morpeth mag

Guardian has been spot on with their team predictions recently though I think we'll play 433 with that 11 as we started against Fulham. Personally I'd play Jonas on the left, Best in the middle and brink Vuckic in for Shola.

Need some height as Colo isn't the biggest

Back 5

      Guthrie. Cabaye

HBA          Vukic.      Jonas

                Best

Abeid for cabaye if injured

Sell striker for £35m - buy replacement for £9m - bad man welcomed back. Fickle bunch. Of course he was never that bad nor will he ever be good until he wins silver. I'd like to give a good kicking for the lack of respect to the fans and history - but only because I think a good business should meet its customers needs and I think the corporate communication is mediocre, up from poor.

But plenty have failed these past 50 years. I'm 48 so I've seen most of these failures. So unless you want to change teams for now we just have to trust in not so big Mike. And hope. And enjoy the ride.

Excellent today as he has been every game he's played this season. I'd like to see a formation to include him and HBA like this

        Guthrie.  Tiote

HBA.      Cabaye.    Jonas

                    Ba

The crowd was flat because of the team that was picked - no flair and no HBA. The only thing I would say in Pards defence is that he made the right sub when Cabaye was injured and I think we need to play 433 to suit HBA and we had our best spell with this formation.

One of those days where we'll remember the goal and be grateful for three points.

I hope Ba stays but in the end we can only retain these type of players if they feel we are progressing and they have a chance of meeting their ambitions with us. We have a decent core of players in Ba, Cabaye, Tiote, HBA, Jonas, Colo, Santon and Krul that will hopefully get us to at 7th this year. To get higher we need to retain all/most of them and add 1 or 2 every window. But make no mistake we are unsettling players (Maiga) and exploiting release clauses (Cabaye) and can't complain when others do the same. Harry might be an idiot with his love of the cameras but don't think that if Ba wanted to go his agent wouldn't have briefed every relevant club.

So let's show a bit of ambition and trust that Ba et al enjoy life @ SJP and choose to stay.

Strange timing with only three weeks left in the window. Presume they have someone lined up because if intend to hire a manager then recruit they're leaving it late.

I think we'll need to change shape to see the best of HBA. He's not a striker nor a winger in a 442 sense but I can see the following work:

        Guthrie  Tiote

HBA          Cabaye      Jonas

                    Ba

or

        Cabaye  Tiote

HBA          Vuckic      Ba

                Shola

Mix and match depending on your favourite players and your preffered signing but three in central midfield compensates for the defencive weakness of HBA. I think a front three of HBA, Ba plus one is a potent attack.

Credit to Pards for the subs today. Not just bringing on Shola who played well, but bringing on Raylor who offers more than Simpson going forward. The difference between the two halves was Simpson/Obertan being replaced by Raylor/HBA. Santon and Jonas were good first half and great second. Best was poor but did well to set up Jonas at the death. Two great goals and a string of misses but this was only Blackburn reserves.

Going to be a great right back next season

I think Arry is just getting confused about release clauses nowadays - it's a 'Get out of jail FREE' card he has on his mind.

Best since Bobby Moncur - and I only give Bobby the nod because he lifted silver for the club

Player initiating head to head contact has to get a red card. With his assault record I'm surprised the Met aren't having a look.

Really think clubs should have more to lose if they make appeals like this - say double or quits

New list for jan / feb

1. Shola

2. Besty

3. Lovenpants

4. Sammy

Then we can get someone really good in the summer just like last year.

Pay as you play deal coming - saves on the transfer fee and saves on the basic salary. Simples.

I think the back four will be:

Taylor Colo Simpson Santon

Abeid or Vukic in for Gosling

And hopefully HBA in for Shola

                  Tiote

        Guthrie.      Cabaye

Jonas.                        Hba

                  Ba

I think AP will retain Raylor as a show of support. I also think he must have worries over Santon settling in and OT is no place to throw him in.

just got to hang on and the self belief will come.

Both MC full backs like to get forward so whichever side he starts Sammy is going to have some tracking back to do.

Think he's going to go:

Krul

simpson Taylor colo Raylor

Jonas Cab Tiote Marv

            HBA

            Ba

on the basis that he has enough cred to go for it - Santon a sub for simo if it goes wrong

I'd bring Marveaux in for him but a couple of times in the first half he linked well on the right before running across to the other wing and inter changing with Jonas. Looked a footballer briefly. Unlike the chance he had 2 on 2 in the first half where he was easily sheparded out for a goal kick. Jury out but due a rest.

He's a masseur with the club - watch out Mrs C!

Back from the game and agree with Pardew that the goal was the one moment of class. Just noticed on the clip that Ryan Taylor crosses with his left foot to Marveaux - a seriously improved player with a bit of confidence in him. Agree with the earlier poster that today was a missed opportunity to start Santon, HBA and Marveaux even if two of them changed the game from the bench. Don't see anything but wholesale changes for Wednesday now - Cabaye and Tiote need to be rested on this showing.