AyeDubbleYoo

Very suprised that 68% would forgive, after some of the stick us Ashley lovers have taken on here. Encouraging though, maybe our fans aren't beyond help after all!

Did he dive for the pen last night?

Second half was awful but understandable, even though the performance was bad I think the team will take a lot of confidence away from this one, and now we have Barton back in the dressing room nobody will be left in any doubt as to what's expected. Just ecstatic to have a win, and I'm sure the players will feel the same. Yes, they made it hard work for themselves, but they got the job done in the end. And Kinnear isn't the only manager to make inexplicable substitutions - it's normal that Martins gets sacrificied even though he's our only outlet!

Jonas for captain?

That's definitely true, I still think we're quite conservative in that if things go wrong we go for the safe option. The days of appointing a relative unknown in the style of Christian Gross or whoever are definitely over. Look at Spurs now, I don't think you can say that Redknapp is objectively a 'better manager' then Ramos, but he's a 'solid' appointment. And the recent flak for the DoF system will add to this effect, if the media trend continues we might see more clubs going for a traditional manager who does it all. What that will mean for acadmies, scouting and our chances in Europe I don't know. All of the above applies only to clubs outside the top 4 I suppose, as the top 4 will continue to be in a universe of their own.

And to be totally honest, our defence hasn't been too bad. When you've got such an incapable midfield you're going to concede goals. Invites far too much pressure on the defence and they just can't deal with it. Too true, we just can't continue with such a pedestrian midefield. Hopefully the return of Jonas and Barton will help with that.

Interesting point Dave, I hadn't realised there were so few. One thing though, out of those four managers, three are in control of the three best clubs in the country. Don't know if that means anything.

If this happens without us being relegated I would employ him just for that.

This thread could equally be called 'Kevin Keegan I Hope You're Happy'.

I'm not sure, I instinctively want to get away from the idea that the fans will only accept Geordies and ex-players as manager, narrows our options a lot and makes us look idiotic. Saying that, if we don't have any other decent options then give him a try.

Agree with that. If we could put out that team consistently we would have no problems with relegation. I might be tempted to go with Geremi over Duff, but that's all.

True, there are a lot of teams that are as good as each other... hopefully we'll scrape together enough points. I think we'll be alright now we have some players back.

I was thinking of that actually, I was listening to that in the car and I can still remember everything about the moment - where I was on the road, the streetlights, the feeling of horrendous pain Funny what moments like that can do.

I cried when Southgate missed his penalty in '96, though I was only a youngster. Toon moments, various points in losing the 12 point lead. The latest Keegan walkout and the inevitable implosion ranks quite high as well, it's like I could see that we were making things 10 times worse and I was shouting 'Don't do it everyone!' from the otherside of a soundproof screen! Very frustrating...

Weren't we all talking about how things were improving before we just lost to a set piece goal at Sunderland?

Too early to pick any really, the worrying thing for us is that people like Hull who we would have expected to prop us up have done quite well. Just hope to God we survive.

True, he still has the smile and the glint in the eye though, young at heart. Let's hope we can give him a derby victory to celebrate.

If it wasn't a banning offence to ask for someone else to banned...

Well he was always going to stay until the club was sold, so no news in this really.

To wear the black and white to a game is a beautiful thing, not embarassing in the least. Wearing in round the Metrocentre is a different matter however...

I really hope he turns things around this time, maybe prison was the one thing that would set him right. But I won't be holding my breath, I've seen plenty of interviews with him in the past where he comes across as intelligent, articulate and then goes on to do something stupid again soon after.

Colours - yes. Explosives - nah.

That's what I was about to post, think the same. I believe the system can work if the personnel are right for it.

That would be a very good move for him, top quality football but less physical and fast paced than the premiership. Wonder if he wishes he had never gone to America now?

I suppose the difference with Zog is that we can see he was royally fucked over when he was at the top of his game, inexplicably replaced just because big name Damien Duff was available for a 'bargain' price. He should still pull his finger out and do something I agree, but it can't have been easy for him either.