Yorkie

There was a short spell last season where Ramage and Taylor played together, and Ramage was alright. But he's still shit.

Replace Martins with Viduka and move Owen to that position and Viduka up top alone and I think you're not far off what Big Sam is looking for. Yeah, i think you're right really. Like i said to Leazes, if he's going to drop one of Martins/Owen/Milner, it'd be Martins. Which i suppose is understandable, but kind of a shame because i reckon Martins would work better down that left 'wing' than Owen. And i love Oba. I keep standing up for Mickey but we really should just flog him. Out of Owen, Martins and Milner he'll drop Milner simply because he doesn't have the pace to play in that position, either that or he'll play Milner as the attacking midfielder. Arguably, yeah - but in spite of Milner's lack of pace - he's excellent on the ball and there isn't a player in our side who can beat his man better than him. I still reckon he'd be alright.

Replace Martins with Viduka and move Owen to that position and Viduka up top alone and I think you're not far off what Big Sam is looking for. Yeah, i think you're right really. Like i said to Leazes, if he's going to drop one of Martins/Owen/Milner, it'd be Martins. Which i suppose is understandable, but kind of a shame because i reckon Martins would work better down that left 'wing' than Owen. And i love Oba. I keep standing up for Mickey but we really should just flog him. BTW... does that team come out alright for you? Just wondering, cos like i say, my monitor's tiny and i'm wondering if all the names come out all over the place. Just in advance to matchday threads.

Probably. Meaning one of Milner/Martins/Owen would be dropped. At a guess, it'd probably be Martins.

(Mark Viduka) - £0 (Joey Barton) - £5.5m (Tal Ben Haim) - £0 David Rozenhal - £3.3m Nijtap Geremi - £5-6m Leighton Baines - £5-7m Rozenhal, obviously, adds more depth to the defense. Healthy competition at the very least, plus he's quite pacy apparantely which would make a change. He might be decent, i'll trust Sam's judgement. Geremi is someone i'd really like us to go for, i reckon he's a really decent player, at a good age aswell - 28. Currently, we've got one right-winger, and one right-back. If we signed Geremi, we'd have two right-wingers and two right-backs. Baines, i'm a big fan of. Hasn't really done much this past season but Wigan were generally shit. He's a young lad who'll get better and i think would be worth the money. I'd hang onto Babayaro and let Carr go. ------------------------------- Given ------------------------------ Geremi ------ Ben Haim ------------- Taylor ---------- Baines ------------------------------- Butt ------------------------------- ------------------ Barton ------------- Emre -------------------- ------- Milner ----------------------------------- Martins ------- ------------------------------ Owen ------------------------------ (Hope that team comes out alright, looks the right shape on mine but i've got a small monitor) Obviously, the forward line all depends on Martins and Owen, and whether or not either of them can work in that role. I think Martins probably will with some guidance, Owen is the questionably one. Viduka is a good signing, and i'm absolutely chuffed cos i've wanted him here all season, but Milner simply has to be in the team for me. Think the rest of the team works tbh. Defense, good. Midfield, good. Butt protecting the back four, Emre the 'mixer', ball-winner, roaming around supplying the wide men so to speak. I bet he'd be good at that role. Barton as the tenacious, attack natured centre-mid, helping out the main man up top. Still, i bet Barton and Emre could alternate roles quite comfortably. However, we can't firmly predict waht Sam is going to do, for the rest of the transfer window or starting line-ups-wise. Which is why i'm peeing myself with excitement.

Know little about the guy, but surely Tuncay would be a 'top class' addition. Very highly rated, isn't he.

Tell you what, if we winish 7/8/9th, without barely touching the Top 4, i'll be happy. You might not be, but i will be - because this is a tranitional period. New squad, new owner, new spending, new staff, probably a new way of playing. Everything's changing and it isn't like turning on a lightswitch. The expectation should be top half.

Next season, i couldn't possibly ask for anything more. Why not though? With the new money coming in we mightn't get a better chance to finish 4th next season, especially with what's going on at Arsenal. Because i'm realistic. These things take time. Bobby Robson was a top class coach with money to spend, and he was into his third season before we were going places. Don't expect too much too fast. I know the stereotypical Geordie fan wants "Newcastle to be winning everything and in the Top 4 right away" (more of a media cliche, tbf), but it really shouldn't be the case just now. If we were to be anywhere near the Top 4 next season, we'd have overachieved.

Spot on, Keefaz. If we finish 9th next season, and atleast maybe pushed for a European place, i'll be chuffed. Would be interesting to hear his thoughts - but i doubt Brummie is too displeased with Villa's final position, in spite of the potential they showed at the start of the season. Considering that they were a team that would inevitably have gone down sooner or later.

Next season, i couldn't possibly ask for anything more. EDIT: And besides, them three are all very good Premiership players. Ben Haim was the chief instigator in a Top 6 defense, Joey Barton was Man City's creative player (potentially one of the most tenacious players in the bottom half), and Viduka scored 19 goals last season. We aren't signing un-proven maybes from the drags.

7 in 11 i think it was. Against the likes of Clyde and Falkirk though, tbf. Bellamy's a class above the Scottish league.

Owen and Martins make this formation almost impossible to play. Everytime I see people's formations with Martins and Owen as wide forwards in a 4-3-3 it makes me cringe, as they are not the type of players who can play in that role. Owen maybe not, though it's worth giving it a shot (if it works, it'll be awesome, if it doesn't, so be it - another reason to sell him), but i think Martins could maybe work as a wide forward. He was never a centre-forward in the first place, he was just forced into that position last season because there was no one else. We just don't know yet, but i can imagine Allardyce is willing to give it a shot, because like i say, if he gets it to work it'll be immense. Worth a gamble. Also, the signing of Viduka suggests to me that he probably is planning a formation such as this.

No. I'd rather just buy Hyypia.

Does anyone know this? How long has Sam had Bolton as a 4-5-1 side? Good few years now... Honestly can't see anything other than a 4-3-3/4-5-1. He isn't really a 4-4-2 man. I know he's got the funds and the backing now, but there's no reason for why he should change a formula that he's proved does work.

Is there a link, GD?

If you want a right-back, why not buy a right-back?

This title needs a question mark.

If he's not first choice, then it's pointless.

Would be a great move! Would be keen to see him stay in England and stay in the area, but he's a young lad and he's been here for two years so going home to play wouldn't cause him any harm at all.

That's me dad's birthday sorted then.

Love the retro-ness. Shame there's no collar on the away shirt.

Yup. And besides, did no one see him against Estonia? Christ. Clumsy's not the word. Still think, if we've got money to burn, we could get someone better.

Ohh he's a left mid is he. OK.

Why's that? Just wondering. Would be interesting to find out where you'd play him... presumably you'd have the idea of selling someone first? He'd be my attacking midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation with 2 of Butt, Barton and Emre just behind him, if he stayed fit he'd easily get into double figures in a season and has the potential to create just as many IMO. Viduka, Tevez and Martins up front. Interesting!