We’ll bin those hasty (and frankly questionable) storylines and proffer up what should’ve been produced earlier this week – rinsed and polished from the grime and misery induced by another chapfallen performance – something that might make a decent memoir title someday…

Notes from Cardiff:

alarm clock malfeasance meant we missed the first 30 mins – 6.15a is entirely too early for a Sunday morning – gonna have a Wenger-style bitch at the fixture organizers ourselves if this keeps up

• Rhys Williams back in the midfield – borne from necessity since GON is out after injury v Blackpool
• Mark Yeates remains top – stunning free kick in the 38^th minute that was destined for goal – palmed away by David McGregor
• Pogi has been pretty solid at LB since his recall – GS may have initially forced his maturity and composure back into the side, but he’s settled well
• Apart form the bollocking he’s getting from Chris Burke
• Drop Brad Jones now – the compromising pics he has of Gaz et al can’t harm us anymore
• Chance to level it up shortly after the goal – Wheater and LL efforts cleared off the Cardiff line – St Ledger in the scrum too
• 68 mins – Johnno off w/ a hamstring injury – Emnes put on the right wing – Yeates back to the left
• Gary Gill continues to implore it – who is going to grab this game by the scruff of the neck? He’s not being churlish!
• Best chance of the 2^nd half: Marcus Bent pokes a ball into the clear for LL – he can’t shape his shot properly and it skitters wide
• Another balls-up from Jones – failed clearance meant he races 10 yards outside of the box to clear away from a lurking Michael Chopra
• Get Bent? Marcus Bent shown little respect – dragged down twice in the 2^nd half and it’s been play on both times
• Anthony Gerrard should’ve been sent off – dangerous elbow-first challenge late on from the Scouser while on a yellow
• Gary Gill MOM – Mark Yeates – almost by default
• No post match Boro Hour cements the fact that the good folks who bring us live commentary aren’t sadists

Tyne-Tees derby preview is nigh – 2 wins in the last 20 years at their place – Gordo’s track record hasn’t been magnanimous either