Elma

Yeah, any locals know where we could watch? Shark was the usual but not showing it anymore... Get yourself to the Clock... Will be like home from home Does that still have the games on? Heard it had just re-opened under new management?

I'll make sure I'm there for 9.30am to be on the safe side. Will be driving over from Jarrow through the tunnel in an empty car so if anyone needs a lift from that general area then let me know. Not decided yet whether to go to the match afterwards but would prefer watching it in a pub with everyone if it's on anywhere? Could possibly do the meal afterwards too depending on where and when?

I'm in for the meal too. Still good for the footie too. Am travelling up tomorrow and spending all week next week in Newcastle ahead of the weekend. Going back on the Sunday morning (19th).

I've probably said this on here before, but the saddest thing for me is that my dad packed up going in the summer. He'd been going for 65 years, seen some absolute dross, but last year broke him. He said he just wasn't enjoying it anymore and couldn't justify the cost of renewing his season ticket of 31 years. He's a knowledgeable bloke...he played at a reasonable standard and his son, my brother, represented NUFC at all levels below first team in the late eighties. Yes, he blamed Ashley for a lack of investment, but most of his ire was at Pardew for serving up "turgid, cowardly football" (his words). I get that Pardew hasn't actually said his family are threatened, just that the press he is receiving is affecting them. Well, I tell you what Alan...my family is affected to. It breaks my heart seeing my dad wondering what to do with his Saturday afternoons. It's absolutely killing me and I know for a fact, if you were to go, then he would be back there in a shot with renewed hope. If you are worried about your family, then you can easily stop this and simultaneously lift the burden from thousands of other families across the north-east. Just go.....

Changing formation / tactics and different mix of players would be better than keeping the same set of losers in the same losing formation with the same loser tactics. He hasn't even once tried to play 2 up or attack with width in a 4-3-3. It really is as if he wants to lose every game I heard (I knew a few people behind the scenes) that Pardew was going with two up front at Stoke. That was on the Sunday. The sort of info I get on this is usually 99% bang on. Therefore, my only theory is that he deemed Cisse not fit enough to start or he bottled it. That makes it even more crazy - why could he not have brought Cisse on at 1-0 alongside Riviere to switch to 4-4-2 at half-time, or even, god forbid, dropped one of his blue chip players and played with Ayoze or Armstrong first half? The whole time he has been here he has shoe-horned his favourite 11 into a formation which doesn't work (Cisse/Ba, Sissoko out wide etc) instead of finding a system and slotting players in, even if that means dropping a big name for someone more suited to play the role in the system. The man's an incompetent charlatan.

Am happy stepping in or going on team D (as it looks like they are short of one, possibly more). Don't mind really - just happy to be involved. I'll stick you in team D pal Cheers!

Am happy stepping in or going on team D (as it looks like they are short of one, possibly more). Don't mind really - just happy to be involved.

Yeah - that's me I guess. I'll get onto booking a train.

I had to wait for a few things to fall into place, but I can now make this if there is still space on one of the teams? I would be coming up from London so would need to know pretty soonish to book a train etc. I used to share quite a few PMs with Jon on team news etc. so would really like to be involved if possible?

You can have mine for 249....anyone going to take it to 250?

Found the article and that bit in particular infuriating. All these years of mostly defensive work, and we've never looked a solid unit anyway. I don't know if it's true but am sure I once heard he trains defensively for four days a week, working on how to stop the opposition, before spending one on setting up and looking at ways to break them down. For what it's worth I think it worked and we did look a solid unit in the season we finished 5th. I think he lucked out with personnel as Cabaye arrived to partner Tiote and we knicked Ba from West Ham, before picking up Cisse in Jan. Not sure how much he had to do with those signings, but Colo and Steve Taylor were also impressive together until Taylor did his achilies. In fact, the back four was pretty much constant which helped. They would still be my preferred two as I don't rate Williamson and in that spell they proved how well they can play together. I've always hated this negativity from Pardew though, the 3-1 loss to Liverpool that year did my head in as Ba was so isolated, but we looked good when he got support. We were 2-0 down by then though as Pardew had worried too much about them before KO The signs were even there that season....

Agreed. But what I meant was we needed a 15 goal striker and a commanding centre-half with prem experience in the window to at least let him churn some results out of his 'defend and try to nick one' turgid football. He didn't get them so he's screwed....he will take this current group down if he's given long enough.

We've the wrong set of players for Pardew too.

Glad I jacked in my season ticket at the end of last year now. Nothing will change until Pardew and Ashley have gone. I actually think we'll go down with this squad under Pardew. It's worth at least mid-table in the hands of a competent manager though.

I don't know him but I know others at the club who work with him. Ultimately I'm happier it's him there than Llambias or Kinnear as he has a greater connection with the club and no historic connection with Ashley. He's always going to tow the party line in the press though.

Beat Pardew to it by a few hours

Personally, I think we'll see him back way before Xmas.

Completely agree. Should have done that anyway at Tiote's expense, regardless of the Cabaye stuff.

Think it will be this: Krul Debuchy Saylor Coloccini Yanga-Mbiwa Cabaye Tiote HBA Sissoko Gouffran Cisse Not sure if Krul or Elliott in goal but I'll go with Krul. Will more or less be 4-5-1 with Sissoko doing his best to support Cisse. That means little or no service and pretty much accepting a slow, painful defeat.

What a great exemple of intellectual dishonesty ! "According to the British historian Niall Ferguson, France has participated in 168 major European wars since 387 BC, out of which they have won 109, drawn 10 and lost 49: this makes France the most successful military power in European history - in terms of number of fought and won." Was it Digby Jones who said, "You can always rely on the French to be there when they need you...."?

5-1 wasn't it? Kevin Carr double save (like Almunia's) then Keegan header (which was a bit dodgy as he was leaning on the defender a bit)

Adam sent off....come on Spurs!

Unwell. Team as expected based on what I heard earlier. Only questions were whether he would consider Marveaux fit enough to start ahead of Jonas and whether it would be 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. Official site going 4-3-3 and if Jonas is going to play then for me that's probably preferable. Provided it is 4-3-3 and doesn't end up 4-5-1 anyway..... Santon didn't even travel.

It does. Wigan play Villa last match, both can;t catch us. Would love to see Spurs win today to keep the pressure on Arsenal to win on Tuesday too....then a draw may be enough.

Ive read this as well, but not sure if true. Will Santon replace him. http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/SPORT/Pix/pictures/2010/11/24/1290616081830/Mike-Williamson-007.jpg Have to hope it's not true I guess - where's this coming from? I've heard it too. Taylor unwell apparently - Williamson expected to come in. Probably be a back four of Debuchy, Colo, Williamson, MYM Looks like wide players will be HBA and Jonas, with Marveaux on the bench. Unless Marveaux has done enough in training to convince Pardew he can start. Suspect Pardew will go for Jonas though. Don't think Santon will be involved at all.