Yorkie

Would love Viduka here on a free in the summer. Owen, Martins, Viduka, Dyer, Ameobi, Sibierski Looks good to me.

Aye, i feel that what you say about Dyer is a load of exaggerated nonsense tbh.

Was just an exaggeration. He's not played there regularly like he has done this season.

Not going, cos i don't have any money aswell as no means of transportation or accommodation, but we'll certainly need all the support that we can get if we're going to beat this lot.

The list is pretty much the same thing written differently three times. ... And?

My opinion of Roeder: He's an average manager doing a decent job. I feel that he would be an excellent Premier League coach, but is not an excellent Premier League manager. Yet. One of the reasons for why i think he'd be a great coach, is because i think he works well with the players on an individual level. He appears to have confidence in all of his players and, on numerous occassions, he has managed to grind the best out of one or two that have previously performed in fits and spurts. Players that have improved gradually and/or dramatically this season: Steven Taylor Nolberto Solano Nicky Butt James Milner Kieron Dyer Antoine Sibierski Obafemi Martins Roeder knows how to deal with his players on an individual level, which i feel is a massive asset that a good coach should have. Whether it be a position change, a holiday, or simply a confidence boost via the media, he has managed to squeeze out the obvious qualities that the above players have. He knows what to do with the players on a personal level. He knows how to make them better. Alright, you could rebound that by giving examples such as Carr, Ramage, Luque, Duff, etc. But - you look at the majority of our defensive players, those that haven't improved, and you've simply got to say that the best manager in the world wouldn't improve them. Because they're simply not good enough. Roeder knows his players. Also, Roeder has stabilised the atmosphere at St James' Park and in the dressing room. Under Souness, the place was a mess and everybody knew it. Even when things picked up, something wasn't going right - whether it be on the pitch (Clark, Emre, Parker running into each other), or in the dressing room. You don't really get any of that now, under Roeder. Players know what they are doing; fair enough, one or two decisions starting line up-wise may raise a few eyebrows, but all of the players know there place. And i think Roeder should be congratulated for that. That's what Roeder has done. He has steadied the ship at Newcastle. We might have a squad decent enough to be higher than where we are at the moment, but maybe people are requesting a little too much from Glenn Roeder in his first season. The place was such a shithole before he came, he has done remarkably well to just ease things and get us into a respectable position again. Premier League table-wise aswell as respectability in terms of commitment and general performance on and off the field. These are the sort of traits that a great coach has. Excellent treatment of the players, generally on a personal level. However, a great manager must have a good tactical awareness and a decent abililty to pick the team, on top of all the above traits. This is what Roeder doesn't really possess. His decision-making is inconsistent and erratic. Though, within a year or so's more time, maybe he will learn from his experiences and consequently develop as a manager. What i feel we should do is: Let him see out his contract, unless something goes dramatically wrong within the next two years He's a capable manager, unlike Souness, so he warrants some time given Allow him this summer to properly build his squad; give him another chance in the transfer market Like i say he's only steadied the ship at Newcastle, so don't expect an awful lot just yet. Let's study irony for a second. Can anyone tell me what exactly Bobby Robson did in his first two years in charge of Newcastle United? What positions did we finish? Where exactly were we going before he came in and, exactly like Roeder, steadied the ship? Exactly.

Decent member of the squad. Doesn't work in our starting line-up though and tends to hold us back a lot. People say he doesn't work with Butt, which obviously means they don't think he's an attacking centre-mid. But then a lot of people don't think he could play a holding role... which would make Rodhamino's point a valid one. He doesn't have a position. When Emre comes back, it should be Emre and Butt. Two good players that are good at what they're doing and work together. Butt sits, Emre penetrates. Parker seems to do neither - and that's his bad point. I think he could be a good attacking mid if he increased his tempo and his passing was more direct. He's good at charging into the box a la Bowyer/Gerrard.

Tevez was class today. I seriously hope he stays in the Premiership. Would be nice to see him go to Liverpool with Mascherano - he'd definitely fit in there. Great player, and a monumentally shit club. Neither him nor Javier were destined to succeed there. Would love someone like him at Newcastle - that would be a bit different, but i doubt he'd be much better here than what he's been at West Ham.

Certainly more reasons to loathe Spurs. I don't like West Ham but that is the harshest game of the season. Absolutely brilliant, though.

Yeah, that's what i thought. Would hate to see Emre go either way.

Really would love Sidwell. Being honest though, i don't know an awful lot about him. Is he a penetrating midfielder like Emre, or a bit more defensive like Butt?

No.

There were two pre-match threads before this one.

I'd pay £5-7m for him tbh. Although rumoured prices were a lot lower than that in January...

I said he's only ever played shit there, which he has. I'm not necassarily writing him off - but he's a left winger for us and that's where he should be played.

Only ever been shit when he's played in the centre.

Yup. There seems to be a general concensus around that line-up. From the sane people, anyway.

He is strong He is good with his back to goal He is a decent finisher He has very good footwork once he's navigated himself around his first touch He is a general presence in the box He can hold the ball up well Shola's downfall, largely, is how we play. He could have forged a really good partnership with Oba this season, but whenever Shola or Sibierski play - Glenn feels inclined to play the idiotic long ball, simply because we have a big man upfront. Ameobi would benefit if we played the ball on the floor - because his footwork is good and he can bring players into play.

Ok Jesus Christ... what the hell do you want as your third/fourth choice striker? Ameobi is a more than capable player. He's not brilliant, certainly not worthy of starting as many games as he has done over the past couple of years, but he's got good enough ability to be a back-up striker when needed. Better than a lot of 3rd/4th choice strikers in the Premiership. PS... I'm assuming that your reply was like a sarcastic one, otherwise i've gone off on one for no reason. And, to your laughing emoticon regarding the number of strikers. Obafemi Martins Michael Owen Kieron Dyer Shola Ameobi Antoine Sibierski And Andrew Carroll, who you would feel Roeder sees something in, because he wouldn't have made the squad this many times - despite injuries. Plus, Duff, Emre, Milner can all play an advanced role. Luque will probably still be here aswell. We're bound to get injuries, but if they're on the scale as what we've witnessed this season, it'll be a big coincidence.

Makes you wonder why some think 15 million defenders is the priority. Won't be the case next season anyway, we'll have plenty of strikers. I want us to get a striker, i just don't want us to spend multitudes of cash on one because we don't need to. The multitudes of cash, if we really have it, should be spent on the defense.

Could be so good for us, Shola.

1-0.

Still stand by my team, then, which is exactly the same as The Janitor's. Given Solano --- Bramble --- Onyewu --- Taylor Milner --- Parker --- Butt --- Duff Martins --- Dyer Subs: Harper, Huntington, N'Zogbia, Carroll, Sibierski Though i wouldn't be surprised if Sibierski and Huntington were starters.

I didn't say i expected him to be. I said he should be. And anyway, i'd still say that N'Zogbia has been marginally more effective than Duff when he has played. Zog's never played consistently, though. How many 90 minute games has he played this season? Has he ever started 3/4 games in a row? Judging this season's performances, he wouldn't be starting next year on merit, he'd be starting cos Duff's a waster.

Dyer can't play centre-midfield. He's totally ineffective there. If we're going to play Dyer, he needs to be put in an advanced position, that's all he is good for. That's the only way he properly effects a game. Dyer would have to be dropped, or we'd have to establish a new 4-3-3 type system, which is unneeded and unwanted. Newcastle play with wingers. Roeder will certainly have to grow some balls next season. Zoggy should be a regular starter by then n'all.