Altamullan

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.

F**k me, did Savage say something supportive?

I'd like to grab hold of his right knacker...

Howay lads, create one last chance...

You couldn't make it up...Marriner now blocks a through pass.

Krul MoM performance thus far.

Ginin sitting with Colback? Perez coming in on goal from left forward role (....hopefully on at least a couple of occasions!)