Happy Face

This is why American politics has been allowed to move so far to the right. Times like these demand opposition voices.

In this episode, the national aspirations of Margaret Thatcher were examined, particularly the way in which she used public sentiment in an attempt to capture the national spirit embodied in the famous speeches and writings of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. By harking back, or summoning the spirit of Britain's "glorious past" (to fulfil short-term political or national ends), it is revealed that the process invariably backfired in the long run, entrapping the invoker in the societal maladies of the present. The example provided is the wartime levels of patriotism invoked in the Falklands War crisis, in which Thatcher's rugged determination matched national sentiment, only to dissipate a few years later with events such as the British Poll Tax, leading to her resignation.

To be fair to the bloke that punched him, he does look a lot like Niall Quinn.

Roberto Duran is a Geordie

I don't think PDC was involved like, tbf.

I think he's been in the ring with a horse before. Great technique tbf.

We've got Coloccini, you've got Mussolini Liked that one

...and a word on the mackems. Never heard from them until they went ahead. Hope they get fined for the smoke bombs too.

I see I was beaten to it

"Candygram for Mongo!"

Reading what he says about the depression he just can't wait for 3 months away from football, because he's been playing virtually non-stop for 2 years. Don't think he does himself any favours talking about it like that because he plays a lot less games than top players in the Champions league, so if he ever fancies that move upwards he's shooting himself in the foot.

You bought the DVD yet Dappa? You'll be like a dog with 2 cocks.

You mean from 2 yards outside the box?

The first 20 minutes of the second half after Shola came on was our best period and culminated in the not offside goal. Also we only played 70% of the long balls we have done on average this season. People seem to bring out the cliche's when we have a bad result, blaming bad performances or tactics from other games rather than the one they just witnessed. Where we went wrong yesterday was that Sunderland were brilliant at breaking up our play in the middle of the park. They harried and rushed us at every opportunity. We never wanted it as much in any area of the park. Tiote never stopped running and was trying to give as good as we got (but made too many errors) Cabaye just wasn't at the races though. Debuchy and Gutierez had license to fly up the wing, as I recall it, for the first Jonas gave away posession on OUR right, despite playing left back, and Debuchy was nowhere to be seen. i wouldn't slate Debuchy's performance. Guttierez will be very disappointed though. Far too many individual mistakes from him...what I asked one of the lads though, given the fact it was so gutless a performance from us overall....who showed more willing and determination, Jonas or marveaux? Did we need more honesty like that or more stepovers around the half way line? Marveaux was only ever interested when we had the ball. He pulled away from challenge after challenge preferring just to close angles...when he could be arsed to do anything. The forced change to bring on Elliot was a pisser too. With Shola already on it left us with only the one option anyone could take which was to hoy Ben Arfa on. There was little else Pardew could do from that point. It was the most attacking, adventurous set-up we have had all season though, it highlighted the counter-attacking issues that causes us against a well organised opposition, but I do think against a team more assured of safety, without that new manager bounce, it will be more effective.

It's not just about Thursday is it though. The likes of Sissoko have played 10 games in 43 days. A game every 4 days for 6 weeks running. The mackems have played 3 games in the last 4 weeks.

Didn't even have a drink yesterday either.

Was gonna say, I ain't seen any replays, but at least 2 sprung straight to mind that were better than the one save Krul made from their corner. Not sure how much more Krul could have done for the second and third, but for the first he seemed very slow to react.

3 to 4 years apparently

Can't sleep for thinking about it. Fucking mackems. No wonder they're so obsessed it they put up with this sort of thing year after year.

Amazing how quick their attitude to league position over derby result changes.

And if last minute goals are lucky, like you say, then we should have got another at Wig an too

They'll likely come from west Brom. We have won 6 of the last 15 points you know.

Our attackers are a pretty shallow pool. Have you seen how many games Shola gets?

I note he's steering well clear after Pardew followed his advice and started Marveaux and Guttierez at left back and we proceeded to give the most gutless performance of the season.