OTF

It was Taylor who was again caught incredibly flat footed for the Beye/Robinho incident. Otherwise I would agree. Perhaps Beye Coloccini Bassong Enrique

Enrique is quick. Don't know how anyone who watched him play last season could not agree with this. As for who is quicker - well it's probably splitting hairs - in other words who cares. Both of them inject some pace into what is an otherwise pretty slow back four.

The red card was for denying a goal scoring opportunity. It doesn't need to be reckless. Fantastic point... Given made a save - OH NO - denying a goal scoring opportunity - SEND HIM OFF! If you give a red card for a tackle for denying a goal scoring opportunity it has to be as a result of a careless or reckless tackle. The red card results from a more extreme iteration of what would normally be a foul - and for a tackle the laws of the game deem that to be a reckless or careless tackle. I'll say it again, that tackle was neither careless or reckless. Thereby there is no foul and it cannot be escalated to a red card, regardless of Beye's last man status. No.. If the referee deems it to be a foul (which clearly he did), then that foul very definitely denied a goal scoring opportunity, as Robinho was about to shoot. In law if a player makes a foul tackle that denies another player a goal scoring opportunity (the presumption being the player would very likely have scored) then he is punished with a red card. The tackle does not need to be reckless. I have been in a sililar situation where I have sent off a goalkeeper and awarded a penalty, and whilst I personally dont agree that punishing a team twice is fair, that is the law of the game. On a different point... A foul tackle deemed to be reckless is punishable by a red card. A foul tackle deemed to be careless is punishable by a yellow card. You say no, but then you essentially agree with me. My point is that there was no foul committed, thereby he can't be sent off. A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force: • kicks or attempts to kick an opponent • trips or attempts to trip an opponent • jumps at an opponent • charges an opponent • strikes or attempts to strike an opponent • pushes an opponent Certainly noone could argue that Beye's tackle was any of the above. FIFAs rules of the game deem a Direct Free-Kick if a player: - tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball The above can be the only decision that Styles was applying. As for offenses that can be punishable by a Red Card: A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offences: 1. is guilty of serious foul play 2. is guilty of violent conduct 3. spits at an opponent or any other person 4. denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area) 5. denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick 6. uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures 7. receives a second caution in the same match A player, substitute or substituted player who has been sent off and shown the red card must leave the vicinity of the fi eld of play and the technical area. In this instance therefore, it must be a case of Styles deeming (from a position where it was physically impossible for him to be able to tell) that Beye contacted Robinho first and went through him to get the ball. If this was the case, then yes Beye would have commited a foul, and in doing so he would have denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity. It was however, not the case.

The red card was for denying a goal scoring opportunity. It doesn't need to be reckless. Fantastic point... Given made a save - OH NO - denying a goal scoring opportunity - SEND HIM OFF! If you give a red card for a tackle for denying a goal scoring opportunity it has to be as a result of a careless or reckless tackle. The red card results from a more extreme iteration of what would normally be a foul - and for a tackle the laws of the game deem that to be a reckless or careless tackle. I'll say it again, that tackle was neither careless or reckless. Thereby there is no foul and it cannot be escalated to a red card, regardless of Beye's last man status.

If you can't come in as a defender and knock the ball away from a striker closing in on goals then what's the point in defending at all. HAS to be rescinded. I'm sure the club will pursue all avenues with getting it done. The tackle was neither careless or reckless and so according to the laws of the game it should not have been punished - and certainly should not have been published with a Red Card. Styles was so far from the action that he had no chance of seeing what actually happened - regardless of what the peanut has to say.

I think it was a poor decision from Kinnear to bring him on TBH. Some more faith should have been showed in Xisco, given that he played in the Under 21 Spanish side and scored a goal for them a week ago. A much better option than a player who in theory is a target man, but has just returned from injury, and seemingly hasn't shown anything anywhere since scoring against Juve in a pre-season match more than a year ago. I see Kinnear's thinking that he would have more 'mongrel' in him, but there's no point in that if you constantly turn the ball over. Not only did it make Carroll look pap, but it must have also dented Xisco's confidence (assuming he was fit).

Yeah, his defense has been good. I think for a couple of reasons: (1) He stays on his feet well (2) He's pretty quick Basically he's the polar opposite of Babayaro. I still think Enrique is the more accomplished player of the pair (with the ability to pick out long passes). Bassong's defense is probably more consistent thus far, though he hasn't played that many games.

He also wanted to come back to watch the Socceroos match, and to get in the head of the Australian Manager. He plans on coming back to play for Australia at some stage. The second opinion was good, so hopefully he'll be back in black and white before too long.

No way we will get his side of the story until the legal proceeding are sorted out - and Ashley has sold the club.

He's better than Robbie Keane, and Liverpool paid 20 million pounds for him.

I would think that any team that has injuries to such a high percentage of their first team players would be in pretty bad shape. Of course I would also think that a team with a specially assembled task force for recruiting players and a billionaire owner would be able to ensure that they could put a half decent side together, even when we have a substantial injury list (let's face it when don't we have a long list of players not available through injury?).

True. My bad for not keeping up with the flavour of the month injury (Habib, Smith and Viduka all having the same).

Yep, I think he's picked up the customary I've just been picked up by Newcastle United hamstring injury.

Duff was rubbish in the first half, but was very good in the second. Cacapa was rubbish all game. Butt was missing for the first half. OUr central midfield was missing for most of the game. Geremi wasted our best chance to equalise. Newlson should have been sent off (we would have had a free-kick on the edge of the box that Geremi or N'Zogbia would have blazed over).

Are we suggesting that Ashley got his hand wet with the Wise puppet, and now he has upsized?

The billionaire? He may have once had 'credible business sense'. But nothing he has done at Newcastle in recent times could lead you to the same conclusion. The handling of the whole affair has been comically amateur.

I can't believe someone still thinks Mike Ashley has credible business sense.

TBH I think he does.

Yep ship Taylor out. He's been particularly bad of late. Sad to say but I'd rather see Bassong and Coloccini in there. Cacapa is too old/slow. I'd have MUCH rathered that Coloccini was partnered with Faye, but thanks to some rather idiotic business that can't happen.

I'd hate to be an honest businessman from Nigeria!

Yeah apparently to get the £200m bond Ashely needs to send them his passport and bank details. He has it on the good word of Prince Maputu.

Probably another rubbish story, but I wouldn't mind us being able to tap directly into the largest talent pool of African soccer!

Fixed Mr Taylor's quotes.

You're probably right. I haven't seen that much of him in black and white, and when he was on loan he didn't exactly set the world on fire (even in the Championship).

Yeah, Viduka was apparently back in training around the start of the season. Don't know whether it was full training, but I find it highly unlikely. In fact I find it highly unlikely that he has been in full training at all over the past couple of years. Don't get me wrong, it would be great to get him back, just don't see it happening for a while. And when he does come back, I don't think it will be long before he is out again. If only we had him on a pay for play contract. I see Xisco and Carroll as the future of our 'big' strikers. Neither of them are the same sort of player as Viduka mind.