James

To be bumped at end of the season to see who had unwarranted pessimism, deluded optimism and/or a a good know-how 8th.

Can't Pieters play in other defensive positions? If we can't have two players for each defensive position we could do with someone like that.

I don't have a squad number.

I think the real question is whether we'd rather turn to Lovenkrands or a kid during the inevitable injury crisis. I suppose the benefits of keeping Lovenkrands is that he is cheap, different to the other strikers, will chip in with goals, and according to Pardew is making runs for 90 mins that are unsettling markers and drawing away defenders.

He has wicked hair.

For who, the reserves? Fuck me. This is Newcastle. Lovenkrands will get at least 5 games this season.

Don't really see the point of selling Lovenkrands. He is cheap, won't kick up a fuss when inevitably not playing, but will score some important goals when called on in an emergency.

There are some interesting anagrams for Gabriel Obertan Real Gibe Barton - A cryptic dig at Joey Barton signing him? A genital robber - a pervert? A aborting rebel - a trouble maker? Area Belting Orb - Man with strange head belts crosses into penalty area. Banal Ogre Biter - Bit of a hard man? No treble airbag - Injury prone? Treble Orb Again - Wins a lot of trophies? A granite lobber - Will lob goalkeeper rooted to the spot? A rabbiting role - Runs around pitch tenaciously? A terrain gobble - Covers a lot of ground? But the winner: Bargain Bolt Ere - Pacy and cheap. Why we signed him.

We need to pay significant money for a player that would do better than Shola. A lot better. Exactly. So why waste money trying to replace Shola? As by not wanting him, that is what we'd need to do.

Gabriel Obertan is an anagram for Real Gibe Barton

People need to get a grip. Can this club afford to sustain four top strikers? No. Is the club going to find another striker better than Shola but prepared to be fourth choice? No. Is another fourth choice striker going to be as motivated as Shola when he gets a chance? No. Is another fourth choice striker going to deliver the occasional matchwinner like Shola can? No. Is another fourth choice striker going to count towards a required home grown quota if we get into Europe over the next few years? No. So why pay significant money, on a player that wouldn't do better than Shola?

Great news. Those who don't think he makes decent affordable backup are delusional.

Getting Shola to see out his career here is the correct decision. As a backup strikers he is cheaper than other options and is an occasional match winner which is important. Besides, seeing him in a Stoke shirt did not feel right. He is shit, but he is our shit.

Slightly more tenuous, but a friend of a friend is Tim Krul's best mate. My Dad went to the same school as Ben Tozer, albeit 20 years before. A school friend was neighbours with the England U19 coach.

My Dad was a schoolmate/played on the same team as Trevor Francis. I went to school with a former Exeter City goalkeeper. My Uncle was a youth player at Bristol Rovers. My housemate's Dad played for Stoke.

The French trialist is called Edrem Adaola

Whatever Pikey

Would like to see Kerrissons stats for his age against similar for other strikers that didn't immediately break through such as Rossi and Carroll.

Fair comment. However these are just options. If it was a choice between selling a highly rated player to buy a defender or a striker, or having less options, I'd choose to sell Jonas ahead of other players (excluding the obvious such as Smith)

Obertan before Ben Arfa? wtf? In no particular order. Of course he bloody isn't. No particular order?! So Jonas isn't 6th choice then I only said who is better, not in what order I thought they were. You are just imagining I said things I didn't.

Obertan before Ben Arfa? wtf? In no particular order. Of course he bloody isn't.

Honestly, do people not remember how bad he is on the right wing?

Before someone asks me who is better: LW = Marveaux, Ben Arfa RW = Barton, Obertan, Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Gosling

From tomorrow, he will be the 3rd best left winger at the club (ahead of a top British prospect), and the 6th best right winger. Worth keeping?

To what? "Enrique smiles at Pardew"? Something imaginative on those lines