Man Utd hammer Sunderland 4-1 but Arsenal are held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton.

Tossers!

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002

Answers

At least Littlespur managed to say we were the better team in the 2nd half on Weds night without choking. ;-))

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002

However, the BBC newsreader might want to take a remedial arithmetic course. "Manchester United increased their lead at the top..blah blah blah". ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002

Don't worry about it Ciara. Many people in the south of England, including people who work for the BBC, have never been to Newcastle and can't even point it out on a map. That's actually been researched! This isolation, and the feeling of what Sir John Hall called "The Geordie Nation" actually works to our advantage. After years of flitting between the old first and second, and almost the third division, when he and KK pulled us round the support was immediately back - and that support will keep us right at the top if management continues in the way it has over the last two years anyway.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002

I think it's great. Every time I hear something like that it reminds me that eventually we WILL win something and stuff it down their throats. And I'll laugh even more heartily if we do it this season, because I guarantee you the press will say we're the worst side to win it since Blackburn and that we only won because everyone else threw it away.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002

Then courtesy of 'the other channel' you have "The Man Utd Show".

The only meaningful topic of conversation after our match was Elleray's apparently perverse decision to award a free-kick against the Bolton keeper for blatantly breaking the rules.

That twit Andy Townsend (what actually qualifies this fool as an expert?) banged on about Elleray being an ace nitpicker who will penalise things like this while ignoring career-threatening tackles, and basically saying he was entirely wrong to give the FK. He was then clearly embarrassed by Dessie asking him if perhaps he had a personal issue with Elleray - "yes, he sent me off twice!" Nuff said?

Having seen the replays, Elleray was entirely correct. Despite all the bleating, and distortion of the facts, no Toon players prevented the keeper from clearing the ball, and the closest, Shearer, was never closer than about 5yds from him. He made no attempt whatsover to get rid of the ball and as Elleray said, was still holding on to the ball when he whistled, ie after counting off 9 seconds.

Our Referees have enough to contend with right now, and IMO these bloody "experts" should be sacked for pillorying Referees for the alleged 'crime' of applying the rules as they are written - even if they are usually not properly applied.

There was no possible reason for criticising Elleray for this decision - and ITV should look very carfully at Townsend's performance.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

The last two referees we have had have both been pretty good to be honest.

Riley at Spurs was sensible, and Elleray stuck to the rules and let the game flow. I'd much rather have a game flowing than one that is interrupted by the whistle every 20 seconds for meaningless things.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Nice of the Man Utd Show to replay the Man U goals but not KP's Sunderland one, which - which my fair hat on - I must admit was a bit of a corker.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

IMO these bloody "experts" should be sacked for pillorying Referees for the alleged 'crime' of applying the rules as they are written

That's an excellent idea there Clarky. I didn't watch the replays but if the ball was held for fully 9 seconds then Townsend is honour bound to at the very least apologise on air for his own ignorance. Maybe the refs union, or the FA should sue these "experts" and managers "defending their players" when the video evidence proves the ref was correct. Far too many of these tossers take the opportunity for a free swipe at the ref (often to cover up for the inadequacies or thuggery in their own teams) and the refs should have some sort of comeback against these dissemblers.

Refs have the most difficult job in the game - they see an incident once only, and from one angle only, and they have to contend with deliberate cheats who are constantly trying to steal some unfair advantage on the ref's blind side. The likes of Townsend, Wenger, O' Leary and others should be taken to task for their attacks on these individuals.

I get annoyed at some refereeing decisions myself, but then again, I know in my heart of hearts, that what the ref saw was different to what I saw (different angle of view) and the ref can only give what he sees. I applaud these characters for their courage in doing the job. I don't think I could do it for any money and I'm very pleased that YBR is always very discrete when he feels a decision against us was wrong. Wenger and O' Leary could learn a lot from him - I mean in addition, obviously, to showing them how to be a brilliant manager. :-)

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Aye agreed. Mind I think Peter Reid, an honest manager as is YBR, was entitled to have a pop at Rob Styles yesterday for conversely not going by the written rules and allowing Becks to score from a direct FK when it should have been an indirect one.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

It was surreal listening to him yammering and bleating while they were showing the incident again with a clock on it showing a full nine seconds. Unbelievable that they are still reporting this as a debatable decision. "Spawny" Newcastle again, eh? Still no understanding that the number of times we get pens and end up playing against 10 men is that we have 4 or 5 players who run like absolute stink and nobody can deal with it.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

The best thing about being up there at the top is that a lot of fans have us as their second team, and a lot of pundits hate us like hell.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Basically the complete opposite to Manure, who had a lot go their way against the Mackems. The penalty, the indirect free kick and the fact they were playing Sunderland.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

I also found the episode surreal Softie. Nobody has argued that Elleray's interpretation was incorrect - because, of course, it was absolutely correct.

They are all saying the keeper was prevented from clearing the ball - which is just patent nonsense.

In truth, what they are really offended by is Elleray's nerve in for once applying a law that is generally blatantly disregarded - allowing keepers to constantly waste time in every bloody game.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Had a "discussion" with Del and Rodney in the Straabeery after the game yesterday (well, they were a couple of Trotters) and I ointed out to them that had it been Bergsson or Whitlow who had the ball and was "confronted" by Shearer, would they have complained? Or instead of trying to kick it away, he had simply hoyed it over the line for a throw in instead of holding on to it for 9 seconds? Trotters? Nah, more like T0$$ers.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Saw some of Allardyce's postmatch quotes where he whinged that Elleray told Jaskywhosywhatsy he could have thrown the ball around Shearer. Alladyce was upset because the keeper wanted to kick it rather than throw it and Shearer prevented the kick.

Is it my imagination or don't strikers regularly run around and stand 5-10 yrds off the keeper to intimidate them or throw them off their gameplan? IT'S PART OF THE GAME, SAM! Sheesh.

I would like to see that 6sec rule enforced more regularly, though. Cudicini against us in Dec comes immediately to mind. And if the rule isn't to be enforced it should be taken off the books.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

The bit that really got me on the Premiership was Townsend's patronising comments about Di Canio. Simply insulting both the player and West Ham fans by saying despite DC's insistence he was being sold as opposed to requesting a transfer he will be kicking himself that the deal fell through. I.E. Di Canio was lying and any player 'picked' by Man U must therefore drop everything (like loyalty) and sign up.

Disgraceful.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002