Newcastle United with and without Williamson

Posted on November 12th, 2013 | 184 Comments |

Mike Williamson vs Liverpool.
‘Iron’ Mike: A defensive colossus?
Despite the heroics of Tim Krul on Saturday, as well as those of other more ‘glamorous’ Newcastle United players such as Loic Remy, Yohan Cabaye etc throughout the season, if we look at the results both before and after he came into the team, it could be argued that Newcastle United’s most important player this season so far has been Mike Williamson.

After a couple of outings in the League Cup against Morecambe and Leeds, ‘Iron’ Mike was finally introduced to the club’s Premier League campaign as a half time substitute (for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa) against Everton. This was after another disastrous first half display by the Magpie defence against Everton, with the club already 3-0 down. That was 5 1/2 games into the season and as Newcastle United have now played 11, with Williamson on the pitch for exactly the same time as he has been off it in Premier League games, I thought it would be a good time to look at the staistics for Newcastle United with and without Williamson.

The difference has been obvious watching the games with a transformed back four. Even in that Everton game alone, the bleeding was staunched immediately with Newcastle keeping a clean sheet in the second half, giving them a platform to go on and stage a comeback with two goals, though, alas, it wasn’t quite enough on that occasion.

As you can see below, the statistics certainly seem to back it up too. Despite another day that will live in infamy with a second defeat in a row against Sunderland, the difference in form has been immense. This is especially so as most of our most difficult fixtures so far, against Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham have come in the time since the big lad’s return to the fray.

To extrapolate a little, if we had continued playing all the games as we did in those first 5 1/2, we would finish the season somewhere in lower mid-table with 48 points. On the other hand and despite the tough fixtures, if we played the way we have since Williamson came into the Premier League first team over a whole season, we would have 10 more points than we did when we came 5th, a huge 79 with a Champions League place guaranteed!

The tables.

As you can see, I have used half way point against Everton as the the dividing line, hence the strange 5 1/2 games thing either way. The first half of that game is counted as a 3-0 defeat and the second as a 2-0 victory, but for only 1 1/2 points instead of 3.

The first table shows Newcastle United’s overall Premier League record this season with and without Williamson in a league table style format, with the second showing all the results.

Newcastle United with and without Williamson.
Without Williamson.
P W D L F A GD Pts PPG Win% GCG
5.5 2 1 2.5 5 11 -6 7/16.5 1.27 36.36% 2.00
With Williamson.
P W D L F A GD Pts PPG Win% GCG
5.5 3.5 1 1 10 5 +5 11.5/16.5 2.09 63.64% GCG 0.91
PPG – Points per game.
GCG – Goals conceeded per game.

Premier League results with and without Williamson.
Without Williamson.
1 Manchester City 4 – 0 Newcastle United
2 Newcastle United 0 – 0 West Ham
3 Newcastle United 1 – 0 Fulham
4 Aston Villa 1 – 2 Newcastle United
5 Newcastle United 2 – 3 Hull City
6 Everton (first half) 3 – 0 Newcastle United
With Williamson.
6 Everton (second half) 0 – 2 Newcastle United
7 Cardiff City 1 – 2 Newcastle United
8 Newcastle United 2 – 2 Liverpool
9 Sunderland 2 – 1 Newcastle United
10 Newcastle United 2 – 0 Chelsea
11 Tottenham Hotspur 0 – 1 Newcastle United

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Do you / did you support the march against Mike Ashley?

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184 Responses

  1. Willo is a great back-up but we should really have a more commanding CB signed, one that is a real threat in set-pieces.

  2. Worky

    You really have to stop embarrasing yourself with this pro Williamson crusade.
    As it’s obvious he is, has been and will continue to be marginal at best, no matter how you use statistics or try to big him up, with ridiculous names like Iron Mike.
    Please this has become a fixation, let it go.

  3. Its not just the stats but even watching games weve seemed alot more assured this season with him in the team.

    Of course long term m’biwa is the answer and willos lack of ability on the ball will mean we will never being a side playing total football out from the back, but at the moment he deserves his place in the side.

  4. He will continue to be ‘marginal’ at best? That makes no sense. Presumably Chuck, you will remain illiterate at best. Willo is no Beckenbauer but he is a very capable player at this level – providing the necessary steel to go with the silk of M’Biwa and/or Colo. Considering he featured so heavily leading to our 5th place finish, it’s amazing fans are still hellbent on ignoring the cold hard reality of his stats and knocking him.

    A strong performer, in what is a poisoned chalice of a position at the toon.

  5. its time to stop knocking the lad ,the simple fact is we are better off with him in the side than with S Taylor ,he may not be world class but he can defend at premiership level .Taylor and Colo dont compliment each other Willo and Colo and Willo and M’Biwa do at this moment in time it has too be Willo and M’Biwa they have earned the right too stay in the team .

  6. Looking at the pole it is obviously easier to press a button and support the march than turn up and walk it? Well done to those that made an effort in getting behind what they believe in and put the effort into supporting this. However I have to agree with NUFC in banning the Chronicle. lazy journalist’s that go with big headlines to sell papers despite not representing a fair share of opinion is something we can expect from southern based negative media, but not our own? Agendas aside the negativity spread from the chronicle does not get behind the team in our region or help results!!

  7. So Chuck, do you have data to support your claims? So far, you’ve simply made a lot of claims, but what data can you point to to support them?

  8. I would be tempted to stick with Willo and Mbiwa until something goes wrong. They have been solid. However, I think we should not forget than other than a remarkable afternoon by Tim Krul last Sunday, we would have lost to Spurs.

  9. Willo’s in an impressive vein of form-good for him as such things are all-too-often overlooked with defenders. Long may it continue.

    Chuck is right about one thing: the intervening factor of someone telling Santon and Debuchy at some point that one of them has to stay in position.

    Anyway, my guess is Ashley sells Williamson to the first championship club offering 3M next summer. But some call me a cynic…

  10. In defense of my argument, statistics can be an argument to prove or disprove the same point, seemingly.
    Depends on how they are used.
    You will not see the stats. that over the last two games, both our FB’s spent time doing their jobs, defending, instead of constantly charging upfield.
    You may not have noticed the fact Williamson, is to say slow, would be an understatement and tends to resort to fouling in dangerous areas.
    Though six four, has yet to get his head to any of our corners, and the only time he’s scored for the club, consist’s of two own goals.
    Though a big guy, is not really physical and can be bullied.
    But his flaws are there to see, slow, poor positional play, awful distrobution, not as some claim good in the air, especially for someone his height.
    Look the guy tries, but he’s just not PL quality and never will be.
    And that’s why he remains last choice.

  11. tunyc says:
    November 12, 2013 at 10:25 pm

    “Willo’s in an impressive vein of form-good for him”

    Yo be fair, his form wasn’t that much different before, tunyc. In his longest run, 24 games in the season we came fifth, Newcastle United won 13, drew 2 and lost 9, keeping 11 clean sheets. Thise clean sheets included Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

    I have a PhD in Mike Williamson studies now, I need to get out more.

