magorific

"Good player" isn't a function that contributes to team success. You need tangibles. We needed a goalscorer this season. Mitrovic is not that player. We still struggle fro goals. We needed a CM that can put his foot in the ball. Wijnaldum - is not that player but his goals have been key for the little points we have for sure. We still struggle to for quality at CM. Thauvin - dud. We needed a defender to dominate attackers of the opposition physically and in the air. Mbemba, talented lad but isn't that player. We still struggle with physical strikers - especially in the air. Darlwo and the other lad aren't ready for first team PL football yet. SDJ can't get in the tea,. Perez is a talent. But he doesn't score enough goals. If he doesn't beat goalkeepers with a quick shot, he rarely scores. He's better playing fully up top than #10 imo. Jack Colback. ^^^^ does not make for a good team We didn't need Mbemba? That's utter bollocks. We needed him AND the dominant, physical defender you mention. Unless you were happy going into the season with Colo in the side...

No, basically. His hesitation prompted Coloccini to take a reckless gamble. Any decent keeper would have made sure his defender knew he had the situation sorted.

It's fair to say he liked a drink.

Gouffran playing central, Wijnaldum on the left.

Soccerbase have him p[laying a part in 40 games, never missed any prolonged spells either. Not that it matters cos we wont be signing him just for that reason. Missed 10 games on the spin between Feb and April.

Can't find any mention of him at all in the lists of Elche's youth (or reserve team) squads.

Anyone who saw the truly sensational dribble he produced against Southampton at home last season - sadly not shown on any highlights - knows that Anita has serious ability on the ball. Doesn't disguise his general struggle with the physicality of the Premier League, however.

Pace. We are f***ing desperate for pace. (That's pace with a football brain attached. Not Squidward pace).

We are already deep into the realms of the preposterous, though, Dave. My instinct says "f**k it, let's see what he does if we go down". But another voice says he will do absolutely nothing, at least not for the three years we'd receive parachute payments.

With the best will in the world, there were way more than 31k there. I reckon around 40k.

It's utter horseshit that the Blackburn side was poorer than Boro's. Boro had two centre-backs well into their 30s (Southgate was about 35), Doriva - one of the slowest midfielders I've seen in the top flight - and Joseph-Desire Job up front. Yes, they had Juninho, but he was a shadow of the player he was in his first spell. Blackburn were no great shakes, but if you think Juninho and the massively under-performing Gaizka Mendieta were significantly better than Okocha and Djorkaeff, or that Boro had anyone on a par with Damien Duff at that time (if you look back, he was absolutely flying then), then you're a bigger idiot than I assumed. And if league form/position is a barometer, virtually the same Blackburn squad finished sixth the season after winning the League Cup.

So beating Oldham, Boro, City (then in second tier), Arsenal, Sheff Wed and a Spurs side containing Ben Thatcher and Chris Perry better than taking Boro (via victories over Stuttgart, Roma and Basel) to the UEFA Cup final? Yes, winning is better than finishing 2nd. That's before you even take into account which teams listed there were taking the respective tournaments more seriously. Kuffour, Mexes, Chivu, De Rossi, Perrotta, Dacourt all started for Roma against them. But hey ho. Sorry, are you saying losing 4-0 to Sevilla in the Uefa Cup is a better achievement than wining the (admittedly s***) League Cup with Blackburn? I'm f***ing bored with this s***, anyway. Anyone legitimately wanting Steve 'Derby are doing well in the Championship and he did well at Boro' McClaren over the suggested/approached realistic European options is a mong. End. Wasn't the argument though. I think the 2 League Cup wins are comparable as achievements, although I don't know the 2 respective squads off by heart admittedly. So beating Oldham, Boro, City (then in second tier), Arsenal, Sheff Wed and a Spurs side containing Ben Thatcher and Chris Perry better than taking Boro (via victories over Stuttgart, Roma and Basel) to the UEFA Cup final? Yes, winning is better than finishing 2nd. That's before you even take into account which teams listed there were taking the respective tournaments more seriously. Kuffour, Mexes, Chivu, De Rossi, Perrotta, Dacourt all started for Roma against them. But hey ho. Sorry, are you saying losing 4-0 to Sevilla in the Uefa Cup is a better achievement than wining the (admittedly s***) League Cup with Blackburn? I'm f***ing bored with this s***, anyway. Anyone legitimately wanting Steve 'Derby are doing well in the Championship and he did well at Boro' McClaren over the suggested/approached realistic European options is a mong. End. I'm not suggesting McClaren should be top of our list, but dismissing him getting Boro to two cup finals (one of which he won) is petty, as would be not acknowledging his achievement in becoming the only manager other than Van Gaal to win the Dutch league with a team outside their traditional big three in 30 years (and in a season when Suarez scored 35 league goals for Ajax). But never mind, cos you're bored. Newsflash: so are we...

So beating Oldham, Boro, City (then in second tier), Arsenal, Sheff Wed and a Spurs side containing Ben Thatcher and Chris Perry better than taking Boro (via victories over Stuttgart, Roma and Basel) to the UEFA Cup final? Yes, winning is better than finishing 2nd. That's before you even take into account which teams listed there were taking the respective tournaments more seriously. Kuffour, Mexes, Chivu, De Rossi, Perrotta, Dacourt all started for Roma against them. But hey ho.

