Nate

Liverpool a tin pot club?

Unsurprising. If we keep Roeder they will finish above us next season.

Duff and N'Zogbia have been as bad as each other this season. I'd start Luque on the left for every game from now until the end of the campaign, if only to create some interest in him from other clubs. Taylor, Butt & Solano were good today.

I'm more worried about Milner leaving, he's the one usually excluded from Roeder's 'the future of Newcastle United' speeches.

Fulham are in real trouble.

Mug-tastic. I'll take you disagreeing with me as a complement.

I hope we finish 17th. Roeder putting together a run of results, taking us into a European place, would probaly be the worst thing that could happen to this club - long term.

Good save by James, seconds remain. Full Time: 2-1.

And all the best managers do at several times in their careers. Ferguson, Capello, Hitzfeld, Benitez, could go on, have all also been found wanting in the CL at certain times, and all with brilliant teams. Which is often over looked when people focus on a manager and want to run him down on his own. I doubt Capello, Hitzfeld or Benitez would fail to even reach the Champions League final if they had three years with the Chelsea squad and an unlimited transfer budget. Ifs and buts, and regardless of the amount Chelsea have spent, it's not always been on good players. Those other managers have bought shite players too, you know, they just didn't have a minumum of £25m to bid for them. Yes, all managers make good and bad signings, Mourinho has had significantly more money to do so than most. I'm not sure what point you're making.

And all the best managers do at several times in their careers. Ferguson, Capello, Hitzfeld, Benitez, could go on, have all also been found wanting in the CL at certain times, and all with brilliant teams. Which is often over looked when people focus on a manager and want to run him down on his own. I doubt Capello, Hitzfeld or Benitez would fail to even reach the Champions League final if they had three years with the Chelsea squad and an unlimited transfer budget.

I agree to an extent. He is a very good man manager and motivator, but in the latter stages of the Champions League he has been found wanting tactically on several occasions.

"These wonderful fans deserve a trophy." "Titus Bramble has all the attributes to be a top, top defender." ...are two the C5 commentators struggle to get through a game without.

why the fuck do you think they are down there genius? There is more chance of us qualifying for Europe than going down, honestly.

How man, you're a Newcastle Fan. We're United, they're ManUre. Calling them 'ManUre' is more embarrassing than 'United', to be honest.

My predictions are looking good so far.

In the last transfer window he backed Roeder with plenty of cash a?? you're new on here aren't you Ask your wife she knows me pretty well considering how close we are... Are you honestly 22?

What is? If we sign him it will be even more pathetic The last thing we need is some 32years old turk,who cant even be regular in the Greek league great,just great There's a good chance he's better than Babayaro and he'll certainly demand less wages, why have you decided he's not even good enough to be a squad player before seeing him?

I've never seen him play, but i do know he's shit, fat... and that Roeder is a rat faced twat(!)

What is?

So, we're looking at a central midfield squad of Butt, Parker, Sidwell & Pattison. Joy. Emre and Butt must be kept with an outright attacking, goalscoring midfielder coming in. Swapping Sidwell for Parker would be a bonus.

So far we've had 'being here the longest', 'having experience' and the (actually non-existent) 'spark to win us a game' as reasons to give different players the captaincy. As we're both agree, we have no natural leader on the pitch, so how do you think the captaincy should have been decided? And do you not think the captain needs to be someone who is virtually gauranteed a starting place?

I agree we lack a natural leader but someone had to be given the armband and it probably should have been Shay due to how long he has been here & the fact he's guaranteed a starting place every week, if nothing else. Shearer United, there's no way Roeder could have made Butt or Dyer captain at the beginning of this season.

Carr for Milner. Moore for Edgar. Babayaro for N'Zogbia. Parker for Emre. Martins for Sibierski. Line-up: Given Solano Taylor Edgar Duff Milner Butt Emre N'Zogbia Dyer Sibierski Name one who deserves it at all? Given, Solano? Given can't assert himself on his defence, he'd be a shit captain. Solano hasn't looked like a captain this season, really. He's just a less-bad right back than Carr. Has Parker looked like a captain this season?

Name one who deserves it at all? Given, Solano?

...yet Martins has 10 league goals & Berbatov has 8. Berbatov looks much the better player tbh. I agree and i'd swap them in an instant, but the suggestion Berbatov has adjusted any quicker is bemusing. I've said before i don't think Martins will improve with age, the flaws in his game will remain along with his ability to score goals. The trouble is, we already have a classier version in Michael Owen. I think the fact that Berbatov looks a better player on a consistent basis is evidence enough that he's adjusted quicker than Martins. It helps that he actually IS a better player of course, but he's also performing to a higher standard more consistently, so I'm not sure what's too bemusing about the statement that he's adjusted quicker. Berbatov looks a good Premiership striker. Martins....well, he looks like a once in a while wonder. Exactly. I think they've both adjusted well and Berbatov is looking the better player, which he is. Jol's post suggested Martins is going to get significantly better in the coming seasons.