Cronky

What a lot of people forget is that the Keegan problem didn't first arise at the beginning of this season. It came up after the Chelsea game, at the end of the previous one. That is when Keegan first went public with his discontent with the system, and tried to change things. When that didn't happen, that was the time for him to quit, with his integrity intact. Instead, he carried on, and then quit at a point when he felt he could claim a large amount of compensation, for having a player (supposedly) imposed on him. Not only was the timing bad, but he then encouraged public sympathy, with all the problems that came in its wake. Ashley has made mistakes, but Keegan's behaviour should be questioned far more.

I'm sure this is why Shearer was so furious with Barton at the way he got himself sent off. He was our best hope of avoiding the drop and he chucks the chance away just to settle some petty feud.

I can deal with relegation, but I don't know if I can deal with another civil war over the owner, as happened after the Keegan walk-out. That did so much damage. Ashley has made mistakes, but he's not the only one responsible for the situation we're in. We've been in decline for the last four years.

If we keep picking him, eventually he's bound to score, but you can say that about any player. The annoying thing is that, when that happens, we get a media chorus of 'how could they ever doubt him, he's really silenced the critics etc' , no matter how long a gap there's been since his previous goal. Anyway, stats on goal-scoring doesn't tell the whole story, even for a striker. The major problem with Owen at the moment is how little he contributes in other areas. Most players of good ability are likely to score maybe, are any of them also likely to go on a long run of games in which they score constantly and end up top scorer...as owen has throughout his entire career ? Not really. The "how could they ever doubt him" has already happened on this forum to martins. You seem to be making the case that if owen scored, hed probably never score again & wouldnt deserve the claims of "how could they doubt him" or else it makes no sense to be annoyed by that response. Yet realistically, this isnt actually based on anything thats ever happened in real life beyond your opinion is it? Theres nothing to base that assumption on, its the complete opposite of probable based on what Owens done having come of a run of games without goals his entire career. Again, owen probably contributes little because he isnt able to contribute much. Some of you make out as if he used to be 6'4 and 220lbs and hold off defenders with his shadow, hes never changed. You could say hes lost some pace, theres no reason to believe that would have any effect on his quality of distribution with his back to goal which is how he normally gets it. Hes largely the same player that was considered world class, the main difference is the side hes playing in & how much that side plays to his strengths. Its still likely he has brilliant movement, we aren't really able to see that much anymore. The run he made across the defender to get in a header against boro was the same owen whos scored many goals from headers. So its still there. Probably effected by confidence and annoyance. His movement put him through on goal v portsmouth. Another day he's scored 2 in 2 and no one says a thing. Yet most of you see nothing beyond the simplistic "goals scored" to judge a players ability, which makes it even more laughable when you then try to claim that others shouldnt be looking at this./ I was wanting to make the more limited point that whether or not Owen scores in the next match isn't all that significant. Whether or not he scores at all doesn't matter that much if the team was winning and he was causing other sorts of problems for the opposition. It's an overworked subject, but if I had to make one point that carries the most significance, it's the fact that, as an athlete, he's changed as a result of his injuries. You only have to look at him. He's about a stone heavier than he was 6 years ago, and while I'm sure he's as fit as he can be, that has affected his speed and his sharpness. Seeing that they were his prime assets, he really isn't the same player. That's not a matter of form. That's just nature taking its toll.

I'd still have him in our team of course. I thought he had the air of a man who knew he'd be playing elsewhere next season, whether or not they stayed up.

If we keep picking him, eventually he's bound to score, but you can say that about any player. The annoying thing is that, when that happens, we get a media chorus of 'how could they ever doubt him, he's really silenced the critics etc' , no matter how long a gap there's been since his previous goal. Anyway, stats on goal-scoring doesn't tell the whole story, even for a striker. The major problem with Owen at the moment is how little he contributes in other areas.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article6146564.ece George Caulkin's list of the 50 greatest ever Newcastle players in the Times. I don't know about the value of a list where the writer hasn't actually seen half the players, but there you are. My biggest beef - He's underrating Tony Green at No 20, and Gazza at No 19.

