Sifu

Tyler genuinely annoys me these days. Shame, he was pretty good for a while.

Hence why I decided to put down the "famouslastwords" bit but honestly, I've seen nothing from Man U this season to suggest that they can go the distance. Moyes' tactics have not been spot on at all this year and you do really need the right sort of tactics to win the CL (Di Matteo, to his credit, got the tactics spot on to win the CL in 2012).

Man U supporting mate genuinely believes that they can win the Champions League and has cited Liverpool's and Chelsea's wins as his main reason (poor league form not necessarily meaning that the chance is gone). Not sure what to think about that - I'm thinking delusion on my mate's part [/famouslastwords]

It really has. We've become a stepping stone for French players as well as becoming a club of nothingness.

What's changed from when he signed for us & now, other than Cabaye no longer being here? Club showing no ambition? Bang on the money. Debuchy showing a hint of discontent was somewhat inevitable. The sale of Cabaye basically told the players what our long term ambitions are and it may have very well started something very bad within (but of course we have no way of knowing this for sure but I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case...).

Oh do shut up Gabriel.

Boom.

Shola would literally become a celebrity in China if he moved there, much like Nicky Butt when he decided to go play in the Hong Kong league.

I expect nothing less from Andy Townsend.

Utter stupidity.

Touché

Has tollemache stopped posting now? Was literally banging my head on the canteen table while I was reading this thread earlier on!

Probably done so to shout at/give instructions to Santon from time to time. Krul's the least of our worries. Admittedly he's had a bit of an indifferent season but there's no doubt who should be starting between the sticks week in, week out. I question Andy Woodman's coaching tbh...

There is someone up there in the sky! As much as I would hate to see us lose against Villa, if there is any substance to what the Express are saying (weren't they an "exclusive" source at one point in the past?), then a loss will be a necessary sacrifice.

3-0 hammering please.

Bed is probably the better option tbf.

You've clearly missed my personal acknowledgement of my own post being bullshit.

Not that they'll see this post but people who keep on saying that "you should be grateful for Pardew" can all fuck right off, you know fuck all.

After sleeping on it, I'm going to present an alternative (otherwise known as the "head-in-the-sand" or completely stupid view) that the club, on the request of Pardew, has leaked this to the press in a last ditch attempt to get Ben Arfa playing to the way Pardew wants. Some "public bashing" might be the way to let Ben Arfa know what is "required" if he's not "listening" behind the scenes. I realise that the above is more likely than not a load of bullshit but with only 3 months of the season left, there are a couple of angles you can take this news from (fwiw, I'm of the opinion that Ben Arfa is off because Pardew doesn't know what to do with him).

Of course, our most naturally talented (and perhaps our only creative) player in our squad is going to get sold. Fuck off Pardew you cunt, you've ruined him.

I will go for the optimistic view: We'll lead 2-0 at half time, then we'll resort to norm in the second half and play deep and then concede one goal at which point we'll start shitting ourselves but hold out until the end.

In terms of my connection to/love for the club, I wouldn't say it's broken. This football club has been with me since I was a child and it has helped me in more ways than one - the main one being helping me to integrate amongst the other children when I was just a timid Chinese boy (with a terrible grasp at English - my parents couldn't really teach me "proper" conversational English) at primary school. I'm Newcastle United until I die and as long as the club exists as Newcastle United, I will continue loving them no matter what. So to see us in the position that we are now is nothing short of gut wrenching - we're becoming one of those clubs who will be "just there" as part of the PL furniture. There's no signs of any ambition or progression and apathy has quickly settled in. I don't want to break and I am one of those who will find it hard to simply walk away (for the reasons I've stated above) - I can't help it. Change needs to happen soon before we slip into mediocrity forever and the once proud name of Newcastle United descends into the abyss.

He's clearly been watching Goal! and thinking "I want that life". Start at Newcastle, move to Real Madrid and so forth.

HBA, MYM and Marveaux together on the pitch ? Basically. Marveaux in the number 10 role, Yanga-Mbiwa in for Taylor and Ben Arfa having a free-ish role from the right wing.

No football for nearly two weeks A much needed break.