toptoon

100% agree. Neither are good enough to play as a lone striker and need far better support. Having both of them should give opposing teams big problems. It certainly put Wigan on the back foot yesterday once Goala came on.. Perch and Routledge need a spell in the reserves until they can play effectively for us our right side is appalling and we need to sign players in January. Barton was piss poor yesterday too and Lovenkrands completely anonymous Time to give some up and coming youngsters a chance. Shane Ferguson has been impressive and seems to have a great cross on him. As Routledge seems so poor ferguson deserves a try. Tavernier has looked ok at right back and again deseves a chance as Perch is a liability at the moment. Our left side looks good but we are so predictable that all our attacks start there (largely because no one else on the pitch was capable) and we have next to nothing coming from central or wide right positions. I'm reluctant to tinker with the left but our hand may be forced. We need a good suply line to Carroll and Shola, a team like: Krul Tavernier Willy/Sol Colo Enrique Jonas Guthrie Tiote Ferguson Goala Carroll Guthrie should be playing centrally, he is a very good passer of the ball and should create as well defend well. Ferguson unlike Routlege looks from what i've seen of him pretty bloody good and often crosses early (suiting Carroll and Goala) and Enrique will no doubt assist him both defensively and offensively. Jonas is right footed so should be able to naturaly provide from the right and will help Tavernier defensively. I do not agree that we will just resort to hoofing it (although we admitedly be pretty awesome in the air). Shola has good movement and his finishing is good at the moment. Carroll holds the ball up well and bring others into play hopefully with a proper strike partner it takes pressure off him and he can start finding the back of the net again. Ranger off the bench if needs be.

unbelievable !!! CH hasn't changed the team what a stupid **** !!! Its not working ffs!! Any tit can see that much....except you apparently.

Perch is a complete liability. Has to be replaced asap. We should be 0-3 down Jonas and Enrique are the only ones capable of creating we are to predictable and need some creativity from the left and central positions He's got one last throw of the dice here 2nd half, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain, we should go something like: Krul Routledge Williamson Colo Enrique Ranger Tiote Guthrie/Barton Jonas Gola Carroll

Glad Guthrie is playing in a way, as i rate him, but he's not a right winger. How many times last season did we look poor with him on the wing providing next to nothing. We are too predictable with all attacks coming down the left. Thats why routledge (who isn't all that good) at least gave us another dimension and we looked so much beter once he started playing on the right. I'd rather play (wild card) Ranger on the wing at least he'll cause Wigan problems. Perhaps CH is going for a back to basics approach. Looks like a draw before we have even kicked off. We should attack teams more. Blackpool just went for us from the off and we found it hard to get a foothold in the game credit to them. We should go for a similar more positive approach. Glad Nolan not playing though.

Exactly - bar one bad pass - really can't see what he did wrong. He actually injected some directness and urgency into our play and had Stoke pretty worried. Agreed Jonas is one of our best players and he was clearly our only player threatening Stoke when he came on. He's one of the few players that come out of yesterday with any good marks for me and he nearly dragged us back into the game on his own. Can't believe CH benches him and plays Nolan.

Our attack was almost totally ineffective yesterday. Nolan has to go. CH has to be more ruthless like Keegan realising David Kelly did well to get us out of the chamionship but ditching him because we clearly needed better quality once in the Premiership and purchased Beardsley and Cole. CH has Ben arfa he clearly needs to partner him with Carroll/Ameobi as Nolan provides us with next to nothing and crucially has no pace and we absolutely can't drop one of our best players in Jonas to accomodate the likes of Nolan. V citeh try: Krul Perch Willy Colo Jose Routledge Barton Tiote Jonas Ben Arfa Carroll/Ameobi Soderberg Campbell Raylor Guthrie (if fit) Smith otherwise Nolan Ranger Ameobi Even Partnering Shola and Carroll could be a good idea against weaker CB's. I hope we don't implode before CH realises he needs to drop Nolan

Andrew's ultimate team V Stoke Ferguson Houghton Campbell Andrew Houlier Zico Pele Tony Blair Hitler Keegan Andrew Hitler's nee left winger like. Apologies Andrew wanted to drop Zico and play Joseph Stalin on the left wing and Adolf Hitler on the right wing. Play them to their strengths i think he said.

Andrew's ultimate team V Stoke Ferguson Houghton Campbell Andrew Houlier Zico Pele Tony Blair Hitler Keegan Andrew

Thank god your not a teacher. I said thats what "we could play". Never said i would Apologies your obviously foreign and not got a grip of the language yet (either that or your just not very bright). Could is a word used to express possibilities... You may wish to look it up in a big book called a dictionary.

