Lenny

He doesn't look overly happy to be wearing that shirt as a youngster in that video

Started watching Arrested Development again and can't help but see [a younger] Rafa in Buster

Lively, direct with questionable end product So Jonas, when he signed for us then

Been impressed with Grosicki on the limited occasions that I've seen him.

Ridiculous.

Brilliant that ending. Three Scots in the pub absolutely made it

Terrible effort from Gordon

Shit Terrible news.

Kroos looks like a young Josh Homme.

Question is: would he have us back? This is what defines a shitty person if you are a Newcastle fan. Well yes, it's shit for us that he left of course I would imagine he'd come back.

Good good; would like to hope he'll be the standard of squad player we're after.

Not really sure how a player, a few years stagnated but with international aspirations, choosing to chance playing for an un-preferential premier league team rather than a relegated one can be called a shitty person. As it turns out he's made the wrong decision, but he probably made the decision that was most likely to allow him to meet his aspirations. I'd have him back, no question.

Sanchez rightfully rolled his eyes at that, so lazy.

Probably stating the obvious, but if we aren't to sign a keeper then I'd still have him as our first choice heading into the new season. As Si has said, I'm confident Rafa could get the best out of him.

Amazing

Come on

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a8ufyj9UK58/UuFkj2qst0I/AAAAAAAAP6Q/KBzWBKe4s9Q/s1600/mr-burns-laughing.gif

I think Arsenal will go for someone like Koeman.

I've had longer periods of just wanting the job to be done than actively enjoying it, however there has been enjoyable times (after all, we are promoted). In the first half of the season we went on a couple of good runs and had some big wins, but in amongst that, and particularly since Christmas we've been bordering on a chore to watch and have made what's felt like overly hard work of things. A couple of weeks ago, I was worried that our players were just not good enough to carry out Rafa's seemingly principle strategy and was at risk of fucking things up. That strategy being extremely disciplined and tactically seeing out a[n often] narrow win. It is clear to me that we have a number of very average players in our first team, and when that is the case the margins of Rafa's game plan becomes apparently all the more narrow. I don't expect that his football will be quite as frankly tiresome at times, when he has a core of players capable of executing his gameplan. On the whole, for a team that's achieved promotion, the manner in which we've done it puts me right in the middle on a 2.5, however as a season in general in the life of a Newcastle fan... we've had a fantastic season and achieved our goal. In that respect it's a 5.

Dummett getting the fuck on the bud!

Last time we came up it was because we kept a core of premier league quality players; this time around it was because we kept a world class manager.

He is my favourite player by some distance.

My post was proper miserable there I'm obviously ecstatic and have enjoyed some memorable performances but our play long term never allowed me to feel totally confident we wouldn't make hard work of it.