  12. Yeah, the fact Krul had such a game, kinda takes from the performance of others.
    Certainly the perfectly weighted pass from Gouffran, resulting in Remy’s goal, to the tireless runs by Sissoko, which really exposed Vertonghen.
    To the defending that shut down an ever dangerous Townsend, forcing him wide.
    There’s the making of a good side, and the fact everyone is giving a hundred percent, is the reason behind these last two wins.
    I believe the possibility of gaining a spot in the French roster for Brasil, may have something to do with it and winning can become a habit.
    But i cant give the entire credit of the second half
    display to Spurs, more like the old repeat by Pardew of parking the bus, instead of awaiting the opportunity to c

  13. Counter and seal the game.
    But there’s definate improvement and the side will not be taken lightly in future.
    Hopefully Pardew will abandon that suicidal park the bus routine.

  14. So Tripp is that ok, i noticed you have no counter claims
    as to what makes Williamson the new Rio Ferdinand.

    I can only make claims concerning the fact in the last two games, both FB’s have defended.

    That and what i observe watching the game.

    Ask any two people about their opinions of both the game and individual players parts and you will undoubtedly find differences of opinions.

    At least i attempt to qualify mine, but am not a great fan of statistics which can be used to the advantage of those who use statistics that tend to make their point, very similar to polls that use win win loaded questions.

  15. chuck says:
    November 12, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    “But there’s definate improvement and the side will not be taken lightly in future.”

    Aye Chuck, it’s the Williamson effect. When Remy came we started scoring but we were still letting goals in, but when Williamson started we stopped letting as many goals in as well.

  16. Like i have said on a good few occasions watching a match on tv you dont see as much as you would attending matches.i totally agree with Worky on this one.Williams has been solid the last few games.He gets alot ov unfair stick and has been great when called apon.These arm chair fans also gave Simmo grief n thought he was’nt any good.in my opinion both Willo n Simmo were good at there jobs and deserved there starting place in the first XI.Since Willo came on in the Everton game he has done well,one ov wor more consistant preformers.i very much doubt we would ov had the results against Chelski and Spuds without Willo at the heart ov wor defence.
    Worky,i sent you a text afew month ago explaining why i havnt been on or commenting much since april.did u get the text?…the reason why is because my lass passed away on the 18th ov april.we had been together for 13yr so it hit me very very hard.i still read the blog but never left any comments just incase you kna who started with his smarmy comments which i could ov done without so i thought it was best to just read your articles n posts n leave it at that.Keep up the good work mate as reading your work helped take my mind off what had happened for awhile.Thankyou for that Worky and please keep up the good work.

  17. I know that stats can be manipulated, but the same people that complain about this say the table never lies. Worky was simply taking a snapshot of a table with and without a certain player in it (I am guessing for the fun of it and maybe even to prove a point to a certain person on here, or make that person’s head explode).

    As I have said before, if Williamson’s name was John Terry people would be raving about his performances.

    He seems to bring a balance to the team and a bit more solidity at set pieces, corners and hoofs which were our downfall earlier this season.

    BTW Collocini is not blessed with a lot of pace either.

  18. OK. Where are Jonas and Marveaux? Do they still train with us? I know their wages are quite high. Wouldn’t you expect at least one of them to be on the bench ahead of Obertan?

  19. I was just reading one ov Workys earlier articles there.As for the speculation about wether Cabaye will still be here after the January transfer window and guesses about his price tag.someone wrote £15mill…If that Fellaini went from the toffees to Man utd for what was it £27mill or there abouts then surely Cabaye must be worth approx £10mill more than that.selling him for less than what Fellaini went for would be bad buisness in anyones opinion.Wor Yohan is by far a better player,even on his bad days than that dirty fka.He is all elbows and imo will do serious damage to a player before his career is over.He makes Tiote look like an angel.A waste ov £27mill and i think most will agree with that point.
    Cabaye looks happy again now and you can tell that by his preformances ov late.Also his good friend Debuchy seems to have settled on Tyneside now and looks more like the player we saw in the Euro’s playing for France.All he has to do now is stop diving in and conceding free kicks in dangerous positions ie just outside wor box,especially late on in games.He done it against Liverpool and recently against Spuds,luckily for us they never led to goals but still very dangerous that late in a match when if the ball had ended up in the back ov the net we would ov dropped valuable points.Still his form has been a big plus for us this season and he has been one ov wor best players.
    On the HBA subject,i think Pards was right not to play him against Chelski n Spuds.when you play teams like that who will dominate posession you need 10 out field players who will graft there socks off when the other team have the ball.Benny wont and doesnt do that so there for its not worth the risk ov playing him.take the Liverpool game at home as an example ov that,he should ov been taking off when M’biwa got his marching orders as he was terrible,probs wor worst player on the park that day.

  20. Daft Dave, sorry about your loss.
    However because we have differing opinions in regards to Williamson, doesn’t call for personal insults.
    After all the reason for the blog is just that, opinions.

  21. Jack 72
    Actuall confused you with daft dave, in the comment above.
    And I’m sorry for your loss.
    But the insinuation that the possibility of my smarmy remarks was the reason for not commenting is, also insulting and a cheap shot.

  22. Someone killed Kenny

    Perhaps you are not aware of the fact, but it’s the reason we have print journalism, to inform the public on civil affairs, in fact it’s considered a duty.
    In which case to not have commented on the recent Anti Ashley march would have been a derilection of their civic duties.
    As for the content, it’s only recently that many fans criticised the local papers for being in the pocket of Ashley and writing favorable articles about he and NUFC.
    However if you disagree with their agenda, i suggest you write to them, but i doubt if what they said affected most fans opinions and oviously had no effect on the side, having jus took six points from two very good clubs.

  23. dint see the point of argueing this,peeps need to face facts 3 of the 4 cb we got have to go collo williamson and taylor

  24. Seems HBA is not exactly flavor of the month after a couple of lackluster performances.
    With such great managerial talent as Shearer stating the club will never get one hundred percent from him, that he doesn’t defend.
    Hey! Robert refused to track back also, but SBR was clever enough to realise, Newcastle were a worse side without him and it was his moments of brilliance that won games.
    I suppose some may agree with the recent lineup, with Shola starting up front and Remy playing where HBA should be.
    Well Shola cant play a full game and should be kept as a late impact player, nor can he hold the ball up and Remy is our only natural goalscorer, perhaps following the last two games Pardew may have figured that out.
    But i just cant see HBA sitting, as i’m sure he has visions of being in the French squad and will no doubt want to prove it.
    I dont get it with Pardew, he had Yanga-Mbiwa and Santon, contain the ever dangerous Townsend perfectly, but then fails to attempt the given opportunities to use the fast break, considering we have such pacey players, Sissoko, Remy and Gouffran.
    I doubt if we ever had more than five players across the halfway line, for most of the second half.
    I cringe in most games when leading at half time knowing he is going to park the fguging bus.

