Cardiff were absolutely awful today. And Newcastle got the luck they haven't been getting in recent weeks. Taylor's goal looked like a foul, handball and offside.

The fans chanting suggesting they thought so to "we're sheepshagging bastards, we know what we are" at kickoff and "that's why we're going down" after Mutch miskicked a shot.

Not sure about hands but did look offside on t'internet.

#162578 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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03 May 2014 16:57:15

I don't think Aguero is going to last... and sure enough, off he goes.

#162558 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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03 May 2014 16:17:04

I'm not so sure how I feel... joy we won? Relief we won? A feeling this is the last time today's big performers will play? Sympathy for fans that stayed, and walked out? Sorry for Cardiff City?

I suppose if Krul leaves, David Marshall would be a good replacement.

Not arsed about Fulham being relegated.

#162500 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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03 May 2014 14:39:49

Fuck me Newcastle are winning a game.

#162483 The Lower League Thread

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03 May 2014 13:15:27

Being a Reading or Doncaster fan must absolutely hurt right now.

#162465 The Lower League Thread

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03 May 2014 11:51:01

Huh, suddenly a four goal swing in the favour of Blackburn Rovers and the continuing failure of Reading & Brighton to win gets them the play-offs. That'd be amazing.

#162441 2014/15 Kit Thread

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03 May 2014 10:19:40

It's a reasonable shirt. Its just not what a West Brom shirt should look like.

#162409 Newcastle Thread

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03 May 2014 00:51:43

Obviously, the club has gotten better. I even said as much, and anything without Dennis Wise is automatically less detestable than something with him on board. But its still easy to have a quiver of suspicion, not least given that the stigma of "habitual lying" is not easily shiftable from the same owner that was running the joint in 2008 and still is in 2014, and that communication could be better.

Let's be fair - the club right now has the air of being in a mess, whether its the almost relentlessly shit form in 2014, players saying we don't invest enough or begging in the press to be played, and all the fan despondency.

But even so, as much as Twitter is probably not representative of the fanbase opinion as a whole, it seems like fans are content to argue with one another in increasingly vitriolic terms over this walkout, and how the side not doing their thing is not "true support", and its really fucking stupid. As much as I think boycotting is a more effective protest method than walking out during a game, surely it should be up to the fans to go "Yeah I'll walk out as I believe in this cause" or "Nah, I wanna stay and support my team", and just be free to follow whichever path they choose without this added and unnecessary bitching.

Pardew saying those who walkout "aren't true supporters" doesn't help.

Its not exactly a full lie if the focus is on the league, as Lee Charnley said in his recent incoming interview, or that Pardew said last August the Capital One Cup and Europa League were not his priorities (although he's hardly alone in saying that on those two fronts). Emotionally manipulative, perhaps, but lie? Nah.

Cup success is a lottery, tbf, but it would be nice if, just once, we actually made a fucking compelling go of it. Maybe it is just down to luck, although its easy to make a note of the fact we're yet to go beyond the 4th round of either FA or League Cup since Ashley arrived (there's also the notes this is only the 2nd season under him we've reached 46 or more Premier League points, but that's another debate).

I'm only judging from VHS tapes, Wikipedia and Premier League Years re-runs, but Dalglish taking Newcastle from finishing 2nd in 1997 to finishing only four points ahead of 18th in 1998 was always going to bite him on the arse, even if sacking after 2 games in 1998 was a wee bit harsh. Gullit just looked useless.

#162369 Newcastle Thread

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02 May 2014 21:34:26

I suppose we'll see the numbers on Saturday, to one extent or another.

It'd be quite an achievement if they did lie more, given that the unfair dismissal trial that followed Keegan revealed the club routinely lie in their official media. They've improved since then, but even so, the trust thing does need to recovering from. Saying that, its a bit much the honesty is perhaps as bad given that they now do admit they don't want to go far in the Cups.

