Wullie

Where's the Milner money? Where's the Sky money? Where's the season ticket money? Ashley has peddled this myth that if he doesn't spend, the club doesn't spend, which is absolute drivel and people have fallen for it. Shepherd never paid out a penny of his own money - the club should be able to spend a decent amount without outside money coming in.

Has it been posted that Kinnear has been told he has to sell to buy? Ashley is a fucking leech.

I'd almost forgotten about Zamblera, has he been injured?

What a load of toss. Some pace, not blistering and a decent shot when given 5 yards space to connect with it. Runs with his head down, little awareness, and opts to carry the ball rather than pass and move into space countless times a match. The fact that Charlie has been mentioned in the same breath as Ronaldo in this thread shows how over-rated he is by many. That last line is a re-writing of history based on what has happened since. Ronaldo was just as flawed in his first season as Charlie in his (Viana was thought the better player!). Players who don't play don't develop though and Charlie was not dropped on his form.

Do you think Ronaldo would be the same player he is now if Fergie had binned him and replaced him with Damien Duff after his first season (where he showed little more than Charlie did bursting onto the scene here)? Why do you think he didn't? Why hasn't Wenger replaced Fabregas with Nicky Butt? Ronaldo had competition for places from players a million times better than Damien Duff. Fergie didn't just let him waltz into the first team every weekend on account of his "potential." Are you implying that the Zog had his development stunted because he had to compete with one other recognized left winger in the squad? Dear me Fact is the Zog was given plenty of time in 2006/2007. If he had proven himself to have anywhere near Ronaldo or Fabregas' potential by delivering performances significantly better than those of Duff (which isn't even that hard,) he'd have gotten the place. Four managers, one of them Kevin Keegan, thought that he didn't. In response, instead of meeting the challenge head-on and bringing up his performance levels, He threw a fit and stagnated. Which is why his career is now going nowhere. If Ronaldo flipped and asked for a transfer when Park was picked ahead of him for a while in 2005/2006, where would he be now? Who was this competition and in which summer did Fergie buy them and immediately drop Ronaldo? Ten games is not "plenty of time" and he put in some excellent performances that season (as I've pointed out but you ignored), only to be dropped every time afterwards. Even at his worst, he was infinitely better than the disgraceful Duff. N'Zogbia didn't "flip and ask for a transfer" unless you're talking about three years later, in which case Ronaldo would be long gone.

Neither get forward much and when they do they hesitate or play it safely, they both lack aggression and mobility or thrust. Their mindset seems to be "OK I've went this far, I should trot back now", especially Enrique. Beye's not like that at all which is why he contributed so much last year. And where does this idea about Taylor and Bassong come from? I assume you've not seen either of them try to cross a ball.

What world do you live in where Taylor and Bassong are better attacking options than Beye and Enrique?

I believe Roeder has said as much.

Do you think Ronaldo would be the same player he is now if Fergie had binned him and replaced him with Damien Duff after his first season (where he showed little more than Charlie did bursting onto the scene here)? Why do you think he didn't? Why hasn't Wenger replaced Fabregas with Nicky Butt?

Nah we beat them at their place when Boateng scored for both sides and Ameobi scored our other one. Loves playing against this mob does Shola, scored at least three against them.

I think that's an intriguing point. Why is it he's never had a real chance under these managers in his best position? And they've consistently preferred the underperforming Duff? Same reason that no-one's bothered to replace Nicky Butt (and the same reason I think Alan Smith will be straight back into the side when he gets back). I think it is a good point, to be fair to oldtype who raised it and I don't think that's a decent answer, Wullbert. Edit: though I think it's unfair of Kitman to lump KK into the suggested managers, as he played 4-3-3 for a good majority of his tenure (while Zog was crocked for a lot of it too) and had Jonas/Milner/Geremi wide in the games he oversaw this season, not Duff. Something is amiss that we obviously aren't seeing/aren't privy to, or Duff has to play to justify his massive wage packet? It could be a number of things, really. Why isn't it an answer? Players like Duff, Smith, Butt will be picked on what their name is.

I think that's an intriguing point. Why is it he's never had a real chance under these managers in his best position? And they've consistently preferred the underperforming Duff? Same reason that no-one's bothered to replace Nicky Butt (and the same reason I think Alan Smith will be straight back into the side when he gets back).

Keegan didn't play Zog either. Don't know about Owen. He'd have been more likely to stay, but I've got a feeling he would have left regardless. Owen only came here as he was desperate to come back to England and our offer blew anything else out of the water. IMO he was never going to sign a new contract here. People will ignore that like they ignore the fact Faye wanted to be away as well though. So did Barry and Ronaldo but they're still where they were.

There you go.

He wasn't, and he only started ten league games (a disgraceful amount for a player who had set us alight the year before). He came off the bench in the first game of the season and set the winner up while Duff put in his first of his disgusting performances in black and white. That should have been enough to see him starting but it wasn't. I remember we played Pompey just before Christmas and him and Oba absolutely tore them to bits - 1-0 with Charlie setting up the winner but it could have been many more. A goal at Bolton, a goal of the season contender at Boro and a phenomenal showing at SJP against West Ham where he set two up and scored the other before the end of September - all at left back - and he STILL didn't get the chance he richly deserved on the left wing. If Ronaldo went in goal, he'd be shit as well, I can't understand why Man Utd haven't peddled him. He's got more patience than me in just asking for a transfer. If I saw Damien Duff crossing the road, I'd accelerate. Hilarious to hold up Allardyce, Roeder and Kinnear as bastions of footballing knowledge. Keegan binned Duff and got results. Not bad attitude, bad management.

What utter rot.

Everyone at NUFC over the past few years who has contributed to the N'Zogbia/Duff affair should be throughly ashamed of themselves iyam.

I concur. Back four were excellent yesterday, Coloccini was world class and Bassong was excellent. As someone said Enrique was cracking defensively but distribution continued to be poor and Beye was Beye. We looked very solid, Chelsea struggled to break us down. One game! That same back-four were awful at home to Wigan and do not fill me with any confidence that such performances can be repeated on a consistent basis, mainly due to the tactics, selection and more significantly the midfield admittedly than the defence itself. They weren't though were they? Not defensively at least.

Nice one Yorkie.

I know we've done it countless times but when you're discussing a striker's contribution of course you should take off penalties, unless he's winning them all himself through pace or whatnot at least. Common sense.

It depends which Boro show up really. They will either be truly shocking like today (Fingers crossed) or brilliant. My mate at the game said Boro played really well, just couldn't convert their chances.

Reckons it's the best we've been under him but that was the Villa game by an absolute mile.

Took Crouch out yesterday to make space for Ronaldo. Cunts.

Poor Shay's best save wasn't shown. Phenomenal stop but after someone had been flagged offside.

Shearer not asked about the managerial situation... very interesting if you ask me.