Newcastle 1 - 2 Sunderland

Key Man: Niall Quinn was pivotal in Sunderland's attack, with 4 attempts on target, and 18 of 23 passes proving accurate in the final third.

Weak Link: Alan Shearer and Kevin Phillips managed only a single shot from open play (and that was off target).

The Edge: Newcastle had a 79:25 edge in successful tackles in the first half, but the teams were equal (55:55) in the second. Sunderland had 21 accurate crosses to Newcastle's 7. Michael Gray found a teammate on 6 of 11 crossing attempts and Kevin Kilbane won all 9 of his challenges.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Answers

None of that's surprising, expect Kilbane. I thought he was dreadful, esp in the first half.

The crosses stat is because that's their game. Proves though that we HAVE to have someone in alongside Shearer. It's no coincidence that he scored most of his goals in that short spell last season when DF was fit.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Wheareas Tome made 30,0000 fouls and stayed on the pitch, rea did a suplex on I think nobby and gray wrestled with i forget who now. They shoulda had tome sent off in first 20 mins.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

The only key stat from that pile is the effin scoreline.

Sorry DB but I am utterly unconsolable. The home derby is THE game that should never ever ever ever go to that pile of festering ordure . There are NO excuses. We do not lose a home derby against the stinking black twcats, end of story.

We could have cheated and won and I couldn't have cared less. In fact it would have been all the more satisfying.

At the moment, I still hate every one of our bunch of spineless bleeders. It's yet another kick in the baals as far as I'm concerned.

It'll have to be a hell of a score line on Saturday before I even look to see if there still IS a bright side.

Discussion ? Nee chance. Bereavement counselling or similar ? Feel free. ;-((

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Bill.....You've got it much worse than the rest of them being stuck in Washington, I left there on saturday afternoon and just didn't bother returning! I heard there was loads of bother on saturday and sunday night though....

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Gav

Thank god I was away till Sunday pm, and have been in hermit mode for a few weeks now, so it won't look so obvious when I continue to be conspicuous by my absense from the local. Couldn't stand listening to the smarmy gets.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

You do know it'll still be in full swing this weekend don't ya :((

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

I saw a few OPTA stats in todays paper. Toon had 17 shots cf Mackems 9, and were given offside 9 times, nearly twice as many as any other PL club. Not that it means much. On the day we weren't good enough.

I just hope we're about to embark on the same run as Manu did after we beat then 3-0. Those of you who preferred to get a CL place rather than beat the Mackems will get you're wish! Then maybe we'll forgive them by the end of the season.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

The really bad news guys is that they beat us because Wor Al missed a penalty - they will never, ever stop bleating on about that one.
To be brutally honest, I'd move if I was you PB!

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

I'd like to see the individual foul statistics.
Rob Lee was booked for his first foul. Thome was booked for about his 15th foul on AS, and Alex Rae MUST have created some kind of record for having fouled someone every single time he touched the ball - plus a few when he didn't touch the ball. If ever a player should have been sent off for persistent foul conduct it was him - and YES I am bitter, bloody bitter! B@st@rds, b@st@rds, b@st@ards!!!

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Clarky

That option looms larger and larger as time goes on, but not just because the area has become irretrievably polluted, there are now one or two sensible reasons.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2000