TRon

Rooney and Tevez both have pace. So does that Ronaldo guy as it happens.

No surprise there, I am afraid. Wenger wants to sensationalise the incident as much as possible to put pressure on the FA to (a) punish Taylor; and (b) ensure that his players continue to get preferential treatment from referees in the future. He should actually be fined for commenting on the incident, to be fair. If Wenger were that critical of a ref ("I think this guy should never referee again") he would be fined. It is not Wenger's job to judge the incident. It is the job of those on the FA panel responsible for these matters. Wenger is entitled to and should look after his players, but should not be allowed to slander someone on live TV. Looking at it dispassionately you might be right. But if you are a manager nurturing a young player of exceptional talent only to see his career put in jeapordy by a talentless hod-carrier going in with studs a foot high, you could be excused for being a bit angry. True, but there is a time and a place for such comments. Wenger of all people should know this, given the amount of times he has been chastised by the FA for his post-match comments etc. Any other manager in the Premiership (bar Ferguson, perhaps) would be fined for saying the same. (Wenger could have said, "The challenge looked very bad from where I was sitting. I hope that the FA views the incident impartially and that a fair punishment is decided. In the meantime, I hope that Eduardo makes a swift recovery. We are all thinking of him.") How many managers would really be that calm and collected after losing two points and one of his best players for god knows how long? Be honest now.

Wigan look like winning again.

Of all the spectators at the ground today, Butt and Barton will have the best view I reckon

No surprise there, I am afraid. Wenger wants to sensationalise the incident as much as possible to put pressure on the FA to (a) punish Taylor; and (b) ensure that his players continue to get preferential treatment from referees in the future. He should actually be fined for commenting on the incident, to be fair. If Wenger were that critical of a ref ("I think this guy should never referee again") he would be fined. It is not Wenger's job to judge the incident. It is the job of those on the FA panel responsible for these matters. Wenger is entitled to and should look after his players, but should not be allowed to slander someone on live TV. Looking at it dispassionately you might be right. But if you are a manager nurturing a young player of exceptional talent only to see his career put in jeapordy by a talentless hod-carrier going in with studs a foot high, you could be excused for being a bit angry.

With an IQ of about 45 it's understandable some things don't register. Perhaps wrapping a boot in a carrier bag and swinging it at his face at 80mph might provide a clue of the impact in a more identifiablel manner?

Strangely enough I was just thinking if Arsenal won the pressure would be more on Man U and would give us a great chance to finish their title hopes. The Arsenal result will give them a massive boost. We still have the opportunity to dent their title hopes but whether our players will have the balls to stand strong I seriously doubt.

Momementum-wise that's a massive point for Birmingham.

I can't understand anybody defending that, pathetic. The thick fucker isn't even sliding. He's launching himself onto the guy's leg! His whole body weight would have come down on his leg. Isn't even looking for the ball. This is all down to the bully them tactical speech, no doubt about it. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. You can quite clearly see from that photo, Kaka, that Eduardo has pushed the ball past Taylor. Taylor's reactions were just too slow. Judging from the clip on YouTube, crappy as it may be, Taylor's challenge was clumsy but not malicious. Without seeing the clip from various angles, it is difficult to categorically state either way, but I would barter that Eduardo is as much as victim as his own skill as he is Taylor's tackle. The problem nowadays is that players such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Eduardo et al are so quick on the ball that they leave defenders trailing in their wake. Please do not misread this - I am NOT blaming Eduardo, as that would be daft. Taylor's challenge warranted a red card but I suspect Eduardo's sleight of foot was just too quick for Taylor. to be honest, I am surprised that more players of Eduardo's class have not suffered similar injuries, as defenders are constantly sprawling out after being 'owned.' I hope that Eduardo recovers and I also hope that people try not to throw the book at Taylor before viewing all the evidence. We have one dodgy replay and few photos. Let the FA do the deciding. There's nothing wrong with being late as it can happen, but look at the tackle! He is not sliding but launching himself onto Eduardo and his foot is ridiculously high. Do you play a lot of football? You just don't tackle like that, not even by accident, it isn't natural. The guy is a professional and so the tackle is even more inexcusable. Mis-timed or not, when you lunge for the ball (giving the benefit of the doubt) with your studs a foot above the ground, there's every possibility you'll put your opponent in hospital if you miss it. It's always a tragedy to lose a talented player, to do it on account of a troglodyte making such a clumsy challenge is desperate.