I'd be reluctant to break up the impressive Colo and Willy partnership. But if CH is convinced they are going to pepper us with the long high ball then yes it would make sense to play campbell at cb as he's a fantastic header of the ball and campbell is not going to be shoved off it as easy as colo would either. Shame we haven't got Taylor fit or Forster back either as we probably could play the tallest goal keeper and defenders combined in the league: Forster (6'7) S Taylor (6'2) Williamson (6'4) Campbell (6'2) Kadar (6'2) ... and bring Carroll (6'4), Vuckik (6'3) and Ameobi (6'2/6'3) back to defend set pieces/corners. We certainly aren't a team of midgets anymore. If ever we are getting a pasting playing it on the deck against a team of small fuckers we have a good option of going long with Carroll, Ameobi and co. As it happens i trust CH to get this right he seems very defensively minded and has done pretty well thus far. They'll come for a draw we'll take some time to score our first but once we do it'll end up 3- 1 to us Barfa and Routledge/Jonas to be the ones rip them open. Gola Ameobi coming off the bench to score our last.

This. However after last night no one will want to play us. If we can beat Chelski at stanford bridge we can beat anyone. CH picked the right team for the job last night i'll keep faith he'll pick the right team for the next team we face. Arsenal v Man u then anyone preferably at home for us.

agreed, potentially our strongest line up, and one which would have comfortably beaten a poor Blackpool two weeks ago leaving us in the top 4. This. Ithink many of us would like to see Ben Arfa in a free role having to drop back into midfield to help out when we don't have the ball and looking to break forward when we do. He has undoubted quality attacking, but not sure yet if he can defend when required to (Ginola and Robert coulden't either). CH will hopefully install his hard work ethic into him. Being Realistic though would be shocked if CH didn't pick Nolan and its understandable as Nolan has been a huge part of geting us where we are now. So that means dropping one of Jonas or Routledge if HBA is to start. I'd normally say drop Routledge but thought he was particularly impressive against Everton a real constant thorn in their side and helped push them back. The lads from last night did us proud and many are now knocking on the door, particularly Shola. Was impressed with ferguson last night too. Taylor is trying his heart out too and keeps scoring amazing goals despite limited starts Its good to be a Toon fan right now things are certainly looking up. Well done CH! A win on Sunday would cap things off nicely.....before our Man city away trip.

This. But maybe swap Smith with Guthrie or anyone half decent. Interesting to see how Ben Arfa plays in the hole behind a main striker. Would be good if Ranger got another deserved run out too at some point either up top or maybe try him right wing as an understudy to routledge. He's got more chance there than up front at the moment. Although his lack of disipline does let him down at times.

I doubt many of our fans really hate Smith or Nolan, that would be irrational as they are both decent people who were brought to the club to do a job, even if they aren't up to it. That said, not wanting either to play for us is anything but irrational as both are holding us back when they play the way they did on Saturday gone. If you look past the goals Nolan scored in the Championship he's a poor player who rarely contributes to our team and with him and Smith we're playing with 9 men for much of the game. According to Real Radio Hughton has said that he knows what went wrong against Blackpool, if that is true then Nolan and Smith will not be playing against Everton. I really really hope so but i really really doubt he wil drop both of them. Wishfull thinking indeed. Like many i'd go with the following against Everton. Harper Taylor Willy Colo Enrique Rout *Guthrie/Barton/Tiote Jonas Ben Arfa Carroll * 2 of Guthrie/Barton/Tiote Playing with that forward line and midfield makes us far more of a threat to opposition defences. Krul Campbell Perch 1 of Barton, Guthrie, Tiote Nolan Ranger/Lovenkrands Ameobi

Jonas is probably our best out field player after Enrique (i do not know just how good Tiote and HBA are yet). Our left side is probably the best thing about our team at the moment. Harper Perch Willy Colo Enrique Rout Smith Barton Jonas Nolan Carroll The team needs tinkering with yes. But its clearly the right side. The two obvious ones are Smith and Nolan in particular who need replacing urgently. After that i'd want a closer look at Perch and Routledge as i'm not so sure yet they are even half decent standard for the Premiership. Although accept we have no better replacements for Rout and Perch yet really. Like many i'd go with Harper Taylor Willy Colo Enrique Rout *Guthrie/Barton/Tiote Jonas Ben Arfa Carroll * 2 of Guthrie/Barton/Tiote Playing with that forward line and midfield makes us far more of a threat to opposition defences. Krul Campbell Perch 1 of Barton, Guthrie, Tiote Nolan Ranger/Lovenkrands Ameobi

After last week we need to try this asap: Harper Taylor Williamson Colo Enrique Routledge Tiote Barton Jonas Ben Arfa Carroll We need more about us, this team can give us that. We need at least one of the forwards to be quick and skillfull (ben arfa). Our left side doesn't need tinkering with at all. Smith and Nolan just aren't up to Premiership standards however i know in my heart of hearts CH is not going to drop them unfortunately.

