jimmymag

Are you mad? A promising young centre back with a genuine affection for the club, for a waster, chav, bling king, southern mercenary who isn't any better than what we've got now.

As a consistent supporter of Smith I thought he looked way out of his depth today. Continued to jump into the tackle, more often than not failing to get the ball, and when he was in possession, he didn't have a clue what to do with the ball and could only knock it square or back. Even his renowned fitness looked suspect as he was really labouring at the end of the game. Allardyce must be able to see that a centre midfield of Butt and Smith has never been, and will never be, an effective pairing.

What fucking planet is this man living on coming out with that shite!

I want him sacked badly! For the reason that he's a one dimensional defensive coach, not able to alter his philosophy regardless of the players at his disposal or the strength of the opposition. Sven has shown what a difference a good coach can make, and his tactics against Liverpool and against us last night were spot on. When I heard in the build up to last nights game that Sam was "pitting his wits against Sven" I knew we where in trouble. As for now being a bad time to sack him, I disagree now is a great time to sack him. The squad will get a boost as all squads do when a new manager comes in, the new man will have a little time to bring in one or two new faces and we'll finally have a manager we can all get behind, Shearer!!!

Just watched the extended "highlights" on Sky and I've got to say that performance was as bad as any under Souness. It was like watching a bunch of 11 year olds when the ball is in the air more than it's on the deck. Not one of our players was prepared, or capable, of putting his foot on the ball and playing with some cohesion. Emre was particularly disappointing, probably bottling it after getting a few whacks early on. As usual, fantastic support from the travelling hordes but this shower of shite don't deserve it. Sam must be living on borrowed time and Ashley looked embarrassed at the end.

I blame Rozenhal for that goal for skipping over it like a big cissy!

We don't play from the back because Sam has told the defence not to take risks therefore we have to put up with aimless 50 yard punts or, as we saw yesterday, defenders just knocking the ball out of play when not under very strong pressure from the opposition. Sam is, and always will be, a manager who plays the percentages so, if we're going to stick with him, we better get used to it.

I thought today's tactics were better with the emphasis on attacking the opposition not just containing like against the Mackem's and especially Derby. We started really brightly with a lot of pressure in the first 10 minutes, but were unable to sustain it because we're just not able to keep the ball, with Martin's being the biggest culprit. He just seems incapable of controlling the ball, getting his head up and making the simple pass to a Newcastle player, and the long aimless punts upfield don't help the cause at all. Joey Barton seems to be running into a bit of form, and I think the goal will do wonders for his confidence and we'll hopefully see some good performances from him in the coming few weeks. A draw would have been the fairest result but as Sam said, we outplayed Blackburn and got nowt, so I'm more than happy with the 3 points tonight.

How much does the dole currently pay?

The way the players came out of the tunnel for the second half was the most significant thing I saw on Saturday. Sam had hardly rallied the troops with an inspiring team talk, they looked more like they were walking out to be shot. IMO the players have lost confidence in the manager and it's only a matter of time before he's sacked.

Allardyce was totally outmanoeuvred tactically by Benitez. Sam wanted to play 3-5-2 but this plan went pear shaped when Benitez stuck 3 up front and left our defence and midfield wondering what to do for 20 minutes. There was no plan B and Allardyce should have been out of his seat in the stands after 5 minutes and on the touch line to try and get some semblance of a formation sorted. I felt sorry for Oba and Viduka who had nothing but poorly directed 50 yard punts to try and get some attacking momentum started. Pathetic!!! IMO the most telling part of the afternoon came when the Newcastle players came out of the tunnel for the second half looking like condemned men on their way to the gallows, it must have been a less than inspiring half time team talk from Allardyce and, much as I hate the phrase and the concept, he seems to have lost the dressing room and I think his days here are numbered.

Based on today's shambles I wonder how many "Yes" voters would now like to change their minds.

I personally admire SBR and will freely accept that some of the football played under him was exciting to watch (Bellamy and Robert his prized signings - not many will accept them two as good/popular signings though eh?) Feyenoord was likely the best game I've ever been to. But you must also accept that Robson didn't come cheap - he 'lost' the dressing room and there is a very solid argument that he might have gone a lot sooner. Think of the Partizan defeat, losing to WBA (a division below) at home after playing a weakened team. Fourth place was there for the taking yet from Christmas of his final full season he couldn't get the results to get us 4th (Liverpool got 4th and ....) Typically Shepherd and Hall fucked up his sacking - he should have been asked to leave at the end of the previous season without a doubt that was there biggest mistake. I really think that folk put on their rose tinted glasses where SBR was concerned and fail to see the whole picture yet I'll accept that over his whole career he proved he was a good manager and unfortunately for us we couldn't get him post Keegan. Who cares!? SBR's record proves he was one of our best ever managers if not THE best. The way he was sacked by FFS was an absolute disgrace, he should have been an ambasador for the club for as long as he wanted to be. I wish Sir Bobby a long and happy retirement but I fear that isn't going to be the case.

