Tsunami

The commentary team didn't notice the deliberate ankle clip on Colback, it was very naughty.

Villa are awful but us going gung ho is asking for trouble. If we change a winning team/ formation and don't score early it will become a very nervy game and we'd have less impact from the bench. If either Mitrovic or Perez got booked (both of them do pick up cards) early on they'd be walking a tight rope. We have to remain compact and guard against the counter attack. We also have to give ourselves as many options to win the game as possible. I think it's a perfect game for Perez and Mitrovic to come on at around the 60 minute mark. I really can't think of good reason to change, it's a huge game, let's keep doing what has worked. I'd love for us to get a dominating defensive midfielder so we can dispose of both Colback and Anita and allow Gini and Sissoko to play in front and De Jong behind Perez & Mitrovic/ Cisse but we're not there yet.

De Jong did quite well and Cisse covered a lot of ground. If McClaren has anything about him he'll be able to build on the last 2 results and keep all of the players happy. Changing a winning team isn't a good start. I really do think that both benefited from coming from the bench. Mitrovic especially is struggling to last 90 minutes.

I'd be inclined to leave the starting 11 alone. Both Mitrovic and Perez benefitted from coming on against tiring players.

Worked his socks off, which when said of Colback is usually responded with loads of so what's. He did a job today, his first touch was disappointing at times and he does appear to lose concentration. He worked harder than Colback today. Would love us to get a proper player in that role.

It used to be the Intercontinental Cup, English clubs have never took it seriously and it was like an Exhibition match for them especially in the early 80's when English teams regularly won the European Cup (when it was only the League winners who played in the competition) and would jog about in some far flung place where a South American team would try and kick them off the park. It barely made the news and wasn't shown on tv. They take it a bit more seriously now (not much though) if only to say they've at least won it once. It's seen a bit like the Super Cup or our Pre season Charity Shield - not a real cup.

Santa spotted at Sunderland

Still got my Sombrero up in the loft. Can't believe we managed to go the whole day without knowing it had been postponed until we got to the ground only to find nobody else was there. That's what drinking does for you.

It's down to Charnley to do the financial side of the deals Carr has the say who to go for. Carr could have said if we can't get another CB in because Charnley couldn't agree a deal that we'd save that money for another go in January but we signed Thauvin. Who benefited from that?

We go round in circles with Carr and the 'failed' transfers and no one, either those who blame him or those who don't, really know the full extent of what goes on and just how highly he rates the players we end up buying. Nor, I suppose, how heavily weighted the 'potential' factor is these days, I suspect very personally. I'm inclined to believe a lot of the issues will lie at Charnley's door because he seems like he's incapable of reconciling the reality of what's going on on the pitch with his balance sheets. Sticking with Pardew and Carver prove this beyond doubt. Also it wasn't Carr who extended Colo's contract, supposedly against the wishes of the head coach who asked for an upgrade at CB, for example. I'm told that Carr has more influence than Charnley, Colo's contract was extended due to inability to bring in another CB. I've no doubt that McClaren would love to bring his own players in but that's not the case. You have to wonder what Agents do with all the money they receive from a transfer and where it all ends up. You have Agents agitating for moves where their own player doesn't want to move and where clubs don't actually need the player. Yet these transfers still happen.

Carr pretty much has the final say on who to go for, they have a bloke called Steve Nickson who is supposedly very good at identifying talent (Perez for example) however, it is Carr who is the go/ no go bloke. Carr has been a manager and a scout for a long long time; you therefore have to seriously question some of our summer transfers, especially the Thauvin deal. We know the model but the model also has to fit the team needs. Carr needs to get more criticism and you would be forgiven for asking what's in it for him.

Been told we've agreed a fee for Townsend who'll be off in January but if a London club comes in he'd rather stay down there. I guess it's easy enough to agree a fee. I'm not sure why we believe that's where we need to strengthen but it does suggest that Thauvin's days are probably numbered.

That's why I didn't include Ben Arfa when I said that. Cabella and Thauvin seem far more fragile and Ben Arfa did muscle up as well.

Lads who were at the Toulouse said he was anonymous (they were down to 10 men fairly early) but also said that the football was almost non contact which may explain why Cabella and Thauvin seemingly find it hard when they come over here. They don't get kicked in France or if they do the referees are very protective.

We've won 3 and 2 of them have been relegation rivals. We have no bias about who we are s*** against. We've also lost on t.v against a few teams too. Arsenal and West Ham come to mind. Just a myth on both counts. We are just s****. It's no myth, we are s**** because for a large part we don't put the necessary effort in. Forget results, look at the level of performance against "top" teams compared to run of the mill teams. The players get themselves up for the big teams and have been at around 80% for others - that gets you beat on most occasions. McClaren has no influence over the level of performance.

Happened again today, up against a top side on the TV and we put 100% effort (I don't credit McClaren for this), play against the bread and butter teams and we play at 80% to 90% and struggle.

Offside

Get that twat off my tv

Arnautovic is a miserable edgy git. He was posturing all over the pitch up here when we played them.

Some naughty challenges going on Pools players here.

Odd nobody's mentioned that BBC have, iirc the Man U players sold 50% to him. You be forgiven for asking questions as a Valencia fan.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm253/nufcstu/153A965D-2D48-4FDD-801A-14D07280710C_zpsvwmrvu0h.png http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm253/nufcstu/5A08DBA2-0207-436D-8FD0-C9DBBE9DF4A6_zpsjpysjwn1.jpg

Perhaps Neville will loan Salford City some young players. I'll be surprised if he's there next season, he'll be such an easy target if anything goes wrong.

If Sanchez became manager surely any credibility the club has would be lost and the media would have a field day; its up there with Kinnear, who may well get a gig helping him. Hell, bring back Wise as well. Sanchez was sacked by Fulham just before Christmas in 2007 after we'd won 1-0 at their place with a last minute penalty, having won only two games up to that point. Roy Hodgson kept them up winning 4 or their last 5 games. Part of me would find it painfully funny if it were to happen.

Fantastic