The Fish

I do tend to agree with that, however a counterpoint would be that we need to get used to playing without him in competitive games.

Every minute counts for those fat fuckers http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27328674

Can't find my christmas one, can't be bothered to make/find one so you can suffer this one throughout and presume I'm a Grinch. Scratch that, someone did one for me in this very thread so Merry Christmas you filthy animals.

Are we their longest journey? It's only 3 and a bit hours, what are they moaning about?

We've the biggest and best squad in the Championship, we can rotate our squad without dropping the standard too muich. Far more so than any of the other teams up at the top of the table. I know he gets some shit on here, but Mitrovic is a much better option most teams have in lieu of their first choice striker. Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba and even Hanley would walk into most Championship sides. Unlike most Christmas periods before, in this one we have a chance to kick on while others are struggling with the fixture list.

I'd be tempted to shelve Shelvey, he might be all riled up and it'd be fucking typical if he escaped punishment for the Lansbury incident and went in two footed on some no mark from Birmingham. Hayden was superb last game and playing him alongside Diame might bring Ritchie and Atsu/Gouffran into the game more, instead of us always looking for Shelvey?

Can't find owt, but there's this from 2012. The article says http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2253648/Carlton-Cole-Darron-Gibson-red-cards-overturned.html

Gotta tear up most of my notes for the Podcast recording tonight now. FA, always screwing the little guy.

You think if it hadn't been on tv (and hadn't received such widespread criticism) we'd have seen the reds overturned?

You have to give him credit for that one, not many people could have made that link.

It's a variation on the 4-4-1-1 though.

How about Darlow Yedlin Lasc Clark Dummett Ritchie Hayden Diame Atsu Mitro Gayle Mitro played as a pivot that the others play off, almost like a deep lying target man?

I'm beginning to come around to TGQ's way of thinking.

I like the looks of Atsu, if he can improve his final ball and decision making he'll be tip top. Agree that that kind of mercurial Gauloises-smoking, Proust-quoting, genius doesn't dovetail with Benitez's pragmatic approach to football. @@Gemmill must be delighted.

Not really, he was as suspect at the back as the rest of them. I thought Enrique was the pick of the bunch, especially because of the relationships he had with Colo and Jonas on the left.

That bastion of reason and insight Kris Boyd has had his say on Cathro http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/kris-boyd-tears-newcastle-coach-9396571 "Look at him, with his counting machine, bet he doesn't even let his players have a fag at half time!" I've heard nothing but good things about Cathro and he's certainly paid his dues, hope he does well up there.

Shit draw imo. Not a walk over, nor a big scalp, not even an interesting club.

That's because they know they haven't a leg to stand on. The worry though is that Diame's use of the ball is pretty selfish, he doesn't create for others, he drives with the ball into a dangerous area whereas Shelvey affects the spread and speed of a game. Agree that it's unlikely we'll see 4-4-2 under Rafa.

I went for 3-0 and when the poll is made public I'll sacrifice the 3 seconds it takes to re-enter it and not throw my toys out of the pram.

Good post and I agree with much of it. I think there's shades of grey with each of them, no one player is 100% good enough for the Premier League. I just fancy that Rafa's Anita will be much better than McClaren's, Carver's or Pardew's. I totally agree we need to add 4-5 players, around that core and maybe add a couple more young prospects.

Yeah, 4 top flight players plus maybe a couple of prospects. Although over the course of 2 windows, I'd be happy to add 6+ players. We sign an attacking midfielder to rotate with Shelvey, a young striker like Tammy Abraham in January, then 4 quality players in the summer?

They are without a doubt, some of the stupidest things I've ever read. One where you steal a previously opened gift? Are you kidding? That's secret santa followed by an arsehole being an arsehole. One where you guess who was your secret santa.. that's what happens after every secret santa, so that's just secret santa. "Conspiracy Santa" Where everybody gets together to buy everybody a present isn't secret santa at all; you know who your santa is... it's everybody else. And he less said about Secret Casino Santa the better. And none of them are giving your boss a picture of yourself as a gift...

Anything more complicated than Candy Crush get the eye-roll treatment. She did enjoy GTA briefly, then some 12yr old Yank decided to keep murdering her over and over and over again. We'll read together, but blowing up aliens or racing cars is a no-go. Except for Mario games, obvs.