ATB

When are people going to understand?! Of course Sam has faith in Enrique. But he dont want to rush things. Isent 2-3 new players at the back allready enough? Will see how we will play in this game the best would be to keep the most of the team compact. But as everyone is pointing out, this would be a good game to pot Enrique back.

Well unless they pull their fingers out of their arses, that can be put on hold till at least the 2009/2010 season. Its really quite simple, without europe we wont attract top players. Without top players we wont get into europe. Any notions of a big 5 are thus miles away. To break this conundrum you need large investments, good judgements and to ultimately not be scared to take a gamble. Like when Bobby bought Robert. It's a bloody simple rule isn't it, and it also coincides with the potential of the *club's newly adopted youth policy. *if Mort's comments are anything to go by. And you won't attract the top youngsters either, the very same youngsters who appear on Wenger's radar thanks to his network of contacts. The same applies to Chelsea thanks to Arnesson's priceless "Black Book", and a host of other top clubs. The competition to sign them is tough, you need more than just a lucrative contract on offer to snare their signatures. Remember it was only a few seasons back when we found ourselves in a position of strength in the transfer market after the previous board backed SBR and gambled 10m on Robert in the Summer of 01/02, and this 'position of strength relates to offering them European football and for these youngsters it's an opportunity to be spotted by their respective national selectors at senior level, that we fought off AC Milan and a reportedly a host of 'big clubs' on the continent in the race to sign Viana who was then believed to the top 'creative central midfield' prospect going around. Just because Viana didnt succeed here shouldnt detract from that argument either. We got him because we were in europe and it looked like we were going places (he wasnt the only one to get that wrong). A youth policy in todays market, for us, means eating off the scraps left over from top 4 and the rest of the big clubs across europe. You're spot on shaman, the ability to attract talent suffers from the same issues at whatever level you look at it. So you mean just because we can´t sign player like Meesi we shoulden´t try to search for talented players? Your right. We may not can attract top procpet to the club yet. But just because of that we shoulden´t stop looking. Who knows. Arsenal, Man Utd etc can miss top player. And you know alot of players mabey aren´t that good at youth aged and than can develop. Mabey oneday we can make it to the top of the table and then we can start attract the top youngsters. But even how good the first-team we should be looking for top young players. Just because we don´t can attract Messi we shoulden´t stop looking.

Are you Craig Hope? I wish. I suggest you not.ad things about him. Not sure if I want to BE Hope. But I would gladly take his job

The youthteam isen´t a mesaure of how good a team is, thats right. But if you have a good academy the chanses of getting a good first team is much better. As many is suggetsing. Even if you got a good youth-team the account of players that makes it to the PL is not great but the chanses increas a lot. That many are happy with this new strategy is just because we never ever have used it before and we are problebly the biggest team in the world that hasent done that! Even my favorite team in Sweden! is doing it (the 26th best league in europe or what it is) but not Newcastle in one off the biggest!

I do Why? Because i will jump out of my bedroom window when the knee-jerker's come later on. Nice one. If we win this 1-0 I couldn't give a flying f*** if it's boring as sin. ok...that makes abslolutly no sense at all!!!

Doubtful with a Tight Hamstring. Hmm=S Who should then play. Cacapa is not ready to start and Faye is not involde. I don´t want to play a 90% fit Claudio and Beye most play rb. Sure you got it right?

Heard that Faye isen´t include in the squed. Otherwise I hope exacly like you that we play with the same team. We need stability. This will be a really battle. Hope the guys are up for it!

I get really angry with this "entertaining football" talk. I want to win and don´t care how we do it, not in England and not in Newcastle. How people in Madrid think I don´t care but I can understand a little bit that they want to have entertaining football. But not here!!! England nor Newcastle has won anything in years, years and YEARS! Still people rather play good football and lose with 3-4 rather playing boring good defence and win with 1-0. Madrid has won alot. We have not win in decede. End of discussion! It´s just unbelievable!!!

Well you can only agree. No one is complaning at Chelsea because Drogba always make someting good at the longballs. We dont have the players and the pass are still shit.

