TRon

Garbage thread.

I'm sure Blackburns defenders knees are knocking at the prospect of being faced by Smith's lethal hustle and bustle.

Smith and Owen won't produce anything and by the time Oba comes off the bench the game might have gone. Martins has to start to strike fear and uncertainty in the Blackburn ranks. Let them know we can get behind them if they get too cocky and come forward.

We've been hearing about this supposed new contract since the beginning of the season. When it happens I'll take it seriously.

Barton Barton

Nothing wrong with selling Martins in the future, but we would need to get a very good and importantly PACY striker in to allow us to do that, as he's the only forward at the club who gives us that.

There's two stories in the Sun, the other one is about the new supposed £26m contract. The story is attributed in the Sun as"Courtesy NVA management" who are they?

They're scoring goals and we haven't looked like doing that for months. We haven't looked like stopping them at the other end either and in the middle we are just pants so concern is understandable. What I would like to think is that now we are playing lesser teams, our midfield might not look so shit. Although it did against Middlesboro.

I wonder if Martins agent leaked this by any chance?

Might not be a bad move. We aren't exactly flush with quality central defenders.

Carroll is a battering ram option, nothing more. Just as Kenwyn Jones will give us problems it's conceivable Carroll could give other struggling defences a hard time and create space for the likes of Owen or Martins. Not my first choice, but worth considering if only on the bench. NE5, I don't know anything about Howaythetoon, I have sometimes posted on TT as you know. I've been concerned about this for a while, if you wrote something along the same lines obviously I'm not the only one.

Not really. The reason they're down there is because they can't play good football. West Ham weren't saved last season by Lee Bowyer kicking people and snarling but the class of Carlos Tevez. Perhaps they'd have been safer earlier if they'd bought Alan Smith and played him instead, we'll never know. We're down at the bottom because of players like Smith with zero ability other than "effort" and lunging into tackles. These players will get us in deeper, not save us. The pundits peddle lines like "he's the type of player you need at the bottom" and it usually refers to the players who got you down there in the first place by being absolute bollocks. I agree. That's why I said we really need to make our minds up which way to go. If the likes of Smith and Butt are going to be our main players then we need to adopt a defence first priority as we aren't going to score goals with these type of players making up the side. When we face Sunderland, Reading and Birmingham in the crunch games, who would they like to face on the pitch: Butt, Barton, Carr and Smith in a physical battle where they can compete at their preferred level? or The Zog, Martins, Emre or Carroll even? Players who can out-gun them one on one at every level where it counts?

If you can play good football and score goals then yes you are right. If you have forwards and midfielders attacking the box in a feeding frenzy it makes sense. I'm not sure what we've got at the moment except a bunch of big names past their best who run 5 yards, get rid of the ball, then leave it to someone else.

Against an in form team a draw wouldn't be a disaster, considering how few points we are picking up. A win would more or less mean safety, but we won't stop them scoring and we'll be lucky to get anywhere near their penalty area let alone score the way we have been playing.

Something that concerns me a bit. Keegan's brand of attacking football was exactly what was needed earlier in the season against Derby, Reading and the like. Easier to play free-flowing stuff when there is no pressure. In a relegation struggle, with confidence low it's less easy to produce, and it's usually the struggling sides who try to play football that suffer most. With forwards and midfielders struggling to get goals is it the right approach at this stage in the season? If Martins and Viduka figure more, then probably yes. If we stick to Smith up top then I'd say no.

He hasn't got the winner's mentality. Anyone could inherit Chelsea's squad, getting them to win the key matches is where Mourinho made the difference.

Love it, haway the lads! Umm... let's not forget that the Greeks lost that one in the end. I can't see Keegan making any changes from last week. Need to read your history again mate, they "Lost" at Thermopylae but drew a line in the sand to the Persians, they were not to be conquered. They also won a couple of crucial naval battles that day which barely gets a metion, lead by the Athenians. Thermopylae was a moral victory. I don't think our lot have been drawing any lines in the sand lately. Raising the white flag at every given opportunity more like it.

Or out from the first team altogether. Keegan likes attacking full backs and Beye is ok in that regard but not his strongest point.

No 'keeper? Not a bad side but I can't see them two starting up front. oops...obviously Harper in goal. I don't think Keegans' side will look anything like this tbh. Owen will be playing for a start. It's a tricky decision re Owen but Viduka offers goals and decent hold up play and Martins compliments with his pace and also a goal threat. Viduka and Owen would be too static for me. Yeah, I wasn't having a pop at your choice or anything, just saying I don't think KK will pick that side. Smith and Owen upfront with Martins on the bench is my guess. Smith and Owen isn't working, it's pointless to keep plugging away with it. I agree. I only think that it might be the case with Martins just returning and I get the feeling there might have been some fall out with Viduka. It does look like it, but then you hear reports he should be fit so unless we know for certain Keegan's not going to be picking him, might as well pick what we think would be the best front pair. Martins has been training for about a week, it's a crucial game at home - can we afford to start with Smith in this one? If Keegan was prepared to risk a half-fit Given you'd think he wouldn't be afraid to pitch in Martins. But you're probably right.

No 'keeper? Not a bad side but I can't see them two starting up front. oops...obviously Harper in goal. I don't think Keegans' side will look anything like this tbh. Owen will be playing for a start. It's a tricky decision re Owen but Viduka offers goals and decent hold up play and Martins compliments with his pace and also a goal threat. Viduka and Owen would be too static for me. Yeah, I wasn't having a pop at your choice or anything, just saying I don't think KK will pick that side. Smith and Owen upfront with Martins on the bench is my guess. Smith and Owen isn't working, it's pointless to keep plugging away with it.

I know, I'm just picking the forward line up which would IMO gel best. We don't know what's been going on behind the scenes WRT Viduka. KK might well opt for Martins/Owen which would be interesting but means no target man.

No 'keeper? Not a bad side but I can't see them two starting up front. oops...obviously Harper in goal. I don't think Keegans' side will look anything like this tbh. Owen will be playing for a start. It's a tricky decision re Owen but Viduka offers goals and decent hold up play and Martins compliments with his pace and also a goal threat. Viduka and Owen would be too static for me.

I'd go with this team if available Beye Faye Cacapa Enrique Milner Geremi N'Zogbia Duff Viduka Martins

According to the Journal, Viduka and Martins are expected to be fit for this one. If we are going to win that has to be the case. If they aren't I would rather go with a 5 man midfield than start Smith.

Milner needs to start getting goals to be worth his place in the side long term. Not loads, just enough to justify taking up a forward position. We don't get enough goals from midfield in general.