What an awful loss to the game. Gutted for him.

Look man, get real. He's in a mental institution. It's a big leap from that situation to teaching other people's kids about anything. Local solidarity has it's limits.

amybe it isnt so daft though? im starting ot believe more and more that he was just a puppet? For Douglas Hall? Aye, he did reckon we'd be relegated that season the numpty. if not douglas the hall family. i reckon freddy just did what he was told half the time, and he was the only one thick enough to put his face to half of the shit I don't think that's Robson's view of events. IIRC it was John Hall who wanted to appoint SBR when Keegan left but was persuaded towards Dalglish by Hall Jr and Fat Fred. Wasn't Robson approached but reluctant to leave Barcelona? Or was that later on? No I think you are right. Robson said he was reluctant to break his contract at the time, which was probably true but I think he wanted to prove himself there before quitting as well.

Well I didn't say anyone had been slagging off the foreign legion. What I said was "No one wants to be a supporter and feel they are still on the outside looking in. It's easy for those of us born here to dismiss it because we don't feel it." Just an explanation for the supposed paranoia. Are we any different when the shoe's on the other foot? The southern media's out to get us, London press etc.?

amybe it isnt so daft though? im starting ot believe more and more that he was just a puppet? For Douglas Hall? Aye, he did reckon we'd be relegated that season the numpty. if not douglas the hall family. i reckon freddy just did what he was told half the time, and he was the only one thick enough to put his face to half of the shit I don't think that's Robson's view of events. IIRC it was John Hall who wanted to appoint SBR when Keegan left but was persuaded towards Dalglish by Hall Jr and Fat Fred.

thats the paranoia bit as the dismissive attitude was never aimed at you lot. (bloody foreigners,what they like eh ?) The paranoia is understandable though. No one wants to be a supporter and feel they are still on the outside looking in. It's easy for those of us born here to dismiss it because we don't feel it.

Interesting reading the news, so many messages of support and sympathy being sent to Gazza, but the people who were actually subjected to his antics, hotel staff and the like found it all a bit distressing. Shame the twat never grew up imo.

Actually I do agree with some of that. It always seems strange if you are born and bred in England not to support your local team, but it's a slightly different issue to overseas supporters. Having said that, while I could never support an Arsenal or a Man Yoo, I'm always pleased if supporters from other parts of England support the toon. That makes them part of my gang as it were. How could you resent anyone for such an admirable quality?

Firstly, anyone who supports Newcastle can hardly be called a glory hunter, so let's put that one to bed. A masochist would be a more accurate description. Secondly, it's better just to accept there are a section of fans who have a narrow view of what a Newcastle supporter should be, and probably this extends to the players as well. Jenas and Dyer got stick for reasons that weren't always football-related. Sometimes it was justified, sometimes it was just a chance for the moronic element to jump on the bandwagon and vent uncalled for hatred. Newcastle is a great club, with great fans. Like any club we've got some fans who are more insular but that's their problem not yours.

House prices in London are daft but not as obscene as Prem footballer wages. Especially one who spends two-thirds of a season on the sickbed.

Brilliant footballer but a bit of a pleb otherwise.

I think anyone would have struggled to compile a list that wasn't worthy of ridicule. How about the 'transfer list'? Isn't that worthy of ridicule like? Maybe but it's the only list I'd want to see some of our players on tbh.

I think anyone would have struggled to compile a list that wasn't worthy of ridicule. How about the 'transfer list'?

He looked like a man against boys didn't he? Godsmark and Marwood looked like school kids in comparison.

Saw a bit of the first half last night and embarassingly, we played as far more of a unit than the first team do. We struggled to cope with a couple of their better players but as a team we had decent shape and movement.

It's for occasions like this the word "cringe" was invented.