Game On! Newcastle v Stoke

Game On at St James'
Game On at St James’
After the football results yesterday it has become much clearer what a result would do for either team this afternoon at St James’ Park.

Alan Pardew and Tony Pulis will prep their respective sides knowing that a win could potentially see either side in with a shout of finishing the weekend sat in the top half of the table.

To be more precise, a lot depends on how many goals each team is beaten by. Fulham currently occupy tenth place but don’t play this weekend so it’s their spot up for grabs. To move into tenth all Stoke need to do is draw today, which would see us move above Sunderland, but for United to make some real headway in the league then we need to beat Stoke by two goals which will be enough to propel us into 11th. Yes it is technically possible for us to make tenth today but we’d need to win by six clear goals so it’s unlikely.

So results covered, what about the game today? Well a good place to start if you haven’t already done so is by clicking here and reading our match preview. It’s packed full of injury news, fitness worries, recent form tips, a history of games between the two sides and some fun facts and stats for your delectation.

The match is once again not on the telly box here in the UK, but it is being broadcast overseas so streams may be available for those who can’t attend the game. If you do find a good stream then please feel free to share it by leaving a link in the ‘comments’ section below.

As ever team news will be published below, in full, as and when I can get my hands on it. I dare say that whilst I’m updating it somebody will have posted it in the ‘comments’ section anyway but it will be featured at the bottom of this article for sure.

Which means it’s nearly time for kick-off in what is yet another must win game for United against a team occupying the same kind of league position we find ourselves in. It’s a chance to move up the league, and it’s a chance we simply have to take!

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Mathieu Debuchy, Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Davide Santon; Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote; Jonas Gutierrez, Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran; Papiss Cisse

Subs: Steve Harper, Massadio Haidara, James Perch, Vurnon Anita, Gabriel Obertan, Sylvain Marveaux, Adam Campbell

Stoke: Asmir Begovic; Geoff Cameron, Ryan Shawcross, Marc Wilson, Andy Wilkinson; Ryan Shotton, Glenn Whelan, Steven Nzonzi, Jonathan Walters; Cameron Jerome, Peter Crouch

Subs: Thomas Sorenson, Brek Shea, Charlie Adam, Dean Whitehead, Michael Kightly, Kenwyne Jones, Michael Owen

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

311 thoughts on “Game On! Newcastle v Stoke

  1. JJ
    I cant understand what Jonas made so good. I really can’t, I see nothing from this guy, when we attack he seems to be never involved in any of our chances created. when he makes a simple pass at 5 meters it looks so difficult for him.
    I dont know why this guys deserves a start at everygame. For me Marv is better, and i will even try Haidara as left back and Santon as left winger.

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  2. JJ- “they weren’t that bad today but even so-particularly for drifted free kicks, I’m sure they ALL went right into bego’s hand-that to me is about delivery and not about players attacking them, he should look to whip them in lower, or harder. Some of our corners did make it to dangerous positions so that’s fair enough and I agree we do need to work on how we actually attack them, because whatever we’ve done for the last two years has not been working.

    Cabs still hits corners into the first man, or beyond the whole of the box, for me those are pretty inexcusable at this level. I know all players will make mistakes sometimes, I’m not sure whether we pick up on those more just because of how bad corners are overall…

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  3. JJ

    100% agree on balls into the box.

    Too many times I saw full backs running to byline and sissoko and cisse standing static in the box. This isn’t good enough.

    Also, credit to Begovic, who generally dominates his area well. Very hard keeper to get the better of him from wide play.

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  4. Newkie , I think Sissoko and Goofy being below par is what actually made Jonas seem better 😆 , no in all seriousness Jonas was ok but no better than ha has been of late imo

