ExiledGeordie

I'm absolutely fascinated by tonight's game. Are you guys mainly bricking it, or really confident? Think that should be a poll tbh. Confidently bricking it. Ask again at 6:45 after the team sheets are announced. I've mentioned it before, but my wife is Villa. She's just completely given up on this season. It just seems to me that even if they win, they expect to go down - almost to a man. Look at Brummie's post a couple of pages back to confirm this. Really depressing to see such a long time supporter so depressed about his team tbh. I know a lot of NUFC-fans don't like them since our relegation, but after tonight I would really like them to pick themselves up tbh. It's a symptom of the game today. Brummie has long bemoaned the current state of affairs, but it's possible to tolerate it as long as your team is half-decent, or has the potential to be. When that goes too, then it's rough. My first Spurs game was in the 70s, in the Second Division. I would be tempted to walk away from football now, if we hadn't got a terrific (for the most part) chairman ten years ago. If I was still in England I'd have probably started to watch Leyton Orient more often, then had to stand and watch as West Ham got gifted a stadium in their backyard. That would probably have been enough for me to walk away. I never thought I'd prefer the American way of approaching sports, but despite several flaws, there's something really right about knowing that however s*** your local team is this season, a couple of drafts might turn things your way. I still feel at heart that you should support your local club, but in many cases the club properly rooted in your community probably plays in the Northern League, or Conference South. I'm just very, very lucky that my team is Spurs, just as you are very lucky that yours is Newcastle (and specifically, that you stopped being ropey at exactly the right time - the beginning of the Premier League). If your team is neither of the above, and has one or two poor seasons, then it feels like that could be your lot. Where do you live now?

Merson has never rated us. Also about the new signings, it's not like we're going to be fielding 5 or 6 new players ffs. We'll play 3 at most and probably 2, that's hardly wholesale changes.

I could see him scoring, he had chances against Reading. All he needs is one really decent finish and his confidence will be right back up there again

He's moaning about wheeling and dealing after the shit stirring he's caused in the past, jesus christ

Cabaye is the match winner in this for me. If we have say Anita and Sissoko with him in midfield he'll be able to really influence play going forward. He's deadly from free kicks and if he's pushed a bit further forward I can see him getting chances like the goal he scored at SOS.

I just hope he's had a lift like we all have meaning it doesn't do anything stupid. He's got the players, send them out to win games ffs and start to build some optimism. It's all there for him now.

Tomorrow night's team sheet is going to be one of the most eagerly awaited in a long while... I can just imagine the pulse an hour before kick off. Then 60 minutes of the most memorable forum meltdown when Simpson and Obertan starts and Perch displaces Anita in midfield. Ranger takes Gouffran's place on the bench. Get a hold of the game early and silence the crowd. He needs to ask the players to be brave, the new players to play their natural game and express themselves. This will put fear into Villa. If we start slowly and look hesitant and are too rigid I fear the worst. The players have to feel this is a fresh start and every game is winnable. There is more than enough resources now to put points on the board. But pard must be brave, he must give the players confidence and freedom. We'll see. We've got some tricky fixtures coming up after the Villa game. Pards really does need to be brave and try and win this one. No need to go all guns blazing, just don't sit back too deep either. Put the quality players on the pitch and let them do their stuff. All of this is spot on. If we sit back too much and invite them on they'll only grow in confidence. That said our play was so much better with Cabaye in the side against Reading and went to shit when he came off. With him in the side and probably Sissoko we should have much more control over things and have the ability for the sucker punch. The Williamson factor has also thankfully been removed. Definitely need to start strong though.

Certainly gives us that extra bit of a chance if we can bring him off the bench for 20 mins against Spurs (if the match is still close by then). Previously I'd say we had no chance whatsoever of getting anything there. In fact we'll still probably lose but we'll go there as a very different team with Sissoko, Mbiwa et al and be able to give them a decent game.

Cabaye is a match winner on day as is HBA but this lad looks like he could also be one too.

It's getting pretty bad in the build up to this match. I went to bed thinking about it and woke up thinking about the match this morning ffs

Same here. Would be a massive stepback if Colo went in the summer and we just settled with Taylor. Especially as Taylor is a ticking time bomb injury wise. It's not like when he gets injured he's down for 2-3 weeks, it's months. They'll have to get someone else in the summer when Colo goes.

Good point and hamstrings are notorious for going again

I want to watch this somewhere in town with an atmosphere, it'll be fucking hideous if we lose but electric if we win! Strength in numbers and all that

First goal is massive. From the reports on the Millwall game and in general their backline is all over the place at the moment with zero confidence. If we score first while there'll still be a threat from Benteke and Agbonlahor their arses could go completely. The crowd will lose it and they'll be up against it. Benteke and Agbonlahor are a threat on their day though. ....They score first and we'll have to prove we can come from behind to win for the first time since dinosaurs walked the earth.

been here before If only it was that straightforward. Had too many let downs in the past in games where we should've won

Tino v Boro 1996 albeit from the bench

That's the team there.

I think we might see Daniel Cordone and Marc Hottiger start

I would be nothing less than fucking criminal if Williamson is selected on tuesday, absolutely criminal

First goal in how long? 13 games No goals in 13 games, scores one, value goes up yeah but Man City are watching and agents is rubbing hands with glee !!! If it comes down to transfer fee then yes we're screwed. If was a straight up choice between the two of us I actually think we've got a decent chance because of the French enclave and the top players who've already signed and the fact he knows he'll start rather than being a squad player. Long shot this one though, not really expecting it to be honest.

Aye, with some of his previous selections you wouldn't put it past him, surely he isn't that thick though ?. You would hope he isn't that stupid after shouting for signings. To now get them and then leave them on the bench would be shocking. If nothing else I think Sissokho and Mbiwa should start with maybe Marv left wing and Oberwank on the right but I suspect he will opt for Shola again and he loves Jonas. Please prove me wrong Pards, do the right thing and lets roll over these not roll over for these My worry is he might stick with the same players, challenging them to perfrom. Now that isn't a bad idea but players like Williamson and Ameobi aren't good enough, even they are playing well. Like you say, hope he does the right thing and puts some of the new players in, it'll be nice to see some pace. The one player I can't see starting under any circumstances is Williamson. Pardew must know he's the seriously weak link in the side above all else. Taylor is coming off a long standing hamstring injury so unless he's absolutely 100% I think Mbiwa will start and would be the sensible option. I have this awful nagging feeling that Pardew might go with Jonas instead of Sissoko but at the very least Jonas will have to pull his finger out. I'd like to see: Krul Debuchy Mbiwa Colo Santon Anita Cabaye Sissoko Gouffran Cisse Marv I think we might see Jonas or Obertan instead of Gouffran though, with G coming off the bench second half. Actually fuck it I've given up trying to work out who Pardew will start

Well who'd have thought

Ge the impression the lad is a potential match winner, tempted to think we should just start him. I mean what are the other options, Perch of Jonas ffs? He's going to have more of an impact than either of those.

Hoping City give them a roasting on tuesday night

"Massively overrated with a bad attitude who will trigger nuclear implosion of the entire club"