Varadi

Big thank you to Zoe and the Toon Army After the Easter mini break we have came back to work with the squad this afternoon in order to get ready for another massive important match on Saturday. It has been a special session for me as I've had the pleasure to welcome Zoe Ellison and her husband, Darren, to our training grounds today. As most of you know, Zoe joined us at the Leicester match holding a big banner to welcome and support me. Unfortunately, she tripped and fell. She has fully recovered and today I was really happy to be able to meet her and say thank you. Zoe's gesture has made me remember lots of good moments as a Premier League Manager where so many fans has been supportive along the years. I can have that amazing feeling again with the Newcastle fans that have warmly welcomed me and my staff and showing an unconditional support since my first day in Tyneside. Howay the Lads!!! Plus a load of pictures with him handing over a signed shirt etc..

More likely is we go down, he decides he wants to stay and the muppets in charge manage to cock it up.

You've got to love this guy

These are Sunderland's games. tbf the point still stands - they've only won 6 in 30 as well.

That was from the earlier article: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-desperate-state-hope-11094729? The sight of Cheick Tiote running around tirelessly and putting in challenge after challenge was one we have not been treated to often enough on matchdays in recent months, nevermind on the training field.

Chris Waugh mentioned it in his Benitez article, then there was this from Ryder: Looks like it's something that has been discussed at least.

Why?

Sounds so much more promising - this bit is especially encouraging:

Sky Sports News HQVerified account ‏@SkySportsNewsHQ BREAKING NEWS: Adam Johnson Sentencing: Johnson stripped of his 12 England caps.

Out until the end of April according to Physioroom

I think we were 7 minutes away from being as good as gone, was really surprised how shite we were first half but there is just a glimmer of hope now with that tiny bit of momentum and 2 more weeks training with Rafa... I'm probably on an 8.

Did really well at leftback, shut Borini down completely - diving little fanny wasn't even remotely interested in trying to mix it with Moussa.

Was too congested for him in the middle, Kirchoff was all over him every time he got the ball - looked a lot livelier when he moved out wide once De Jong came on.

No surprise he scored from a cross, Benitez looks to have identified that's the kind of service the lad needs - keep getting crosses in to him and he will score goals.

We were much better once he came on, needs to start the next game imo.

No coincidence we came back into the game once he went off, was an absolute embarrassment from the first minute, shocking performance.

Will be 4-2-3-1 I reckon

So good to have a manager focused on attacking rather than setting out to contain. Surprised O'Shea isn't starting for them...

2 points from 11 games ffs - think that easily surpasses anything he managed with us? Even Carver's worst run was 4 points from 11.

Unless it's someone carrying a heart for urgent transplant I would be telling them to get to fuck tbh!

Poor Rafa, shouldn't need to get it up the bum just because Johnson's in prison. It does seem harsh

Looks like we weren't the only ones not getting much sleep: http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/jermain-defoe-leaves-hotel-brunette-7592586? Hope this messes with the little fucker's head for the game today!

It's hard to properly judge him as we've yet to see him play in a correctly functioning team set up with a strategy to supply him with anything other than hopeful punts forward. Was an interesting bit in one of the Benitez interviews where he said something along the lines of his teammates need to understand what he can do - think that means stuff like less through balls he's never going to get on the end of and a lot more crosses from the byline. Don't think he's a worldbeater but we've seen him nowhere near his best yet imo.

Just missing their top players - they'll be fine once him and Bolasie are back.

We're at that part of the season where you start seeing strange results, with the bottom clubs getting desperate, top teams feeling the pressure and midtable teams winding down for their holidays, so predicting individual games is much harder. Can see a scenario for instance where we lose the next 2 and everyone thinks we're done then beat Southampton and Swansea and everything is up in the air again. Going to be stressful as fuck whatever happens.