Shak

Great to get a result against the Italians, but I'm not sure where this whole notion that we were in anyway great comes from. We had so much of the ball simply because the Italians let us, and until the goal came they played us absolutely perfectly. Got the goal and sat back, easily keeping Ireland at bay for 88 minutes. Not a single chance before the goal, or even a half chance. Buffon made a good save from Hunt late in the first half to deny what would have been a wonder goal, but apart from that the game was Ireland basically fumbling about with the ball 30 yards out, throwing the odd useless cross in to be cleared with ease. Improvements need to happen or we won't be making it to South Africa I'm afraid.

http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/avs/avatar_6144.jpg Any chance we could get a miniature one of these as a smiley?

McGeady is absolutely shite, the praise he gets is laughable. Even now, Duff pisses all over him as a player. And I really don't rate Duff at all.

5 or a 6 for me now, having previously been a 9. Honestly thought it'd take a minor miracle with Hughton/Kinnear in charge until the end of the season. With Shearer, it's game on again though we're still right down in the shit.

:fwap:

:fwap: :fwap: :fwap: :fwap: For the first time in months, relagation isn't a complete certainty in my mind. Tough task, but if anyone's up to it it's Shearer.

I was like "Junkhead is Irish?" for the first half of that post. 11 points is more than 4 btw.

Yeah.

Andy Reid can fuck off. He'd have been a handy player to have around the last two games, no doubt, but after that bullshit he pulled last time he was in the squad he can fuck right off. Fat mackem wanker, no time for the guy. The other Reid or Ireland would be massive to have back though, the CM situation makes Newcastle looking like fucking Spain tbh. Still think we'll pull it togther and get second, but it'll be close.

Would last about 2 seconds, then you would realise England just won the WC and lose the will to live. It's very much a silver lining, at best.

My worry is that Trappatoni plays a pretty direct style of football. Keane as a lone striker? Not sure I see it working out? Didn't hear that about Ireland, if he said he wants back in then that's great. Surely I'd have heard about that, would be very big news?

I think England will come closer next World Cup than they have in a long, long time. Capello is a winner, and by the time the WC rolls round I expect he'll have them playing the type of football that'll take them a long way. Obviously I hope England fail Though I'd take a certain satisfaction from Michael Owen not being part of the squad that won a major tournament. Would be beautiful really.

Interesting is one way of putting it. Wish Steven Reid wasn't so frail, he looked good in the first game we played. Be interesting to see what happens if Stephen Ireland ever comes back. Trappatoni won't play him in CM, he likes two more defensive guys there to protect the back 4. Maybe coming in from one of the wings? But he'd not be as effective then in all likelihood. Will be interesting if the cunt ever decides to come back and play for us.

Remember there was some Rangers player who came on against the Republic a few years back in a friendly, got booed a little bit when he was introduced. Wasn't anything bad, just a token sort of booing really. They actually went on the PA and requested that people not boo players because they might play for certain clubs. Needless to say, every moment the lad touched the ball thereafter there was a massive cheer and round of applause from the crowd. Was brilliant.

You're making me feel old, I remember Italia 90 pretty well ffs.

Would be a brilliant fixture for us. Id love Northern Ireland to get into the top 8 2nd placed teams, would love to get them. Yes, because that's exactly what the situation up north needs right now. Fuck it, I want to see that fixture at some point in my life Will never forget Alan McLoughlin's goal in the 94 qualifiers, we'd a few neighbours over and the living room was nearly destroyed by the celebrations.

Would be a brilliant fixture for us. Id love Northern Ireland to get into the top 8 2nd placed teams, would love to get them. Yes, because that's exactly what the situation up north needs right now.

Not from a pure footballing perspective it wouldn't. I'd take that right now though, reckon we'd take them.

Thinking that myself. I reckon we could have the Italians at home aswell. The play off worries me, it would be absolutely awful to get that far and not go through It'd be some atmosphere in what would probably be Croke Park for the playoff game mind you, definitely would have to make my way to that. We'd probably draw France or some such shite like that. A win tonight and a draw on Wednesday would make things very, very tasty though.

Who cares about the Nordies, they're shite like. Win tonight and we'll have second in the group more or less wrapped up, which means a playoff most likely unless we can pull off a major upset and finish ahead of the Italians. Not likely tbh, as we've been pretty much wank so far despite the good results and I'd say Italy will win the group out when all is said and done. Hopefully Monetenegro can get something against Italy tonight though. Though while the performances have been poor, Trappatoni has them well organised at the back though and I'd think over a 2 legged playoff we'd be hard to beat. It's certainly a step up from the dross under Staunton, that's for sure.

There's quite a bit of apathy in Ireland towards the national team tbh, though I can't understand it myself. Maybe it's because the rugby has gotten so popular the last few years with the national team and Munster being as a good as they have been. Still watch all the games myself though and shout at the TV as I would if Newcastle were playing.

La Tournoi. Daft thread IMO, most of the players in the original post are pretty shite, and even the better ones are highly erractic types. Hardly the foundation for world domination now is it?

"Probably not" would be a great option.

I've mentioned that we have some games coming up in the above post btw, not sure if this is acceptable but let me know and I'll edit if needs be.