Commercial revenue is bad enough anyway. Financial reports do say we were making more in that area during the Shepherd era, and while it was probably down to that we didn't implode, it should be a lot higher. It probably would be if it wasn't for the ubiquitous free ads that Sports Direct and associated brands receive.

In other news, Nile Ranger's been fired from Swindon. What a waste of a career.

#162307 Newcastle Thread

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02 May 2014 16:37:13

By Slashman X | On 02 May 2014 - 15:58 PM

Why is 69 the magic minute? Did ye win something then or something?

1969 Inter Cities Fairs Cup (which is now the Europa League).

I have also seen suggestions for the 27th minute (1927 was the last league victory) and 55th minute (1955 was the last FA Cup win)

#162296 Newcastle Thread

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02 May 2014 14:35:47

I think its overdue action of any kind is being taken. I'm just not sure if paying then pissing off during is better than just boycotting, and this mess over when to walk out is unintentionally hilarious.

Could just do 50-50 - some leave on 60, some on 69.

Meanwhile, what to make of Ben Arfa's recent quotes?

#162124 Champions League 2013/14

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By VP. | On 01 May 2014 - 15:30 PM

So you actually believe Wenger to be a specialist in failure?

As much as he has pissed me off over the last few years, i do also realise how hard, in fact almost impossible it is to compete with clubs that spend an almost unlimited amount of money every season. Our net spend since 2003 is around £18m i believe, but we have still 'competed' fairly well in all competitions though of course not actually won anything in 8 years. Chelsea and City's net spend is over £500m in the same period, while Utd's is just over £200m and Liverpool just under. So you would certainly expect those clubs to be at the top every single season.

We're actually placed 17th in the current Prem table by net spend since 2003, yet have every season been in the top 4 and done fairly well in the CL. Now to me that isn't exactly failure.

As for that list of trophies won by Mourniho its obviously very impressive, but when you're managing one of the top 2 sides in the league (3 i guess when starting at Chelsea) and spending millions of £'s each season its not really surprising you're being successful is it?

As a supporter of a team whose last major silverware came one month before Apollo 11 left Earth for the moon, I'd love to be in a position where regular top 4 placings is "specialising in failure".

I think Wenger is harshly picked on to a degree, even if his stubbornness on transfers has often been a problem for the Gunners.

#161725 The Lower League Thread

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30 Apr 2014 11:29:56

My dad remembers this more than I do but when we went to see Birmingham play Newcastle in an FA Cup tie at St. Andrews in 2007, the half-time competition was to chip the ball into a shed with the roof missing. I mean, it makes a change from the usual crossbar challenge bollocks but Jesus

I feel sorry for Lee Clark and Lovenkrands (ex-Mags) but its alarming how quickly and consistently they've fallen from a top half finish in the Premier League in 2010 to this.

#161709 Newcastle Thread

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30 Apr 2014 10:38:55

Reports are saying Mike Ashley told the manager and players money will be available in the summer to stop this current shitfest continuing into next season.

If that's true then at least its a start in the right direction.

Meanwhile, we apparently seem to be joined to West Ham for our pre-season, given both of us are going to pre-season tournaments in Germany and New Zealand.

#161359 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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28 Apr 2014 23:51:50

By Ninja | On 28 April 2014 - 22:34 PM

Excuses are annoying, but they're pretty much just symptomatic of the bigger picture.

I wouldn't have given two shits what Moyes said to the media if he was winning football matches, and I'm sure the same is true for you and Pardew.

Nearly every manager hides behind some excuse or another when they lose or fail to win - "parking two buses", "19th century football", "the referee didn't give us anything", "prior to the goal we played rather well".

Pardew has a long list of excuses but he's probably no worse than other managers, even if his press conferences largely descend into bollocks.

But tedious excuses are one thing. Losing 14 out of 19 since Boxing Day in all competitions - as he has done - is another. This is disgraceful form, and the team show no sign of stopping this rut.

