I wonder if the blame for the patchy home form is going to be put squarely on

[Ash]

I don't know where you work, but on those occasions when - as we humans are wont to do - you make a misstep or minor error, do you think that having 50,000 people groaning, calling you a **** and holding up banners demanding that your boss be sacked would help your frame of mind? Or would you perhaps be a teensy bit demotivated, do you think?

And none of us are paid millions and millions of pounds a year to do our job. And when we do our job properly we don't have 50,000 people cheering and whooping and singing our name and adoring us.

And 50,000 people aren't holding up banners. About three or four people are. And groaning is a natural response. If you don't want groaning then play behind closed doors. Atletico fans were groaning at mis-placed passes, at three points from the top of the table. Newcastle fans were groaning at their team who played pretty well to get a point against City last night.

If as a player you can't cope with some flak when you fail to do your job properly then get another job. One which doesn't have the riches and the responsibilities.

[Sir C]

And none of us are paid millions and millions of pounds a year to do our job. And when we do our job properly we don't have 50,000 people cheering and whooping and singing our name and adoring us.

And 50,000 people aren't holding up banners. About three or four people are. And groaning is a natural response. If you don't want groaning then play behind closed doors. Atletico fans were groaning at mis-placed passes, at three points from the top of the table. Newcastle fans were groaning at their team who played pretty well to get a point against City last night.

If as a player you can't cope with some flak when you fail to do your job properly then get another job. One which doesn't have the riches and the responsibilities.

So, in short, these supporters are helping or hindering our cause, would you say?

[reg]

So, in short, these supporters are helping or hindering our cause, would you say?

They are paying for our cause. What more does anyone want

[Burney]

And none of us are paid millions and millions of pounds a year to do our job. And when we do our job properly we don't have 50,000 people cheering and whooping and singing our name and adoring us.

And 50,000 people aren't holding up banners. About three or four people are. And groaning is a natural response. If you don't want groaning then play behind closed doors. Atletico fans were groaning at mis-placed passes, at three points from the top of the table. Newcastle fans were groaning at their team who played pretty well to get a point against City last night.

If as a player you can't cope with some flak when you fail to do your job properly then get another job. One which doesn't have the riches and the responsibilities.

None of which alters the fact that the fans barracking and groaning and ****ing are undermining the morale of the team they purport to want to do well whilst behaving in a way that could almost be designed to achieve the opposite. That makes them ****ing idiots at best.

[TheCurly]

And none of us are paid millions and millions of pounds a year to do our job. And when we do our job properly we don't have 50,000 people cheering and whooping and singing our name and adoring us.

And 50,000 people aren't holding up banners. About three or four people are. And groaning is a natural response. If you don't want groaning then play behind closed doors. Atletico fans were groaning at mis-placed passes, at three points from the top of the table. Newcastle fans were groaning at their team who played pretty well to get a point against City last night.

If as a player you can't cope with some flak when you fail to do your job properly then get another job. One which doesn't have the riches and the responsibilities.

What has money got to do with it? If my missus was undergoing the knife I'm hardly going to stand looking on boo-ing the surgeon and calling him a useless ****er.Footballers are human beings and make mistakes under pressure.Fine when it's the opposition doing it

[reg]

What has money got to do with it? If my missus was undergoing the knife I'm hardly going to stand looking on boo-ing the surgeon and calling him a useless ****er.Footballers are human beings and make mistakes under pressure.Fine when it's the opposition doing it

It may not be considered normal, reasonable behaviour in an operating theatre gallery. A's point, I think, is that it *is* normal, reasonable behaviour in football.

That's why players have all that mental strength, I suppose.

[TheCurly]

It may not be considered normal, reasonable behaviour in an operating theatre gallery. A's point, I think, is that it *is* normal, reasonable behaviour in football.

That's why players have all that mental strength, I suppose.

Yes,it is a fair point.But it still doesn't help.

[Ash]

But it still doesn't help.

No, it doesn't help, that's true. But I think there is a tendancy amongst some of those who are least inclined to accept shortcomings on behalf of players and manager to make the most of the shortcomings of fans.

If only we could replace the fans everything would be all right.

[Burney]

No, it doesn't help, that's true. But I think there is a tendancy amongst some of those who are least inclined to accept shortcomings on behalf of players and manager to make the most of the shortcomings of fans.

If only we could replace the fans everything would be all right.

OK, but there is an equal tendency among those fans who most vocally complain to deny that their actions may have any negative consequences for the team.

[reg]

OK, but there is an equal tendency among those fans who most vocally complain to deny that their actions may have any negative consequences for the team.

Right, but A has already pointed out, even decent teams get the bird sometimes. Crucially though, points are still awarded for the players' performances and results regardless.

You don't appreciate that in our haste to banter off the supporters, we risk ignoring a rather more essential aspect of the matter?