  25. williamson is the only 1 i really class as a centre back and thats only cause hes 6 foot 4 but bar that they all to slow bar Mbiwa and after his performance at everton the jurys still out on him but also think hes lacking height for a cb

  26. @ chuck
    do you think the team can carry a dude like afra when he only produces a couple of magic moments per season and mostly gives the ball back to the other team most of the time

  27. <<<<<<, because in this dudes view the dudes with the white jackets should of been sent for the second afra started spouting crap about being voted the worlds best footballer in my view

  29. Worky what is this obsession of yours with williamson? Like all the back 4 in the last 2 games he’s been good for sure and yes before that he’s been decent. You know what your gonna get from him but he is not the player you build him up to be. Mbia is much better player. Williamson is fairly poor when the ball is on the ground. He can’t run for f sake! Colo and mbia are our best cbs

  30. @Chuck you make some valid points. However is it in the best interests of our region for the local paper to carry out a civil right to inform the public via 15 full pages, including two front page splashes, a back page, three double-page spreads and six full pages of an anti Ashley march when the expected turnout for this was to be approx 1% of a typical match day attendance? Was this story therefore of such a significant interest to the region? surely this kind of news story would have been more appropriately placed as an article inside the paper?

    In the end approximately 300 people attended a march that had been given the prior support of front page news. The hype surrounding this march and the bias towards an agenda aimed at selling papers resulted in a higher than required police presence and wasted public resources.

    The follow up reports by the chronicle included low level photography to make the crowd appear larger than it actual was, did they then make such a story on detailing the real turn out? This kind of disproportionate and subjective lazy journalism is something we have grown to expect from southern based media, but is this a civil duty we expect from a local paper?

    On making my these points to the chronicle my online comments are not posted??? I guess in the same vain NUFC believe it is best for the football club to remove such negativity from the press room and prevent any future interviews.

    I conclude by saying that since the date of this “BAN” being public knowledge we have actually taken 6 points from 2 very good clubs and have made some of the best team performances of the season….. a great togetherness was shown against Man City, Chelsea and Spurs. In my opinion what is more supporting to encouraging results from a local paper would be more worthy front page news i.e Tim Krul’s performance on Sunday! Not 15 full pages, including two front page splashes, a back page, three double-page spreads and six full pages on an anti Ashley demonstration attended by 300?

  31. Hugh I: It is partly a thing between Worky and Chuck, I think. They are like 2 dogs with a bone about Williamson.

    I actually agree with both their points of view. The stats show that we do better with Williamson in the team and he is certainly not as bad as some people make him out to be. On the other hand, we should have someone of Williamson’s type who is a bit higher quality.

    One thing for sure is that having two players who are good on the ground and average or worse in the air (Colocinni and MBiwa) hasn’t worked for us. Teams just bang corners and free kicks over and hoof it forwards knowing they will have us wildly scrambling around. Williamson bangs quite a few back upfield so the opposition cant use this simple tactic as much.

  32. I actually think the Debuchy suspension is going to give Pardew a chance to play three centre backs together, with Coloccini coming in and MBiwa switching to right back. God knows how that will work out as you cant really drop the captain after he is back in the team, can you?

  33. Jack 72

    Commiserations on your loss, it’s really hard and sad to lose a loved one.

    I can emphasize with you at this moment as my brother passed away last week, I was up in Dunston for the funeral.

    That’s 2/3s of my immediate family gone, still have a sister, but I met so many offspring of my nephews and nieces that I wasn’t aware of it lightened the event for me. It is really worth not getting too much out of touch.

    So much so that I have made arrangements to meet an old school mate who lives only a few miles from me and who I haven’t seen for probably over twenty years. we have exchanged Xmas cards with the usual must get together stuff but it just didn’t happen. Now it will.

    Incidentally he was a Sunderland supporter and I did go to games with him, never held it against him though. :)

  34. Lets face it Williamson is one of those players that is not going to win many if any Man of the Match awards. He does a job but is weak in some areas but you could say that about a lot of players.
    As fans we want the whole team to be considered for MOTM every game.I would settle for the team putting in an honest shift and doing it every game and for the whole game.Unfortunately we never know which team is going to turn up and for how long they are going to play.
    One question If our defence was so good why did Krul have to make so many last ditch saves?

  35. jack72 says:
    November 13, 2013 at 12:32 am

    “Worky,i sent you a text afew month ago explaining why i havnt been on or commenting much since april.did u get the text?…the reason why is because my lass passed away on the 18th ov april.we had been together for 13yr so it hit me very very hard.i still read the blog but never left any comments just incase you kna who started with his smarmy comments which i could ov done without so i thought it was best to just read your articles n posts”

    Jack, I feel really bad now as I didn’t get your text, just a few a long time ago when I was in Newcastle. I’m really, really sorry to hear about that. I only hope that you can cope with things better than I did.

    I lost my mother, then my father, then one of my very closest friends when he was only 52 because his doctor was an ignorant bastard who kept telling him there was nothing wrong with him. By the time he got a second opinion and was rushed to an oncologist it was too late. It was one after the other and I still haven’t got over it all really. The only advice I can give you is don’t be like me. I’ve had a few reminders of my own mortality recently and combined with the things I mentioned above it has turned me into a bit of a recluse.

    As I said, don’t be like me, you’ll feel absolutely awful for a while but eventually you’ll have to get out there and get your life back.

  36. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    November 13, 2013 at 11:55 am

    “I can emphasize with you at this moment as my brother passed away last week, I was up in Dunston for the funeral.”

    Grumpy, I’m very sorry to hear about your loss too. I still have a brother and a sister but I fell out with them really badly and we never speak nowadays.

  37. somebody killed kenny says:
    November 13, 2013 at 10:55 am

    “@Chuck you make some valid points. However is it in the best interests of our region for the local paper to carry out a civil right to inform the public via 15 full pages, including two front page splashes, a back page, three double-page spreads and six full pages of an anti Ashley march when the expected turnout for this was to be approx 1% of a typical match day attendance? Was this story therefore of such a significant interest to the region? surely this kind of news story would have been more appropriately placed as an article inside the paper?…”

    SKK, reading your only two posts on here, both about exactly the same thing and one an epic, it seems that you are just as obssessed with the march as you allege Thomson House to be, not to mention Mike Ashley who was so frightened by it he banned the biggest local media house (a serious step) just for covering it.

    Why is that?

  38. Sorry to here of everyone’s losses of those near and dear, My heart goes out to you all.
    Life is precious, And i don’t think we realise that at times, And we all take it for granted.
    It’s not until those close to you are cruelly taken away, That you understand how fragile it is.
    Your here one minute and gone the next!
    Is it in the Koran, Where it says, “A man shouldn’t walk to proud upon the Earth, Because he doesn’t know when he can be taken off it”?

    I recently lost my uncle who was only 50 years old, And the same thing happened with him.
    He went to the hospital with pains in his back and through his chest, And they sent him away, Saying it was muscular, And no tests were done.
    He passed away 6 weeks later from a tear to his Aorta.

    I also lost a good pal at just 40 years old, With a brain haemorrhage.

    Another old pal killed in a work accident, Who was only in his 30’s.

    Two pals who decided to end it all, And took their own lives.

    I also lost a cousin to a brain virus, Who was only in his 30’s also.

    It is tough and unfair this life lark!

  39. It struck me that every team is not happy with their centre backs. Even the money bags teams. Man U fans constantly complain about Jonny Evans, Man City are acting like it is the end of the world that Kompany is out, Chelsea have fallen in love with an old, slow bastad meaning everybody else is considered not worthy, Spurs fans are always on Dawson’s back etc. etc.

