TRon

I think we could have finished top 8, although that would have been only if we had been extremely lucky with injuries. Although as the season started we had injuries to both full-backs despite Keegan saying we needed a left and a right-back. Now I know people will reply with well if you felt we could finish that high, then the recruitment team had done a good job and you felt we had an adequate enough squad. But this isn't the case at all, I put that down to Keegan's ability to get the most out of each and every player in the squad, much like he did towards the end of last season when things picked up. It could be argued he just ended up picking better players eventually and dropping the shit ones, like Duff and Smith. Even though he completely changed the formation and balance of the side? I think we could have finished top 8, although that would have been only if we had been extremely lucky with injuries. Although as the season started we had injuries to both full-backs despite Keegan saying we needed a left and a right-back. Now I know people will reply with well if you felt we could finish that high, then the recruitment team had done a good job and you felt we had an adequate enough squad. But this isn't the case at all, I put that down to Keegan's ability to get the most out of each and every player in the squad, much like he did towards the end of last season when things picked up. It could be argued he just ended up picking better players eventually and dropping the shit ones, like Duff and Smith. Even though he completely changed the formation and balance of the side? He did, and he deserves credit for being brave enough to do it, but he still struggled to get results when key players were missing. It was only when Martins and Viduka became available we started to look like a threat, and it's been similar this season, with or without the formation. When we have our best players fit, we look a half decent outfit, when we get three or four injuries we look woeful.

He was probably one of the most gifted footballers I've evr seen wearing a Newcastle shirt. Also one of the thickest.

I think we could have finished top 8, although that would have been only if we had been extremely lucky with injuries. Although as the season started we had injuries to both full-backs despite Keegan saying we needed a left and a right-back. Now I know people will reply with well if you felt we could finish that high, then the recruitment team had done a good job and you felt we had an adequate enough squad. But this isn't the case at all, I put that down to Keegan's ability to get the most out of each and every player in the squad, much like he did towards the end of last season when things picked up. It could be argued he just ended up picking better players eventually and dropping the shit ones, like Duff and Smith.

It's not a slight on them but we had our best seasons in the Premier before either player arrived at Newcastle so Freddie is clearly bigging up signings mad under his tenure as opposed to those under the massively successful Keegan years under John Hall.

Could you expand on that please as the majority view of Newcastle fans seems to be that every move amde by Ashley is to line his pockets, buying players who's value will increase in order to sell them on at a profit being a prime example.

I couldn't access it for a couple of minutes around 2:30-ish. Been fine since then.

That makes far more sense than buying over-priced Scottish and championship players. I'll bet we could pick up decent full backs from Scandinavia who would be more than useful cover.

There's nothing clever about it but you can't blame them for trying. Shay is on a long contract so we don't need to sell unless they make it an offer we can't refuse.

Isn't MccGeady another left winger? I would think we have enough of those. Aye but he's better than both the zog & duff imo, Also he can play on the right.. Would be really happy if we got him, A big improvement on what we have. He's definitely left-footed. At least we won't feel the loss of Zog if it's true, which I'm a bit dubious of. McGeady's price tag is around £12m so I don't see how that ties in with Joe's sell to buy claims.

Is he naturally right-footed or left? I always prefer a wide man to be playing on his natural side so he doesn't have to cut back to get a cross in.

Isn't MccGeady another left winger? I would think we have enough of those.

The one plus point is that City are in the bidding which means we can push the price up to at least £10m.

Saw him play for Norwich twice this season & he is still quick. Has the "played in PL" badge as well so he knows the crack. But is he upto the job? Went missing more than most when Reading hit the 2nd season syndrome. We've probably paid more for Viduka to sit on his arse in one month in comparative terms.

Newcastle fans will be turning up to support Blyth just to to get through to face the mackem cunts.

He's not banned from touting his players on skysports news

Its a watershed of sorts, i'm not expecting or demanding we buy big, but I expect and demand that we cover the gaps in the squad now that Ashley can't use the 'club for sale' as an excuse for nixing any deals. How hard can it be to buy a left back better than Zog and a right back better than Taylor? I would think there's a few in the lower leagues who could do a job as cover.

Although he was most likely just taking the piss. Like I said I'd really like to believe that but he has form for this sort of cluelessness. If I was going to use terms like clueless I'd probably apply it to bell ends like Peter Lee who spouted off in the press about a fans buy out of the club then disappeared up his own arsehole.

We need a couple of full backs in this window, just to provide cover if nowt else. It shouldn't need £30m to do that. Other positions like central midfield would be nice but unless we get the right player we can wait till the summer. If we can't at least get a couple of full backs in I'd be asking questions why for sure.

I doubt N'Zogbia will leave tbh. He'll only be transferred if we get a decent offer. Say what you like about Ashley, if the Dyer deal is anything to go by he's not the type to give players away unless we get full value.

I think I would be really angry about Ashley not spending if he wa preventing anyone else from doing it. The club's been on the market but no one can afford it, which suggests that there aren't many other people who are rich enough to do different. Or don't want it badly enough. What's the point in moaning about a problem if there isn't a solution?

He is going La Liga with Real Mallocra & then he is looking to get his club some money for Jonas. I know. That's why I think it's a bit silly some people keep banging on how ambitious we were under such and such board. Nobody has died, there are still plenty of rich people around, some of them geordies. Nothing is stopping these people from getting together with other like-minded people and buying the club then spending big.

Nice idea but I'm not sure Owen has the game to play as a lone striker. Martins would be a better bet if were were going down that route.

fuck me I completely forgot Didn't know if it was serious or not. sounds like he got a dead leg according to the quote from Skirge's link. Great news if he's fit.

Zog went off with a hamstring injury, I doubt he'll be available next week.

I've a feeling Mike Ashley's being cute here Dave. It might be JK is asking for transfer money and Mike Ashley is saying you've got a £6m striker not even getting used. Could be a roundabout way of stopping JK from blowing money on daft targets and decimating our squad by selling players at a loss.