Shearer and Robert have both slagged off our defence after the Fulham match, talking about giving away sloppy goals. Have they ever heard of defending as a team? If the forwards would hold onto the ball when we are up against it and the midfield would get their foot in, the lads at the back might not look so permanently vulnerable. Furthermore, do you ever get the defenders saying "Our forwards missed some sitters today: what a sloppy chance Alan Shearer spurned". I mean, if our defence conceded the same number of goals as Bellamy misses chances, we'd be mathematically relegated on goal difference already. I wonder how the defenders feel when they hear this sort of thing. Whatever happened to collective credit and collective responsibility? Separately, is it true that Shearer just headed straight off down the tunnel without acknowledging the away fans? I've heard three accounts, one of which says he did, two of which can't remember him coming over. If it is true, it's appalling behaviour from the club captain.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Answers

send him a sheeps heart in a bag.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

is it true that Shearer just headed straight off down the tunnel without acknowledging the away fans?
I don't know. I headed straight off down the tunnel without acknowledging the team.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

'"We're very disappointed with the goals we gave away - they were sloppy. We got back into it at 2-1, but we gave away another sloppy goal. Their third goal was a killer goal."'

He might have said more than this, but surely the use of the word 'we' indicates a share of the responsibility?

As far as heading off down the tunnel is concerned...it's an occasional courtesy for players to acknowledge their away support when they've lost. But for that umpteenth London drubbing I'd be happier to hear the Lads were too embarassed to go anywhere near. It's pissing off and shameful. I think Shearer was in that category.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

defending as a team or attacking as a team both seem pretty daft, very entertaining maybe but daft too, lets have half a team that is good defensively, and half a team to be attack minded. The Villa game was where this worked fine, the Fulham game when neither half of the side could hold their hands up and say we played well

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

I don't subscribe to that at all, I'm afraid, Bobby. If the fans took that view then we would never go to certain grounds (Anfield, Old Trafford, Highbury etc). Alan is club captain and no matter how sick he is, should have the balls to face the fans. Presumably the other players who did acknowledge the fans didn't care that they been beaten? I'm not inclined to think that there is a suggestion of collective responsibility in his criticism in yesterday's papers any more than I think there's any collective credit in his one arm raised salute after scoring a simple tap-in from a World class cross.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

MacB, I'm not talking about having O'Brien and Dabs exchanging passes in the opposition penalty area or Shearer and Bellamy clearing crosses in our own penalty area. What I meant was the player in possession holding onto the ball or at least trying to instead of giving it away without a fight and wondering why the lads at the back look over-stretched.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Dougal, what do you want from the team? It's nice for the team to acknowledge the supporters, but I certainly don't expect it...and quite often it's a bit embarassing to see the dejected faces take a few steps towards the away end, clap their hands half a dozen times and then trudge off to the dressing room. Storming off into the tunnel says to me someone cares about losing and knows what it means to the fans. As far as the fans attitude is concerned, that's what makes us fan(atic)s, that we turn up and support our team. Players are professionals and will usually never play for the club they support. The reliance is on their professional attitude, that losing is not acceptable. I couldn't give a monkey's if the Lads skipped off the pitch and wore daisychains in their hair (well...maybe not) so long as they win. Clapping the fans doesn't impress me much. Beating that stinking run in London will do.

What other comments have been quoted to indicate Al blaming the defence? (ps - not having a go at you, just want to know) As far as I can see the team, the defenders are paid primarily to defend etc all the way to Uncle Al whose job description probably says "score goals, create goals, make Le Bouf look daft". The roles for each position overlap but if Al was a better defender than a forward he'd be partnering Dabs at the back. If he did openly criticise colleagues individually or as pairings (e.g. "our centre halves are sh**e") that's out of order, but you bet it happens behind the scenes.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

What I want is an acknowledgement that 1500 fans have paid a significant amount of money to watch them playing like sh*te and will pay the same to watch them playing like sh*te against Charlton next weekend. At the end of the day, Alan (who is one of the players who play for the club he supported as a kid) won't be losing his £40k for missing that penalty, will he? To my mind, the players not acknowledging the support they've been given is the same as the fans booing because they are p*****d off, sick and ashamed of the team's performance. If one is acceptable, both are.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

We played awful, but in fairness Fulham is not a bad team. I fancy the trip to the Valley much more than i do at Craven Cottage. Charlton will be defeated! (in my dreams)

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

the only answer to both our defenisve frailties and the team's approach to travelling support is to bring Warren back

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

LOL.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

I really don't think you can doubt Shearer's committment to NUFC and if he failed to acknowledge the supporters he was as clearly p*ssed off at losing as we all were. I think we can forgive him don't you?

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Oh yes, we can forgive him and will no doubt be singing that nauseating "Heeeeyyy Alan Shearer song" when he sneezes next home game.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

On the question of applauding, I was watching the Sky Sports bit at 4:50pm last Saturday - you know, watching people on TV watching football on TV. As they often do, they cut away to the actual TV feed shortly after the final whistle in our game, which was in the process of panning across the defeated Newcastle players applauding the away fans. Big Al was prominent amongst them.