    It must be the nature of the position where one slip can lead to a goal and they are faced directly with the most skillful and fastest players on the other team.

  40. GS

    That’s a good point comment 39. The poor centre half makes a mistake against, as you say, the tricky dicky centre forward and he gets crucified if a goal is scored.

    The same centre forward misses an open goal with an air shot and it is quickly forgotten.

    Poor old Titus used to get some really uncalled for stick. Ok some of his errors were comical but he was actually a decent centre half who put in some excellent performances for us. Also I believe he had to play with injuries when he made some of his errors.

    If Williamson was playing for any of the top teams he probably would have had England caps by now, he may well have been close to a call up even playing for us.

  41. Grumpy: Steven Taylor had a couple of good games last year and there were mutterings of a possible England call up.

  42. SKK

    Perhaps only one percent of the fan base turned out for the march, but there is at least fifty two thousand plus who are interested.
    And to ignore them would certainly be cause for enquiry.
    Obviously you consider the paper to have a personal vendetta against Ashley.
    Well i dont get why you are on this blog, as it consist’s of majority of anti Ashley fans, just check out the overall results of it’s poles, plus it’s rants.
    If you want to be in a get behind the owner and club blog, try Ed’s it’s a speak no evil, feelgood Blog.
    Also very banal.

  43. GS says:
    November 13, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    “It must be the nature of the position where one slip can lead to a goal and they are faced directly with the most skillful and fastest players on the other team.”

    I can vaguely remember an incident during a game when the lynching of Williamson started, it wasn’t an incident which led to a goal either.

    There are wider issues involved though. If you are a boring, old fashioned English defender who doesn’t dribble, score goals or have an illustrous CV, then you are expected to make up for it by shouting, pointing and kissing your badge alot a la John Terry, Steven Taylor etc, even if it’s completely phony. Then fans will think you are ‘passionate’ and show ‘commitment.’ Williamson doesn’t make a fuss and just gets on with his job of defending.

    Moving right up to the very top, you ask alot of average fans who the greatest players of recent decades have been and they will come up with names like Zidane, Ronaldinho, Messi blah blah, but how many apart from die hard Manchester United fans would say the boring, white, English, ginger Paul Scholes? And yet he was undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever to kick a football. I don’t even think he ever won a player of the year award?

  44. Worky @43:

    We don’t know if Williamson would ever kiss the badge because he doesn’t score :)

    Maldini might make the list of great players as a defender?

  45. The Chronic might be shooting themselves in the foot here. We all know Ashley doesn’t care. He might even have an ulterior motive to promote his new Sports Direct News as the only place to get the inside story on NUFC.

    Probably 50% of the readers buy the paper for NUFC stories. I know I never read much more than the back pages unless I was stuck on a bus.

    A lot of people just make fun of the Chronic. I am sure Lee Ryder (like Alan and John before him) has a template and just puts a name and a date and a scoreline in and heads off down the pub.

    I only see it online so I never see the full spreads and extra hype that SKK mentioned.

    The rest of it was Firemen rescue cat from tree, or City Councilman proposes new job initiative (number 8,042), or pictures of the finalists of Miss Ponteland.

  46. GS says:
    November 13, 2013 at 3:21 pm

    “Maldini might make the list of great players as a defender?”

    Yes GS, he was one of the great defenders, but I’m interested in why you pick Maldini who spent most of his career as a full back? Besides all the other candidates you could have also picked Franco Baresi who played right beside him as a centre back / libero or sweeper (same thing). If you wanted to pick a greatest back four ever, then Tassotti, Baresi, Costacurta and Maldini would undoubtedly be one of the favourites.

  47. GS, If someone held a gun to my head and made me choose one defensive player it would have to be Beckenbauer, the godfather of all modern defenders.

    He didn’t know what his position was so he invented a whole new one, the sweeper who was also amazing on the ball and could make surging runs forward and score as well as defend. He was also undoubtedly one of the greatest captains in the history of the game too and with his wide range of skills could dominate a game like no other. He simply didn’t know how to lose.

    The sweeper / libero is the hardest defensive role in football and Beckenbauer and Baresi were the best.

  48. Grumpy,Worky,Chuck etc thanks for your kind words.
    Worky i remember Zidane saying Scholes was 1ov the best players he played against and rated the ginger one very highly.I would say most pro’s,ex pro’s would agree with him.Just a shame he never pulled on a black n white strip.

  49. I am no big fan of Williamson, in fact I call him Dads Army cos whenever he gets the ball at his feet he seems to panic and not know what to do with it.

    Now, it was obvious before and particularly during the 1st half at Everton that we lacked someone in the centre who would do the boring thing a centre half should do…clear the ball at all costs. Nothing fancy required, just clear the danger, allow the team to re-group, get back in shape and start again. Williamson came on against Everton and because of his ability (lack of?) was that player we needed to just clear the lines. He has continued to do this since, allowing the other flair players to go and play, including his centre half colleague, safe in the knowledge that there will always be someone left at the back. Williamson is that player by default becuase if the club had done what it should have done in the summer we would have signed a commanding centre back, something Pardew himself said we needed at the end of the 5th place season and again during the summer just passed.

    As I said, no big Williamson fan, but I am glad we have one centre half who is prepared to stick to his job and not wander off thinking he’s a winger or ball playing midfielder. The added bonus is that the centre of midfield doesnt become clogged up with our own players thus allowing Cabaye the space to drop deep or push on, giving the team greater flexibility, allowing players to swap positions and keep the opposition guessing as to who is playing where

  50. jack72 says:
    November 13, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    “Grumpy,Worky,Chuck etc thanks for your kind words.”

    Jack, just remember what I said above and don’t do what I did. ;-)

    jack72 says:
    November 13, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    “Worky i remember Zidane saying Scholes was 1ov the best players he played against and rated the ginger one very highly.”

    Not just Zidane, Jack. There was Ronaldinho (who was jealous of his passing) and many other of the world’s greatest players too. At Barcelona, Pep Guardiola used to teach the likes of Xavi, Iniesta etc how to pass the ball by showing them videos of Scholes. When he was asked on the eve of the Champions League final which Manchester United player he would most like to have at Barcelona, before the interviewer had even finished the question he said Paul Scholes even though he was in his thirties.

  51. Worky: I do not have your knowledge of European football but I had seen Maldini play and knew he was in that Milan team that dominated. I just wanted to add a defender to the mix of great players since this is a Williamson thread.

    Of course, I would have mentioned Beckenbauer, but you said recent.

    I agree with just about every word Fishy said @49.

  52. I am also waiting for someone to say how dare we even mention Maldini and Beckenbauer in the same breath as Williamson :)

    Those two made the game look easy and Williamson makes it look hard at times. The stats show he is effective though.

  53. Fishy says:
    November 13, 2013 at 4:36 pm

    “if the club had done what it should have done in the summer we would have signed a commanding centre back, something Pardew himself said we needed at the end of the 5th place season and again during the summer just passed.”