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  5. Elliot – solid game good distribution per usual
    Debuchy – Once again looks great going forward but still unsure on his defensive capabilities
    Taylor – Solid game what we’re used to with him
    M’biwa – Clever player who looked composed
    Santon – poor in defence and keeps trying stupid shots, made good runs however
    Tiote – Was playing really well, good pressing and passing and then he randomly lunged at a player in the box, stupid idiot 😡
    Cabaye – Corners were rubbish AGAIN! Apart from that well played and what a great goal
    Gouffran – Looks so promising when he gets the ball and gets into good positions but his touch usually let’s him down
    Jonas – A workhorse who was all over the pitch helping defend and making good attacking runs, was clever with the ball at his feet
    Sissoko – Looked strong and composed but his decision making is awful, so many opportunities to send players through he waited too long and buggered up
    Cissé – Struggled up front with the majority of the passes being aerial which were easily gathered by Begovic or headed away by defenders, one decent ball to his feet and he put it away, it’s not rocket science.
    Marveaux – Did well when he came on, played a perfect ball for Cissé to finish
    Haidara – Looks a good defender and good overlapping runs, still commits silly fouls but has time to cut that out
    Campbell – Brief showing but made a good run that Sissoko didn’t find and held the ball well at the end near the corner.
    Pardew – Good subs but should’ve instructed the team to play the ball to Cissé along the ground and not play to stokes strengths ie aerial

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  6. Our crosses are always pretty wasteful, not sure if it’s worth holding out and trying to get them onto Sissoko’s head as he’s not been with us that long, but he doesn’t look great aerially as it is anyway, for his size. Just hit everything lower and harder and see if we can just get Papiss some reactionary tap ins from the chaos it causes 😆

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  7. I can’t be the only one who simply writes off possession when we get a corner 😆

    It think I saw a statistic not long ago that it’d been nearly 300 corners since we scored from a corner. So its not exactly awe inspiring stuff.

    And that hasn’t been just one corner taker. That includes Raylor, Cabaye, Marvauex, Ben Arfa, Anita etc…

    Clearly something seriously wrong with the tactics and coaching from set plays.

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  8. Kim 😆

    Aye probably right. I think its just because there were a few more glimpses of him in the centre-he’s better there, on the wing he just can’t seem to beat many, although he won one or two free kicks….

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  9. Well overall i thought we played well up until the final third of the pitch . Those crosses to their keeper were never going to produce anything but still we deserved the win . Breathing space at last and a place in the next round of the europa league up for grabs this week , onwards we go lads and lasses 🙂

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  10. HBA,
    For me, I would drop Jonas for Ben Arfa when he is fit and tweak the formation a bit.
    But Marveaux is no better than Jonas playing out wide.

    If we do play Marvaeux, he needs to play “in the hole” and Sissoko needs to drop deeper.

    I think his running power could be even more effective coming from deep because there’d be more options in front of him.
    Argued with someone to the counter not so long ago but I’m starting to see what they mean.

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  11. JJ=Yup. Anita hits the first man and Benny usually puts it beyond the box 😆 Marveux and Raylor are probably about the same level.

    The last corner we scored was Ba at the start of last year wasn’t it? Raylor took the corner I think, or could be cabs? So depressing…It seems an age since Saylor got those 3 goals in 3 games or whatever, pretty sure they were all corners as well 😆

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  12. Andy Mag,
    How was Santon poor in defence tonight?

    He made more interceptions, and tackles than any other defender tonight.

    Also, if there’s lack of movement sometimes shooting is the only option. Cabaye, Sissoko, Gouffran, Jonas all had shots from outside the area. Far worse shots than Santon’s efforts.

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  13. Just got back. We were poor in the first half, only got going after the break. Tiote I thought had a shocking game and that was before his reckless challenge in the box to give away a penalty. He has become a liability now. Cabaye’s goal was unbelievable, he had so little to aim at, it was just a wall and no room it seemed to get it up and down. Then we started to play a bit and they were just time wasting. I looked straight to the linesman when Cisse scored as he looked offside from where I was but someone must have been playing him on or something. It was pleasing to get the 3 desperately needed points in the end, to come back from behind and to win after a thursday night away trip. A few hoodoos put to bed. HTL’s and bring on Anzhi! 😀

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  14. JJ
    Santon was poor to start off but grew into the game, he seemed to get a few lucky ones where the ball dropped in the right place for him or the opposition player tripped over the ball and after that he played better but his defending is still a bit ropey at times. He doesn’t stop the cross coming in enough for me, time after time the opposition simply run at him, stop and then have space to get the cross in, Hiadara seems to block this better, partly because he is left-footed. He looks decent going forward as well so I think he will push Santon all the way for that LB spot from now on.

