AyeDubbleYoo

I thought it was a very odd signing by Hodgson, considering his pretty good dealings so far. I haven't got a clue how good Riise is, but slagging off your new teammates is best avoided I would have thought!

I read an analysis on the PL (think it was Finkinstein in the Times 3 or 4 years back) which claimed that 38 games, in context, wasn't a big enough sample size to adequately differentiate between the teams and that, therefore, the best team didn't always win the league. Can't remember the exact conditions he applied mind so it could have been bollocks. Statistically that's probably right, luck/random chance will play too big a part over such a short time. Although normally Man Utd win the league, and they are usually the best team!

We look good in the Championship because our weaknesses aren't so much of a problem. No pace? Doesn't matter, the game is slower. Give the ball away? No problem, so do the opposition, you rarely get punished. We don't have a bad midfield when they're all fit, but if we go up we will need to strenghten it and add some dynamism/pace for sure.

I never really bought into the fact that it would be more physical or tougher in any way. Maybe sometimes you will get a clogger that wants to kick lumps... but generally I would have thought that players used to the speed of the Premiership would find it far easier. They must think they have forever on the ball, the game is much slower. The physical challenge of the Premiership must be much greater I reckon.

No-win situation this one, really. I can see why the Heed players would be traumatised and not up to playing, but the opposition shouldn't be forced to travel and play again. Hopefully Gateshead can just give the three points to the opposition and not be docked additional points for refusing to play. Maybe common sense will prevail for once.

Nice try!

We lack anyone decent for the right wing though, Jonas has a questionable impact, Barton has rarely performed in the Prem and Smith looks horrible in that division. On paper our team wasn't bad enough to go down, we're at least as good as the likes of Blackburn and Bolton. Problem is the players never performed, for whatever reason.

I know frighteningly little about the other teams, I'm just starting to see them as lambs to the slaughter now... I'm not bothered who they are! A tad overconfident of course, but hopefully the players are feeling the same.

That is one of the things I've loved so far... not having to watch the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd whinging, diving and harassing the refs. Seems a bit more of an honest sort of football, the kind fans can relate to.

I'll be there, although my tickets haven't arrived yet. Have other peoples? Nope. Righto, no problem then, I'll just be patient.

Enjoying the fact that we will probably win most of our games, it's reinforcing my 'newcastle fan belief that we're special'. We really are too big a club to be in this division! The problems will come if we have to spend a couple of seasons down here, one is fine... but not more thanks.

I'll be there, although my tickets haven't arrived yet. Have other peoples?

A season eh, the local lads don't even get a day. Smith, Nolan, Taylor, Duff have all been branded s**** since the day they signed whereas no matter which mediocre foreigner we sign from a mediocre club they're class and have their own little fanclub. Taylor in particular has been given loads of slack I reckon. And none of the others are local lads.

You could argue he came in at the worst possible time and was never given a chance, but then again you could argue he gave up too easily. Whatever, we won't miss what we never had.

I argue it's good because I want divers to be punished and diving driven out of the game. Yes, I hope it is applied to everyone.

I'd like to think that Wenger would be telling Eduardo off in private, that would be something I suppose. I still think that managers need to start saying publicly that they don't want their players to dive. It's in nobodys interests, they must concede a couple of dodgy penalties for every one that they win. If they would 'lose the morale of the dressing room' by criticising divers, then the dressing room is full of the wrong type of player anyway.

Don't agree with that at all babatunde, maybe it is slightly out of proportion with other punishments, but maybe it is the start of a (well overdue) backlash against cheating. Managers and clubs need to start stopping their own players from diving, and punishing them when they do so. That would be a major step forward. You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Can't see that Chelsea have any chance with thhis appeal, except maybe on a legal technicality. It's beyond reason that after deciding to ban them FIFA will reconsider.

For me, it's the nickname potential... I've seen so many on this site alone!

Still don't really understand it tbh. Championship clubs have always signed players on short term loan deals, and we are not the only club who has said we will use it. Yeah, I don't really understand it either. Probably like most things in football, there are rules but you don't have to abide by them if you don't fancy it. The term 'emergency' is just their way of getting round the transfer window for lower league clubs. It doesn't have to be any special situation to sign a player on loan for 3 months. Which is what is said in that thread if you read it all. Consider me chastened.

they just said you were s**** dunney boy. He's decent, just not as good as Lescott or Toure.

Still don't really understand it tbh. Championship clubs have always signed players on short term loan deals, and we are not the only club who has said we will use it. Yeah, I don't really understand it either. Probably like most things in football, there are rules but you don't have to abide by them if you don't fancy it.

Can't see that anyone will be coming in on loan now - doubt we could convince anyone it was an 'emergency', could we? http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,64279.0.html

As pilko said, the ability to get the odd good tackle and pass a simple ball and head is more than enough. It's sad to see such a gulf in class between the two top tiers but it's true. So true, I never really had much time for the 'gulf' argument before this season, but it's definitely real. Makes the fact the clubs like Hull and Stoke manage to stay up even more impressive. To be fair, it might be a gulf between the top half of the prem and the rest - even the top tier is full of poor teams at the moment... Hull, Stoke, Bolton, Wolves, Wigan, Blackburn, Burnley - the list goes on.