STM

Yer, thinking twice i think your correct but the problem is i wouldn't want to play him on his own either. It would either be 442 or nothing with the lad. Which is handy considering his injury problems.

If just one of Martins or Owen can play behind the striker/widish - we'll be cumming in our pants. Out of Martins and Owen i'd be more inclined to suggest that Martins would be better out wide. As you said in the otehr thread Sam and us have a fantastic headache.

I agree in principal but i would have said the same about Anelka last year and Sam managed to draft him into that system and not always down the middle. He also converted Diouf into a wide man, although admittedly he played ther for Liverpool a couple of times.

My formation was meant as as the way Chelsea used to play and the way Bolton are playing now. Which despite what people say is not with a lone striker. It's with two support strikers with pace, which in this case would be Oba and Owen.

I don't see Barton as a holding player and now that Allardyce has arrived i'm looking forward to seeing Butts career extended,. Although, when i drafted those two sides it annoyed me that i left Milner out of the second one.

As it seems we have Viduka and Barton in the bag, what kind of formation would you be looking at? Obviously, we haven't been seriously linked with any defenders yet so i didn't include them. These are the two front sixes that are in my head but the poll question is more about formation, given the players we have signed rather than the players we already have; 442 Butt Barton Milner Duff Viduka Owen 433/451 Butt Emre Barton Owen Viduka Martins

Did they do an interview with him or was it just him walking with Barton?

Possible front six? Butt Emre Barton Owen Viduka Martins

I guessed in the region of 50k so to hear it's closer to the 70 mark is a suprise but 10 year ago 50k was alot of money. That's football i suppose. It's important to remember that we have freed up alot of wages for next year.

A medical is a clear indication of willingness to do buisness from both player and club IMO. We are just having the usual jitters before we sign anyone. Its as good as done IMO.

Parker 8.5 Reo-Coker 7 These foreign investers are idiots TBF

You posted that? Thats beautiful TBH.

Apparently in the medical he asked for a punch bag, medicine ball and a skipping rope. He also said he didn't want wages, just the prize money for winning the match.

Absolutely hilarious, more hilarious than Scholes to Sunderland and more unbelievable. The fact it's half empty for UEFA Cup games is because the UEFA Cup is s***, most of the games are like playing League One sides, and we've played over 80 games in Europe in the last 10 years. s**** like West Ham and Spurs haven't even played 20. "And we are going to a 60,000 stadium " and.......... This is a club who have averaged over 30,000 TWICE in their history, opposed to a club who have set world record average gates, and in the last 7 seasons alone have never been lower than the 11th best supported club in the world, as far as average gates on concerned. You really couldn't make that up. I won't go on about attendances, but that great promotion season of 92/93, West Ham had a really good season too, they were only 8 points worse off than ourselves, their average gate? 15,000 I rest my case cor blimey, jellied pie, nice gaff, apples and pears cockney wanks. The biggest and most accurate insult I can bestow on them is they're a very very poor mans Tottenham, and truly that is an insult. If you asked your average foreigner who Newcastle United are and I've seen this first hand in countries like Thailand, "yay Newcastle Araan Sheela!" if you asked them who West Ham were they'd think you were on about a part of a pig. Deluded cockney c***s. Hand on heart I wouldn't put them in the top 15 clubs in this country, I don't think many would. That was spectacular. You just made my afternoon.

*5 year deal *Some way down the line *Newcastle not willing to let Parker go until Barton deal is done

Just because West Ham were allowed to talk to him doesn't mean Barton wanted to talk to them. I imagine he basically told them where to go because he had already made his mind up.

Technically yes but i'd be very suprised if that happened.

Exactly and with a couple of million spare off the Parker deal hopefully we can get that PSG centre half in.

old news 1 second old! Would that mean he wouldn't be going down to West Ham tomorrow? Sounds like he hasn't even considered them. Would be very strange for him to have a medical then go for talks with the hammers tommorow. Although anything can happen in football, i think its safe to say he will be at SJP next year.

Good good another yellow ticker score for ssn. must be about 6 on barton now. Thats 2 for today.

Him and Sam must get their suits from the same Taylor. Match made in heaven TBH.

Pretty sure he was reported to be talking to us today and west ham tommorow. Sam will be pulling out his dvds and his overhead projecter to convince Barton. Have no fear people, have no fear.

Yesterday i was getting a bit annoyed at how slow things were moving along. If this one goes through (and viduka) i will be quite happy that we have started the rebuilding process. Still need another 3 or 4 signings at least though.

Looks like none at all TBH.

Was on camara on SSN. Was saying he loved us but was disapointed with the chairman. He had agreed a deal with Roeder but then after he was sacked the chairman offered him a worse deal.