James

Hasn't it occured to you that if Martins had played instead of Owen he might just of scored himself? Or got a hat-trick? Or set up numerous goals? Or been sent off? You dont know with Martins, anything could have happenned. But you can be sure that if you get everyone else playing well, and consistently get the ball into the box, we'd score more goals over the course of a season with a fit Owen than a fit Martins, as for 89 minutes, Owen's attacking play is better than Martins.

The Milner quotes are on Newcastle World if people still dont believe that the proffessionals reckon Owen played a big big part in our goal vs Sunderland.

Milner said Owen deserved credit for his goal vs Sunderland. I dont know if you see MOTD in Holland, but last season, Martins was criticised by Shearer for not attacking the six yard box, but instead looking for space at the edge of the box. Thus Owen is making the right decisions, and Martins has not. I cant fully remember the Reading goal, as stated in my initial post, so I wont discuss that one until I see it again.

Gejon let me explain the points I made, then perhaps you will better understand where i am coming from.: Milner basically confirmed that his cross went in because the run from Owen drew Craig Gordon out of position. When the ball has been in that kind of area, and Martins was on the pitch, Martins would have (probably)ran backwards towards the eighteen yard line to find space, which would have meant that Gordon had an easy catch. There were similar situations for the Portsmouth and Reading goals where Owen occupied areas where Martins would normally have not. The passing success rates come from Telegraph match stats. And the last paragraph consists of ifs and buts based on what went before.

You're a fucking fruit loop. I don't care what you think thank you.

I hope this post is a piss take Obviously I'm ignoring the hideous injury record and his inability to fit in with the team's best system, but when it comes down to quality, there is only one winner.

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost. We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement). That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals. Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins. Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

Allardyce has done the right thing regarding transfers, the players he wants have been unavailable or turned us down so he's prepared to wait for the right players to come along. After how far the club has gone backwards in the past few years he's going to struggle to attract any real quality, especially in January. Crouch, Ben Haim, Diouf, Arshavin, Jaaskelainen etc are the sort of players we will be looking to attract, not top class but players who will help improve the squad and push us back up to a European place. But isn't that the problem. Faye Cacapa Roz Taylor are all good players, Ben Haim isn't that much of a step up. Arshavin could work out but again, is he that much of a step up from Barton Emre etc, the same with Jaaskelainen over Given. Adding more good players isn't going to boost us significantly, and just add to the likelyhood of more shuffling of the pack trying to fit players in. I'm sure the current squad is good enough to get us to a similar level and it is just the system they are trying to play that is holding the team back to an extent. Sort out a first 11, get them playing to a style they are comfortable with and then spend big if we have a chance at a player that really can add to the mix. You could argue that, the players we are being connected with are the players that can work with Sams tactics better than the ones currently at his disposal, but that doesn't say much when a good deal of the team are his own buys in the first place. Which is what I was getting at and you can understand where he's coming from if he does sign the likes of Crouch, Diouf and Arshavin, 3 players who you would think are suited to the 4-3-3 formation which he favours, I think his problem at the moment is the strikers he has are not really suited to it apart from maybe Martins, we've seen what Viduka's like up top in a 4-3-3 and he doesn't look too clever, Owen doesn't have anything that makes you think he could play there either. The problem he has is that the better players he want didn't want to come in the Summer, so I think the best thing he can do is take the long term view of getting the team playing how he wants(4-3-3) and add quality when hopefully we improve under the tactics he knows best, I said in another thread that some of the players he brought in were with a short term view just to get numbers in rather than being an important part of the team for the future. Agreed, but even as 'bodies' they have been dissapointing, and that has more to do with Sam than the squads individual abilities in my opinion. Sadly this will probably mean the end of the road for some of our more popular players, and I can see people getting somewhat disgruntled with the replacements, despite the need for them if we are to stick with Sam and follow his long term plans through to their logical conclusions. Personally, I can see Owen, Emre, Martins, Milner, and N'Zogbia all being potential long-term casualties, and this could prove unpopular with many.

Terms agreed with Bruce.

We will not spend more than £10m in January because other clubs wont want to sell. Asking for anything more is stupid and unrealistic.

Well now we get a month to see whether we are better without Owen in the team as some have claimed. If so, it will be down to tactics rather than player quality, but it is easier to change one player than a whole team. In that case, get rid, even though he is less of a financial worry than he was under Shepherd. If we dont do any better without him though, we should stick with him as he is better than Martins at scoring goals if the supply is there. Whatever the situation, and whoever he is playing for, I think it is pefectly reasonable for his employers to publicly request that Owen is not selected for any more internationals this season if England aren't going to be in the Euros.

England are bound to lose as many English players are stupid enough to not want to play abroad.

I like the sound of that. There isn't really much for a captain to do most of the year, as the squad aren't together. Maybe though we could announce who the permanent captain is for international tournaments.

I reckon January would be the best time to sign this guy, I can perceive Allardyce doing what Fergie did with Evra and Vidic. Thus he could be a bit of a Luque until 2008/09, but then he becomes a bit brilliant, playing in some attacking midfield role in whatever system Allardyce is slowly trying to tune this season.

Perhaps its six months out if he needs surgery. He clearly has a major long-term problem that was caused by a thug called Marlon Harewood.

Whenever someone slates Bobby, just remind them that a defence of: Griffin Bramble O'Brien Hughes beat Juventus 1-0 in the Champions League Not to mention: Griffin Dabizas O'Brien Hughes who beat Feyenoord 3-2. Makes him well worth the money.

It is true though that he rejected our first approach in 1999 because we wouldn't pay him enough. Although I prefer to believe that the offer from Shepherd was derogatory as mentioned in Robson's autobiography.

There seems to be a pattern in Roeder following what other people tell him. I remember last January he wasn't buying people because one of his mates told him that the player was no good.

You. incorrect *Checks threads* *Sees thread about England team* *Opens thread* *Posts in thread* *Posts again in thread* no honestly mate i don't care Then stop god damn posting in this motherfucking thread.

He lives near Chester-le-Street. He probably owns several properties, but I dont care as he has deserved it.

I've never got why England make no attempt at hiding their team selection. Before every match at the World Cup, the press all knew and published the starting lineup based on the teams that feature in the training match.

I think our defence is better than it has been since Bobby Moore became past it, but we are a lot lot worse in midfield than we were in the 90's.

I dont think there is any outright interest, just a case of our scouts doing their jobs, and Levski's Finacial Director doing his job by trying to drum up the valuation of one of his teams players.

So has anyone been following his progress this season for Le Havre since its become pretty likely that he has signed for us?

Poor Sir Bobby. I hope the football world get some kind of chance to thank him before it does happen.