James

I've always thought that was bollocks since the time when he was an injury time 'wind the clock down' sub at WBA away (when Kinnear got ill). Surely if we owed money after x appearances we'd have put someone else on for the final 90 seconds? Simple matter is that if he doesn't get on the pitch four times this season, he can request a free transfer. Why can't he request one now? Well FIFA inserted a clause that if by the end of the season a player aged 24 or over has not played in 10% of games (where available) he can terminate his contract within 15 days with no need for recompense. It is in the same rulebook that we used to sign Jonas.

I've always thought that was bollocks since the time when he was an injury time 'wind the clock down' sub at WBA away (when Kinnear got ill). Surely if we owed money after x appearances we'd have put someone else on for the final 90 seconds? Simple matter is that if he doesn't get on the pitch four times this season, he can request a free transfer.

This is the second time I've seen you compare him to Beardsley. Please can you explain why you think this is the case?

If it is like most players who have this injury, it will be more like April when he is able to return to a similar level to when he was at Everton.

Would that be the same Ashley Cole who rarely puts a foot wrong for club or county and is widely regarded as the best around? Don't think his England performances are at the level they were 4 years ago. He's still the best, but think he could be better if he wanted.

I did read an interview with Krul where he said he signed the contract because Harper told him how long he expects to stay in the first team.

Gibbs reminds me a lot of Ashley Cole when he was that age. Has that eagerness Cole seems to have lost too.

The old Newcastle would lose this fixture so this is progress!

Guthrie and Lovenkrands would be the best bet against the tactics used against us, but only one is on the bench.

Can I reccommend the following chant: "At least we aren't managed by Sam Allardyce"

Are you thick?

They've had a day more to prepare. Probably wasted by Allardyce shouting at then through a megaphone but they'll still be fresher.

Has it actually happenned?

You know Allardyce will credit himself for Tiote's mistake saying it was all part of the plan and soon everyone will be trying it. Hope he can recover and adapt.

Allardyce has blatantly picked that team hoping a goal-less draw will help him prove a point.

Think we are right not rushing into this. We do need to make a decision on whether he is the right man for the next three years, and the next few months are the test. Signs are promising that he'll exceed expectations, and if he does I can't wait for him to sign in the new year.

I remember the article. Hughton said he first saw Tiote when Keegan asked him to take a look. No indication that Keegan found or spotted him, just that he had at least heard of him and needed someone to have a look. Keegan is the Messiah but he isn't omniprescent. Hughton went out, had a look and reported that he wasn't ready but one to monitor for the future.

Appreciate the point about the timing, but felt the need to speak out after three excellent results posters are still suggesting that Ben Arfa should just walk into the team. And IanW, you are right, they do all have limitations, but in this system they haven't been exposed...yet!

Pulis' idea is so open for referee blackmail. You know some managers will be less generous than others, so refs will try and pander towards the likes of Pulis, Redknapp and Fergie to the disadvantage of more laid back managers such as Hughton and di Matteo.

He could play, and do a better job than whoever is currently there, in pretty much all our attacking positions. Can he emulate the goalscoring of Carroll and Nolan? The midfield dominance of Tiote? The early delivery of Barton? The running of Jonas? The physicality and hard work and semi-regular goals of Shola? The above are all reasons why the current system is working well at the moment, and unless he can better any of the above, I don't see how exactly he can get into the team. Unless Hughton can think of a better system that incorporates 5 of those players plus Ben Arfa.

Well if our current system continue to work, he can only play in Jonas' role. So the question is, do we change the system to accomodate the players, or do we squeeze him in? Regardless, we can no longer expect him to be starting when he gets back as our biggest strength is the team, which is built on the common sense philosophy of staying in the side if you play well.

I thought the celebration was a bad impression of Robbie Elliott.

I think Ameobi has been the big difference. Yes, he will lose the ball and cock up at times, but later in the match he'll get involved in a great piece of build up, and his partnership with Carroll is reminiscent of when he was with Shearer in that the expectation is on the other man and Shola can play his own game. The other thing about Shola is that he has retained those small things that have been passed onto him by Robson and Shearer like that little tug on the shirt, that little nudge, things that helped us camp in opposing halves under sir Bobby.

Will he get on the pitch in four league games this season? If not he can terminate his contract without any compensation owed to Newcastle.