So beating Oldham, Boro, City (then in second tier), Arsenal, Sheff Wed and a Spurs side containing Ben Thatcher and Chris Perry better than taking Boro (via victories over Stuttgart, Roma and Basel) to the UEFA Cup final? Yes, winning is better than finishing 2nd. That's before you even take into account which teams listed there were taking the respective tournaments more seriously. Cool logic, bro.

So beating Oldham, Boro, City (then in second tier), Arsenal, Sheff Wed and a Spurs side containing Ben Thatcher and Chris Perry better than taking Boro (via victories over Stuttgart, Roma and Basel) to the UEFA Cup final?

You're a floating something...

60 grand a week 3rd choice...can see that happening. I'd personally get rid of the lot; colo, willo, Taylor, we'd get next to nowt, but it would free up a lot of wages and squad space. Can see us watching qprs season like a hawk and go for austin & caulker should they go down. honestly don't get what people see in Caulker Had a fantastic passing rate at swansea. Part of two s*** defences two seasons in a row 60 grand a week 3rd choice...can see that happening. I'd personally get rid of the lot; colo, willo, Taylor, we'd get next to nowt, but it would free up a lot of wages and squad space. Can see us watching qprs season like a hawk and go for austin & caulker should they go down. honestly don't get what people see in Caulker Had a fantastic passing rate at swansea. Speaking of which, it's a shame we didn't go in properly for Ashley Williams back when he might have looked twice at us.

Merlin or Voldemort? Google Translate: "Schuster will replace interim coach John Carver (50) and may even bring a wizard."

Depends on how you define "best" - straightforward ability or also overall contribution to the club? In terms of pure ability, Gazza is the top NUFC player I've seen, but if you asked me for the greatest player I've seen play for NUFC, I'd say Beardsley (ability + contribution). The same goes for Woodgate v Colo in terms of top NUFC centre-backs I've seen.

He can Mr Whippy them in. *gets coat*

This is very terrible. Its got the lot. The holy trinity: deluded, Leeds and pitiful acceptance of fans not having any say whatsoever. Genius. It needed a Portsmouth for a full house but not a bad effort. B+ Long time lurker and even longer fan but i agree with these points. Why does any fan think they can change MA? And tbh - why would they? Simple question - what do you guys want? I agree ambition in the cups would be my no.1 but aside from that i would rather him as an owner than 90% of the other owners. I'd love ambition but realistically there is a limited amount of people who can spend unlimited money on players these days - Man Utd try to win the title and spend £150mill or so and are still no-where near. Football has lost its soul and we aren't the only fans suffering. PS - my choice for manager - still Steve Mac. Top coach and will get the best out of our youngsters which is the one thing i still enjoy most. Spending 150 million and trying to win the title is now a bad thing? Can't believe it's been this f***ing easy for t***s like MA to get all the simpleton fans to think that all they can expect of a team is to exist. What the f*** is the point in supporting NUFC if this is the case? What the f*** is the f***ing point. Meh - no need to get angry and call me simple. What other team is different? Its how football is these days - at least we have exciting talent like Aarons. There is a point- its supporting a local team. The biggest pride to me has been seeing our players represent their countries and i hope our new manager can help develop local talent. Exciting talent like Aarons - aye, and how long will he be a Newcastle player? Will you be as proud when him and Perez are doing their stuff elsewhere this time next year? Never mind though, eh, cos we'll have launched their top-flight careers and paid a bit more of the interest off Ashley's loan for him into the bargain, so all good? Jesus wept, you'd have LOVED being a Newcastle fan in the 80s. Had we all been as fulfilled by seeing other clubs rape us for our young talent, the McKeags would now still be in charge and we'd be constantly looking over our shoulders in the Championship. As it was, we fought for change, and look what followed.

Billy Davies??

Fair point. As clueless as he often was, Souness still had a presence which demanded a basic level of respect. Pardew demands pure, undiluted contempt.

5 weeks eh? What a coincidence that is exactly the sort of timeframe that would take us up to the end of the transfer window without signing a striker. Which would be a disastrous time for a "recurrence" of this injury, because there would be nothing we can do about it then. Certainly not poor old Alan's fault, anyway Spot on. The c**t is so transparent. But the fact he has ALWAYS despised us was hammered home the other day when I met an old mate I haven't seen for a few years. Was telling me he went to the away game at Man City in Pardew's first full season and happened to be staying in the same hotel as the team the night before. Guess who was still drinking in the bar when he and his missus went to bed at 2.45am?

Heard it all now. Since when has Tiote carried the ball forward like Colback did against Chelsea - for both his first-half chance and the second goal? Tiote moves in ever decreasing circles, taking a touch or three too many in trying - often unsuccessfully and at the cost of the team - to hold off/beat a man and convince us he is a footballer. He didn't carry the ball for the first goal, for the second he picked it up on the break took a couple of paces forward into the empty space before releasing a good pass. He's Nicky Butt reincarnated but a bit slower. Ironically, Colback's derby goal did for your Tiote theory. Had time and loads of room to take the ball forward, bottled it with a nothing (but characteristic) square pass and that was that.