Elma

We've kept four clean sheets all season in the league. Steven Taylor has only started two games. Those were two of the four. OK, so it was Man U and WBA, neither of whom are known for being prolific this season, but with other combinations (principally Colo and Mbemba) we've only kept two from 23. For comparison that group of fixtures includes Villa and Norwich at home. At the start of 2011-12 we conceded something like 12 goals in the first 13 games with Colo and Taylor together before the 0-3 Chelsea game when he first snapped his achilies. The stats suggest he's better than he's sometimes given credit for - he's just injured too often.

.....and money.

Exactly - none of Rodgers, Moyes or Benitez were free in the summer but they are all free now. They may have some contractural agreement with their last clubs that we need to cover but it's better than what we will lose if we drop out the league. With a nine day break before the next game now is the time to move.

I don't dislike Steve McClaren as a person - he seems a decent bloke and I wish it would work out for him for all our sakes. I also hate changing managers and think that stabilty brings success. However, that is only if you have the right bolke in the first place. Unfortunately Steve is just not a good enough manager and never was. Most of us knew that from the start but he was an easy choice as he was free and available. Never in Ashley's tenure have we gone out and actually spent money to recruit a manager/coach who was on the up at his current club. It seems to be the feeling that the coach is more or less an irrelevance and if we spend money on half-decent but cheaply acquired players now and then any old fool should be able to mould them into a side capable of keeping the TV money rolling in. We would be much better off if Charnley admitted he got it wrong in the summer, and we used the Townsend or Berahino money to sack off McClaren and bring in a top coach. Despite the fact we are missing a natural goal scorer, a left back, and a centre-half (at the bare minimum), this current squad has enough about it to already be at the 30 point mark in the right hands. Even if they wanted to continue the current approach and get a manager who is free, they could still improve with Rodgers, Moyes or Benitez. OK, so I'm in cloud-cuckoo land with Benitez, but provided they give the new bloke a greater say in transfer dealings then they've got a chance with the other two. Personally I'd take Rodgers over Moyes as I like his style of football and think he would be a good fit for us, but I've always been a fan of Moyes too and if you're going to give someone a longer period to get it right he could be just the bloke. For someone as stingy as Ashley, I still can't believe that he can't see this.

Think the difference was that one was on the ball and the ref waved play on at the time. Although Swarbrick mopped up after the Shelvey/Valencia incident, he didn't actually see it and it was technically off the ball. Never going to ban him though as although it was a cycnical foul to stop a player breaking into the box had the ball been released - if the ref had seen it it would only have been a free-kick and possibly, just possibly a yellow. There was no elbow and the FA will not retrospectively rule on fouls and yellows, only serious foul play.

Wait.....WHAT? Get out....get out now and don't come back. Unless you're born after 1987 there's simply no excuse for that....

Surely you can't break something you haven't got?

With Villa...oh my....

This is absolutely f***ing spot on. For all the talk of Ashley being the reason for the malaise at the club this this the real reason. Coming on 5 years with managers too afraid to do anything. McLaren should have come in and binned about 6 senior players off the bat. Instead he's handed one a new contact and made him the leader of the club, played Obertan and Colback etc. True - but the I believe the fact that Ashley has never gone out and paid money to hire a manager actually doing a good job and in the ascendency is actually the underlying reason. He always employs someone free, unemployed and ideally with connections to someone already at the club as it's the path of least resistance. He still doesn't realise that 5 million spent to release a decent, effective manager from a current contract will get millions more value from the existing playing staff. This is far more important than shelling out millions on additional players and expecting any Tom, Dick or Harry to come in and manage them into an effective unit. The same goes for the executive team. Charnley is nowhere near qualified enough to be doing the role he is doing, and his recruitment in effect led to McClaren's, but it was the easy option for Ashley. Ashley needs to wake up and realise that Charnley, Carr et all need to go, to be replaced by an MD with good experience for the role. More of the transfer sign-off needs to pass to the manager too, although I can never see Ashley agreeing to that as he seems dead set on the DoF model and the manager simply coaching the players bought for him.

The season we finished fifth we were rock solid in the first 10-11 games. We didn't look as good after Taylor snapped his achilles against Chelsea. I firmly believe that (prior to Mbemba settling as we don't know how that's going to pan out) him and Colo are the best pairing we have. I'd love to see the stats of goals conceded over the past few years when him and Colo have played together, as oppose to when it's been Williamson or someone else. On the assumption that the hierarchy won't sign another centre half I hope he can stay fit enough to play 25+ games this season.

