Shak

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.

Aye, but it's the same gameplan every week which is the problem.

Becoming increasingly obvious that Nolan is a massive hindrance to any attempt to actually play football. His game consists of getting on the end of knockdowns from long balls... and that's it. Offers nothing else whatsoever. It's great he's got those goals, I'll take getting out of this division any way possible. Really can't wait until he's not playing for us anymore though. Would love to see tonights team with Barton starting instead of Nolan and Raylor instead of Simpson, think we could play some pretty good stuff.

Same shit football, lucky to get a draw. If he takes us up I'll be forever grateful to the man, but he's just not a manager really. Good coach and a person the players seem to have time for, but the football under him is completely directionless and has been all season.

Otter's comment is spot on like, it was the most frustrating ending to a game ever because we could have nicked it.

the only diference i see is one will take some responsibility and the other wont. I see what you're saying, one thing you have to commend Butt on is that he doesn't hide and will try and exert himself on the game where others in CM won't (Nolan is a complete disgrace in this regard). However, Butt taking responsibility ends up being completely counter-productive to our attacking football. Rather than actually playing a simple pass, he'll get it into his head that he's David Beckham and start spraying wildly ambitious 50 yards passes up the field. And I genuinely can't remember one of them ever coming off for him. Sometimes less really is more, I'll take Smith passing off responsibility over Butt thinking he's Jan bloody Molby any day of the week. They're about even as far as defensive play goes as far as I'm concerned, Butt reads the game much better while Smith has a better engine. Both of them give away far too many stupid fouls for my liking, and ideally neither of them will be at the club next year if we go up.

He really shoots himself in the foot by every so often deciding "Fuck this, I'm gonna fucking try for a while" and putting in a great shift, usually towards the end of games. Looks like a wasp on coke for about 30 minutes and really highlights how much he's half-arsing it out there more often than not. Still one of our most important players though, only player who stops the long ball business becoming absolutely unbearable.

Not that fussed, would rather a smaller, nippier type if we're gonna bring anyone in permanently. Can't believe people actually thought we were gonna actually spend money on a player.

We won't be getting rid during the season like, would be foolish to do so for the reasons you've said. I'd look to clear out the majority of that players committee in the summer as well, no way for a football team to be run.