Altamullan

A winger who may need a run of games to get into form... Now why does that ring a bell?

Or a swap deal now, with a more orthodox striker also arriving this window...

For me: ------------------Saivet-----Shelvey-------------- Sissoko----------------------------------Anyone but... ----------------------Wijnaldum------------------ ---------------------Mitrovic----------------------

Personally I thought, still think, he was just reaching to locate the man he was meant to be marking. That is why his arm was there, not to aid his jump, nor to deliberately block the ball. If position makes a difference -- natural unnatural, high-low-a bit too camp -- (I don't know, and frankly can't be arsed to find out) then he was foolish to risk it. If the ref has to guess intent, based on the players movement/behaviour, then I think he's got it wrong, as he did for the Janmmat scything.

Damn! hoped that was going to read Riviere...

My 'fill in the gap' for Newcastle trying the unthinkable = Vardy. (no not Reg)

Nice touch/further connection Newcastle with Lighthouse Family, IIRC he liked them/had seen them live.

Steve Black could maybe use this to motivate... images of small widlife trapped under tog 4 duvet, not-that-waterproof, tumbled-dried-shrunken-bench-coats. Camera pans from a suffocated hedgehog..."Look at poor Foxy... neck trapped down the sleeve, only starvation awaits... Mitro you watching son? No use blubbing just get scoring!"

Only 'sense' in him leaving already is if, for want of a better phrase, his arse has gone. There has been enough in small glimpses to suggest that with a consistent run, increased familiarity and confidence, he could be a sound addition to the team. I would be surprised if McClaren thought otherwise, but if he is not up for it, and it doesn't look changebale... then sure, get rid. It would be a f***ing shocker though.

Week 21 As Magpie has shown, this week was a shocker! 15 players scoring 10 and under, an average of 9.9 (next lowest was week 15 with 12.2), 126 (47.2%) of our predictions returning 0 points; a new record! WOO-HOO!! No six pointers, only one 4 pointer. Only three correct scores (Pilko, joeyt and Jill) from 267 pedicti... make that guesses...actually, make that bad guesses. Our group guess also hit a new low of 8. Maybe the predictability of this season isn’t going to pick-up in 2016. In terms of most predictable team, Arsenal are still top, averaging 72 points returned from games involving them. Man City second on 61pts. We’re third bottom, averaging 42.8 points returned but on rounding-up, we’re level with the two teams above us (Stoke and Southampton). I choose to take it as an omen...we’re going to get out of the mire! (...though the stink may take a while to shift). Lawro would have scored a very respectable16, his guest a demoralising (though not unexpected given our collective debacle) 4. Just found the BBC Sport Predictor game, this week: the most popular scores on there would have returned 5 points; so it is definitely not just us lot who have struggled. Lawro’s total score is now 390 and his guests 294 (average of 18.6 and 14.0 respectively). So we’re pretty much all doing worse than a professional pundit, but better than the interested amateur well-knowns.

This picture would you trust this man as your child's trampoline coach, scouts leader etc? Not the image he must have been going for. Wears it well though and much deserved.

that is gonna be rancid. Fingers crossed it has the same positive PR impact as the Sunlun one when Monkey's Heed was in charge. Thinking of the board room scene where they're discussing the sports psychology of colour and potential benefits of changing their strip still makes me chuckle.

Just read Pav's book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pavel-Geordie-Srnicek-ebook/dp/B018832VNO : fascinating insight and brutally honest. No surprise why Terry Mac not there (even more so Dalgleish). Less scathing of KK. I am surprised and disappointed that KK didn't attend memorial or at least offer condolences.

Yep, good on JJ plus was surprised at how fair/balanced Scholes was (maybe LVG hate balancing his MUFC love!). I think they will be really motivated at the weekend. Must feel good and increase self-belief to comeback in that way, against a 'top' side.

Yep, need for variation re points of attack; we can be so predictable. In that nice early spell of possession Man Utd had evidently loaded their left-side and nullified our forward movement, we seemed to keep it well, but the ball just seemed to go backwards and to the side, and still overly rely on our right side for forward penetration/anything vaguely dangerous.

Shelvey can 'look forward' to the Harry Potter chants from the WH fans.

Haven't seen enough of Austin to judge the similarties and differences between what he and Mitrovic bring, but do recall strong seemingly valid arguments that Ferdinand and Shearer were too similar to play together...

Spurs 2-2 Sunderland Bournemouth 2-1 Norwich Chelsea 0-0 Everton Man City 2-0 Crystal Palace Newcastle 2-0 West Ham Southampton 1-1 West Brom Aston Villa 2-3 Leicester Liverpool 1-2 Man Utd Stoke 2-1 Arsenal Swansea 2-2 Watford

Same re Gini, enjoyed seeing Colo's shot (typed shit there! Force of habit...) as well, great effort.

Felt chuffed for the lad... stood-up to a tough test and bagged the equaliser (...enjoyed Colo's shot as well).

Just seems so slow to act, and reluctant to stick his neck out and make brave choices re substitutions and formation changes. Can't imagine he improves players' self-belief.

a win for mackems and we're in exactly the same situation. They would go above us on GD.

Saw that (though couldn't blame Mitro for having a crack himself) and also thought it was a good sign.

Yep, same for me Chopey. Shame for the lad, but it was embarrassing at times and I can't see him starting again for some time.