Mr Logic

Well collectively I guess you are, but I am not looking at individuals statements. I'm expressing an observation that I think fits the bigger picture. The whole, the gestalt. There have been some posters who have expressed concern we are a couple of injuries away from a relegation battle. Others are angry we have not signed player 'x' or player 'y' and finish off with statements saying thing like 'It's quite obvious we have no intention etc. etc.' despite not really knowing what the intentions are. Then we have the tiresome posts that keep stating Ashley is only trying to make his money back. Even if true, we, as a collective, can choose to view things positively, (having some faith if you like), or we can all be negative. That is what I am talking about, that the general consensus is one of negativity. And IF our collective thoughts can have any influence, (and there is scientific data to suggest they can), then we will reap what we sow. No-one is denying we'd be better off with two or more three (quality) bodies in. It's about going with what we have. (Not doing this justice as wife is making new curtains and needs my assistance, and boy is she getting pissed. I'll come back to it if need be.)

I think the opposite is true, I think your way of thinking is incredibly negative and defeatist. I resent the insinuation that I "wish" for the worst. How do you come to that conclusion when the people who think like me are the ones who want proper investment and to improve the team by buying and keeping good players? How the fuck is that negative thinking? Negative thinking is being content as long as we're ticking along and not going out of business. I find it interesting you thought I was addressing you.

http://s3.postimage.org/uwktfveyu/Image1.jpg

Worst thing for me is I believe in the power of positive thinking. I think we largely get what we wish for, both singly and collectively. (And I don't mean 'I wish I had a Porsche' and one turns up in the next week.) All these people expecting the worst are most likely going to get exactly what they wish for. The few of us who are more optimistic are not enough to make a difference.

I've been trying to not log on, but it's like smoking - difficult to give up completely. Be effin glad when the window is shut.

How come the keeper never got sent off at 3:05 (approx), offside? I had no sound...

Can't be arsed to get into the debate - given it's been done to death on here, but I'm interested in watching an entertaining, achieving team on a Saturday and throughout the season and not really arsed about debt (Ashley's own making) and whether we've got the biggest bore-hole in the North East (which should have been paid for out of the clubs many other revenue streams), we've got some of the biggest arse-holes in the North East but Derek Llambias, Pardew etc are a different story. I'm sorry, what the fuck? NJM: Enrique hasn't gone, so he's still in this years squad. We've replaced Nolan with a better CM. Carroll and Ba have done the pretty much the same in the Premiership, a good 6 months each, but Ba has been good throughout previous seasons (I'm not saying Ba is a better player by any stretch of the imagination, but to say Carroll is a far superior player is also a stupid comment). Marveaux is an additional attacking option, which we didn't have last season. We've also brought in a new youngster, who I'd imagine/hope will be looking to make an impact here or there, and other youngsters who have improved over the course of last season. So yeah, I think the squad is better this season. You forgot to add that we also have Ben Arfa & Gosling available this season when they were conspicously absent last.

Wouldn't give me a price. http://s4.postimage.org/mhw1qvmve/Image1.jpg

I am not advocating never changing your opinion. I just find it kind of ironic you have this firm believe that our new players are an improvement on what we had (mainly Carroll and Nolan), yet fail to see how they represent a gamble as much as Campbell did this time last season. Sol turned out to be disappointing when we needed him, but he was still better than not having any cover at the club if you ask me. Tavenier and Kadar were at our disposal last season and we decided to loan them out. Kadar played one match for his club in the Championship. Tavernier did well a full 6 levels below the Premiership. To suggest either is ready to do a job in the Premiership seems to me like wishful thinking. In that you may have caught me out. I'm optimistic about them I agree. And I was never a fan of Nolan in spite of all his goals. In that I may be proved woefully wrong.

From?

Woah! Calm down mate.

Ridiculous statement. He was there as an option to bring on if we needed him. Who do you suggest we bring on now we need cover for centre back who we didn't have last season? No denying we're a body down, but my post was accuarate in that he was a liability. On that alone we can be no worse off as when he played he almost guaranteed the opposition a goal. I think he only had one decent game where he never made an error. Look up. You were quite impressed when we got him. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, some rewriting of history and some spin that no cover is better than available cover you have convinced yourself that we are no worse off. Well done. Did you look it up? I can't recall but I imagine I may well have thought it (Sol signing) was a good idea at the time. And of course hindsight is a wonderful tool. It means with new information you can reassess an opinion you previously held in a new light. Changing your mind doesn't make you an idiot, it means you are willing to take new information on board, sticking to your guns in spite of new evidence is more the behaviour of an idiot in my mind. As to cover I don't know enough about our upcoming reserves to comment. I see some praising Tavenier and Kadar, but I don't know them really. Are they a worse option than a diabolical campbell?

Ridiculous statement. He was there as an option to bring on if we needed him. Who do you suggest we bring on now we need cover for centre back who we didn't have last season? No denying we're a body down, but my post was accuarate in that he was a liability. On that alone we can be no worse off as when he played he almost guaranteed the opposition a goal. I think he only had one decent game where he never made an error.

Wasn't about team quality mate, was about quality of the attack... I might have 'stars in my eyes' but the sheer fact we have a fit Ben Arfa on the pitch improves the quality of the attack. He was here last season in case you didn't know. 3 and a 1/2 games man!