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  15. The Kid – do you mean play Marv alongside Cabaye infront of the back 4?. If so I’m not sure he tackles enough to play in that role. Yes he’s better on the ball that Tiote creatively but when we haven’t got the ball he’s never shown enough to me that he’d graft to get a foot in and win it back – not for 90mins that is, maybe once or twice in the game. If you mean further forward, he’s not gonna oust Sissoko anytime soon IMO and really, that left of the attacking 3 was his for the taking but for that lack of desire you mentioned (IMO).
    Personally I’d rather see Anita alongside Cabaye. He’s better on the ball and gets his foot in for a little un.

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  16. Just seen, Fulham play Chelsea and West Ham play Man United. There’s a real chance we could move into 10th position with a win next weekend.

    Imagine. By next Sunday we could be 10th in the league and in the quarter finals of the Europa League! 😆 😯 😉

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  17. Against a technical team I’d take Anita over Tiote, but against brutes like Stoke, Tiote was the right choice.

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  18. Settle for that. 3pts. Let’s stop worrying about relegation and start enjoying the game again.

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  19. SHARPY17
    You make some good points but we looked much better when Marv came on for Tiote, we simply didn’t need someone running around chasing shadows in that area because Stoke played such a long ball game they didn’t have creative attackers just men forward in the box with back to goal. Tiote was so poor he gave it away or passed to nobody a lot of the time anyway. Marv didn’t have a lot of time but he did at least find some passes and created space when he had the ball. I disagree that he doesn’t tackle or track back, he worked hard off the ball today.

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  20. Nobody ran harder than captain Cabaye, MOTM today.

    Elliot – 7
    Debuchey – 6.5
    Santon – 6
    S.Taylor- 7.5
    Mbwia – 7
    Tiote – 3
    Cabaye – 9
    Jonas – 6.5
    Sissoko – 7.5
    Gouffran – 7
    Cisse – 7

    Haidara – 7
    Marv – 7.5
    Campell – – looked good, not on long enough for a score. 🙂

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  21. Pardew told Cissé that he was **** 😕 , maybe if you instructed the team how to pass it to him Alan he wouldn’t be “rubbish”.

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  22. Was at the match and I agree with DJG about Tiote. Around me they were calling for Anita to take his place. Poor game overall but good result. STOKE’S goals against is very good so we must suppose that they have a mean defence. Passes to Cisse were poor and really he wasn’t presented with many chances. He led the line well, worked hard, and as someone said earlier he needs the ball to his feet. Campbell for the short time he was on seemed to move around intelligently. Sissoko looked tired at times and lacked his usual accuracy.

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  23. Just back in the house. When I saw the number of fans from Stoke in attendance I was a little disappointed with them. When I saw their team play I could understand why so few of them had bothered to travel. Nobody should be made to watch that week in week out.
    The thing was we got suckered into playing the way they wanted us to play. Firing crosses into the box where we have nobody with an aerial presence.
    Where we would be without Cabaye doesn’t bear thinking about. The man is a class act. Cisse did what all good strikers do. Absolutely nothing until his chance came along then struck it away with aplomb.
    Very hard and unfair to judge players against an opponent like Stoke so I will stop at those two

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  24. Just back in the house. When I saw the number of fans from Stoke in attendance I was a little disappointed with them. When I saw their team play I could understand why so few of them had bothered to travel. Nobody should be made to watch that week in week out.
    The thing was we got suckered into playing the way they wanted us to play. Firing crosses into the box where we have nobody with an aerial presence.
    Where we would be without Cabaye doesn’t bear thinking about. The man is a class act. Cisse did what all good strikers do. Absolutely nothing until his chance came along then struck it away with aplomb.
    Very hard and unfair to judge players against an opponent like Stoke so I will stop at those two

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  25. i know toonsy doesn’t like us to talk about other clubs but do you reckon vertongen may have been the goalscoring defender pardew wanted in the summer?

    it’s hard to say if we were really in for him but i can imagine so, happy with yanga mbiwa but i don’t think he was the one pardew was talking of bringing in, he seems more like william gallas, not the biggest, versatile, good on the ball, hopefully doesn’t cry as much

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  26. Played poorly today I thought but Cabaye and Pardew saved the day. MAde the right changes at the right time. Sissoko never asserted himself and did not have a great game. Cisse as is becoming common was poor save for coming alive in injury time for those brief seconds but cannot complain when he scores especially an important winning goal.

