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Enter, Steven Gerrard

Just to clarify a point.... The steps to disciplining players go along a sliding scale. *A careless tackle is one that's merely worthy of a free kick, and perhaps a word. *A reckless tackle would be worthy of a yellow card. *A tackle which uses excessive force and/or endangers the safety of an opponent is worthy of a red card. The difficult bit is what you deem to be endangering the safety of an opponent.

Seem to remember Habib Beye's being rescinded in the relegation season.

Incidentally, the word intent is not in the laws when it comes to tackles. Intent is absolutely not an issue here, it doesn't matter whether he intended to win the ball, intended to snap the Stevenage player, whatever. Irrelevant. The key phrase here is "Any tackle which endangers the safety of an opponent must be sanctioned as serious foul play." And by definition, a lunge where a player jumps a good couple of feet has to endanger the safety of an opponent.

If Smith had made the same tackle (not exactly an improbability) people would've been queueing up to chin him. Being blinded by love for not just NUFC but also Tiote (who I love as well, but I know a red card tackle when I see one).

When did the FA claim De Jong's tackle was fine Kris? Don't confuse them thinking it was fine with their hands being tied by the fact the referee saw it and deemed it ok, meaning they could take no action.

Point one contradicts point two.

Considering your usual attitude to reckless tackles, I want to be surprised by this post, but I'm not.

That one was clear cut though. The tackle today is clearly open to debate (you only have to read this thread to see that), so I can't see them pissing on their referee's decision. I completely agree, more just saying that just because he sought opinion from his colleague, it doesn't necessarily make the appeal any less likely to succeed Still, how can you get more unlikely than no chance?

Also, usually I'd agree on the point that time was taken and an assistant consulted, but the same thing happened at Arsenal v Man City, and they still managed to wrongly send off Zabaleta, which was overturned.

I'm not sure overturning of red cards is down to the individual referee. I think it's an FA Committee who have the decision.

Has quickly become the most frustrating player in the side for me. Clearly has the ingredients but just can't get the recipe right, ever.

The worry for me is that we barely created a chance against vastly inferior opponents today. At least Sunderland managed to carve out numerous opportunities that they then failed to take...meaning they'll obviously rack up a good few next week as a result.

Three cheers for the Mexicans. Fucking hell. This is the one thing that has genuinely made me smile tonight, fair play

This is like the "Smith gives his all" argument people have been coming out with for ages. Jumping into tackles does not equal heart and desire, it equals stupidity and naivety. Yeah, Tiote is stupid and naive because he wants to win the ball back. Yup. He's extra stupid because he succeeded in doing so. How NAIVE of him. Yes, that's what I said.

If enough of us put in a few quid I'm sure we can manage to cobble together enough to pay him off. Or hire a hitman?

I note you've backed down from your original stance of accusing a Newcastle fan GM

This is like the "Smith gives his all" argument people have been coming out with for ages. Jumping into tackles does not equal heart and desire, it equals stupidity and naivety.

Wouldn't happen anyway Billy as he's only on 8 at the moment.

Not a cat in hell's chance that will be overturned. And now we're totally fucked for next week. Mint. Should never have been on the field to make the tackle.

We haven't got a fucking prayer.

God this is dreadful

Magpies 7 Sunderland 2 the aggregate score so far.

TWO NIL

17582 I believe the radio said.