Rayvin

I am cautiously optimistic. Although if we won, we'd be 3 points behind them with half the season gone. And that just seems unlikely...

Well I only saw the one angle but if it had happened against us, I'd be pissed. It's still more of a suicide than an injustice though - the Stoke players were just so poorly disciplined. We definitely should have had a late pen when Shawcross hurled Cabaye across the box for one thing, so it probably evens out.

That sending off on Whelan did look harsh mind you... And our second was out (not so bothered about that one though as Stoke still made a dogs dinner of getting rid of it). Not that it matters, Stoke are a detestable team.

Pardew's comments seem to suggest that if we beat Arsenal, and move into touching distance of the Champs League places, we'll buy differently. I guess Ashley might be prepared to sanction more spending in Jan if he feels we have a reasonable chance of the added income that the Champs League might give us. It'll be a moot point anyway if Arsenal beat us though.

This is obviously not going to happen but - Liverpool have Chelsea next, away. Everton have Southampton without Howard. If we beat Arsenal (possible, IMO), we could go 5th, level on points with Liverpool... Weird season we're having.

I think Stoke are getting some sympathy decisions here. Although to be honest, it's actually hard to sympathise at all. They've been fouling in the box repeatedly...!

GETTIN!!!

Oh god Cisse...

Hahaha!!! Another penalty!!

Atkinson apparently. And you're right, they should look to go down - do our players generally do that though?

Can't see any reason why we shouldn't do some damage against Stoke, but I reckon we'll miss Tiote tbh. They'll be physical I'm sure, and we could have used him.

Fair play to him, nice to see someone doing something constructive for the region. Well in.

If we'd won a cup any time recently it'd be the Champs League for me. Given that we haven't though, I'd definitely go for a cup.

HAHAHAHA!! That's fucking amazing.The very definition of clutching at straws!

Apparently they're going for Tim Sherwood... with Les Ferdinand assisting.

Would we take Villa Boas if Pards left? Not that Spurs would go for him. Capello is the man by the sounds.

Just wondering if Cabaye might be heading the other way...

Good shout that... wouldn't be totally opposed to it either.

I'll take your word for it then - I would have thought the taste of beer wouldn't be strong enough to compete with cheese, but I guess it depends on strength of the cheese.

Cheese and beer??? Does that work??

I was very critical of him last season but I'm prepared to hold my hands up and say I was just wrong about him frankly. He clearly did have the potential to be better. Also, Pardew genuinely seems to have a knack for improving players...

Sometimes I think that if we ever won anything, all these moments of occasional glory (like the one you mentioned) would be less special - like, we might develop an expectation that since we've won something, we should be looking to win something else. With that said, that first major trophy we win (in a lot of people's living memory anyway) will be something pretty awesome...

I approve of the thread subtitle change! And yes, I basically agree about Southampton. Thing is, I go into every game we play thinking "this is gonna be a tough game, not sure we'll have what it takes" and just once I decided I would approach it with some optimism in order to enjoy it a bit more! But if you're gonna be all realistic then yes, they're definitely capable of causing us problems. I want to believe we're just better through the middle though.

We should beat Southampton. Fairly comfortably as well, given the sorts of teams we've been turning over. Also feel like we're a better team - they may be better managed though, so that could play a part. A banana peel of a game, but a 'should win' game nonetheless.

Weren't Barcelona interested a little while back? God knows why, it's not like they need him - those reports were circling though.