I want to see Shearer chip a beach ball into a pool chair from 30 yards and then do the Mitrovic celebration.

We were in the ten year deal and were supposed to tell them by the end of January if we weren't renewing. It was on 2 February 2014 after Cabaye wasn't replaced that we sent in a letter (backdated a few days) cancelling. They never queried it. Personally, I would think it much better to stick the season ticket money in an ISA every year, attend the odd game that you want to by paying on the day (this should be much easier going forward), and then use the savings to buy a ticket from an agent or a tout should we ever get to a final. I'm sure you'd have spare change, paticularly with Ashley's policy in the cups.

Me too I hope, seeing as I'm forty.

If it's based upon them as people (from what I've heard and how they come across in public) rather than ability, then I've a lot of time for Jonas, Ryan Taylor, Ayoze, and Cabella seems a pretty decent bloke. I think that the Dutch group all seem decent too and I feel for De Jong with his injuries this year. I've heard from a few at the club that Cisse can be an arrogant prick, and along with what some others have posted I can believe that due to the senseless bans he's had this season for trying to break someone's jaw and then spitting. The rest I don't really have an opinion on - however, it's difficult to say with any certainty as I've not really met any of them. I'd love to meet Joey Barton. People who worked with him at NUFC said he was one of the nicest people you could meet - extremely polite and also always willing to help out. Plus I always thought Alan Smith got roughly treated a little. From what I understand he was always in for extra training, staying behind to help the kids, and never whinged about not being in the team (although he was always working hard to get back in). People think he was just happy picking up his wages but he really wasn't, and he eventually took a pay cut just to keep playing. Limited ability yes, but it wasn't his fault we paid so much for him and stuck him on £60,000 a week.

I've said I do to some people, but deep down I'll be relieved if we stay up, especially as I think it's between us and the mackems. In saying that, if we do go down (which I think we will) I will care the least I ever have over a relegation. I'll definitely see quite a few silver linings in that cloud....

About six years ago he was the admin guy for the reserves...turning up at Gateshead to make sure all protocol was followed on match days. How come he's risen so quickly? Got to be a 'Yes' man who has smarmed his way into Ashley's confidence.

I guess you could actually argue Carver has a better record as he has faced four away games out of seven, where it is four home games for Pardew.

Of all the names bandied around I like the idea of Lucien Favre. I have to admit to not really knowing the game too well outside of England so I've had to read up on most of the overseas-based coaches, but he seems like he has enough experience, hasn't really failed anywhere, and plays football the right way. I wouldn't be adverse to Bilic either - the one other league I know a little is the Turkish Super Lig and he's not doing too badly at Besiktas, last weekend's result aside. Besiktas also gave both Arsenal and Spurs a tough ride in Europe this year and he did really well with Croatia. We'll never get either though as they are in contract.

Surely if Algeria decide not to take him because he isn't going to be fit for the training camp / first game then that shouldn't preclude him from playing for us later this month, regardless as to whether or not Algeria progress? I would think that any rule whereby you are prevented from playing for your club side if you have declared an injury for the national side, would only apply to a single game?

Unfortunately I think Carver will continue with Pardew's plan, and play Taylor today with Williamson back in for the cup. The cup is seen as less important and they think Taylor can't play two games 48 hours apart, for some reason.

Has this been posted yet? http://www.football365.com/f365-says/9625392/F365-Says

But he doesn't though He's a fair weather Geordie. I want anyone but Bruce or an internal appointment. A few years after he retired Bruce was summarising for Sky when we played Man U at home. There was a fifty fifty just before half time between our keeper and their forward (can't remember exactly who) and Bruce was off his seat in a flash (he had eaten less pasties then) spitting and screaming, "That was a pen, a pen...!". So, despite what he might like to portray, not exactly a NUFC fan.

I'm unfashionably early Sitting in reception if anyone else is around? I like your confidence about Team D....hoping it's not misplaced

Apologies (neesy) - don't think I can make the meal now so count me out to be on the safe side. Will stick around for a drink after the footy if others are, maybe into mid-afternoon if we can find somewhere that has the Leicester match on?

Where are you booking? Turkish place recommended on here. If its the Turkish place and 7.30 then I can do that...count me in.