Yorkie

3-5-2 always sounds ace on paper, doesn't it. I think the reason for why Allardyce is bringing in versatile players, is so that we have versatility in the squad. I know, sounds daft, but that's all it is imo. This is the main point with any meat to it. He can chop and change during a match whenever he wants, thanks to the versatile squad that he's building. It's something we've very rarely had in our squad - the option to make a sudden and effective change to a tactic during the match. Nor have we had the manager with the ability to pull off any attempt to do so, Bobby being a strictly 4-4-2 man. That's all it is i reckon, just some added versatility to the squad. Can't imagine he'll risk a 3-5-2 when it's had a history or never working in this country, both with the national squad and in the Premier League. Like Ohmelads said, i don't want us to be his failed experiment, and why would we be? He'll stick to what he knows, i hope so anyway.

Difficult to disagree.

I thought Todorov went to Wigan... was that only a loan?

We did last season. Predominantly due to a lack of creativity in midfield, and all we've done there so far is replace Parker with Barton. A good attack and an average defense will get you into Europe. A good defense and an average attack will stop you getting relegated. The return of Owen/Shola and the signing of Viduka might help a tad. Attacking midfield would be my second choice, absolutely, but i'd love to see us focus a hefty segment of a budget on a defender, a la Woodgate. I mean, when Woodgate played, he was arguably technically the best centre-back Newcastle have ever had (going off what people on here have said). It'd be great to have that again under Allardyce. Still, like i say, i wouldn't be disappointed if an Arteta or someone came through the door. PS - how you feel that an attack containing Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins, James Milner, Joey Barton, etc as average; is absolutely shocking in my point of view!

Pompey won't have any strikers.

S'alright - we were monumentally fucked for January anyway.

Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool would all finish above us anyway, though. They're the three biggest teams in the league (by an absolute landslide) - it's their right to have better players. Besides, if someone offered me Bale and Bent for close on £30m, or Viduka, Barton, Rozehnal and Geremi for about £9m - i'd pick the latter every day of the week. Spurs will probably finish above us, but we've got the potential to rip them to shreds within two seasons.

A centre-back. We shouldn't struggle for goals next season...

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Well no, it had absolutely naff all to do with that. There was a photo of Ramage looking totally gormless, and a picture of Milner with a goofy smile, and i put "Duhh..." cos i thought it looked quite funny. For the record, i think Milner's a good player with great potential, and i think Ramage is utter shite, with the potential to do well in League 1. Regardless of what they look like.

I had a photo of him on with a funny goofy smile, next to a pic of a gormless Ramage, with the quotation: "Duhh...". That's all! And even if i was against their intellectual abilities ( ), what the hell has that got to do with their footballing capabilities? Come on, man!

Brightest talent? Sums us up tbh, we don't have any up and coming talent (Krul, and possibly Taylor) but attacking wise, Zog has much more potential, but sadly his ego is too big, although Sam could sort him out. Martins is practically the same as as Milner, a much better prospect. We also have Viduka, a whipper snapper at 31, he has the talent to play on untill he is 45, an awesome man, and father of Chuck Norris. Absolutley knew you were going to pick up on that. I meant to put British ahead of it. Personally feel that N'Zogbia is the brightest talent in our squad. And before i get accused of telling porkies again, that's true. I said the other day that N'Zogbia had the potential to be better than Ginola and Robert put together. Robert is the greatest Frenchman to walk the planet, except Joan of Arc. Very true. I loved Robert, but i think N'Zogbia's game could be better than his in a few years time. I'm a lifelong Toon fan, but admittedly haven't seen as much as most. N'Zogbia, for me, is right up there in terms of 'wow-factor' when watching him beating a man with such speed. I absolutely loved him in 05/06.

Brightest talent? Sums us up tbh, we don't have any up and coming talent (Krul, and possibly Taylor) but attacking wise, Zog has much more potential, but sadly his ego is too big, although Sam could sort him out. Martins is practically the same as as Milner, a much better prospect. We also have Viduka, a whipper snapper at 31, he has the talent to play on untill he is 45, an awesome man, and father of Chuck Norris. Absolutley knew you were going to pick up on that. I meant to put British ahead of it. Personally feel that N'Zogbia is the brightest talent in our squad. And before i get accused of telling porkies again, that's true. I said the other day that N'Zogbia had the potential to be better than Ginola and Robert put together. Out of interest, how old were you when Ginola played for us? I've seen enough of Ginola.