    Contrary to what people say Jonas had another good game.

    Cabaye continuing to turn my opinion and impress. We need goals from midfield seeing as getting them from upfront is a problem and Cisse is not proving reliable enough with that responsibility. This was a typical Pardew performance doing it the hard way and nearly messing up a home win. Cannot complain with the win.

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  27. 6 assists in prem for marveaux, he’s played 710 minutes , that’s not too bad

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  28. The boys at MOTD will have a difficult job to get more than 3 minutes highlights out of that match

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  29. just got back home and ide just like to say 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

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  30. I must admit it was sweet at the end when we started taking our time over the throw ins and free kicks. Stoke had been time wasting ever since their undeserved goal and the way their player slowly strolled off was disgraceful , the referee even caught up with him to warn him he was going too slowly. So when we went 2-1 up and the game had run out (partly down to their time wasting) it was so sweet that they hardly had time to come back. The best team won and it was a victory for football (I say slightly embarrassed after our first half performance).

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  31. Alan
    absolutely yes. Vertonghen was the defender top of the list with MYM behind. I still think they wanted both. V went to Spurs and MYM was not available. Looked at Douglas, but hopefully moved on. Next maybe Sakho or someone less well known.

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  32. Yep Batty, always think of you when we play Stoke and so much better when we win, knew you would be pleased

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  33. My dad just got back and said the match was boring and that he’s never been so cold watching a match 😕

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  34. if you agree we were after him it adds to the likelyhood that we didn’t just hold out and try not to sign more players in the summer, not just about spending more, vertonghen would of probably held out for spurs with their current position, there are many many reasons a lot of deals don’t get over the line

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  35. think it was jerome when the ref tryed to usher him of

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  36. anyone else watching match of the day, hugo lloris looks like an athletic jimmy carr 😛

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  37. 4th in the form league, based on last six games

    and looking at the last 6 games at home and away the only game we’ve lost by more than one goal was the arsenal one

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  38. Good result, but why oh why did we persist in putting high balls into the box? I wonder what the stats are on how many we won.

    I found it to be a very frustrating game. Stoke defended well and we had little imagination about how to break them down. I kept saying to the telly, ‘put Marveaux on. Put Marveaux on.’ Glad Pardew did exactly that.

    When Cisse scored I slumped back in my chair expecting an offside call, and waited for the inevitable groan from the crowd Then pumped the air a few times when the celebrations continued. It must be the mutest last gasp goal that I’ve ever celebrated. But went (back) to bed a happy chappy.

    Cabaye was quite brilliant. As was Taylor.

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  39. @ Bris

    re. high balls –
    must give credit to Stoke for ‘forcing’ us into this approach, i thought they put in an excellent away performance from a defensive point of view (although this was ultimately undermined by the mistakes which allowed us to score twice late on)

    as much as they defended well, we continue to carry almost no threat from aerial crosses, corners or wide FKs.

    is this down to personnel? or tactical preparation?

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  40. It has to be a coaching thing.

    It seems to me as though there’s no patience. It always seems to be a case of going for a quick, mobile, strong running counter attack, but when that breaks down there’s a lack of ideas, so we play it wide and lump it into the box and hope to get the second ball, or we hope for something extraordinary from somebody – from Cisse, sometimes HBA or Cabaye.

    How about, instead, passing the ball around, keeping possession until an opening presents itself due to movement and some clever football. Movement and cleverness are not our forte (though that’s not to say it doesn’t happen – yesterday being an example. An excellent thoughtful ball from Marveaux to Cisse, who found some room in a crowded box).