SAM MISSILE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE Allardyce: When top bosses go direct it's called 'long pass' but when I do they call it 'long ball' By Simon Bird 10/12/2007 Related Articles * More Football * What are you talking about? Get published * Sport pictures Newcastle 2 Birmingham 1 Sam Allardyce is fed up with being labelled the High Priest of bully-boy football. Ask a question about playing style and tactics and the Newcastle boss immediately gets prickly. Advertisement Click here to find out more! His reign at St James' Park has been undermined as much by his reputation as a route-one merchant as disappointing results. So having eased the results problem with a less-than-convincing injury time win, Allardyce has gone on the offensive about his image problem, insisting he is misunderstood and misrepresented by rival bosses. He reckons when Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool hoof it long, it's seen as a "long pass." When his sides do it, everyone interprets it as a "long ball." On the evidence of this win Allardyce and his players still have a lot of work to do to become top-eight contenders and make the game look beautiful again. But any victory these days is welcome on Tyneside Defensive mistakes, this time from David Rozenhal, coupled with Birmingham looking the more accomplished passing side, gave Newcastle a big scare until Habib Beye headed the winner in the 91st minute. It's wasn't pretty or particularly enjoyable to watch in the freezing temperatures and relentless sleet, but for the Geordies it was a result that lifted the gloom. Allardyce, who used strong-arm tactics to turn Bolton into a Premier League force, said: "The reason I came here was to get more money to buy more quality players and make a better team and play a better way. But ultimately there's only one way to play and that's to win. "Everyone keeps going on about this Bolton style, but we've never played it since I've been here. Some of the perception is just because I've come from Bolton. But we don't play like that because we haven't got that sort of player. "It does rankle that I'm labelled the way I am. You get nailed with that tag and it comes from other managers because we beat them at Bolton on a regular basis. "But at Bolton we played with Djorkaeff, Okocha, Hierro, N'Gotty, Campo, world-class players. The perception of how we played came only after we had beaten big teams like Liverpool or Chelsea. Chelsea played exactly the same way as we did - to win games when they needed to. That wasn't deemed 'long ball.' It was deemed 'long passing,' so that's okay. "If you look at Arsenal on Wednesday night, how many long balls did they play to Adebayor? Lots is the answer because I've got the ProZone stats to prove it. "People listen too much to the other managers. The perception is that Liverpool and Arsenal play all this pretty stuff because that's what's generally put around the world of football. "I've always had to go to a football club and pick a system to suit the players. If I wasn't flexible, I wouldn't have got where I am today." Newcastle needed an Obafemi Martins penalty to get them back in the game after the impressive Cameron Jerome had put Birmingham ahead following Rozenhal's slip. The winner came when Senegal defender Beye nipped in at the near post to head home Emre's fine delivery from a corner. Allardyce admitted: "Six months down the line, people will look back and say this was a big week. It's a big result and a big win." Consolation for Birmingham manager Alex McLeish lay in the manner of his side's performance which suggested that with more resilience they will survive in the top flight this season. Striker Jerome said: "Everyone is going to be full of enthusiasm when a new manager comes in - that applies to every club. "We've a good group of lads, a good spirit, and a good manager. He believes in team spirit, and a strong work ethic and everyone here is confident we can get a few points over Christmas looking at the fixtures coming up." Blues play Reading (home), Bolton (away), Boro (home) and Fulham (home) in their next four matches. Newcastle also have a trio of winnable games to come, starting at Fulham next week, then Derby at home, and a trip to Wigan. Allardyce was told to stay at home because of his chest infection and added: "I was ill. I've wore the hat to keep pneumonia away, the chest is that bad. If I ended up getting soaking wet I could have been in big trouble."

...And Fulham. I think, when they beat us last year at STJ, it was their first away win in two years or so. I would also be quite happy with a draw. Fulham is a good team at Cottage and in history we have got problems playing them away. Now I would be happy with 1p. But afterwards I problebly not...

Hope is bullshit! I dont want any far-away owner like Man City. Don´t care how much money we would get. I don´t just want "blackmoney"(?). Ashley please stay!

I´m not to sure it just the crap tactics that have keept us pointless away. It´s rather the fact that we just can´t defend. Just look at Portsmouth. They have won 6 away games and just lost two. And they are not a attacking team away. They are sitting at ther back and just waiting fot the opponent. And every game they Some how manage with their plan. And that due to great goalkeeping, good defending (a bit luck ofcourse), and absolutly cruel efficiency. So we should not just complain at the tactics. We should complain at thte fact we cant keep the opponent away from goal, and a little bit at our contreattackts (attacking play).

nope

Great=D Even if he dont seems to be involde in the burm game.

best atmophere at the whole season and problebly many time better than most of the homegames last season.

don´t think we should judge him now. think he got a futhure at the club. still jost joined us.

would suprise if not 4-3-3

4-3-3 the same as the blackburn game

Is someone else getting error messangers on the screen when you try to open live commentary?=S

I would go 4-3-3 (with possesion) 4-5-1 (otherwise)

Good for you=)

Nope. Sweden

Why can´t player do what they are there to do so can the manager do what he is suppose to do. I hate when players think they know whats the best. Because they don´t! I got the same experience from another team close to me in another sport and I can tell. They have not been successfull over the past few years. I hope Sam can show who the boss is and if a player don´t like it he can leave the club!