Rich

Again, that depends on how much protection they are given. Not entirely sure about that, it's an easy get-out if you ask me. There will always be situations where the partnership has to stand up on its own and deal directly with threats. Obviously the rest of the team can help out massively, but it doesn't completely relieve the burden on the two centre-halves, they still need to be good enough individually and as a partnership in order to deal with the threat. See the difference between Woodgate playing and not playing back when the rest of the team was actually good, even just one top-class centre-half can be the difference between being also-rans and the genuine article. Neither Faye or Taylor are fit to lace Woodgate's boots, playing wise. I suppose we'll see, but I would hope Keegan also realises the need for a quality centre-half this summer.

Taylor and Faye will be OK if we have the right players in front of them. Hopefully, but if one gets injured (particular Big Faye) then the prospect of Taylor/Edgar or Taylor/Cacapa fills me with dread.

We don't need defenders who need to come in and play all season, I would have no problem bringing in kids for the odd game to cover injuries and suspensions. Again, I never said we did, bar in the centre-half area, but I'm not sure I'd be chuffed having "kids" that close to the 1st team, unless they were really, really special. Can't help but feel that people are setting their sights a bit low, to be honest, when there's Keegan back and a billionaire at the helm. Even in Keegan's last reign we had Watson/Barton, Beresford/Elliott, Howey/Peacock/Albert - and that was when squads weren't as big as they are now.

what do you think when brown plays right back or o'shea on the left ? they arent good players there. i agree we do need defensive cover but not in the chelsea style of 2 starters in each position I never claimed we did need 2 starters. I said we need a centre-half to challenge Taylor/Faye for a starting place, because I don't think that partnership is up to much and that we need cover for fullbacks. As far as Brown goes, I think he was very, very solid for them this season. O'Shea didn't play much, but he's certainly good enough cover even at a club that size. I'm not one of those who thinks Brown/O'Shea aren't up to much, both very decent players. 3 players would be ideal, but 2 would suffice.

Aye Madras, they use them, but they've also got Silvestre sitting on the bench and Pique was there an' all. 8 first team defenders all-in-all. The fact our "versatile" cover is Edgar and the fact that Taylor "can" play RB while Beye "can" play CB isn't exactly brilliant. We need 2 defenders at the very least.

Will they not just credit our existing cards with next seasons 19 games? I thought that was the whole point of them. Aye, but there'll still be a lot of people moving about and stuff now due to all of this, which will result in a lot of new cards being divvied out.

Just read mine: why do students get discount in all the bar areas, the new singing section and the family area, but not in regular seating!? Seems very bizarre to me. For example, I can move up to the "Leazes Corner" and pay £330 instead of £429 for a saving of 23%! If I move up there from the Gallowgate, and get student prices, I could save £213! Madness, surely? Around 15-20% off in all areas, except the regular seating (Gallowgate, Leazes, East Stand, Paddocks)...

