chicago_shearer

Personally, I think Shearer will make a great manager one day, and I think all this Shearer bashing recently is unfair. It is the MEDIA that are to blame. Stop blaming and belittling Big Al. He isn't responsible for the idiots that want Sam sacked, or for the southern journalists stirring up shite about him being lined up. That said, if this club sack Allardyce after less than half a season then it doesn't matter who replaces him. Newcastle United will become a permanent joke - a pantomime and not a serious football club.

Say what you will, I prefer a player who gets angry at booing (however it justified it may have been against Liverpool) and then backs it up with his best performance the next week than a player who drops his head and keeps telling the fans they deserve better without delivering. He can run his mouth all he likes if it motivates him. Just ignore it.

depends how much (if any) ashley is prepared to put in. he could tempt prctically who he wanted if he was to guarantee them a £200million transfer kitty for example. saying you have to generate your own funds may find it more difficuilt to tempt a name. Everyone has a billionaire owner these days though. And it is very unlikely that Ashley is going to triple the budget of the top 4. You can't reasonably expect him to wager a good chunk of his fortune on new signings. So let's assume a substantial budget, but in line with spending of other top 7 clubs. I'm just curious what names people have in mind. Are we talking Mark Hughes? Jol? Mourinho? Capello? Because trying to look at this objectively, Newcastle would have to be one of the least attractive jobs in the Premiership for a top manager. What incentive is there? Big salary - fine, but you can get that anywhere in Europe. Transfer budget - higher than most rivals, but they also have billionaire owners, and why would top players sign for a mid-table club? Any manager would know that there is no chance of long term success, and that they would have to produce short term results with the squad they have and as soon as they arrive. Would they move their family knowing that they are statistically very likely to be out of a job in 12 months time? Newcastle United manager is a tough job at the moment; sack Sam, and it becomes the dead end of football management. Anyone qualified and competent wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Why would they?

i'd much rather brum was before arsenal I'm not sure. We have to play them some time, and I'd rather it was when they were feeling angry and hard done by than after a win.

I'm glad Arsenal is this Wednesday and not a full week. What the lads need is to get right back out there, not a week to mope around and wonder what went wrong.

To the 20% who think Allardyce should be sacked today, and to the 20% who would have him sacked in January: If you were Ashley and you had just sacked Allardyce, who would be the top 3 names on your shortlist to replace him?

True. The people that want Sam gone are probably the same people who look at our squad and say "it's good on paper". In truth, it's relatively average on paper. Not poor, certainly under-performing recently, capable of top 7, but there is very little that distinguishes us from Villa, Blackburn, Portsmouth, West Ham, Everton.

Frustrating on so many levels. The result, the journo garbage that will follow, and the inane 12 year olds that will increase the pressure to sack the manager.

HOW DOES THAT NOT GO IN!!!?? Fucks sake.

Spot on.

Zoggy has been bad.

C'mon lads, you've earned at least a point here.

Can't say we've not had chances to win this.

And he won't let in another clanger for a few games prompting his apologists to say he's not so bad after all, that he's a scape goat for bigger problems etc. etc. while conveniently forgetting that average Premiership defenders don't make the sort of atrocious errors he makes more than a few times in their entire career.

Good first half. The traveling support have sounded great.

Altidore is a very promising prospect. Would love to see him at Newcastle.

^ I think that line-up will be what he does. Possible pushing Cole up. Prediction: 1-1, Beckham free kick late on, paper over cracks.

If it's all down to tactics, how do you explain the better performance when they went behind? You can field an attacking side but it won't do much good if Barton & Milner play like they did in the first 45.

Thank fuck we didn't lose.

Anyone just lose their Setanta feed?

Owen hasn't been poor, but I'd I'd still bring him off in favour of Martins in the second half. We need his pace.

I'm wondering if Joey Barton is actually Stephen Carr in disguise. Emre and Milner have been equally shocking.

Online it looks like. The pub nearest me opens early (6am) for all the noon kick-offs in the UK that involve Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea but they won't be for the derby. Bastards.

Harper Taylor Rozehnal Faye Enrique Geremi Barton Emre N'Zogbia Viduka Owen Subs: Martins, Cacapa, Smith, Milner, Forster I'd prefer Geremi to Milner, although neither have been impressive the last few matches. Geremi offers more defensively. Neither Barton or Emre have looked good so far, but this is the perfect opportunity for that partnership to take off. Owen over Martins, but either would be fine.

Souness: Solano (It could be Owen, but he hasn't played enough) Roeder: Martins (Honourable mention for Monsieur Le Sib) Allardyce: So far, Rozehnal. But I'm seriously hoping Barton comes good. What about Sir Bobby? I'd say Robert. But you could make a case for Bellamy or Woodgate.