tmonkey

In other words, "I can't be bothered to respond so I'll resort to insults". This is a messageboard for opinions and discussion of NUFC related matters. Noone has a monopoly on the truth, everyone will have differing opinions on specific topics. You think Lovenkrands was genuinely injured, I think there's a small possibility that he may have exaggerated whatever injury he picked up, and have explained in depth why I think it's a possibility. If you disagree, then just disagree - if you want to say why you disagree, then all the better. There's little point in being pathetic and calling people names or hurling insults just because one opinion doesn't match yours, and to top it off you don't even have the decency to read a post (and then understand it) before deciding to go off on whatever tangent pleases you.

If he was acting hurt that day, he's in the wrong profession. Yeah he even tricked Shearer and several medical staff at both the club and hospital, still am sure tmonkey knows more from his lofty perch in the stand....... It'd be easy for someone to say "I can't breathe properly", put an oxygen mask on and sit on a hospital bed for a few hours in order to "pull a sicky", and even if Shearer suspected something he'd not do anything (in public) but back his player since he'd probably be facing a legal battle if he made any unfounded accusations in the media. It's a possibility, that's all I'm saying. I don't see how you can rule it out without knowing for a fact what the medical staff could ascertain at the time. Maybe someone of them had raised eyebrows whilst Lovenkrands was woffling down the hospital jelly? Who knows? Having mild asthma, I faked an attack once to get out of doing 30 minutes of jogging at school, and there's f*** all any of the medical staff at the school (well, just an incompetent nurse and a few PE teachers) could have done to prove that I wasn't having breathing difficulties. I fully accept that accusing Lovenkrands of exaggerating an injury is both harsh and based on thin air, and also it would be a pretty extreme thing of Lovenkrands to do to weasel out of a game when there are easier options such as pretending a muscle has been pulled. So I agree, I most likely am wrong on this matter. That still doesn't take away my gut feeling at the time that the effects of a knock that you see practically every week in football was far greater than the cause (and I say that whilst appreciating that this might have been an exception/one off/Lovenkrands might be weak/etc). Lovenkrands didn't look interested last year at times for us in my personal opinion, hasn't looked interested this season (although that is apparently due to family issues), and hence when you combine the knock + the "zomg I can't breathe for 5 minutes now" + his possible disinterest + the knowledge that numerous players down the years have faked injuries whilst with us + the reports of Shearer's training regimes being alot stricter + the notion that no other clubs really wanted to look at Lovenkrands (maybe others know something we don't), is it still too unreasonable that there might be 0.05% of a chance that Lovenkrands may have exaggerated a hard knock to the back because he wasn't up for a few touch matches and a few weeks of tougher training?

And that completely eliminates the possibility of Lovenkrands exaggerating his knock? For the record, I've stated it's a possibility, nothing more, which does strongly imply that I may be wrong. I'm just voicing an opinion on a suspicion I have, as pessimistic as that may be.

It's a possibility. If I saw an "injury" which looked like a player was hurt initially, but then continued to exaggerate it so that he could come off the field, there's no way of me knowing for sure whether he's faking or not. Hence, it's just a suspicion. Maybe is harsh, but hardly warrants calling someone an idiot. Wasn't there an article a few weeks ago about an ex-player who was referring to players in the dressing room not giving a shit and taking the piss with injuries last year? Can't remember who it was and whether those were his exact words, but it would hardly be suprising if that was the case.

I accept that I may be totally wrong on this, but like Martins possibly wussing out against Stoke last year, that chest injury Lovenkrands picked up at the back end of last season against whoever it was seemed a tad suspicious, and could well be an indication of someone who hasn't got the willpower to be a professional footballer anymore (but still wants the wages every month). It's just a suspicion, a possibility, nothing more. Just like it's a possibility that Lovenkrands is actually a secret international caped crimefighter during the twilight hours.

If it's possible, then yes. Duff was crap for us, but he at least offered a few basic things at times, such as showing himself for the ball and running backwards with it. He will look s**** on the wing though. He is not a winger any more than Colo or Harper are. Won't disagree. He's had a couple of appearances up front though as substitute and still offered absolutely nothing. Not wanting to write him off as naturally that's silly given the lack of pitch time, but I am hoping that we've not signed another dud who was only playing for a longer contract last season and may have been using family matters as an excuse (or maybe not, in which case I'm being a bit of a cunt).

