Rayvin

This for me - he desperately wants to succeed so you can't really say he's just coasting. I was going to liken him to WIlliamson who is limited but always tries (and so can't really be disliked), but he's actually better than that, and strives to succeed more visibly. He isn't perfect and definitely costs us points on occasion, but sometimes I wonder if anyone could come in and do a job with this team given the limitations of the senior management structure. For all we know, Pardew could have been asking for better coaches for months but has simply been ignored. My great fear is that he's a decent manager undermined by those above him, and when he goes we'll see a crap manager being undermined with a much more damaging outcome. I think if we replaced him with someone like Mourinho, who seems to be the current PL benchmark for capable management for one reason or another, we'd still not see a significant upturn in fortunes.

I agree with this almost entirely. I do think that the local press coverage on Newcastle is of a fairly poor standard mind you, but they should be aligned with the fans.

I know it's totally irrelevant to say things like this BUT, had we beaten Hull and Sunderland, we'd be 4th...

We need Hull to get another goal so that they don't even have "Well we hung on with 9 men, that's pretty good"

Without a doubt... It's gonna end up 7 or 8.

Beautiful isn't it? - MOTD is gonna be a good one tonight! Thoroughly looking forward to it for once!

That's painful, but maybe the team/Pardew feel like the press are on at them as well. I dunno, but he did well today in how he played out that game.

Haha, wouldn't surprise me. Credit where it's due though, his game plan sounds like it went perfectly. At least we don't have to worry too much about the next couple of games. Especially given that ManUtd look back to normal...

Would be good to see Sunderland lose today, just to remove any positivity they might have had from last week! Norwich are going to get caned today by the looks.

What in the damn hell. How on earth did we manage this? Sometimes I think we must actually be a good side. And Pardew personally intervened for the first goal..??

Yes but to be fair, Remy replaces Ba. We need someone to replace Cisse.

You know what, if we seriously had a decent striker, we'd be fine. Like for those glorious crosses from Ben Arfa that no one gets anywhere near.

We haven't embarrassed ourselves here, I think we've looked ok. Just need someone who can score.

I know what you mean, but take heart in the fact that if we had drawn Hull in the next round, history suggests we would have lost.

Media attention will be drawn to that ahead of this? Schadenfreude? I dunno, I'm scrambling around for anything.

On the plus side, Spurs are now losing to Hull.

And then offside.

Cisse.... what if there's no hope for him?

gaah extra time. Was starting to think we might nick that as well

Moving Anita to left back for Ben Arfa... so w're going all out. I guess it's unlikely we'll be humiliated now.

True but that's probably down to a lack of belief in Cisse. Which is another reason why Cabaye should be on - if anyone has to shoot from distance, it should be him.

Intruiging... to counter balance Silva maybe?

Oh joy, Silva's coming on...

Agreed, it's tough cos no one is playing badly although Cisse remains predictably quiet. Would Ben Arfa offer much...? I'd probably go Remy for Cisse/Shola.

Gouffran tracks back well, has a good work rate.