Shak

I know it's not fashionable to say it anymore but KK did that imo - Viduka's class, Owen's finishing and Martins' pace, with each one compensating for the others flaws, made a lethal combination. I was going to say that "the" formation never got a proper airing against class opposition, then remembered the last home game of last season against Chelsea where we were unlucky to go into half-time level at 0-0 and then had to replace Viduka at half-time with Alan Smith, which subsequently saw us fall apart and lose all rhythm/shape. The negative of that formation was that it would only work with those three playing it (and particularly Viduka) as there is nobody else in the squad capable of playing those roles. Perhaps Jonas could do Oba's role to a degree, but there's nobody who could do what Owen or Viduka were doing in that formation. I actually think Duff would have made a decent back-up for Martins in that role. Played the best football of his career there for Ireland at the start of the decade, the role would suit him as it does Oba as he's allowed sort of be on the periphery of the game and just get involved here and there and be a threat where possible while the game largely goes through Owen and Viduka. Martins job is to provide the threat of pace in behind and consequently create more space for the others. Was a superb system, as Wullie said it perfectly used each of the players strengths to make up for each other's weaknesses.

Tooj will start fondling himself when he reads this.

You really think it's a good idea for a thread though? You think a Christmas Party means anything special to these lads, who earn thousands a week and can go to a flash party any time they like, to the point it'll have any effect on their performance whatsoever?

To be fair Nixon, it's a really shit thread idea in that case.

By the way, I sincerely doubt the Christmas party is THAT big a deal for these guys tbh.

Can see us struggling with Stoke tbh. There's nothing to link midfield and attack for us unless Viduka plays, and we're susceptible defensively to a physical approach. Delap was injured at one point today. Not sure what his status is but whether he plays or not could be key.

That wasn't so uber Yorkie. Agree with you completely though, apart from I'd have Guthrie on instead of Geremi in both systems.

Barton and N'Zogbia are the only non strikers in our squad that you think can grab a goal here and there. Jonas' track record indicates that its not a strong point. The real issue is there's been nobody in the team for a while now that can lead the line with his back to goal and link the play, allowing the midfielders to get forward and feed off of him. Viduka can do that, but in a 4-4-2 he needs pace alongside him and I can't see Owen being left out. Really hope we get the 4-3-3 going. It's the only system that makes sense with the current players. Of course, Keegan wouldn't have known this or anything because he's not tactically any good. Just a cheque book manager who told the lads to go out and attack and hope for the best. (That's for Tooj. )

They're probably all hammered though.

On the plus side our defence is looking good, Colo and Bassong have been superb the last 2 games. Unfortunately Kinnear is pretty much anti-football. Gutless stuff taking off Martins when he'd been our most dangerous player. Another Souness/Roeder until the end of the season then. Goody.

Left the Aussie on the bench, most likely.

Not a bad shout but if you're going 3 up top I'd leave the better defender at LB. Just take N'Zogbia, Butt or Guthrie off and play Owen from deep. It's basic common sense. If we lose I'll go fucking nuts.

Kinnear is a fucking wanker. Gutless piece of shit, play 3 up top you useless Irish cunt and show some balls.

Not bad but we're struggling as ever with our build up play because we've nobody who can dictate things in the midfield, or a striker who can play with his back to goal and bring others into the game. Pretty much impossible to play good football with neither of those, ideally you should have both. Not a whole lot available to change it with though just yet. I'd imagine Viduka has about 20-30 minutes in him. Unless we take the lead I'm hoping we'll take off Guthrie or N'Zogbia when the time comes and revert to the 4-3-1-2. Probably just take Oba off though is my bet. Bassong looks the business tbh. And dodgy Enrique appears to have shown up today, his general distribution is woeful for a guy who actually picks out a good ball now and then.

I really can't overstate how happy I am that Duff isn't playing. Sure, N'Zogbia may play shite. But at least it's not 100% gauranteed, like with 'Da Duffer'.

Be interesting to see how Owen and Martins do this week, never likely to get much service last week but today there should be a chance for them to get something going.

I don't agree with anything in this post.

Make that a full on. Should have let it run its course before posting.

Aye. Just given me a semi.

Is Duff out?

Can't blame Shearer. Wouldn't want to work under an incompetent wanker like Kinnear either, personally.

I can just picture Kinnear readin that thinking... "But... but, that doesn't sound like 4-4-2 to me."

Pretty much given up on the whole N'Zogbia issue tbh, far too depressing to give any serious thought to. But since I'm bored... Boat has probably sailed for him regarding becoming a top player, which I do believe he had the potential to be. Can beat a man, not lightning fast but quick enough and with the upper body strength to be a very good direct runner with the ball, decent crosser and has the knack for popping up with a goal more than most when he gets on the pitch. All the ingredients there to be a very, very good winger. Hard to feel particularly sorry for the guy, he seems a bit of a prat quite frankly, regardless of how he's been treated. But how anyone can't see what a mess we, as a club, have made of this talented youngster is beyond me. Aged 19, playing in a struggling side in a foreign country, he managed 5 goals and 7 assists in 40 (7 as sub) appearances during the 2005-2006 season. The established and familiar with the English game Damien Duff has 3 goals and 5 assists in 61 total appearances (9 as sub) for Newcastle btw, while as a 19 year old at Man U Ronaldo managed 9 goals and 4 assists in 50 appearances (10 as sub) in the 2004-2005 season. Man U were a wee bit better than us at the time as well. Now, Ronaldo obviously is a more gifted player than N'Zogbia and has become a better player than N'Zogbia could ever have, but the point is that as 19 year olds they were similiar enough. Raw products with a lot of ability but little maturity, and pretty self-centered attitudes. Players that need to be nurtured and made to feel wanted, because the ones with talent are worth it. Ferguson, being a good manager, knew this and has stood by Ronaldo and pretty much built a team around him and has been rewarded with a player that absolutely shreds teams week in-week out. Our solution was naturally to bring in an experienced veteran like Duff to compete with N'Zogbia and hopefully teach him some 'professionalism', or some such bullshit. Sit your best young player on the bench, or even at left-back for the laugh, that's obviously the best way for him to learn and build on an exceptional season the year before. I'd love to know how many games Charlie has started on the LW since the end of the 2005-2006 season. I'll bet it's 20, at the most. Sub appearances and LB roles. He's still managed more goals (4) and more assists (10) than Duff since we signed Duff btw, in spite of this. Baffling quite frankly, and a great representation of what a shit club we've been the last 3 years when an exciting young talent comes along and we somehow manage to make a complete fucking toaster-bath of the whole affair. I wouldn't mind if we'd stuck with him and he'd dipped in form and clearly not been that good. But no, he's been sat on the bench or playing LB while talentless wankers with good attitudes like Duff and Milner have been making a holy show of themselves on the flanks. He'll be off in January, and some past-it piece of shite similiar to Duff will be brought in. And most of the people on here will be happy about it.

http://www.diyplanner.com/files/180px-Simpsons_-_Nixon_Whacking_Day.jpg Is whacking day over yet?