Altamullan

I can see Wijnaldum in The Premiership Team or the Year, 2016 (maybe alongside Shelvey). A prediction sprinkled with a fair bit of wishful thinking, no doubt. That is how highly I rate him, though. I haven't been as excited about a new midfielder since watching Nobby Solano play in a reserve game at SJP; sat high in the Milburn, couldn't believe what I was seeing in terms of his distribution of passes and general awareness of who was where, and who could get where.

Storming start by Gini; long may it continue. Has Shane's Mum been on??

I reckon he should have you as his agent...

All scores to be confirmed by Magpie (I nearly always get something wrong...). Week 4: “It’s a funny ol’ game...” (Just had a Saint and Greavsie flashback—one for the oldies— 'twas thankfully warm and fuzzy, rather than terrifying). This week had the highest scoring/most predicable result thus far: City Watford with 150 points (only four correct scores though); a game with zero points scored (Scousers vs. Hammers, who knew? Evidently none of us...); and one with a paltry 4 points (Chelsea Palace—our collective memory of Parvenu’s ‘excellent’ Chelski record no doubt eclipsed by our memory of everything else). Also, 25 of us went for a Stoke win, at home to the “Eets awl royit keeds” of West Brom (Chuffin’ referees, we wuz robbed...actually let’s not go there). The average points total for week 4 was around 17 again; though our ‘Group Guess’ (median of our H scores vs. median of our A scores) produced an unimpressive 13 points. El Championi ‘Froggy’ had another very solid week, and freed from the B&W bias even predicted our result (as did POOT...double edged sword, no doubt mate); I’ll skip over the Swansea game, though a remarkable 13 of us managed to predict the 2-1, as did Mark Lawrensen: which, despite a yield of only 82 points, might actually make this the most predicable result thus far...). Lawro would have scored a highly respectable 20 points btw, by Magpie's rules; and his guest Darren ‘Man U’ Campbell a, no doubt, less satisfying 12 points—though he did get the Man Utd ‘1’ bit right.

Week 5 Everton 0 v Chelsea 2 Arsenal 2 v Stoke 0 Crystal Palace 1 v Man City 4 Norwich 1 v Bournemouth 1 Watford 0 v Swansea 0 West Brom 0 v Southampton 0 Man Utd 2 v Liverpool 1 Sunderland 0 v Spurs 1 Leicester 1 v Aston Villa 1 West Ham 0 v Newcastle 1

How long have you supported Newcastle? Where does your view of the life and times of 'the genuine' NUFC fan come from? (An unseen Tyneside-based Ripping Yarns episode?) Have you considered what the realistic aims of most premiership clubs are in this era? I'm all for a bit of Cashley criticism, where warranted, but the above imo comes over like some kind of NOTW-flashback Southern, ill-considered, and patronising journalism. You have picked the wrong one to lay out 'I'm-a-better-fan-than you' crap pal - I was probably supporting NUFC when you were still in your father's imagination(or whatever you want to call it in your world). Was going to SJP back in the 1960s and was part of the Magpie Group that got rid of an unambitious board..a bit like this one except most of them were Geordies.... Your comments are typical of many of the modern generation - think they know it all but actually know nowt, and you have done a fine job in cementing my views about many modern NUFC fans. The hilarious part about your ramblings are that I looked up your profile and saw you only joined the site in July this year... Pots calling kettles, or what..? Grow up lad and come back when you can play with the big boys. Well, that’s me well and truly told, Merl. I can see your research is just as sophisticated as your reasoning and it leaves me no choice but to shame-facedly slope-off to the outdoor netty and read what’s left of the Journal, while there’s enough light... I used to have other pasttimes, before that nice Mr Ashley persuaded me that whippet racing and pigeon fancying would get in the way of browsing leisure wear in my local discount sports shop (you should see the reductions, man...Epic!) you know, like on the alternate weekend to a home match, obviously. Those weekends, really cast some light into my otherwise bleak and dark existence. Least I hope they will, I remember my first match like it was yesterday (or the day before...) we only got beat one nil! And were playing like a big team from the smoke! Aye, London like! Awesome!! Thanks for putting me right ye cheeky wizard ye. I’ll try my best to increase my knowledge of the world through some Journal reading—it’s so hard when it’s all torn into strips though, so you might have to bear with me.

