastle University versus an excellent Nottingham University side in the semi final of the British Universities Cup. Nottingham won 4-1 after extra time but in fairness they could have won 4-1 in the ninety minutes. They had five players who play at step 3 in the side. An illustration of the standard is that Loughborough won the other semi against Hartpury College and Hartpury are in the semi final of the FA Vase,

There have always been a lot of Newcastle supporters throughout County Durham in general, and North West Durham (Derwent Valley, Consett, Stanley) is predominantly black and white and always has been. They have had a chairman who publicly stated that he wished Sunderland fans were as loyal as Newcastle fans and another chairman who pleaded with them not to watch their matches in the pub and attend the game instead.

Two options going forward, a back 4 from Trippier, Schar, Burn, Tino and Targett or if we get Botman back on the pitch a back 5 with Schar, Botman and Burn the 3 CBs.

Crazy to think that years ago someone would say at closing time "do you fancy going to (name any club in the country) tomorrow" and eight hours later you'd be in the back of a transit van heading down the A1.

Celsius. Him and Pickford combined might make Fahrenheit.

Alan Gowling ?

If my memory serves right it was :- In Newcastle's fair city. Where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone, As she wheels her wheel barrow from Walker to Jarrow, singing (clap) da da da da da da da da da Geordies / or Magpies,(repeated a few times).

Blaydon Races sang properly is great but in the old Leazes End, by far the loudest and greatest singing section we've ever had, You'll never walk alone was probably the most popular song, it was brilliant and of course back then the scousers hadn't retrospectively copyrighted it and decided to be offended by anyone else singing it. My personal favourite was "In Newcastle's fair city" sung to the tune of Molly Malone with the unforgettable line "as she wheels her wheel barrow from Walker to Jarrow". Best days ever and best place ever to be a Newcastle fan the old Leazes End.

Isak is a world class striker who any team would miss but there is no way we are a one man team. Far from it.