Apologies for my non-appearance on the Matchday thread last night but thanks to Dag & R having their match postponed I was able to watch it on Sky. To those that were there, the crowd were excellent and I only heard the Villa fans once after they scored.

My thoughts from last nights game are.

We improved in the second half, was this due to Barton as captain ordering people? Speed is too quiet for captain, I agree there were few alternatives last night.

However, for all Barton's contribution with his gob his decrease in quality is amazing me. He was again awful last night and is in such a poor run of form that he needs a rest to sort it out.He humped balls forward all the time apart from a terrific run through the middle!

His defending was woeful and where he thought he was playing when he came on is beyond me. He won't play on Saturday! I was quite impressed with Marcellino though.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Answers

DB, see my match report - I couldn't agree more about the defence. I feel sorry for Wozza though cos a few people around me were getting on his back.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

No wonder they were getting on his back, he was awful, are the players above such criticism? I appreciate we need to get behind them but sometimes it may be counter-productive. Was Barton the first over to the fans to lead the applause last night. If he was he must have felt a little embarrassed.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Warren's a great servant to the club. He isn't on great form but it is unforgiveable to abuse him. I'm afraid I'm part of the old school where one of the ten commandments was "Thou shalt not abuse thine own players".

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Rush him through the coaching badge and make him Bobby's No.2!!

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Dougal, It wouldn't be Newcastle if we didn't abuse our own players. I do not condone it, but it's the nature of the Geordie faithful that we always pick on one player. I have never abused any of our players but I always used to groan when Ray Ranson got the ball and there were probably worse players in the team at that time.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Applaud the guys effort, but remember his effort is no greater than I would give. Question his skill though, cos he is, and always has been, a journeyman player, not good enough for a team aiming to be at the top of the Premiership. (see also G. Speed)

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

We certainly should not get on the player's back - it doesn't help the player and it's not what supporters are for. WB's form has dropped and the fact has been noted by YBR as Barton was only a sub yesterday. So what is the problem with his critics?

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001