    Fishy, I did tell them to sign Jan Vertonghen even if they had to outbid Spurs up to around £15 million to get him, but they thought he was too expensive at £9-10 million. He’s worth around £20 million now.

    https://nufcblog.org/2012/01/cruyff-favourite-vertonghen-should-be-newcastle-uniteds-top-defensive-target/

    Unfortunately I can’t get Romanian football otherwise I might have told them to go for another player Spurs bought, Vlad Chiriches. This business of only scouting players who play at stadiums close to the route of the Eurostar and it’s extension to Amsterdam is ok for a while but…

  56. GS, one interesting fact about Maldini Jr. is that he only made one tackle every two games on average. Poor Danny Simpson used to get slaughtered for shepherding players out of harms way whilst the rest of the defence regrouped instead of just piling into them.

  59. @58: and that is in a Redknapp team. I never thought ‘Arry had ever kept 2 cleans sheets in a row before.

  60. Great article, nice to see Williamson getting some credit rather than being made the team scapegoat!

    This lad always gives 100% when ever he’s called upon, never going to top the highlight reels but does his job efficiently with no fuss and is building a great chemistry with Mbiwa

    Good on him, hope he keeps up with this level of performance

  62. Toonarmydownsouth says:
    November 13, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    “Great article, nice to see Williamson getting some credit rather than being made the team scapegoat!

    This lad always gives 100% when ever he’s called upon, never going to top the highlight reels but does his job efficiently with no fuss and is building a great chemistry with Mbiwa”

    Cheers Toon! I’ve done quite a few, I didn’t realise quite how many (I think I only do the Williamson ones to annoy Chuck :-)). I think people are starting to get the point now at last, as they did with my ‘Pardew’s long ball’s’ series. You have to keep banging on and on sometimes.

    Before MBiwa I thought that Williamson was the perfect foil for Coloccini as he has what Colo doesn’t have, ie he’s good at winning aerial challenges. Though Williamson gets it for not being able to dribble like Garrincha, Colo doesn’t seem to get it for not having a great aerial presence.

    Yohan Cabaye and Mike Williamson excel for Newcastle United against Liverpool

    http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/20/yohan-cabaye-and-mike-williamson-excel-for-newcastle-united-against-liverpool-4153622/

    Newcastle United vs Liverpool: The two key Toon performances

    https://nufcblog.org/2013/10/newcastle-united-vs-liverpool-the-two-key-toon-performances/

    Has Newcastle United’s Mike Williamson earned the right to a starting place?

    http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/02/has-newcastle-uniteds-mike-willamson-has-earned-the-right-to-a-starting-place-4130803/

    Mike Williamson the star of Newcastle United’s “team of the season”

    https://nufcblog.org/2013/06/mike-williamson-the-star-of-newcastle-uniteds-team-of-the-season/

    “Iron” Mike Williamson: The best centre back in the Premiership so far

    https://nufcblog.org/2012/11/iron-mike-williamson-the-best-centre-back-in-the-premiership-so-far/

  63. @worky
    Blimey!
    Fair play though, have to admit to being a bit of a willo fan, have been since the championship
    Don’t think you can underestimate the value of having a grafter like him in the squad, every club needs a couple of players like this
    You hear a lot of talk every window about moving him on, people seem to think he’s destined for the fizzy pop, but i think he’s proved himself time and time again, and is certainly imo more reliable than Taylor who’s fitness means he’s simply not dependable
    One things for sure, no one would if thought him and Mbiwa would look our best CB pairing at the start of the season!

  64. Toonarmydownsouth, It’s understandable that alot of fans don’t get it, but the insults they have thrown at some of their own players from the point of complete ignorance isn’t.

    Alex Ferguson was once asked who his greatest ever pound for pound signing was, his reply was Denis Irwin.

  65. @ Chuck and Workyticket. Thanks for your return comments both commendable.

    I don’t have an issue with any newsworthy events associated to NUFC being reported by the Chronicle. My issue with the chronicle and what I was and am saying is that it needs to be given the headlines and the proportional representation to the general feeling of its public in a responsible manor. I congratulate the 300 or so people that at least made the effort to stand up for what they feel so strongly about! this shows far greater commitment than clicking a “button”. They stood up for what they believed in and you have to give respect to that! But when all had been invited to march after such huge propaganda from the chronicle the resulting turnout was less than 0.5%, did the failure of the march then also deserve the huge coverage in the manor it was portrayed by the chronicle?

    As stated by GS the chronicle have shot themselves in the foot on this. A continued lack of professional judgement on their behalf has resulted in a break to the information flow that can assist support a local club, the net long term result of this will impact the chronicle, its readers, NUFC and its supporters.

    That is my point!

    @Chuck you state in comment “20” that this blog is about opinions yet in reply to mine you go on to intimate that if my opinion is not against Ashley then it is not welcome on this blog? Please clarify.

  66. Forgot to mention in last post Grumpy but thoughts n prayers with you mate.
    Worky thats why i mentioned Simmo in my post earlier,under rated and underappriciated.

  67. somebody killed kenny says:
    November 13, 2013 at 9:45 pm

    “@Chuck you state in comment “20″ that this blog is about opinions yet in reply to mine you go on to intimate that if my opinion is not against Ashley then it is not welcome on this blog? Please clarify.”

    I can’t/won’t speak for chuck or anyone else who contributes to this blog but I, personally, would be a lot more receptive to your comments if they didn’t read like an Astroturfer’s assignment for the day.

    If you are employed in any capacity by NUFC or another of Ashley’s companies, then you should be honest enough to say so – otherwise, deny it.

  68. Firstly a couple of observations, while Mike Williamson may be good in the air, and at 1.94m he should be, but the balls rarely go to his own team; his passing is mediocre and his speed is not his strong point. There is the air of a journeyman about him that he tries hard but gets found out in difficult situations. The difference I think is that the other players think they are good and get sloppy, he always tries but … it doesn’t fill me with much confidence.

    I think as well as being a bit better organised we have also been lucky that the teams we’ve played recently have been slow in the build up which has favoured him and allowed him and the team to keep their shape and not be pulled about. We look horrible when teams move the ball very quickly around us especially on counter attacks. I get the sense that we think we’re better than most and only have to work against the big teams; none of this is Mike’s fault of course but I think it is foolish to think that our recent success is down to his presence just as it would be to say that his absence was our cause of failure.

    The answer is to have the payers focused and giving their all, which seems to be a bit more often these days. So the success of Mikes inclusion is more down to the teams realization of what is required, which must continue who ever is playing, than the personnel so long as they have this basic competence.

    The team can then build and players with more ability can come in, pickup that focus, and we will win more than we lose.

    But good luck to him that he is taking his chance when he has it!

  69. @ Darthbroon

    I am in no way associated to Mike Ashley any of his businesses or employed by NUFC but do admire cynical thinking. I am just another supporter of this great football club that attends a match day with my kids that wished they could experience like I once did being the 12th Man. What we now experience on a match day is a cauldron of negativity that spills onto the pitch and is often part of the tactics apposing managers use to their benefit, with our manager making this part of his team talk with a tactical work around.

