alexthegreat

I saw Ranger described as "troubled" a few weeks back as well. It appears to have become another word for "wanker".

Thought this was an interesting youtube video of him: MEVLUT ERDING( ERDINC ) [ PSG ] doesn't look absolutely top drawer here (shows a half he played for Turkey v Finland). However he does look lively and the sort of player you described above - playing on the shoulder in a similar style to Bellamy. Thing that really struck me watching that video which probably wouldn't have before I saw our new signings is the prospect of him getting on the end of some long passes and through balls from Cabaye. The prospect of Ben Arfa and Erding making the runs with Cabaye pulling the strings is quite exciting - could really see him giving us an extra dimension if that video is anything to go by.

Independent are going with the Erding story - Newcastle's officials preparing a second bid, PSG would want as much of the £7m they paid for him as possible. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/newcastle-in-for-7m-erding-6287741.html Also say "Newcastle officials have been at pains to distance themselves from repeated stories linking Andy Carroll".

The back page of the Sun says: "Sunsport can reveal that former club Newcastle will be willing to buy back the England striker. BUT for an astonishing £25m less than he cost the Merseysiders a year ago. The dramatic development came after a top agent rang the club to offer the 23 year old Carroll for just £20m. Newcastle flatly rejected the idea and a further proposal of £15m plus add ons. They are prepared to offer £10m though, for Carroll - who was a hero on Tyneside and would welcome back a move to his native North East Newcastle" Sounds like a Liverpool agent maybe touting him about, perhaps someone close to our end leaked it to the Sun. I reckon we actually would buy him back for £10m, however I cannot imagine Liverpool letting us take the piss out of them like that. And we know Dekka really would see it as a piss take.

10m according to The Sun: http://twitpic.com/85rljp

From this morning's Journal: Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2012/01/09/no-need-to-stay-back-hatem-ben-arfa-told-61634-30083655/2/#ixzz1ixsUGNIv

Sunderland staying classy: Read more: http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=661904#ixzz1iugLIxoa Although fair play to the OP in this thread.

The meltdown begins: Joey7Barton Joseph Barton @piersmorgan its a bad one. A touching of skin with no velocity what so ever even u would have stayed on ur feet 55 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply Joey7Barton Joseph Barton I'd be 1st to apologise if I'd reacted. Cannot apologise as I know I've not head butted anyone. Disappointed for the lads and the fans. 1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply » Joey7Barton Joseph Barton Make ur own minds up when u see it. The games gone! 3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply » Joey7Barton Joseph Barton Linesman definitely never saw it, all he seen was Johnsons reaction. My head dosent move forward at all. Ridiculous decision seen 25 replays 6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply » Joey7Barton Joseph Barton Well feel for the officials, they've been conned. Admitted to me at HT they never saw it. I was pulled back 1st, then kicked 2nd! 8 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

And then he didn't even make the bench despite being available again v Liverpool. Although this could equally have been because of his abysmal performances. Think that makes it unlikely he will appear on the wing v Man U, thankfully.

I gather he stuck his face in a Norwich player's face, who promptly threw himself to the ground in a manner not dissimilar to Joey Barton himself on the first day of the season when Gervinho got sent off. Will be interesting to see if he tweets as much about today as he did about then.

Obertan - Saw that his first shot on target for the entire season was away at Bolton. He never seems to be able to put a decent cross in either. I can see hes lightning fast at top speed but I don't think hes that quick over 5 yards and thats what counts really. Often has an extremely good first touch though - I can see why people might have thought there is a decent player in there in the past. However aside from his first touch I don't see any reason to think he'll progress, and hes had enough chances. I no longer believe this thing about it being "all in his head" - I have seen him running at fullbacks throwing his body left and right yet not going past them - he just doesn't have the talent to unbalance the defender or the surge of pace to go past them. Its not in his head its just a lack of ability imo. Jonas - Looks a shadow of the player who scored that goal at Wolves at the moment. Could be that hes a bit tired or it may just be that he was in the form of his life at the start of the season. He could use a decent fullback behind him though.

