TRon

This is a very valid point like, the same one I used when we were linked with Woodgate last summer. It's all well and good having a top-class defender for half the games a season - but it does you absolutely no favours in the other half. Campbell only missed 6 league games for Portsmouth last season, though, which isn't too bad and bodes quite well for the fact that he can still "do it" at the top level if looked after properly. Going by this logic as well, we still need another first-choice pair of fullbacks as well as a centre-half! Wasn't aware Campbell played so many games, perhaps it'd be worth the risk then. On the full backs issue, it looks likely that Geremi will spend a lot, perhaps most of his time elsewhere, and we all know we need a left back anyway, so yes I'd say we need a RB, LB and two CBs, or keep Geremi at RB and buy a CM instead. Basically we need 4 more players, 3 absolute minimum, and they need to be decent at the very least. The way I see it, we need a minimum of 3 defenders through the door (LB, RB, CD) and unless Allardyce feels Geremi could be used as a holding midfielder, then we need cover for Butt as well. I can understand if we have to lower our standards failing to land our main targets, but there will be no excuses for another summer wasted if we don't sign slightly lesser players for those positions as plan B.

I think you'll find that Taylor would be the one left out, rightly so IMO. Sam is right, for all his promise, he's still got plenty to learn. Don't think Sol Campbell is going to leave Portsmouth either, they are in the same wages league as us at the moment.

You use the words "tackle, run, pass, offer aggression and track back" as if it's normal for front players to be oblivious to these concepts. Obviously you want players to have these attributes, but the flip side to this view is that a forward needs to score goals first and foremost. So I would think the reason Allardyce is still making relatively positive noises about Luque is that he'll look at his plusses as well as the negatives. Far prefer that approach to Roeder's tbh.

Maybe we should play two central midfielders up front? That way, unlike Martins and Luque they could tackle, run, pass, offer aggression and track back like no one's business! ok we'd lose 1-0 but think of the work rate!

I rate Sven, but prefer Allardyce for us. Agree there. Sven is probably going to shock a few people and I expect City to do alright next season. Sven is light years ahead of Pearce, but I still prefer Allardyce here. easy to say,wonder what pearce would have been like if backed the way sven has been so far. This is just my opinion but Pearce offers passion and not much else. A manager needs other qualities as well and whether Pearce had millions or not, he's not a person I'd ever want near a management position at Newcastle.

I rate Sven, but prefer Allardyce for us. Agree there. Sven is probably going to shock a few people and I expect City to do alright next season. Sven is light years ahead of Pearce, but I still prefer Allardyce here.

To those saying we don't need a replacement, I am just taking Sam at his word that we will need to buy one. I think there is a fair case that we have plenty of players who can cover till Barton's back. How many of them are genuine CM's though? Milner isn't, Emre isn't, not sure abot Geremi but I think he could do it.

Will we need one? Allardyce was hinting yes, and though my first instinct was Baptista, I'm starting to get a feeling that we might go for Alan Smith instead. As a front player he's a waste of time IMO, but Sam might see him as a direct replacement for Dyer as an attacking midfielder. Totally different qualities but what you lose in pace you would replace with effort and desire. Can see this happening tbh.

He could possibly play the Djiouff role in a front 3 I'm guessing.

you're expecting him to be grateful NOW, after all this time getting paid shedloads for mediocrity? take what we can get, and f*** the skanky little tosspot off. Like I said to you or other cockney wankers...pay up or f*** off. Preferably both. Other cockney wankers? What the f*** are you talking about? And lets not pretend he's worht the £5m being bandied around. We should take whatever we can get to get rid of the little scumbag. Are you a West Ham mole or just an idiot? I don't know if you understand this but to "take whatever we can get to get" works in the London club's favour not ours. I understand you and your mates don't like Dyer, but trust me getting decent money for Dyer will be better for Newcastle. Understand? BETTER. For our club not West Ham.

Obviously Sam wants to up his fitness levels and by all accounts he appears to be putting in a lot more effort. A plaqyer who can score goals is an asset IF he can get maintain a good attitude.

Sam described himself as being a natural pessimist, being a defender by nature. If he's a pessimist, that makes you a potential suicide victim by comparison.

No, just realistic. A good deal for both parties IMO. They get a cracking player when he's happy (down south) we get decent compensation for losing a cracking player who would rather be somwhere else.

Was listening to Century tonight and Slaven was reluctantly talking about the qualities of Frank Quedrue again. For me this is sounding like a decent fall back option if we don't sign top tier players like Heinze, which we won't.

you're expecting him to be grateful NOW, after all this time getting paid shedloads for mediocrity? take what we can get, and f*** the skanky little tosspot off. Like I said to you or other cockney wankers...pay up or fuck off. Preferably both.

The absence of a brain?

What would be the point of a transfer on terms anything like that? We'd be far better off keeping him and using him as part of our already paper thin squad. I hope this is the last we hear of it, and I hope Dyer realises how lucky he is that we have supported him while southern clubs have failed to provide him with the move he wants.

Dyer better be prepared to get his head down and earn his corn for Newcastle I'd say. His chances of a move south look like they have been shat on by the cockney spivs trying to act hardball.

Maybe if Bramble and Heskey swapped positions it might help? :idea1:

In that case kindly fuck off then.

Just goes to emphasise what Dyer was capable of at his best though. Integral part of a side which finished 3rd in the Prem.

Said everything that basically needs to be said right there. I wonder whether Sam's panorama episode might have made the new board a bit more cautious about fast-tracking deals which is probably what Allardyce is more used to?

SWP has probably better end product but is nowhere near as quick IMO, and has far less drive or running power. You would gain some and lose some.

Age: 28 is hardly over the hill Injuries: fair point, but he does seem to be over the worst now following a change to his fitness regime. Hamstrings are hardly the same as having major surgery. Astronomical wages: par for the course for England players these days as to what he delivers, everyone has a different opion, from fans to managers don't they? Yours is probably different to mine, but I would be looking for at least £5m and the figure mentioned by Allardyce was £6m. He seems to be over them but his history of relapses is likely to be at the forefront of people's minds. Also, wasn't there something about there being some likely difficulty in getting insurance for him, due to his injury history, should he move clubs? I would imagine this would be a reason for wanting to pay less for him. Do you think we would be talking about £6m if he had never had injury problems? It would be a lot more given the current market as has just been pointed out. Bear in mind he would be valued according to how successive England managers rate him as opposed to the "Dyer's a fucking little waster" camp.

Age: 28 is hardly over the hill Injuries: fair point, but he does seem to be over the worst now following a change to his fitness regime. Hamstrings are hardly the same as having major surgery. Astronomical wages: par for the course for England players these days as to what he delivers, everyone has a different opion, from fans to managers don't they? Yours is probably different to mine, but I would be looking for at least £5m and the figure mentioned by Allardyce was £6m.