Shak

Damn you Gallas, keep it down!! (Optimistic, but I've stuck a fiver on him to get the first goal.)

Shola and Lovenkrands. Madness that some people are voting for Ranger over Shola.

It's no surprise really though. A shit owner and a shit manager is rarely the best combination for making good signings. Really hope there's some sort of back-up plan, I doubt it though.

I'll bet Nolan, Smith and Butt were there, coughing really loudly while Hughton was trying to talk.

Wait till you live with your girlfriend. You'll get to watch one of those if you're lucky. I was going to say exactly the same thing. How on earth do you lot manage to watch so much football? I've lived with my Mrs ten years now, and if i want to watch a match, i need to start dropping hints and being nice around the house at least 10 days in advance. Been doing the same with the Arsenal match tomorrow. All I got was "for fuck's sake I've let you watch it tonight haven't I?" Way to wear them pants, lads.

Just shouted "Blobby!!" really loudly reading that post for some reason.

Agree with all of it apart from the fact that I have a feeling MA will change manager in the summer if we go up. Really? Where does any such faith in Ashley come from? I really, really can't see it. The first signs that he is beginning to get it is the decent window we're having. Good solid purchases and in Routledge an inspired one. The other thing is if he doesn;t change it in the summer a run of losses will make him act. Whichever way it goes hughton won't be in charge next Christmas. It'll be the latter, I reckon. We'll end up with someone coming in at the halfway point of the season trying to save our bacon. If he does, great. If not, it'll basically have been a complete waste of two years (Butt will probably be gone though, on the plus side). I just don't think Ashley has a clue how to run a football club, and he never will. Judging by Llambias' contributions thus far, he's not particularly good at selecting people to do it for him either. Bit early to call Routledge an inspired signing.

It's an away game. He can't go criticising them or they'll beat him up on the bus home.

He basically needs a manager who'll light a fire under him and tell him "get out there and impose yourself on the game, stop half-arsing it", as johnny said. One that'll play him in central midfield as well, obviously.

Agree with all of it apart from the fact that I have a feeling MA will change manager in the summer if we go up. Really? Where does any such faith in Ashley come from? I really, really can't see it.

"But they played with great spirit and what often happens when you go down to 10 men it galvanises the team." Said as though they weren't all over us before the sending off.

Does some things well out there. I worry about him long term though in that he doesn't read the game well at all. I wonder if he's gotten by in the youth ranks based mostly on his physique and a bit of natural ability on the ball. He's so big for his age, and he's not slow by any means either, you can see how he'd simply overwhelm the opposition. Still time for him to develop, though I generally lean toward the idea that a "football brain" is something that is mostly innate.

Pretty pleased with the new players, all of them looked like they'll be useful additions to the squad. 2 points tossed away due to woeful management though, getting a point is pretty decent considering we were outplayed the whole game long.

I don't want to lay into him too much, this season was and is massive for us. We absolutely have to get promoted this year, if we don't then I can see us being in the Championship for a very long time. Whatever you say about him, he's got the players playing as a team, there seems to be a good spirit in the dressing room and that combined with some players who are too good for this division have carried us to where we are this season. So he does deserve some credit, because I think he's steadied the ship a bit and gotten what was a rotten dressing room functioning as a unit. However, today was a good indicator of why this guy has absolutely no business managing us if we're in the Premiership next season. His uselessness in terms of team selection and in game adjustments basically threw away 2 points today, and if Wellens had stayed on the field then I don't see any way where we don't lose today. You can't just throw away points because you're manager doesn't know what he's doing and expect to do anything in the Premiership. Sadly, I can't see Ashley having the brains to get someone else in this summer if we do go up and we'll be more than likely set to come straight back down again.

He's not slow, but it's his style of game that I'm talking about. Plays his best with his back to goal, trying to bring others into the game. He's not the type who is going to hurt teams getting in behind them and running the channels. Same with Carroll, really. Both will do better with someone quicker playing just off them. In a recent match he skinned a defender got to the bye-line and picked out an excellent pass. which Nolan wasted, so i would say he does have that to his game It's not something he does all the time though, which is my point. His bread and butter is more playing as a proper CF. Sure he can do the other stuff from time to time, but I wouldn't want to go into a game relying on Ranger to be our main outlet for getting in behind teams up front.

He's not slow, but it's his style of game that I'm talking about. Plays his best with his back to goal, trying to bring others into the game. He's not the type who is going to hurt teams getting in behind them and running the channels. Same with Carroll, really. Both will do better with someone quicker playing just off them.

Lovenkrands +1 up front for me. Which is why we really, really need another striker with a bit of pace, because Lovenkrands isn't very good in all honesty. Still, two static targetmen up front is never a good idea.

Don't see how that happening is dependent on us not getting him.

Jonas and Routledge on the wings. Moses playing just off a target man. Jesus, we'd actually be capable of thumping teams with that sort of setup. Actual pace, been a long time since we've had it. Exciting news just before bed that, the lass is gonna get it good.

We blatantly need a quick striker like, possibly even more than we need a CM. When Lovenkrands doesn't play, we're atrocious to watch. Long ball bullshit for 90 minutes every single time. Movement and a bit of pace up front, which Moses would provide, is essential to any football team. Sure the midfielders need to be upgraded, but we'd still be hooping long balls up there even if we had Iniesta in the middle of the park with pairings like Carroll and Ameobi up top. Would be a cracking signing, and I think we're in with a fair shout of convincing to come to Newcastle over any of the other clubs mentioned as being interested in him.

What's the hijack all about then? Not arsed reading back through the 13 pages, something to do with Harewood and Drogba by the looks of things?

Pretty much my reaction. Gonna be shitting it that Jonas is going to leave now, we couldn't actually have two good wingers in the squad at one could we?

http://ipoopexcellence.com/images/at-first-i-was-like-but-then-i-lold.jpg

Allardyce calling other people negative? He actually has somewhat of a point though, even if he is cock.

Cue some mysterious club "insiders" making some scathing comments about the club every Sunday from now on then.