Mistle17

Walters is canny in fairness when you consider Burnley will play to his strengths. Ideal player for them imo. But Bardsley In no other 'top' league in Europe would he play in- absolute filth.

The feeling, or the 'struggle' I suppose you could call it, under Ashley is different to what it was under Shepherd. Now, it is far more of a delicate situation....there is an avalanche of apathy being restrained from the Benitez-dam. A huge numbing to my (once wild) love for the club has been the partial replacement of our fanbase. Holding a season ticket during the Pardew years I just simply couldn't believe the sickening resignation of our match-going fans. 'Fans'. People who slouched in their seats, sullen, ready and willing for whatever disgrace Pardew/Ashley were about to serve up for us. In days before Ashley there would have been near riots in the stadium over some of the performances/results served up by Ashley, but instead they were met with a miserable acceptance. That just killed me....I couldn't handle being surrounded by so many people who: A) Didn't care, and B) Resented your protests. I feel that although there is a good atmosphere about the club with Rafa, the soul of Newcastle United is still defenseless due to the spinelessness of our fanbase. I think when it comes down to it, the new generation/Sky fans just don't have it in them to demand what is best (I'm not including those of Pardew/AshleyOut.com in this, they are the wonderful exception to the rule....but it is sad that they needed to galvanise Mags as a whole to apply pressure) to the wound)! As people have said, it's a problem running through the English game as a whole now. The insane ticket prices, the thoughtless Kick Off times, the near absence of homegrown players from the league/our teams- it all contributes to the disillusionment. I have gone from being miserable whatever the NUFC result (Pardew/McClaren/Carver era's) to, at times, bubbling with excitement, relief, and happiness. However, as many have said, it is all hanging by a precarious thread- if Benitez goes, I just don't think I could stomach it all again. What would be the f***ing point? With our transfer activity to date, I am bracing myself for that moment, tbh. I'm back in, but seeing the Sports Direct signs all over our club and on St. James' Park, coupled with the really poor atmosphere at the ground these days.....it still just isn't what it once was. (Beat Spurs and I know I might as well delete this post)

Aye, I feel the same way. Nowadays when a goal is scored you see (especially at the Nou Camp) behind the goal phone after phone raised a loft, instead of fans jumping around celebrating. Very sad. The globalisation of the fixture has absolutely seen the atmosphere sterilised, but the quality on the pitch is still outstanding as a general rule.

If they could recreate that black away shirt we had in 03/04 that would be ideal. What a strip that was!

Think there is a lot of digging in and defending to do this coming season, and I just don't think Rafa would take him. Personally, I would cry with happiness if HBA returned.

Villa home shirt looks like a nightie.

Sounds great...

At last someone! Hopefully the first of a flow of signings. If we can get another CB in to go with Lejeune that would be very good.

Very St. Pauli-ish.

Can we beam this onto Penshaw Monument? :lol:

Best CM we've had in the past 15 years at the club, dunno what everyone's problem is with him! Has so much passion and gets stuck in.

This is a great read http://www.nufc.com/html/1997-05-11forest-h.html That made me want to cry. What a great read.

Wonderful player. Another player wasted under that oxygen thief, Pardew. To think at one stage we had the option to have a front 3 of Marveaux/Cisse or Ba/Ben Arfa.

[emoji38] Tevez and Mascherano are/were better then Ben Arfa like I think based on pure ability and talent that HBA is in the top bracket of players in the world.

In fairness, as much as I would love to push Pardew into a pit of lava, I don't think it's that outrageous to name Ashton as the best he's coached. What a player he was- England lost out big time to his poor physical health. Such a shame, really. But as someone said (more in jest than anything), you would think Ben Arfa would win that award but this guy is such a fucking wanker that he wouldn't know a good player if one hoofed him in the bollocks. :lol:

If Huddersfield lose (or even draw) on Saturday then SJP should be fuuuucking bounce from every corner! And, tbh, it's probably more important it is should Hudds win. Really needs to be like we're playing the mackems atmosphere/intensity wise. Drag those sorry 11 cunts over the line. Sadly, I don't think our support has the stomach for such a night. I know the fans need something to feed off, and the players have been shite of late, but for Christ sake if we cant turn up and be in a fucking radge mood then just forget it. 2-1.

Decider will be Hudds away to Wolves on the 25th. That's their game in hand and if they drop points there it will be huge- especially if they don't bear Fulham. Huddersfield play quite an open, attacking style so a decent team like Fulham who will look to counter attack could have some luck against them. Remember, this same Huddersfield side lost to Burton at home and nearly slipped up vs Norwich too. They have 4 games left and they are unlikely to win them all. But at the same time all we can do is just beat Preston. We're 7pts ahead for fuck sake, beat a team at home that have nowt to play for and we will be fine regardless of how Huddersfield do.

Whole new squad needed. Players that will have to be moved in: Gouffran Hanley Dummet Colback Diame Selz Haidara Realistically, not many of them will go and it will simply be a case of adding to what we have rather than reshaping the squad. A huge amount of money will be needed to ensure we stay up, let alone go beyond that. Realistically, if we are relying on those named players as squad players next season Rafa will not be our manager.

He really has to reflect on his decision to persist with Dummet in the side when we have a top defender in Gamez on the bench. I accept that Gamez would be susceptible physically/aerially, however if our intention is to control the ball then JG is the obvious choice. And where the fuck is Lazaar? The decisions he's made to bring on Diame when we are intending on seeing out a result has cost us in Forest (a) and Leeds last week. Really dubious decision to bring on a player who lacks intelligence off the ball and is positionally poor. Our method of play today was hideous, and playing over the top for Murphy was ridiculous. In hindsight, it should have been Murphy/Mitro up to and when we don't have it just sit off Ipswich and screen passes into midfield, as those two aren't physically capable of pressing high up. For all his ability to see out/control games, we did not do that one bit today. Needs to find a way to get Shelvey on the ball as much as possible again.

Yep, no shitting chance we will beat Fulham (or Sheff Wed). Everyone will have given up by then anyway- fans included.

Yep. First half was just a fucking disgrace; absolutely no intention of trying to get on the ball and win the game. Two CB's were disgusting, constantly looking to smash it in behind Murphy. A collective mentality that was simply insulting to all that follow this god forsaken fucking club. Conceding the goal in the manner that we did on the stroke of HT really did sum it up. Simply unforgivable from everyone involved today.

Derby don't look like scoring at all here. Fuck.

Reading away to Forest next week who are fighting for their lives (only 1pt above the drop). Still points to be dropped for all parties. Really need Derby to even snatch a draw tonight. 7pt gap would be so much easier.

So are ours. Two home games and an away game against a mid table team. I know we lost to one today but still, on paper it's as good a run in as Huddersfield's. Yeah, we have a generous run in- no excuses.

We seem to have minus momentum at the moment. The tension vs Preston is going to be huge, especially if they come to SJP to sit in and frustrate us, which is likely. There won't be any pressure on the teams we're playing- plus they will naturally be fired up to play/beat us. I just cannot believe we are in such a position, especially after that fantastic week where we beat both Brighton and Hudds away. Rafa is going to need to try and settle the waters of the team for the Preston match. Imo if we win that then we are all but up, but anything less and it's a fucking shit storm for real. Rafa and the players need to look at it that as it stands, and not taking into account Huddersfield's game in hand, we are 5pts ahead with 3 games to play; we are still in control of what happens to us this season but it's going to take some calm heads to get us 4pts from 3 games essentially. Beat Preston and we're at the finish line imo. Lose, and it's play-offs.