Parky

Canny. I just hoped - and admittedly expected - some sign of progress from Allardyce this season. We know things needed changing in some ways, and we knew he would attempt to do it. He's now losing the plot a bit, through trying to be too clever, and buying too many defenders. Maybe the intensity of the job is surprising him now the focus has increased through poor performances, but he's got a testing time ahead of him. If we had 2 strikers like Shearer and Ferguson on the books now, things would be very different to be fair, but if he's misjudged the players that were already at the club, then the buck stops with him He tried his best to offload Owen or Martins...I don't think he wants either for his schemes. he'll be trying it again then [and personally I agree]. Do you think that he will have to sell before he buys ? Serious question Parky, and anyone else. Would you find that a slight worry ? With hindsight we can see that the strategy seems to have been to reduce the debt and to some extent stabalise the side defensively. This seems to be the commonly accepted scenario by most and it is one I railed against in various threads where I whinged and bleeted about the need for central midfielders of 'another type' and especially one with creativity as his main asset, someone who can hit the forwards correctly and at the right time. Our forwards ain't all that bad after all. I will say that looking back on the summer I think that became the strategy by default as there was some intital momentum (the trip to Spain etc) to sign bigger players and for whtever reason when this didn't materealise money was used for the debt. The standing of the club currently and to some extent SA's average profile around the football world won't help us initially to get the players that imo I believe Ashley wants. At the time Barton was being pushed as a poss answer to this 'issue' but his limited creative input is becoming clearer by the day (although I think overall he is a good buy). It is clear the midfield is populated by average players and one young player with a lot of potential. If a big player becomes available there is I feel the will to get that kind of player, however on day to day stuff ie wages and balancing books Mort is definately the type to set sensible outcomes.

the new Kieron Dyer

Canny. I just hoped - and admittedly expected - some sign of progress from Allardyce this season. We know things needed changing in some ways, and we knew he would attempt to do it. He's now losing the plot a bit, through trying to be too clever, and buying too many defenders. Maybe the intensity of the job is surprising him now the focus has increased through poor performances, but he's got a testing time ahead of him. If we had 2 strikers like Shearer and Ferguson on the books now, things would be very different to be fair, but if he's misjudged the players that were already at the club, then the buck stops with him He tried his best to offload Owen or Martins...I don't think he wants either for his schemes.

Barton the new Smith?

Steady as she goes.

It's better than thiers. So? All the games we lost, we had the better team, we still lost though. WHY IS SMITH STILL FUCKING PLAYING FOR NUFC. That's the spirit.

It's better than thiers.

What five attacking players and one semi-attacking player?

If they do start like that it makes sense to me with what is available.

Early goal would be nice.

Seems to be a recurring theme.

The rest aren't good enough to train with Michael.

None probably. Why not? Bit of a poor show if true. One man can't do everything.

None probably.

If it's initiated by the manager I have no problem with it. "Technical Director" whatever that means. Intresting. I would be all for Sam to go out and choose a DOF from a Euro club who could help with tactical and player purchase reviews. But it would be clear that SA has the final word. Dark Shadow of DOF parky? you are too dramatized it .... don't say u'll make romantic novel from it mackems.gif There are enough Jews invlolved for a tragic novel.

In defence of Smith I think he also arrived with baggage ie his tendency to over do it etc..And the myth that cause he wasn't needed at ManU he was somehow finished as a player which is hardly fair as he was suddenly competing with world class players in both his positions at the club. No shame there imo. Once Hargreaves and Tevez came in it was near impossible for him to get a game. Smith like Owen I'd rather not judge too heavily till the end of the season.

Basically imo Zoggy has it in him to go all the way and will become a full french international which is quite some going. Milner mainly due to his lack of pace won't ultimately be better than a good squad player.

If it's initiated by the manager I have no problem with it. "Technical Director" whatever that means. Intresting. I would be all for Sam to go out and choose a DOF from a Euro club who could help with tactical and player purchase reviews. But it would be clear that SA has the final word.

To be fair, you're making a valid point here, and one that a lot of Villa fans have made. The accepted truth is that in the summer, Lerner made a very large amount of money available (this leaked to one of our boards by the son of a member of the club board), but MON didn't want to spend it, saying that he's not going to spend irresponsibly - he's always had a hang up about big spending. His mantra is that he's building something through youth bolstered by decent spending that'll last for the long term. City's approach is a little different in that, whilst they've got promising young players too, they're spending huge amounts now. Will it work in the short term? Probably. Will it work long term? Possibly not. I'm still jealous, mind Sven will be successful at City I have no doubts about it.

If it's initiated by the manager I have no problem with it.

He needs at least 2 years ffs! For the record I'd rather have him than Moyes or MON.

We'll see what happens with Marseilles away.

Don't worry they're saving that for us.

To be fair I didn't for one moment imagine they'd have problems getting out of their group. :parky:

I wonder about Patrick Barclay sometimes...."O'Neill is a better manager than Allardyce". There was also a worrying assumption by these hacks that Ashley is clueless and might be bad for the club. Nonsense. O'Neill IS a better manager than Allardyce - his trophy record proves it, as does his getting Celtic to a European Final ; Allardyce has won NOWT... that means souness was better than keegan ? Lets put it another way - as you brought KK into it, who would you choose if both KK and MON were in for the NUFC job at the end of this season? Sorry, but for me, its MON...proven winner and interested in ALL aspects of a club, not just buying players. Proven against Scots. To put it yet another way, who would you have had back in 1992? We are not back in 1992 - I asked who would you choose if both were in for the NUFC job at the end of THIS season - so - who would YOU choose??? And as for your comment about the Scots, did Celtic only play Scots when reaching the UEFA Final against Porto..!!? Oh, well in that case, probably Martin O'Neill. I would also prefer Martin O'Neill to Brian Clough, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Jock Stein. I reckon he'd out-perform the lot of them. Well, he might, anyway. You said O'Neill was a proven winner - he's won several things in Scotland and an English League Cup, just like Graeme Souness. Graeme Souness has also won an English FA Cup. Graeme Souness has won a cup in Turkey, too, unlike Martin O'Neill. Martin O'Neill has won nothing in trans-European competition. Souness was three injuries away from getting us into the UEFA Cup Final. Steve McLaren did get Middlesbrough into the UEFA Cup Final. Martin O'Neill's achievements with Celtic are worth little. Sorted.