Eeeeeekkkkkkkk!!!!!! Flooooooodddddddssssss!!!!

Just spoken to the Powburn Rangers on the way to Manchester (Screach, Ciara, Pit Bill and Clarky) and they sound in great fettle.

Anyway, how are we all feeling? I'm sh*tting bricks to tell you the truth.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Answers

I know not everyone agrees with this but I really wish Robert was playing or even on the bench...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Don't worry Dougal we shall overcome there is no Manchester Jinx

Skill (and a Lot of passion) will win the day

The bairn want's to play Pooh bear on the Puter so I am off for a while.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I'm nervous, about to do a quick bit of vacuum cleaning before kick- off (new superstition). Its on the box here, hurrah. HOWAY THE LADS!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I know it's only a game and nothing is decided today but I'd sell my soul to Jamie Oliver to reach safety at OT!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Stevo, want to hear about superstition??? I am wearing exactly the same clothes to work as I wore against Arsenal. I am also taping the game for viewing tonight, so I won't be accesing the bbs again till the morra. I am doing exactly the same routine as I did against arsenal. I am glad that giggs is out though

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Evening all. A tad tired as I haven't been to bed yet - let's hope it's worth staying up for and worth watching again as Loony is coming round tomorrow night to watch it. I'm finally going to meet one of the BBS's. Still I've only been on here since TSM's reign.....

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

That man Screach just called: they are all in the ground and Screach is in front of the TV cameras again...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Oh God - RVN and S******r up front.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Dougal -Solskjaer is shit - the most over rated player in the premier.

Interesting team Shay Given 1 Aaron Hughes 18 Sylvain Distin 24 Nikos Dabizas 34 Robbie Elliott 3 Kieron Dyer 8 Robert Lee 7 Nolberto Solano 4 Gary Speed 11 Craig Bellamy 17 Alan Shearer 9

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I've said it before and I will say it again Alan Parry is an idiot.

'United were 11 points of the lead not so long ago'. Erm hello - there are two 'Uniteds' playing to today. @rsehole

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Hey all, here we go again. Howay the lads ;o)

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

off the line by Neville looking ok

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

cracking volley by Speed. Started much better than we did against Arsenal.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Scary, though. I hate it when we don't put away chances as there's the risk that they'll come back to haunt you...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

evening all -howay the lads - limited access

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Feel a bit sorry for O'B not playing...He wasn't alone in having a mare on Saturday.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Yooooooooo Hoooooooooooooo

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Great chance for Distin....

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Gus: I thought we'd scored then.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Shearer and Bellamy link well and have Barthez flapping like whore's drawers but he recovers....

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Shite - dreadful marking allowed vn a free header in the six yard box.

I was just thinking that Man U were just staring to get into the game more and that happens. We need to get at them quickly.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Solksjaer carded for hacking down Dabs. Good.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

3 muppets standing watching RvN run onto a cross!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I think OB will be back on Saturday....

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Good morning all, 9.30am. here.

HOWAY THE TOON

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Gnnnneeeeehhhhsjaksjhjkhkhkjh!!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

1-0 to them. Fulham all over again: dominate for twenty then fall flat on our bleeding faces. "Newcastle started brightly enough..."

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Of course, it's not just poor defending: it's the fact that we haven't done better with our chances. Distin had a free header about two minutes before thet scored.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

gus, which 3 muppets marra?

Bellamy (= Miss Piggy on a bad day)?

Distin = Kermit (well, they're both Frogs)?

and?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

We need to get the ball out wide - we are not going to beat their midfield through the middle.We should definitely bring on Bernard early in the second half and go witht ht formation that has been working.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

but Dougal, you cannot leave a player of my mothers ability never mind VN in the 6 yard box unmarked. If we don't score them at one end it is the defenders job to make sure that they don't score at the other. That goal was totally inexcusable

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Elliott and Dabizas (Statler and Waldorf) and Distin (Kermit)

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Agreed but we wouldn't be moaning quite so vehemently if we were a quite conceivable 3-1 up. Actually, from looking solid a little while back, I think we are falling apart at the back. Agreed re Bernard.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Solano doesn't sound like he's having the game of his career...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

We look shocking at the back - back to the bad old days? I was actually thinking that Elliot was having a good game until the goal.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Kegsy, what winds me up is that Elliott has mares on a pretty much weekly basis, improving to "poor" on good days and he is consistently selected...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I was talking to someone in the pub earlier saying we had 10 good players and Elliot being the 11th. Problem is who do you replace him with as Bernard doesn't seem to be a defender from what I've seen. I think that a left back should be #2 on YBR's shoping list after a commanding midfielder.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Someone is not doing their job, we are both playing 442, so how come when they have the ball wide they still have someone extra on the overlap or on the inside?

On this performance Dyer is not England choice in any position, never mind left of M/F.

Why do our players back away from theirs on the edge of our box? I thought this was only a Barton tactic?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Solano had a goal disallowed for pushing

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

We are actually moving the ball about quite well up front, certainly don't look like second best here.

Apart from that one horrendous blunder I don't think the defense look that bad.