True, but only because he rarely gets the ball. I don't have stats, but I wouldn't be surprised if Martins didn't touch the ball twice as often in the last 20 minutes against Boro, as Owen did in the previous 70.

o'brien,dabizas,bramble. we have so much to do,at least 3 midfielders and a 2 forwards before even thinking about a centre half. Not to mention a left back which should be a priority. Perhaps I was exaggerating a bit, but I'd stand by the idea that CB is the most important position. You can dominate the opposition all you want, but if you then concede a soft goal, it deflates everyone. Similarly, if you're playing badly but keeping it at 0-0, you're always in with a chance. That applies at all levels of football. A good centre back breeds confidence throughout the side. In all my time as a supporter, IMO we've only had one really top class centre back, and that was Woodgate. There are many reasons why we haven't won anything in 40 years, but I often think that's one of them. tbh i think thats complete bullshit. monday night was one of the worst defensive displays i've seen from us all season, all 4 of them were shocking at times, but we won the game 3-1, because we finally found out how to score goals. I'd say we won because we were up against a makeshift side who have struggled to score all season even when at full strength. You can't draw overall conclusions on one match anyway, but at the top level, football is a game where not that many goals are scored. If you can stop giving away cheap ones, you're giving yourself a big advantage.

o'brien,dabizas,bramble. we have so much to do,at least 3 midfielders and a 2 forwards before even thinking about a centre half. Not to mention a left back which should be a priority. Perhaps I was exaggerating a bit, but I'd stand by the idea that CB is the most important position. You can dominate the opposition all you want, but if you then concede a soft goal, it deflates everyone. Similarly, if you're playing badly but keeping it at 0-0, you're always in with a chance. That applies at all levels of football. A good centre back breeds confidence throughout the side. In all my time as a supporter, IMO we've only had one really top class centre back, and that was Woodgate. There are many reasons why we haven't won anything in 40 years, but I often think that's one of them.

If there's one position I'd want to strengthen it's centre back. Bassong has done well, but Colo doesn't look suited to the physicality of the Premiership and Taylor just looks that bit too clumsy to be relied on. CB is the most important position on the pitch. If you're weak there, you'll always struggle.

Shearer has got a performance out of Viduka that I didn't think he still had in him. It's a promising sign that he really could be a top manager. I watched a recent documentary about Brian Clough, and it was very striking how he had the knack of making his players want to impress him. They would bust a gut just to get the smallest indication of praise. I feel that's what's happened here. Viduka wants to live up to the high expectations that Shearer has of him.

No-one's said handsome yet.

Looking at the fixtures, they're away at Portsmouth and home to Chelsea, and may well draw a blank. The unpredictable factor is that Hull will play Man U at home in the last game, at a point when Man U in all probability will have the league sewn up. It'll only be a few days before the Champions League final, in which event they'll be putting out the reserves. Like you say, 5-1 looks pretty generous. I think I'll have some of that.

It still reads like a bit of a whinge, and not what you want to hear from the captain. If you want to set the right example, Mikey, make your mind up to play so well next time that the manager can't leave you out.

Owen looked a very unhappy man last night. He couldn't get involved, and he must be conscious that he's not exactly a favourite of the crowd. With being the Captain and the expectations that come with his wages, he looked burdened and embarrassed. Regardless of whether we stay up, or even whether we offer him more money than other interested clubs, I think he'll want out. And I think he'll go to any of the North West clubs that want him - Everton, Man City, Wigan, Blackburn, whoever.

Broken record time, but he's finished as a top class striker. Signing him again is a backward step. FFS, let him go.

If we stay up, Shearer's biggest achievement would be getting that fat, lazy bastard to play. Because, as he showed tonight, he can still do it when he puts his mind to it.

He was a complete waste of space tonight. Being subbed and the replacement scoring within a minute just made my dream come true. £17 million and £5 million a year? No wonder he looks embarrassed.

Surely Owen has finally been put in his place after tonight - on the subs bench. Viduka was great, and until Oba came on, he was virtually our only threat in open play. We'll need to play better to get anything against Fulham, but hopefully we'll now be a bit more confident and relaxed. Three more points should do it.

The longer the half has gone on, the more Boro have come into it. We just have to have the most immobile midfield in the country and they're getting slower with every minute. After an hour, we'll need to freshen things up. Boro are poor but they're looking more likely to score than us right now.

This is the nagging doubt in the back of my mind. On paper, they look an ok side, but clearly haven't delivered. They're the complete opposite of Fulham. I'm banking on us getting a good 90 minutes from Jonas, in which case I think we'll nick it.

In which case you'll be a happy medium ho ho ho.

You can see him in the training photos on NUFC.co.uk. If he isn't fit start Lovenkrands in his place. Martins hasn't looked fit this last couple of games. He doesn't seem to have been running at full pelt, as though he's protecting an injury. As pace is his chief asset, it's not worth playing him in those circumstances.

I think we were 'sold' a top class international defender who would bring leadership and experience to the back four.