UV or Pip? I'd be more inclined to take Pips but neither are entirely dependent on the activity of NUFC so it's f***ing nonsense - last year was widely recognised as an anomalous year for a lot of teams and based on that, if we stick as we are in the market, i reckon we'll end up doing worse despite having some better players on the books I was referring to UV's proposal FWIW. Quite comical watching people try and squirm it into something else. On the contrary I think most of those other people have explained their reasoning very well. UV's shallow point-scoring exercise of counting goals rather than results is petty at best. It says more about those who want to support such a narrow argument than it does about those who are disputing it. To be fair, his bet was targeted at the supposed improved quality of our ATTACK. I would say goals scored is a pretty good measure for this, certainly better than the possession stat nonsense others have been coming up to counter his argument, wouldn't you agree? No I wouldn't. While Carroll is a formidable centre forward, I have never rated Nolan so highly and neither it seems have the rest of the premiership clubs. Carroll and Nolan did provide an effective Stoke-style partnership but it severely limited our passing game due to Nolan's lack of movement. As Baggio pointed out earlier, we scored more goals than Spurs, does that mean our attacking play was more effective than theirs? Yes, it means exactly that. Not sure how you could argue this... May not have been as pleasing on the eye as Barcelona style attacking, but effective it was. Would you rather we still had last years' team than the current one then (plus the two signings we are supposedly still to bring in)? As I've argued before and based on how it currently stands: a resounding yes. In attack, we have lost Carroll, by far our best and most promising striker, and got in Ba, somebody with a decent enough record but not at the same level. Conclusion: degression In midfield we have lost Nolan, our captain and scorer of many important goals for us in the last 2 seasons, and got in Cabaye and Marveaux, who look like good additions but have it all to prove in the Premiership. Conclusion: slight progress In defense we have lost cover in Campbell and not got anybody in. Conclusion: slight degression. Overall: we have lost almost half of our goals from the past 2 seasons and brought in some promising players with a lot to prove at this level. So yes, I would take last year's squad over the current one. Speculating about the 2 players yet supposedly to come in and how they will affect the squad strength is pointless; they may or may not come (if you don't believe me, look up Pardew's statements in January about bringing in reinforcements), and we may just as well lose key players such as Tiote, Enrique and Barton before the end of the transfer window without replacing them, like we have done before multiple times. Like everybody else I will have to wait until the transfer window is shut to judge whether we have gone forward or backward, but right now I think people are kidding themselves if they think our squad is stronger than it was last season. Post falls down on that alone, Campbell proved to be a fucking liability.

Wasn't about team quality mate, was about quality of the attack... I might have 'stars in my eyes' but the sheer fact we have a fit Ben Arfa on the pitch improves the quality of the attack.

Dont be fooled into thinking he'll be back up: i) Jose will go late in the window. ii) We wont have time to get in a replacement. iii) Naylor will be first choice LB with no senior cover. Call that pessimistic if you will, but its by far the most likely outcome. Unfortunately I agree. If the (so called) back-up plan is to up the bid for M'bengue should Jose leave, and Jose leaves late, any bid for M'bengue will get knocked back because they can't replace him in the limited window left.

Who said it was the "only way"..? It's as good a measure as any, though, and the fact nobody here ridiculing UV is willing to take him up on his bet tells its own story. Who is ridiculing UV? We're arguing the bet isn't very sound, and that's why no-one is taking it up. You're arguing with Dave that because no-one is taking up the bet everything UV says must be pertinent and accurate. Meh. Nah, I never said that. I just find it interesting that nobody is willing to take up the bet. Perhaps they don't actually place all that much trust in what they post. Ok, granted you never implied that.. http://s4.postimage.org/4889zq34i/normalcurve.jpg Does that help explain it?

Who said it was the "only way"..? It's as good a measure as any, though, and the fact nobody here ridiculing UV is willing to take him up on his bet tells its own story. Who is ridiculing UV? We're arguing the bet isn't very sound, and that's why no-one is taking it up. You're arguing with Dave that because no-one is taking up the bet everything UV says must be pertinent and accurate. Meh.

Who is getting worked up about it? People place bets on statistical chance. They'll take a bet based on their belief that they might win. I'm quite sure UV is aware, despite his excellent reasoning, that my previous point (which you've ignored) is a significant factor. Scoring more goals is a big ask, last season was a freak one. Bell Curves are very sound tools, last season we were well to the right, as were other teams, it was a freak season in many respects.

Not so sure, though I know where you're coming from. Based purely on football though Nolan may have a good idea of how well he'd do as a regular in the championship, bringing them straight back up which has to be Nolan's wish. Then there's Sam, maybe he only listens to advice when it suits him. Who knows in short form, could have saved a fair bit of typing if I'd just gone with that.

Just a bit more praise for this, supreme humour. I only just got it on re-reading.

No. http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Newcastle_United/Newcastle_United-change-kits.html Wow, some real eye-sores there. Don't even remember 1997-1998 A - and what the fuck were we thinking about in Jan 27 1951 & 1969-1974 A?

Well in all honesty i've never really seen Marveaux play so he would be higher up in pecking order and i've only seen Cabaye play once and i'd have Kranjcar ahead of him. Definitly think he would improve our team, he's a class act. Obviously could turn out Marveaux and Cabaye are both better but i'm not in a place to judge. Kranjcar is a much better football player than Marveaux. Well there you go, the resident Sylvain Marveaux expert has spoken.