I think(?) Newcastle (just) deserved to win.

I actually pointed this out to a black and white mate at half-time as we met on the lateral walkway.

Given made about 3 good saves but you expect that from an away team.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Answers

That's what the keeper is there for of course. The save late on from Phillips was fantastic - I thought it was in.

And we're feeling pretty good I reckon, thanks.

Tell me, SK, what is the weight of opinion on Reid these days? Do you think it's a majority in favour of him going? If so what %?

Good luck for the rest of the season.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

% ?

Would not like to say,it flucuates day by day.

I am now loathe to defend him although I will not attack him either.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

First half was even really. Bellamy's goal and Phillips shot from the Quinn flick on made it about quits.

Second half was different though. Us getting the ball moving down the right was excellent, Solano, Hughes, Jenas and Shearer linked superbly, playing pretty patterns but also getting the ball in the box at the end.

I thought the commentators were harsh on Mboma for the goal, if Nik hadn't got it Distin would have done, and there were two other Newcastle players inthe 6 yard box, something wrong there.

(Nobody has commented on Distin being offside for the goal, anyone ?)

I was amused at us going for the new tactic of four centre halves, as we've shown we can do 3 and 4 successfully maybe its time to put one Caldwell in midfield and one up front, and play Marca .... no sorry that's just too far.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Thanks for that sk. Somehow I expected some class from you - which is more than can be said for the twerp who soiled the name of your club and it's fans on here earlier, before macbeth got around to waving his magic wand.

As I suggested in my match report, there really wasn't much in it - and as you say it could have gone either way. From memory, Given made four absolutely top saves, especially the last one, and on the other hand we had what was probably a perfectly good goal disallowed. Que sera, sera.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Appreciate you coming on here Kev, I know you must be hurting.

Glad to see most of you're mates haven't followed "Mboma" on here. I've had a look at RTG and it's like a war zone. :o))

Now if you can do us both a favour and beat 'Pool, Leeds, Arse and Chelsea.....

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Agree Pilgrim, if Sunderland beat those teams I would be chuffed in a big way.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Top man Kev.

I thought Phillips showed real class today. He had very limited service but was given two decent chances and worked the keeper VERY well from both. Thought he handled the first on though!! I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd nodded off and missed both of 'em by miles.

Re the offside for our goal. I think very few refs would give an offside against a bloke who was beyond the goal, out of sight of the keeper and not in any way interfering with the flight of the ball or owt. Made up for the Bellamy one they got wrong. By the way, why was Bellamy booked for abusing a Sunderland player? Abusing the officials yes, but an opposition player - never seen it before - and we've seen loads of cases of blokes standing over "divers" and giving it some. Bizarre decision.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Fair play, SK that takes balls. My mackem mate has been with me all day and he, too, took it like a man.

Respect.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

I thought Bellamy was offside & the linesman got it right, am I the only one?

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Mind you, it was a midnight KO over here and we'd been on the pop since 4pm so it's all a bit of a blur.....

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

I resisted the temptation to log on to BBs while the game was in progress so that I could watch thetape shown on pay pe view at 11.00 this morning (US Eastern time.) ( I was on a cruise with my family last week and could not resist going to the internet to see the score against Man City, even though it was to be shown on Monday afternoon when I was scheduled to return! I agree with SK and Al Dodgy. I thought we just about deserved to win. I am usually a poor predicted of results, but after the first few minutes I began to get the uncomfortable feeling that one goal was all we were going to see. For me, Bellamy was half a yard offside when the ball was passed, simply because he completely outstripped the defenders who, I believe, had no idea that he was offside. Had he delayed delayed his run a blink of an eye longer we would have been one up. BUT HE WAS OFFSIDE. Not a great game, - a good derby and a good result. The defence was a little suspect at times, but I think the four, given the opportunity will weld into a very strong unit.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Hi Floridan. I hope I haven't misunderstood you, or am teaching my grandmother so suck eggs :o)) but re the offside decision: He was in front of the defenders but level or maybe even slightly behind the ball when it was played (according to Sky after numerous replays) and therefore onside. Anyway it's water under the bridge 1-0 is fine by me.

Where did the cruise go?

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Fair shout Soops. ATB for the rest of the season.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Oops - forgot to say....."You'll probably need it". :)

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2002

Offside! at that moment in time I would have had the flag up.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

We had more chances but Newcastle had more possession and played better football. That's the problem if you go into games hoping to 'nick it' 1-0, you just as often end up losing 1-0.

