Beren

Ashley's sacked a man he didn't hire. He gave him the benefit of the doubt when he came in, asked him to show some signs of encouragement, heck, any signs of encouragement, tactical nous, creativity, even plain common sense... In return, Allardyce couldn't beat top-table sides, he couldn't beat mid-table fodder, he lost to relegation candidates, and failed to beat Premiership promotion candidates. We sit 11th in the table, with trips to pretty much all the big four and a tougher line up than most... did you want us to get nearer to the drop zone before we took action?! He's now setting about hiring his own man. None of us know for definite who that is. HTT: No atrocities have been committed here. Live with it!

That's the problem with language [and the internet]. Words are mainly symbols that mean different things to different people. 'Pretty good' is pretty darn good in my book, for instance.

Though I wouldn't go that far, he's generally been pretty good this season. Even I'd agree with this. I wouldn't. I actually thought last season he redeemed himself after his horrendous early form when he first signed, but he's getting on, and isn't particularly good at anything. By all means keep him until we get something better, but I really really really hope he isn't an integral part of Big Sam's plans. Same with a lot of players really(!) He's been our best central midfielder, though (which I do realise isn't saying much), and has played in almost every game, which is no mean feat at his age. Credit where it's due. I don't like the bloke at all, but I'm not blinkered enough to do him a disservice. Fair enough, but the phrase 'pretty good' - especially standing alone - seems[/seemed] to suggest he's[/he'd] been head and shoulders above the rest, and more saliently, good enough to start in central midfield in the long term.

Though I wouldn't go that far, he's generally been pretty good this season. Even I'd agree with this. I wouldn't. I actually thought last season he redeemed himself after his horrendous early form when he first signed, but he's getting on, and isn't particularly good at anything. By all means keep him until we get something better, but I really really really hope he isn't an integral part of Big Sam's plans. Same with a lot of players really(!)

High-performing, you say? [/WUM]

Too many passengers.

It's just one neverending cliche.

Faye doing well, but he shouldn't have to be doing so.

Hate Bennett.

Looks like a great atmosphere.

Wait, wait, wait... hold the phone... a whole two goals?! In 90 minutes?! That's outrageous. It can't be done!

I can't understand that attitude. N'Zogbia is 21 years old and probably a millionaire. He has considerable ability, although he is far from a complete player. He owes all his money and his fame to this club. He has had some good performances, and some not-so-good performances this season. Yes, he has been asked to learn a new position this year. Yes, he has to play with less naturally talented teammates. But that doesn't give him the right to have a strop, underperform, and ask to move elsewhere. If he did that, the last thing I would feel is sorry for him. I don't ask them all to bleed black & white, but we should demand a higher standard of pride and professionalism. Especially for young players like that. They do not run the show, regardless of what they might think. I don't see the relevance of his age/financial position, and I don't recall him ever being stroppy or underperforming significantly. He has struggled to adapt to some of the defensive responsibilities of LB though, I will grant you that, but he has improved. He has got his head down [thus far!] and got on with it. I don't think he would be out of order if he did privately have a word with Allardyce though. Also, he doesn't owe NUFC unduly, I don't think. There's a contract, NUFC pay him, he plays good football. Both obligations have been fulfilled. Furthermore, with his talent, he would have been big with or without NUFC IMO. If he were to leave for a club to further his career if we continue to take his services for granted, and did so with decorum, I would have no problem with him personally. I would advice you not let the JJs/Dyers/Bellamys make you typecast every young player as a self-centred leech. N'Zogbia has been nothing but level-headed as far as I am aware [though, if I am wrong, do tell me ]

It's our football club, we've got more right to express an opinion than some hack in London. Dealing with the issue gives both sides the opportunity to have the chance to say how they feel, it doesn't all go one way. Hiding from an issue is worse that talking about it as far as I’m concerned. True. It might cause him to abandon his intransigence, see sense and save his job. No sense shying away from it.

I actually feel sorry for N'Zogbia especially. You can see his frustration at having to play alongside crap players. That is perhaps my biggest fear for the squad right now -- our better players getting fed up and leaving for a club/manager with ambition to face teams 19th/20th in the table who don't want to concentrate on keeping a clean sheet.

Sometimes the only way you could even discern when this team plays "better" is when they achieve results. The difference between a Newcastle team that has played well [albeit more infrequently] and a Newcastle team that has played poorly this season has been very little. They could be playing what they consider to be 'well' a lot of the time, and you just wouldn't know it under the current regime. Trying to win 1-0 or get 0-0 is never going to be a vastly different performance from a 1-0 loss. They evidently have other gears, we've seen some of those players step up to gears that, judging by this season, you wouldn't think existed, but they're inhibited by tactics/mentality and though I'm by no means exonerating them entirely, the majority of the blame lies with the manager at this time. The players' biggest fault isn't their commitment, it's their talent IMO. For example, Oba has continued to run his butt off trying to latch onto the hopeless long balls of the rest of the team. Milner always shows passion, but the truth is, he just isn't that fast! Butt does his best, but his range of passing sometimes loses us possession. Our main problem is lack of creativity, everyone knows that, but we're fairly weak, pretty much everywhere on the park, and that's a talent-issue, not a commitment-issue IMO.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/8458/headsandvr4.gif Head in the sand! Sorry... thought we were playing Catchphrase. I get competitive.

I really hope you don't believe that. You may aswell follow Teletext than watch the football itself!

Overcome those managers who despite their time in the job and ability to build a team, are only a few points ahead of us? My answer is time and some extra money. it's not just the points. think of being lucky snatching points in the last minutes of games where we barely deserved anything. we could quite easily be 10points worse off without complaint. Ifs and buts. We are as a team exactly where we are in the table. Aye, with only non-relegation fodder left to play! You make that sound a lot harder than it is. Firstly, Newcastle don't ever truly expect succcess, just crave it, and there is a big difference there IMO. Utilizing your squad to best effect is a bare essential, which you've stretched over three or four points - it's as simple as breathing, tbh. Yes, there will be disputes and slip-ups, but there is absolutely no excuse when the whole world and his wife knows something [and it could be anything] but you insist on playing the team's only real, consistent creative outlet by your own cornerpost [not to name names, or anything ]. Y'know, for example. BS has a decent transfer record, and all credit to him for that, but even that [in a sense] is a failing of his. He's a small time charlie, and hasn't realised or appreciated the size or resources of the club. We do not need stop gaps and bargain basement signings [or £6.5m signings who we won't blood when nothing is at risk]! We will get no where [fast or slow!] with them. We are not in danger of winning or losing anything, so there is also no need to try and grind out every performance. It is... beyond ridiculous, honestly. And it's intransigence. It's akin to Souness' vendetta against Robert that cost us the Eufa Cup. It really doesn't bode well IMO, HTT. Perhaps our Wenger isn't available, but we will not move anywhere with Big Sam, and I would rather the club tried something else, and even repeatedly fail in the short term until something works, than persist with a long-term failure.

That's odd. Your stats show you've made 100 posts - hopefully that can be fixed soon

You don't know who would be available in the summer, so it's something of a moot point, IMO.

The angst is borne, for me, out of negatives being so glaringly remediable.

What do you think stopped us from doing so?

Now everyone vent their frustration at each other! YG - We didn't batter anyone from start to finish.