    As much as I agree with many others that Ashley has made some catastrophic errors and may not be the right man for this club. But if anyone thinks making our club a more attractive proposition for a new owner to give Ashley what he will consider a good ROI, then you have to consider that the negativity and press surrounding this club does not in the short term help the team or our long term goal.

    The message we have to give as supporters of this club to any potential new owner is that we will get behind any team on a match day, buy the shirts, attend the games and for them to think WOW….. let’s research the achievable additional revenue that could be gained in CL TV rights, stadium expansion and overseas marketing activity by taking this club to its full potential. If we had a team that matched the ambition of the fan then most would be happy. But that is never going to happen with the fractures in our club, its following and how this affects the ability to attract top managers and players to such a disjointed club. Leaving our current players frightened to not put a foot wrong or a freedom to perform to the best of their ability on a match day.

  70. So, C’mon Frenchies against Ukraine.

    We have 4 in the squad and Gouffran should be there too.

    There was a Ukrainian footballer’s wife worked in my office a few years ago. Very strange dresser, slit leopard print skirts for meetings with insurance people.

  71. somebody killed kenny says:
    November 14, 2013 at 10:30 am

    “I congratulate the 300 or so people that at least made the effort to stand up for what they feel so strongly about”

    SKK, the estimates of how many were at the march vary. Ashley employees and yourself say there was only around 300, the Chronic and the Journal said there was around 500-600 and some said up to 1000.

  72. @somebody killed kenny

    I disagree with just about everything you’ve written here (everything apart from the bit about Fatso making catastrophic errors, in fact).

    You really think fans behaving like smiling Stepford Wives, filling the ground en-mass week after week all wearing brand new Wonga logo shirts will get us a new owner? Gimme a break!

    As for the support at the ground and players being frightened to “put a foot wrong” – are you sure you’re going to the right ground? Where are you sitting!?

  74. I have to say that I do not get the impression that the players look or feel inhibited on the pitch.

    Have watched some of the European games over the weekend and was very impressed with Griesman against Real Madrid even though his team got a thrashing and also Son of Stuttgart who had a Peter Beardsley look about him. Can’t realistically see us getting either of them though!

  75. Darth, we don’t want to end up like Liverpool. Their fans organised a campaign to drive out previous owners Hicks and Gillett, and look at the mess they’re in now!

  76. Grumpy, who’s the son of Stuttgart who looks like Peter Beardsley?

    The only things I know about Stuttgart is Mercedes Benz, a mid table football side called VFB Stuttgart and that they had Erwin Rommel’s son as Mayor untli he died very recently.

  77. Aye, Worky. God forbid the same bad luck should befall us :)

    Let’s all wear our WONGA shirts and thank Chubs for his dignified and benevolent management of our club. I’m sorry I ever questioned his sanity/honesty/girth/intellect.

  79. Worky @75: I went to see Bayern and Man U 5 years ago and half the Mancs had green and gold scarves on. They did OK after that.

  81. @79: I meant in Chicago. And they were all complaining about something or other. Puffs by the canal, Oasis, scratchy scarves, only having Jonny Marr as a guitar icon.

    Can they ever be happy…

    Busby babes, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Alex Ferguson

    TRY SUPPORTING NEWCASLE UNITED YOU WANKS.

  82. Worky

    He is an Far eastern player, Japanese perhaps. I didn’t mean he looked like Peter Beardsley, I thought his playing style was similar. not sure if it was Stuttgart but it was on the Bundeslegia show on ITV4.

    Incidentaly I thought Isabelle Reinhardt Muller was quite hot till my missus said once, is she a
    tran-sexual, now I keep looking for facial hair etc. Another fantasy scenario out of the window!! :)

  83. On lessons from history does anyone remember Sugar at Spurs? He was a twat who made crap who took over intending to run Spurs as a business, though even he didn’t rename White Hart Lane the ‘Amstrad Arena.’

    They went from El Tel and trophies to Christian Gross and a spell in the relegation zone.

  84. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    November 14, 2013 at 1:22 pm

    “Incidentaly I thought Isabelle Reinhardt Muller was quite hot till my missus said once, is she a
    tran-sexual, now I keep looking for facial hair etc.”

    No, she isn’t a tranny, Grumpy, just German.

    Your Missus is jealous, women can be very cunning like that. ;-)

  86. Somebody has killed kenny!! LOL Good luck with your bitterness and resentment for the team you claim to support for the rest of the season boys. The worky,Chuck and Darth blog was enlightening. As its only just a handful of you that regularly contribute to this site (mainly worky every 5 mins zzzzz) why don’t you just use Skype? it could even free up one of your hands to at least give yourself or even each other some pleasure in life, assuming of course that you actually dont have a life outside of this blog. ;-)

  87. He’s took his chance, So fair play to him, I’ve never been his biggest advocate, But if a player does well, Praise them, And hammer them, When they f**k up, That’s the nature of the beast!

  88. GS @ 17: I like having a pop at Terry as much as anyone but in his prime, but he gets up the field and distributes the ball with a level of ability that Williamson (and most other CBs) never has or will. I’m not one to hate but claiming wor Mike is as good as Terry and that he doesn’t get the same press due to some kind of favoritism-that’s just as absurd.

    @18: the only way I can justify Obertan’s presence is that we’re reminding championship/ligue 1 clubs that he could be had. Otherwise there’s no explanation. He’s inferior to others in the squad in every area and at the very best is blocking up a spot for a developing player.

    TAE @ 25: it’s not just about height-jumping ability and timing are just as important. Tim Cahill is average height for a man. Whereas Williamson was once beaten to a 50/50 header by VICTOR MOSES!

    Fishy makes a good point. Sometimes the addition of an honest, hard-working but not-too-creative player like Williamson is just the thing for a squad full of individuals trying too hard to win games on their own. That’s exactly where NUFC was earlier in the season.

  89. SKK
    Dont take it so hard pardner, the problem is most have heard that “Lets get behind the club” line before.
    Some of which came from unfamiliar names, which may have been genuine but sounded as if they came from the NUFC PR dept.
    Apologist’s for Ashley, who attempted to either demonize fans, or give the opinion that all fans dont necessarily agree with an anti Ashley attitude.
    I doubt,(simply by the way you write) that you are in that category and i’m sure there are any number of fans who may agree with you.
    But i think you will get little sympathy for your viewpoint here.
    Hey! you asked for a clarification.

  90. It seems the Williamson saga just won’t go away.
    With most who defend him, only going as far as saying things like, he puts in an honest effort, he’s no Beckenbour, he’s not the, quickes, best distributer……..etc.
    In other words no one has praised any particular skill
    possibly because he doesn’t have any.
    To say he’s good in the air, for someone standing six four, is not praise and if he is good in the air, where are all the goals from corners.
    Hopefully this will be the last comment on this dead horse.

    As Worky stated above, there were those who though Simpson was a poor player, actually they just failed to understand what he did.
    And like the great Dennis Erwin, never went to ground, never had to, because of excellent positional play.
    Yes players like Terry got all the ink at Chelsea, but it was Carvalho, who was the heart of the defense, but was so good at anticipatin and positional play, not to mention distribution, that few noticed, being he made it look easy.
    Same with Ervin, grea

  91. t penalty taker, wingback, defended, took free kicks and was every bit as good as Beckham but like Carvalho, made it look easy, that few noticed.

