macca888

Greg Then dont buy a ticket next season..........LOL

As was said in another thread, we cannot really expect to be prmoted and have a stable season with the same central midfielders who took us down in the first place. Interesting to naote WBA signed Koumas from Wigan on loan for the rest of the season today..............very good acquisition, IMO, if he stays fit.

Advocating going back to the PL with the same players that took us down in the first place would be a mistake. Granted, Guthrie has been played out of position most of the time but I worry about his lack of bite and fitness to play a major part in the centre of midfield. He was given plenty of opportunity in the middle last season and failed to really impress. There again, who did impress last season. Perhaps keep him as a squad member but we need better, fitter and more influential players than him playing in the centre wek in, week out.

Prophet So, what you are actaully saying is you would be happy to keep Guthrie in the side in the PL next season? You rate him higher than Barton as a footballer? IMO opinion, to survive in the PL next season, we are going to need players of greater all round quality and fitness than the likes of Smith, Butt, Nolan and Guthrie.

Ronaldo For once, I actually agree with you. I only watched the first half today because I thought it was hugely disappointing and it was late here too. From what I saw, Colo was head and shoulders our best player today. What annoyed me most was the lack of effort from ouir central midfield. Nolan got caught in possession numerous times and Smith was.....................well Smith as usual. The two full backs were reduced to just lumping the ball forward although Van whathisname at least did make an attempt to get further up the park. I thought we defended far too deeply and Swansea took advantage of the space in front of our defence. If they had a capable goalscorer, we would have lost the game by half time. I cant wait to see Barton back in the centre of midfield because we clearly lack some energy, creativity and bite in there. The sooner Jose gets back, the better although the dutch lad has done ok. We obviously miss the Jonas-Jose conmnection on the left. Taylor is actually a big miss too. I would think about partnering Barton and Hall in the centre of midfield when the time is right.

Big Tron Quite right too. Which leads you to think that if we do go up, what kind of season is ahead in the PL with this squad? At least some teams like Stoke will show what they lack in ability can be made up in other areas. Our lot just seem to think they are better than they really are. Some very hard decisions are going to have to be made in the summer and I dont think the current management regime have the capability of making those decisions therefore I am less than excited about the future prospects of the club.

Prophet We dont need to buy 4 central midfielders. Just a couple of decent ones with ability and vision would be nice.

We all know that Ashley wont sack Hughton because he is yes man and does what he is told. We wont get a big name manager because we dont have the funds to give him to spend. Ashley's 5 year plan is basically to put the club on the market every year for the next 5 years and hope he sells. That is it. We are stuck with Hughton so dont expect much in the ensuing seasons, e4specially if we go up.

prophet transfer window is closed. I meant flog him in the summer along with Smith, Butt and Nolan and replace them with players who have a basic idea on how to stay fit, can pass and move and create something because this lot havent got a fucking clue. By the way, we can still play Barton there when he is back. Try a midfield of Routledge, Hall, Barton and Jonas...................at least we would have some passion, pace, creativity and fitness

IMO we would get fucked over even in the SPL if displays at Derby and Swansea are anything to go by. I think it is a pretty well known fact that what the NOTW is saying is about right. Our only hope now is if we do go up, then Ashley sells the club quickly to a rich benefactor because I can see nothoing else but second rate players signed by a manager who will be clearly out of his depth in the PL. Hughton has done a good job under difficult circumstances to start with and we all thank him for that but he now has a very good squad together and we are putting in performances like that today???? I can only foresee difficult times ahead and a yoyo situation developing within our club if he stays. Swansea werre excellent today and their passing, movement and closing down was first rate. Our lot stood arouind like bystanders at a bus stop watching things all day. We were fucking rank. I have sunday league teams perform with more organisation, method and desire than that. FUCKING SHITEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Guthrie = Average championship standard player at best................................would suit someone like a Barnsley or a Sheffield Wednesday type team.................................Thinks he is better than he really is....................lacks pace, physique, awareness and fitness. We should sell him as soon as possible and be happy to get a million quid because he isnt even worth that.

One more thiong guys, we better hope we DONT get promoted to the EPL on this display because with this squad and what is being said in the NOTW today, we are in for some fucking Portsmouthish hidings next season if we do go up. NOTW apparently saying that Ashley only prepared to buy players with re-saleable value, under 25, only accept 15K per week and these conditions were the reason why Kilgallon and Beckford turned us down, Hope this not true.

That was woeful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just cannot understand how this side of ours is top of the league after watching that painful excuse for a football team today. If Swansea had a half decent striker, we would have been pummelled by half time. Hughton must see how second, slow and unfit our midfield is. I have seen tortoises turn faster than Nolan and Guthrie is just a total waste of space, continually giving the ball away or getting caught in possession, as did Nolan on several occasions. Our tactic seemed to be hit it as far up the park as possible with no real method at all. In all honesty, I switchjed off at half time and went to bed as it was 1.00am in the morning here and I wasnt prepared to give up any more much neeeded sleep to watch this abortion of a club any longer.

