James

He was a commentary legend that should have retired a few years ago.

Replacement for Alan Smith you'd hope.

I'd sign up to that tbf! Someone else in ahead of Alan Smith, yes. Piling all the expectation on a 16 year old, no. what if he's a total rooney-esque genius when he turns up? Then we won the lottery, but otherwise, I wouldn't expect to see him in the first team for another four~five years at least. agreed, just saying like...if he's shit hot throw the little tinker in from time to time, couldn't be worse than smith or duff The trouble is though that we wouldn't know whether he is shit hot or not, and that is where the problem lies. I've seen it before on here, people clamouring for an untried youngster against the manager's judgement as an alternative to dross currently being served up on to the pitch. Hasn't signed yet and people are already talking about him making the team in one year. Fact is that with all this clamour, should he come on as a 19 year old sub and merely show a few good touches, people will write him off. I wouldn't want to be trying to develop as a player in this pressure cooker.

http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/06/28/magpies-offered-beast-of-seville-61634-21165867/

Fair enough, but he wasn't wanting it, what he wanted was a new deal in January. The club fuked about and lost by the sounds of it a good coach, again. Hardly going to expect Keegan to decide whether or not to keep him on in January.

http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/06/27/everton-boss-looks-to-recruit-first-team-coach-round-61634-21159552/

I heard that it is he who isn't signing as a promotion to Ass Man at Everton is on the cards. Yes that job offer has been on the table for the last year hasn't it? Pretty much, since November.

I heard that it is he who isn't signing as a promotion to Ass Man at Everton is on the cards.

FYP. That team may beat Mars.

More realistic than playing another planet at football tbh. Another pointless unprovoked dig. Have you never heard of an analogy?

Hughton was supposed to be Pearson's replacement.

I'd say Ferdinand is easily the best English player at the moment, and definitely in the top three England players over the last ten years or so. If tommorrow, we needed an Earth XI to take on a Mars XI, Ferdinand would be the only player with a chance of making the team.

I really have no idea who. The defenders i rate simply wouldn't come here and i don't take as much notice of a good defender as a good attacker when watching footie from abroad. Celluer seems to be rock solid, would be the 1st name that comes to mind. People have this obsession with a 'ball playing centre half' which apparently KK loves, can't say i noticed that in his 1st days here, but it was a while ago, secondly who are these ball playing centre halves? Thirdly, what makes a good one, someone who can pass? A good ball playing defender is not just a good passer, but is someone who can carry the ball out of defence and into the midfield, forcing a central midfielder to deal with it, allowing a team mate to push on up the pitch with more space. Plus they need to be able to defend, as well as any other.

I'd sign up to that tbf! Someone else in ahead of Alan Smith, yes. Piling all the expectation on a 16 year old, no.

May start off with an innocent comment about hoping he makes the grade nice and early, but you just know that six months down the line an army of posters led by Sir Harold of Norway will be demanding his instant placement into the first team ahead of Alan Smith.

I don't doubt that Duff and Smith will both get new chances, and both will still be here, but it is up to them to take them. I think that there is still some hope for Duff, he hasn't lost his technique.

One of Habib Beye's favourite players.

For me, the best Barca team is: Keita Toure Xavi Iniesta Messi Henry

Trouble with Barca is that much poorer teams were able to walk through that kind of midfield last season. Two holding midfielders might work, but anything else with the line ups that are being thought up will not make Barca any better than last season.

Keita is a holding midfielder mate. Suppose swapping him and Arshavin around could work.

Senna is class like, but Arshavin has never played against a holding midfielder in this tournament or one of any real class. All CL teams have a holding midfielder, and some are even better than Senna so i think put him in at Barca where he will be meeting these types of opponents week in week out then i think he'll be shown up big style. Yes but in the champions league playing for Barcelona teams are not just going to stop Arshavin there is Messi Iniesta Xavi and whoever else they bring in He was singled out yesterday because of how good he is put him in a team with other world class players and he will be brilliant OK, lets talk hypothetical Barcelona teams, where can Arshavin play? Assuming a flat back four is played, which six out of the following do you pick? (and yes I do know that some might be off) Xavi Iniesta Deco Toure Keita Gudjohnsen Eto'o Ronaldinho Henry Ezquerro Messi Bojan Arshavin

Spain and Villareal would be nothing without him.

Yeah, I had posted similar before the game, the English press have linked the oppositions star playerto Manchester United before with similar purpose. Things seem to have snowballed however.

So, would you be saying you wouldn't welcome him as a signing then? At Newcastle yeah, but at the better clubs that already have several good players, I'm not so sure.

Worked nowhere near hard enough for the cause. To beat a team like Spain in that form, all eleven players need to be doing their utmost.