David Kelly

Got it on series link now so I've got the last three or so to catch up on. This one sounds the most interesting so I'll probably start with it. Last night's Inside number 9 was a bit disappointing. Still decent but my least favourite so far.

I see Arsenal fans had a protest about Wenger last night. Has there ever been a more pathetic set of fans than that lot. I'm embarrassed I follow the same sport as those whinging cunts. I really hope he goes along with Sanchez and Ozil in the summer and they start to drop down the league.

We played well and could (and perhaps should) have been more than a goal up at half time. Second half they got a lot more possession but Darlow still had very little to do. We contained them easily but didn't manage to get the goals that we did on Saturday (not sure how with some of the goal keeping). Stam can try and twist it as them dominating us in the second half but it's simply not true. That effort they had off the woodwork looked like it would have been a total fluke to me, although I've not seen a replay. It was a another decent performance away to one of the better sides in the division but we were (understandably) a touch jaded after the recent run. Most people would have pretty happily accepted 4 points from these three away games and being within touching distance of the top. But coming out with 7 and ending the run 3 points clear of Brighton and a further 6 ahead of Huddersfield (with a massive goal advantage) is nothing short of outstanding. I can't fathom why anyone would be complaining at this stage.

I'm not totally convinced he can learn to be a lone striker mind. I think he can improve but I don't think he can ever really do that job well.

No the criticism on here hasn't been as bad as what I've heard at the match and in the bars around town. And when I say Rafa doesn't trust him, I'm certainly not suggesting it's just because of his disciplinary record. I think it's because of what he's getting from him in training/in matches. I totally admit he's been disappointing, I just think it's not all his fault. I just don't think it will make a difference going forward.

There has been some excessive criticism mind. I've heard all so sorts of shite about him, people playing he should never play again because he missed some chances (the penalty in particular) against Oxford, people shouting at him to head the ball when he just has etc. Some of it is absolutely pathetic (not saying this is you btw) and leads to others going over the top the other way. The reality is the stats don't tell the true story because he's not getting a proper run in the team. As Fish pointed out he regularly only gets a few minutes at the end and that's no good for a lad of his age if we're wanting to see him improve. Also we really haven't been particularly well set up for him this season. We've generally been looking for a pacey striker and playing balls into the box much more suited to Gayle. But he's also had some poor games and I don't think anyone can deny that. He had quite a good run earlier on in the season when he scored those goals against Preston but since then he's not taken his chance and disappointed for a player most expected would do well in this division given a very respectable first season. Regardless of whether either side in the argument is going over the top, he really hasn't been a player that Rafa has trusted to do what he wants from him and I can't see that changing in the future. I do think he's got the makings of a player but I don't think he's really cut out to play as a lone striker and if Rafa's here that's the formation he'll play most of the time so I see him being replaced in the summer.

I know people who are involved in youth coaching who are all Newcastle fans who are telling me the same thing. They reckon our scouts (be virtue of either incompetence or poor planning from those at the top) are missing out on a lot of local talent.

Their junior teams are supposedly miles better than ours. I know a lad who's son went there ahead of here because we have a really shit reputation. A few months ago they thrashed us at all but one age level. Apparently they're picking up loads of kids from over here because our set up is a joke. It's not particularly paying dividends yet as we're talking about right down under 10's but there's a belief that it will in the future.

Aye I agree with this. I think he could have played well with Gayle, got some goals and helped Gayle get even more. But Rafa isn't never going to go down that route so it's pretty irrelevant now.

It's not that much these days. He's a Serbian international who got a pretty decent return in the premier league in this first season as a 20/21 year old. I think teams would see enough in that to take him on at that sort of wage even if he has had a disappointing season this time around. I certainly cant see him being here next season, Rafa doesn't trust him in one way or another and that's going to be the key factor. As much as I want him to succeed, I think we need a new striker if we go up. Gayle being a success in the premier league is far from a given and Mitro is certainly looking less likely at the minute. For all our goals this season, I think a striker (along with a left winger and a number 10) are the key positions I think we need quality in.

Aye Ashwin cleaned them up.

Good test here between India and Australia, could go either way. Kohli kicking off with Smith for trying to take advice from the dressing room whether to review or not. Pretty pathetic from the Aussie commentators saying Smith might not have known the rules. He's been playing with DRS for a lot longer than India have.

Aye, it's a tough league because of the nature of it, not because of the quality of the players in it.

I make it only 5 teams from the 18 that have been relegated between our two relegations have come straight back up and at least 2 teams have dropped down a further division (2 in Portsmouth's case). There might be a lot of poor football played in the championship but it's clearly not easy to come straight back up. And a lot of teams who haven't managed it have looked a lot better than they currently do.

I fear a bit of complacency after the last two results. On paper this always looked the more easy fixture of the three and after the two great results we've had you just wonder if the players will just relax a bit. But Rafa has shown how he can out think the opposition and having Gayle back is a major bonus so I'll go for 2-0.

He was shite for Villa up here the other week.

We've scored more goals than anyone yet we've had miles less penalties than the likes of Brighton. There's no way the refs have favoured us. Rafa clearly understands that possession doesn't mean points and set us up perfectly. Yes I would have liked to have seen us do a bit better with the ball at times really given that never never managed a shot from inside the box in open play, we did better with the ball than them. It's great to have a manager who can come up with different plans against different teams and get the players to implement them.

He's not all right!

Yeah that was exactly what I thought.

Haha.

Enjoyed Logan. I think anyone expecting a regular x men type film will be disappointed but for me it was exactly what I wanted from a Wolverine film. Good to see with the likes of this and Deadpool, Marvel can offer something different.

Anyone mentioned Rick & Morty? Pretty mental but really funny. Especially when you're stoned.

I'm one of those monsters that spell it correctly yes.

Aye he never uses his left foot like.

I thought the Christmas special was perfectly done too.