buzza

I think we really only need to cover those two central midfield positions well to be able to field a good team. The front four look pretty good together and can play counter attacking football, the back four with forward minded full backs seems to suit our new 4231 formation. The big worry for me is who partners gerrard in the middle for that holding, more defensive role? Carrick doesn't do it on a defensive level for me and Gerrard needs better cover for when he spurts forward a lot of the time. gareth barry is looking good for Everton at this role but he isn't exactly the best fluid ball mover... Wiltshire is again of too similar an illk to Gerrard (who i'd like to see him displace). if only we had a Xavi Alonso, Khedira or Yaya to play in that position for us... Any offers?

With a makeshift defense lacking in fitness and/or confidence we are going to ship goals. Can only see us losing this one by a few. Would love to eat humble pie, specially if we take it to them and hammer them through attacking prowess...

Is Mapou still alive? Has he been given residency in the Morpeth Looney Bin? Let's fling him into the defence for this one, there are no big powerhouses to contend with but more his type of pacey forward. Not sure if I want to see Willo turned inside out against Sturridge and Gnasher... I would go for the following (tin hat): ------------------------Krul-------------------------- Debuchy-----Tayls-------Mapou--------Santon -------Cabs--------Tiote--------Sissoko------ ---Hba-----------Goufff--------------Remy---- Started with HBA on right cos he can skin enrique. Don't want Cisse up front to begin with, would rather Gouff chased down balls and put effort into pressurising them from the off. Mapou instead of Willo as both their forwards are pacey and tricky... (Could actually finish the guy off, or redeem him...)

Diego Costa is a brazilian who has been plying his trade in Spain for the last 6 or 7 years (i think it's that long), last two or three years when he moved from getafe to atletico Madrid have seen a huge leap in performance. Spain are quite nonchalant about him being Brazilian and playing for Sapin, if he's good enough and can qualify then get him in the team... N.B. Spanish culture embraces "picardia" (being crafty/sly), which can be seen quite clearly in their interpretation of "fair play" (watch how theatrical fouls are) and current Government representatives etc...etc..etc..

When he was a soopafan out on the pish wi aarl the leds... First round of signings with allardish

Like any business in the world the buck stops at the CEO who in this case is Mike Ashley. he is the person who makes the strategic decisions and who is culpable for how the company works. From a financial perspective he is doing mighty well, although some could argue that there is potential for a lot more... But Mike works a particular model and we all know how that works. From our perspective i.e. the team's performance, it is very random and without consistency. I put that down mainly to the following: Average manager & coaching staff / Lack of consistent improvement in transfer windows I don't think Ashley will ever return to a "lifestyle investment" scenario with us and actually look for some egocentric enjoyment out of us, he tried that and got his fingers burn't. We are stuck with a very "low cost" FC model. I often think that he seems a bit of a gambler and "what if" we made it to top 5 again, would he go the extra mile and gamble 40 mil on us to reach the grassy green fields of the top four? You know the answer

Thanks for confirming it. Sometimes when I read this thread I wonder if I'm watching a different player to everyone else. Agree 100%, but not just with Cisse! If he was contributing a lot to the team but just not getting the goals then I'd be backing him a whole lot more. At the moment his touch and his attitude are awful, he's never been that great at holding up the ball so I'll not crease him too much on that one... Needs a rest and perhaps a boot up the rear i.e. Gouff up front for a while... Gouffran may just surprise us also (a la best) and start sticking them in...

I don't see anything hugely positive about a player doing really well only to be dropped when another player who hasn't been very good comes straight back into the team when he recovers from injury. One of them will think he’s not being rewarded for his displays so is wasting his time while the other thinks he doesn’t have to do much because he’ll play anyway. The problem is we all have different perceptions of how well Anita has done of late, his game against Everton was pathetic (my opinion) and he deserved to be dropped. Tiote's game against Cardif for 60-70 mins was excellent, he doesn't deserve to be dropped. Anita and Tiote train well before Liverpool game... good honest competition and neither player could complain if they are left out although it is quite likely that both will get minutes...

That doesn't, I take it, factor in the inherited value of their respective squads? Or, more relevantly, their current market value? Of course. We should expect to be above them because of that. But how many clubs above us have a less valuable squad? Just Hull and Southampton? Genuine question; in your view, is Graham Carr a help or a hindrance to Alan Pardew? I think Graeme Carr's brilliance has been over-hyped. A few of his signings have grown in value, but none more than the likes of Michu or Benteke. Have any of his signings been consistent enough? Have any other clubs come in with breathtaking offers for them? Cabaye attracted some interest to be a bench warmer at Arsenal. No doubt though, he has identified players good enough for this league at prices lower than other clubs have been going out and spending, which I think Pardew should be very grateful for. If only there was some senior figure, in charge of and accountable for the playing staff. Whose remit it would be to get the very best out of the players at his disposal in exchange for handsome remuneration. The players and manager will all be on bonuses for league placement I would imagine. Although any player who earns 2 or 3 million a year will probably not be bothered about a win bonus shared between 25 players...

