TRon

Some were fooled by the goals. Others were able to see past the stats and suggest the way forward was without a team fatty. Hopefully if there is a positive from this loss it is that you won't get away with playing clapped out championship players at the top level.

I think with the signing of Ben Arfa we are going to see Hughton's biggest test to date. At some point he'll have to make a tough decision on playing him instead of Nolan. People will moan but Keegan did exactly that after we got promoted. He moved on players who'd done well for us in order to improve the side. I think Hughton is growing into the job and will be more than capable of doing the right thing.

Whether Ben Arfa succeeds here or not doesn't change the fact that Nolan isn't the player to take us anywhere beyond survival at best. Paul Dickov used to score goals at Man City but you aren't going to get the same football like you get with Tevez. Which Newcastle do fans want us to be?

If AShley hadn't made some signings this summer I would have expected paying fans to be up in arms and fully justified. As it is, although our outlay has been modest, at least we seem to have improved the squad enough for us to be competitive in this division which for a club like ours is the bare minimum. If we stay up, we should be in a position to strengthen the squad significantly next season, that in turn should see those staying away from games returning. Provide some decent entertainment and people won't begrudge paying to watch it.

Encouraging to hear, looks like he's learned his lesson from the signing of Best. Can't argue with that. My only concern is that we don't have any proven goal scorers at this level, although Carroll might put that right. But I would agree with Hughton that unless we can bring in someone of the calibre of Keane it's pointless wasting more money on the likes of Best.

I'd be surprised if there isn't a major dust up between Ben Arfa and any number of our squad before the year's out. The kid looks like a major wind up merchant with a head the size of France. Chris Hughton will really make his reputation if he can calm HBA down and integrate him into the team ethic.

Agree with this. I reckon he'll turn out pretty good once he's settled, not worried at all just yet.

Don't give a toss this time, pretty sure all our deals are done.

That was exactly what I was thinking a couple of days ago. Especially as David Kelly was probably more than able enough to have held his own in the premier at the time.

I don't like giving Nolan stick because his commitment to us has been massive and I think he's brought out the best in others around him. His personality has been good for the club but we might have to move on and look for something more from his position. I'll never question his desire, motivation or commitment, sometimes that isn't enough, sadly. I also think Smith has had 3 good games and he'll be another one who has probably done a lot for us off the pitch, we need to improve though if we're to move on as a team. This basically. I don't like giving Nolan stick because I know what he brings to the team and so does Hughton. Notice the special praise for Nolan after Carroll got the hatrick against Villa? Yet it's his position that Ben Arfa and Keane were targeted for. It's a big risk but a brave one made for the good of the team long term.

What do you think is a myth? It can't be his lack of pace because it's true, he's very slow. The only thing he's not slow at is when it comes to giving up a chase. Don't get me wrong, he has a lot of good points, I just think we need somebody who gives the team more over 90 minutes. I don't think we'll play many teams who defend as badly as Villa did against us so I can't see him having too many games like that where he grabs a couple of goals. He got into some good positions yesterday and didn't score because the opposition weren't as weak as Villa were when they played us. i dont think he's very slow, average paced i'd say and i've already said he needs replaced but to hear many on here he cant run, is 20stone and only scores when the ball bounces off his frame and offers nothing to the team in any way. Nolan is very slow. I will agree that he's got plenty of other qualities but he's far slower than average. He reads the game well though - who was it that said the first yard is in the head? If Arfa’s arrival sees Nolan drop deeper his lack of pace becomes a real issue. He’ll be too far behind play to be the goal threat he is now, and without the goals his contribution to the team isn’t very impressive. It’s a real test of Hughton’s judgement and authority. All good points. Ben Arfa is a risk and that's why I admire Hughton for taking the risk. It would be easy for him just to stick with the good lads and settle for becoming Blackburn or Stoke, but he's bought Ben Arfa because he wants to take us to another level. It's what Keegan and Bobby Robson would do as well IMO.