    Much of this has to do with the British mentality imho, though that is changing due to the influx of continental coaches/managers. Frankly, I think the EPL is too fast for its own good sometimes. Sure it makes for exciting stuff but the quality often leaves a lot to be desired, particularly from sides with average bosses. 😆

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  41. Agree with M although it is our fault aswell. Stoke defended really well and sucked us into a style of play which suits them down to the ground.

    Like Bris, I never celebrated Cisse’s goal as I thought it was offside in real time and by the time I’d cottoned on that it wasn’t I’d missed that moment of euphoria 😆

    Still not happy that we’re clear of relegation yet and won’t be until its a mathematical certainty but another three points on the board is always welcome and gets us tgat bit closer to it.

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  42. Also match review will be up today. Didnt want to take the **** in my mrs’ first mothers day so took a break and spent some time with her 🙂

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  43. Credit to the lads for not letting their heads dip when we conceded. Lumping it into the box was ridiculous tactics, surely Pardew must be able to link that the goal that Cissé did score was to his feet (kind of) and that we have players with the ability to get it to his feet or for a through ball.

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  44. Toonsy….Hansen said on motd saturday night that 5under1and were safe and that everyone below them were in danger, even though we had the same points as them and the game in hand 🙄 so we must be safe now surely 😉 😆

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  45. Toonsy…you have so much to learn young grasshopper, she’s not your mother, no time needed 😉

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  46. So everyone agrees with me now that a win at Wigan would see us safe?

    Can’t see any of the bottom three reaching 36 points.

    I think 10th is now there for the taking.

    Was so happy to see Adam Campbell come on late in the game. Hope that pushes Shola down the pecking order.

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  47. For some reason I think Stoke’s goal pushed Pardew into action. Otherwise we were heading for a 0-0 draw.

    Did anyone at the game see if Marv was ready to come on before they scored?

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  48. DJG – sorry for the mammoth delay mate. I meant long term mate, not just yesterday’s game. He done very well when he came on yday but would he be as effective against Wigan for example – against Gomez and McCarthy who totally dominated Everton. Marv is very good when we/he has the ball but when we don’t he goes missing – that’s my biggest concern about him.

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  49. JJ…I agreed with you the first time ya said it, it’s just the rest of them are neggers 😉 😆

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  50. JJ I already thought we were safe before yesterday, as my hon friend Richie said it’s only the neggers 😀 Thats why I have been calling for a strong EL team, which I hope we put out a very strong team out on thurs with Cisse in it.

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  51. iam still 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

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  52. dave funny enough they never give me any stick 😉

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  53. I wonder if Michael 12 still thinks Cabaye is “average at best”… 🙄 😆

    Or if Shola should be up front instead of Cisse 😆

    Cisse who has scored 3 goals in six games (when playing in the centre since Ba left). And four in nine overall.

    Compared to 3 in 18 when Ba was here.

    If Michael 12 was manager, Willo would still be in the team, with Shola up front and Perch in Cabaye’s role.

    Then he’d instruct them to play “carpet football”… 😆 😆 😆

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  54. Not at all surprised we won, I predicted it… it’s time to get on ‘Aussie’s Good Feeling Train’ all you doubters 😎

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  55. Aussie,
    I must give you credit… You’re good feelings are really accurate…

    All nine times out of 29 you’ve been right! 😯

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  56. Now now BD, you know I did mate 🙂 You will just have to admit that you have been critical of my feelings and that an apology from you is probably due to me 🙂 🙂 🙂

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  57. JJ, you can make stats say anything if you twist things and put things like ‘facts’ into the mix 🙂 🙂

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  58. Aussie could you point me to your prediction me old bean 😕 and if so I willgive you credit for it as I have the other two times you were right 😆

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  59. Great 3 points yesterday.
    Said last week that we needed 37/38 points to be safe and that none of our remaining games would be easy. Stoke was a tough game and I will be happy with a point at Wigan.
    Just six games ago I was wishing we were up with 5under1and who were 7 points ahead of us. After our 4 wins and 12 points in six games and 5under1and amassing 2 points from their last six games we are now 3 points clear of them.
    This shows how quickly things can change and we really need to keep battling for points from every game left.

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  60. Moreno says:
    March 11, 2013 at 10:33
    “Think the barmaid nearly died of fright.”…why, did ya get the beers in? 😉

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