The more i think about it, the more i think. If we can't attack Blackpool at home then who can we attack? They will come and have a go just as they did against Wigan. Our best tactic in my opinion is not to sit back and hope to exploit any gaps they leave. We could end up on the back foot for too much of the game and they may force a draw or the unthinkable by limiting our chances. We should just go for them too from the off in my opinion. Keep our shape when defending but get bodies forward when attacking. They are are hard working side with excellent team spirit , but so are we and we have far superior players whose quality should make the difference. Ben Arfa to shine in a free role but to drop back into midfield to help Nolan and Barton when we haven't got posession and to look to counter when we do have the ball. When we have the ball attack attack attack Carroll, Arfa, Nolan, Routledge and Jonas etc all attacking. Barton playing defensive midfield and only coming forward occaisionally if and when they are all penned in. I'd start with this: Harper Perch Collocini Williamson Enrique Routledge Nolan Barton Jonas Ben Arfa Carroll Krul Campbell and Tiote get a run out at some point. R Taylor Campbell Tiote Smith Lovenkrands Ameobi

I'd probably go with this too. With the possible exception of Nolan. I'm not sure Nolan is mobile enough for that position. He's a good player, works hard, brave, positionally fantastic and great when he's scoring. Against Wolves he should have had a couple but hit all of his shots straight at the keeper. Carroll is the main man up front and surely we need a playmaker with pace and skill just behind him (hopefully ben arfa fits the bill here). CH has some tough decisions to make. Campbell wants to play, HBA has to play (at some point) you would think as its a perfect debut game for him, no idea about Tiote (its a CH judgement call) but assuming he doesn't play, he still has to drop one of Smith, Barton or Nolan to accomodate HBA. Smith has improved so far this season, Barton's playing too well to drop really in his role.

I went to the game. Harper 6 - ok Perch 5 - Was a penalty otherwise good. Williamson 7.5 - Excellent in the air, good on the deck. Coloccini 7 good Enrique 7 good as always Routledge 6 ok, when he skinned the keeper should have done better and put the ball across the goal for barton. Smith 6 Was a critic but has been much better thus far this season in breaking up oppositions play. Some good interceptions Barton 7 - Battled and did well to keep his head. Jonas 6.5 good Nolan 6 worked hard got in good positions and could have had two or three. Looking forward to seeing some one with pace in his position Carroll 7 Great header. Missed a couple he could have done better with.

Agreed.

quiet even quite, even. Quiet, even.

Krull, R Taylor and Lua Lua were particularly good last night. At the very least they are decent back up for our first XI. Shola and Ranger had a mixed game. They were very good at times and not so good at other times. The central midfield duo of Vuckik and Donaldson were fairly poor. The rest didn't really catch the eye one way or the other, Kadar (who i think has potential) looked OK, Tavernier i'd need to see again.

Well said stiffler i totally agree. I remember most of the bell ends on here were glad when Milner etc went aswell. Probably worth a look back to see who they are and some will still unbelievably not see they were wrong (the biggest cretins of all). Coulden't believe it and was gutted myself, as the lads quality was obvious, as is S. Taylor a quality player in my opinion. This will be another one of many we will live to regret IF he leaves, mark my words. Big IF though still, as the lad clearly loves NUFC and hopefully this is the club forcing his hand and he'll decide to stay. If he doesn't stay we best get a replacement in very quickly as Colo and Willy look good so far (early days yet still) but if one or both get get injured we could be up s*** creek as no ones 100% sure if Campbells still up to it. Kadar's injured, still a bit young and better off as a replacement at LB for now.

Hughton 8 - I disagreed with his line up, but i was clearly wrong. Harper- 5- Unusually poor. Made a few mistakes and the penalty was a clanger. Perch- 7- Have been a critic, but credit where credits due he played well. Lets hope it continues. Williamson- 8 - Really good game had carew his pocket. Coloccini-7 Good game as usual Enrique- 9- Fantastic again. Solid at the back and caused big problems with his surging runs. Routledge- 7- Poor crossing at times but his pace was a constant thorn in Villas side. Smith- 7- Not usually a fan but he was effective. Barton- 9- Screamer of an all important opening goal and a passionate display. Great game. Unlucky not to be MOM really. Jonas- 7- Came alive more in the second half and caused them big problems, defended and linked up well too. Nolan- 8- Crucially lacks pace for someone playing in the role he does behind Carroll, two goals however, positionally brilliant, intelligent runs and full of effort Carroll- 10- Awesome - Scored three and involved in two or three of the others. Very happy he silenced his critics for now. Fantastic start.

Looks about right. I'd keep routledge on the right though, him and Perch need to click. No way should we play Enrique. Would be a massive loss if he were injured in such a game. We cannot afford injuries to Enrique, Williamson, colo, Jonas, Routledge and Carroll in particular at the moment whilst Campbell, Taylor and Kadar are still a way off Full fitness yet. Also would be a blow to lose either Barton or Nolan. However we want to win and we have no other recognised CB's fit at the moment therefore something like: Krul Perch Colo Willy Tavernier Raylor Vuckik Guthrie Xisco Loven Ameobi Harper ? ? Smith Lua Lua Ranger ? Maybe CH will get other CB's out of reserve or youth teams as if we lose Willy or Collo at the present time it really would be worrying. I expect CH to play Smith. I also hope he gives Ranger the second 45 mins.