Unbelievable

I have eyes and yet I disagree. We got results earlier on in the season playing 442, and when we moved to 443 we sometimes moved back within or between matches. It's not like we were shit before we started playing 3 up top and then suddenly were on fire. I'd argue the return of Ben Arfa in the side and the sensational form of Cisse were more conducive to us being sometimes more pleasing on the eye in the latter part of the season, but neither would be lost if we did decide to move for Carroll, who would be very effective foil for either Ba or Cisse in a 442 (more so than them pairing up together arguably) and be an excellent option to bring on and move to 442 if for whatever reason 443 is not working out in a match (as we've also seen happen a few times).

What? He would still be third choice, like Best was. It would be an upgrade to our third choice striker - a potentially expensive one at that. How hard is that to understand? Well, it's nonsense really. He would give us a completely different option either in a 442 partnering Ba or Cisse, or coming on if we need to play more direct in a match because things aren't going our way and we need to try something different. In terms of squad position you're probably right, in terms of ability and tactical options it's not even close FFS..

What?

This is the point, if Pard's didn't want him we wouldn't be bidding. Trust the Silver Fox i will. That. Plus any deal we would agree with I would trust to be good for us from a financial perspective, as Mike and Derek have earned that trust in the past two seasons. Can't believe I'm actually saying this..

You can't? I think he would be perfect foil for both Ba and Cisse if we were to play 2 up front, probably better than Ba and Cisse together. Your probably right actually, I was thinking about playing 4-3-3. Provided we fill the wings and midfield with pace and creativity it could work nicely. If we get Carroll back to his best Cisse/Carroll front line would scare the s*** out of defenses. Bully-boy tastic! Would give us plenty of options to taylor our starting tactics to the opponent and change the game if needed.

4-4-2 was always going to be our main formation I reckon. If we play 4-4-2 I would like an amelioration because hoofball is annoying as f***.

35

Not only that, but we need to play a goalkeeper.

You can't? I think he would be perfect foil for both Ba and Cisse if we were to play 2 up front, probably better than Ba and Cisse together.

Totally agree with you Sewelly. I don't see why our style of play would change. I don't see why Carroll can't fit into our current system. I remember he was good on the deck before he went to Liverpool. Yep, it's not like our 433 had us playing Barcelona style carpet football FFS..

Aye, 'cause everyone's reasons for not wanting him back are purely from a footballing ability perspective. I'm not saying or suggesting they are. There's no doubt in my mind though that a fit and focused Andy Carroll could give our team something that we currently don't have, which is a viable plan B, and that should really be more important than people's petty frustrations in my opinion.

We've moved on as a team since then and have also bought two better centre forwards than him. None of that will have changed. We would essentially have upgraded Best with Carroll. Getting Andy back in gives us plenty of options to play different formations or even change our style of play if the situation in a match requires it. I'm all for it.

Never know. Need Carroll himself to make his position clear on this matter. If he really fancies coming back we might have put Liverpool in a very odd position.

Seems some people forgotten how well he played for us when he earned that 35 million pound move.

I presume there wouldn't be much money needed for it, which is part of the beauty..

Hope we pull it off, although Liverpool would have to be fools to even entertain this idea.

I don't know why people keep peddling this idea that 5 million is somehow way too much for him. I'd say it's pretty much the going rate for your mid twenties, average Premiership player.

No should play football with the shirt tucked past the age of twelve. It is imbecilic. The kit looks fine on our players, anyway.

you weren't around in 97-99 then? Nope, well I was, but I didn't support NUFC. I lived in Newcastle between 2004 and 2006, got the offer to take on somebody's season ticket and got the bug.

Worst NUFC shirt since I started supporting the club. It's seriously vile.

Just preseason, means nowt..

And you get in eventually. Imagine how it feels for the rest of us..

Let me guess, Simpson and/or Williamson?

The black background on my loading stream has just turned white. Am I close to getting in? Edit: it's turned black again..

Burn the witch!