Solano Header ruled out Maybe I am biased but there was nothing wrong with it.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

The free kick against Solano was criminal!! He did not push Sylvestre!!!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I thought he gave him a little nudge and the defender made the most of it.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

h-t 0-1

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

We wus robbed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

watching the game on TV - it was a goal - no doubt!!!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Jeemy knackers: the Gods aren't smiling on the Toon today.

Kegsy, I agree that there aren't too many replacements for old Elliott but wouldn't Bernard's attacking ability at least make up for his defensive issues (I mean, Domi couldn't defend but, by Christ, did we look better with him in the team). Equally, I'm honestly not sure that Wayne Quinn was any worse.

Maybe if Griff gets fit, Hughes will move to LB or even Griff at LB.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Nothing wrong with a nudge as long as it is not a push with your hands. Why do Refs not award penalties or Free kicks at corners when people blatantly push and shove with their hands up?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

HT and we do not deserve to be 1 down.

Better things to come in the second period

Ho Way The Lads

We will be Top the neet

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

agree with Kegsy`s points, not happy with team selection to accomadate Lee,sign of decent squad is to change like with like, Bernard/Robert

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

With any luck, the ref will look at his shocking decision at HT and give us some retribution in the next half. We apparently deserve a draw at least.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Just watched the replay - I agree we were robbed.

Problem with Bernard at left back is that we have Robert at left midfield and tackling appears to be against his religious beliefs. Quinn definitely couldn't be any worse than Elliot though.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Buff, I was wondering if it was in order to bring Bernard's pace on when it can do some damage later on?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Actually Lee was ace against them at our place until he got injured and replaced with Bartinho - maybe YBR thought he could do the same job again?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

To tell you the truth, Kegsy, I think Quinn may have been better.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I am more interested in seeing if Speed and Elliott would actually pass to Bernard or ignore him as they do Robert!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Leave Elliott on and bring Bernard on, take off Lee and move Dyer back to the middle. Elliott gets some cover in front of him - which he needs and Manu have to worry about the middle a bit more. Other than that we aint playing that bad.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Game on - no changes for either side

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Bollox 0-2

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

oh deary deary dear...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

We have to bring on Bernard and maybe Lua Lua to inject a bit of pace. It worked against Leeds and Arsenal.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

So once again we start leaking goals, guess who is at the back this game, let me give you a hint he is Greek, another backing away performance from Silvestre on the edge of the box. Why do we give the opposition teams so much room? They all close us down make us rush the pass even take our eye off the ball.

We let them bring it under control and look up for the next pass, which they can make when they want, it also gives their m/f time to get into the space.

This happens week in week out. I have had a gut full, if I can see it from 12,000 miles away why cannot a highly paid professional on the training ground figure it out?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

sod it!, if we get back at them now , its going to take a lot of guts

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

We may have the guts, but not the skill nor the head for it.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Oh sh**

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit

3 - 0

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

3-0.

The differnce between the teo teams is simple. When they make a cross it goes tone of their players. When we make a cross it goes to one of their players. I have never seen so many bad crosses in the game.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

So after not being able to put in a tackle on opposition players we start to tackle our own, either Elliott or Dabizas takes the ball away from Distin as he is about to pass it to Hughes, who is in acres of space and boots it up the park straight to Scholes or Butt.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Polish up surfboards, heading for Hawaii 5-0

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Shearahhhhhhhhhh 3-1

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

3-1 Shearer headre . We couldn't could we?

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Maybe a Draw is still possible

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Stow away surfboards, riding in on a Whitley Bay donkey

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

If Lee and Speed had passed to our players as often as they have to the opposition we would probably be winning.

Our crocked lazy left winger is miles and miles better that anyone else we have on display in that area tonight.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

13 minutes to go and we still haven't made substitutions?? Bring on Robert and Lua Lua to scare thehell out of them at the back.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Sounds like a good save from Given to put Solksjaer off. What about some subs? On the bright side that's 5 goals in the last 5 games for Big Al I think.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Sorry I meant Bernard. Who has finally come on for Nobby and Shola is on for Bellamy. Not what I was hoping for

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Regarding defending - we have been lucky in previous games not to be punished for silly mistakes, largely because the calibre of the opposition forwards was so poor. Against your ManU's, Chelseas and Arsenals, this is going to be punished.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Yep, it's fair to say that whatever his weaknesses, Lolo is miles better by far. Having said all of this, had we capitalised on early chances, we'd have been in a decent enough position.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

First time Al has scored against ManU in the league at OT apparently.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I think YBR is looking at damage limitation.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I'm glad I didn't go and watch it in the Sports Bar, surrounded 20:1 by Man Utd supporters. Why didn't Bobby take Elliott off instaed of Bellamy, he's the usual one to be replaced by Bernard. At least we haven't been 6-0'd like Man Utd have been doing for the last few games

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

All we can hope is that this knock the lads' ends in too much. You only have to go to OT once a season and let's face it, the Makems got beaten at home by the same margin with Man Utd playing their third team. Also, at least Andy Cole wasn't playing.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

If we could only score one more it would be 6-6 on aggregate for the 2 games, which we would have taken gladly before the season started

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Man Utd beat Arsenal 6-1 at OT last season. It could have been worse lads and lasses.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

This is an average manure team who have outplayed, outrun and outpassed us. There should not be any player who is pencilled in for the Leeds match.

