James

As you all know, my cousin's girlfriend operates the fax machine at SJP, and she's been saying that she has been carrying baked beans over water all day.

A return in normal form by Nobby there.

I dont think that much adjustment is needed really. The players that would need to adjust a the wing backs and the wide centre backs, and if the first signing, Geremi, and the believed second signing for these positions, Beye are to go buy, it looks like Allardyce is filling the team with players who can adapt quickly.

I've been following the debate about formations in various threads over recent weeks, and have now come to the conclusion that there is a good chance of seeing a 3-5-2 next season. My reasons for this are the following: Geremi This guy is a very athletic player who will run up and down the flank all day, and is able to play in both the right back and right wing role. Thus we have a player who can play energetically run our right hand side. Beye This guy continuously gets linked, and it has to be noted that the media have been pretty much on the ball with regards to our transfer targets this summer. What stands out is that as the player can play at both right back and centre back, he will be comfortable playing on the right hand side of the three centre backs, doing both full back and centre back duties where required. Sam wants two left backs We are close to signing a second right back, and he recently said to Crumpy that he wanted two left backs. I would apply Allardyce's right sided player choice to the left hand side, that is, his two targets are someone to play left wing back, and someone to play on the left hand side of the three centre backs. Our strikers Owen, Martins, Viduka and Owen cannot fit competitively into a 433/451 formation, and yet Allardyce seems keen to see all four stay. If one leaves, Gudjohnsen is the main target, and that wouldn't really work either. That would indicate that he is going for two up front, so formation variants have to be derived from that fact. Ball playing defenders The majority of defenders signed/linked like Geremi/Rozehnal/Edmilson/Beye are sometimes known for their ball playing skills more than their defensive skills. In a 3-5-2, defenders cant rely on help from full back/winger exchanges that Newcastle usually use to pass our way up the field if we opt not to lamp the ball. Ball playing centre backs would be able to playtheir way out of danger without bypassing the midfield. General player versatility I believe that to play 3-5-2, you have to have players who can adapt to their roles, and even offer possibilities of a change in formation when things aren't working out, or even just when we move from one area of the field to another. Rozehnal and Edmilson can play in both defence and midfield, as can Geremi. Beye can play both at centre back and full back. In midfield, Dyer, Milner, N'Zogbia, Solano, Duff and Luque can take up a variety of roles. Effectively, we could switch to 442, 343 or 433 with a simple touchline order, each player being extremely comfortable at playing in the role they switch to. Kieron Dyer Sam seems keen to utilise Dyer. I suspect that Dyer would form an invaluable part of a 3-5-2 formation. i think many criticisms of Dyer is that he never fits into the team, he is OK in many positions, but has weaknesses that people are quick to point out on: He doesn't track back from central midfield, exposing the defence. His finishing isn't good enough for a striker. He doesn't track back from right wing, and can't cross the ball in the air. However Dyer is excellent at running on and off the ball, covers a lot of ground, can score a decent amount for a midfielder, and is extremely underrated when it comes to his ability at passing the ball forwards. A 3-5-2 formation creates a midfield trio, providing two players to cover him, allowing him to do what he does best, i.e. supporting the players down the flank, supporting the attackers, and creating space for his team mates by scaring defences with his forward running. When injured, I believe that N'Zogbia and Milner are great cover for this role. Steve Round Is it a coincidence that we have hired a man who is not only meant to be one of the best tactical brains in the country, but also a huge supporter of making England adopt the 3-5-2 formation?

Czech left winger. Don't know much about him in real life, but he is the worst player in the Czech team on Pro Evo.

Riquelme has signed for Everton, it was on their official site last night.

No chance of him NOT getting the work permit.

He may have recruited them but the club pays their wages so if the Chairman says that they must honour their contracts, then they're going to have to honour them. Are the regulations not a fair bit different for staff to players? I'm not entirely sure on this but will staff not be able to resign with notice, or do they have to hand in a sort of "transfer request"? Just hand in notice - same with managers - remember Simon Jordan putting Steve Bruce on gardening leave? Inevitably, an agreement will be reached, as Bolton wont want people around who have their hearts set on working for a rival company.

Are you the James that has seriously pissed them off? Apparently so.

Blackburn fans seem to think he's rejected us in favour of them on the front page of this site.

Needs to learn how to say: "I'm not making excuses about injuries,but we have got some injuries at the moment" "I'm just going to check out Dirk Kuyt one more time"

1. Manchester United 2. Chelsea 3. Newcastle United 4. Tottenham Hotspur 5. Liverpool 6. Everton 7. Aston Villa 8. Arsenal 9. West Ham 10. Blackburn Rovers 11. Sunderland 12. Portsmouth 13. Reading 14. Birmingham City 15. Manchester City 16. Bolton Wanderers 17. Derby County 18. Middlesborough 19. Fulham 20. Wigan

Pardon? I've fixed my post.

Allardyce likes three kits, and chooses the kit he thinks will provide the best visibility wherever possible apparently.

All still vastly over paid. All I'm saying is that we cant complain about a players wages until we hear some reliable estimates on the actual pay package. I've got it from a good private source that Dyer is on £65kpw after Souness gave him his new deal. That's about £35kpw too much imo. Considering the insurers pay out when he is injured, I'd say that what he has provided us when fit has probably been worth the £60K-65K a week. He has insured to pay himself a further 50% more for when he's injured. He makes more money on the sidelines. Worth £65kpw this season? Fuk off man, and this was a good season for him. Good season because he stayed pretty much fit, and scored 7 in 25ish games despite being in a shit team. He was a very good and very important player under Robson despite rarely scoring, and his contribution, when fit, under Souness led to two good cup runs. Just wait for him to start flying next season. That 50% extra when injured would never happen. Sounds like one of those wage myths people use to get on the back of a player.

Source please. Club records, Chronicle, Times, Guardian. I've provided the source on Babayaro so many times to you, totally ignored, that it is not worth taking the time to find it again. Are the Chronicle, Times and Guardian not classed as the media? I should probably rephrase that. Shortly before a good player signs for us, the tabloids increase the offered wage by £20,000. Then,when these players are signed, we discover that it is all exaggeration from London/Top4 biased press. Then, as soon as a player starts underperforming, people seem to remember the prespeculated wage, and not the wage reported shortly after the player had signed. You wait, we'll get told if Edmilson signs that he is on £60K, then after an injury setback, he'llsuddenly find himself back on £120K.

All still vastly over paid. All I'm saying is that we cant complain about a players wages until we hear some reliable estimates on the actual pay package. I've got it from a good private source that Dyer is on £65kpw after Souness gave him his new deal. That's about £35kpw too much imo. Considering the insurers pay out when he is injured, I'd say that what he has provided us when fit has probably been worth the £60K-65K a week.

Source please. Club records, Chronicle, Times, Guardian. I've provided the source on Babayaro so many times to you, totally ignored, that it is not worth taking the time to find it again.

All still vastly over paid. All I'm saying is that we cant complain about a players wages until we hear some reliable estimates on the actual pay package.

About half of wages involving Newcastle players is made up and over exaggerated. Owen's £100,000 a week is actually £80,000 Dyer's £80,000 is actually £60,000 Babayaro's £50,000 is actually £25,000 So don't judge wages on what the media say.

I'd wait till January, then reassess the situation.

Which transfers?

Owen played on the right of a 433 for Real Madrid did he not?

Porritt is possible, I'm sure they wouldn't just tack it on to the end of a piece about Middlesborough players getting released if it was a first teamer.

More shortly they said. They were talking about Boro players who were not getting new contracts at the time, which was why I wasn't really listening.