Billy Whitehurst

What the fuck was Perez doing there? Desperately need a new number 10.

He is absolutely dreadful.

Tim's uncle Harold would be a more popular choice for Tory leader than any of those mentioned.

That's really poor given the frothing at the mouth over the Shelvey and Mitrovic incidents and even Ritchie the other week.

Did they not even mention it?

So if Lascelles doesn't put in a match winning performance then he should be dropped for a player who is currently injured? No wonder they say that football fans are fickle.

They'll be all over it on MOTD2. There was only one match today and there aren't many incidents to discuss.

We've been not too bad. It could have gone either way, I think there'll be a lot of games like that this season. Merino has played well but we have lacked composure in the final third. We really need a number 10. Hemed will be getting a 3 match ban for that.

Uber is ridiculously cheap and their drivers have pretty dire working conditions/workers rights. It's no bad thing if the prices go up to address these issues. They'll still be much cheaper than black cabs. Also, you'll be far less likely to be taxied around by Tommy Robinson types than you are in a black cab.

Pretty sure the thought of a quick payout was what made him take the job in the first place, he's probably disappointed that it took so long. Sven, Capello and (latterly) McClaren are masters of that particular strategy.

This pretty much sums up my thinking. 10 changes is an absolute joke, particularly given the international break coming up. We're very lucky to have a manager as good as Benitez but he should not be above criticism.

Yes, the league is more important but staying in the league and having a cup run are not mutually exclusive. He could have made 4 or 5 changes and still started with a strong team but he chose to make 10 changes. Staying in the league has to be our primary focus but at least have a go in the cups, otherwise it all becomes rather futile. Besides, we now go into our next match on a downer having lost at home to a Championship team. However, had Benitez picked a stronger team, we could have possibly won and taken some momentum into Saturday.

If, as you say, Benitez picked that team just to make a point to Ashley, then he is a dick as we are now out the cup.

It's his fault that we are out. That team he selected is a disgrace.

I don't understand why he has selected a team like that. We need a win to start building some momentum so he goes and starts Gamez, Hanley, Sterry, Saivet, Barlaser and Diame. That's not acceptable from Benitez.

Arguably Lejeune, but only time will tell with him. I was impressed with Murphy whenever I saw him at Norwich and England U21s but he probably doesn't improve us now. We've bought squad players for a squad that was already full of mediocre players but seriously lacking in quality. It's a false economy.

No, I don't, but I also don't see the point in signing them. They don't particularly improve the squad, they just make an already bloated squad even more mediocre.

Gayle is the type of striker that needs service. He was quality last season when him and Shelvey were in the team. Those two are on the same wavelength. It's just a shame that Shelvey is a thick twat.

Rafa has to take some of the blame. He signed Sels, Clark, Hanley, Gamez, Yedlin, Lazaar, Diame, Hayden, Ritchie, Atsu, and Murphy. Quite a few of those are taking up places in the squad/on the wage bill when they are not needed. Ritchie, Clark and Hayden were good signings. Atsu and Yedlin may prove their worth. Murphy did a job and we got back most of what we paid for him. We can't shift Hanley, and Lazaar. Fuck knows what is going on with Gamez, but Rafa doesn't trust him and I doubt we'll get our money back for him. Sels is a flapper and we won't get our money back. Oh, and Diame is absolutely shite. Of this season, Lejeune looks good. From what I've seen of Murphy, he has potential. Manquillo was at fault for both Spurs goal and couldn't get a game for Sunderland, Joselu couldn't get a game ahead of Walters and Crouch at Stoke. Merino is a completely unknown quantity in what is probably the most important position on the field. I'm not sure if I've missed anyone, but they must be underwhelming if I have. He now appears to want another winger and goalkeeper which are probably the two areas where are strongest. Rafa has done a great job with what he has, and his signings reflect the constraints he is working under, but there are a lot of question marks over his signings.

I recorded the match, I assume there is no point watching it?

What a totally pointless signing. We're struggling to buy decent players as we have knackers like Riviere, Saivet, Colback, Hanley, and Haidara stinking the place out. Players, who appear to have been scouted by Ray Charles, and who we can't shift as we pay them way more than any other team will. We're just adding another mediocre player to our wage bill, who we won't be able to shift when he turns out to be shite. That said, in spite of his goalscoring record, he may turn out to be decent. I hope he does, but he is a massive risk given how much dross we already have in our squad.

Far point from Souness on Manquillo, switching off for the two goals. Maybe that is why Benitez shifted him to right wing after. Who would have though that a lad, who couldn't get in one of the worst teams in Premier League history, would prove to be a bit of a liability. He looked decent going forward though.

Aye, just a pure sentimental choice, verging on patronising.

In spite of the injuries and the red card, there have been some positives. We've looked fairly solidand Atsu looks like he is continuing where he left off at the back end of last season. Also, if we are going to shoot ourselves in the foot in the most Newcastle of manners, we might as well do it against a team (who have arguably been the best team in the league over the the past two seasons) we wouldn't really have expected to get anything against in the first place. I also might convince Ashley to spend some money* *it won't.

Damage limitation now.