Depends on your perspective; is Carr bringing in only value for money players, do these fit with Pardew's outlined needs ...insert argument about brit cloggers against technical frenchies etc..etc.. (do we know this is true? or are these are own suppositions) My own opinion is that Carr is in the middle, he brings in players that perhaps aren't exactly what Percy wants but that 110% definitely fit with ashley's business model. At the end of the day Ashley pays Carr's wages. we all know Ashley wants to bring Unknowns/end of contract/conflcitive geniuses to Newcastle that all have great potential sell on values. His end game isn't Percy's end game... I do feel a little for Pardew, he will probably ask for an exact player type and will receive something similar but not always what he was looking for. This could be harder than we think to make them gel/fit into his team or his philosophies (see Marveaux).

Could also replace ding dong ding with "Go on my son"

To the french school song "freres jaques" : Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques, Dormez-vous?Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines, Sonnez les matines. Ding, dong, ding. Ding, dong, ding Where's our scorer? where's our scorer? Loic Remy, Loic Remy, Got him for free, scores goals with glee Ding dong Ding, Ding dong ding Our frenchies will love it aswell...

How depressing, we are stuck in a perpetual cycle of thrift coupled with average management (in many aspects)... Oh well, let's raise a glass to "top ten acheivment" i.e. 7th to 10th, we wouldn't want another season of squad sapping Uefa... would we?

I think the situation that we are all arguing over is hugely positive... Two players really competing for one position, can't complain really! Can we think of many other positions where the competition is so healthy: Santon/Dummet Ben Arfa / Gouff Was about to insert Cisse/Shola... and was reduced to tears :'( :'( :'( :'(

I think the situation that we are all arguing over is hugely positive... Two players really competing for one position, can't complain really! Can we think of many other positions where the competition is so healthy: Santon/Dummet Ben Arfa / Gouff Was about to insert Cisse/Shola... and was reduced to tears :)

It's good to have competition for the defensive midfielder/sweeper position, long may it go on!!!

I guess you didn't watch him that closely. He was perfect for the first 60 minutes, not a single mistake and won the ball back a lot. Kept it very simple with passes that Anita would be praised for. Lost the ball once or twice after that and misplaced couple of passes. Still one of the best for us alongside Cabaye and Remy. I am totally amazed! I can't believe people interpret the game so differently and have such perceptions of players that it coerces their judgement insanely.... He played very well against Cardiff and I think, and agree with the above, that we saw him tire in the second half due to him not getting a game recently ("match" fitness), and rightly so, because of his bad form and Anita's better form. This was reversed at Everton and Tiote got his chance and took it well...

"Eased off the ball so often" every other ball that he controls more like... Really soft so far this year.

Very sensible post! Would we be willing to accept the risk of an up and coming manager (only type likely to take job), not yet proven in the prem (although you could argue quite the same regards Percy), who would accept a shoestring budget and players being sold without his permission and the rest of the bullshift that comes with Fatboy and his sycophant jester?

Who is laurens Juliens?

Should see Baines for England finally now that cashley cnut features has a knock... Imagine having Baines on our left...

The main way to see it (I think) is when we play it out of defense, the team is set up more or less how Pards has instructed and you can immediately see how far Cabs comes back when playing with Anita compared to when Tiote is in there. The narrowness is also a factor, on saturday you could tell cabaye was playing an "inside right" type of role...

There's still a bit of lingering man love for him. Bit like when you see that ex bird ten years on, and she's still retained some of the sexiness that attracted you in the first place but there is apparent ageing & fattening that shadow those qualities... Those were the days... swoon!

Agree with most of what you said there (apart from Tiote's zip and energy ). The formation changes mainly because Tiote is capable of being the defensive midfield pivot by himself, with two players further forward of him, whereas when you have anita in there you need to accompany him with Cabaye (or sissoko) at his side & dropping deeper hence a much narrower midfield. Whetehr it's a physcological thing or direct instructions from Parsnip, you can see Cabaye is much deeper when playing with Anita than when playing with Tiote... Wish I knew tbh.

Agree, most logical solution. Hatem would need to help out defending again, he went through a phase where although he didn't put the tackle in, he covered very well and tracked back to help out a lot...