Billy Whitehurst

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.

Aye, it was like 10 v 10 with Sissoko on the pitch.

If you take it to the Post Office they have a service where they check everything for you. I did it this way for my daughter around about this time last year. We got the passport in two weeks. Can't remember if I had to pay extra but, if I did, it wasn't much.

Looked like a penalty to me. Sunderland have been decent to be fair.

I'm actually quite positive about Merino. I know nothing about him. I've never seen him play, nor had I ever heard of him before we signed him. That said, I can say ,with some degree of certainty, that he is an upgrade on Colback and Diame.

We've signed a player who started less than half of our games in The Championship, a centre half who is unproven in England, a right back who looked iffy in one of the worst teams in PL history, a winger (with potential) who is unproven at the top level and a centre mid who has little top flight experience (who we have had to take on loan because we can't afford £6m or whatever it is). Now we're bidding for a striker who was behind Jon Walters and a 78 year old Peter Crouch in the pecking order. If any good comes out of this transfer window then it will be people finally realising that Ashley is never going to change. He'll only ever do what is necessary to keep us on the Premier League. He's just not willing to spend any more than he needs to to guarantee PL safety. Who have we signed that is going to significantly improve us on last season? We'll stay up for a few years and then Rafa will fuck off and we'll likely go back down to The Championship and the cycle will continue for so long as Ashley owns us. Roll on the new season!

I've just seen some of the build up on Sky Sports News. Conor McGregor has already done the seemingly impossible in appearing to be even more obnoxious than Mayweather.

Aside from miscontrolling it into the top corner against Brighton, he hasn't put a foot right since he joined. He is absolute shite. Partnering him with the equally as shite Colback is like starting the game with nine men.

I've got a Rolex Datejust which I was given as a gift (I wouldn't spend my own money on one). It keeps terrible time and I have to wind it up if I take it off for more that 48 hours. I'd be better off with a Casio, to be quite honest. Considering selling it and buying a Panerai or an IWC.

He got one assist and no goals in twenty odd appearances last season although he is lightning fast. A younger Obertan by the sounds of things.

Aye, he was a proper little champion. It's so sad and I can't begin to imagine what his parents are going through. As you say though, they did the little hero proud in the last year, he always had a smile on his face.