HTL Well, It looks after all that I was right and your attempts at ridicule have backfired, as usual Maybe, one day, you will learn.

Geez, you guys make me feel old. First game for me was in 1964, home v either Portsmouth or Rotherham, cant remember which but we won 1-0 with a goal from full back George Dalton. The following week, Dad took me to see us play PNE who included a young Howard Kendall and we thumped them 5-2. I remember we had this ginger headed left winger called Colin Taylor who had the hardest shot I think I have ever seen. Used to love the atmosphere before the game with the hamburgers and the bovril and not forgetting the peanuits, tanner a bag etc etc.

Ameobi and Lovenkrands - 15 goals each

Barry, Gerrard and Lampard are certs but I would also think Huddlesstone might be close and if Joe Cole can put a decent run of games together, I think he might get in as well.

Derby got a good away point yesterday and seem to be running into some form. This game will not b easy but as I said bwefore, we need Colo and Smith back to boost the defence. The rest will take care of itself if we are patient.

Home advantage? Absolutely, for a variety of different reasons including Psychological, travel, strange beds, away from family, breaking routines, pitch sizes and conditions etc etc. If you look at Liverpool, as the players walk out, there is a sign in the tunnell, "THIS IS ANFIELD" and I have been told first hand that this sign sends shivers down a players spine as they run out to be greeted by the crowd. Not many teams win there. It is easier for a player to rock up to a home game on a saturday afternoon after spending time relaxing with the family in the morning than it is for a player to arrive after a long coach journey or flight. A couple of years ago, one team had a particularly turbulent flight to Portsmouth and ending up getting thumped. Pitch sizes can effect away teams. A number of years ago, I coached a side here in Australia where our pitch had a steep gradient. I alwys instructed my captain to kick down in the second half and most opposition captains chose to kick downhill in the first half thinking it was an advantage. We set our stall out to defend deeper in the first half and pushed up in the second when the opposition started to tire. Out of 14 home games, we won 13 and several of those games were winners in the last 5 to 10 minutes.

I agree to a certain extent. We can loosen up in thosae last 20 minutes when the opposition tire from breaking us down. Furthermore, we can llet rip in home games because I dont see many teams stopping us at SJP from the games remaining (touch wood). It might sound too cautious but if you cast your mind back 15 years, we lost a possible premiership because we failed to close out away games defensively when ahead because we were too gung ho in attack. I dont want to see that happen this time.

If all 5 are available, you play the pair according to the opposition. If they have a slow backline, I would probably go for pace and power with either Carroll or Best with Loven krands. If it is going to be a battle against a relatively tall and skillful defence, then Shola and Carroll. We should think about loaning Nile Ranger out to a lower league CC or upper League 1 club for the remaining of the season on the condition he starts most games and can be recalled if needed. Of course, he cant play against us.

It is not a wind up. Look at our performances so far this season. They have rarely excited but we have won games, especially away, due to workmanlike performances. If we are to win these away games, first priority is not to concede. If that means stiffening the defence and hitting teams on the break, especially in the last 20 minutes we might like to intorduce some pace up front, then so be it. But my first priority is to keep a clean sheet. Do that and we gain at least a point away. Keep the full on attacking play to home games where the opposition can be intimidated by the home record and the crowd. From the home games remaining, the only one that worries me is Forest and I am pretty certain we will beat them.

Yorkie I am no Ashley supporter at all but I think a lot of people on here need to grasp the reality of the situation currently at our club and in football in general. Whilst Ashley has made a lot of mistakes, I doubt anyone on here, including myself, has a full understanding of the financial plight we were in. He has been forced to make cuts in order to see the club survive. We are still paying players way over their market value and the fact that he has signed some good players this last window is proof that he has supported the manager. The likes of Beckford and Moses were not signed for reasons probably beyond Ashley's control and therefore he cannot be blamed for not getting these players. However, his silence in recent times added to the actions of supporting the manager in the last window only supports the theory that he now understands the mistakes he has made and is determined to ensure the club progresses within the financial situatioin it can operate in. Remember, we are still paying off transfer fees run up by the previous regime and I do not want us to end up like Portsmouth or Palace.

Here are some of the players I can think of that are specifically related to NUFC. Some of you may be too young to remember: Hugo Viana Paul Gascoigne Irving Nattrass (best RB in England) Silvio Maric (like Viana, superb skills but not suited to the pace of the english game) Tony Green (What an absolute waste through injury, second best player I have ever seen) Alan Suddick (naturally gifted footballer who was controversial and made the wrong move in jOINING bLACKPOOL) Frank Clark (fans hated him at NUFC but went on to win european cup medals at Forest) Pop Robson (best uncapped forward in the UK at the time) John Tudor (what a workhorse and never given the credit he deserved as a foil for Supermac) Jinky Jimmy Smith (great talent but only when he felt like it) oohh and not forgetting Keith Kettleborough

No, it is not Chris. Maybe Colin though