A hint that Liverpool may not have heard the last of this?

The whole thread on RAWK is in the same whinging, conspiracy-theory creating tone as the posts above. It will be interesting to see if that thread is just the product of a minority of loons on the internet or if thats the view of most followers of the club.

Pretty clear cut:

Good post on RAWK: Several negative replies in 4 minutes including this one:

Are France on a winter break? Would there be anything to stop him from joining in training straight away if they are?

from the true-faith website about their next issue: We are really pleased with this issue of the fanzine. It coincides with The Mag and ourselves being invited by United for a full day at the training ground and we have an eight-page special feature detailing every part of the visit including close up and personal observations of the training sessions, 1-2-1s with the club’s analysts and conditioning specialists and coach, Steve Stone, talked through the tactical preparation put together by John Carver, observing a Press Conference and finally two hours chatting to Alan Pardew in his office at Darsley Park. We think you’ll find it interesting. But that’s not all. There is loads of other stuff including one of our writers bumping into none other than Derek Llambias and getting something of an impromptu and accidental interview with our Managing Director. You’ll be surprised by the content. We didn’t have any secret tape recorders and nor did we flog the tape to the Sunday Mirror. Sounds interesting. Seems the club are tentatively trying to do a little more in terms of PR.

What a difference 4 points seems to make: Dalglish this year: 23 points from 14 games. 7th in the league. Hodgson at this stage last season: 19 points from 14 games. 9th place in the league. Conclusion: Kenny is the second coming and Hodgson is Satan. When you consider the amount of money Dalglish has had to spend, the fact Hodgson had none, and the fact that Hodgson was working in the knowledge that Dalglish was waiting to knife him, you would have to say Hodgson was doing at least as well this time last year. Daft tactics from Dalglish lost them the game there when they went down to 10 men. There'll not be a word about that though. Look at this article for the pressure Hodgson was under this time last year: Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/847236-roy-hodgson-i-ll-never-escape-liverpool-spectre-of-kenny-dalglish#ixzz1fhSPAxjF Don't have anything against Liverpool the way some people do, but watching this blow up in their faces should be quite entertaining. Really don't think Hodgson deserved that treatment either.

O'Neill has agreed to join according to BBC. Think he'll improve them - though he couldn't make them any worse than they are at the moment. But I don't think hes clever enough either tactically or in the transfer market to ever go beyond being the 'best of the rest', and I don't think he'll get the funds to make up for those deficiences. Don't think he'll leave much of a legacy either.

Imagine how different our season would be if Bardsley had suceeded in breaking his leg in the second game of the season. Taylor playing with his broken nose as well - and who knows how many other knocks they've both taken and still played on?

From RAWK: Turns out its the FA being racist to Suarez.

No - new 4 year deal with NR signed in January 2010. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/7018012/Newcastle-United-sponsors-Northern-Rock-defend-signing-new-deal.html So just over 2 years left. Doubt even Mike Ashley would give up club/shirt sponsorship money, just to put SD.com on the shirts. I think he just wants to keep us in Premier League while using the club as a massive advertising vehicle for Sportsdirect until whichever point he decides to sell. It must be worth a lot to a company to have a football club inextricably linked with it - particularly to a company that sells sportswear. I doubt there will be any genuine attempt to find a sponsor for the shirt or the stadium. If he gets sportsdirect on the shirt, all over the stadium and in the stadium name, then manages to sell for a bit more than he bought, it will probably have been a very worthwhile exercise for him.

Is this the last season with northern rock on the shirt? If so I think its highly likely that next season's kit will have SPORTSDIRECT.COM on the front.

Liam Ridgewell linked again in January: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Newcastle-and-West-Bromwich-Albion-to-battle-to-sign-Birmingham-defender-Liam-Ridgewell-in-January-article828176.html Would provide cover that we really need, but is he actually any good?

Duncan Ferguson I suppose - due to all his injuries