TK-421

I'm probably at about 8. The loss of Shelvey has been telling, and he's back in 2 more matches (one league match), so hopefully we can pick up on his return and bring in some reinforcements in the window. Thing is, whilst not playing brilliantly (we haven't all season), we are still dominating teams, but we need to be more ruthless and ensure we turn that domination into goals/wins. I still think we'll go up automatically, however it would be disappointing to go up as runners-up, and we now need Brighton to have a bad spell. My bosses arrogance is hopefully gonna be his downfall... quote: "I cant see us losing another game this season" Here's hoping Brighton start getting some injuries/loss of key players to see how they cope. But also, if refs could stop giving them penalties, that would also help!!

Sorry to say i'd forgotten it was within the last year he died, until he was shown on the SPOTY roll through of sportspersons who'd gone. RIP Pav.

Someone rang Totalsport earlier and said Shelvey (and any footballer who abuses/racially abuses another player) should be banned from football for life, and be hit with a much bigger fine. This caller said he didn't follow football, and had never been to a match. Guessing he was a mackem.

Is that correct? NUFC.com also saying Sheff Wed will be the first match he'll miss.

I wouldn't say Brighton have fluked their places/points - they have been in the division a long time, and over last season and this, seem to have clicked what is needed fro Promotion. However, they have had a degree of good fortune in recent matches too - 2 pens given/needed to beat Leeds, an opposition player sent off against Leeds and Blackburn. Lets hope those decisions even themselves out in the 2nd half of the season, as the Forest ones hopefully do for us.

Brightons problems last season was the squad size - they lost quite a few through injury, which led to them slipping away and into the play-offs at the end. Hopefully similar might happen this season to keep them behind us. Boss at work reckons he doesn't see them losing another game this season, which seems quite arrogant given how they failed to go up last season after a similar run of form. Also I may be wrong, but they seem to score quite a few in the last minute or stoppage time - either they just know how to keep going, or they have Fergies old watch!!

Lets hope for a bit of Zola new manager bounce this evening.

A Caller and some texters to totalsport saying they hoped we'd play better and 'make a statement' as we were on tv... show the country how far we'd come, using the QPR and Preston (cup) matches as examples. As if its that easy to just switch it on, like that. It wasn't the most exciting match, and we didn't play brilliantly, but its another away win and another clean sheet... yet some people still don't seem to be happy unless we're winning 4, 5 or 6 nil.

Hoping history repeats itself, TBH... my gaffa is unbearable at the moment. Seems to forget how they ran out of steam after topping the table this time last season, yet keeps on about 'top of the table'... 'normal service resumed'. Loves bemoaning referee decisions when they don't get them yet said nothing about getting 2 pens against Leeds, and opposition having players sent off in last 2 matches helping them.

Just about to post that. Seems odd considering they were 5th before they played us, and won last night.

According to totalsport last night, Kone's release clause is £25m. They were discussing where various monies (New TV deal, players sales, etc) have gone over last year, and apparently they've been losing roughly £20m a season with Short making up the rest. Hence most of the big TV money went into the clubs debt, not on players. Consensus was, even if they sold Kone and Pickford for big money in January, that most of their fees would be absorbed by the debt in the club, leaving very little to be spent on new players.

Dear Me... you'd expect that sort of stuff from a fans website or something, but thats the local rag??!!! The bitterness being shown, you'd think we'd cheated 2 of their players being sent off, and won the game??!!!

WOW.... heard it earlier on Total sport... was surprised both were overturned, as thought they would stick with Shelvey 'kicking out' as justification. However, whilst the players being available again is good, its annoying that those 2 decisions massively contributed to the result, which won't change. On that point above about Forests' rivals, it would be interesting if they challenged the FA about it - as the cards being overturned is an admission that the decisions were wrong, and a forest player basically cheated them a result. Anyway, onto the weekend... we have to get back on track after the last couple of results.

Just seen the 'highlights' from Sky Sports again. Shelvey incident - doesn't even look like a penalty foul, the after is 6 of 1, half a dozen of other... if Jonjo has kicked out, then its (probably) a red, but I cant see where the penalty decision has come from. Lansbury is already on the ground before Shelvey challenges for the ball. 2nd Penalty - Lansbury is going down already as he loses his footing trying to control the ball, and Dummett has to jump over him. The penalty is massively debatable, the red card is just ridiculous. Then the ref books Darlow for time-wasting. The 2 goals we conceded are unfortunate, and considering we had to play a full half with 9 men, then it just shows Forest up for celebrating like that, after scraping past us. Just a really frustrating night. Steve Martin (the ref, not the actor ) is now up there with Trelford, and Brian Coddington. Lets hope he his next big game is for Brighton or Reading!!

From .com Don't want to be all negative and Pardew, as I would have loved to have a crack at the semis and you're usually going to be playing a good side in a semi-final. But I think what they have written is all fair enough and I forgot that we would be losing squad depth for the AFCON. Concur with both of the above. Said yesterday at work, that while it'd be nice to get through to a semi-final, I wouldn't lose sleep or worry/panic if we lost last nights match. We have a bigger priority this season, and I just hope the extra time and penalties hasn't affected us too much ahead of Friday nights league match.

Aye, in/around Sunderland, they don't just 'bray' horses, Marra.... http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/horrific-attack-sunderland-sees-five-10741753 http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/investigation-launched-after-shetland-pony-12127487

2nd bottom now, and 3pts from 17th.... looks like the turd is clinging on for dear life. Again.

Apparently it was a teammate that overheard the comment, and then reported it after the game - not Saiss himself. The initial report suggested he hadn't even heard/understood what had been said to him.

Seems 'The King' has been in New York for the election... Probably a Trump supporter... it figures.

They haven't overspent, but they spent and sold badly - which i think is the part of the problem. Paying high fees for players, then getting lower fees when they shift them on. Then there is all the compensation to sacked managers (and their staff), then costs of recruiting new will all add to it. Gabbiadini on TS also suggested they are still paying part of the wages of players like Lens who are out on loan.... and possibly paying the transfer fee installments of players they've since moved on, too. If that and those cryptic tweets by Nick Barnes are true, then they really could be in the brown stuff..... Nice.

Haha, heard that on my way home. Best bit was when 'Malcolm' started ranting... "You phoned me, I didn't want to be on".... until the presenter said, "Malcolm, you called us last night, and when you didn't have time to get on, you asked us to ring you tonight" Marco was right on the defensive... saying he was being insulted, and all sorts. Think it was implied the only reason MG stays for full matches at Sunlun is because he gets his ticket free.

Lets hope Mackems have nightmares tonight, about a Kevin Nolan hattrick and his chicken dance.

Yep, Lallana.

Pardew coming up on SSN after the break, talking about a player... "He's a player I desperately wanted to take to Noocarsel, but the chief scout told me he wasn't good enough"

Hehe... great preparation for saturdays 12:30 kick off against Arsenal.