Shak

Since he can't pass the ball or tackle properly I've no idea why you think things would look up if he plays a defensive role. Besides, are you seriously saying he's playing a "creative" role right now. f****** hell. Well Butt is a holding midfielder, and from what I've seen Parker seems to be the one expected to get forward. So yeah, he's playing the creative role. Horrendously so, but it's what he's been doing. I think he can be a good DM, if he were to learn a bit of discipline in his play. As it is he works very hard and does very little. But we saw displays last year which showed he can be a good DM.

Glenn won't likely be here much longer though, year and a half at the most. Though I do agree that there's fuck all chance of him leaving anytime soon. Surely at some point someone will have the good grace to tell him he's a DM, then maybe things will start to look up.

Ronaldo has replaced Ronaldinho as the most enjoyable player in the world to watch for me. If I could have any one player in the world at Newcastle, it'd be him. Easily. He's got a ways to go before he can be mentioned as best ever though, but I think everything you need is there for him to possibly do so. He's just brilliant at everything needed in his position really, the ease with which he beats players one on one is incredible. Reckon he'll end up being better than Ronaldinho. At his age, Ronaldinho was still trying to find himself to some extent. Being stuck at PSG didn't really help to be fair to him. Just think Ronaldo has everything that Ronaldinho has, with just that little bit more pace and ability to just breeze by people like its nothing. The original Ronaldo was better at the same age, but injuries have made him the shell of his former self tragically. If Cristiano stays injury free and applies himself, he'll become the best player in the world.

Yet we have NO good left backs and (at a stretch) ONE quality centre back. Yeah left wing is certainly what we needed. In regards to players fitting in, Dyer and Milner play a hell of a lot better on the left wing than any of our defenders play at left back. We DID need someone for the left and a player became available. Nowhere near as much as we DID need a centre back or a left back and players became available. Sadly Jon, it appears you still think a defender would prevent us from being dominted by teams such as Wigan, Smoggies, Charlton, Fulham, and Man City as has happened lately. If you can't dictate the game against teams like this, then you are in trouble and only better quality footballers who can pass and move in forward areas change this. Left backs don't pass and move the ball forward? I suppose you think left back wasn't one of the main reasons we lost to AZ aswell? We tend to have f*** all going down the left wing because there isn't anyone good enough to support Duff, do you not see why this could be part of our issue when it comes to retaining possesion in the oppositions half? no. While the majority of the responsibility does go to the midfielders and the strikers when it comes to passing the ball and keeping possession and playing good football, full-backs are also important. Countless times over the last few years I've seen our midfielders try and pass the ball, only for it to break down. When this happens, the full-backs are usually the best option in terms of a ball-retaining pass as they are generally in more space than the midfielders. So the ball goes to them. Good full backs can then control the ball, draw in an opposing player, and then play a pass to a teammate so we can attempt to start a passing move again. Our full-backs, however, are so poor that they generally plank themselves and hoof the ball aimlessly forward, resulting in loss of possession. As a result we can't really expect to play good football. Our full-backs don't need to be exceptional ball-players, but they need to be a whole lot more competent than the ones we have at present if we're ever to play good football. of course I understand this, but I don't agree. I think we give possession away up front too easily, too often, and lack a midfield player who can quickly support the front men, or man, as they are isolated too often. Keep the ball up the field, hold possession, the whole team moves up, this is not happening so we are under pressure. It has been happening all season. I have seen the wide men - all season - make runs and nobody is up to support them, Martins is on his own in the middle, and the 2 central midfield players are both defensive players who are nowhere near being in a position to support these players. This is what one of them should be doing. I am not disagreeing that Babayaro in particular isn't a patch on Bernard, but I think this is a major failure in the team and the potential for doing far better is more likely if an attacking midfield player and a striker are brought in rather than a full back. I think the first step to having a good defensive record is better possession and movement up front and in attacking situations. Basically, we have too many players who have performed sloppily when in possession, too much, too often, and this is because of a lack of ability. I must say also that I have been disappointed with Dyer, he has the pace and the stamina to do this role but has disappeared too often, in spite of having a run in the team for the first time in years. And of course we can't rely on him not getting injured. And - at this level - unless you can get someone out of contract or find a gem from the lower leagues, players that will improve you cost a lot of money and if you try to penny pinch in these position, it is highly likely they will not be good enough. We have won too many points this season while being the inferior team for my liking, and have scrapped for these points. Thats alright, but it isn't good enough at this level and the only thing that is sustainable is talent when passing and moving, we simply have not been good enough at this and if it is not improved next season could be in trouble. I'd agree that we need a top class CM in there, that would be my top priority this summer. After that, I believe two full-backs are the next priority. As good a midfield player as we may get, he won't be as effective if we continue to have long ball merchants playing at full back. We need a striker as well of course, someone who can offer us something different than Martins and Owen. Ameobi fits that mold in theory but, while I rate him higher than most on here, I'm not sure he's someone we can rely on to lead the line. I don't think we need to be spending big money on a striker though, personally. Dyer's problem for me while playing CM is that he tries to make that surging run forward too often, timing them poorly for the most part. He's never developed the timing of someone like Scholes, who knows when to sit and when to go from the middle.

