Unbelievable

Dyer could pass and move at pace. He never scored or created many but as part of our team he pissed on Duff's contribution from a great height. Can't believe this is even in question tbh. He really didnt. He couldnt pass, he could run.. like a headless chicken. It says alot that his entire time here he was played right back, right midfield, center midfield and secondary striker. He was useless Are you drunk?

Jonas has done everything wrong the last 10 minutes of the first half..

Are we?

Jonas ffs!!!

Lol Martins..

Not too bad by Duffster there..

Enrique.. You have to laugh..

FYP

For me, he would start ahead of Duff..

They said wouldnt They did? Apologies in that case..

How predictable that was..

Commentators are certain Smith would get in our lineup when fit. Oh dear..

Nice one Colo

Phew, could have been a goal. Good save Given..

It does rather make me wonder what criteria they had for their new manager appointment before it became clear they were no longer wanted. Experience had the highest level? Nah. An affinity with the club or region? Nope. Someone to inspire the players and crowd? Definitely not. A proven pedigree? Not really. A friend they knew they felt they could trust and who would fit into the system (i.e. not ask any nasty questions)? Looks like it.

Good post Rich. Can't find much to argue with, so won't.

Not exactly the same as saying we have gone backwards 20 years in the space of a couple of months, is it? Besides, off the pitch he is probably right in terms of us being in the s*** more than we have been for a long, long while. On the pitch it is quite clear we need heavy investment if we ever want to reach the hights we did just five years ago. We have gone backwards in a staggering way in recent years. Shepherd is partly to blame mainly for some uninspired appointments, Ashley hasn't exactly turned out to be the saviour we craved.. You've misunderstood me, first of all: I initially posted that people have said we've gone back 20 years over the past few months, as in "over the past few months, people have said we've gone back 20 years" (talking about how recently I've seen it said, not how quickly we've regressed). Also, even if your version was true that's one quote I found after simply searching "20 years" in the football forum amidst numerous server errors, forgive me for not looking harder at your request. Obviously things haven't gone how we had all hoped over the summer, but it wasn't as big as a disaster as it was made out to be in some quarters from simply a player-for-player perspective of our dealings. Of course it wasn't up to the high expectations demanded by some (Keegan included, and myself to some extent), and as said in this very thread football isn't simply played on paper, but to say that the position we're in is not a false one after all that has gone on and after the good signs we've seen recently under Kinnear (of all managers) beggars belief. I did indeed misunderstand you; witten language is a funny thing.. Apologies for that. To address the issue at hand: do you really feel Newcastle United as a club have progressed in the last 2 and a half years? And where do you think we "belong" in the league? Not what should we aim for, but what should we expect from the current set up and playing staff?

Not exactly the same as saying we have gone backwards 20 years in the space of a couple of months, is it? Besides, off the pitch he is probably right in terms of us being in the shit more than we have been for a long, long while. On the pitch it is quite clear we need heavy investment if we ever want to reach the hights we did just five years ago. We have gone backwards in a staggering way in recent years. Shepherd is partly to blame mainly for some uninspired appointments, Ashley hasn't exactly turned out to be the saviour we craved..

What makes you think that while our first string side is sitting "comfortably" just above the relegation zone? Because, while normally a damn good indicator, the league position of a side who's spent half the year rudderless and in turmoil may not tell the whole story of a teams strength. I think, and would hope many would agree, that we're a better side than 14th. Besides, it's hardly as though that league position was accomplished with our first string side available for all the games. If it was you might have had a point. I still don't see how it could be claimed our current second string would beat that team whilst we are in the league position we are in. Of course we haven't always had our first team out, no team ever does. Injuries can't be used as an excuse (and we haven't even had many by comparison to past seasons) when we've known all summer long we needed to strengthen the squad as well as the first team. In reality, we are a midtable quality squad with one or two players who could perhaps play in the top four teams, just like many of our midtable counterparts. After the disappointing summer transfer window we have had I think it's pretty arrogant to argue we should be anywhere else then where we currently are in the league table.

Whilst all that is undoubtedly true, it's not the way I've taken the thread personally. There have been people saying we've gone back 20 years over the past few months, that it's been the worst period in our recent history (I bet some mongs have even just said "history") despite the fact that we've had loads of injury problems allied to everything else. Yes the Keegan stuff has been the straw which seems to have broken a fair few thousand camel's backs after years of frustration, but as far as the playing squad goes and the infrastructure within the club goes (talking Academy/Reserves/First Team squad here), things aren't as bad as they've been made out to be, despite all the s**** that's gone on outside of that. Hopefully more than anything it's shown people just how much a manager - sometimes any manager - can influence a certain set of players and get them playing above themselves/to the best of their ability. It's not as simple a game as some like to make out, not by a long chalk. I must have missed that.. Any quotes you could point me to?

What makes you think that while our first string side is sitting "comfortably" just above the relegation zone?

Perhaps as way of proper comparison you'd like to post a team from today's squad without 7 first team midfielders and 2 best strikers (Bowyer, Dyer, Emre, Parker, Jenas, Luque, Milner, Shearer, Owen from that squad iirc) I don't think Jenas was there then. Yup, you're right. I edited, but too late. Only 6 injuries in midfield. It is a ridiculous comparison. Our best first team in 2006-2007 would have looked like this: Given Solano Taylor Moore Babayaro Dyer Parker Emre N'Zogbia Martins Owen We would have the following alternatives: Harper, Krul Carr Bramble, Edgar, Ramage Onyewu, Huntington Bernard Duff Butt Milner, Patisson Luque Sibierski, Ameobi Rossi, Carroll Source: http://www.nufc.com/html/2006-07html/app-goals.html That is not a bad squad, and the first team you have selected there was in an extreme injury crisis. In context, as UV says, what team would we be able to field if we would have to do without: Collocini (Taylor was out as well), Jonas, Butt, Barton, Duff, N'Zogbia, Guthrie, Owen and Martins? The defence would be considerably stronger than it was back then, but we wouldn't look thrilling by any means: Given Beye Taylor Bassong Enrique Geremi LuaLua Smith Gonzalez Ameobi Xisco you do it on purpose dont you man, f*** off Heh?

Perhaps as way of proper comparison you'd like to post a team from today's squad without 7 first team midfielders and 2 best strikers (Bowyer, Dyer, Emre, Parker, Jenas, Luque, Milner, Shearer, Owen from that squad iirc) I don't think Jenas was there then. Yup, you're right. I edited, but too late. Only 6 injuries in midfield. It is a ridiculous comparison. Our best first team in 2006-2007 would have looked like this: Given Solano Taylor Moore Babayaro Dyer Parker Emre N'Zogbia Martins Owen We would have the following alternatives: Harper, Krul Carr Bramble, Edgar, Ramage Onyewu, Huntington Bernard Duff Butt Milner, Patisson Luque Sibierski, Ameobi Rossi, Carroll Source: http://www.nufc.com/html/2006-07html/app-goals.html That is not a bad squad, and the first team you have selected there was in an extreme injury crisis. In context, as UV says, what team would we be able to field if we would have to do without: Collocini (Taylor was out as well), Jonas, Butt, Barton, Duff, N'Zogbia, Guthrie, Owen and Martins? The defence would be considerably stronger than it was back then, but we wouldn't look thrilling by any means: Given Beye Taylor Bassong Enrique Geremi LuaLua Smith Gonzalez Ameobi Xisco

why was he amazed if we made an offer? That we shouldn't be, because our owner wants out? f*** him. c***. I'm reading that as we offered them a pittance..