PaddockLad

Ic Given the demanding fixture list so far, it is no surprise Newcastle are in the bottom three. A truer judgement of the side’s quality can be made over the next two months, starting with Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace. Games against Leicester, Brighton, Southampton and Watford follow soon. The season has to kick into shape now. Given the demanding fixture list so far, it is no surprise Newcastle are in the bottom three. A truer judgement of the side’s quality can be made over the next two months, starting with Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace. Games against Leicester, Brighton, Southampton and Watford follow soon. The season has to kick into shape now. But the reality is Newcastle travel to Selhurst Park as underdogs. Crystal Palace, on paper, is a superior side. There is no-one of Wilfried Zaha’s class in the Newcastle squad, which is why Benítez has opted for a much more defensive approach to keep the team up. Leicester are far better, too. They are the type of club Newcastle fans must watch and think, ‘why can’t we be like them?’ We all talk about the miracle of their Premier League win – and given the standard of opposition in the top six it was – but look deeper and it was achieved with smart investment. Leicester’s owners appointed a renowned ex-Valencia, Chelsea and Napoli manager and spent money to build the team – as they still do with signings such as James Maddison for £25 million. It does not guarantee the unprecedented success of a title, but it ensures you go into every game believing you can win, even against the top sides. It is a long time since Newcastle could say this. Leicester are far better, too. They are the type of club Newcastle fans must watch and think, ‘why can’t we be like them?’ We all talk about the miracle of their Premier League win – and given the standard of opposition in the top six it was – but look deeper and it was achieved with smart investment. Leicester’s owners appointed a renowned ex-Valencia, Chelsea and Napoli manager and spent money to build the team – as they still do with signings such as James Maddison for £25 million. It does not guarantee the unprecedented success of a title, but it ensures you go into every game believing you can win, even against the top sides. It is a long time since Newcastle could say this. ised Benítez’s style last season, believing they should have been more positive in their home games reg I criticised Benítez’s style last season, believing they should have been more positive in their home games regardless of the calibre of opponent. I stand by that, but in a strange way I think taking on the Newcastle job and being prepared to set-up his side in such a manner is brave from Benítez knowing the criticism that will come, and the damage it can do to him when trying to attract the attentions of a club competing in the Champions League – a competition he had spent 13 consecutive years managing in prior to his move to Newcastle. It was telling that when the Arsenal job came up in the summer, they turned to a manager less successful in Spanish football and with none of Rafa’s Premier League experience. Knowing Rafa as I do, he will be desperately missing the Champions League, watching those games in midweek and so frustrated he is not trying to outsmart those younger coaches. He will feel he has one more crack at the European elite in him, but he would have to go back overseas to do it. The shame for Newcastle is they could have been that ‘one last big job’ if they had just some of the cash – and ambition – of Premier League rivals. Newcastle fans justifiably argue they can never achieve such lofty ambitions until Ashley gets out of St James’ Park. For Benítez to satisfy his and enhance a decorated list of honours, he will go first. ardless of the calibre of opponent. I stand by that, but in a strange way I think taking on the Newcastle job and being prepared to set-up his side in such a manner is brave from Benítez knowing the criticism that will come, and the damage it can do to him when trying to attract the attentions of a club competing in the Champions League – a competition he had spent 13 consecutive years managing in prior to his move to Newcastle. It was telling that when the Arsenal job came up in the summer, they turned to a manager less successful in Spanish football and with none of Rafa’s Premier League experience. Knowing Rafa as I do, he will be desperately missing the Champions League, watching those games in midweek and so frustrated he is not trying to outsmart those younger coaches. He will feel he has one more crack at the European elite in him, but he would have to go back overseas to do it. The shame for Newcastle is they could have been that ‘one last big job’ if they had just some of the cash – and ambition – of Premier League rivals. Newcastle fans justifiably argue they can never achieve such lofty ambitions until Ashley gets out of St James’ Park. For Benítez to satisfy his and enhance a decorated list of honours, he will go first.