Wijnaldum = pure class. Mbemba = going to be a legend. Thauvin = looks really exciting. Mitrovic = not seen enough, the reasons for which maybe counterbalance the promise shown. Can't recall last time we have improved the squad as much. Have we got another one in us? Was praying for a CB two weeks ago, now want a striker who can hold-up the ball. Any sign?

Does your free season ticket work? It's been like this for ages, increasingly so all the time. Whenever we play one of the better sides, home or away, the crowd goes home absolutely buzzing if we do anything other than get absolutely obliterated. It used to be just the top couple of sides in the division. Now if we play Swansea City and don't get f***ed up the arse, it's treated as a moral victory. Meanwhile West Ham have already won away at Liverpool and Arsenal. As a support, we write these games off and are delighted to do so. One of the many reasons I can't be f***ed with it any more. Yep - the Ashley propaganda machine has done a fine job on NUFC fans...or what is left of the genuine ones. He set out to lower expectations and because many fans have nothing but SJP on every alternative Saturday/Sunday to look forward to, he has probably even bettered his aims. The club will never do anything whilst people are prepared to accept mediocrity - I'm not particularly referring to Saturday as there were mitigating factors, but even so, a more ambitious owner would never have allowed a club of our size to start a season with such an inexperienced CF with a reputation for being physical or without PL experience. Its all about investing in young players in the hope that they will come good and make a profit when sold on. How long have you supported Newcastle? Where does your view of the life and times of 'the genuine' NUFC fan come from? (An unseen Tyneside-based Ripping Yarns episode?) Have you considered what the realistic aims of most premiership clubs are in this era? I'm all for a bit of Cashley criticism, where warranted, but the above imo comes over like some kind of NOTW-flashback Southern, ill-considered, and patronising journalism.

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/newcastle-united/news/mbemba-we-definitely-deserved-more_242907.html Still loving this guy, he says stuff like this and I believe him.

Must be satisfying...very satisfying

Well said mate. Hope the impact of this game not beign what it could/should have been, and the cloud of disappointment it's produced, don't obscure your love of the game for too long.

God I hate football fans. It's people, not just football fans. It's the f***ing tabloid generation, attention span of a nat, where everyone is f***ing offended at everything and yet can't be bothered to do a f***ing thing about anything. It's been three games and that's enough, can't be spending any longer than that on a player, not enough time in our busy football fan lives. Should've signed a war veteran, he would've got the exact same red card and the exact same suspension, but he would've been a f***ing hero. Jacky Colback picks up this red and there'd be a change.org petition before you could say pirouette. Every day I'm a step closer to buying an island and working out how to make WMDs. Thanks Semi..., your going off half-cocked really cheered me up! "Put them in a field, and bomb the barstewards!"

I've felt Cisse would go this window, business rather than football reasons, but it's all getting a bit near the wire. I don't feel that confident about playing him as a lone striker against West Ham, or even Watford. Perhaps I am being unfair, but not sure he's the '1' in a 4231. Assuming we've enough to beat Sheff Wed at home, and ignoring Chelsea & Man City games, we've got Norwich 18 Oct & then Mak'ems away on 25th. These are both must win in my mind. Can't imagine, at present, Mitrovic coping well with the atmosphere in the latter, and we would definitely need a striker to hold-up the ball in that game, imo. Charlie Austin time?? [repost]

I've felt Cisse would go this window, business rateh rthan football reasons, but it's all getting a bit near the wire. I don't feel that confident about playing him as lone striker against West Ham and Watford. Perhaps I am being unfair, but not sure he's the '1' in a 4231. Assuming we've enough to beat Sheff Wed at home, and ignoring Chelsea & Man City games, we've got Norwich 18 Oct & then Mak'ems away on 25th. These are both must win in my mind. Can't imagine, at present, Mitrovic coping well with the atmosphere in the latter, and we would definitely need a striker to hold-up the ball in that game, imo. Charlie Austin time??

