buzza

Luuk de Jong should be easy to thrash out (low price or cisse in other direction) Remy for Saylor is a fair swap (he he he) Gomis should be available for around 2M? if that tw** of a chairman (or tw** agents) doesn't start to mess things up Do we have another 5-6M for Ince?

As for managers? I will stick with percival on this count...

I think the argument should simply be: On paper we have far superior players to theirs... hence a win for the Toon! The only fault in the argument is that when we all think something is a dead cert at NUFC we are unpleasantly surprised. Easy eh?

I certainly don't think we can come to the conclusion that Haidara's a better defender yet, but one terrible game doesn't mean much either way at this point. My own view on these two is that Haidara looks promising (does show some very good promise defensively) but is as yet still an unknown quantity overall. Santon on the other hand has played plenty and IMO he just isn't a good defender, he can still improve since he's only 22, but right now he's weak defensively. I'd love an explanation as to how he's poor defensively, as opposed to the oft-used argument of "he just isn't a good defender but I'm not really going to back that up with anything of substance". His positional sense, tackling and heading are usually fine to good. There's the occasional error in him but no more so than most other full-backs outside of the genuine top players - it's something that typically comes as a trade-off with the expectation that modern full-backs should play further up the pitch, and you see these errors every single week... I get the argument that he isn't left footed, but he's fine at leading into a tackle with his weaker foot and it's rare that he takes the wrong body shape as a result of being on the "wrong" side (something which often happens when full-backs play out of position); I also fully understand and agree with the argument that it affects his contribution in the attacking half of the pitch and that it makes us imbalanced slightly, but that would be massively aided if we actually had a left footed winger, and isn't reason enough to justify dropping him for our two left footed defenders who IMO aren't as good defensively at this moment in time. There are limitations to his game without question but I think they're massively over-inflated, especially in a defensive sense. My beef with Santon is down to two things; The first is his penchant to stay put further up the field and when he is in reach of tracking back/getting close to the man who he is supposed to be marking, ony for him to give up and "walk/trot" back (really boils my pish, happens at least 4 or 5 times a game cos' I am always screaming at him). This leaves someone to be pulled out of position and the rest of the defence stretched and hence opportunity for the other team. The second is his attitude in games when we are against the run of play, many times you can see him sulking and not showing for the ball as he does in other games (again screams from me to "get in and play"). On the whole, I suppose we are nit picking and he is a great deal better than the Simpsons of this world, probably the fact you know he could be a consistently great defender instead of consitently good... Annoying really. The argument for Haidara for me is because he shows a hell of a lot more energy and will to cover ground and is technically a good player. Would say he is about par with Santon but we would all go for experience as does Percy. It is nice to have competition for once and I like Percy now changing them when they are playing crap or making mistakes. P.S. I play left back also (being a right footer), so probably the only position on the field I can comment upon with some depth of understanding. Just so you know, when you play on your opposite foot it opens up a huge range of passes to you and doesn't limit you to "down the line" balls which is the norm when you're on your good side. I don't think it makes a bit of difference to your tackling ability, in fact, would say it makes you better as you're less easily turned "inside"...

I think they are right to sack him, he has just spent over 100m quid and the team looks awful! It is him who has asked for those players, if he can't get them to work or for him to adapt a system that works well for them then get someone in who can... Would like to see Hiddink back in the prem.

I would deffo change Santon for Haidara, also one who thinks he is just going through the motions and is not giving 100%. I often shout at him during a game to get his ass back into position. Would also like Pards to mix it up a bit with our forwards i.e. Benarfa for shola, keep opposition teams guessing and also to give the lad some game time, we know what he's capable of and he did very well at Manu. Keep benny on for 60 and bring shola on to bully for the last 30?

The only place I think we'd have a slim chance of selling him would be to a German team, as they know him well from his time over there... If any manager watched his playing time of recent they would be very hard pushed to offer anything over 5 million, he really is that poor... As Ron quoted earlier his touch and perpetual offsides are ridiculous atm. Maybee a swap and some cash for Luuk de Jong (is that his name?), seems to be having a similar mare???

Not a chance in hell! Yes, he's had a run of games where he has defended well but a top class centre back knows how to pass a ball and should be able to contribute transitioning from defence to attack... Come on ffs, he's playing well but this England stuff is ridiculous! P.S. or is this some big whoosh that I'm currently caught in?

I would like to see Ben-Arfa get a start. Give him a chance to play a strategic technical game like what he did at Manu. Like the thought of that roaming 10 position for him and he did look sharp and oozed confidence. I know we may give up some of our steel by doing so but just to see him take on a man, drop a should or make a deft pass is the cream that would top off perfectly how we have been playing lately.... Would be top banana if it all clicked!

Purposeful

Crazy isn't it? Dropping one of Colo or Mapou for Willo... A few months ago we would all have sold him for a pittance with the claim that he was not good enough for fourth place central defender... Hhhhmmm

Agree with this 100%. N.B. Doesn't mean I still think that we are not getting the most out of what we have... But well done anyway!

