Paullow

Find it staggering how we are as short as 11/5 to win this (SkyBet), 13 months ago we'd have been like 10/1. Similar odds generally vs Man Utd, but that felt a bit more realistic with them still having struggles this season. I guess last nights results may have impacted those odds a little bit, but they are still formidable at home, 10 wins in a row, and I'm still not as confident about us when we're away. Odds are just a number, but it's still brilliant to see them that low (unless you were actually wanting a punt on us ) https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/tottenham-v-newcastle/winner I am also very much in the 'free-hit' mindset. I'd have snapped your hand off for 4 points from Man Utd, Everton and Spurs, and we have that with a game to spare, and I'd absolutely love to finish 7th, but if we were going to somehow finish top 6 then I think it would still be at MU's expense, not Spurs', so a bit of a shame the way that match went last night - they'll probably be looking for a reaction as well. Our season isn't going to be defined, or objectives changed, because of an away defeat to Spurs. At home, I'd be confident of at least a point, and wouldn't 'take a draw', but it is a bit of a different proposition at their stadium, and would 100% take a draw there, and even a 'spirited' 1-0 defeat wouldn't be a disaster. It goes against our current mindset, and how far we've come these past 10 months or so, but I'd personally consider making fairly big changes for this with a bit of an eye on the far more 'winnable' Villa match 6 days later- I'd consider bringing Lascelles in, Targett in, start Willock, possibly Fraser, Anderson, maybe even Wood. Obviously that would generally increase the chances of a heavier defeat, but it really is a compact schedule, and that forthcoming Palace League Cup match should be considered as an opportunity, rather than a distraction.

Surprised to see Arsenal's home match with PSV on at 6pm tonight. That KO time is not uncommon for the Europa League, but it's normally those on the continent an hour ahead - really early for fans to get to the ground, and you couldn't really do a 9-5/5.30pm without finishing a bit earlier. I guess it's another option for the armchair UK fan to watch before the PL starts on Amazon at 7.30pm - I guess that's probably the reason it's on so early.

Exactly a year to the day since he was sacked. Astonishing how far we've come in those 12 months.

Fraser has been in the wars in his 4 mins or so.

Stuck a couple of quid on the draw, just in case. Obviously hoping not to profit.

Elliot did well there.

Very few goals in the PL tonight. Just 3 in the 5 matches, and 4 of them haven't got much left in them.

He has now, unfortunately, ha. Mings-like.

I was going to say Bruno has been quiet this half, but then I guess most of our players have. Hasn't really got going, but obviously something to hold on to, so no massive need.

"Thankfully it goes out for a goal kick"...

I'm not normally one for commentators against us etc. but does anyone else get the impression that Townsend is really rooting for Everton here?

Good interview. Obviously it's just the way it is, but I did feel a little bit sorry for Sean at 8:40. He'll know he's unlikely to be here this time in 2 years, or probably in the Dummett role if he is, so just taking each day as it comes. Didn't realise they were good mates, but definitely a contrast in them whereby the club will probably outgrow one pretty soon, but hopefully the club can at least keep up with the other in the coming years.

What's changed is that they won 4 of their first 6 games under Potter, 13 points, and turning draws into wins, and looking like they could perhaps gatecrash the top 6, or at least be the main competition for 7th, but 2 points from their last 4 games, and no goals in their last 3 matches, including Brentford and Forest at home looks like they probably more likely to be in and around 9th again.

Great play by the Forest lad there. Going nowhere at all, but drew the foul. Mind, given straight away again FFS

Don't like how Amazon is like 10 seconds behind (even more in the tennis normally). Not ideal when you're checking other live scores, ha. Hang on Forest!

Decent start to the Palace match. Both have had good chances in the opening 6 minutes.

I hate these type of matches. 70-30 possession, 11-0 in shots, 6-0 in corners, and only really intriguing for as long as the 8/1 outsiders can hold out for, and even worse when it's the underdogs that you want to win. I think I'll be switching to the other match at half time. A shame this one wasn't buried tomorrow when there's 4 (good) matches on at the same time, where there would be no need to watch it. I'd only really want to watch Forest if they were at home.