Just thought I'd tell you on a factual note like.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

I hope you're not being sarcastic Dougal?!!!

As regards that song - I actually don't really mind it, at least it's a new song. I get sick of 'stand up if you hate Sunlun'. There are no great songs although the Any O Brien one is good but not sung at home games (yet). Actually who was it that penned the Dyer song? 'He's a small lad, he's a little lad,,.......' Clearly the work of a genius.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

"Heey Shearer - oooh, aaah - I wanna knowowow how you missed that pen!"

Atishooooo!

Great chant: bad miss, but good save.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

See someone else quite likes that chant as well. The oohs and aahs make it a good one to sing along to.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

I also rather like the "sit down, Pinnochio!" chant that is following Liverpool around the country right now, Lynda.

Incredibly childish, but a laugh neverthless.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Haven't heard that one Clarky! Pretty funny though. We don't have enough good songs at NUFC these days, probably something to do with our recent form. We used to be trend setters! Who could forget the genius of the Peter Reid song? I first heard it at Sheff Weds at the start of the 96/97 season i think.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Sorry, Lynda, I do detest it, mainly because we sing it when Shearer has done nowt all game. I don't mind praising him when he deserves it, but he'll get a corner and the whole "Shearer" bollox will come out. When you have Solano, Robert and Bellamy (in particular) scoring goals and people like Shay performing individual miracles, WHY do we focus on Shearer even if he's having a mare? Was deeply depressed to learn that the Mancs have been singing the Brown Girl in the Ring anthem for Ruud Van Nistelrooj all season which kind of diminishes the Craig Bellamy song a bit. Why we have got to boring in the song invention stakes, I don't know, but it's really sad cos the players must think that the only player we really care about is Alan Shearer.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Shearer is club captain, an icon, and above all else, a Geordie. Fair do's that he's also a hero to the masses. I like that song, but wish we only trotted it out when he scores (like Scouse do with Arne-Reise - the first to use it???).

As for defending as a team etc, well, we were attacking seconds before Fulham's first on Saturday. IMHO, it's not so much the forwards who are letting the side down (which is only really the case when they're not scoring) but the midfield. With the hoof-it-up or the lets-play-statues approach, you can guarantee the ball will be coming back towards your defence PDQ. That has to be our first ptiority area.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

His name was Lolo, Lolo Robert How does he even dar eto score a goal from there.

Oh well it's better than Shearer Shearer Shearer isn't it?

Is it not surprising we sing old songs from the terraces when we get bliddy Lindesfarne & a music hall rendition of blaydon races as warm up music through the PA. Away fans must hear Lindesfarne & think "bliddy geordies, still bleating on about how hard done by they are and Marching down to London!"

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Lighten up lads & lasses - he's a Geordie legend, and rightly so.

Our No.9's have always been folk heroes, and Alan Shearer is far and away the best Geordie No.9 we've had since Jackie Milburn - 50 bloody years ago.

In addition, most Toon fans realise that he's nearing the end of a truly wonderful career, but still doing his very best for us.

I for one sincerely hope the fans at SJP never lose their affection for "the man who came back home" while still at his peak. I also suspect the other players fully understand the special place the man holds in our affections, and that it doesn't bother them one little bit.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

as for name calling .... did you see the teachers union guy calling teaching assistants 'pea-brained peasants', but then saying his words have been taken out of context. So .... Speed and Shearer could then say, "we have a useless buncher of wa***** in defence" and then claim it was taken out of context and it would be okay.

Note "*****" does not equal "arrens"

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

I'd like to hope that the reaction Shearer gets inspires people like Craig Bellamy but when it's coupled with stuff like Bobby more or less excusing Al for whingeing at the referee while lambasting Robert and Bellamy, I suspect it's as irritating as anything else.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Clarky, I'm told that Jackie Milburn was heckled at the end of his time at SJP.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

......you mean much like Shearer and Lee get on here, dougal?

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Clarky, Shearer and Lee get nothing like heckled on here: Marcelino and Warren Barton get heckled, Lee and Shearer get relatively mild criticism. They are well-paid professionals and are susceptible to criticism in the same was as any other player). Furthermore, this is a BBS for discussion among fans. In the inlikely event that a player alights upon it, then they should declare themselves or put up with what any other eavesdropper gets. A player on the pitch doesn't have the same privilege.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

We must read different threads dougal - from my perspective Shearer and Lee (and also Speed) get the literary equivalent of overt, and repeated barracking on here - occasionally justifed, but often unjustified.

Marcia has been narratively (!) hung, drawn & quartered: WB, to date, has only been hung.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001

Maybe Clarky, I think we all have different perceptions: I don't think we have seen enough of Bassedas to express an opinion either way, others feel different. Shearer never gets anything less than 100% support when he's on the pitch: others players, often those who make an equal contribution, don't get the same support, so overall I'd say that Al is the lucky one. Besides which, if he's going to manage us lot, he'll have to get used to a bit more stick than he gets while wearing the famous No.9 ;)

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2001