Mike Williamson

Been to the Widdrington Inn before and it's quite decent but was looking for somewhere different.

Might look along Warkworth way or Alnwick.

Cheers.

 

I meant further along at Widdrington station (as opposed to Widdrington Village), brand new place just opened last month, think it's called the Railway Inn.

 

Perch playing as captain yeah?

 

One of the people going is from Alnwick, I'll let them decide.

 

What? I'm just saying he'd do a lot better with a commanding partner, not trying to big him up.

 

i know! I was kidding...

 

Sorry, thought you were taking the piss. Hard to detect tone in text. Anyway, hopefully it wont matter if we buy in January.

 

Tone and facial expressions. We'll have to get a video link up.

 

Yeah, for all that i love Perch he's a little ****e at CB! <understatementsmiley>

 

Massive boost to have him back and he was superb. He won everything aerially. Obviously there will be more difficult challenges ahead in terms of the type of player he faces, but on boxing day he was great. Teams with small quick players will cause more problems.

Colo looked back to his normal self. Its fair enough him having one eye on Raylor to his left, but he couldn't do that, his own role and Perch's, it was asking too much and he ended up getting stretched and taken places on the pitch he wouldn't normally have to.

Have to say Danny Simpson put in yet another fine defensive performance. He has been on a great run of form. Obviously he has a point to prove and he is certainly proving himself to be a very useful player. Long term I think he'll struggle to hold off Santon when fit but long may his current form continue.

Raylor also was superb. I still think some attacks break down because we don't have a natural left back in the squad, but his bit of play down the left changed the game in our favour. The knockers need to start having a look back just what this lad has contributed this season with goals, assists and goal saving clearances. He is no world beater and I want a left back in January along with a centre back, but he is having a great season.

It justs shows the damage Perch does and while I sympathise with his lack of options, I think Pardew needs to give up on him. Anybody is a better option, he really is that bad. People were trying to pin blame elsewhere is recent games to deflect attention away saying "yeah but Col got stripped" etc but I don't think people were looking beyond just who was marking who. The whole defensive set up became unbalanced and placed too much of a burden on Colo.

I hope Cheik and Cabaye can get a run of games. Both are not in top form, but I felt we still improved a little on the ball with Cabaye back. Cheik is funny because there is all this speculation but he is having a avergae season for him! Nowhere near his levels yet and I just wonder how good we might be once they've had time to gel better. We all know Cabaye will improve at least another 20% after a year in the league, that for me is very exciting.

As you all know I'm not a big fan of stats as I think they hide a million things and its not what real football is about. Use them for sure but your eye will always tell you more. I just thoguht it interesting that Williamson was 2nd only to Cabaye in the amount of ground covered. That is one hell of an effort on your first game back.