Mr Logic

Just looking at the table and IF we had beaten Derby and Reading, said in the same way as IF we had a different manager, we would be in 3rd place! It's a little known fact that Portsmouth have never beaten a team that were currently in third place when they played them. Mind you we're 8th.

Fix the stadium acoustics, job done.

Portsmouth have a bloody good away record. Could be a close game. 2-1 the toon. (On the assumption they have to step up a gear or two due to embarassment of last fixture vs Reading.)

Before the game at Reading Sam was already talking about worries he had regarding the team developing a paranoia about away games if they didn't start picking up points. Which is pretty much the same as saying 'The clinical psychologist I've employed is useless to us'. After the game at Reading he kept banging on about defensive errors and as good as admitted he was struggling to find a reason for it, which reveals he can't see what's happening in front of his own eyes due to his own convictions. Blinded by his own beliefs. All very well setting up and training a strong defensive unit, but as a new team getting used to each other they need some pressure taken off them surely. Playing away from home in a manner that ensures more pressure on the defence due to gameplan hardly seems the best way to go about it. If we had conceded a goal whilst attacking Reading and playing to our strengths scoring 3 goals in the process he might have a right to bitch about lapses in concentration and defensive errors. Setting the team out to play for a draw and ensure lots of pressure on the defence is more his own fault they concede as the ARE NOT the defensive unit he wants YET. Lose at Sunderland without attacking them will lose him a LOT of patience the fans might have stored up for the new regime.

Then those new forwards won't make any difference if he doesn't realise that just lumping the ball into the danger area is not the way..

There's actually an element of truth about it, however far-fetched it may sound right now. Sam's coaching at the highest level here, allegedly, and if he can't see the pressure he puts the defence under by playing with no width he must be in the wrong job. The players clearly have a different mind-set away from home also, they look less self-assured and more prone to mistakes. Clearly the psychologist isn't earning his pay either. Lose at Sunderland like that and there's many that will never forgive him.

More nervous about this game than any other so far. This is the litmus test for Sam from my point of view, if he sets out with another Derby-type limitation debacle I will lose another smidgeon of confidence in the man. Hoping Parky is right with his mind-games opinion.

Naa, I think I would go on incapacity benefit Hilarious btw, you really should be on Channel 4. Cheers I'm to busy lmao at that guy in your sig, I think I'd pay just to watch what he was going to do next.

Oh crap.

Aye, walking into the Strawberry pre-match is the antithesis of being a recluse.

Couldn't agree more, let's hope Sam does also and not play for a point and come home with nothing.

45 mins: GOAL MARTINS. Jose Enrique's long ball is met by Martins who outmuscles Dawson before calmly sloting the ball past Cerny from 10 yards. Newcastle deserve their lead and you have to worry for Spurs if they cannot defend long ball's that would be cleared by most Sunday league defences. From football live commentary, didn't they use to say similar things about us?

Strange paper to decide to break your silence with!?

This thread should e re-labelled the 'Overwhelming prejudice of men.' The answer is clearly woman.

We made them look good that day though, we'd have made anyone look good that day.

And you really think we give a monkeys' toss ? Spurs fans generally take an interest in how their rivals are faring, whether you do or not is your prerogative. Turnover up 39% and profit after all player trading up to £29.3m ensures another transfer kitty of over £50m available for the next window should the right players become available. The fact that Spurs have also announced a dividend for the first time since 1998 also reflects that, at the present time, they are awash with money. Did I mention Spuds fans? Do you speak for all of them ? I repeat, do you think we give a toss about the boring spurs crap you post on here. Here is a heads up for you it is a Newcastle web site,most come here to post and read about NEWCASTLE. I am not opposed to any visiting fan having their twopenneth,but you abuse the privilege. If you think your awash with money,we're are drowning in cash now.Having said that it is not about cash it is about results, it is about points it is about the game. Things that Spurs don't have so you talk money -silly child Stick to I, after all it is your opinion. I for one am invariably interested to read whatever Jol says - I always like to have another's perspective on things which helps me balance my own ideas, that could become irrational otherwise.

Sept 15th 1973, Wolves @ home, 2-0. Howard and Natrass the scorers. Most memorable game, for all the wrong reasons.. 9th March 1974, Notts Forest 4-3 in the FA Cup @ home. The old Leazes in those days was rocking.

He could get the whole team and entourage on there for away trips to Europe next season.

Yeah, but it comes across crap in print.

You may well be right about that 4-3, but I bet people wouldn't be bitching about it the way they are now.

Sam's got them playing too defensive for most of the games, but certainly away from home. And there's no sense trying to defend a goal down. If we'd attacked Arsenal would we have won? I don't know. If we'd attacked Derby would we have won, almost certainly yes. A question with a caveat, I'm no Keegan worshipper being far too old for that, but as a very obvious contrast of styles.. If Keegan had picked the team today and sent them out would we have lost 3-1?

“It is far from unusual for a player to come to us from South Africa or Brazil and be far better than an English player. This should not be.” That's the question that really needs answering and addressing, though the money (credit/loans) in the game today does seem to be an accident waiting to happen.

Your last paragraph there echoes my concerns about him, he seems to be all about the statistics and percentage football. Any fast flowing technical stuff that gets us on the edge of our seats will not be because Sam coached it into them but merely because they have the space and inclination to do it. I fear Sam lacks imagination and as such he's rather 2 dimensional rather than 3, that said he should do better for us than many an incumbent I can think of, as long as the football doesn't bore us to death first he should get something out of it starting with some Euro-qualification.

I'm listening to it online right now. BBC-Radio5- live sport commentary Guess you are in the UK? Sorry mate, never realised you were not.

I'm listening to it online right now. BBC-Radio5- live sport commentary