Mr Logic

Don't think goalkeepers quite qualify as impact players, if Given is a casualty it's surely because he won't accept second fiddle at any time?

Is that why he backed Souness and Roeder too? LOL, I never said his observations were always sound and level, unlike your own negativity of late.

I'm quite sure they are being seen and will be addressed, in time. Unless you think Allardyce is some kind or Roeder-clone.

Pleasure reading that HTT, you're invariably a wellspring of sound and level observation that increases my optimism for the future.

My only concerns are if Roz and Cash are to be the main pair all the time we will be exposed in the air too often. I believe we need a bruiser in there in the shape of Taylor or Faye. FB's looking gooood, Beye and Enrique. Christ I can hardly believe this, last season we never had a defence and now we can worry about who we leave out.

Great result, and really nice to see the change of formation into a far more balanced and threatening one in the latter stages. The deep defence was not pleasant to watch but I understand the reasoning behind it, nullifying them exploiting the space behind with pace. Only thing was it gave them way too many headers in range of goal!

I see Lawro has got us down for a win, and a clean sheet! The bastard has worked out he's a jinx!!

I'm wondering if that's what actually went wrong in this game, Big Sam knew he couldn't put out the team he wanted and he knew he didn't want to lose. So using his stats he put out the 8 (ignoring front 2 and GK) players who came out first in the stats for most tackles won and various other stats that would, in theory, make us hard to beat. What I'm really wondering is if Sam pays too much attention to these stats sometimes. If he lacks imagination, or fears to make a mistake, falling back on stats everytime as a solution will only produce more results like monday night when you least expect them. If the 'stats' have become a crutch of support, one that provides him with the answers he'd sometimes rather not make, or is uncertain about, it will not bode well for the future. Any one of us would have gone for goals at Derby knowing full well that once the ball was in the net every Derby player would have been thinking 'Here we go again.' Sam set out to nick a goal and frustrate them at the same time. It was a major error, and one the players compounded because they were stifled. Told to 'Get into them' they'd have probably done him, and us, proud. ( As long as Smith wasn't on the right wing )

Allardyce?

I blame the clinical psychologist. Needs someone to teach clinical passing and finishing.

I'd have played Taylor LB, Beye RB, Zoggy LW, Milner RW

If Allardyce ever starts Smith on the right of midfield again I'll be absolutely gobsmacked. Technically and tactically that was more Roeder/Souness football than I'd care to see. And I'm afraid we are going to see a lot more of it as BSA sets out to 'not lose' away from home. Didn't work though, and there's many more times it won't if he insists on this brand of 'tactics'. It's all very well setting out to create a strong defensive unit, though clearly it's not quite there yet, but you still need a spark of creativity, an attacking outlet. Persisting with the same set up into the second half suggests to me he is too hesitant, or lacking the imagination, to change things. Something we villified Roeder for. I can't help but think if Keegan had had that exact same squad to choose from we would have kept a clean sheet due to Derby being so damned busy defending - and picking the ball out of their own net a few times. I'm still pleased he's manager, for the moment, but I can't handle football like that. Woeful.

I blame Allardyce, seriously.

They seem to have had a fair few shots in relation to us, even if they're not testing Harper too much so far they're making chances.

Didn't think Beye would play, he'll get to watch a couple more games yet, maybe play in the cup though.

Amen, I'd like 5.. at least. edit: From the top 4 games I mean, not Derby and Bolton, that's 6 already

When did SA brand Martins a squad player? I must of missed that, any link to quotes? Anyway, to answer the question.. I'd like to see Smith and Owen a few times together.. but Howaythelads pretty much answered the question with his assessment of 'One of Owens/Martins with one of Smith/Viduka'. I believe Martins and Owen could be coached into a good partnership, and they'd also gel better by playing together, but as it is Martins is too immobile*. He needs to learn to be looking for space all the time, the more he moves the more he'll pull defenders with him but now and again he'll get clear. And the times he pulls a defender with him all the more space for Owen, and vice versa. With the right midfield, playing football and not skyball, they could be very decent. Injuries may one day force Allardyces hand, otherwise we're unlikely to see it much. *I'm basing this assessment mostly on last season as I haven't really seen him play this one.

I know what you're saying, but that would be even worse than a tad concerning.. Pretty sure SA wouldn't do that?

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Portsmouth have 6 pts from 6 games, not too good a return some might say but they have played last seasons top four once already. They're going to be pushing Liverpool for one of the Euro spots (along with us with a bit of luck) imo.

If we are lucky it will be something like 7-0. If it's 2-2 I'd say that was shit out of luck personally.

I recall a time, not so many years ago, when commentaters and pundits alike enthused about the amount of quality on Newcastles bench.

My worry is that caution from Sam, making sure we don't concede, leads to another draw when the goals don't come at the other end. On the other hand we might set about it the way we did at Bolton, I certainly hope so. A win will put us into third, as the table stands now, a place I'm sure we'd all be very happy with.

I find it so uplifting to read people talking abut our players positively and saying how it could be rather than all the negative comments like: Not good enough. Get rid. Useless. etc. He may still struggle a bit in the premiership sometimes, with people closing him down quicker, but he has a lot to offer. Not least in terms of link-up play and creativity.