TRon

What's the weather like down there, there's been quite a lot of snow in Newcastle overnight?

So am I, you would think that Carroll had a 50p shaped head as the ball just bounces off his head in random directions. You can't blame people for not getting the second ball as it's almost impossible to predict where it will go. Carroll also seems to have problems staying on his feet and spends are too much time on his arse, he either has poor balance or he's looking for a cheap free-kick. you'd be amazed at the ammount of people who sit round me who think he is doing so well cos he is winning "everything in the air" without realising it's pointless unless he has an idea where he's putting it. however his control and retension with his feet is getting much better but he never gets into the box after laying it off (much like shola used to) I don't rate the lad but it would help any of our front men if they had some semblance of support. Our game plan tends to leave our central midfielders deep and whilst they perform their defensive and pressing duties well, they do little creatively. Nolan can push on but his ability to link play hasn't been there. Is that a collective problem or do we have issues in both areas? Think its the game we play and a lack of intelligence up front and in the middle. Put a young Lee Clark and Gavin Peacock in our side and it would be very different. As it is we have 'good' players (in this league) but very similar in too many respects e.g. lack of pace, thought, invention but very powerful. Clearly they are good enough to damage sides and contribute to where we are. It's not pretty to watch though. All of our central midfielders tend to sit deep, even Guthrie and Barton when he's available. Nolan does get forward occasionally but if he does it wipes him out for the rest of the game. The link up play which is missing in attack is due mostly through lack of movement in central midfield. True we lack intelligence as well, but if the players are moving into space constantly it makes passing a much simpler exercise. I agree but it's not a game we have played this season really. We tend to play it wide and let them run down blind alleys. The movement from the centre and the less cautious pass aren't in our reportoire, equally we tend to be very static up top. It can be effective but it's like watching Cambridge in 1992 (mind you their front men were better than ours) The best movement up front I've seen from any of our forwards has been Ranger by a mile, followed by Lovenkrands and then probably Shola. Carroll and Nolan are usually barging around in the general vicinity of the ball without any real idea or control of where it ends up.

Absolutely bang on the nail. Try working alongside them with their massive inferiority complex before making such glib remarks. Their jealousy borders on the pathological.

I remember how good he looked, I also remember how s*** he actually was last season. I believe he got 3 assists last year, utterly woeful given the players he had in front of him. His end product has been far more useful this year in a significantly inferior league, much like shola. Don't get me wrong, he's been essential this year but let's not re-write last season. I'm talking about that little period in December, where we looked a very good side and dominated Stoke and Portsmouth. That period ended with Oba getting a groin injury and us being destroyed by Liverpool at SJP. Our better attacking players were pretty much injured or half-fit from that point on in the season, and before that as well, tbh. It was often Shola or Carrol up there otherwise. Against Stoke he had a good first half (set up the opener) but played centre mid second half after Guthrie's injury and was useless. He didn't know how to play through the middle at all and was shocking. I don't really remember him doing anything against pompey all game either although he did play the short pass to Owen for his goal. Like I say, he's been good this season but let's not re-invent last year. That might have had something to do with Kinnear's brain fart to play Beye on the right wing as well though. Hardly going to help a player to adapt last minute to a new position if the guy next to him is also suddenly operating in a completely different area of the pitch he is used to.

So am I, you would think that Carroll had a 50p shaped head as the ball just bounces off his head in random directions. You can't blame people for not getting the second ball as it's almost impossible to predict where it will go. Carroll also seems to have problems staying on his feet and spends are too much time on his arse, he either has poor balance or he's looking for a cheap free-kick. you'd be amazed at the ammount of people who sit round me who think he is doing so well cos he is winning "everything in the air" without realising it's pointless unless he has an idea where he's putting it. however his control and retension with his feet is getting much better but he never gets into the box after laying it off (much like shola used to) I don't rate the lad but it would help any of our front men if they had some semblance of support. Our game plan tends to leave our central midfielders deep and whilst they perform their defensive and pressing duties well, they do little creatively. Nolan can push on but his ability to link play hasn't been there. Is that a collective problem or do we have issues in both areas? Think its the game we play and a lack of intelligence up front and in the middle. Put a young Lee Clark and Gavin Peacock in our side and it would be very different. As it is we have 'good' players (in this league) but very similar in too many respects e.g. lack of pace, thought, invention but very powerful. Clearly they are good enough to damage sides and contribute to where we are. It's not pretty to watch though. All of our central midfielders tend to sit deep, even Guthrie and Barton when he's available. Nolan does get forward occasionally but if he does it wipes him out for the rest of the game. The link up play which is missing in attack is due mostly through lack of movement in central midfield. True we lack intelligence as well, but if the players are moving into space constantly it makes passing a much simpler exercise.

