AyeDubbleYoo

Couldn't agree more. He generally looks lost when he's asked to play wide and it's not hard to see why, he's physically not built for it. Same goes for Barton, but similarly he's been asked to play wide far too many games in a Newcastle shirt, usually to accomodate Butt, Smith or Nolan in the centre. Thirded, he can't impose himself on the game out wide, he doesn't have the physical strength or the pace. Down the middle he's better than any of our other midfielders.

Very disappointed with the FLS this weekend. I thought we would have proper extended highlights, but they rushed through the goals really wuickly and that was it.

Relegation was looking a distinct possibility under the last regime as well, to be fair. I don't give him much credit overall, but if he's made massive mistakes then he is making very small steps towards putting them right... that's all.

Those are all decent arguments, not the sure the idea of reviewing the decision while play continues is feasible though. So would you review other decisions... handballs, dives, fouls etc? I guess that could be done just as easily, and the video ref could stop the game at any time. If anything has happened in the meantime (a goal, a booking etc) then it could just be disregarded?

Surely if it was only for this season he would deserve much higher than a 4? We're top of the league and we've made some good signings.

I'd say about a 4 overall. His intentions when he bought the club were alright I think, he was just naive about staying up without spending anything, and being a friend of the fans. We are headed back to the premiership now, time will tell if we can survive this time. Whether this is by accident or design I don't know, but he has to be given some credit for the end result anyway. Almost every other decision, he's got wrong.

No I wouldn't, that's why I'm against video replays. I would rather everyone sucked it up and got on with the game. There are a lot of game-changing decisions, why only refer goal line calls to video?

The beeping thing is harder to argue against, if it's accurate.

So why don't you like that particular piece of technology? A few reasons... I'm not expecting anyone to agree with me though. One, I think there's no problem to be solved. Goals been wrongly given or not given happens so rarely that it isn't worth taking the first step towards more video technology by introducing this. It will inevitably lead to requests further down the line for video for all sorts of other incidents. I would rather just put a stop to it now. Second, when does the decision get referred? What if the ball hits the bar, bounces down over the line and out. The goal isn't given, the other team go down the opposite end and score. Do we wait until the stoppage in play, rule out anything that happened in the meantime and award the original goal? Or is it the referees decision to refer something? What if the incident above happens, but this time the ball comes out to an attacking player. Before he can put the rebound in the ref stops the game to consult the TV official. Then the original shot turns out not to have gone in, what happens then? Also, there are a lot of decisions where even viewing the replay doesn't answer the question. I know I spend a lot of my time shouting at the TV because I totally disagree with a pundit over a foul/dive or whatever. What you'd be doing is taking the responsibility away from the referee and put it onto the video officials. Basically, I just think the football is a sport where the game should flow as much as possible, and it doesn't have as many natural stoppages. Also, I think people just need to accept that referees are human and respect their decisions. If the referee doesn't give a goal, it isn't a goal... should be as simple as that IMO. Not sure if any of those are convincing, but they're my first thoughts.

Didn't think I needed to specify that I was talking about video technology, as that's what this thread is about.

I'd much rather not have technology in football, pleased with this.

Fully expected us to just sit back and grind out a result after the pen, so very surprised and pleased with this result. Can't wait for the highlights tonight.

And in is prime Beckham was a real hard worker and a good captain as well. I probably don't think he's the 'best' player in this thread, but I enjoy watching Beckham more than any of the others (close with Lampard).

Beckham is as gifted as any of them, just in a different way.

Think it's a tiny bit sad that we've still got a thread about Michael Owen, mocking him for getting injured.

Really hope we don't get the Pumas on the shoulders like Egypt have, looks terrible.

Been saying for ages that Crouch is clearly more useful and dangerous than Heskey. I would definitely start with Crouch and Rooney if I was picking the team.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/02/italy-football-coach-god-blasphemy OK, this is mental.

I think it's muscles.

Would be madness to remove the offside rule - people just need to suck it up and accept that sometimes linesmen make mistakes. We could help them out by simplfying the rule so that a touch on the ball is required for offside, or alternatively that everyone in an offside position counts. It's the 'intefering with play' thing that's got everyone up in arms.

I doubt the actual medal means that much if you've barely done anything to earn it though. I'd like to think that anyway.

Yep, very important for us to get out of it this season. Critical for our medium-term future.

Overall we probably are good for the Championship, it seems to be talked about more now we're in it. Obviously it's impossible to judge properly - people will onbviously talk to Newcastle fans about the games Newcastle are playing. We're a club with a recent history of being pretty big compared to our fellow Champ clubs, so no surprise their attendences go up when we visit. I just want to be out of the Championship as soon as possible thanks.

runs up the same road to Junction 11 I think - don't hang around the station for too long........................ A mate that works near there says they're putting in a new station near the ground in the next year ...... Yeah, I heard that was planned but I'm not sure about the timings. There is a lot of new housing up there as well, awful location mind. I'm considering driving from London, not sure if that's insane.

What did you expect? Standard Watford crowd. You were 'ok', really good at times, but silent for ages, but then that match hardly provided much to shout about for anyone (other than anyone shouting AT the officials). Nah, fair points. I didn't know what to expect, I'd never been to Watford or seen you play at home. I know what you mean about the Newcastle fans though, we were quiet at times but that was mainly because the game was sorted out quite easily without that much to shout about. Also, I was getting fucking soaked in the second row of your stone age ground.