Chris_R

is that 6 for 6-0? Or if you read into it more...... 1-5? The Birmingham fiasco? Well I think he might struggle to put 6 fingers from one hand up. I dunno, most of the Middlesbrough youth team can manage it.

Good news indeed. Hitzfeld doesn't exactly meet the requirements for all-out attack though, his sides are quite pragmatic in their approach. Van Gaal could well be an option though. Normally plays some decent stuff.

What more could anyone possibly want him to say? Makes me excited about the future, even though I'm pretty heartbroken about the present.

SBR so right as always. Every time he opens his mouth, whatever comes out is worth listening to.

Given: 3 Carr: 2 Taylor: 4 Cacapa: 2 Enrique: 5 (Best defender we had today, but still not great) Milner: 4 Smith: 1 (For turning up) Butt: 2 N'Zogbia: 6 (Threatened when he went forward. No support though) Duff: 4 Owen: 3 (Though completely starved of service) Subs: Viduka: 3 Rozehnal: 2 And I'm probably being kind with all of them.

That's remarkably FM-like. Nah, if it was FM we'd have won 1-0.

Yeah, you're right. We deserved at least a point....

No. We. Didn't. Rooney could have had 4 in the opening 15 mins, never mind the rest of their team. We offered nothing going forward, and the player who touched the ball most in the first half was Shay Given as he spotted up goal kick after goal kick following wayward Man U shooting. If that's us looking OK, I'd hate to see us looking bad.

That's scary. Very scary. I've never been convinced that we're out of the relegation scrap, stats like that just prove it. I'm really interested to see what happens over the next couple of weeks and to see who comes in through the doors at Newcastle, both managerially and with regards to the playing staff.

We were an utter shambles second half, and Man Utd were fantastic. I think Ferguson will have told them at half-time that we're offering nothing going forward so they can throw bodies at us and take chances. The outcome speaks for itself. We need to be more of an attacking threat. Butt and Smith in midfield simply doesn't work, never has worked and never will work. We need a quality attacking midfielder brought in this month (Emre is attacking, but lacks the quality) to play alongside someone more defensive. Only then will we be able to threaten teams, at the moment we're so predictable that they can afford to attack us and throw bodies forward and they know that we've got nothing in reply other than a long ball forward to all 5'8" of Michael Owen.

That. Word for word. It's also a desperate message to whoever they approach next that they AREN'T second choice, that indeed they planned to speak to them all along - they were just speaking to Harry first. All bollox really, but after handling it the way they have then what choice did they have? Should have handled it better in the first place, of course. I think this'll be quite a learning experience for Mort and Ashley. there is no time for a learning period we are in a mess and with their targets we will not get out of it Whether you think there's time for a learning period or not, they're in one so you'd better get used to it. This is a new business for both of them and it will take time for them to adapt. Personally, I'm quite prepared to cut them some slack, especially given all that they've done for the club since they took over. Everything they've done up until sacking Sam has been handled excellently and they've saved the club from god-knows-what that would have happened with the debt mountain that Fat Fred had mounted up. Everyone needs to calm down a little and give them some time to see what they can do. This season's already a write-off so there's no hurry to even get an appointment before the end of the transfer window. If we end up with MacLaren, I'll be the first to get annoyed. But at the moment we haven't so there's no need to worry yet.

He's posting that so often I'm starting to think Keith Armstrong is his dad.

That. Word for word. It's also a desperate message to whoever they approach next that they AREN'T second choice, that indeed they planned to speak to them all along - they were just speaking to Harry first. All bollox really, but after handling it the way they have then what choice did they have? Should have handled it better in the first place, of course. I think this'll be quite a learning experience for Mort and Ashley.

That's a big worry. Can't see any of the A-list lot like Lippi or Mourinho etc taking us on now. (Not that I'm claiming Mourinho would have come anyway mind... I just think it's even more unlikely now.) Hughes or Jol probably the best of the available, realistic candidates. Though Hughes has ruled himself out, so that leaves Jol. Anyone else would be a total shambles.

At least on a positive note it looks like it means anal was talking rubbish about someone calling him for mort's number!

Problem is, who on earth can we get now? Anyone we approach will know they are at best second choice so i certainly think you can rule any of the big names out. It shows getting rid of sam was done without sounding out a replacement too.

Half? 9/10 more like. Especially Souness and Roeder.

Such a let down. With a billionaire chairman, this was our chance to get someone really first-rate. Seems we've blown it.

Exactly. Canny bloke as well, not an utter c*** like Arry. Yep, I'd take Jol over Redknapp any day. As far as I understand it the bad transfer decisions were not Jol's fault.

If it's Redknapp, then the best word I can think of to sum up my feelings would be "Underwhelmed". No better than Allardyce, but at least the football will be better to watch.

A bloke I work with looks scarily similar to Jose Mourinho. I might see if he fancies going on a walkabout round Newcastle and up the steps of St James' Park at the Milburn stand - See if he can spark some mass hysteria from any gathered mongs. The cunning ploy will be blown though if he opens his mouth and his heavy Geordie accent comes flowing out.

On why Jose won't come here: Are you saying making Newcastle into a top side isn't a big job? That said, I can't imagine for one moment that he'll end up as our manager.

Perhaps Hughes or Redknapp will play a more entertaining style of football, but otherwise I'd agree 100%. Especially with the "Completely underwhelmed" bit. I went from thinking "Hmm, this could be interesting. I wonder if they've got someone fantastic lined up?" to thinking "Ah, FFS, not again."

Let's hope they get knocked back then.

Can't see it being McCLaren. Surely nobody's stupid enough to appoint him any time soon?