Shak

Shame if it falls through, good depth for a couple of positions that we could do with. Not a travesty though, as we're still reasonably OK as long as we get Enrique in.

Aside from the sentimental "he's been here ages, like!" factor, Given really doesn't have any of the factors needed to be a captain. Captain has to organise the team, be it vocally or through his actions. You want your captain in the thick of the action at all times, which is why CB's and CM's generally make the best captains. Keeprs in general aren't suited to being captains, much less so Shay who's not very vocal at all.

It's no gaurantee he'll ever get his first touch "sorted" though, it's generally an innate thing. He can improve it, no doubt, but I doubt his first touch will ever be top class. Then, he has enough other qualities to his game that he can get away with his first touch only being alright. Oh no doubt he is a class player but at times his first touch is such a let down, it is a part of his game he can work on and I am sure is something Big Sam will look at with him. Honestly, I have plenty of doubts over whether he is a class player or not. His first touch can be such a travesty at times that it'll turn out to ultimately be detrimental to a team hoping to challenge at the top of the league, which must be our ultimate goal. Unless he improves it, he'll end up as either an impact sub for top teams (someone you can throw on when you run out of ideas and just hope he'll score something from nothing) or else a mid-table team player, who'll get away with his bad link up play because he'll get you enough goals in a season to justify it (as he did with us last year)

In general I think all signs are pointing towards us playing 4-3-3, given the number of CM's we have. Very interested to see how Owen does in a 4-3-3, if he ever gets fit.

I'd go with the 4-3-3 option. Put in Carr for Solano though and possibly Drago (if signed in time) instead of Enrique. And also Butt in place of N'Zogbia.

It's no gaurantee he'll ever get his first touch "sorted" though, it's generally an innate thing. He can improve it, no doubt, but I doubt his first touch will ever be top class. Then, he has enough other qualities to his game that he can get away with his first touch only being alright.

Emre, Solano, Viduka

Think N'Zogbia could be pure quality on the left hand side of a 4-3-3. Has an eye for goal and if you put him one on one with a defender he'll beat him more often than not. Beautiful cross as well for the sitter Martins missed. Will also be able to play in the middle in that system and on the left in a 4-4-2, looks like we've really dodged a bullet here. In a year or so we'll look back on the N'Zogbia affair this summer the way we look back at the way the Milner thing went last year. Great to hear he's impressing Sam.

Honestly, would love us go for a top center-forward if there's one to be had. Even though I'm a fan of Shola, don't think he'll ever be good enough first choice for where we want to be. Viduka can't have long left and is gonna miss games. One thing's for sure under Allardyce, and that's that we'll feature a focal point type striker, who will score goals as well as being adept at playing with his back to goal and linking play while providing a physical presence up front. God knows if Owen will ever be fully fit for a game this season, while Smith I'm hoping to see more in midfield. Leaves us with Viduka (injury prone), Martins (erratic) and Shola (see Martins & Viduka) as options up front. Wouldn't be adverse to it at all, we can't rely on Owen at all. Worth giving thought to IMO, if there's money there.

FYP It's still shite though.

http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=41553.0 Bit late there Parky.

Functional things they are, I'd rather a man counting down really loudly over the public announce.

That seems to be t'general consensus. But Dave is adamant on this it seems. He gets like this during the sheep dog trials. Parky misses a sitter!

Geremi it is then. Seems the safest bet, think Barton might well have challenged him for it if not for the legal issue over him and now also his injury. Not sure Taylor is ready yet, if he has a bad run of form it will become a huge anchor on him. Geremi comes from a Premiership winning club, is vastly experienced in football throughout Europe and is still in the prime of his career, still only aged 28. Good solid pro also, with the way he's played himself into a starting spot in CM this pre-season he's become the obvious choice. Allardyce said he wanted his captain to step forward and reveal himself, and Geremi has done that brilliantly. Best of luck to him if he gets it.

I thought the t' part generally means 'the', or can also mean 'to the'. But then I've never been to Yorkshire.

Never been really bothered by shit coverage as such, as long as I can see the football I'm happy. So what if the replays are shite or there's some bad camera work? Ideally it'd be better but it' still worth it at the end of the day for me, as long as losing the coverage doesn't become a regular thing.

I'm a little confused, what exactly did Curbishley start? Did Allardyce not just admit that it was us that bumped up the price?

"Ramage is to defenders what Chris Benoit is to babysitters"

Didn't look sharp at all, Viduka, but you could see in flashes the ability he's got when we feed the ball into his feet, his touch is quality. Smith looks a great signing, great squad member.

Sorry Dave, I'll stop now.

Looks a good partner for Taylor. Very cerebral, reads the game very well and play with a level head. Looking forward to seeing how he and Taylor deal with Bolton next week.

Watched our game with Sampdoria, no way I'd watch Man U v Chelsea in a friendly. Two very good goals though, tbf.

So was Smith. I know, was responding to the 'Bowyer was shit' posts. Smith'll do better for us than Bowyer did, I would assume. The longer it goes the more happy I am with this signing, after initially being whelmed by the whole thing.

Compare it to last season's options for CM Parker, Emre, Butt Pick 2 out of 3 Glenn...

Bowyer was fucking quality at Leeds for a time, let's not forget that.