TRon

I used to stick up for Shola a lot a couple of years ago, I think Gejon was another one - before finally giving up. I still don't think he'll produce on a consistent basis but at least tonight gave us a glimpse of what we saw in him back then. He did a good job tonight and should have got the official MOM. He done ok but let's not get carried away now. Giving him credit for one night's decent performance is getting carried away?

I'm sure there are. Let's give all these unmotivated high earners an offer they would love to refuse if it weren't for the money!

I thought he was more than that really. He battled well in the air, used his close control (I know that will rankle with some posters) really well. The through ball for Duff in the first half was sublime, and the first touch for his goal was exceptional.

I think a lot used to post here but are probably back on Skunkers now tbf.

I used to stick up for Shola a lot a couple of years ago, I think Gejon was another one - before finally giving up. I still don't think he'll produce on a consistent basis but at least tonight gave us a glimpse of what we saw in him back then. He did a good job tonight and should have got the official MOM.

He struggled like anyone would against good players with a man down. But defensively he always kept himself between the striker and the goal and it wasn't a coincidence that Robhino and SWP ended the night pretty frustrated figures.

I only really appreciated how effective he'd been when he was replaced by the lumbering Carroll.

Not really, quite a few pointed out he looked pretty good on his full debut and have been pointing it out every appearance he's made since. At least on this site.

It's not going to be rescinded because because refs like Poll and Stiles are utter, utter cunts who will hide behind technicalities when it suits them. Anyway fuck off to the pair of them. Loved the way JK kept his cool and pointed out that without a clear line of sight there was no way in hell Stiles can have been in a position to make a clear-cut decision.

i take it he doesnt rate them too much then? He's my absolute hero, but he bought some shite when he was manager too. He did but Bellamy was his finest hour. It took balls to sign a relatively unproven striker at the time, who's only season in the top flight hat been a flop. My respect for Robson went up 100% after that deal because he staked his reputation on it more than any other signing.

One of the few things that Allardyce got right was his preference for inswinging corners. Since he left we are using thm much less, but they allowed us to pose a threat from set pieces as we aren't the biggest team by a long shot. Inswingers give the smaller guys to nip in front of a defender and glance one in.

Would quite liked to have seen Xisco and Ameobi up front with Zog and Duff providing some crosses just to see if they have anything about them. Two big strikers should really love that situation although I realise there's more chance of Ameobi heading for Barcelona than heading a goal.

So we can be much more fucked than we currently are? Unless we get a big pile of money and buy in 4 or 5 top class players then there's very little point having Owen at the club. I'd have him if I were one of the !~BIG 4~!, useful impact sub to have if you really need a goal. No doubt about that. But for us he has to start and without the quality service he needs he's pretty much a hindrance to have on the field. Let him off and get in someone else who'll contribute more to our all-round game. The fact that he's made of biscuits doesn't help, either. Pretty much sums up my view as well. All this "he's going to leave and who can blame him?" weeping on his behalf doesn't half wind me up. If he wants to be somewhere else it's best that he goes. We are not able to provide a team worthy of him so why lament an unhappy player? It won't be easy to replace him but maybe there are other Amr Zakis out there who can tear the opposition a new arsehole with their running and power? Maybe there are other Santa Cruz's just waiting to be discovered and will feel pride to wear the Newcastle shirt rather than walk around with a face like a smacked arse?

I wonder how much SBR has seen of them? I haven't seen enough to form an opinion either way yet although neither has looked like setting football alight just yet.

I don't consider them innocent. Thought it was a bit pathetic feeling sorry for themselves but clearly they needed someone to come in and give them a friendly hug - and where needed, a swift boot up the arse.

It would be a risk to start him, that goes without saying. But he'd probably relish the chance to come of the bench for 15-20 mins. Coming off the bench is an ideal way to introduce a young player without putting him under any pressure. Assuming the strikers on the pitch aren't producing obviously.

The players sound up for it which is a big boost. It would be nice to think Ameobi is hyped up and focused enough on playing as a specialist target man to actually cause some problems. Unfortunately he's shit in the air.

Duff pulled his finger out since Kinnear took over, and going by the instructions to attack the box given to Xisco in training, I would think that would benefit Martins and Shola as well. I think most of the attcking players will be told to get into the box more, probably the full backs will be expected to get forward as well.

We'd end up with about 50 threads of that title. Hell, every time NE5 came back from the pub there'd be about five new ones. True. I'm pretty sure these boards have a merge option as well, so all those topics could be merged into one mega drone thread

Great move. I hate scrolling through these nested posts. I'd also suggest conversations which go off the topic altogether be split off and moved into the forum as a seperate thread with an appropriate title, for example: SPLIT: Old board v New board The topic starter would be the writer of the post which veers off the original topic.

I'd agree that Heskey and Rooney are both support strikers in essence. But they do offer a hell of a lot to general team play other than just goals, and if you have goals in your midfielders then you don't necessarily need strikers to be judged by golas only. Especially if they are scoring in any case.

Given Beye Bassong Coloccini Enrique Jonas Geremi Guthrie N'Zogbia Xisco Martins It's never going to happen as I'm sure Taylor, Duff and Butt will get picked. I just think that team has decent energy and pace, good wingers and decent threat in the air and on the deck up front. It looks well balanced on paper at least.

Toptoon is going off a run of 3-4 games. The run we had without Milner last season where we picked up considerably was over about 8-9 games. Nowhere near the same comparison. Its still imo a stupid suggestion. At the moment Milner has become a better player because Ashley's Evil Empire conspired to sell him against Kev's wishes even if he valued him only at £7m. For that decision to be proven wrong, Milner will have to get in the Aston Villa 1st team and produce the goods on a consistent basis. Let's face it, he won't ever have a better place to do it with Villa having a strong aerial threat up front where accuracy of crossing won't be as important as it would be with Owen.

I suppose the system that deliver the mighty Ramos is foolproof? Any board that keeps making bad choices as manager is going to pay for it. That goes for Shepherd, Ashley and whoever is in charge at Spurs. Some mistakes are genuine and it's easy to scorn them in hindsight. Keegan, Allardyce and Ramos all looked good appointments at the time. Ramos and Keegan were partly successful as well even if things have gone sour. The two appointments for me which have no excuse are Souness followed by Roeder. They were both demonstrably badly thought out.

Souness and Roeder were abysmal decisions. If Ashley had made those appointments he'd have been hung drawn and quartered. Ironically his only proper appointment so far was the fans choice. Now he's being hung drawn and quartered for making that choice