Exactly, how long do we have to wait before the manager can get his "average" team of multi-million pound internationals to string more than three passes together? 20 games? 38 games? How dare we demand to be competing with those giants of the premiership Man City, Everton and err....Portsmouth. We are not fit to lace their boots and the sooner we realise Big Sam's long term plan (target man, long throw-in specialists) the better!!!!! Go man for man with each of those sides and tell me who is the better player and why. I want each of our players compared to theirs, their skills and attributes and then tell me why you think you can go errr.... before comparing us to Portsmouth. Unless you think our current squad is as good as Man U's? If the players are that good (as they must be according to the all knowing on here) how come they look so shit? Keeping possession is not something your manager teaches you, its something you have in you, its an innate ability. Cant see it from where i'm standing in any but 3 of our players. You might want to argue they are great players but i think we have a limited squad that needs lots of work. Compare our team man for man with Derby, Reading and the Mackems and then explain to me why Sam set our team up to stifle the opposition and not concede. We ended up making Derby and the Mackems look like good footballing teams when the reality is that they're both relegation fodder.

If Ashley is prepared to punt £100 million on players to try to get us into the Champions League, is Sam capable of changing his footballing philosophy in order to get the best out of the better quality players that that money would buy??? Ferguson, Wenger and now Grant have shown that offensive football is more successful than defensive football if you have the resources to buy the best players. I have serious doubts that Sam will ever be anything other than a percentage manager able to get the best out of second rate players, as long as he's given time to mould the team in his image. He did say recently that his team on the pitch is an extension of his own personality, I'd characterize Sam as professional, functional and dour and I can't see him changing.

I agree with all of that, but the point I want to make is that if Mike Ashley is going to do an Abramovich and throw a silly amount of money at the club to try to buy success is Sam the right man for that job? I'm quite happy with Sam's record here so far, and if Mr Ashley is not going to put his hand into his own pocket to fund a transfer war chest but only allow the manager to spend what the club can afford based on prudent business criteria, then I'm more than happy with Sam and I'd be prepared to give him 3 years to succeed under those circumstances but, and I know it's pure speculation and hope on my part, what if Ashley really wants "his" club to shake up the top 4 and is prepared to spend whatever it takes. Is Sam the man under those circumstances?

Mr Ashley seems to be growing ever more passionate about his adopted football club, and he's on record saying that he wants to enjoy his hard earned, hopefully that will translate into him spending a sizeable chunk of his £2 billion trying to get us into the top four. If that's the case, would you trust Sam Allardyce to spend your money if you were in Mike Ashley's shoes? I'm starting to have serious doubts. I was pleased with Sam's wheeling and dealing during the summer but Sam's obsession with keeping a clean sheet is beginning to worry me. We have better players than Derby, Reading and, especially, the Mackems but Sam set his team up not to concede instead of telling the players that they are better than the opposition, and to go out and play in a structured offensive way. I'm starting to doubt if he's capable of changing his footballing philosophy regardless of the quality of player at his disposal. Mike Ashley's obviously no mug and, if he is considering investing a sizeable amount of cash in an attempt to break into the top 4, he must also be doubting Sam's ability to lead us there.

Heard a few others say he had one of his better games for us yesterday. Did nowt for me, gave little protection or support of the strikers, ran about a lot and tried to muscle his way through the opposition, but he was basically a bystander for large parts. Needs to be used as a striker or not at all, now that Emre and Barton are fit. Cleared a certain goal off the line like! Did a good job for the team. Well done Smudger!

essentially correct. Some people would reply by saying that the older fan has less expectation when accused by the older fan of "thinking they have a right to success". I don't have less expectation at all. I've always wanted to win the league and bring in the type of players that you need at a club that wants to win the league. But basically, going back in time, there were less fans, but who were fundamentally more loyal and stuck with the club more, most definitely because the club was not expected to be successful. The people who bugger off - whenever this happens and just because we are losing - are welcome to bugger off, for me, and the sooner they let someone else in their seat who will stay, or not boo, or not laugh at our own players, the better. The point is the seat is unlikely to be taken by anyone better. Going back to the pre Keegan days, when we were shite and not expected to win anything, there was a hardcore of fans who supported the club and would turn up and "sing their hearts out for the lads" irrespective of what was happening on the pitch. That hardcore support is still there, and I'd put their number at about half the ground capacity, the rest are bandwagon merchants just waiting for an excuse to bin their season tickets.

Aye, Butt deserves a kicking for giving Pamarot a 25 yard tap in! Jesus Wept!!!

Still think he should be in the starting line-up regardless now Jimmy? I don't know what you're referring to but I've never said that. I've consistently said that Taylor's one of the most promising 'young' centre halves in the country and I hope he can fulfill his potential at NUFC. To include him in the team regardless of form would be stupid now wouldn't it???

Taylor is still young and he's got a lot to learn but I still think he'll come through and be a very good centre half for us. And I wouldn't be surprised if he was our captain eventually. It's typical of some "supporters" to be writing him off at this stage in his career. Perhaps this is just the kick up the arse he needed, and now he can stop believing his own hype and start working hard to improve his game and fulfill his potential.

A piece of advice for Joey Barton, shut your fucking mouth and concentrate on playing football!

Best start to a season since 1996, Sam's rebuilding programme well ahead of schedule and we can only get better.

You're going down with the Mackems!