    Talking bout Bramble, hell the guy was a decent player, had all the skills, except a lack of concentration that could result in goals.
    In Williamson’s case there are times, not from a lack of concentration, simply his being slow, poor positioning , whatever, that also tend to cause goalscoring opportunities, for our opponents and they add up, that’s the differenc, between a true PL cla

  93. @ Chuck Thanks for the reply although again about as vague as your existence. I am sure it isn’t too difficult to see an unfamiliar name when only a few write on this blog. Also don’t you think you are giving Ashley to much credit in assuming he would give 2 shits about a tiny bunch of fickle mindless morons?

    Anyhow I can see why this blogging game can become addictive and throw away hours of time that you could spend in a more worthwhile manor. Enjoy your blog bonding chaps and lets hope that one day you realise that life is far more rewarding if you leave the house!

  94. somebody killed kenny says:
    November 14, 2013 at 8:12 pm

    “lets hope that one day you realise that life is far more rewarding if you leave the house!”

    So, leave the house!

    You’re a long time going, pal :-P

  95. @Darthbroom Seriously? tell me how many nights of your life have you wasted sat in front of your pc on this blog! Also what is the difference between Lee Ryder and Worky?

  96. @Someone dared to disagree with benny – seriously?

    I’m in a pub in Maldon on sea at the moment – you should get yourself one of these new-fangled smartphone thingumajigs. Better still, get yourself a life beyond worshiping at the feet of a rich, fat chump who doesn’t even know you exist.

  98. @Darthbroomhandle Congratulations on being so cultured in ordering a smartphone with a in a pub outside my house in essex app. If you free one hand from your crotch for a second and press the “command” “control” and “+” button on your pc you can zoom in on the text and read that I have not once bigged up a man much slimmer than yourself.

  99. @benny loves mike – I hope you’ve not kitted out those fretful, nervy kids of yours with brand-new WONGA shirts as well. They’ll only get bullied, y’know.

    And I’d be a lot more comfortable if you could raise the discussion above your obvious internet in internet porn (not to mention my cheeky bits).

    I bet you’re into chubbies :lol:

  101. @Broomhandle Hilarious! especially as your kids interest payments on pay day loans funded the marketing behind such immoral advertising on my childrens football shirts.

  104. “Also don’t you think you are giving Ashley to much credit in assuming he would give 2 shits about a tiny bunch of fickle mindless morons?”

    You see, SKK-most here are in that silent, much larger group who did not attend the march but support it-as did most passersby on the march day. You’ve called us all “fickle mindless morons” on your first day here. How do you expect to be treated? And if you didn’t realize the majority here are of a mind to agree with the marchers-that’s your own fault.

    Anyway, if he doesn’t give two shits, why did he grossly overreact? Seriously. He cares about anything about him and his businesses that turn up in the media…thus, the SD signage all over everything that will bear it at SJP.

  105. Strange geezer, went from being overpolite to a raging namecaller in jig time.
    Where do uou find em worky ?

  106. SKK:

    Calm yourself down. Have a laxative or something. That always worked for me Grand Dad when he went on a rant like yours.

    Anyway, France – Ukraine.

    C’mon you (NUFC) Frenchies.

  107. tunyc @104: I think it might be calculated. I don’t know if he is right or not, but he might think it will help Sprots Direct News.

  108. Anyway: Cricket starts next week. I can get the Ashes on Willow TV for $15 a month. Starts about 6pm NY time and ends at 2 in the morning.

    That’s not an advertisement, that’s just telling you we can see the Ashes series from here. Come home, have a beer, watch cricket for 8 hours.

    That’s the beauty of global communications and what made Murdoch rich and a dictator to Thatcher and the new right.

  109. Worky says:

    “I can’t go out for five minutes without you bairns playing up.

    Don’t feed the trolls!”

    SKK says:”

    @Broomhandle Hilarious! especially as your kids interest payments on pay day loans funded the marketing behind such immoral advertising on my childrens football shirts.”

    Is that supposed to make any sense? For once, I agree with Chucklebunny. I think it might be a dig at Worky’s stance on Wonga, but I am not really sure.

  111. @Darthbroon. F@ck, you must be quaking in your boots for the next witty repost after “Broomhandle”.

    Dennis Healy said that debating Geoffrey Howe was like being attacked by a dead sheep. I think you know how he feels.

  112. All a bit puzzling to be honest, GS.

    As chuck said, he “went from being overpolite to a raging namecaller in jig time.” It was almost like having Stardust back in the fold ;-)

    I wonder…

  115. Even though she lies there like a lamp post, she’s my lamp post and I might not get a shag for a couple of weeks otherwise

  116. GS says:
    November 15, 2013 at 10:34 am

    “Who is stardust?”

    He used to be a regular poster here and a very strong advocate of MA’s ‘plans’ for the financial management of the club.

    According to Sawdust, just about every other club in the prem were going to go bankrupt and we’d be a shining example to the others on how clubs should be run :roll:

  117. GS says:
    November 15, 2013 at 10:34 am

    “Who is stardust?”

    DarthBroon says:
    November 15, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    “He used to be a regular poster here and a very strong advocate of MA’s ‘plans’ for the financial management of the club.

    “According to Sawdust, just about every other club in the prem were going to go bankrupt and we’d be a shining example to the others on how clubs should be run :roll:”

    Darth / GS, this is Keith Smith aka ‘Stardust.’

    https://twitter.com/GSuperC

  118. @115, I forgot to say I was getting together with my (ex) girlfriend for the international break. SKK will understand, since he thinks we don’t have a life except on here.

  119. Worky: yacht time share is not a bad idea. Warren Buffett bought Netjets which is essentially private jet time share.

  121. GS says:
    November 15, 2013 at 12:56 pm

    “Worky: yacht time share is not a bad idea.”

    I was going to make a comment there but I’m not going to give that c**t any bright ideas in case he’s reading. He threatened to have me arrested once. :lol:

  123. GS says:
    November 15, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    “I parked it around the corner.

    “I don’t know which corner though.”

    GS, that reminded of Keegan when he said “I know what is around the corner, I just don’t know where the corner is.”

  124. Well quiet weekend, no interest in international games, heading upstate.
    Catch whats left of the foliage and perhaps a couple of trout.

  126. There are quite a few fish when the singular is the same as the plural:

    Salmon
    Trout
    Cod
    Hadock
    Tuna

    I would say I should get out more, but I get out 3 or 4 times a week to see bands and eat at Chicago’s great restaurants, so maybe I should stay in more.

  134. I think I am living in a Seinfeld episode. I tried to break up with my girlfriend and it didn’t stick.

    Chuck keeps coming in from next door and saying dumb things.

    Elaine. Well, there’s no Elaine, just like the first series of Seinfeld until they realized they needed a female character.

  135. GS @ 107: I cede that could be the intention. Or he could just be throwing a fit. Knowing him, it’s liable to be either. We’ll see how it turns out.

    And I still can’t understand cricket, try as I might. It can’t be less intuitive than American football but there you go…

  137. Tunyc: cricket is easy:

    you are in until you are out. You have an on side and an offside, a deep mid-wicket and a silly mid-on and off. A silly point, a cover point and a gully. A backward square leg and a Ricky Ponting.

