ChrisMcQuillan

I watched the Mackems game (I know, I know) and their luck was unreal. Their player handling in their own box, ref inexplicably gives a free kick outside. And I know the Bassong handball was a handball, but it was harsh. Controlled with his chest and it bounced onto his arm with no one near him threatening.

Add to that De Jong v Benny, Bardsley v Colo, and that Sterling tackle. There's a video montage to be made in there.

Correct me if wrong, but barring the dodgy ricochet at Swansea, we haven't conceded a goal from open play while M'Biwa's been on the pitch.

Honestly, best defensive performance of the season. Both of them were absolutely tremendous. The amount of headers won against Traore was ridiculous. That's what amazed me. They kept floating balls in towards Traore before Mbiwa or Perch flew up past his head and cleared them.

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/grandma-scared.gif

Yeah, sounds like a snap. The pressure on him from the press and fans has been utterly disgusting, in my opinion. He deserves a better club. God, Chelsea are becoming even more detestable than Liverpool in my books.

I love that he feels the need to explain with "Big f***ing nose" as well.

We really need to sort our Decembers out...

What the actual fuck?

Can't believe 'planned engineering work' between Darlington and Newcastle has taken all trains out of action until 12.30 today. Ridiculous.

It'll be Elliot in goal with Alnwick on the bench, presumably, if Harps is injured.

Elliot Debuchy S. Taylor Coloccini Santon Tiote Cabaye Gouffran Sissoko Gutierrez Cisse

Elliot vs. Eto'o...

Made a great run through the departures lounge before choosing the wrong plane. Only just noticed this. Made me laugh.

Looked very mature and confident.

Yep, good game tonight.

Yep.

Sky Go saying that due to rights restrictions, I can't watch on my computer. Eh...

For me, I can probably only justify the £86 if it's gonna be NO v NO, so if it transpires that that can't happen, I'm happy to let someone else have my space.

He was shaky in the air tbh, and some of his headers looked a little frantic. But he did improve. Think he'd be a great CB in the Colo mould, just faster.

i don't think Cisse was offside when Sissoko passed to him to bundle it in but do think one of them was earlier in the move when Sissoko was put clear. Sissoko was definitely, definitely on when Obertan passed it when ESPN analysed it earlier.

Have to feel sorry for the lad. He must feel nothing's going right for him atm. His second 'goal' tonight was a world class poacher's finish.

I turned to the guy beside me and said it was fixed. You could tell, I honestly believe money was exchanged there. No one can be as bad at their job as the officials tonight. Any other profession you'd be sacked or reprimanded. The last ten minute decisions seemed like an attempt to make it seem less rigged, as neesy says.

Jonas was poor, I thought, except for a brief spell in the first half. But Jonas and Obertan were told to push higher and higher up the pitch, along with Sissoko, which left four in a line with their defence. Our midfield was completely dominated numerically, meaning we had no choice but to try and go down the wing, where too often Jonas and Obertan were making runs too far ahead, or long ball it again to Cisse who can't do anything with them. We showed none of their ability to run through the middle because we were outnumbered, and only Marveaux took it on when he came on. Tactically, it wasn't the right shape for the game at all, and again Pardew didn't seem to fix it. Not saying 0-0 is bad, since we really won 2-0, but these were there for the taking tonight with some tweaks. Too often the middle of the park was deserted on our side.

I jumped up to shout for the ref to book their player and then see he gave the foul to them, honestly unbelievably bad officiating. Exactly the same. Was sat right in front of it.