S-Clarke

Ralph has worked wonders to make this team competitive, I hate that people can't see that. This is such a terrible mish mash of a squad. Poor personality's throughout the squad, but he's managed to polish us up to some extent. Yes, he is very much a 'one plan' manager and it does feel very much like we only have one idea, but you have to say that a lot of that is down to the squad he has at his disposal. There's a decent core of players, technically, but their make up has always been a bit shit when the chips are down. We'd be much worse off without Ralph, trust me.

It all feels pretty raw at the moment, but Redmond isn't great and hasn't ever been. Bar a few games here and there over 5 years this has been Redmond. Giving the ball away, under hitting a pass, mishitting a cross, running into a defender or passing backwards. The weather doesn't make any difference, he has always been like this. He was poor under Puel, Pelligrino, arguably he had his best little purple patch under Hugues, but he's generally been a really poor player for us over the course of 5 years. I'd have Moussa in his place all day long, and even he doesn't rip up any trees. Arguably we play better when we don't have 'natural' wide men in the 11, not sure if that's more down to how we're drilled to play or the quality of the wide players.

I can't show any sympathy towards Redmond. I have no time for the guy.

I think you also need to look at the makeup of the players. Their players aren't as good technically, but they have much stronger hearts and professionalism. We are hopeless when the chips are down. We are a fine example of a team that only 'sings when it's winning'.

Last 20 mins were a tactical horror show. Minamino playing deeper, looking to play balls in behind I imagine. Redmond hugging the far right and passing the ball to the corner flag. I really don't know what our approach was in those last 20 mins? It was truly baffling tactically. Explain that one please Ralph.

It's more than just a 9 man Newcastle. They were without their leading goal scorer for most of that, they came in to it with a patched up defence and had to patch it up even more during the game. Then going down to 9 men it was even more bonuses for us, yet we still didn't have anything.

I don't think we'd have got anything if it was just their goal keeper playing.

Really? They deserved that. Got no time for any of our players after today.

We just pass it around a bit, give it to Redmond, pass it back. Give it to Adams, he'll try and hold it up, give it away. Pass it to Ings, miss hit. There you go. That's our attack. Give that to any team, even a school team, and they'd cope with that.

An absolutely hopeless second half, absolutely hopeless. We were up against 9 men for 20 mins, we barely mustered a shot. Ings looks ruined. No idea what's up with him, he isn't getting a move if that's his level. Redmond is suited to non-league, if that. Adams is ok, just lacks the touch and technique to do anything really. Minimino drifted in the second half, tired a bit. Just dreadful, I have no real words to be honest. To not even get a draw out of a Newcastle team without an attack, no defence and against 9 men is absolutely disgusting and they all need to fined a weeks wages. Any football league team would have beaten Newcastle today. If it was us at 9men, we'd probably lose 15-0. Absolutely hopeless run we are on. Season is done for me, I don't see what's going to happen now? Getting better than last season is a no-hope, just finish as close to 12th/13th as we can I guess.

Probably not, now the rain has subsided a bit.

Get Redmond off, seriously.

If we don't win this now I give up on us. Absolutely everything is there for us. Open them up and go for it, take it to them.

Well, it's 1 back. Long way to go. Can we actually show a reaction here?

Should have been 4. Can we get the game called off...? We are gone.

I was expecting it at the first whistle, then after we'd got a goal back. Now it's just about keeping the score line down. Game is gone. This has the markings of once again becoming very ugly. The sad thing is that the Newcastle back 4 is shit, makeshift and there for the taking. They are without the leading striker and only have 1 sub to play. Yet we have still completely and utterly fucked it up due to unprofessional play.

Shall we get Adkins back then? Or do we go back in for Martin O'Neil?

Ings looks utterly shot as well, not sure where he thinks he's going to get a move to if that's all he can muster for us. He needs to up his game massively. Adams has been better today and Minimino has given us movement/runs between the lines which we've missed. Ings and Redmond have been the spare parts in attack so far.

We've had this make up for years, it's not turned up over night. We had a decent run which has masked over a lot of these endemic issues. Unfortunately a clear out involves us being flexible with finances, which we can't be.

And there is Redmond summed up. Backwards Redmond. Cannot stand the shit he's given us in the 4 years or however long we've had to endure him.

Can't defend for shit. Can't save for shit. Decent first half bar the fact we cannot defend. What an utter mess this season has turned into. Complete carnage. Batten down the hatches 2nd half, game gone.

I think that is one event which would unite the entire football community. That alone says it all. Everything thinks he is a tool and shit at his job. 20 years!

Submitted one for you.

We were fearing the worst straight after that, we had Man City twice! Although we lost both, we didn't shame ourselves what so ever in either. I remember people predicting 10-11 or so nil in those games! Think it was 2-1 in the league game after that Leicester one, and we actually took the lead! So I do expect a lot of fight and improvement on Saturday.

Phew. Shame about Stu though. We keep dropping like flies!