Abacus

I can see the argument for why the first could have been a penalty. Watched MOTD last night and even the pundits didn't agree - Rooney thinking it was, Murphy thinking it was also minimal contact and a dive. So you stick with the onfield ref. The second one to me wasn't a penalty. By that point Burn's head was gone, though, and he seemed to accept it. He shouldn't have been on the pitch by then, but that's beside the point. It looked like a levelling up decision from something neither the ref nor VAR were sure about from their first call. That is the mistake. Either that or VAR just finding ways to justify whatever the onfield ref has decided. In either case, that's not what VAR should be for, if it should be there at all.

Nice shot of him sulking on the bench just before.

Burn should have been subbed by the first penalty incident if not probably before. Pope shouldn't have remained on the pitch after his injury. You can argue about the line up today, but those were mistakes from the manager today that everyone saw before he did anything about it.

To be fair I've edited my post so you might know better than me on this. I just remember people being gutted he left rather than actual anger.

He loved the mars bars. Edit - to be fair that was before my time so I might be wrong on Gazza. I just know from now that people still think of him as Newcastle and there's no hard feelings towards him. Maybe there was then.

You're going to boo any dangerous opposition player, it's kind of a mark of respect sometimes, but particularly if they're a Judas. Don't think Gascoigne was ever thought of like that. There was kind of a recognition that was our club at the time. Likewise Carroll, always wanted him to do well except against us. No idea and don't care about what Liverpool fans think of TAA. Talking of booing players, I did my throat in booing Jose Enrique after his top 4 comments and then laughing at him being put in emergency goal at SJP. On April 1st as well, if my memory isn't broken. I will absolutely boo Isak until my lungs fall out of my mouth however.

Yeah I watched that (didn't realise that was you) and you may well be right. My only caveat would be, coming from a background of zero medical knowledge to be clear here, that if the muscle strength around the knee is better from having been match fit, isn't it more likely to protect a ligament. But I don't know what I'm talking about there as I've freely admitted. Could have been the pitch, could have just been one of those freak injuries which might have happened at any time.

You're not taking pelters for that, it's completely reasonable. I don't want him to miss out playing for his country either even though I'd selfishly prefer he was available for Newcastle. But we've given him a chance to play for us in the CL. An unfortunate injury, maybe because he overplayed for Congo whilst unfit, has so far robbed him of that. I wouldn't take the chance off him to play for his country either. This is not an Owen situation where he didn't want to be here in the first place and clearly prioritised England. Get him match fit, let him play, then hope he helps us storm through the end of the season.

And of his summer signings, Wissa hasn't played, Ramsey barely has both of those because of injuries, Ramsdale in brief cameos has looked sound, Thiaw looks excellent, and Woltemade looks like a superstar in the making.

Yeah, hearing it's a really good atmosphere. Heard some of the Benfica fans were a bit edgy (maybe edgy is the wrong word just not sure how they'd be welcomed) at first in some of the local bars, but went away happy after having been treated well and even then after losing. Really looking forward to this.

So, I think that's done. Message me if not.

Terrible keeping

Another vvd elbow in the face

Real Madrid are so poor here. Still maintain it's down to this format where they don't even have to try that much to probably still qualify.

Bad advice, then. Get some stilton and crackers mate.

Well yeah, ideally cheese or dark chocolate instead. But Kenny clearly is trying to use up his butterkist, so beggars can't be choosers.

Goes alright with salted caramel flavour.

Yeah that's a fair point. Pope obviously had a bit of a disaster at the weekend and there's genuine debate about dropping him. Totally get it, just don't want one bad game to affect how he is seen. I've been a bit of a fan of his from the start because I think he has strengths which are underappreciated when he was coming out of the box and snuffing out danger and for his aerial presence, when Dubs was the competition, so it's maybe just me with a bit of my own confirmation bias towards him being particularly strong in those areas.

I do agree, and also trying to adapt with an unconventional striker. Who is brilliant, just completely different to what we're used to. The Wissa injury has messed up a more gradual transition there. Anyway the reason I quoted you was my only issue with your partnerships there is that Tino has been so good on the left. I suppose I've not had much of a chance to see him on the right.

I don't know what it means, it's just a thing people say but you do notice the difference with a commanding keeper flying in for every free kick or corner. Which is Pope.

I'd be quite a fan of giving Ramsdale a run between the sticks. Good shot stopper, good distribution, just doesn't command the box as well as Pope, so far.

This has all taken an unsavoury turn. But on the subject of Isak's leg falling right off of his groin I'm sure that we can all agree that's the best outcome. So, can we please keep on topic.

This is lovely.

I wouldn't worry about what every dipstick on there says. I think the bigger problem is that it's encouraged there and if you dissent from it you're somehow a traitor to them and if it's a lie it just gets repeated. It's why this forum is a hundred times better. I know the Sunderland lot on here occasionally get a pasting, but they're at least trying to talk about their club through their lens and stick to this thread, which can be interesting. Stopped bothering looking on there the last few months, except the odd time for their match thread on TV, which I quite like, for the sense of community it has. The thing I most can't get is how everything is defined as being anti Newcastle as opposed to for their own club. It takes about two seconds for that to rear up in almost every conversation. Obviously nearer the derby I'll hate them with a passion, but for now I just don't care that much. Actually (unpopular opinion) credit to them for giving it a go and making the relegation battle interesting.