Northern Monkey

I see some people believe Martins can improve under Keegan. Well, i hope som because at the moment, there are some massive, massive problems with his game. Perhaps he can be taught how to shoot consistently, make half decent runs, pass or use space intelligently. Perhaps not. Owen is still a better footballer, and - assuming he stays fit - is likely to get more goals.

Owen - he is a far better footballer than Martins.

Are we? Which one? Cos of the first setence is true, so is the second.

All mouth and no cock Think he could batter the shit out of a few people actually. I suspect that he, like that other "toon hardman" Barton, would get a good shoeing in the majority of boozers.

This.

If your average is 4 then thats an excellent post. If it isn't, then your just doing your usual attention seeking. My average is 5. I thought that would be obvious, as most ratings are 0-10. So 5 is in the middle. Thank you for caring, though. Mwah.

He's been marginally better on the left this season. The problem is Duff and N'Zogbia are both better than him there. I'd say he's better on the right, and i don't fall in line with the recent spate of Milner-bashing. No, he's not the bestest winger in the world, but he is better there than a number of players in THEIR position, who get a lot less stick. He's our best right winger, and i believe he'll flourish under Keegan. You seem to rate average people who try hard though, see Taylor. No i don't, see Smith. I rate players who i feel have ability/potential. And i don't think knocking players because they are not fashionable/bought by the manager people are blindly throwing their support behind/ace on FM2007 is particularly appropriate. I just call it as i see it.

Given: 7 - Did nothing wrong, great save in the end. Enrique: 5 - Not really up to speed, and soem of his clearances lacked what you might call "direction", but getting better, without doubt. Cacapa: 5 - Slightly shaky at times, luckily not completely stretched. Taylor: 5 - Not much different to Cacapa. Did nothing wrong, did nothing impressive. Carr: 6 - We KNOW he's not really good enough, but rose to what challenge there was. Rozenhal: 4 - Christ, he's no DM. Mind, he's no CB either. Not good enough, totally out of his depth. Zoggy: 5 - Had hoped for more of him here after Stoke. Still think he's better out wide. Duff: 6 - I thought he was ok, without really impressing. Not creatingas much as he couldm but you could see what he was TRYING to do. Better than most games in the past. Milner: 5 - Crossing was disappointing, but you coudl see clearly from being there that there was little on for him in the centre (right) of midfied. Will have to do better than this. Owen: 5 - Got little service, but did little with what he got. At least he dropped back and fought for a few, i suppose. Ameobi: 3 - STEPHEN CARR won more headers than this twat. Awful. It is only to be hoped that he was only being given one chance. Will make a good Championship player. Just not with us, now Fat Sam has gone. Referee: 2 - You wanted the headlines to be about YOU, didn't you? With your dramatic card flourishes and pathetic decisions (both ways, in fairnessm by the end). One word: fuckoff.

He's been marginally better on the left this season. The problem is Duff and N'Zogbia are both better than him there. I'd say he's better on the right, and i don't fall in line with the recent spate of Milner-bashing. No, he's not the bestest winger in the world, but he is better there than a number of players in THEIR position, who get a lot less stick. He's our best right winger, and i believe he'll flourish under Keegan.

Since the 80's (i.e. when i was old enough to support a team). I'm not trying to be difficult, but I genuinely, hand on heart, have no idea why anyone would support a football club from somewhere they aren't from (or have no familial link to, etc). Maybe its just the way that i was brought up regarding football, but you supported where you came from. Its just the way things are...I'm from Newcastle, I support Newcastle. I'm English, i support English. Its a (relatively) free country, etc, and everyone can make their own choice. I just honestly can't understand it.

Milner is by far better on the right. Up to this week i'd have said Zoggy on the left, but Duff has made for an interesting situation.

He has been the star player of Wigan this season. muahahahahahaahahahahahaaa!!!!!!1

He's our best right winger by a mile. I think he'll flourish under Keegan. But, because he's not an ex-big club player who's former boss we can pretend didn't want to sell him, or a foreign import we've convinced ourslees the big clubs would want, for some reason sections of the Newcastle fans don't rate him. There are even those who reckoned Dyer was a better right winger, but they are cunts who don't know their arse from the holes they talk (shite) out of, so fuck them.

I have to say, I think we have a better squad and team than we think we have. And I honestly don't think the defence needs much doing with it. The problem under Sam was that everyone was played in their wrong position, and that the type of football was allowing teams to force their way onto our defence with ease (because of the lack of cover from wing positions). When a defence is constantly under some kind of pressure, it's always likely that they'll look worse than they are. And then theirs the morale factor. If Kev buys one midfielder this window with a bit of pace and flair, I'd be over the moon. True Beye is great as is Faye Taylor is the type of guy that will flourish under Keegan as he resonds to passion and Jose and Cacapa can only improve as time goes on. As for Rozza I think he could be used as a defensive midfielder i.e like Hamann is for man city He can pass the ball better than being a centre half and would be better at the role than Butt is at the moment. I think saying players are "great" already is another example of us building players up just cos they play for us. Beye has looked good, yes, and Faye has been variable, but from what we've seen CAN be a good player for us. Mind, Cacapa getting better with time might be a stretch, although hopefully Enrique can prove himself now. I don't think there should be a place for Rozenhal, its not as if he's proven himself worthy of finding a place for him somewhere.