Yet we have NO good left backs and (at a stretch) ONE quality centre back. Yeah left wing is certainly what we needed. In regards to players fitting in, Dyer and Milner play a hell of a lot better on the left wing than any of our defenders play at left back. We DID need someone for the left and a player became available. Nowhere near as much as we DID need a centre back or a left back and players became available. Sadly Jon, it appears you still think a defender would prevent us from being dominted by teams such as Wigan, Smoggies, Charlton, Fulham, and Man City as has happened lately. If you can't dictate the game against teams like this, then you are in trouble and only better quality footballers who can pass and move in forward areas change this. Left backs don't pass and move the ball forward? I suppose you think left back wasn't one of the main reasons we lost to AZ aswell? We tend to have f*** all going down the left wing because there isn't anyone good enough to support Duff, do you not see why this could be part of our issue when it comes to retaining possesion in the oppositions half? no. While the majority of the responsibility does go to the midfielders and the strikers when it comes to passing the ball and keeping possession and playing good football, full-backs are also important. Countless times over the last few years I've seen our midfielders try and pass the ball, only for it to break down. When this happens, the full-backs are usually the best option in terms of a ball-retaining pass as they are generally in more space than the midfielders. So the ball goes to them. Good full backs can then control the ball, draw in an opposing player, and then play a pass to a teammate so we can attempt to start a passing move again. Our full-backs, however, are so poor that they generally plank themselves and hoof the ball aimlessly forward, resulting in loss of possession. As a result we can't really expect to play good football. Our full-backs don't need to be exceptional ball-players, but they need to be a whole lot more competent than the ones we have at present if we're ever to play good football.

Pot. Kettle. Jon.

http://images.scotsman.com/2002/05/28/2805royb.jpg Playin it cool...

Complete crap. Duff has never relied on outright pace. He's got great skill on the ball, and he's a far better player than you're giving him credit for. He's struggled for fitness in the first half of the season, but he can really make things happen, and it's showing now. Great skill on the ball? He's fairly limited with the ball at his feet. His first touch is average, he scuffs as many crosses as he connects with. His best talent has always been his ability to beat two or three men at a time with a bit of good dribbling. I suppose pace is the wrong word, maybe acceleration would be better. As he gets older, this will decline. He had a good game yesterday apparently, and good for him. He was due. Still doesn't explain why he was bought and why we'll lose N'Zogbia, a much better long term prospect, as a result of this.

I'll be heartbroken when N'Zogbia goes. Can't believe some people aren't bothered that he looks to be on the way out. Sure, he's not the finished article yet. But who is at 21? He's got everything you need to be a top winger. Pace, power, work ethic, tracks back, couple of tricks in his locker and can swing in crosses with real pace. He was by far our most productive player last season, ran the show for us. Despite the fact that the team around him was dreadful and he was only a youngster. So what happens? We buy someone to take his place while the shit players around him keep their place. Frankly, I'd be off too if I were him. Duff will never be the player he once was. Even if he rediscovers some semblence of form his best assett was always his quickness. He's getting older now, meaning his pace will gradually decline. He's past it as a top player. Meanwhile, N'Zogbia has the potential to be a top player for years to come. But no, we can't have that at Newcastle United. We're a shambles of a club, and the departure of Zoggy will just further solidify that.

