TRon

What can I say...Big Sam walks on water. To think, Chelsea stole our 2nd choice RB target, then we only go back and get our number one man instead! And Faye as well! Our defence is going to look like a back line of Terminators.

Butt and Geremi are solid enough in CM. With those two in tandem, I would have thought Smith would be given far more license to drive forward than has been the case so far.

for all we know, you might have a drug addict sister. Not that it's relevant, but since you brought it up..

Big Sam doesn't strike me as a man without a plan. Doesn't mean it's the right plan, but at least it's a plan.

At the moment I'm assuming he's playing as an attacking midfielder. Now in my mind there are two types: the skilful playmaker, or the box to box runner who will get beyond the back four and score a few goals. Smith was never going to be the playmaker, but despite my early reservations about signing him, I thought he could definitely be a goalscoring AM. In three matches so far though, he's barely had a strike on goal. Now we all appreciate his work rate and never say die attitude, but with Butt and Geremi in the middle, shouldn't Smith's role be a bit more attack-minded?

I didn't really want Dyer to go through this season without picking up injuries considering how many he's had for us, but I wouldn't wish this on anyone. If it's made some people happy, well each to his own, have fun etc.

I don't really care what system Sam uses, but I do feel that Viduka is much more effective when the ball is played to his feet. He can hold it up really well and that allows runners to join in around him.

"No Surrender, no surrender no surrender to the IRA!" Opposition fans could sing this behind Shay Given's goal to good effect IMO.

That's just it though, he isn't about to be sold, neither are Liverpool about to make an offer. Those who aren't raising him up as a god are just pointing out that he's not really good enough to command a regular first team place yet, not if we want to compete with the best anyway. He can certainly do a good job if called on, but at his age, you wouldn't expect him to be the finished article in any case. He's still got a lot to learn.

Well he didn't actually. Woodgate marked him superbly and it took a supreme piece of skill and strength to actually score a goal from that position. I don't think Mido had to work quite as hard for his goal and Taylor was at fault. That doesn't mean he's a bad player, or that he's about to be sold, just that he's still not ready to be a first team regular IMO.

What fee? Are we taking this story seriously on account of someone's scouse mate?

I can guarantee you that Tuncay won't have found it funny. Doubt very much that Emre would see the funny side either.

I don't think anyone is giving him a hard time. Just pointing out that he's got plenty of good points but the glaring weaknesses will need to be eliminated from his game before the likes of Liverpool come calling. The goal he was at fault for yesterday was similar to the one on his debut under Bobby Robson. A bit disturbing to see he hasn't sorted that out yet tbh. I saw Rio run with the ball into the mid trying a couple of tricks and losing possession putting his team under pressure while he's just been passed out of the equation at the back. Done it at West Ham, done it at Leeds, done it for England, still doing it now at nearly 30. Quite worrying he hasn't sorted it out in the 10+ years he's been a professional footballer at the top level. The two situations are hardly the same though. One is about a defender trying to play the ball out of defence, the other is failing at basic marking and defending against a striker.

I don't think anyone is giving him a hard time. Just pointing out that he's got plenty of good points but the glaring weaknesses will need to be eliminated from his game before the likes of Liverpool come calling. The goal he was at fault for yesterday was similar to the one on his debut under Bobby Robson. A bit disturbing to see he hasn't sorted that out yet tbh.

He is nowhere even close to the level those lads were at when aged 21. He lacks the pace Rio had to get him out of trouble, and the brute strength that Terry had to bully strikers with, but both made as many mistake at that age, and thats the main criticism the lad gets right now. He will get stronger and he's as fast as Terry, but he's got a lot of learning to do, it doesn't help being held back back having no good and experienced defenders to learn off or decent coaches or a competent manager. I disagree, he has more than enough brute strength, he just hasn't developed enough positional nous yet. He's not going to be bullied, but he will get out-witted by clever strikers at this stage.

Anyone who thinks Taylor is like John Terry really needs to look at the first boro goal conceded yesterday. A long ball, plenty of time in which to get in the right position, yet Taylor managed to let Mido get goalside and score an easy, gifted goal. Taylor is promising but he needs experience and he needs to learn not to switch off. It doesn't help when we big him up because he has a great attitude.

This is a stupid story, anyone with any thinking ability will spot that straight away. If Liverpool were really desperate for defenders, they would look for someone who could go straight into their first team, not a raw youngster who still lacks judgement. He's not good enough to start for us on a regular basis, why would Liverpool want him if they need players who can do a job now?

Your mate in Liverpool is on crack

Didn't realise it was Mike Ashley tbh. I was so impressed by Mort's enthusiastic fist in the air celebrations, but I was wondering why he was hugging the fat toon fan, and what he was doing in the director's box? Big Mike has gone up another level in my eyes.

Couldn't have picked two better players to get injured tbh. Hopefuly we'll now get a proper RB in and our squad will almost be complete. If we can ship Emre out and get in a playmaker, all the better. No doubting his ability, but he's never fit for selction, which makes him dispensable in my book.

I still rate Luque as a player, but he clearly doesn't fancy English football. His game is all about technique and touch, which is top class. The top teams though have players with commitment and heart. He hasn't shown enough of that here so he's probably better off elsewhere.

I haven't read the story but I am pretty certain that whoever wrote it won't have explained how this 'scoop' ties in with the fact that Ashley has just ploughed £30m of his own money into reducing the club debt. Unless the club's value has suddenly rocketed in the last few weeks.

From today's Mirror.

Owen is basically confirming he is a moocher, admittedly one of the best around. What disappoints me is he is waxing lyrical about Mclaren's leadership, which is doomed to failure, while he doesn't like to talk much about Newcastle at all.

No, just taking a while. Sammy Lee is saying Faye will be playing against Reading on Sat. In fairness Sammy Lee probably shouldn't be commenting on who's playing on Saturday as by then someone else could be picking the team.