Reidy's had more last chances than a last chance saloon, if he had more bottle he'd walk.

ML

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Bellamy was ONSIDE!

He was level with the ball when it was played.

Not that it matters now like :)

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

By the way, Newcastle had more chances, off and on target, according to Sky Sports.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

The graciousness in defeat from sooopah and ML# is very welcome.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Thanks SK and ML3 - good luck for the rest of the season.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Was Distin offside? was there not a S/land player on the line in the middle of the goal?

Best of luck for the rest of the season SK.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Anybody watching on Sky confused by Allerdyce's churlish reaction at half time? Thought the Sky reporter did a good job of politely pointing out the rules for a 5th time when the temptation would obviously have been to tell him how thick he was being. It went something like this: Gray says Bellamy looked on side and explained the behingd the ball rule. This was repeated a few times whilst replays shown. At half time, they drew two nice lines across the filed to prove Bellamy was behind the ball. Question to Allardyce: Was he offside?. Allerdyce: Yes, because he was beyond the last defender. Polite reiteration of the behind the ball rule. and question to Alerdyce: would you have given offside? Allerdyce: yes err probably..from where the linesman was bla bla.

Allerdyce then went on to compare us with Ipswich last season, as the surprise package (implication of one season wonders). Justifiable, or not?

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

SK, ML3
It's difficult to come up with an approach that doesn't come across as patronising, but anyway, thanks for confirming that not all Sunderland supporters are as stereotypical as, over the years, I'd allowed myself to become brainwashed into believing, although being almost pensioner age, I have to own up to having mellowed a bit, outlook not as rabid as it was forty years ago.

I hope I'll have the guts to return the favour next time you turn the tables on us.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Probably not the thread for my Allerdyce rant - apologies. Impressively magnanimous in defeat SK. If I were a Makem, Kilbane would be the focus for a lot of anger and frustration. Mbomba looked useful though, and may get those goals you still need to secure safety.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I must say the Makems are being very gracious in the face of their defeat.

Almost takes some of the shine off our victory.........almost ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Sunday was Kilbane's best game for over a season which says everything about the anger directed towards him Pete.

ML3

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Sam's bitter because he forgot to add a sub goalkeeper.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I remember Kilbane was one of the players Dalglish took an interest in. That should have rung alarm bells straight away.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Referees presently have a great many problems - and one of them is that some PL Managers, who scream from the rooftops at every decision that isn't in their favour, don't even understand the bloody rules in the first place. Allardyce is clearly one of them.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

To have put us under serious pressure you'd have had to get forward on Distin and Hughes as centre halfs playing as full backs and pinged some decent crosses in as they are Given's only weakness. Not having players with the ability to cross the ball without sending it out on the full restricted you to Phillips shooting from head on which takes a phenomenal ball to beat Shay.....unless you have another quality striker to roll it to. At least we can now play ourselves out of trouble instead of hoofing it upfield to come straight back at us.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

All well and good, but getting behind the last man and knocking in quality crosses is something we have failed to achieve all season and it is reflected in our pittiful goals tally.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

You mean I missed all the fun of abusive makems getting thrown off the board, damn that international time difference. Anyway congrats to soops and ML3 for coming on here and being stand up lads. For the record I thought sunderland played some canny stuff and they seemed to get to 50-50 balls first as well.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

ML#3 - I've said it elsewhere on here, but I really do believe SAFC has to get past its fixation with Quinny before you can now progress. He has served you fantastically well, but I don't think the eternal search for Mark II will succeed, because he is a very unique player.

I really think the team needs to be rebuilt around Sorensen, Soops, Craddock, and Arca - I'm not familiar with some of the other promising youngsters you appear to have - before Soops buggers off.

Players like McAteer, Kilbane, Haas and Schwarz are simply not good enough, and even Michael Gray looks to be past his sell by date. In all honesty, I wasn't really impressed by Captain Amercia yesterday either, although I would accept it was a difficult game in which to assess players.

I think you're falling into the same trap we fell into under Dalglish - buying £3-4m "nearly" players who are simply not up to competing in the PL. Reidy has bought successfully in the lower leagues, but he needs to supplement this with one or two, possibly 2 or 3 now, top-class, and therefore high- priced, players to become truly competitive in the PL.

The real question is can Reidy change his style and his overall approach? I have my doubts actually, and it may now need a change in Manager for SAFC to begin to move forward again - however, this is always risky.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002