geordiemonster

I missed the incident last night - all I saw was Pedersen lying in a heap. Having seen it this morning, I'd just like to echo what an idiot Barton was after a season where he has been superb. As far as I can tell there was no provocation - and it was a proper punch, not a slap like people were suggesting. For what is worth Pedersen did overreact, but thats Blackburn all over - for a team so physically strong they don't half go down and roll around like they've been shot.

Sounds like what most said after the Stoke game. That's exactly what I said after the Stoke game In a way this was worse though - Blackburn played very little football and for a team of big players they went down far too easily.

People round me are on the backs of players for every mistake they make and they will hear the criticism and it isn't going to make them perform any better! I reckon there is a lot less pressure away from home.

Fair play to Blackburn - they came with a plan and it worked. If I had to watch niggly, horrible football like that every week then I think I'd pack in going!

Not sure who else plays RB for England, but I don't think Simpson is any worse than Glen Johnson

I'd take it still Obviously with the last few games I would hope for more, but this season avoiding relegation has to be our #1 aim. All it will take is injuries to a few key players and we could be in trouble - still haven't played Chelsea, Spurs or Liverpool yet either.

Personally, I'd be delighted with a 2:1 win - its gonna be tough cos' Big Sham will have them fired up on account of not wanting people to realise what a shite manager he really is. If we can win this then it will prove we can cut it with the physical teams - evidence of which was lacking against Stoke,

Yeah, I suspect you are right - I am pretty cynical about the whole thing until something happens that proves me wrong. I am sure we have been here before, with rumours coming out about the club being for sale and then it turning out to be true (but, lack of evidence prevents me from proving this one way or the other ). On the plus side, as others have mentioned he has sanctioned the signing of Tiote and Ben Arfa and one thing he has done, which I totally agree with is trying to bring in good, young players as opposed to the mercenaries we have had in the past (Owen for example ). I still think that 90% or more of the credit must go to Houghton and the players - they seem to have developed almost a bunker mentality where adversity makes them stronger.

I think Liam Gallagher epitomises pricks with massive chips on their shoulder

I genuinely admire Tevez as a player. Other than that, not a thing - for a team that cost so much they don't play nice football and they have some horrible players (De Jong for example) and, as others have mentioned the fans are all pricks with massive chips on their shoulders.

I think all of the progress we have made this season is in spite of Mike Ashley, as opposed to anything he has done. The best thing he has done was appoint Houghton, but I don't think that was because he though that Chris was the man to take us forward - he was a cheap, last minute solution and its no credit to Ashley that it is working out well. The PR of the club is still an absolute disgrace (does Derek Llambias still work for the club and if so, what does he do?) and I refuse to believe that the "club for sale" rumours are just press talk - this had to come from inside the club somewhere. If the rumours are to be believed then any prospective new owner will have to take on £90m debt as well - so much for Ashley paying off all the debts. Don't get me wrong I can see why he'd want his money back, but why say the debts are paid if they are not.

Perchy Baby. Ah yes. I stand corrected!

Arguably Houghtons only below-par signing.

Yeah, they were all kept back. I saw people leaving, but presumably they weren't allowed to leave the ground. The vast majority of them stayed until the bitter end (for them anyway)

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,16497_6479526,00.html It's great to watch. The mackem at the end is hilarious when he celebrates Bent's goal. He slowly settles back into his chair "the fact of the matter is, it's still....5-1 " lol Haha, thats class. You almost feel sorry for him at the end. Almost.

I thought Nolan was absolutely superb today - not just his goals, but his all round play. Also brought out the chant of the day - "we all live in Kevin Nolans house" to the tune of Yellow Submarine

Nothing I saw and I sit in the Sit John Hall stand. They got some abuse, especially at the end when they played "daydream believer" In fact the only person I saw nicked was the streaker in the second half.

I have to admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Portsmouth. They are the sort of team that should be in the prem - teams that (until recently at least) played decent football and had a decent away following. Instead we have a good few teams of the like of Blackburn, Stoke, Wolves etc who are just basically anti-football teams. If anyone should go then it should be them!

I have been very critical of Nolan in the past, but I think we really missed him today. We were totally overrun in midfield and I think he does bring a bit of bite to the centre of the park, which was missing today. He is better there than playing as an attacking midfielder/striker certainly.

Well that ends the run of three games I was hoping/expecting to get something from and we got a grand total of one point (which we didn't really deserve). Only positives from today's game was that we didn't lose (obviously) plus Coloccini's performance, which stood him head and shoulders above the rest. Perch had an absolute shocker - I feel a bit sorry for the lad as he obviously is not good enough and his confidence is shot at the moment. He also wasn't helped, as others have said by Guthries insistence on moving infield. Barton didn't have the best game ever and Guthrie was pretty poor as well. I dunno if it was just me, but I didn't hear a Man-of-the-Match announcement and nor did I hear the crowd announced. I do know that there were gaps in my stand where there didn't use to be, so wouldn't be surprised if it was the lowest of the season. Atmosphere was a bit flat as well, but that's to be expected.

Blackburn, Stoke and Wolves for me. They sum up everything that is unpleasant to watch in football. If I'd had a fourth choice then it would have been Spurs. Not sure why I don't like them - suspect it was because we used to be rivals in terms of league position etc and now we aren't. Also their fans are a bunch of cocks (although nowhere near as bad as Man City's lot).

Yep, but you just know that he will be there vs. City and ever game for the foreseeable future knocking in the odd penalty or rebound to justify his place in the mind of the manager,

I genuinely think he had an excellent first half plus a bit. He just seemed so composed with the ball and there was a couple of occasions where he emerged with the ball when I have no idea how he got it. He was one of the few bright sparks in a desperately disappointing performance.

I have to admit I copied his text and then changed it for my own comments cos' I am lazy. Obviously forgot about Shola For what its worth: Shola Ameobi 4 - Don't remember much about him or even remember him having much of the ball.

Krul, 7- Seemed ok - didn't see him make a save Perch, 2 - I'm sorry, but he is not good enough to play in this league. To run the ball out with no one in 10 yards is schoolboy stuff. I think Ryan Taylor deserves a chance next game Williamson, 6 - Not one of his best games. Looked shaky. Coloccini, 8 - Superb game. He is coolness personified now, his little backheel in the first half and pull back in the second were brilliant/ Enrique, 7 - Usual steady performance Routledge, 7 - I thought he did ok today, had plenty of the ball but final distribution lacking Tiote, 9 Although he was subbed, man of the match for me. He reminds me of Viera in the way he breaks up opposition attacks and starts an attack of our own. Him staying fit is vital for our seasonm. Barton, 5 - Poor game, far too many wasted passes. Ben Arfa, 7 - Quiet game, but a few nice runs. Against a team other than Stoke I think he will shine Nolan, 2 - our weakest link with Perch. Honestly, what does he do to justify his place? He's slow and ponderous and expecting him to get on the end of of a Carroll knockdown is frankly laughable. Carroll, 6 - He played up front on his own and had none of his own team mates around him. Jonas, 6 - Not much to say really - he tried, but nothing went for him. Shola, 5 - He's currently playing in the wrong division and has proven that for the last 10 years, he did all he could when he came on. Hughton, 5-Bad changes, we lost our shape after HBA and Tiote went off. He seems to be fine when the team is doing well. but incapable of making the right choices if we are not.