70 points and you're guaranteed champs league. less this season as the top six are all awry! Back to the Pardew thread; I will give him some support because he deserves it. We are clearly playing more positive football this season and he has not been scared to revert back to a 442 with some "lesser" players in positions for the good of the team. Every manager has weaknesses, they can't be perfect, we're just stuck with someone who doesn't read the game very well and can't implement change properly to affect the result. At least he is sending out the first eleven that no one complains about (or less at least), I can remember last year and the year before when everyone agreed he just couldn't get a first eleven selection right no matter what. If we take a step back and look at what Newcastle has become then I would say we have the correct manager i.e. a mid table mediocre guy who may, on a good run, get you into Europe. We will never see if he can reach his potential because of lack of backing from the people running the club. N.B. Yes, perhaps other managers could do better with the tools at hand but I can hardly see any top or "up and coming" managerial geniuses coming to our club. Can you? I will also name ten other managers who are equal or no better so that we all get some "perspective": Tony Pulis, Sam Allardice, Martin Jol, Mark Hughes, Gus Poyet, Chris Hughton, Steve Bruce, Paul lambert, Malky mackay & Steve Clark (Puts on tin hat)

Agree there... But I would prefer to get Colo back to 100% as willo is already playing at his max and there is no more to come from him whereas Colo is playing at 85% at the moment and is the equal of Willo, but could be so much better given the chance i.e. run of games. P.S. Could all blow up in my face if him and Mapou have another "everton" together.... aaayyyy

I take it you don't remember Colo being absolutely terrorised by Long a couple of years ago then? I only look forward, not back (read sig. pls)... I like Colo for what he offers in bringing the ball out and he ain't a bad defender, hasn't had the best of times lately but he is class... so I would have willo out for this one. Any big bad bruiser who's good in the air and I'd have him back in an instant.

Dummet and Haidara are being slowly introduced into Prem league football, as it should be. One real bad game could set them back months phsycologically! When fat boy decides to sell Santon we'll have these two vying for a place. I don't see them being bad replacements at all as they are still very young and have looked promisiing when on the pitch. Dummet, from going from a contract reject (nearly) to some impressive performances when called upon really deserves credit. Haidara for those few games he played looked decent in a couple and poor in a couple.. to be expected really. Blood them in slowly and we'll hopefully reap the reward, PATIENCE being the key word here.

Ben arfa should be on the pitch well before he does. He's done absolutely nothing to merit even getting on the bench at the moment. If we can swap in any way or manner for Loic with QPR... bring it on!!!

He'll (Ashley or Cabaye?) wait until the world cup is over, and depending on the type of performances he has put in we'll (sorry... FCB) will get loads for him and he will get the champions league team he is yearning for... Can't see anything else happening unless we miracoulously make 4th place

With no disrespect to willo, I think we should bring Colo back into the middle with Mapou. WBA attackers are quick and agile which are more suitably muted by the attributes of Colo/Mapou, if they still had Lukaku I would deffo say willo to stay in. Colo also gives us another dimension bringing the ball out and turning defense into attack, we want to bring the game to them rather than hoofball... My other shout is for Hatem to be brought on at 60 mins for Shola as he looked electric last week for the five or so mins he got... My team: -------------------------Krul-------------------------- Debuchy-----Mapou--------Colo----------Santon Sissoko-------Cabaye------Tiote--------Gouffran -----------------Remy-------Sherla-------------- bring on Hatem and Anita to suit....

If there is any truth in the QPR swap rumour, we need to do this asap. Really feel his only benefit to the team when he comes on now is running down opposition defenders, nowhere near good enough and can't believe why Pardds brings him on before Hatem...

Would be nice to sign a top quality striker and also to sign Remy permanently. I would be over the moon with this. Sign an up and coming winger and I'd be reaching for the wannk rags asap! P.S. Haven't mentioned a centre back as Mike has proved his place and stevie badge thump should be fit again...

If I were a manager, i couldn't ask for more from than what he is giving. He looks quite an average player but he really is a "safe" (for want of a better word) outlet at alll times and chips in with a few goals. I couldn't ever blame him for not doing the defensive part of his game, really makes us much more robust... Top pro, keep it going and don't drop him pards, he really is sustaining us... (Could say exactly the same about Sissoko on the right wing)

I think that must be down to instruction from Pards to choose his moments to bomb forward. You can see he only overlaps when the opposition's team are fully implanted in their own half... Credit where credit's due tbf...

Feel sorry for Hatem, you could really see he was desperate to do well for the ten mins he had on saturday. Would like Pards to give him 30-35 mins this coming saturday when Sherla gets knackered...

I still think his defensive positioning is suspect, he is good going forward and can carry the ball out well but he is not great at defending, just averagely consistent. Would like to see both Haidara and Dummet progress also but not at the moment because we have "momentum"... As the defense is playing well you cannot take him out the team, and with good reason, as a defense is all about balance and confidence. He plays well with both Colo or Mapou beside him and isn't bombing forward as much as before which is obviously helping us.