What do you think is a myth? It can't be his lack of pace because it's true, he's very slow. The only thing he's not slow at is when it comes to giving up a chase. Don't get me wrong, he has a lot of good points, I just think we need somebody who gives the team more over 90 minutes. I don't think we'll play many teams who defend as badly as Villa did against us so I can't see him having too many games like that where he grabs a couple of goals. He got into some good positions yesterday and didn't score because the opposition weren't as weak as Villa were when they played us. i dont think he's very slow, average paced i'd say and i've already said he needs replaced but to hear many on here he cant run, is 20stone and only scores when the ball bounces off his frame and offers nothing to the team in any way. Nolan is very slow. I will agree that he's got plenty of other qualities but he's far slower than average.

Try imagining him in a top team and see how it would work. Imagine Arsenal or Man U for example with Nolan instead of Fabregas or Rooney. We're not Manchester United or Arsenal. But in terms of football it's where we want to go isn't it? How would you get there with a player like Nolan in your first 11? Fast passing football needs players who can move from point A to B...err...fast. and perch,colo,williamson,smith,barton,routledge,jonas,harper...none of them really up to man utd/arsenal standard. No they aren't and to improve we'll have to upgrade on them as well if we want to progress. But IMO with all of those you CAN play fast pass and move football but with players like Nolan it becomes a lot harder. That's the reason I personally don't like him in the team, obviously a lot of other people feel differently.

Try imagining him in a top team and see how it would work. Imagine Arsenal or Man U for example with Nolan instead of Fabregas or Rooney. We're not Manchester United or Arsenal. But in terms of football it's where we want to go isn't it? How would you get there with a player like Nolan in your first 11? Fast passing football needs players who can move from point A to B...err...fast.

I wouldn't be surprised if the HBA deal has seen this one go on the back burner. WE probably aren't pushing the deal now and Keane might have decided he'd rather go elsewhere.

Try imagining him in a top team and see how it would work. Imagine Arsenal or Man U for example with Nolan instead of Fabregas or Rooney.

Not really fussed if we miss out on Keane now that we have HBA in. As long as one of them is here it gives us an alternative to Nolan up front.

I think this thread should be closed, it is now redundant.

Finish 13th and they've repaired the damage, anything above that is an improvement from where we were the season before the takeover. Not really though, because they caused the damage in the first place they kind of owe us a bit more than 'getting back to square one'. The damage started before this regime came in with the hiring of Graeme Souness. Ashley and co have made plenty of ricks since, but we seem to be headed in the right direction again, so you can either be happy about that or stew.

Or maybe he's trying to be impartial. Did he look pissed off when we got the 6th against Villa? I think even an impartial pundit would have been unhappy with the treatment meted out to Barton, never mind a Newcastle fan. I thought Hughton should have spoken out on that as well though.

Shearer never sticks up for us on MOTD. I always get the impression he doesn't want us to be successful unless he's in charge.

'Given lovers' boil my piss, they talk a lot of crap. Hear hear. Given fanboys make me puke, the loyalty was all one way. By all means Given had the right to find a better club but then no one should expect us to worship the ground he walked on once he fucked off.

I think Duff was only ever going to do well at a smaller club tbh. I don't think he relished being in the spotlight much.

If he was far too good for them he would go to a better club. As it is, he's just a selfish little shit who's lucky Fulham will provide him with an escape route from the City bench. Bollocks, Citeh have blocked a move to Arsenal as they don't want him playing for their rivals. Same as blocking Bellamy to Spurs and sending him to Cardiff. Well City was his dream club when he signed, I distinctly remember him telling the whole world about it after engineering a move from his adoring fans at Newcastle. So if City blocked his move to Arsenal they are well within their rights. After all they paid us the money for him when Arsenal didn't want to when he jumped ship.

If he was far too good for them he would go to a better club. As it is, he's just a selfish little shit who's lucky Fulham will provide him with an escape route from the City bench.