The College Dropout

Like any true TEAM they were better as a unit than individually unlike this lot. Furthermore, we always tried to play to our strengths. You worry about us!

Interestingly I think the running CM is coming back into football.

Did we really? We had a Coventry flop in Bellamy, an unknown Frenchman, an ageing Shearer and Speed, an injury plagued Dyer and the likes of Dabizas in defence. We had a front 6 back then to rival any in the league back then and you know it. They all complimented each other perfectly, too. We did and we do today, but unlike Shearer et al, our lot now do not compliment each other in the same kind of way and again that's down to the manager and the tactics/system/formation etc. he deploys. I agree the manager is getting it wrong. Massively wrong. But our side today is well short of the circa 2003 quality. We will have to agree to disagree then. Bobby's side was better balanced, had more leaders and players with good mental strength and it also had more pace but this side has more technical ability and more diverseness. We have more options today basically. Back then it was 4-4-2 or nothing. Shearer up top, Bellamy off him, two wingers, a sitting midfielder and a runner, again or nothing. Back then there was less better sides than exist today too. I just wonder what this team would achieve with someone like Bobby managing them or even KK. We would certainly play much better football which will always give you the chance of finishing in high places. This lot against the SBR side would either lose 4-1 and get blown away or win 2-1 and grind it out. A prime Bellamy is reminiscent of Shane Long and we hate to see him.

It does indeed, unlike you however, I think we will not finish in a good position. By the way 2003/04... we did extremely well to finish as high as we did given the injuries and number of games we played. We had such a strong defence that year, we lost only 8 games all-season, a joint record I think and conceded fewer goals than in many a year. We did draw a lot though. Such a frustrating season. Partizan, Marseille... Was that the last year we got to the semi's in a cup competition? Let's nto talk about that Man Utd. game.

I'm being picky, but Tiote is not 'easily' one of the best midfielders in the league. Certainly not on the last 12 months worth of performances. One of the "better". Tiote & Cabaye are outnumbered in midfield most weeks and they put up a good fight. Up against 2 CM's i'd fancy Tiote is better than most in this league. you say last 12 months. He played and finished in most of the games we had last season ffs.

Did we really? We had a Coventry flop in Bellamy, an unknown Frenchman, an ageing Shearer and Speed, an injury plagued Dyer and the likes of Dabizas in defence. We had a front 6 back then to rival any in the league back then and you know it. They all complimented each other perfectly, too. This. So much pace with some pure class in there. From the 4 in midfield you could expect 20 goals a season. Very much a soft touch with a soft centre no doubt. But good enough to finish top 5 three seasons in a row. On a good day we had Solano, Dyer, Speed, Jenas, Robert, Viana, Shearer, Bellamy, Shola & even LuaLua. That's 10 players who could realistically get us a goal. Forget the players Bobby had a pretty simple attack philosophy. You had pace through the middle pushing teams back or punishing them. 2 wide players capable of picking a pass and great deliveries. had energy in midfield. And some good finishers. We played our way and it was up to the opposition to stop us.

I do like players performing well being given a chance but I would like to believe, in regard to certain players that there is a plan to introduce players in the 1st team. All this chopping and changing isn't good. There's flexibility but we must have a spine.

It's not even tactical, this goes back to training. Look like total strangers. We have no identity. We don't impose ourselves, our game on the opposition. No patterns of play, nothing. That's why it's so easy for us to chop and change, we have no "natural" way of playing. WTF Shola Ameobi is doing defending in the box in open play I don't know. What was Shola's role today? Does it play to his strengths? Does it really benefit the team?

The strikers don't half isolate themselves a lot of the time.

I don't like to wish injuries and the like, so yeah, red cards all over would be mint.

His touch and some of his range of passing is excellent.

I hate it when people say stuff like this unless its a friendly Tbf a lot of managers do exactly that. If we are winning and are at full strength YoCabs will get subbed. Same with Nobby under SBR.

He's so deep sometimes it's a nightmare. Wish he would have the ball in the final 3rd more often.

He needs to develop some proper attacking "moves" if that makes sense. Whether it's a favourite pass, a shot, something.

Without Cabaye he has to try more ambitious passes. Bigi & Anita won't do it.

Scholes regularly puts in late sliding challenges that could seriously hurt the opposition. Cattermole is the one who really looks to "do" players. For a supposed hard man, Tiote's had 2 red cards in 3 seasons playing for Newcastle United.

It makes me laugh when people still talk about size and its relevance to the premier league. Size got nothing do with it. When midgets like Gianfranco Zola and Claude Makelele have flourished in this league and arguably when it was even more physical back then compared to the whistle blow happy refs we got today. Apart from decent skills, Aggression and the hunger to fight in games is what players need at least to survive in this league. Not size. How many diminutive central midfielders are there in the PL though? Makelele yes, a world class player by all accounts. Makelele was very strong too. I either case I think Anita can do it, he just needs time and patience.

I could see Anita going on to being our Ramires, based on nothing but being a quick, small, battling, shuffling, foreign black player who many thought lack the physicality to succeed in the PL. ATM Jonas has that kinda Ramires role (of last season) where he plays like a very narrow wideman who helps out in the middle without any of the running in behind Ramires does. I think Anita could do that job better than Jonas.

As a DM in a midfield 3 he's pretty solid. Don't want him anywhere midfield in a 4-4-2, he's far too limited on the ball. He passes like a defender. Doesn't have the engine for it either at this level.

It's not really.

Unfortunately, this is bullshit. Perch passing isn't Premiership CM quality. Especially in a 4-4-2 it's a terrible idea. Actually terrible. Good article on Cabaye/Tiote http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/statszone/archive/2012/10/05/tiote-and-cabaye-find-the-perfect-balance-as-newcastle-look-to-repeat-history.aspx We simply do not have the quality to drop either Cabaye or Tiote for anything more than 1 game as a kick up the arse. Perch is never a Premiership quality CM starter. Bigi & Anita have more potential in that role long-term.

That little diamond we had for awhile looked pretty good tbh.

We'll defend pretty deep against WBA. Long is a problem.

While he needs to reign it in you have to take the good with the bad with players like him.

Krul's distribution is terrible too...