Need a defender, need a forward, f*** that man, we need to buy a ref.

Having watched the other dubious sendings off from yesterday, I can't help wondering whether there has been some kind of referees' directive issued from the centre (referee Big Brother) to stamp down (no pun...but think I/we may be able to find humour in this now...ish) on what Martin Keown ( proper tackler) called levellers. If there has been, it probably meant to improve people's enjoyment of the game, ensure those with more attacking flair get a fair chance to do their thing. However, yesterday it ruined three games of football. I particularly feel for Stoke, two reds in 30 mins (Adams definitely was influenced by his reputation, imo): game over.

After watching 'the incident' on super-slow motion a few times a couple of things stand-out for me. Mitrovic jumps well with Squillaci, and cushions the ball on his chest (whilst 2ft in the air). As he returns to Earth ( so to speak...) his eyes never leave the ball. The ball is free, bouncing six foot in the air as Mitrovic lands on his right foot, and takes a steadying step with his left foot, as Coquelin approaches at pace. Mitirovic's right leg is starting to stretch towards the ball before Coquelin even plants what will be his standing (left) foot. Mitrovic springs forward off his left foot ( both feet off the ground), right foot outstretched towards the ball. Coquelin gets his foot there first ( M's R foot still 18 inches away) and knocks the ball to his left (M's right). Mitrovic's eyes are lowered and clearly on the ball/space where it was as his big slow clumsy-looking hoof then misses the moved ball and lands mid shin pad, heel studs on foot. There doesn't appear to be a scream from Coquelin until the ball has bounced free and travelled about eight feet, I.e. it doesn't appear an instantaneous 'hurt'. Also prior to the scream, Coquelin's and Mitrovic's eyes are following the ball. If you're hurt by a contact in a way proportionate to his reaction, I would expect instant eyes closed and attention shifting inwards, not staying on the ball/game. There's no great outpouring of injustice from the other three Arsenal players in the vicinity, all had eyes on the ball. Mitrovic looks genuinely shocked, as does Cazorla, by the card. Why bother with the above? Well firstly I've just woke-up and it's still playing in my mind and secondly, I feel sure that if there had been no scream/cry from Coquelin or other dramatic reaction we wouldn't have seen a red card. This was a game changing incident, though the two sendings off for Stoke looked just as trivial to me. As far as I know, the refs may technically be within the broad rules to have issued a red in all cases, but all seemed disappointingly influenced by a lack of sensible interpretation and by the fouled players' histrionics.

You know what, there's some good context in the last posts. Played against two of best teams. Ten men against one. Conceded 1 goal... 'Twas nice to hear a SMc song today too; like a sign of acceptance.

How about being a reasonable human being, as an expectation for fans. We'll all have favourites and least favourites, it does no harm to take your blinkers off and acknowledge when one of the latter have a decent game. You could even prefix with adolescent sh*te like "I hate him, but..." or "I wouldn't play him, like..." as if it matters/you have some special claim on the 'truth'. If somebody didn't do what JC did today, I think Arse would have had more time to play far more balls into dangerous areas. Personally, I wouldn't have started him today (but who gives a f**k, SMc knows better than me), but I think he did well.

I have thought the same, but Haidara played well for me, and pretty much has done in all the games this season (even pre-season, excluding martial arts display--who knew this was the start aof a ticker tape parade of red cards...). I think he's likely to improve with more games, and the increased confidence which should come along with them. If not, we can give Dummett a run.

City Watford must have produced the highest scores to date for us, but a big fat zero from the Chelsea game, me thinks...

Being down there this year doesn't feel like it used to. I like us. I'm cheering for us again. Me too Mike, not bothered about the table. I am bothered about the club again. Love the crowd today, real passion and togetherness. Roll on the games we will have earmarked as must win.

Take your heed for sh*t SMB. f***ing barcode Would love to scan you bonny lad.

Take your heed for sh*t SMB.

Nice to see and hear the crowd beign appreciated. Hugely impressive support today.