I've been over to St. James' twice this year. Fulham and Sheffield Utd. Hoping to make the Blackburn game as well, should be able to afford it. Suppose I could take up supporting Man U, it's all the rage over here.

Martins is better than Rooney tbh. Anyway, I like Martins and think that he has the potential to be an extremely good player. He's far from the finished article though and the last few games have served as a reminder to a few people who were going a bit overboard (see the Martins v Rooney thread) that he's far from polished. It'll be interesting to see how he and Owen work together as a partnership. Oba isn't really a natural goalscorer, yet we've relied on him as our main scoring threat this year. With Owen back, it should take a bit of the pressure off Martins so he can play a bit deeper and drift more. Even then there are question marks as to whether his control and touch is good enough to be our link man up front. Much depends on how clever he is, as in can he learn how to best use his strengths in the PL. AT times he looks like a headless chicken with the ball at his feet, as though he's constantly panicking. His goal against Liverpool at St. James is a good example of this. The ball broke to him and you could almost see him taking the two or three seconds to compose himself and slot it home (You can imagine what's going on in his head 'BALL!! THERE!! SHOOT, SHOOT NOW!HARD, HIT IT HARD!' but he restrains himself and manages to slot it home.) If he develops a bit of composure on the ball and learns to play with his head up more, he could be a superb player. His pace will annihialte most Premiership defences if he's free to drift onto the wings and drive at full-backs knowing that Owen is sniffing about in the box looking for the ball across.

^^ Fuck you two and all, another pair of cunts ye.

Exactly, fucking pisses me right off that the majority of Irish people choose to overlook Keane doing this or see him as some sort of fucking hero for it. All because they're clueless bloody Man U fans. They'll tell you he was making a statement, trying to get the FAI to change their ways and become more professional. Or that the team McCarthy had put together was a shambles. Well, if they were, how did they make it through a very tough group without their best player? Or how did they push Spain all the way in the Last 16, only losing on penalties after being much the better side during the game? Had Keane bothered to stay around and play for his country, I fancy we could have beaten Spain. We'd then have played Korea in the Last 8, and Germany, who we already proved we could match in the group stages, in the semis. So all Keane's walkout did was probably cost us our best ever World Cup performance, whre we could have actually possibly gotten to the semi finals. Or an outside chance of the final. But no, Roy had to make his point. Shay wants a pat on the back? Coming from a guy who tried to martyr himself? Fuck off. And what change did he bring about with his big statement? Steve Staunton is the current manager of Ireland. Fucking says it all. Stupid fucking cunt, Sunderland is the right place for him.

Not very clever alerting other clubs to our interest. I thought Roeder was all smoke and mirrors these days. He is, this is just a double cross to throw you off. Nelson would give us a great attacking full-back, he gets up and down the wings brilliantly. Not sure what he's like defensively though.

Much as I'm not keen on giving Shearer the job, I do feel that it's a case of the sooner it happens the better. It's obvious Shepherd has his eye on Shearer as a future manager, and while that remains the case I just can't see us appointing a top European manager, one with a proven track record and with the qualities tmonkey listed. I firmly believe its why Souness and particularly Roeder were appointed, as they'll be very easy to get rid of when Shearer decides he wants the job. So the sooner the better IMO, shite a situation as it is. Maybe he'll succeed, or more likely he'll not fo a whole lot. Either way, it'll be over and done with.

Eriksson couldn't see it either. I'd agree that Lampard should be dropped in favour of Gerrard in the middle, my point was merely that Carrick starting ahead of Hargreaves seemed a logical choice to me, given that Lampard was never likely to be dropped. Hargreaves has been very good no doubt, but he excels in the tougher games where England need a scrapper in the middle of the field. Kind of like Parker at Newcastle. I definitely agree that Lampard is the bigger issue though, surely McClaren has to at least try puting Gerrard in the middle alongside Hargreaves/Carrick.

