Is Joey about to snub QPR to stay at Newcastle?

One thing that has struck me over these last few days is the look of Joey Barton. I'm not on about his hair or anything like that. Instead I mean his body language, his expressions. That kind of thing.

He's not looked like a happy bunny to be fair and whilst he may have travelled to London to complete a medical and some formalities ahead of a proposed move to Queens Park Rangers he actually looks as though he doesn't want to go. It's merely the impression that I got from seeing him on Sky Sports News and so on, although having read his subsequent tweets about "needing thinking time" I'd say that he is hardly jumping with joy about a move to Loftus Road.

I'd still like him to stay. I think a lot of people would like him to stay, including Alan Pardew. This is what he said after the match against Scunthorpe United last night:

"I don't really know what I can add to what Joey has been saying. I think he trusts me as a manager and I think he trusts the staff here. He has a bond with the players and he knows he can come back here and we will take care of him. But by the same token he has an offer to go elsewhere that is obviously making him think."

So the door is still open for Barton to turn down QPR and remain a Newcastle player. You never know, perhaps a new contract could be offered to him throughout the season providing he gets his head down and gets on with playing the game.

On the other hand however I would completely understand it if Barton does end up accepting the contract on offer from QPR. The fact is that he might get a contract offer from Newcastle whereas he is guaranteed one at QPR. Isn't continuous employment what we all try and do?

It depends on whether or not Barton wants to gamble with his future by sticking with us knowing full well that it may not be beyond the end of this season, although it's also worth pondering the fact that if he turns down QPR now and stays with us he may well alert another club who might make a move in the summer.

It's up to the player I guess, which is quite obviously why he wants "thinking time". Will he stay or will he go?

Put simply I just don't know as, in my mind, there is a chance of either scenario happening.