10 yellows is two matches, i'm sure.

He was ok, but one of the top 10???

Good post, booing never helps anyone even if Smith gets booed it effects the whole team. Last night was quite amazing and i can see SJP being a fortress again simply because the atmosphere will be great and very indimidating to opposing teams. I think it was clear against Arsenal how much the fans can help, we went 1-0 down after 4 mins yet the level of noise went up and the players responded. I dont understand some people who are making out KK is a poor appointment and a huge gamble but then want someone like Deschamps. KK was a good manager for us , Fulham and Mancity. KK is an amazing motivator which getting the players up for the game and giving their all is half of the task, we will win some games alone by KK ability to get the players motivated. In fairness, he DID crack here and at Citeh, and never really completed his jobs. His stats, which is all you can ultimately judge someone on, i guess, are better for us than for Citeh. I - like all fans i reckon - will be fully behind him, despite having some reservations about the value of his appointment in the medium/long term. But if it goes tits up, i hope that as NUFC fans we are honest enough to admit it, and not pretend it was everyones fault but his, and that he is somehow perfect. Honesty is a trait we shoudl be proud of as Geordies, instaed of fueling the stereotype of blinkered Toon fans.

Good post, booing never helps anyone even if Smith gets booed it effects the whole team. Last night was quite amazing and i can see SJP being a fortress again simply because the atmosphere will be great and very indimidating to opposing teams. I think it was clear against Arsenal how much the fans can help, we went 1-0 down after 4 mins yet the level of noise went up and the players responded. I dont understand some people who are making out KK is a poor appointment and a huge gamble but then want someone like Deschamps. KK was a good manager for us , Fulham and Mancity. KK is an amazing motivator which getting the players up for the game and giving their all is half of the task, we will win some games alone by KK ability to get the players motivated. How many games will we lose, though, because KK is not so good at the OTHER HALF of the task?

Erm, he wasn't exactly a rousing success anywhere, was he. There were better options out there, is the point.

He failed at a number of jobs, based on effectively cracking and walking away. Its just the way things are. Plenty of people would argue against that, and state other reasons for his departures. If nowt else, least he has the decency to resign, rather than hanging on for a pay-off. So now he's some kind of brave soldier for walking away, as opposed to a man who couldn't take the pressure and did one?? Once could be discussed. Twice would be very unfortunate.........more than that? You seriously think every departure can be dismissed on its own merits, ignoring the pattern? Keegan did not fail here last time. I'm sure the bright successful managers like Hughes and Moyes would love that level of failure So define his success, here and elsewhere. I would define success as leaving every club he has been at in a much better position than when he arrived, playing excellent football on the way. Are you serious! ask Man City fans then. He failed at a number of jobs, based on effectively cracking and walking away. Its just the way things are. Plenty of people would argue against that, and state other reasons for his departures. If nowt else, least he has the decency to resign, rather than hanging on for a pay-off. So now he's some kind of brave soldier for walking away, as opposed to a man who couldn't take the pressure and did one?? Once could be discussed. Twice would be very unfortunate.........more than that? You seriously think every departure can be dismissed on its own merits, ignoring the pattern? Keegan did not fail here last time. I'm sure the bright successful managers like Hughes and Moyes would love that level of failure So define his success, here and elsewhere. I would define success as leaving every club he has been at in a much better position than when he arrived, playing excellent football on the way. Are you serious! ask Man City fans then. Are you taking the piss? He got City promoted playing some of the best football their fans had seen in decades and established them as Premier League side. Fair enough, it tailed off towards the end but do you actually know any Man City fans. Like I said, he left the club in a far better position than when he arrived. Apart from the fact they had to start again, as he'd left no legacy at all to speak of.

As long as we don't pretend decent performances against shite makes the likes of Carr etc good enough....... Still can't stomach the idea of Roz inthe midfield, after he was found so badly wantng in defence.

This. Plus, those 2nd places were how long ago?

And were left with a massive rebuilding process once he cracked.

Staying on the bench would be a good role for him atm Staying at a different club would be better, were there any stupid enough.

a left winger and a tin man defender in the middle of midfield? What are you on tonight? Having a pop at everyones posts. Take it youve taken badly to the KK appointment, or what? What, you think its a GOOD idea to play shite? Do we have any good players? Did we appoint the crappest manager? Do we play worse than anyone else? Who's your team, or should we just not bother, and forfeit? We have SOME good players. We appointed a decent manager, not the "crappest", but by no means the best. We play worse than most teams - or did under Allardyce. My team would not include Rozenhal, unless there had been a terrible accident.