Shak

I LOVE him.

Probably the first time in that period that we'll have had teams willing to pay significant money for him though, given his injury/form issues in the past compared to how he's playing now.

I like the idea of the three of them having a male model in the car with them as well.

Surprised at the poll results so far. Really don't think I could quit even if I wanted to, to be honest. Of course my investment in the club is only emotional, so I appreciate for some people this is a different question entirely. Couldn't blame anyone for giving up going to the games.

Should change the heading on the forum to --------------------- Newcastle appoint Pardew as manager. http://files.sharenator.com/yay_The_Newest_Sharenator-s311x302-103062-580.jpg

It'd actually be great for football if all managers and players had contracts structured this way, so from an ideological standpoint I really like the approach. On the other hand, I'm not a complete fantasist who is under any illusions that this sort of approach has much chance of succeeding. No sane manager worth his salt is going to take this kind of deal when other clubs are offering guaranteed contracts and better resources with which to do their jobs. The net result of course is that we're likely going to get somebody who is out of his depth at this level and the club is going to suffer and cost itself a lot more money than it costs to pay a real manager as a result. Our only hope is that they find an up and coming young manager with the stones and self-belief to take on such a project. Not that they'd appoint such a man if he were to present himself of course, given that they don't have the first fucking clue what they're doing.

Bullshit. This is what all sports are like. Angry. Confused. Angry. Can't believe we posted back to back and neither of us went for the obvious joke.

Not sure what to think really. Will probably just get behind the next manager and hope for the best.

Legend in my eyes. Had he not done such a good job last year the club could have really got in the toilet. Hope Ashley has a good plan for a replacement and all that good work doesn't go to waste. Thanks Chris.

Fucking shocking stuff. Cheers for everything Chris, you deserved better.

at people saying he was good yesterday. Doubt he touched the ball ten times. Clinical finish for the goal though, to be fair to the lad.

Prefer this one, from back in the days before we signed him. Thought Best did pretty well for a guy who'd obviously never been involved in a game of football before. Considering he's a championship striker up against Champion league defenders... Doesn't excuse clearly not being familiar with the offside rule. That said, I see no real harm in giving him a chance at some point. We've been effectively playing with ten men the last few games with how rubbish Shola and Lovenkrands have been. Best, Ranger or Xisco couldn't be any worse, really.

I think he's just weak mentally tbh. Always looked to me like there was a good player in there somewhere. Good touch, decent technique and can pick a pass out better than most of our midfielders. He just doesn't seem to be able to impose himself on games at all though, things just pass him by or even worse, he hides like he did yesterday. Was a complete waste of a jersey yesterday, no interest in ever seeing him play for us gain.

I know he couldn't cut it in the Championship, but the Premiership might just be right for him!

Two terrible places for World Cup's IMO, shame that England didn't get one.

It's amazing how much a semi-competent Premiership striker would improve us. Best, Shola, Ranger and Lovenkrands. FFS. If Carroll gets injured before January we're absolutely fucked. Shola is still probably the best bet to do something positive, embarrassing as that is.

'Flame haired'

Desperately need a better player up there alongside Carroll than what we have available at the moment. Shola is a passable backup at this level, nothing more. Nolan up front just doesn't work at all, his best quality is lost when there's a CB there to pick him up when he moves into the box. Still reckon Keane would be a useful signing on loan until the end of the season, streets ahead of the likes of Best, Ranger and Lovenkrands both as a player and as a useful partner for Carroll. He'd do really well working off Carroll's knockdowns from long balls, unlike Shola who seems to just stand there and looked shocked when Carroll wins every single ball in the air. Ben Arfa playing just off could be interesting too, eventually.

Guthrie was poor today, he's quite a decent player from a technical point of view but he just doesn't impose himself on games at all and generally the game tends to pass him by as a result.

Decent result, thought the lads gave their all and deserved the point. We don't have the creative players to play a whole lot better than that to be honest, especially against a team like Chelsea.

Shola is the prototypical captain tbh.

NEVER forget.

Throwing him in there to start games is a bit much at this point, but I don't see the harm in having him on the bench and giving him twenty minutes at the end of some games, see where he is in terms of being ready for the Premiership. With the way some people go on you'd think that these lads get completely destroyed emotionally if they play a game and don't do well. A few substitute appearances aren't going to do any harm.