Reet, I'll do me best. I think Al might have a quiet word about one bit of this...

You lost 3-1 to Fulham but stayed in touch with the teams at the top. what did you learn from the defeat?

We're poor at getting into games - we shouldn't lose games as soon as they start, but we let Fulham play and after half and hour found ourselves 2 goals down. Defensively we were poor, which annoys me.

What was BR's reaction?

We had a meeting this morning. He told us to get back to work and show our will to win on the pitch.

You won a penalty that Shearer missed. What happened?

Shearer headed the ball to me, I made a run and was tackled by Goma. I was first to the ball - the referee gave a penalty but it was dodgy! To be honest, if he had let play go on I wouldn't have said anything. Then Shearer didn't put it away. Yes, and then there should have been another penalty. The keeper turned it onto the post, Shearer ran in and Goma tripped him.

Why did you not take the penalty?

That's the way it is. Shearer takes the penalties, though now there might be a rethink...(you reckon, bonny lad?)

What did you think of your own performance?

I thought I did ok, I'm quite pleased with myself and I'm starting to get my game.

Any regrets?

It's a shame Shearer missed the penalty, it would have been 3-2 and with a quarter of an hour left anything could have happened.

What's your program for the week?

Training tomorrow morning, Wednesday we rest then Thursday preparing for the Derby game.

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2001

Answers

Allez Penalties!

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2001

Well, aal aah can say is if he was pleased with his performance, he's easily pleased. He did nowt.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Then Shearer didn't put it away - Sorry, that was a question, not part of his answer. Not much fun in the AV translation this week, although he seems to be smelling himself again. No sign of the station wagon though.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

He's right, like, we are crap at getting into games.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Someone should nonetheless have had a quiet word about the politics of commenting upon Alan Shearer.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

If either player turns up with a black eye on Saturday, we'll know someone had a word. ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Andy O'Brien should take our penalties

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001