No matter what formation we play, we need a centre-half. Either one who can walk straight into the team or someone at least capable of challenging Faye and Taylor for a starting role, preferrably the former (obviously.) Faye and Taylor are no great shakes as a partnership as it stands, but if one of them gets injured then you're looking at Cacapa and Edgar as their replacements. Cacapa AND Edgar as a partnership would be a fucking disaster, if you ask me, so we'd be bollocksed if both Faye and Taylor got injured. Added to this, there is absolutely zero cover for either of the full-back positions. People will harp on about Kadar and Tozer (who can both play LB) but I highly doubt either to be ready for that kind of responsibility. On the right, there's absolutely chuff-all as far as natural positions go. So this leads me to think we need both a LB and a RB, again capable of challenging Enrique and Beye for their starting roles (I don't think either fullback should be replaced in the team, based on their performances last term.) So that's us at 3 so far, and we're not even out of the defence. Things get a bit more complicated in midfield, not least because of the formation stuff. You've got old legs in Geremi and Butt, who I'd imagine are both nailed-on to be kept, but then from there what else is there? Barton is up in the air, Milner and N'Zogbia are both well worth keeping but have been subject to a lot of speculation and everyone feels the same about Duff/Smith (on here at least). Emre's already on his way, and it's left us looking woefully short. If we're going 4-4-2 then we need a right-winger, because there's only Milner, and who the heck knows for the left-wing? We could end up keeping N'Zogbia and Duff, with the former being first choice, meaning I'd be happy enough with that. However, a 4-4-2 means that the centre of the park looks incredibly pedestrian. I'd say we're looking at 2 midfielders coming in, at the very least. I honestly couldn't say in what positions they should play. Depending on Barton/Duff/Smith, it could be pushed up to needing 4, as we'd only have the two young wingers and the two old central midfielders left. Oh dear. Lua Lua isn't good enough to be considered first-team, IMO. Up front is complicated as well, due to the formation stuff. I think at least 1 striker is needed no matter what formation we play, as Viduka isn't reliable enough and Carroll probably won't cut it, unless we're happy with 12th place or thereabouts again. We've got Owen and Martins, who we really have to keep, but who could struggle to form an effective partnership if asked to play up top in a 4-4-2, unless the midfield was absolutely top-drawer. I'm quite depressed after being made to think about this, because as it stands our squad looks like this (if we put people in their favoured/natural role): GK: Harper, Given, Krul, Forster (good but overstocked, expect the latter two to go on loan unless Given gets crocked/sold) RB: Beye. (oh dear - no cover) LB: Enrique (oh dear - no cover) CB: Faye, Taylor, Cacapa, Edgar (oh dear - Cacapa/Edgar not good enough cover, Faye/Taylor not exactly brilliant anyway) RM: Milner (oh dear - no cover, not particularly good enough anyway) LM: N'Zogbia, Duff (happy enough, although both could leave and Duff may well be finished) CM: Butt, Geremi, Barton (oh dear - slower than treacle, one is in jail) CF: Owen, Martins, Viduka, Carroll, Smith (oh dear - question marks over Owen's ability in a 4-4-2 and over Owen/Martins together, Viduka crocked, Carroll too young/raw and Smith needs no explanation) At the least we're looking at 6 (LB, RB, CB, M, M, CF), if we lose more players then it could go up to 8, easily.

I feel bad for enjoying all of these pieces on World. Habib Beye's daughter is his "sunshine". Fantastic man.

The Journal were horribly wrong about Rozehnal yesterday like. Despite the higher standards of writing present in the rag, they know even less than the Ronny do about what goes on at NUFC and it's been that way as long as I can remember.

He wanted to be the second-highest paid player at the club.

Just sack the bastard, if so.

Well duh.

Was just going to say the same. It's all over the shop.

They've never fucking raised the prices? Dear me.

With Harper being on the bench. Class. Top drawer Honestly though, I was thinking a Given XI versus a Harper XI. Would be unique and would probably be the only way they'd get a decent gate for it.

They'll probably have a joint one.

What a cuntish thing to do.

Seriously dun mind that for the greater good. Dick will be a more famous coach who can attract better players. Also, he is a winner.

Referring to English nighlife, he told FourFourTwo magazine, “Everything in England is shut at 5pm, there is nothing to do, nowhere to go. I just got bored.” There was that prank call done to him as well, remember? Where he admitted a lot of stuff about not being happy over here, as he thought he was talking to the president of Real Madrid. You could be right ST, of course, and he may have just been saying all of that to get a move to Real (his club, were they not?) but I'd still be mighty surprised if this story has legs.

He was quoted a few weeks ago saying he misses England So he's gone from nigh-on 2 years non-stop of complaining about the country and engineering a move away from the best footballing team in the land to missing the place? That's quite a range.

I thought we weren't paying big wages anymore, though?

And even if the offer is real, then surely we wouldn't have turned it down? Three players in their teens, how could we say no?

Did the sources really forget the name? Or does Oliver just not know 3 youngsters from Liverpool?

Surely this is academic? If Reyes and his family couldn't settle in London and at a club like Arsenal, then why would he even come back to England and to Newcastle in particular if the offer is real/accepted?