9 Premier League matches scattered over the next 3 nights on Amazon Prime. Not the best fixtures (on paper) this evening - Brighton vs Nottm Forest at 7.30pm, and then Palace vs Wolves at 8.15pm. Quite like how you can watch the first half of one, switch over at half time, and then either keep watching that one, or go back to the original, and then can watch the full second half of the later match. Might not be great for the paying fan, but much better for the armchair fan than having both on at the same time.

Gerrard's a strange one. They paid £4m to prise him away from Rangers, so they obviously saw something in him, and he's been there less than a year. His league record, purely results-wise, isn't great by any means, but it's not totally abysmal, P37 W12 D8 L17, so 44 points. They're just a point off Everton and Palace, and 2 off West Ham, and I doubt any of those would be considering a managerial change any time soon, and a win in midweek and they could be in midtable. I totally get the no identity, throwing players under the bus, and they should be doing better, and from the outside you do feel that a new manger coming in will instantly have them playing and faring better, and that's ultimately what you want, so you couldn't blame the owners, and I suspect he will be gone soon, but at the same time, they did fork out a lot of money for a then 41 year old manager just starting out, and while Villa fans will argue it's far too long, 11 months isn't a massive amount of time to properly put your stamp on things. It'll be interesting to see what Gerrard does next if he does get the bullet soon.

Tough one regarding Carrick and young Bruce. I don't mind Boro, would like to see them back in the top flight at some point, especially as we continue to push on, and as a local lad, I'd like to see him do well. However, if Alex is involved then that will make it tougher to wish them well. That said, I guess Alex has no real direct links with Newcastle, and if you didn't follow social media, and his Twitter outbursts, then I guess he would be largely irrelevant, and at least it's not his father rumoured to be joining them (well yet anyway...)

I think it would be a half decent move for him. They seem to have a fair bit going for them - rich / ambitious owners, some good players, a good academy with some decent young players coming through, ground redevelopments plans. Whatever you think of it, it's in one of the UK's most major cities, and they are historically a big club. It seems like the manager is currently the main thing holding them back (internally), and they should be doing a lot better than they are. Externally, we are a big snag, because we'll both want similar things, just ours is on a much bigger scale, and more realistic. Villa would probably be hoping to replicate the Leicester of the past few seasons, gatecrash the top 6 if one or two of them underperform, and maybe snatch a cup, but our emergence will make that a lot harder for them as it's another club who will be expected to finish above them season on season, and they'd need to get a lot right for that not to happen, but it is still a good job in the so called best league in the world.

It'll probably depend on how many matches they can show. It is tier 7 at home to tier 3, but one's probably the biggest club at that level with a 75,000 population, whereas the other is the smallest with a population of less than 6,000, and they probably average around a similar amount at the gates, so it doesn't really feel like a huge mismatch, despite the huge pyramid gap. The Kevin Phillips familiarity factor might help though. I'd say Hereford vs Portsmouth is a sure fire pick as Portsmouth are definitely one of the biggest clubs entering this stage, won the competition not too long ago, and you've got he whole Ronnie Radford stuff to boot. Bracknell Town vs Ipswich is also tier 7 vs tier 3 (like Shields), but Ipswich are obviously a much bigger draw than FGR, so will feel much more of an upset if Bracknell pull it off. Wouldn't surprise me too much if they opted for one 'safe pick' as well like Bolton vs Barnsley where they will get x amount of viewers from the respective fanbases. BBC also running Alvechurch as their main headline with them being the lowest ranked side remaining, but then they are away, and they'd usually like the underdog to be at home. If there are 4 TV matches then there will be a decent chance of it being picked.

South Shields vs Forest Green Rovers

FA Cup 1st round draw live on BBC2 now (nearly done). Blyth/Wrexham vs Oldham or Chester Not seen who any of the other local sides face.

As strong as team as possible hopefully, and if changes are needed, make them for Spurs away on Sunday. 3 points from these next two games will be very adequate.