Rich

Who does, though? Who in our entire squad seems to do this "talking" that people speak of? Something to 'work on' perhaps? Roeder's already said we're going to be buying loads of these "talkers", though. Let's hope that for once he comes through. He does seem to realise it's a problem and I'm sure he is working on it, as you say

Saying that, Given seemed to be screaming in his uber-high squeal far more than usual today, from what the microphones picked up at least. The whole squad is devoid of inspiration from what I can see. Parker seems to be one of the few options in an extremely bad bunch. I don't particularly like the bloke, really, but the flak he takes is unreal. At least the bloke has the bollocks to accept responsibility the majority of the time. He wasn't even as bad as he normally is today, I thought. Cannot believe another thread has cropped up like this when his performance was a lot better than it has been recently. Am I the only one who doesn't see him giving the ball away "all of the time"? I generally tend to think he's one of our only players capable of retaining posession.

Who does, though? Who in our entire squad seems to do this "talking" that people speak of?

Strangely enough, I'm exactly the same. Thats apathy setting in. Im pretty much the same, im very close to beyond giving a fuck anymore. "Apathy"? What's that???

Yip, and last weeks, and last months - he still isn't good enough - why not give the armband to Nicky Butt, a player with experience, maturity and an ability to play the game AND lead the team Nothing against Parker as a person (and I have met him on a few occassions) just he is not good enough to command the most important position in the team AND be captain as well, maybe he will play better without the blood supply in his arm being restricted ! This has got to be a wind-up, surely. Yes, let's make Nicky Butt the captain. He has always shown passion and drive for the cause, especially that one day in Cardiff and for that season where we had to ship him out to Birmingham on loan. Yes, that man who is so full of maturity that he gets involved in countless scraps (AZ being the latest), yes that player who is twice the football player that Scott Parker is. Brilliant idea, mate. I'm all for it. Nicky Butt, the saviour of Newcastle United F.C.

Yeah thats parker.....get a clue MATE Aye, like that time he almost passed-out on the pitch against Arsenal and lost teeth along with it IIRC. He doesn't give a toss, man. Criticise him for his poor play at times but to say he doesn't care for the cause is utter rubbish.

Christ almighty KP, did you SEE the game today? I suppose it makes sense, though. We know Shepherd isn't going anywhere, we know Roeder isn't going anywhere... who's the next logical step in the hierarchy of blame? Of course, Scott Parker. The wheels on the bandwagon go round and round, round and round, round and round...

Good. It's rather nice to see some supporters frustrions reflected in the local rags once in a while, and for that alone Farrington is far from a 'useless bastard'. Shite writing, though, innit? The Journal, IMO, have done a far better job summing up events this week and the lads who write for that aren't even Geordies.

Strangely enough, I'm exactly the same.

Muahahaha. Cheered me up a bit after another 90 minutes of dross. I'll go and watch the Arsenal.

Absolutely horrifically written, but cannot argue with most of it. Saying that, the useless bastard isn't saying anything that the vast majority of posters on here aren't already. Fucking shite article, though, as articles go. Farrington has never been one to shy from slagging the manager/chairman, recently at least.

Martins, by a mile.

I thought he was fairly brilliant in games I saw him in towards the start of the season, when I was watching him a fair bit, but I admittedly haven't seen as much of Liverpool since then and when they've played Hyypia has barely featured. I was genuinely surprised, though, that someone his age was playing so well. He was just reading things so soon, was as imperious in the air as ever and was obviously involved in keeping 'Pool a lot of clean-sheets. He could well be too far gone and certainly doesn't seem to fit Roeder's "blueprint" for a potential signing, but I certainly wouldn't object to him coming in as a cheap option to replace one of the (hopefully) outgoing Moore & Bramble. He's still miles better than both sans-pace and would be a useful old head to have around the place, if nothing else.

Got Hannemann and Campbell in my Fantasy Football, so hope so! I was speaking more in regard to our soon-to-be fantastical charge for Europe, masterminded by Glenn Brian Roeder. Dont really want another season of us getting a higher league position cos others are shite. Things like that encourage shepherd into making wrong and deluded decisions. I'd still rather we finished 7th than 13th, personally. Don't think it will make a ha'peth of difference either way at this current juncture. Roeder won't go, Shepherd won't go, so we might as well hope, for our own sake, that we finish strongly and the club go into the summer with more money and more pulling power.

Got Hannemann and Campbell in my Fantasy Football, so hope so! I was speaking more in regard to our soon-to-be fantastical charge for Europe, masterminded by Glenn Brian Roeder.

Glad that Pearce will be staying, then? No. Just happy we're not getting relegated anymore. Not sure there was really much danger of that, mate. 6 points clear with far better goal difference AND a game in hand. 6 points from 9 games is a hefty ask from the bottom three, never mind much more than that.

I know it's a bit daft to be getting even remotely excited by this, but Reading/Portsmouth better fucking stay as it is.

Relax man BD, he's going to fix it over the "coming years". Fantastic news, IMSO.

Glad that Pearce will be staying, then?

We need experience. We've needed it for as long as I've been old enough to support this club, we have been especially crying out for it over the past few seasons. We should have bought a leading centre-back when Keegan was here (Colin Hendry is always one that comes to mind here from what I remember), we should have bought one to pair with Woodgate/bring on Bramble and O'Brien when Robson was here (Gareth Southgate was linked at the time), when Woodgate was sold we should have brought one in to fill his void, instead of wasting all that money on Boumsong under Souness and last summer we should have brought in Sol Campell under Roeder to partner with Taylor. It is an area of this modern squad that has NEVER been addressed. We've never had a leader in goal or in the heart of the defence, two areas where understanding and organisation are absolutely imperative - you surely need at least ONE of these to go places and we have never had one in either. Woodgate led more by example than anything else and he certainly wasn't overly-experienced when he was here, but he remains the closest we've come to getting the real deal. When was the last time we had a leader in the backline who was as good a footballer as he was an organiser? I certainly can't remember one throughout our entire lifetime in the Premiership. We've been fortunate enough to have the likes of Beardsley, Lee, Speed and Shearer here in more advanced roles, but the defence hasn't had anyone to lead it since Pearce was here - and he was practically finished as a footballer by then, anyway. We missed the boat on Sol Campbell, but we should be looking for someone of a similar pedigree and in a similar stage of their career, if at all possible. While hopefully getting shot of Bramble and Moore, and retaining Onyewu.

This was my reaction after reading it, as well. In fairness to the po-faced fella, his life becomes a lot more difficult when he alienates the entire squad AND the manager. We all know how much it upsets him when players fall out with him and refuse to speak with him.

Oh definitely. Dyer & Parker look delighted in comparison.

Well... that's cheered me up no end.

Is he finished here, lads? From Roeder's comments I cannot see him getting a new contract now, his words about the defence described Bramble better than anyone: "you think they've learned and then it happens again"... etc. Let's hope we finally see Taylor and Onyewu paired together in the middle - and then some good defenders brought in over the summer.

That was the main gist of my post. He didn't accept any responsibility himself and chose simply to blame the players he coaches, buys and selects.