Taylor Swift

What the fuck are you on about man? Is '10% of a good performance' even a term that can be understood by normal human beings? And no, Owen should not get into the team as soon as he's fit because he fucks up Allardyce's thinking re: formation and system.

That Andy emoticon is getting more and more annoying every time I see it This game has one of those 1-0 flukey shite/magical goal feel to it, just hoping we're the lucky ones.

We've started well. Quick incisive passing and putting them under lots of pressure. We should really get a goal before they have a chance to wake up.

Our fans sound awesome and up for it, yet again

Stupid Warnock gave the ball away. There was no rush there, just had to control it for a bit and then whack it up.. but no, wanted to launch a counter-attack but ended up giving the ball away to Valencia (I think). Great cross and Bent just had to be there to score.

Bent 4-3 You jinxed it, riches.

Santa Cruz scores his and Blackburn's third then celebrates by putting on a Santa Clause hat. Noice.

Santa Cruz with another. Typical poacher's goal that. Game on.

Berbatov just a bit too slow to react. Nearly 1-0 Spurs.

Bianchi 1-0. Why isn't he starting more games?

'Ginger Mourinho' - Bolton fans singing about Megson

It has to be the academy. Just imagine people saying 10-15 years from now 'this brilliant footballer came out of the Bobby Robson academy...' - how proud would he be to hear that from wherever he is.

Owen saved us from relegation? 7 goals saved us from relegation?

£6m is a fuck load of money for someone who has zero experience of managing international teams. I haven't really followed his managerial career but hasn't he always managed amazing teams filled with talent? Real Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus immediately jump out. My point is, although he's good at creating winning teams (though very defensive ones at that), he's always had time to implement his schemes and was able to control the way the team plays, however, in international football, he's not going to have a whole two months to drill one of the center mids to hang back, tackle in zone a, press in zone b etc. etc. He's gonna have 10-14 days before big tournaments and 5 days before qualifying games to do all of that. Can he do it?

I hate to sound like NE5 here but if we were successful under the former regime then it wouldn't really be papering over the cracks - there wouldn't have been any cracks. If we'd got Champions League football in the year prior to SBR's sacking or if he'd had stayed and got us back into the top 4, our wage-turnover ratio would have been better, attendances would have continued to remain at the 99% thingy and of course most importantly, we would have been able to attract the best players in the world and would have been able to afford them. The success would have been sustainable because we were set up for it. We were a big spending, stadium-filling entertaining team; the only thing lacking was the geniune tangible success. There weren't any cracks until SBR left, Souness came and spunked £50m on a load of shite. That's why Ashley has had to pay off something like £30m in debt and that's why we've spent the Northern Rock money as well. Shepherd fucked up by hiring Souness but Souness was the one who set us back by 3-5 years.

Too many ifs and buts about the signings. In the end he was a great manager and one who will be remembered fondly in Newcastle as well as the whole of England and many parts of Europe.

Laursen's quality. He's been quality since his Milan days but injury has really derailed his career for the past couple of seasons. But now that's he back on the pitch again, it's obvious he hasn't lost any of the quality I remember seeing in the 2002 WC. Terry's also quite overrated to be fair, he lacks pace and hasn't been as commanding as he was a couple of seasons ago. Joe Cole's also been shite for the past season or two, so I don't see how you could put him in the team. Seems that it's a team based on reputation; this applies to the other Cole as well - shite and overrated are terms that he's personified since his move from Arsenal.

Gerrard's suddenly found his shooting boots again. Torres is only going to get better, considering it's only his first time in the Champions League (?). Anyway, they're much better than they were when they won it, much better than they were last season when they reached the finals as well. Torres is the one player they needed but didn't have last season, so they've got a pretty good chance to win it imo. I'd actually say that at this point of time, they're one of the favourites (along with Manure and Real).

I'd like to think that as well. But the signs aren't that good unless it is a smokescreen. He could have said what you just said ie "If quality becomes available we will look at it seriously"...Or words to that effect. But he doesn't he almost says the opposite ie looking primarily at young players. I also hope to god SA isn't looking at yet more defensive players. The thing is Dave the quicker we get into Euro the easier it will be to attract quality and faster the momentum will build. Long term development is all well and good.....But our competitiors are doing that anyway. This isn't a dig at Mort at all, I like him and he is a winner. But sometimes I look at him and would llke to put a rocket up his arse. Your rocket, eh?

Martins is currently way more valuable than Owen is given the way the formation we play, the players available to Sam and his general fitness/ability to stay fit for a long time. Owen has the potential to be really valuable, but it's going to take time because we need new players and Sam needs to change his approach. That isn't gonna happen any time soon. Owen also needs better wing play, more movement from his teammates and probably a creative midfielder to thread him those balls. Of course, it'd also be nice for Viduka to be able to remain fit for more than 2 weeks at a time so he has a partner who can hold up the ball really well. Those are the things that Owen currently needs to be able to become fully effective. On the other hand, Martins doesn't need any of that. Of course, he has many weaknesses but at this moment of time, he's our best bet for a goal because he can literally create one from nowhere. Also, he offers us pace, something sorely lackin from the team atm, and something that he'll make defences such as Fulham's and Derby's pay for. Any more tinkering and fitting the formation around Owen will result in the disjointed performances you saw against Reading, Sunderland etc. With Martins, Sam can stick to what he knows best and it seems it's working.

They don't need to win in the CL because they've already qualified. Titles and trophies aren't won and lost at this time of the year anyway, so a hiccup or two for Arsenal won't mean much atm.

Team news? Will be out for this one, last minute shopping. Flight's in 6 hours. Howay the lads!

No, because it will now be a union of clubs, the first of its kind. It'll give football clubs a better chance of being a part of discussions about changes that can be made to the game because there'll be one and only one voice representing them all. It's not representing them all though is it? What gives Manchester Utd any more right to demand how the game is run than Hartlepool Utd? They're both professional clubs operating in the same league system, they should be on a level playing field. But, eventually, it will give clubs such as Hartlepool a say in things. Do you not think that it is better that the membership has been increased? And not all 77 teams will be 'rich'. I can think of maybe about 7 teams in Premiership who are rich, maybe one or two in the Serie A, 3 or 4 in La Liga and then 2 (maybe) in the Bundesliga. That's about 20 or so teams who you could say are rich. The other 50 or so will be smaller teams. This is a good thing. At least it's a step in the right direction. And if we're a part of this, I'm happy.

No, because it will now be a union of clubs, the first of its kind. It'll give football clubs a better chance of being a part of discussions about changes that can be made to the game because there'll be one and only one voice representing them all.

That is a retardedly high expectation for the game. If that's the bar that's been set for the players, then we're fucked, and deservedly so. If we have to score in the first 10 mins and then another one before the half-hour mark just to get the whole crowd behind us, well, we (the fans) deserve every shit performance the players put in.