Skeletor

Other than Smith or Butt for Emre, I'd agree with that. Not convinced by Emre. Some will blame the managers etc for his poor showings so far, I prefer to blame the player. I'd have Emre in there. He's one player who can pick the ball up from the defenders and drive forward with it, something that's clearly lacking at the moment. I wouldn't put an emphasis on either Emre or Barton to THE creative one, but simply to share forward responsibilities.

This. Can't wait to see him in the team to be honest.

I think the right balance for 4-3-3 with the players we have in our squad would be: ----------------------------------Given------------------------ New Right Back---Cacapa-------Rozehnal-----Enrique -----------------Geremi---------------Emre------------------- -----------------------------Barton----------------------------- --------Duff-----------------Viduka----------N'Zogbia------- Obviously this means leaving Martins and Owen out of the team which will cause problems. It's up to Sam to find the right balance. Maybe train the players to play different formations and use them accordingly. 4-4-2 at home 4-3-3 (as above) away maybe. I think we have some good options though with everyone fit.

Indeed. Faye and a new right back and hopefully we won't see much or any of Carr and Ramage in the future.

To be honest I like that we're now harder to beat. As people have already pointed out you can't expect us to be amazing going forward with three defensive midfielders (and that's all we have available to us at this point). With Cacapa and Rozehnal in the centre, Enrique coming in at left back with Zoggy being pushed further forward combined with the return of Emre, Barton and hopefully a rejuivanted Duff and Owen our team will look a lot more exciting in future. I like the fact that Sam says he's gonna have to be active in the market. Hopefully a new right back .

Good question.. Looks like he's vanished into thin air. He certainly would have had more to offer as right back than Carr or Ramage one would be inclined to think.. Not only that, he would have been the only creative spark in midfield as well. The result is not bad and not holding to the lead two times is a bit disappointing, but the most worrying thing was imho the overall performance. We do create f*** all with a midfield of Smith, Geremi and Butt. Martins isn't a winger either, so there is nothing coming from him as well. No wonder the strikers are looking s*** when the only creative player in the whole team is playing at left back... We desperately need Barton and Emre back to at least get a bit of spark into the team. The best would still be to look at the options left in the transfer market. Are you feeling okay? It's true though lol.

Would equal our total in the same number of games as the 01/02 season too.

Wish they'd just fuck off tbh. Coverage was ok with just Sky as it was.

He shouldn't have been brought on in the first place :-/.

basically. he's a money grabbing prick who is desperate to leave. not committed at all and doesnt even want to play for us. he's probably sitting outside old trafford right now waiting for it to open since he's so desperate to join them. its amazing how this is pretty much the same as martins has been saying and he gets "good lad" and "good to hear he's staying" and owen will get (tomorrow, its early) ripped to pieces for saying it. To be fair Martins goals kept us up last season.

This. Not bad going forward though.

Might as well see Woodgate limp off once again for old times sake.

We might need him. The word is Jol has quit. How true it is I don't know. Harsh.

Malouda...what a cunt.

When they're back Luque and Duff (if playing up to their best) are the ideal candidates for the wide forward positions. I think we'd have far more cutting edge with them out wide and Emre and Barton in the centre with Geremi holding.

3-0 Wigan. Super Sibi.

We love it, great player on his day and he is willing to play anywhere for us Quote: "I think the gaffer sees me as quite a versatile player who can play through the centre whether that be off the strikers or as a central-midfielder that is obviously up to him but if I am required to step in to cover for any of the wide players that would be okay because I am comfortable on the left or the right and I happy at full-back as well."

Wow Cacapa is in for a hard ride already . One mistake and it's over for him.

Well I'm sure shopping wasn't his main point. It was footballers career choices and moves being decided by their wives demands.

I don't see any relevance to the Keane comments. Moving to London because of the demands of family/wags.

That Blue Star player pictured ( don't know any of their names ) chased after that ball and cleared it off the line in a manner not dissimilar to Martins first goal against Bolton. Sam was there, he arrived just 7 or 8 minutes before kick off. Nice car, some sort of Bentley. I was just getting a ticket as he pulled up about 10 yards away. Pretty sure Ameobi's first goal was meant to be a pass to Owen (who was clear in space) that was misdirected. About three minutes after that Owen laid a ball off to him when he was in loads of space and he had loads of time too. He bent it out with a looping soft shot which even if he'd kept straight might only have met the post. Saw Owen having words with him after that, not nasty like. Troisi was very industrious and always looking for the ball, should prove to be a good player if he keeps developing. Kasanga also looked lively at times, skipping past some challenges nimbly and with pace. Dyer played in fits and starts, much like any other game. As often as not he took it too far though, running into trouble when an earlier lay off would have potentially been far more productive. The only booing I heard was when his name was called out right at the beginning and it wasn't many and quickly died. More a token gesture by some fanatics than anything else. Maybe it was the eggers! Cacapa, couldn't really judge him. Sat deeper than the rest often during the first half with Ramage doing most of the clearing up. Ramage actually looked quite good at that level. They played a 4-4-2 and I know it wasn't a 'real' game but it was not a patch on the Bolton game. Hope they were taking it easy because on that showing Blue Star were definitely not there just to make up the numbers. Not many players looking for space, at least not with any real conviction. Good enough warm up. Both have looked good pre season. Troisi just needs to get his Cordone hair cut. Nah his long hair gives him a world class continental player look lol.

Everton would be top with a draw.

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/chroniclesport/tm_headline=bolton-wanderers-1-newcastle-united-3%26method=full%26objectid=19619326%26siteid=50081-name_page.html What is it with this idiot??? Absolutely f****** sick of this prick now. Even after everything that's been said by Sam about Martins this total knob jockey STILL goes on about us wanting to get rid of him for £10m? There is something going on here like, for whatever reason this c*** wants to unsettle one or more of our players on a daily basis. If it wasn't Martins of whoever it'll be someone else. I'm going to email the Chronicle to say i'm going to urge every Toon fan I meet/see/talk to, to boycott the Chronicle until this horrible little weasel of a man is replaced. It's attention seeking. He's out of the loop so his only hope is to make up stories, which he hopes will get Big Sam to say something in response to vindicate his piece of shit journalism.

I think we'll win but it will be tight. 1-0 I guess.

End the season now and give us the trophy .