Brightest talent? Sums us up tbh, we don't have any up and coming talent (Krul, and possibly Taylor) but attacking wise, Zog has much more potential, but sadly his ego is too big, although Sam could sort him out. Martins is practically the same as as Milner, a much better prospect. We also have Viduka, a whipper snapper at 31, he has the talent to play on untill he is 45, an awesome man, and father of Chuck Norris. Absolutley knew you were going to pick up on that. I meant to put British ahead of it. Personally feel that N'Zogbia is the brightest talent in our squad. And before i get accused of telling porkies again, that's true. I said the other day that N'Zogbia had the potential to be better than Ginola and Robert put together.

Ok mate, just because I called you a c***..... Oh God... Do you honestly think i give a rats arse what some fella over the internet calls/thinks of me? To be honest, i quite like it when people call me names when they've never met me. The sheer sadness of it makes me laugh, it's entertaining. Nah, it's cos you're talking s***. If you think he's overrated, fair enough. He probably is a bit. But to go to the farcical extent that you went to is just stupid. Where did I say he was Championship standard? Not your actual words, i was exaggerating. So I didn't say he was Championship standard? What did I say about the lad that you disagree with so strongly as to single me out for talking garbage that's laughable? Your agreement with Andy Hunter's opening post alone warranted it. I don't think it did really, a bit of harmless sarcasm and I get accused of saying all sorts! I think Yorkie Geordie's tellin' Porkies tbh. You've got a general dislike of him, are you going to argue with that? My comment was hyperbole.

I'm not going into it anymore, now. If people want to rip the shit out of the brightest talent in our squad, then i'll let you. Our opinions differ too dramatically for me to pursue such an argument.

Ok mate, just because I called you a c***..... Oh God... Do you honestly think i give a rats arse what some fella over the internet calls/thinks of me? To be honest, i quite like it when people call me names when they've never met me. The sheer sadness of it makes me laugh, it's entertaining. Nah, it's cos you're talking s***. If you think he's overrated, fair enough. He probably is a bit. But to go to the farcical extent that you went to is just stupid. Where did I say he was Championship standard? Not your actual words, i was exaggerating. So I didn't say he was Championship standard? What did I say about the lad that you disagree with so strongly as to single me out for talking garbage that's laughable? Your agreement with Andy Hunter's opening post alone warranted it.

Fair comment.

Ok mate, just because I called you a c***..... Oh God... Do you honestly think i give a rats arse what some fella over the internet calls/thinks of me? To be honest, i quite like it when people call me names when they've never met me. The sheer sadness of it makes me laugh, it's entertaining. Nah, it's cos you're talking s***. If you think he's overrated, fair enough. He probably is a bit. But to go to the farcical extent that you went to is just stupid. Where did I say he was Championship standard? Not your actual words, i was exaggerating.

His crosses reach the penalty area don't they? To be fair, when his crosses are poor, they're low - not flying into the stands. They're very erratic, like i said initially, but to say he doesn't put in the odd excellent cross (whether they're received or not) is just plain wrong. Don't think you'd be wrong when saying he'd do a job in the centre, though. I personally wouldn't mind seeing him down the left-wing more often, so he can cut in, because he's got a lethal strike on him.

In response to your post, David Icke:

Ok mate, just because I called you a cunt..... Oh God... Do you honestly think i give a rats arse what some fella over the internet calls/thinks of me? To be honest, i quite like it when people call me names when they've never met me. The sheer sadness of it makes me laugh, it's entertaining. Nah, it's cos you're talking shit. If you think he's overrated, fair enough. He probably is a bit. But to go to the farcical extent that you went to is just stupid.

Andy's actually quite right. It does take him an age to beat his man and he can't cross for toffee. Nonsense and nonsense. I'm not even going into it. He beats his man very well, despite a lack of pace. And his crossing, although erratic, is often class. Easy to slate the crossing ability when there's no fucker in the box to receive any. Like i say, Andy Hunter's probably just on the wind-up, whereas Baggio and his 'Milner is Championship-standard' garbage is just laughable.

Utter toss to be quite honest. I'm not even going to argue/give reasons, just like PegasusBridge, because it's utter, utter drivel. What's sad is that Andy Hunter's on the wind-up, whereas Baggio and Towelie actually believe this.

The injuries obviously fucked him, because i can't think of any other sane reason for why he ever made it into the first team squad. He's a midfield Ramage, in all honesty. Sounds like an honest chap and you have to give him credit for plugging away after such monstrous injuries at such a young age; but he's rubbish and if we could get a fee it'd be ace.