Canuck

Too strong?

I am curious if you actually watch matches. Seriously. Every CB at every level tugs shirts, uses elbows and plays physically at some point in a match. All the way from Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique to the Sunday League cloggers. Get a grip man. Learn the game and then possibly people might take you seriously.

For someone who couldn't get a game for Portsmouth? Wake up. You really are clued out. How can you expect to be taken seriously when you know so little. Unless you are a WUM - in which case, well done.

You are funny! It would appear that CH and his staff are completely incompetent in your eyes as they obviously do not agree. They have the temerity to play MW ahead of Campbell and Taylor for EVERY match. This must really irk you. Of course, the best bit is to couch your argument with the "concern" that they are fit so that when they are shite against Chelsea at the weekend you can fall back upon this as the reason and continue to bang on about there obvious superiority. Here's a clue - players get in to the starting 11 because they are the manager's best choice of available player. It is fairly straightforward.

So he's good enough to deputise for Arsenal but not for us. Eh? By all accounts he did very well at Arsenal so i've no doubt he'll be good enough for a newly promoted team By which accounts? Winning games - not according to reality. How about goals per game? Ooops wrong again - they leaked over 2 goals per game with him in the side as opposed to a shade over 1 per game before him. Good enough for a promoted team. Good call - with the talent around him at Arsenal they had there worst patch of the season when he was in the side. So with the talent on display at Newcastle right now he will really thrive. Are you serious?

This is a nightmare. Sol Campbell - who set the world alight at Notts County to earn a call by Arsenal where he covered for their injured first choice CB's. Featured in a 3-1 loss at Stoke in the FA cup and then was part of a 2W-3L-2D run to end the season. All of this with international calibre players around him. Oooohhhh - can't wait.

I'm sorry but this always strikes me as funny. NUFC have a manager and coaching staff who train the players day in and day out. They assess their fitness, ability and suitability for the tactics that they have chosen. Coaches, for the most part, assess the players objectively and with full consideration for putting out the best team on the day. Williamson IIRC has played every minute this season and therefore has earned that place. So the team runs in to a bad patch and people are calling for a scapegoat. This one is "not a premier league player", "Champo standard at best", "shouldn't ever get near the first team", blah blah f*cking blah. The best part is that if a so-called "favourite" is shite, people call for a "run of matches" to prove himself/get up to speed. What Williamson did was wrong. I watched the game again and specifically looked at the way Elmander wound him up right from the off. Williamson reacted to it when he shouldn't have; however, I defy anyone who has played CB more than a dozen times to hold their hand up and say they have not lashed out at a dirty centre forward. Hold your hand up so I can look you in the eye and call you a liar... If you don't like MW then fine, say so, but nattering on about others being better than him is nonsense. If they were better, they would be in the team.

Just for that... When his hair is cut short, it really brings out his chiseled feautures You're taking the Carroll love in to new heights!

I didn't realize there were so many women posters at N-O. Maybe you could take your discussions to the "Salon" board and discuss grooming to your hearts content. :colo:

Say my name, b!tch - SAY MY NAME!

Clueless, why 'should' we have lost at home to Wigan? Because we got a late equaliser? Give me a break. Not many players are still around from Allardyce's time? Get a f***ing grip Mark. So I guess the tonking of Villa didn't happen either?

Cheers, hadn't thought of it like that... I still thought of it as Carroll being released into Nolan's "custody" which meant away travel was possible as Nolan was with him.

Sorry if it has been addressed before but what of his bail conditions? Will there be special dispensation for him to travel to and stay in London with the England squad? He did get permission to stay in the team hotel before the derby, so maybe it has been considered.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that he has started wearing his hair in black and white stripes? The beeb interview here shows it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/9164983.stm This man obviously takes the club VERY seriously...

Terrific analysis in that it is backed up with examples and explanations.

I love the Krul's Dutch/Geordie accent. The MOTM "presentation" was and

I agree with this. I still don"t understand why everyone is crying out for Campbell. Based on reputation? hope? what? Willicini is settled and plating well, end of.

The interview with Willo this week sounds like he is really grateful to CH for "rescuing" him. The sh*t that he had to deal with at Pompey is crazy. It was not that long ago when we were always getting the piss takes about how shoddy our defenders were and now there is never mention. Settled and effective - works for me!

Typical knee jerk reaction...

We have cried out for a settled CB pairing forever. We now have that in Colo/Willo. Both different, but complement eachother very well. I have watched the way they communicate and cover for eachother - immense. I think the fact that they have different styles is a huge bonus and I do think Colo is benefitting from Williamson's physical style and presence.

Looks like he is angling for a job as a pundit...

Beyond predictions, I am curious how CH will set the team up. One of the things that I now look forward to in our matches is to see what kind of tactics he has chosen. West Ham and mackems, he played everything really high up the pitch. West Ham saw Barton drifting in quite often but it seemed to me not as much on Sunday. Jonas was was delivering earlier yesterday than last week. I have to believe that CH is influencing some of that. Not sure what can work against Arse away with our squad but I am looking forward to see what he has dreamt up.

Thought I'd drop this in on the match day thread - even Soccernet are getting up for THE derby... http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=836305&sec=england&root=england&cc=5901 I know the Gullit saga was crystallized by that derby match but it always seems too convenient to sum it up on one game, the problems went so much deeper. In a way, the mackems helped us out that day as it was the crucible for the Bobby Robson era.

Barton was The Independent's MotM.