The College Dropout

The most impressive thing Pardew ever did was get to 28 points or so after 19 games that season he left. Think we won 6 in a row or something. Rivière up top. Pardew could muster up some wind behind the teams sails and could ride it. He got one last note out of Cisse iirc and Ayoze scored big goals. That team was awful, relegation fodder and he did a decent job in those circumstances. As smarmy as Pardew was he showed at times he could motivate or catch good squad morale enough for a few wins. We added Mitro, and Wijnaldum to that team and SMC relegated us. Also had Thauvin and Townsend at different points. SMC thought he was smarter and a better coach than he was. And couldn’t motivate the team at all. Bruce has the tactical and coaching acumen of Pardew with the motivational skills of SMC. With a squad as bad as the days of: Sissoko Colback Anita Jonas De Jong Rivière We’ll be adrift and beg Rafa to come back when it’s too late.

SMC levels of incompetence. Probably worse. Quality wise. Starting with the worst: Carver Kinnear Bruce SMC Pardew

At the moment he would walk into Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester United easily. Currently looks a couple levels above that Pepe lad. Currently.

They would go for Rodgers I’d guess if they needed to. Rafa with Spurs squad = they'd challenge to win the league with City and Liverpool. They'd have an incredibly solid back 3 or 4 and the proper quality on the pitch to execute his tactics and then you add in Kane as the striker. Filthy. They wouldn't like

Lad done well. Wasn't abusive but got his message across. Ashley should experience this at the least every time he's outside. I want owning NUFC to bother him every time he's out in public. Everywhere he goes, stick, stick, stick.

I agree now he's found a position that works for him. As a LB he was incredibly limited. His passing is not good enough for a premier league side the amount of times he gives away possession is unreal 14th out of 19 according to the below. https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/23/Show/England-Newcastle-United Don't know what stats you're looking at, as what you have linked to states he made 39 passes at a completion of 69.2%. I could see plainly enough on Saturday where his passes were going. He's 14th out of the 19 players we have played with this season in terms of his pass completion. He is poor at passing. Schar is 16th and is considered far superior on the ball (he is.. but he's also giving the ball away loads).

I don't think Rafa would've fancied ASM at all tbh. I said the same thing after watching youtube videos of him when we were looking to sign him. Rafa likes players who can stick to his methods and play for the team. For someone like Bruce or Pardew though ASM could be perfect. Neither of those two would have any idea how to build a functioning team, so a player with a bit of magic to win a game is a godsend. Don't follow that logic. They both had Ben Arfa but made him a scapegoat at earliest opportunity. (Could be character differences like). No tactical attacking plan. They would bring in a HBA for a bit of magic then realise they can't manage him and get rid.

Nobody said just because it's a custom it should be immune from criticism. However, if we are going to criticise something in a different culture we should perhaps look at a bit of context first. For the "blacking up" example Wullie made, why should that be seen as racist in Spain based on something that was happening in a different country with a different language and culture years and years ago? For the Bilbao players referring to Inaki Williams as "darkie" why is that any different to nicknames based on something else in a person's physical appearance? It's only different because we have been taught that it's different, there is nothing inherently wrong with a nickname based on the colour of someone's skin, no moreso than a nickname based on somebody's height, etc. The context is Spain & Portugal are two countries with a history that actively partook in the enslavement trade of African people and the colonialisation of Africa. This hasn't happened in isolation - it's based on a caricature and dehumanisation of African people that enables racism. Even if I accept what you're saying. In some countries, it's perfectly fine for grown men to marry 13-year-old girls. If they have a period, they are technically women so there's nothing inherently wrong with that I guess? When you're in a country, you must abide by the laws and norms of that society. You don't get drunk and leary in public in Dubai and you don't post African caricatures for public consumption in Manchester. Criticism by people is going to happen in both societies.

I'm expecting Bilva to get a 1 game ban tbh. Andre Gray got a suspension for a racial comment to a group of people - he technically belongs too. If he got a suspension for that, Bilva is due one for that.

At some point on Sunday, he just wanted to point out that Liverpool haven't won the league when it wasn't relevant to the discussion

Into the NO top 20

Sterling © KDB (VC) Lundstram (1st sub) My luck was in this week.

Very few athletes are going to be at their athletic peak at 18. You look at someone like Zaha and he's right at his physical peak now. Perfect blend of raw pace, acceleration, strength, stamina etc.

Don't look a well coached team at all

Madrid look awful

He wanted Maguire - too expensive for the board. They've also got exciting youth players that he never seems to want to play. But aye they should've replaced Kompany. They might as well bring him back

Wesley looks pap Fornals looks pap

It's a dive and wouldn't be a yellow anyway. Horrendous refereeing. Horrendous use of VAR in this country

In today's football, he'd be Theo Walcott essentially. Lucky to have played in the era he did. Well that’s just bollocks tbh. Twat of a man though. Referring more to the type of player. Smaller striker with pace, movement and finishing, although Owen was a better dribbler. He played in an era where a lot of clubs used partnerships upfront and these smaller strikers could be better accommodated. Currently most clubs use one striker upfront, who has to have more of an all round game. Theo came through at Southampton as a striker, just as we were going into the era of lone front men and he suffered for it in my opinion. Ended up being shunted out wide because he didn't have enough about him to play upfront by himself, but he isn't technical enough to be a wide man. Theo would have had a much better career as a striker back in the day I reckon. Injuries played a big factor but he also wasn't that good for Owen and Walcott. Rafa ended up preferring Craig Bellamy to Michael Owen, that's how 1 dimensional Owen ended up. The selfish nature of the man reflected in his game.

I don't even think that's true. Ronaldinho lit the world ablaze for no more than 5 years. But we remember those 5 years fondly. He delighted us. Owen's no Ronaldinho obviously

I never would've thought Zinedine Zidane wouldn't rate a player like this

I won't lie - he's rattled me. I just want someone in the media to point out; 1) he earned over £20m at St. James' Park. Scored 30 goals - does that sound like a good transfer? Can he see why fans would dislike him? 2) he never wanted to join but somehow blames the supporters for his lack of effort / belief / care, does that make any sense? 3) after 10 years he's never once attributed the slightest bit of blame to himself for the club getting relegated - as CAPTAIN! is he not a prick? 4) Nobody at SJP has a nice word to say about him. Not club legend and former manager, not the owner that brought him in, not the fans. Are they all wrong? 5) Suggestions he didn't want to play the final 2 games of the season due to a phantom groin injury. True or not? What a horrible cunt

Anita was so shit. Some on here swore he was a top player being under utilised. Imagine we had the nerve to be in the PL with him and Colback in midfield week in week out.

Agreed he’s looked great

That video screen thing was terrible. But with the new rules and how the PL have implemented VAR we will see fewer goals.