durhamunigeordie

Saving grace is Colback is still a game away from a two game ban. Would like to see Tiote back in the side, even if he is still going to end up in China in a month.

If it's on a relatively low wage I wouldn't be against gambling on him. If he can get back to fitness and recapture his previous form for us it would then it would be a great piece of business. Maybe some sort of pay per play deal. Granted the odds are probably stacked against that happening, and these things very rarely work out, but arguably only as much of a gamble as spending £12 million on players from the French league and almost certainly less expensive.

Everything else aside he has two attributes which we have been missing from our CM. Firstly, he always looks to go forwards and do it quickly - there was one free kick in the 2nd half Saturday from about 45 yards out that he took and his first instinct was to look up and he played a clever reverse ball into the box along the ground to Mitro. Colback would still have been lining up to float it into the keepers arms at that point. Secondly, he looks like he cares. Was shouting at a ball boy to get the ball back to him more quickly at one point. Ok so as a professional you shouldn't really be swearing at a kid, but at least he showed a bit of passion.

Wont happen but wouldn't mind seeing the 3-5-2 we played there in the cup. The 3 CBs with Janmaat and Aarons wingbacks. It actually worked quite well and we played some decent-ish football. Could help nullify Ighalo and Deeney - if one of them latches onto Colo it could be a long afternoon. Shelvey, Sissoko and Gini in the middle with Mitro/Ayoze up top.

Agree completely. Most of the season Gini has been "playing on the left" but actually roams to such an extent that he is never actually there. Very frequently Dummett gets the ball played to him on the halfway line and there is no teammate in front of him. Contrast that to Janmaat who almost always has Sissoko to give it to and then overlap. Rightly Dummett decides that he can't take on two or three opposition players so goes back inside to Colo/a DM. Equally though, while Janmaat has clearly been caught out of position a number of times this season, for a large number of games he was our most attacking outlet. Even though he has been in at RB he has been effectively playing as a right-winger and it is nigh on impossible to get back quickly enough every time we lose the ball. Often it was Anita who would then drop in to cover when Janmaat was further up the field.

Hopefully goes straight back in the team for Watford if true.

Has completely won me over. Has performed well above the level I thought he was capable of since Krul's injury, and that could well be down to having a proper GK coach in. Will be interesting to see what happens in the Summer/pre-season as to who starts next year as number 1. Certainly not a given that Tim will come straight back in. Not implausible that the powers that be will see it as a chance to cash in on Krul either.

Been a shadow of the player he was in his first year or so with us for a while not, but there is still a part of me sad to see him go. Would liked to have seen how he and Shelvey would have done together, although equally given the existence of Colback chances that that would actually have happened are probably slim.

Please, please just have the bottle to leave him out Saturday. Tiote was head and shoulders above him tonight.

If only, he's being protected for Saturday.

12 is the new 6 these days Exactly. Grabban was about 8 million and Afobe 9. Praying for a Colback yellow tonight.

And that we will get a couple more decent performances from him in the next few weeks!

I have to say I'm quite glad he is back. Rather see him in there than Gouf.

All three commentators/analysts talking about how Cisse offers us an option on the counterattack/playing balls into space. I know there are twenty teams in the league and they can't watch everything, but it is their job to know this sort of thing. It's why Neville is head and shoulders above the rest of them.

Anita just stood and watched having made the mistake.

Kluivert maybe? Ronny Johnsen?!

Somewhat strangely I think he barely got a look in for them in the Championship last year, although he scored a few league cup goals, but has featured much more regularly this year.

Rather him on the bench than Cisse.

Really pleased for him - didnt look out of place. Nervous at times going forward but only to be expected. Wonder if McClaren genuinely rates him or if it was just a needs must pick.

Offered nowt today.

First time i've really seen Gini play and he looks half decent. When we find/McLaren has the bottle to pick our best XI we could be quite good fun to watch.

Obertan barely breaking into a trot at any point.

In that scenario I'd have Janmaat at CB ahead of Williamson every time.

I went yesterday in the away end with a Norwich supporting mate from Uni. Norwich were excellent - passed out from the back, lots of quick one-twos etc. Cameron Jerome was excellent and there won't be many defenders he can't outmuscle this season. In the first half in particular Kaboul kept trying to hold him off with his body and Jerome just nudged him out the way. Sunderland were absolutely awful though. Clueless going forward and cleared the ball straight back to Norwich players countless times at the back. What was most surprising though was the lack of effort and fight. Two down at half time you would expect them to come out fired up for the 2nd half, but there was nothing of the sort. If we let them take six points off of us again this year then we deserve to go down.

Not prepared to completely write him off until he's played next to a proper partner for a while. If he can stay fit and regain something of his previous form then he will at worse be a very good back-up option. I'd be surprised if his new deal is worth as much as his current one and if that's true and we get a full year out of him this year and then sign someone else as first choice for next season, he will be a good back-up option on a back-up salary.