afar

Of the games that really matter to us my predictions are: Hull draw with Stoke and dirty mackems lose to Bolton.

I don't often do this, but I do think we'll win this one. Not by much and it'll be hard work. 1-0, I think with the goal coming from an unlikely source (which at this moment in time is anyone in the squad). I have the feeling that we will live to fight another day after the weekend.

This weekend could very well be the weekend that seals our fate. As you say if Sunderalnad and Hull win, then it looks very difficult for us, if that's coupled with a failure to pick up 3 pts against Boro then we are effectively down, lets hope than scenario does not pan out.

That last line is spot on Dave. Something people will have to come to terms with. If we do stay up, don't expect a clear out to the degree people hope for, it's just not going to be that easy.

I saw a bit of boro's game with manure at the weekend, one player that has me a little worried is surprisingly Alves. I know he's been a bit of a disaster for them but when he came on, he seemed to cause problems for the Manure defence, he is just the sort of player that we are adept at letting score against us. Southgate is also talking a good game, obviously that means nothing as I'm sure he's been doing that all season but their results have been pathetic. I'm more worried about this one than I was a few weeks back. Our midfield needs to create and our strikers need to finish. An early goal for us would calm all the nerves and I'm sure we would go on and win it, as boro's confidence is just as fragile as ours.

Looking at the remaining games outside of our own games there are three games that are crucial for us: Hull's home game with Stoke, if Hull win that we will have our work cut out to catch them. Boro's home game against Villa, I can really see them winning that one and if they avoid defeat against us, they could still save themselves. The mackems away game to pompey, pompey's mentality will be key, I have a feeling they will be in cruise control by the time that one comes around and a Mackem win probably gets them safe. We are getting to the point where we are close to mathematically being down. Sunderland and Hull win this weekend and we lose, and Hull will need just one more point to send us down. If the players don't realise now that they need to fight for their premiership lives then they truely are a lost cause.

Yet another incident in an incident filled season. When will it all stop ? This could be exactly what we don't need right now or exactly what we do, depending on how the rest of the players react. If what is being reported is true, and I'm not totally convinced, then Barton is way out of line and it's time to cut the cancer out of the club. I've been prepared to give him a second chance simply because he's our best midfielder, but if he's going on like this then his mere presence at the club is causing more problems than it's worth.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with the performances and expected better since Shearer took on the reins. However I'm not prepared to write him off as a manager just yet as the situation he inherited and the playing staff would have the best managers in the world scratching their heads looking for a solution. On the subject of Shearer long term, I thought a comment I heard from his post match interview on the beeb was interesting. When asked about Barton's future with the club, he said "That would be wrong for me to discuss NOW. But I'm not very happy". This is encouraging IMO, as this does not sound like a quote from a manager who will not have to worry about the long term future of the playing staff. He could easily have shrugged this tricky question off with a statement of the fact that he's only here till the end of the season. This and a few other bits and bobs have me a little more confident that JFK will not be reassuming the reins and Shearer is going to take on the job full time.

It's a funny old situation and not ideal. Villa are in awful form and desperately need a win today. Obviously we all hope they get it. However if they do, it may give them the confidence boost they need to close out their season in style and grab 5th place, since we play them last game of the season, that may not be good for us.

My view has changed slightly, I now think Sunderland our are best shot at survival, I have a feeling Hull will beat Stoke (who look like they are already on the beach) next week and that will make it hard for us to catch them. Sunderland looked woeful yesterday and it's entirely possible they could end up losing all 3 of there last games. We would somehow have to get 4 pts and also overhaul their superior GD. I'm still at 10 Watch out for WBA though, they've got 2 very winnable games left against teams that appear to be to board their planes to Benedorm, Wigan at home and Blackburn away. I would not be surprised if we have a disasterous end to the season for the North East with all 3 teams going down.

I was very critical of his motives in the summer when others were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Conversely though I was not prepared to hang the man after the KK debacle and subsequent stupidity. I did believe that perhaps he's learned a little from the episode and may eventually see that you need to throw the dice sometimes to win the game. However the the permenant contract offer to JFK, the profit in the Jan transfer window and the faith he put in Hughton have dwindled any lingering faith I had in the man. He's just been a complete disaster for NUFC.

Cme on everton 4 more would be nice, eat into their GD advantage over us

That's got 0-0 written all over it. That'll put the mackems 5 points ahead of us with a better GD, we'll need to win 2 out of 3 to overtake them, even if they get no more points this season.

Absolute shambles, is too big a compliment for our lads today.

This scoreline still flatters us.

Awful, 3 of them could have headed that in.

Barton would have been so crucial to us in those two home games, it's disasterous for us really.

You're kidding right ?? No, it was not a red card. Yellow card, yes. Red card, no. I've seen worse tackles get no card all season. Put the pipe down man.

You're kidding right ??

Clear Red card, can have no complaints, gonna be crucial suspension now

Fuck

I wonder what was written on that paper Haughton just showed Owen: "Please don't be shit today Michael, thanks the management. " ??

Owen and Carrol for martins and viduka probably ?

2-0 flatters us atm

15 goal attempts to 1, I wonder why we are in a relegation fight ??