TRon

I expected a smear campaign but I didn't think they would go to these lengths.

As long as any player is earning their right to the shirt, no way do they deserve to lose it if they've played a part in the revival.

Was thinking the same thing......it's OK to grab your opponent by the Crown Jewels, but not this. It's all about who did it .... and Barton's behaviour really is under the microscope, being held to much higher standards than other players because of his past. You only have to go back to the Arsenal game, when Barton had just come on as sub and made a hard but fair challenge on Samir Nasri winning the ball, only for Nasri to retaliate with a trip in open play. What did the TV heads focus on.....the Barton challenge that they thought was too aggressive even though replay showed he won the ball cleanly. Did the retaliatory trip by Nasri get any real focus? Nope, just Bartons challenge. I thought that wa a far heavier challenge studs up than the one he got penalised for yesterday. Joey needs to channel his aggression because like it or not he's an easy target. Everyone is looking for even a minor slip and no one outside of Newcastle is going to do him any favours.

Duff is being played more for what he offers going backwards rather than forwards. In any case we have 3 left wingers, we could do a genuine right winger. A real one, not another plank like Milner.

Is the "close friend of Given's" a tottenham player by any chance?

Duff's still not actually delivering end product, but to be fair, he worked his socks off and rarely lost posession last night. He's just about keeping his place at the moment but he really needs to stay wide and go at the full backs with more conviction.

in the second half he took control. semed to be first to everything in the middle. loads of little prompting touches that we've missed since rob lee/gary speed. however i still wish he'd be a bit more expansive and try and join the forwards now and again. in the first half nicky butt was left trying to get forward as barton sat too far back, even taylor at one point had to get in front of them as neither took the chance. Part of the reason why we can't contemplate a side without Martins at the moment. With no central midfielders breaking into the box we need forwards who can fashion their own chances. While Barton shows signs he can orchestrate the midfield I would love to see him getting forward more.

I fancy us to win this. We are set up to counter attack quite well at the moment with two wingers and Martins pace so we should be able to get results away from home.

If the rumours of a couple of serious buyers for the club being in for January is true, I would imagine they'll have a manager lined up who will come in immediately - my gut feeling is it will be Shearer. JFK's deserved the job til the end of the season but if he's released I am sure he'll get a decent job somewhere, and no one will deserve it more. Wanting the job when other cunts like Venables and Hoddle were turning their nose up...loving the job and driving the squad to play like men...you have to take your hat off IMO. He's taking this chance with both hands.

He played well tonight and scored the goals - but 'best player at the club' he definitely ISN'T. When he has scored 20 goals a season for at least 2 seasons(provided he has been fit) THEN you can start making those sort of claims ; he isn't even the best STRIKER at the club Owen is, and has the International goals to go with it. At 24, he should be almost the finished article. I don't really give a shit if he's the fiinished article or not, he just sunk Villa with his 3rd goal in two games so those of us who were making his case are vindicated. At least more so than those who were comparing him to Franz Carr a few pages back. BTW that doesn't mean he's a world class striker all of a sudden, just one of the best we've got and thank fuck he's here.

It was nice to see Martin Laursson getting rattled and knocked about for a change. Usually he has our centre forwards in his pocket all night.

Having Owen breathing down their necks will make know they have to keep earning their place as well.

I think I'm probably going to read every single page of this thread when I get the time at some point.

If Butt and Barton are going to sit as deep as that in future games, it's difficult to see how you are going to drop either forward atm. They don't really gel as a pair but individually they cause havoc among opposition defences even without much support from midfield. If Owen had played last night instead of Oba would Laursen and Cuellar have had such a rough time?

Shola giving Martins a painful looking wedgie there

It would be nice to see UV or NE5 enjoy a good result here once in a while rather than revel in possible relegation scenarios only.

Coloccini took responsibilty for Carew for most of the night. That was the big job tbh.

They might not have worked brilliantly as a partnership but Shola and Martins destroyed Villa's centere backs over the course of 90 mins. Let's give credit where it's due for a change.

Actions always speak louder than words.

shagged Milner all night tbh.

That was the best performance from a Newcastle side I've seen for the last six months. I am just so proud of the lads tonight. Today the players played for their shirt and the badge. Monumental.

Tonight's the night for Damien the Duff to finally show the doubters (me) the V sign. Come on Duff...a good pre-season...some nifty performances in one or two games, along with a stinker against the mackems. Now's the time to tell the sinpers to fuck right off by putting Villa in their place. Will he, won't he? I say no.

I agree we don't need to be over attack we just need to pressure them high up when they have the ball. Only Barry and A.Young are what i would class as good passing players, the rest will be prone to errors if they are hurried. We need to be offensive without being irresponsible. Unfortunately this sort of thinking is far beyond JFK. The idea of fighting fire with fire by using our quick players is a good one although I said yesterday I'd prefer Zog in for Duff in this one. I just have a horrible feeling Duff is going to fail to show up tonight, Zog's got a bit more fight in him if the going gets tough. Which it will.

I'd put Coloccini in the 'trusted' camp. I think this is his type of game, playing against nippier, ball-playing attackers is what he'll be used to. If he plays Taylor, he'll get the job of trying to block Carew. You'd think that's how it would pan out wouldn't you? Except somehow Colo always seems to be the one attacking the headers while Taylor is usually running backwards towards the goal line.

There'll be a few butts getting kicked tonight as well