Shak

I've said before, Pekerman pretty much singlehandely robbed his own team of the World Cup that day, or at least a very good chance of going on to win it. Went 1-0 up just before half time, second half they were looking very comfortable. But at 1-0 you're never safe, any idiot knows that. Argie keeper went off injured, that was one sub down but no real harm. Then he takes off Riquelme, the guy on the team that pretty much everything goes through. Obviously the plan is to sit back and defend, risky strategy but at least if you concede a goal you've got Messi on the bench to try and go on the offensive again if needed. Then with ten minutes to go he takes off Crespo and puts on Cruz, straight swap. Final sub pretty much wasted in a lame attempt to use up a few seconds. Inevitably, Germany equalise and send it to extra time and ultimately penalties. And in a win or go home match the Argentinians have easily their two best players sitting on the bench throughout extra time, powerless to effect the outcome. Hands down the worst display of in game management I've ever seen, and one I doubt I'll ever see topped.

Good news, as as has been said it's a pity Lua Lua went out on loan as he'd be well worth giving a try too. With Martins' availability looking questionable at best, it's nice to at least have an option other than Shola to call on. Hope he does the business if and when his chance comes.

That'd be my XI, too. Agree with lovejoy though, Nolan will get the nod over Guthrie, or even worse Jonas, most likely. Guthrie and Jonas in the Barton and Geremi roles from last year though would be promising though. Ideally, with everyone fit I'd be going Jonas, Guthrie and Barton as the three in the middle. Think that'd be very good tbh.

Ryan. Duh. Is Steven Taylor back for this? If so, Beye at RB and S Taylor at CB for me.

-------------- Harper Faylor -- Beye -- Bassong -- Enrique ------Guthrie -- Butt -- Jonas -------------- Owen ------ Carroll ----- Martins Is what I'd go for. If Enrique is out then shove Beye at RB, Faylor at LB and either Colo or Edgar at CB. I'd actually be tempted to start Duff instead of Martins too. Aside from the dodgy business last Saturday, Oba's been a disaster the last while and I've thought for a long time Duff's best spot is up front, making a nuisance of himself and working the channels playing off a big man. He's still not very good like, but we desperately need a bit of mobility up top and that's one thing he has. Would give Owen some space to work in coming from deep too.

I don't really mind as long as it doesn't start spilling over to other threads, which it has a bit. That said, there's definitely something a little bit unsettling about the whole thing to me. I'd feel weird obsessing about what is basically a 17 year old kid who has scored a few goals for the reserves. Odds are he'll amount to nothing sadly, given our record with bringing youngsters through. Obviously hope I'm wrong and he turns out to be the next Ronaldo, but chances are he'll be the next Michael Chopra, only with "swagga". Also, I know for most people this is just a little bit of a laugh. Few people need to have a look at themselves though tbh, I'm dreading the day the thread title contains 'Nile Convention on Saturday Week' or something to that effect.

Duff and Carroll up top, Owen in the hole. Assuming Martins is gone, one way or the other. If this is all much ado about nothing then put him in there for Duff.

The positive is that we got a point and looked like we were up for it. Don't really think we deserved a point though, even if they did give a better effort than some of the gutless efforts we've seen this year. We scored with what was basically one of two or three half chances we created in the entire 90 minutes, and Stoke really should have killed the game off two or three times early in the second half. My concern is that yesterday Shearer basically shit the bed with the formation he sent them out in. If you're gonna go 5-3-2 then you'd better have a lot of mobility in the 3 midfielders and two strikers, or else you're gonna end up being very narrow and easy to deal with. We sent out Butt, Guthrie, Nolan, Owen and Ameobi and the inevitable result wasn't pretty when we were in possession. It was only when we moved Duff up field and brought Jonas on that we started to look in some way capable of mounting an attack. I'm no fan of Duff but I'd have had him up front yesterday with Shola and played Owen just off. Shearer needs to learn from this, and fast. If he doesn't by the time Portsmouth come to SJP, we're fucked.

Deleting all your Newcastle friends on Facebook. FFS, is he 13 or something?

He'd probably refuse because the seats on your car weren't cushy enough Then tell the press that Sned had opened fire on the car with a machine gun.

------------------ Harper Beye ---- Edgar ---- Bassong ---- Faylor -------- Nolan --- Butt ---- Guthrie ------------------- Owen --------- Carroll -------- Martins/Duff

If we play 5-3-2 again we'll get mauled. 4 at the back. ALWAYS.

6. As in I'd say 60% chance we'll go down. It's all about the three home games, Shearer needs to figure it out by then and we'll have a fighting chance.

Who replaced Martins then, in your opinion? Duff Surely you just play Duff in Martins' position then? Lunacy to change the entire shape of the team when Duff has played just off the striker numerous times throughout his career and is probably at his most effective there.

Who replaced Martins then, in your opinion?

Agreed, when I saw the line-up I'd have taken a point all day long. Not sure we were planning a 4-3-3 though tbh. My guess is Guthrie started instead of Oba and Owen was pushed further up. Had we intended to go 4-3-3 it would have been pretty easy to still do so. Certainly better than going with that wank system we saw. Needs to learn from this does Shearer, we were dire going forward all day long thanks largely to the system he sent them out in.

I don't think we were fortunate at all. Decisions went against us but we put loads of pressure on them for the last 20 minutes and got a deserved goal. Aye, that goal really was coming alright...

Stole a point, I'll fucking take it all day long after the shite we put on display today. Immense header btw, positively Shearer-esque.

Very short sighted. We've no movement up front, everything in the middle is congested because we've nothing in wide areas. Abysmal attempt at a formation today.

We're only a game and a half in, I know, but Shearer has been an absolutely dreadful manager thus far. When was the last time anyone had any sort of success in the Premiership with wing-backs? The system today is a disgrace, you've got 3 static CM's and two of the least mobile strikers in the league as your 5 forewardmost players, you really think there's any chance you'll so much as create a half chance with that setup? Nobody running the channels, Stoke's CB's have basically snoozed their way through the half. With the same 11 players you can put out --------------------- Harper Beye ------- Edgar ------- Bassong ----------- Faylor ------- Nolan -------- Butt ------------ Guthrie ----------------------- Owen --------- Shola --------------------- Duff Now I'm no fan of Duff, but one thing the guy will give you is a willingness to run into the channels and give the team some width. Actually ask a question or two of Stoke and give Owen a bit of space to work with in the middle. Seriously worrying stuff so far from Shearer, hope he turns it around but we're not exactly blessed with much time.

Sounds like a box of piss tbh. No fitness test or anything, just ring up and say "I'm injured" on the morning of a game. Fuck off.

Duff can play up top, sounds like we're going 4-3-3 to me.

Sounds pretty dodgy this Martins business from Shearer's interview.

Wing backs by the sound of things. Holding out hope we're playing 4-3-1-2 with Duff up top with Shola, Owen in his deeper role.

Actually laughed at the very idea of that when I read your post.