    Easy.

  138. Except, you are not in until you are in. Which means you got used to the wicket and bowlers and the overcast or undercast conditions.

  139. Worky, like the pics of IRM cheers. I think she has to be a bit older now.

    Brain fantasy mode fully operational again. :)

  141. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    November 15, 2013 at 3:26 pm

    “Worky, like the pics of IRM cheers.”

    Aye Grumpy, I noticed you went quiet for a while there. I didn’t know if you were ‘distracted’ or the missus had killed you.

  142. Octopi, are very clever little creatures with fantastic powers of observation and reasoning. They are also delicious.

  143. Talking of squid;
    A squid was feeling rather poorly when a shark swims up and says “Squid you look really ill you shouldn’t be up here in the North sea its too cold for you I’m off down to the Med I’ll take you down if you want”The squid agrees and they set off.After the long swim they finally arrive in the warm Med.Soon they meet another large shark and the first shark says to him…”Here’s the Sick Squid I owe you”
    I just love international breaks!!!

  144. Worky: I was throwing a googly to tunyc. Chuckster explained what the meant on here a while back even though he never picked up a cricket ball in his life.

  146. GS says:
    November 15, 2013 at 3:33 pm

    “Worky: I was throwing a googly to tunyc. Chuckster explained what the meant on here a while back even though he never picked up a cricket ball in his life.”

    Aye GS. I seem to recall explaining it was invented by Bernard Bosenquet, the father of newsreader, Reginald Bosenquet, who could read the news even when he was as pissed as a fart.

  147. Darn it (or something similar). Murdoch is showing the England against Chile friendly here instead of our lads in the play off.

  149. If Oxslaid Chamberlain and Theo Walcott were fit and Gareth Bale wasn’t Welsh, it could be Southampton academy against Chile.

    And if my Aunt had balls she would be my uncle.

  152. wt @ 148: before reading the conclusion of your comment I was thinking she was in excellent shape for a 85-year-old in Conan the Destroyer…

  153. wt @ 150: twitter. I don’t see what good can ever come of participating in it.

    Taylor really is a horse’s ass, isn’t he?

  154. @153: you are not following Kim Kardashian on Tw@tter? I don’t know why you would, but apparently a lot of people do.

  155. tunyc says:
    November 15, 2013 at 6:20 pm

    “wt @ 148: before reading the conclusion of your comment I was thinking she was in excellent shape for a 85-year-old in Conan the Destroyer…”

    Well the other one was the oldest old dear in the UK apparently. There was another old dear who held that title once who lived close to where I used to live when I was up north and selling antiques and fine art. I mention all that because I restored and sold her old baby chair once. It was an old Victorian antique even though she was still alive at the time. She lived around Guisborough which alot of Geordies on this side of the pond will know.

    The other Grace Jones is getting on a bit now, she’s about 65.

  156. tunyc says:
    November 15, 2013 at 6:22 pm

    “Taylor really is a horse’s ass, isn’t he?”

    I used to almost get a online lynching for saying that a few years ago when all his ‘I’m a Geordie me, I bleed black and white’ schtick worked. You just have to look at this photo of him to know what a knob he is as only a complete and utter knob kisses girls like that. It wasn’t his girlfriend either. He was drinking champagne from the bottle as well, what an uncultured arse.

  157. Oh aye, has anyone out there read the Sports Direct magazine yet? I believe it was launched back in the summer just after the Sports Direct News website.

  158. wt @ 156: well I thought he was a truly promising player at one point but was always immune to the “hey, I’m a Geordie!1” stuff and after hearing about his serial assholery without looking for it I decided he’s a prick.

    The worst of those images is clearly AP though.

    Clearly.

  160. @154: I don’t, but I have to admit we were discussing just that topic earlier today here in the office.

    As Joel McHale always says: she’s famous for having a big ass and a sex tape. To be fair, that’s a better reason to follow her (ahem) than anything I can think of about Justin Bieber, who has over 2X as many followers.

    Most people are stupid. Sad but true.

  161. tunyc says:
    November 15, 2013 at 7:41 pm

    “Most people are stupid. Sad but true.”

    And as I mentioned the other day millions of ’em are paid to be Twitter followers too, tunyc. Britney’s people have had to shell out truckloads of cash buying fake Twitter followers in a vain attemot keep up with the likes of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. They’re all at it though.

    Writing as an Internet professional, I can tell you that you’d be amazed at the stupid things you can do to make money online.

  162. @161: Perez Hilton and things like that? Some stupid fat guy with a beard and a blog. It’s not you Worky, is it?

  164. GS says:
    November 15, 2013 at 8:13 pm

    “@161: Perez Hilton and things like that?”

    GS, I know f all about this Perez Hilton chap. As I mentioned, I just know most of the stupid things people do to make money online like being a paid Twitter follower, writing fake reviews and shite like that.

    This Chile lot are still rather good, I think I’ll do to do some homework on them. Jorge Sampaoli looks like another Bielsa / Pochettino style of coach.

  165. Sorry Worky: you look just like Mike Ashley except you carry a candle.

    Have you ever thought that the Metro readers might not know who Mike Ashley is, or what he looks like? They might think that is you.

  167. “millions of ‘em are paid to be Twitter followers too”

    Those have a stronger sense of self-interest but they’re still stupid.

  168. tunyc says:
    November 15, 2013 at 8:55 pm

    “Those have a stronger sense of self-interest but they’re still stupid.”

    It’s a living in tough times, tunyc. The world is mental now in case you haven’t noticed.

  169. Hello Worky: somebody is posting crap under my name @168.

    I don’t know why they waste their time.

    You might guess it wasn’t me as I know the difference between “to” and “too”.

  170. Sorry, that was my fault, GS. It was blocked but then I approved it because you post some right old shite sometimes so it was hard to tell the difference.

  172. Worky: I think tunyc might mean Aussie (no) rules football. Their uniforms/strips are the funniest.

    I see wide load Gatting is now Chairman of Middlesex. You live close to Lords Worky, do you ever get there? I played in the nets there a few times and unfortunately wasn’t spotted as the next Shane Warne (actually it would have been precursor because I am older than him).

  173. I hope Yohan doesn’t get all tired and depressed after the Ukraine game. They still have a chance, and I hope they make it. Maybe the Ref will give them a hand like when they played Ireland.

  174. GS, Those Aussie rules footballer think they’re so macho, yet they look like refugee dancers from a Gay Pride float in those kits they wear.

    No, I haven’t been to Lords for ages.

    Warney’s job nowadays is to round up old balding cricketers and get them to do adverts for hair transplants.

  177. Aussie Rules is a brilliant sport, I got into it in the 80’s, When they started showing it on channel 4, And watching that Aussie film, “The Club”.

  183. GS, You have to forgive them though, It is Australia, Look at the way they have the postmen dressed up, It isn’t a good look!

  184. Worky, Rugby is like Marmite, I used to play myself, Both Codes, So i suppose i’m biased.
    Aussie Rules, Is starting to emerge in the North East, With a new team just being formed.