Was Carrick injured? Seems a no-brainer to start him over Hargreaves in a game where England are likely gonna have the greater share of possesion and will therefore need better passers of the ball. Still think you'll qualify though.

Martins, with Milner second. Solano has done well, but I'd expect him to be as reliable as he has been at RB when asked to play there. Given, Butt and Sibierski (given his limitations he's played very well) deserve credit for their seasons as well. Aside from that, most of the players have been wank.

Aye, should have been booked. Not according to David Platt, who reckoned "I don't think Frank has dived there, I think he just anticipated the contact". I hate International football these days, can count on one hand the amount of truly thrilling games I've seen between countries in the last 5 years. And Steve Staunton makes McClaren and Roeder look like Mourinho and Wenger tbh.

I'd agree. I do rate Emre, but if Bayern did bid 8m for him last summer as was rumoured, then it was madness not accept given that he and Parker don't look capable of forming a partnership. Then again, who could form a partnership with that Parker fella? (just kidding by the way folks, lets not let this become a Parker thread. Though really I do mean what I say.)

Bit like Ronaldo actually. Ronaldo's only young tbh, and his performances in big games is improving from what I've seen. Totti never seemed to do so.

I stopped watching the Italian league a few years ago, but I've never thought much of Totti. Awesome player against poor opposition but whenever I see him play in really big matches he always seem to be quite poor. The games against Man U will be a good test, hope he proves me wrong.

Re: Spurs. They didn't simply get a good manager and a few good signings, they were taken-over by ENIC in 2001, who came in with a proper plan for the club and money to back it with. If Spurs still had Sugar I'd be highly dubious that they'd even be in the Premiership, let alone near the top of it. However, that's not to be said ENIC got it right straight away, either. Not saying this will happen at NUFC, but I'm just saying that Spurs didn't "just" get a good manager and made some good signings. In fact, ENIC seemed to take a while to "strike it lucky" with Jol, after the Santini debacle - but they certainly seemed to have a vision for the club and backed it with cash. As Gemmill has said, we're looking for some of that from Shepherd this summer, because at the minute everything about the club is being questioned from all angles. I never said they "just" got a good manager tbh. But you get the point anyway, they went from being mired in mid-table mediocrity to being CL contenders within two seasons. So everyone saying we're doomed to the midtable for the foreseeable future and that we should resign ourselves to it are being too negative in my opinion.

Jesus wept, Nugent has been consistently doing well for a few years. Chopra has had a good half-season, that's it.

I'm not sure resigning ourselves to mid-table mediocrity and Premiership survival for the next few seasons is the way forward. If that's our target then we're setting dangerously low goals. Top 4 next season is almost certainly beyond us but with a good manager and some wisely spent money we could be challenging for, if possibly not achieving, a Top 4 finish within 2 years. Take Spurs 3 years ago. They were much like us, struggling with some good players but no real direction. They get a good manager and a few good signings and bam, they're one dodgy dinner away from a CL spot. Shay is a top keeper, and Krul looks to be a potential succesor. So we're set in goals. Taylor I believe can be a good defender if he isn't stuck with the likes of Bramble for a partner. A couple of good full backs and a solid CB can be got if we have 15-20m to spend on them. We've got two very promising wingers in N'Zogbia and Milner, and in Parker we have a player who can do a job if moved back to being a DM. What we desperately need is a Scholes, Fabregas type player, someone to really make us tick in the middle of the field. That player will be hard, and likely expensive, to find but if we find him our midfield could be quite good, with Dyer, Duff and Butt also capable of contributing too. Emre would be able to, but I'd expect he'll be gone in the summer. Then add a bigger, more physical striker to give us a different option to Owen and Martins up front and we'd be pretty good tbh, assuming we get a good manager. I reckon all that could be bought by the start of the season after next. Obviously it won't be easy and odds are we won't get it done, but I don't buy into the idea that we're fucked for the next few years and should go about dismantling the team and starting over. We just need a good manager.