Altamullan

We have become so small-time, pards made it sound like it was such a major coup that we brought jack f***ing colback HOME. on a FREE. Just about everything Pardew 'spun' though his self-aggrandising patter left a bad taste.

Not sure about Mole, suspect any Newcastle manager would have considered a freebie at teh time, and he was clear he wanted to leave the Makems.

When we signed him, & I first saw him play, I've never been as optimistic and excited about a player since seeing Solano, play for the reserves prior to his first start for us. Gini is absolute top drawer. Delighted they've given him the position he wanted, really hope he can stay fit, and really really hope he is happy here and beilieves in what the club are doing--not that either are certain to make a difference--because I suspect he is going to be a wanted man come the end of the season.

I think Beautiful Day makes fair points; but there's an accepted view on here, let's call it a strong belief, that JC is cowardly, hides, never passes forward, deliberately chalks up passes to make his stats look better (inference this pulls the wool over seasoned pros and managers re his competence...), is such a poor player he wouldn't get into any side other than ours, oh and he only does that because of some weird contract shenanigans which means he has to play if fit; also he sniffs his mother's knickers, and may be more suited to a gig on the Green market as an apprentice butcher (may have made the last two-up...well, one of them). Like other strong beliefs (politics, religion, which team we support etc) there's not much point directly challenging it. Events/complicated s*** like someone's value to the team isn't passively received—it's not recorded in everybody's brain like some flickering video with the same images for all of us: “Look man, frame four, he f***ing fell ower, HE’s s***!!”— we actively perceive everything, i.e. our beliefs act like directors shifting focus, selectively attending to what is going on, cutting here and dismissing there. Personally, I have been more exasperated by him this season (in the main). But in general I can appreciate that kind of player, call it a water-carrier if you want to be all Gallic (psuedo American Gallic) and dismissive, but just like Deschamps, I think that in particular formations you need one or even two lads like that in the team. Suspect I am also a bit biased as my son plays a similar role for a very successful junior side in the North West. He's not the one hitting 20 yard screamers, or chucking in half a dozen Ronaldo/Messi etc moves when on a run. But without him in midfield, they don't look any near effective, and he gets more Man of the Match awards (from Academy coaching staff) than those more ostensibly skilful/show-boaty ‘match-winning’ players. Appreciate that Colback doesn’t, and as I’ve said he has disappointed. However, on his day he really makes a difference, and I believe he did make a positive contribution (hassling, harrying, closing down, cutting out, narrowing the angle, breaking up the flow — of the opposition even at times — in the main, last season. I’m personally quite curious to see whether Shelvey as a linchpin means he doesn’t need to pirouette and change tack quite so often; he doesn’t look so “cowardly”, which a lot of the time is I suspect is him just playing within his skill set, desperate not to lose the ball. People will continue to see what they attend to. Personally, I hope Saivet gets a run in the team. Competition is good, and JC may be better with a bit more desperation to prove himself. Worth thinking though, if there is anything which doesn’t fit with your beliefs about him, and if anything springs to mind, do you find yourself immediately dismissing it?

I can see him being treat similar to Ben Arfa/Robert by some fans once he's settled like, in the way that he'll be shot down and we'll get massive groans when one of those 60 yard balls goes into the crowd 10 yards behind Janmaat, etc. He's not going to do that every game but it'll be worth it in the long run seeing the benefit of his type of play. Perhaps, but I see him as closer to a Nobby style player; occasional ambitious misses but outweighed by a perceptiveness and technique which was like witchcraft.

They were, Last Christmas...

6, 4 on target. WH: 6, 1 on.

Just seen the goals on Twitter. Oh my god... class. Two cracking passes by Shelvey.

One with two of the best young (early twenties still) midfielders in the premiership. Colback and?

One with two of the best young (early twenties still) midfielders in the premiership.

Did he make a hash of your celebration?

How do you like them apples, boyos?

Jonjo's forever popping bubbles... GTFI!!!

Howay JJ, give them hell!

Wouldn't fancy a 50-50 against any me sel' like; particularly big Robbie--Hughie Gallagher got splatted by less weight...

Here he is ginger Jack's one man fan club. If there's one person with a remarkable track record for nosing his way up the buttholes of absolutely s**** NUFC players, it's wor Folu. The yank who started taking an interest in the EPL a couple of years ago has spoken. Yet he appears to have developed a more discerning eye for talent than you, despite the apparent infancy of his interest. Think our Shola-alikee was just making observation that it is kind of predicable that Saivet wouldn't start, and as Anita isn't 100%, also predicable that JC would. No discerning taste required, just balanced reflection on standard practice with new to squad and league players.

The life of a Premier League deep-lying midfielder then. People will soon find out he's s*** that haven't already cottoned on, because there's fook all wrong with that front five. In fact it's very strong imo. I think there's definitely goals in that front 5, it's just if we're under the kosh, which we probably will be, poor ginger is going to wish he was on that flight to China. "Saved you some lovely mince Mrs Yung, for your Chow Mein, like"

Yep, wouldn't it be nice to have an uneventful easy win. Score early, totally dominate, add another on brink of half-time. Dominate second half...oh I'm bored even imagining it. They score with 15 minutes to go and are all over us like buttons on a pearly queen's crotch!

Listening to JJ's patter (monotone as it was) I am expecting a fucking barnstorming opener against his boyhood team. This guy has talent, self-belief, bottle, and feels aggrieved. Really wish I could have made it home to see this debut. He may just bring the best out of JC, shock horror. I do though believe Saivet will feature today.

for some reason I think he looks like a butcher! Scrubbed clean look about him, can see him in white dust coat with rolled up sleeves, perhaps a straw hat at a jaunty angle, and a red and white striped pinny... ah, that's the association.

No Match Attax card for young Andros this season, featured in two previous Tottenham squads. Ouch...

Hope Tiote's Witchdoctor changes his username to Pardew's/Parvenu's Piranha.

You're right there Dougal...

Hope the AWOL take-away he thought he would never see turns up after he's already eaten, and he can't resist eating it all anyway, including free poppadoms, and he feels sick as a nun's noo-noo