OTF

Pardew: "Obviously we are going to bring in one or two players and I think we can get stronger from this point." The lowering of expectations has begun already. We lost three players in January (Carroll, Routledge & Xisco) and now we're being fed lines about bringing in one or two players. It's going to be a shit, frustrating and unfulfilling summer.

Pretty much all of his booking have been warranted and many come for persistent fouling. In my opinion some of them are acceptable, but many are silly. Let's not forget that he now holds the record for most yellow cards in a season, so it's not like he's merely bad, he's the worst ever in this regards. Can clearly change the way he plays to remove the silly niggley stuff that compounds itself as yellow cards. A high number of cards is acceptable for a player like Tiote, but the rate he's currently amassing them at is not. He obviously knows it's a problem which is good because that's the first step to fixing it.

Can't help himself when there's the potential for a challenge or for just sticking your leg out. I tried to suggest that it could be coached out of him but other thought doing so would make him less effective. Hard to be effective when you're sitting on the bench suspended I say.

Chuck N'Zog scored again for Wigan.

Feels good.

Johnson is a massive sook. Clearly fouled Jonas there, plain as day.

Give the Kuqi Monster more than a few minutes please Pardew.

Ranger almost got his first then...

He's had a strong run of form late in the season, consistently good while many others have been erratic.

Replaced Lovelyhands. Bowyer yellow on Tiote, horrible tackle not even close to the ball, lucky Tiote is a beast.

Ranger danger not far away.

Has been shocking thus far.

Brilliant ball in from him there. I do think he's not fully fit, seems to not want to run at full pace ever - worried about him hamstrings scuppering a deal perhaps?

Good pressure from Enrique there. Larsson's quicker than I thought, though I don't think Enrique is fully fit.

Could have had it there if he didn't think it was job done just getting his head to the ball.

Bowyer injuring himself kicking Tiote who barely felt it and played on.

Not in birmigan no many snow!!!!!!! I'm feeling either a Jonas or Lovenkrands goal in this. Shola will do fuck all because he'll feel he's done his part by scoring the penalty. Give him 20 to prove me wrong, then get him off if he hasn't.

10 shots on target for us, 1 for them. We always manage to deflect shots in that the keeper would easily have covered. Such a poor goal to concede. That penalty from Shola was lovely. Foster's save from Nolan's shot was top shelf.

That's one definite benefit of having Taylor in the side. Can score the odd goal. Complete fuck up at the back there and they've eventually scored. Pardew should be furious.

Foster's having a great game for them. Sailor goal from the corner!!!

Parried save from shola's header from Barton's corner fell to Colo who whizzed one in that was saved by Foster into the crossbar and post to be cleared off the line. First attempt at clearance was scuffed and the ball was heading towards Nolan near the back post. Ridgewell used his forearm and shoulder to clear it further. It was rightfully picked up by the ref.

Goala!!!

Penalty for us. ridgewell off handball.

Good cross Jonas, bad cross Barton, poor technique Nolan. Bizarro World.

Ranger is best used off the bench. Every time he plays his effective play peters out after 15-20 minutes so having him on from the start would be a waste. That said Shola and Lovenkrands have just about no effective play at the moment anyway...