Lovenkrands has to be one of the first on the team sheet for me. He needs to drop Nolan, he isn't even scoring goals any more. The goal Ranger scored at the death on Wednesday is exactly why you need a striker who can race away on the break. Routledge and Jonas are both capable of playing in cute passes but it's pointless if you've got two lumbering forwards which is effectively what you will have if Nolan is playing off Carroll.

It's all speculation atm, the general consensus is that it might go to Monday before it's settled.

No he isn't, although it suits a lot of people to think so.

a central midfielder? tbh the only signing we've made so far that improves on our first XI as it was before January is Routledge, but, credit to Hughton and the board, that is exactly the kind of player we needed. A central midfielder is one of the most crucial signings but getting hold of a good one who has all the necessary attributes probably isn't easy or cheap. We haven't had any real driving force in that position for a few years now. I'd like to think if we go up we'll spend big on a real quality schemer, in the premier you can't get away without one. Not sure we'll get what we need in the January window.

You could say it but why would you? Well it's hardly ridiculous to say he might think that, is it? Aye Fulham are as mediocre as it gets as a football club - but they've got a lot of things that we don't, and it'd be wrong to say it wouldn't appeal. In my opinion (and trying to turn down the personal bias as much as possible) - we'd be the better option. But the Premier League is a big head-turner. That's fair enough anyone is entitled to look at it however they like. Maybe Moses will prefer to saty close to home, that's the best reason I can think of him going there, the premier being a big head turner isn't really an issue with us well placed to be there next season. My take on it is that Moses came here on Wednesday, took one look at the fantastic stadium and is probably dreaming of the day he can pull on a black and white shirt. He's probably trying to find a way to sack his agent right now for holding up the deal. Plus he's on the phone 3hrs a day to nile ranger asking if he can share digs until he gets sorted

You could say it but why would you?

It might be a nice place to take the wife with a packed lunch and a flask of hot tea, but I daresay a young ambitious footballer would thrill far more to walking out in front of 52,00 at the world class arena that is St James Park.

To get the best out of Loven you need someone who can spot a clever through ball which he can run onto. That's not how we play and probably why Loven hasn't figured as much as he should have.

I don't think Hughton would have been so happy to discuss Moses unless he was at least fairly confident we'll get him. If I had to bet on it I'd say he's going to be a Newcastle player soon.

If Keegan was here he'd convince him Newcastle was closer to London than Fulham. I was just thinking someone like Keegan would have sold the club to the kid by now and he'd be in the bag. As it is I reckon the player wants to come but the agent is still hawking him around . If the fees higher he'll get a bigger cut.

I reckon he'd prefer to come here if we are serious about getting him.

I doubt they'll be selling him. Was listening to Talksport at lunchtime and the Hawksbee and Jacobs show was on, the one who's a Chelsea fan seemed to think he's a very good prospect.

I would reckon any players linked with us are going to be getting itchy feet if they are watching all the transfer activity at the moment. Perch's head was reported to have been turned and with Routledge and possibly Moses arriving players will be gagging to head north. Not that I think we are stgill pursuing this one, we've obviously moved onto other targets.

I think Ashley needs to clinch the Moses transfer to make a real show of intent. Routledge and Williamson are fine for where we are but Moses would be another level, the sort of signing to get fans really optimistic. I would probably believe that we might make invest if we got promotion as well if it comes off.

No one else stepped in with the money, all our local businessmen kept their hands very much in their pockets. Ashley has took the club off the market and looks to be investing quite aggressively despite all the doubts he would do it. I'm not going to argue with that...and if that's bumming him then pass the vaseline.

I know what you mean, it is enjoyable. I'm not a massive fan of loan signings, as they never feel like your player, but I know we need them in our current situation. Yeah, I agree with the loan signings thing, short term ones anyway. If we're loaning a player with a view to a permanent contract I don't mind it at all. It gives the club time to assess whether the player is worth paying the asking price for which, again, is pretty shrewd. I still can't actually believe how clever we were with the Williamson signing though. Who at NUFC has the foresight to sort that out? I'm totally baffled. Even cleverer to make Bruce think we were after Kilgallon provoking him into a hasty bid for mercenary centre back. Then snapping up the dependable and solid Williamson ourselves.

Jonas will be happy...his supply lines are open again.

sounds the business. Nice bit of work Hughton.

Someone's uncovered a new Mike Ashley today, that's for sure, don't think his wallets seen this much action since L.A.

Someone get me a chair, I feel dizzy