Shak

I'm relatively content tbh, just if we do go for a big name signing I'd just rather see us get a big name striker than this CM playmaker people seem to be raving on about. We're covered much better in CM than up front. Don't think we will be making a big name signing for what it's worth either. As for your point about other top clubs, it's fair enough but none of those players are considered as injury prone or inconsistent as Viduka. There all also vastly better players, while we're on the subject. (with the exception of Van Persie, who's a different type of player anyway)

Did you have to go back and edit it just for the sake of adding the 'Lunacy' bit? Personally don't see Smith as a striker, he'll be mostly midfield IMO. What happens if Viduka gets a long-term injury, something which isn't exactly impossible? Unless we're expecting to play Arsenal/Man U style football we'll need someone who can play up front with his back to goal. That'll leave us with only Shola. I'm not comfortable with that at all.

I didn't realise I was getting there tbh. And Luque wasn't included as a striker for a reason. Even if he has been useless for the last 2 years according to some people, but finally showing some glimpses he has a chance of being a good squad player you still don't give him the benefit of the doubt. A bit fickle there i reckon. Yes, it is a bit fickle of you to be expecting Luque to be contributing for us based on a few "glimpses".

I like both - we can play both and looked very imposing changing it around on yesterday! I'd say we looked directionless with 4-4-2 yesterday, with things improving a lot when we switched to 4-3-3.

I didn't realise I was getting there tbh. And Luque wasn't included as a striker for a reason.

Agree with Baggio, not enough pace. If we're going 4-4-2 I'd have N'Zogbia LW every time. I've got my heart set on a 4-3-3 at this point though.

A striker. Namely a top class, out-and-out center forward type who will score goals as well as be the focal point of our attack for years to come. With Allardyce in charge, one thing we'll always have in our team is a striker who will be expected to play with his back to goal and recieve the ball to feet, linking the play and involving runners from midfield. Not only this, but he'll be expected to pick up his fair share of goals as well. So far the two players we have earmarked for this role are Shola Ameobi and Mark Viduka. While a classy player, Viduka is approaching 32 years of age and is generally considered injury prone and inconsistent. He'll not play every game this season, and this leaves us with Ameobi as our other option. While I would love Shola to go on and prove himself a top striker, due to the incredibly OTT criticisms he recieves from some segments of our fanbase as much as anything, my head tells me that'll never happen. Too erratic and doesn't impose himself anywhere near enough on games. So there are legitimate question marks over these two. Then there's Michael Owen. There are absolutely no gaurantees Owen will play a fully fit game for us at all this season. He injured himself taking a shot in training FFS, he's like a piece of glass and we can't expect anything from him. Add to that that if he does get a run of games and does well then he'll be on his bike at the first opportunity then he's not a player I want us to rely on at all. Without Owen fully fit, where will the consistent supply of goals come from? Smith, Viduka, Ameobi and Martins is a decent quartet, but none of them are top class strikers. If we want to make a serious push up the league and maybe even have an outside chance of pushing for Top 4, then a top class CF is the player we need. Stick in a bid for Klaas Jan Huntelaar I say, see what the price is. He's young, tall, quick, got a great touch, good in the air and a clinical finisher. Could be a staple of our team for years to come and, with Viduka here already, he'll have somebody to learn from and won't be expected to come in and take the PL by storm immediately.

Can't believe the Sam Allar-dice is still only on 3, given how well he's wheeled and dealed this smmer.

Seems the best bet of who we have at the moment. Obviously if we had a blatantly outstanding captain material player on our books we'd all just vote for him, but we don't. Who would you suggest then, apart from your previous terrible suggestion of Cacapa?

Easily is a bit of a stretch, but we'll have a chance alright.

Doesn't speak any English. Wouldn't be ideal. Also not a gauranteed starter and injury prone.

Pity we missed out on Distin, on reflection.

http://www.morethings.com/fan/south_park/photo_gallery/al-gore-is-manbearpig.jpg

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.