Glad to hear he's had a problem that is now sorted. Was starting to look like we've given a mediocre clone of Damien Duff a 3 year contract, hopefully this will be the start of him turning things around.

I can't think of anyone who's better than him at the moment. That's only because Ferdinand hasn't been 100% fit for the past month. When he is, he's easily better than Terry. Not in the Premiership (imo). Rio is consistently good domestically, more of a quiet performer mopping things up every week, and he does perform considerably better at CL/international level than Terry. But in the Premiership alone Terry is an absolute beast. The guy is like a ball magnet at the back, just seems to have great positional sense and anticipation of where the ball will end up, and can absolutely dominate games at times, especially aerially. Given the style and pace of the Premiership (i.e. more long balls and crosses), he's just tailor made for it. As is Vidic, who after a purple patch isn't performing to the same standards (but is still great).

Best centreback in the Premiership (and only the Premiership I might add) by a country mile.

How could he say that with the way Colo the clown was playing last season. Similarly though, how could anyone say Colo was our worst player last season with Butt in the team for much of it?

He's shown flashes of ability in between the slipping, misplaced knockdowns and wild shooting. Could be a very handy striker in the future.

Wouldn't want him back. You're insane, then. I would literally take all of these players, back. Except Owen , who I dislike. Getting old, big wage, as Otter said he was never overly fit, he had his great season. That and the fact he proclaimed his desire to stay and fight the cause only to f*** off at the first offer he got. On the face of it, I'd agree with that. 32 years old, requested a transfer, injured for some time last year (thanks mainly to Cattermole), looks to have slowed down a bit. However, it's easy to forget that in all likelihood he left because he needed a new contract, which wasn't on offer here thanks to the numpties in charge (Shearer had identified this issue). Had he stayed, he'd be at risk of playing Championship football at the age of 32 with no security beyond the end of the season - one injury at the wrong time and his high-earning career would be over. At the same time, his performances at centreback last season were pretty decent, where his slightly diminished pace/stamina wasn't an issue. Solid, unspectacular, no-nonsense defender who didn't suffer from the frequent "moments of madness" like all of Bassong, Taylor and Coloccini had when we were facepalming every other game at some rush of blood or daft mistake. If Coloccini were to leave and Beye was somehow a viable replacement option, he'd be pretty high up for me on what would be a pretty small list. Youth is great, but centreback (along with goalkeeping) is sometimes an exception.

Jon Dahl Tomasson and Dietmar Hamann Hamann was pretty good for us in his only season here imo. Certainly remember being gutted at the sale at the time, although iirc he said a few bad things about the club after leaving (or maybe that was about Gullitt?).

£20m into "wages and so on". Can't really question it as obviously there are no answers (and won't ever be), but it does seem a tad fishy.

Nixon imminent. He'll bump the thread no doubt, as humble pie needs eating. Great goal.

Dzagoev, the FM legend, looks some player in the making. Only 10 months older than Ranger too.

Harper earning his money there.

Living dangerously. Me likes this new Hughton.

Nolan's "volley" though...

Simpson showing where he came from with his constant whinging and bollocking of the ref.

Sport would be boring if shit teams weren't punished for being shit.

If we get a half decent fee for him there won't be many complaints. There will be if the money disappears like it did with the Milner and N'Zogbia sales. Milner was bought in instalments by villa, I wouldn't be so sure the rest of the players who have left have not gone in the same way. Fair point if true. But even so, selling Jonas for a decent fee isn't worthwhile if that money isn't reinvested in the team. He may be a flawed and frustrating player, but he still has some good strengths which adds important attributes to the team, and getting rid for money we'll not be spending on a replacement is most likely going to be something that hurts the team, in the same vein as the Milner and Zog sales.

If we get a half decent fee for him there won't be many complaints. There will be if the money disappears like it did with the Milner and N'Zogbia sales.

West Ham are getting absolutely dicked by Arsenal here. Will be suprised if this Arsenal don't score 4 goals.

Berbatov had a shitter all game long imo - frequent poor touches, loose passing, and posed absolutely no goal threat all game. Would also add that Valencia looked like ManU's biggest threat. Showed good pace, gets into good positions, and can cross or shoot pretty adequately. I'm not sure what Nani is meant to be good at other than whinging like a tard every time he loses the ball.