shurlock

They're not a good side - they look lightweight as f**k. If anything, they have shades of us in 2008/09 - a young side that's pleasing on the eye without being truly clinical but full of defensive soft spots. Am sure Rodriguez will come good at some point; but he's been pretty poor this season. Turf Moor's always a tough place to go to -and so I'm not taking anything for granted; but I would say they are the weakest team we've played this season - bar perhaps Barnsley.

Thought it was interesting that Cortese wants Newcastle next round of the league cup.

Remember you saying the players absolutely love Cortese because he's a big believer in player power etc (through another one of your 'sources'). Rare words to hear spoken about a chairman. I guess you still maintain this?

I want promotion - its what drives the competition. But I absolutely love the championship: proper games, proper clubs, proper fans. Every game is hammer and tongs and with no shortage of skill.

Best goal scored: Guly's against Millwall Best Champagne moment: the string of 30 or so passes at Barnsley Best game so far: Ipswich Best player at this stage: Lallana Most Improved player: Richardson (Hammond had a great second half of season last term, so I wouldn't say his current form is really an improvement in a strict sense)

Of course, even these comparisons should be treated with caution. In addition to the fact that we're currently riding a wave compared to say 2008/2009, probably the worst season in our history, finances are tighter today than in the past, games took place at different points of the season e.g. xmas festive period (Forest 2008/2009) or the business end of the season (Leeds 2006/2007); while others were televised (Leeds 2011/2012) and discounted or linked to big cup games (Forest 2008/2009). Not to mention the reputation/attractiveness of the opposition has changed as their form has ebbed and flowed over the years - all these factors and many others would have affected numbers from game to game and make straightforward comparisons difficult.

Why? Apart from Barney, nobody can genuinely lead the line, hold the ball up, provide genuine power and directness up top. I would have been surprised if Guly (though he's not bad in the air), Connolly etc would have got on the end of some of the decent crosses delivered by Holmes/De Ridder.

Better but again not conclusive as no doubt there were other factors that may have accounted for lower attendances i.e. the fact the team wasn't winning/supporters were suffering the relegation blues. By contrast, we're now enjoying one of the best runs in our history. All these factors would have to be controlled for.

But those figures tell only a small part of the story - the best and most accurate measure is how big our crowds would have been if the ticket tax and other things that are supposedly pi $$ing off fans had not been introduced. Its hard to know this crucial counter-factual; but citing other teams attendances adds no light on this question. Mate, you should take a dummies course in statistics and the use and abuse of evidence.

A v.lightweight attack but, at least, we have goal threats across midfield.

For all his cleverness, link up play and fox in the box finishing, his gesture of support to the argyle fans last season still stands out. While our players were celebrating with our lot and the plymouth players had slunk off the pitch, he was the only one to go around their ends, clap and show some sympathy for what is a horrible, abject situation. No theatrics; just a genuine touch of class. A serious man but in the best sense.

check the extended highlights with different camera angles- their rb is playing him on.

F**kin terroni!

Napoli fans are just a bunch of upmarket Turks, no different from the Galatasaray and Fenerbahce scum who like to take cheap shots.

Barry Davies commentating on the Ipswich game still in it?

Not unreasonable, esp with the greater number of away games and some tough home games. On its own, its near-playoff form. What with our start, would leave us in or very close to the auto positions.

As you say, those comments suggest an improvement on Forest (and he wasn't the worst defender against Forest) while acknowledging that there's room to get better. Besides one or two comments, they're hardly unconditionally negative. Some of the posters think he will get better; others question less his ability than whether he's what we need from a CB (unlike some, I don't think we need another carbon copy of Jaidi but that's just my opinion). If those are the extent of the concerns and there are more comments, including Solent that thought he had a decent, steady game - indeed, he got more MOTM votes than Fonte, I suggest opinion isn't particularly divided. Nobody has said he has set the world alight; and clearly its early days and the big test will be on the road. But for now he's done more than OK and I don't know what more can be expected. Btw, another of our rumoured targets, Ridgewell, had a shocking game yesterday.

How many points do you think we'll get?

You said its rare a player divides opinion so much - that there's no consensus about his ability. I don't see much evidence of that here after yesterday's game. That's the conclusion you have reached after asking quite legitimately how he did, no?

It was a great result and I have a lot of time for Chris Hughton, a decent and honest manager. Think his post-match comments were spot-on: while we deserved to win, the game turned on our finishing. Apart from our goals, I can't remember us creating that much, their keeper making too many saves or us really getting behind them with pace. I really like Connolly -I was calling for his return well before Barney's injury- but with him, Lallana and Guly, we do sometimes look a bit lightweight. We are also quite reliant on eye of the needle stuff which over the course of the game can become predictable as legs tire and we become more narrow. Crazy to say when we've knocked in 19 goals in 7 games but it would be nice to have a plan B, some pace and/or power to mix things up.

Was subject to one at the Ravens-Steelers game in Baltimore last Sunday - separate lines for women, kids and men. To be fair, it was no more intrusive than what you get at away games, albeit this was more systematic. Guess the yanks sports fans are mollycoddled in a way we're not.

He's smarter than his tweets and his A-Z of Nietzsche quotes suggest - q.like him, though he's fast becoming a parody and pantomime figure. Still would prefer a team of 11 Nemanja Vidics, ruthless and totally committed players but who do not make a song and dance about things.

A name mired in middle-aged defeatism. Saying that, seems to be quite popular on the footy manager circuit= Nigel Adkins, Nigel Clough, Nigel Pearson etc, though with the exception of NA, they too appear slightly fed up with life.

Do they differ or are you just looking for trouble? From what I've read, with the exception of um pahars and one or two others (and they're perfectly entitled to their opinions), the vast majority of posters thought he had a decent game. There's no real division - except that you ignore these posts and choose instead to respond to/endorse the one or two slightly critical ones. Why? Are they just more conducive to your slanted view of the club and desire deep down to justify why you feel the club f**ked up in its transfer dealings and panic bought a Celtic reject that's invariably doomed to fail here. Because that's what it looks like when you are selective with opinions/feedback and you look a right c*ck for doing so.

Matthew. Simple.