dbsweeney

Those words mean so much now!

We'll get beaten by Fullham. Might grab a point against Villa. The game against Boro is EVERYTHING!!!!!

Stoke have done it!!!!!!!!!!!! If this doesn't galvanise the boys for Monday ... we TRUELY TRUELY TRUELY deserve to go down. Listen to those Stoke supporters!

I bet Shearer just did a little dance in his lounge room!!!!!!!!!!!! If Stoke see this though, they might just become my second favourite team. (Yeah, right.)

I have the fear!

True. But if given the correct Board to work with (and I don't mean a multibillionare, just someone who is willing to take the time to fix things), what he has in mind (to build from the ground up) is the correct way to approach things. He won't make rash decisions and, most importantly of all, he will seek out decent individuals to confer with or to take on roles in which he has no experience. As for winning games, I agree with you to a point. But I do think he was the right choice at the time ... possibly just too little too late on the part of Ashley and Llambias for Shearer to really shape things.

not going to take the piss out of this football club and you are not going to take the piss out of this city." I'm sure that these words have been written else where on the board, but I've only just read them. With all the bitching we're hearing about from the players ... and the lack of any real structure etc. these words do fill me with real hope, whether we are relegated or not. I think that everyone would agree that our club has been run into the ground pretty much since SBR left, therefore including under the guidance (I use that word loosely) of both Fat Freddy and Fat Mike. No due diligence done on purchases of players (indeed, little or no scouting of any real quality at all if SBR conversation with Ashley is true: A series of VERY rash decisions made on the hiring and sacking of board members, training staff, players and especially managers. Rules, regulations and simply just a culture of being lax and simply just not giving a rat's arse about things (especially, as is now being found out, with the players and their culture of apathy). Stevie summed it up very well in his terrific post a few days ago: Now, all of the above is nothing that hasn't been said before by most of us in a multitude of ways. --- What I'm saying is this. In what Alan says: "You are not going to take the piss out of this football club and you are not going to take the piss out of this city." We have a basis to try and stop ALL of this rot. The players taking the piss. The board taking the piss. The media taking the piss. Other clubs taking the piss. I do honestly believe that Shearer is here for the long run, relegation or not. At our lowest ebb in 19 years, we can seize this shitty season and try to make something of it. Shearer has been talking about walking the corridors of SJP and finding it rotten to the core. I believe he is the man who can be a catalyst to clear house. Ashley will sell next year, relegation or not--his sports company is haemorrhaging MASSIVE amounts of money. He can't afford the play thing any longer. Reports are saying that he is willing to sell below what he's spent and to suffer the loss just to get out. At a lower price that Geordie group of investors that people talk about can take over (or, who knows, maybe that rich Indian bloke). Anyway, what we have to do is lower our expectations (as if they can be lowered any further), and give the club time to build once again from the ground up so that maybe five to ten years from now we can once again achieve what this club and its supporters so desperately deserve.

Maybe Fat Sam will have him at the Rovers!

I think that Brown will get his men to park the bus in front of goal, as even just a point may be enough to save Hull in Phil's mind. Jesus Christ, do we have to win against Boro. I've been losing sleep over this and was sweating over the news of the Villa v. Hull game overnight.

Hull will get at least a point against Stoke. As I said in another thread, Hull v. Stoke is one of the most important games to NUFC that have occurred in the last 19 yers.

This is the second most important game for NUFC left in the season, after the Boro game ... and we don't have any say in the result. This is the last game left where Hull may get a win ... and I think they will. It will send them above Sunderland (I think). If we get a draw against Villa and draw against Fullham, we will be on equal points with the Mackems, but with worse goal difference (esp. 'cause of our loss to Liverpool which will occur). And the stinking Mackems will laugh in our faces as they continue to get to play at the likes of Anfield, the Emirates, White Shite Lane and Old Trafford. Meanwhile, we'll play against Plymouth, Ipswich and Doncaster. The Mackems will get their £40m from TV money, while we get our £3m. We're going down. Any thoughts?

Same thing happened to me when I went to bed after the Spurs game (finished at around 11 pm over here in Australia). I do the same thing over and over again, thinking that this or that game we can turn things around. I've really felt down ever since we drew at Hull. That was the first of the real 'must win' games that we had. However, the appointment of Shearer occurred, and I couldn't help but gain some (false?) hope from it. Most of all I feel sorry for my wife, who has had to put up with some real mood swings over this season. I do take the whole situation far too seriously. As for the performance at Spurs. There was a definite attacking spark when Dukes and Martins came on. Dukes' first touch was that talent he has for holding the ball up in the box. There was just no-one to flick it to. (However, not impressed when Oba rolled around grasping his groin when he missed that sitter.) But the empahasis to attack seemed to soon dissapate as Spurs attacked hard. I 'spose the fact that we didn't conceed another might mean something.

Jesus, Trophyshy. That's some rant you have going there.

It's beginning to sound more and more like Enrique and Barton might be back for the game. I truely believe Barton might be the presence we need in the midfield--at least he'll be willing to really push foward and might even be able to pass a ball (DO YOU HEAR ME NICKY BUTT?)

BEST POST ALL SEASON! (apart from maybe that one from the bloke in the Eastern European country and the Toon meet-ups they have there)

Depending on whether Leeds does their part of the bargain, Peacocks vs. Toon would be a match to look forward to. The Leeds players can look at our players' eyes and see mirror images of themselves just a few years ago.

So, what does this mean? Out for the rest of the season? A few games? WHAT?? Also, what are his chances of staying if we do stay up? Everyone used to go on about how Wenger was interested in him, but surely not after his injury-riddled season. I can't see many clubs that would be after him, unless someone thinks they can harness a conistency in him that we've only seen in glances this year.

9 points would keep us up. I honestly can't see Hull winning two games. I do too. And I think the Mackems may only get another three or four points. That'd keep us up too. Also, Boro have a horrible run in. So, I don't see them getting much more either. With all legs, toes, arms and figures crossed, all the while banging my head on wood three times ... we may just stay up. I predict we get a point against Spurs.

Regarding Howard Webb's terrible decision not to award Messi a penalty and instead (idiotically) to give him a yellow for diving, it made me think: If it is obvious after the game that a yellow was given incorrectly, can it be recinded like a red card can be? (Like that idiotic red that was given to Beye against City was.)

I agree. If we can line up our best defence (a relative term in our case); i.e. Harper H. Beye - S. Taylor - Bassong - Enrique Then yes, offence may be our best defence. I don't recall how leaky (or otherwise) Stoke's defence is. What's it been like?

Just when is Barton back?

From the Guardian: Owen set to sign new contract if Shearer stays at Newcastle Guardian football

Cynical bastard that I can be, you've probably just mentioned the reason that Ashley chose the big man. Bad ticket sales + Alan Shearer = much better ticket sales

:nufc:

Now's the time for those vital 9 points.