durhamunigeordie

Dunno but we will appeal imo, even if it is just to delay the inevitable, going off Suarez we'd have two weeks from the decision, means he's available till Tiote is back. Good I'm going to the blackburn game, we can't afford to miss him for that one. Not 100% sure but think it is a quicker turnaround than that in these cases. Think Balotelli had until Wednesday night to appeal for his stamp last Sunday. In that case I think if he were charged and we appealed he could probably be available for Blackburn, but would then miss Villa, Spurs and Wolves. If it was deemed a frivolous appeal then the ban could even be extended to 4 games so he would miss the mackems. It is all hypothetical as he hasn't been charged (yet?), but I think I would rather he missed Blackburn away than Wolves and the mackems at home.

Maybe we as fans can raise the cash to buy him in the summer? Ashley would probably accept 500k, if not less for him, given his age and how he has deteriorated. Could be proper old school - Blue Peter-esque bring and buy sales throughout the North-East to raise the cash. We could then give him to some non-league club. Only real flaw that I can see in the plan is his wages.

"Pardew was steaming"

I am not an Obertan fan at all but I would have brought him on before Ryan Taylor today. On a side note I watched the game in a pub with some sort of foreign sky. At half time Tim Sherwood described Santon as the worst left-back he has ever seen. Shows how clueless some of these pundits really are.

Totally agree. It is actually ridiculous how little composure Simpson has on the ball. Would much rather see Santon at RB and Ferguson at LB. Never going to happen though unfortunately.

I can understand why he brought Gosling on as he seems to be the kind of player that will get into the box and try to feed on scraps, but as soon as he took Ben Arfa off and brought Ryan Taylor on we had no threat down the right. If you are going to bring Raylor on to whip a few in just bring him on at right back. Seems to me to have his favourites. For some reason these include Shola, Simpson and Raylor who for me are the three weakest players in our first team squad.

I hope he refuses to sign a new deal and we ship him out because he simply isn't good enough.

Had a decent game.

Think he was lashing out anyway. Not sure if he could have known whether or not a foul had been given, he clearly just saw a bit of red mist. Needs to cut that kind of shit out as we cannot afford for him to get a ban. We are a decent side when everyone is available, but as soon as we miss one or two we really struggle because we have piss poor back up players.

I hate him so much right now.

I think you've pretty much explained the argument against them starting. 3 games in 8 days which will turn into 5 of 15 if they play against both Blackburn and Villa. I take your point, but the lads who played at Fulham and who will play against Brighton, Blackburn and Villa will have had 4 in 15. Some would argue that the games that the lads over here are playing are of a higher intensity than the ones over there. Someone like Gutierrez for example is likely to play the 90 minutes in each of our 4 games if fit. Neither Ba nor Cisse has played the full 180 minutes yet and there is every chance that at least one of them won't play the full 90 on Sunday, in a game that for Senegal is a dead rubber anyway. I agree that the best we can probably hope for is that they are on the bench on Wednesday night, but to dismiss them being available because of their schedule doesn't quite take into account the full picture. In Cisse's case in particular it is very likely that he will play less minutes across the 5 games than a fair few of the lads that didn't go away will in 4. Of course there are other factors to take into account, but they are professional footballers. They won't exactly have been slumming it over there, they will travel first class and they have probably not been training particularly intensively between games over there. If they are back in the country Monday and we need them then there is no reason why they should not be considered for Wednesday night's game - whether AP picks them or not is entirely different.

Just listened to the Football Ramble. They suggest that there could be a clause in his contract saying that if City win the league Tevez's wages double - amazing if true!

I agree that they will probably struggle for Blackburn. But might be ok?! The villa game isn't until Sunday - they have a week to recover.

I'm serious. Quite a large part of the forum died tonight. Such a pity.

Get in!!!

Wiki says that he played at right-back for Watford the last time they were in the prem. I know young CBs often have to play at fullback at the start of their careers, but he could also provide cover/competition for Simpson.

I agree. I know people will be annoyed, but looking at the premiership fixtures that weekend it was always likely that this game would be changed for TV.

Annoying that Arsenal wasn't moved to the sunday as then I could have gone up and down in a day, but being a student it doesn't really matter and the trains I just booked were pretty cheap.

Not necessarily - Perch is currently the next in line to play centre back and so if this Mariappa is no better than him then it is not a good move.

Just tell them he's an acquired taste.. I have defended him as Sholadinho for years. Not any more, lost patience with the bloke last week after the QPR game.

Awful today, truly awful. Took a couple of lads along today who aren't Newcastle fans and they were genuinely shocked by how bad he was. Embarrassing really.

Maybe not? Perhaps Pardew might go with the same side that finished the QPR game, so Raylor and Guthrie in the middle? I hope not. It is no secret that I hate Raylor, but even putting that aside Gosling and Abeid would both be better options in the middle if Cabaye is out. Using Raylor in there is on a par with starting Perch there, although I will admit it is still a better option that Smith.

So did Shola

Knight was the standout tonight - saw things that others didn't. Was Miele number 8? He had a good first half, but faded in the second. As did Hoganson who took his goal very well. Streete was solid at the back, however, didn't think much of any of the rest of the back four.

Two nil. Dennis knight