Sometimes they can combine into one cocktail of shit - in his post-match he said "fans expect things we sometimes can't deliver" and its ridiculous. I don't think we will ever get Champions League football again, or take a cup seriously even as supposedly less glamorous teams like Wigan or Hull make the finals, but the minimum expectation is, quite simply, to not play like shit every week, and we're failing to manage that.

Ashley maybe a terrible owner but this form has no excuse, and the fact nobody in the media seems to wanna know is absurd. They must be shit scared of a banning.

#161321 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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28 Apr 2014 21:38:15

By bmg033 | On 28 April 2014 - 21:09 PM

I wonder what odds you'd get on a Newcastle relegation next season. They are truly terrible, but at least they didn't concede as many as they did last season at Arsenal.

We were actually the better team for the first 60-odd minutes in that 7-3, then Arsenal took advantage of the fact they hadn't played on Boxing Day and ran riot against a tired defence.

Today, not so much. But then poor performances have become second nature this year. The inevitable departure of our few high-quality players is going to hurt.

#161069 Newcastle Thread

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By Slashman X | On 27 April 2014 - 16:01 PM

Ben Arfa dropped from squad against Arsenal

That would be bad enough but his lawyer went on French TV and said they're considering having him buy out his Newcastle contract and leave.

This whole situation just takes the piss.

#161057 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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27 Apr 2014 23:06:22

By TheClassicK | On 27 April 2014 - 22:48 PM

Cleverley and Young are locks.

I'm pretty sure you can find worse than Young. Cleverley has been very bad but Fellaini has been absolute dogshite.

I can only think of a shit 5 - Fabio, Fellaini, Cleverley, van Wolfswinkel and Soldado. Needs more fleshing out.

#161049 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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27 Apr 2014 22:27:35

Arsenal fans on Twitter have been saying Koscielny should be ahead of Kompany and the stats do provide a compelling case for him. Maybe Baines at LB instead of Shaw.

What about a worst 11 of the season anyone?

#161020 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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27 Apr 2014 21:12:47

PFA Team of the Year:
Cech - Coleman, Cahill, Kompany, Shaw - Lallana, Yaya, Gerrard, Hazard - Sturridge, Suarez

#160907 The Lower League Thread

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27 Apr 2014 17:28:26

Adam Clayton's blue and white stripy beard is quite hilarious

#160882 Newcastle Thread

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27 Apr 2014 16:06:46

By Slashman X | On 27 April 2014 - 16:01 PM

Ben Arfa dropped from squad against Arsenal

Doesn't surprise me - usually the scapegoat when we concede goals, and manager and players don't like him. He's been wasted by Pardew, although his lack of fitness doesn't help.

#160772 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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27 Apr 2014 12:19:17

Terry was out anyway I think. Throwing in a young'un for his Premier League debut against Liverpool is a bold move.

#160751 Newcastle Thread

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27 Apr 2014 11:44:22

I don't think we're signing Colback as Cabaye's replacement and more likely as Gosling's, although that will most likely be an improvement.

I'm guessing someone else is intended as Cabaye's replacement. But I'm not sure who that could be.

#160697 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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27 Apr 2014 02:11:41

Wouldn't say Osman's thing was a dive, but he was going down before Lovren's tackle. No pen.

#160615 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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26 Apr 2014 19:21:34

He also managed a team that put 4 past Norwich, as has been mentioned on social media.

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26 Apr 2014 18:26:34

By Slashman X | On 26 April 2014 - 18:23 PM

In all fairness, Moyes beat the teams in the bottom 3 too

In equal fairness, the fact he failed to beat Fulham at home and got dumped out of the Capital One by Sunderland when both were bottom at the time is part of the reason MUFC dispensed with his services.

#160586 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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26 Apr 2014 18:19:48

Why on earth did I think Norwich might nick something?

Maybe it was just a hope it would shut up the Giggs love-in. Nevermind.

#160503 Barclays Premier League 2013/14

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26 Apr 2014 15:18:47

Two goals for Fulham in the first 5 minutes of the second half. As it stands they'll be out of the bottom 3.

And to think they were dead and buried only 4 weeks ago.