I will vehemently argue that we played well in any position tonight, from Given to Shearer. All the weeknesses have been highlighted, either by lack of commitment or skill.

People talk about how bad teams were in the 70s and early 80s, tonight was down there with them.

We can take no positives from performances tonight other than we can surely not play this bad again.

It was 0400 in the morning when we started for me can anyone convince me this was Newcastle playing and not a collection of the worst from the bottom 5 teams?

I think Bradford played better last year and even Coventry.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Oh well 6-5 on aggregate and 3 points each for the season is not too bad. We're now 4th (or 2nd equal on points), so still doing fine and it sounds like was a good performance

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

I'll wait til the troops get back from OT before agreeing, Gus, but the second half sounds dire.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

As much as I hate them they do play some good football.

We matched them very well in the 1st half but lost our way abit in the second.

I agree that Bellamy should have stayed on and elliot off. Elliots distribution is woeful.

mind you Lee and Speeds distribution needs some practise as well.

Roll on the FA cup WEMBLEY sorry I mean CARDIFF here we come

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

PS. Gus, we got beaten by the same margin by bloody Charlton last season and this is the same team that got us great results against Arse and Leeds: I don't think we can be too critical of them.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Were you watching it on TV Gus? - according to the webcast, we weren't that bad at all. Whatever, we've done better than most teams at Old Trafford in the last few weeks. I've got a feeling that Manchester are going to be champions again.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Barry, the Mancs must love us: we take points off their rivals and then they beat us. They WILL be Champs. In fact, I would predict a Treble. The only thing I would say is that we really musn't let this get us down as fans or as a club.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

You are only as good as your last game dougal, yes great against the others, however are you serious about this manure team being as good as Arsenal?

This performance ie we passed for more than 4 passes to our own team about twice in each half. When they had the ball they were moving it over great distances and with directness. We allowed them time on the ball and gifted them the luxury of being able to pick and choose when they released the bal, we were pressured into getting rid, whether it being a hoof up the park or a clearance into touch,

Yes Barry I was watching, possession was about 50%, but possession will only get you a maximum of 1 point if the other teams do not get the ball.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

You're right Dougal. But I hope they restrict themselves to a double and let us beat them 4-3 in the FA Cup final. I don't think any of us or the team should get disheartened -we are still way ahead of what anyone thought and we are still 10 points ahead of any of the also rans trying to beat us to a UEFA place, so let's keep our heads up and we'll do fine.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Gus That sounds like dissapointment talking. In the first half we were as good as them and had a perfectly good goal ruled out. In the second half we were definately second best but a bit harsh to compare the current team with Bradford and Coventry last year. I've seen some bad sides over the years at Newcastle, This one is by no means the worst. In fact they are not that bad. Like it or not Manure are a good side with some excellent players even though the current side is relatively mediocre compared with the last few years.

Strengthening in 1 or 2 positions and we could have a very good side.

A fit Robert would have made a big difference, Dyer was very quiet but is certainly capable of much better.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

And with Robert getting a 2 week rest, I hope that's enough to sort his torn muscle out in his hip and get him back to the way he was in August -September. Let's hope for a goal feast on Saturday to get the morale up for whipping Leeds a week from now. Thanks for the company tonight

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

gus, possession was 58% for us. off the top of my head it was 14/11 to them on shots and level on shots on target, about level on corners....

So statistics DO lie ;-(

This was a game when they were slightly better than us and could have gone either way but I think if they'd gone behind they could have easily pulled it back by upping the pressure. Not saying they were coasting but they didn't mind too much that we had the ball... hence the possession stat.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

Sorry everyone but to me this result only matters if we let it.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

It is not the result dougal, it is the way the game was played.

Re the shots stats, half of our shots were by Lee. With all of his shots the only danger was to the corner flag or on row W behind the goal.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

You are right bob, it was disappointment, at the players who should be handing this weeks wages to Charity.

I disagree that we were good today and that they were just better. They were average today and we were worse. If any of my players produced passes to the opposition like Speed Lee and Elliott, they would be on the bench or dropped completely from the next game.

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2002

There was no pace besides Young Kevin & the younger Welsh one.

Lee was in & out & one paced with Speed, Elliot & Hughes were below average. Dabz was OK Distin was pulled all over the place but stuck with it and covered acres.

SHearer worked his balls off, held it up well and linked well but too far back.

We cut through them 2 or 3 times with the quick passing that we showed at Highbury - where did it go ?

Solano tried but was poor, YKD tried but needs a rest.

Who's left - Given - nervous but not really blamable for any goal - although the 1st and 3rd were crosses.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2002

100!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2002

bliddy hell swift! I had the same idea myself when I saw it on 98!

brings back memories...... :-)

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2002

no that was my late score prediction mate, 100-0!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2002