stlucifer

Watch my typing. I THINK that Grainger is a better LEFT BACK than Dummett. He hasn't shown his best so far but that will come. It's MY opinion. Dummett is not playing for Newcastle. He's had one sub appearance. He will undoubtably be a good player for the Magpies but I go back to what I said previously. When Paul was with us some were harping back to the Travner and Tesselaar so they weren't convinced of Dummett's ability. I think Paul's a good player but I stand by my statement. I think Grainger is better in the left back position and will prove this in time.

Don't think that answered the question. IF he was TOLD then he wouldn't have needed to nod his head. He would have been, well,.... TOLD. IF he was told in those instances then perhaps he was also TOLD to cut the budget to help pay for them,. Perhaps he was told to take Grainger.... To take Harkins,...To subsequently keep McGowan. Nth degree. Fcuk me. Some on here are suggesting that he's TOLD to play Cheesey, week in, week out. Where does it end? IF he was the puppet in your scenario when did Pinnochio change into the real boy?

Well. If Danny has so little input as far as signings are concerned why do you attribute blame for those who haven't, thus far, "set the heather on fire"? It really is good to be so special as to be in the know! AND....he was asked if he wanted them and said yes? Isn't that him deciding on the signings or am I missing something here?

Wouldn't disagree with that and there were definitely times Grainger and Teale were free for the pass. I still think it needed to be mixed up though.

So. Any successes are down to everybody BUT the manager, but all failures are his alone? AYE RIGHT! Away 'n bile yer heed...... Politely of course! Edited to say. Quote function isn't your only problem mate!

I think one of the biggest problems in the last two games has been that we weren't punting the ball on occassions as the opposition forwards just pressed our defence when Cornell pushed the ball short. It never seemed to register and they just tried the same thing continuously expecting different results. When the ball was predictably put back to the keeper he had to punt the ball up the park under pressure. We need to mix it up. If their forwards and midfield are pressing our back line then there is space left in behind to exploit using a goalkeeper "punt".

I agree that Grainger hasn't been as good as he could be but I think many are looking through rose coloured spectacles, re Dummett. I am NOT saying he was poor but, When he was here, he was slated on a few occassiions with some saying he was inferior to Tess and Travner. Given time I believe Grainger will prove to be one of the successes.

Seriously! Not laughing. Grainger is a very good left back and has more to his game than Paul. he has yet to show his best form but almost everyone accepted he was a good addition, with the proviso that his injuries had cleared up, when he arrived.

I've belatedly read back here and the only thing less likely than a Darkheeder victory was this. Or did they manage to find those pigs wings in the chinese?

I find it hard to disagree with some of this. Certainly I'm on record as saying that, once he had Harkins on board, Danny would have been better to have cut Paul loose. Given that Cornell seems to be settling in, (I hope), I really do feel the only other position glaringly obvious by ommission is striker. My take on this, and I could be far from right, is that Danny put all his eggs, (and not in a Jose way!!), in one Campbell basket. I don't know how good he would have been but it appeared to be almost certain we were getting the player. Mismanagement? Possibly. Though I tend to give people the benefit in these circumstance until the facts are public. Danny Lennon may or may not be heading for the exit but it will be because of results which, on at least 3 occassions this season and about the same at the end of last, I felt we were not far away from getting more than we did. How many managers at his level find eleven notable exceptions? Harkins is, by your own admission, a good player.I think Grainger is a better left back than Dummett. I think Goodwin was a good signing. Add to this, Tesselaar, Teale, McGregor, Thompson, McGowan, Newton, Dummett, Goncalves, Hasselbaink, even Carey,(though I felt underused) and Imrie (could have been better managed) . Hardly a couple Danny.

It's an injustice, it is!

There are a fair number who try to start a song at home but it doesn't take as too many are happy to either sit silent, complain in their locale or, even worse, boo the team. I perhaps used the wrong terminology (re loyal). More fanatical/fervent may have been better but the majority of them certainly see the game as a day out. Not just a football game and do tend to lend better support throughout the 90 minutes.

Stop egging them on!

Don't think so. She would have seen them coming!

As far as nerves eminating from the stand is concerned, this game is the best chance to see if the new formation works. An away game where it's mostly the vocal and loyal attending should lend itself to reduced nerves. An early goal and a bounce in the step is what I would hope for.

And finally. The war has ended. We beat Kaiser Wilhelm II !!!!

Sorted that for you. The fact of the matter is that EVERY new signing is a gamble, whether brought in earlier or later. It's early days and the underfire, underachievers might yet need a pedestal from us.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10315671/Chelsea-v-Basle-Jose-Mourinho-ready-for-another-crack-at-the-Champions-League.html "Jose Mourinho has branded his Chelsea squad "beautiful young eggs" that require gentle nurturing ahead of their Champions League game against Basle." And I thought our manager spoke spake/ did speak/has, in the past, spoken in riddles! Cantona? Take a back seat on that trawler. Jose has you BEAT! What next for Chelsea? A new signing of Krak Broadfoot? Edited to stop more pedants moving in! (2becks)

Don't you think the whole reason for radio communication is to prevent the outward appearance of "undermining"? They are in CONSTANT communication and, as such, IF the assistant believes a wrong call has been made, he can indicate his perception and privately tell the ref his view on proceedings. This clearly isn't what happened in this instance. The linesman isn't there to rubberstamp every refereeing decision. He is there to, wait for it, ASSIST the referee as an extra pair of eyes. the referee isn't likey to go in the huff, pick the ball up, and say, "Am no playin'. It's ma baw!" FFS. The issue isn't whether or not the penaltyy call was correct. It is all about WHO eventually made the call. The referee or, effectively, the mob who surrounded him.

Obviously the Bears are restless! To top it all... It was a BLACK bear,.............. What are the odds. NO, SERIOUSLY,..... WHAT ARE THE ODDS!

How can you, on one side, type, "utter nonsense", then justify it by assumption and speculation? Right back at ye..... UTTER NONSENSE! At the end of the day the thing that is certain is that the referee made a decision, the assistant referee positioned himself for the penaltyy, the referee was surrounded by irate steelmen and, promptly went to his assistant who was in postion for a penalty and, after what appeared to be consultation, changed his mind and didn't book the offending player, to boot, (so to speak). Wrap it up as much as you like but it was DEFINITELY a change of mind AFTER an official being accosted on the field of play..

Connor Newton and Goncalves went stright into the side. The former had a bad 45 minutes and the other went straight to hero status from the off so late doesn't neccessarilly mean unready. Look. I do agree that things haven't worked out and I personally would have preferred to see the squad assembled much earlier, but I couldn't have predicted how badly the incomers have performed, just as I couldn't have envisaged Esmael and Connor setting the heather on fire.

Youi may well have been critical of the manager's signings but, since they weren't completed, I don't see how you could predict the completion of said. unless you helped pick the rest. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! SACK BUD THE BAKER!!!!!!!