Smashing. Historians of the future will no doubt call it “Noel Edmonds day”

Now that a bunch of continental suits have eviserated Chequers can any of you EU geniuses tell me if there will still be a commons vote on how we leave the EU? ...

Sane guy goes into the bakers again and starts perusing what's on offer under the glass... Sees something he likes so asked the lass "Is that a doughnut or a meringue?" "No, you're right, it's a doughnut"

Villa have owners who wanted Thierry Henry in the summer. Agent Bruce isn't making a great fist of it this time round...again...he'll be available before Xmas iyam

Annihilated...again... This however, is fuckin serious and what many of us feared 're the NHS Rightwing thinktanks unveil radical plan for US-UK Brexit trade deal https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/18/rightwing-thinktanks-unveil-radical-plan-for-us-uk-brexit-trade-deal-nhs?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard

Not my decision... “We can do more with the money” is the message from the Dorset Taliban

It's especially brilliant after a lunchtime kick off. You can work your way along Haymarket then round the evening off singing along to Simply The Best by Tina Turner along with half a dozen Gosforth dinner ladies, all wrecked on Jaeger & cheap "prosecco"

Can't think that I've ever been tempted...like @Howmanheyman I'm more of a Popworld man meself

I do think there's little to lose in properly targeting the interior of the stores. The only thing is the poor sods on the shop floor not getting paid if they had to evacuate the shop due to a sudden noxious substance attack

Direct action on his stores is the way ahead... a team of highly motivated deep cover stealth Mags to enter his shitty stores and drop stink bombs at 2pm every Saturday afternoon. Setting the sprinklers off is another belter. Applicants for this gig must be willing to suffer the inevitable public order/criminal damage conviction. Buckets for donations to the fighting fund to pay any fines handed down by the courts to be strategically placed in the following premises: Labour Club Rosies Newcastle Arms Tyneside Irish club The clock Black garter Goose 3 bulls Hotspur The Percy Crows nest Gotham Forth Raffs Tilleys Bodega Mile Castle Union Rooms Operations to be carried out only after at least one drink in all these licencesd establishments

Fuckin hell...

Kevin Beattie has died https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-45541588 All I remember of him is being a pannini sticker. What sticks in my mind though is Bobby Robson saying he was basically some sort of cross between Tony Adams and Stephen Gerrard. Must’ve been some player. RIP.

Fall to bits at the back when Lascelles isn’t there Create fuck all without Jonjo Rondon went to Venezuela, sounds like Nobby all over again. Muto...pass... The rest of them...decent honest lads trying their socks off but lacking in quality & consistency. Shit tip stadium full of disaffected passionless customers rather than supporters. This is is the club that Mike built. This is all, all of it, down to him. Yes you can have a go at Rafa, am frankly past caring which average tryer he brings on and when. It still goes back to having a piss poor squad. Having said all that, am off to see the fuckers at Palace next week

Your post wasn’t anti mackem enough

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbOOfJMg6eOfuzwdcXQLg23HjFRpGjKYi

Call off the search party, the guru returns with analysis

This dude is responsible...spurs fan..

It's in this morning's i newspaper. Looks like the work experience lads job is to peruse supporter forums looking for err "hot takes" ( as I think the young people call them?) from the likes of us....which is fine but did they ask for permission?? @Ant.

Someones been watching you, my old son

Wasn’t Carney suggesting 30+% is a worst case scenario and that the BoE current stress tests for retail banks ensure that they can withstand any sort of financial fall out that this would cause?

Blackkklansman. Disappointing really....good performances from all but it was clunky as fuck and pretty cliched. Although I understand the relevance to the rest of the film, the end bit where things were brought right up to date struck me as Lee coming up with the idea in post production last year and just bolting it on. The current Mrs PL hated it. She wanted to see the spy who dumped me oh and and a couple in front of us walked out after about 30mins...not sure what they were expecting?