Tachikoma

Ok, Smith is actually a better footballer than Nolan.

oh dear *cries*

Fucking hell, how bad are we?

Picking Duff was understandable, Jonas has been noticeably more sluggish in his recent matches and Shearer will have to keep him fresh somehow.

*prays* Failing that, Guthrie would be ok.

This is the way we've played the entire season. So, I ask you, what is the best thing for a team that has not one player that can pick out a past, not one winger that can deliver an awesome cross and a team that's sorely lacking the pace that's needed to rip teams apart and create easy chances? Do you still want Owen playing, jogging around the pitch trying to steal a goal which hasn't looked coming for what, 2 months? Or do you drop him because, however good his finishing is, he just doesn't fit in with the personnel available? We don't create the chances that Owen feeds off. We really don't create any chances, so what I'm saying is drop Owen, put someone in who will contribute to the 'team play', something that Owen apparently doesn't acknowledge this season, and make sure the team plays better because that's the only way the team will be able to get the points needed to survive. Look, one of the truest cliches in football is that if you don't lose the ball, the opposition can't score. So, we need to keep the ball better. Owen doesn't help us do that. We are effectively a 10 man team every minute he's on the pitch. That's why we can't keep possession, that's why we don't stretch teams and because of the constant pressure that our defence is under because the whole team can't keep possession, we conceded more than our fair share of silly goals. Owen is very very unselfish, and he keeps possession (or well, keeps up the ball and wins it back) better than almost any other on our team. Its not that Owen's selfish, but when he isn't scoring he really doesn't contribute much to our attacking play. I'm not saying he never will (he certainly did in the 4-3-3) but he isn't at the moment. tbf, we don't really have any attacking play these days regardless Nile Ranger would have fixed that (), and I would have given him a go today, in all honesty.

This is the way we've played the entire season. So, I ask you, what is the best thing for a team that has not one player that can pick out a past, not one winger that can deliver an awesome cross and a team that's sorely lacking the pace that's needed to rip teams apart and create easy chances? Do you still want Owen playing, jogging around the pitch trying to steal a goal which hasn't looked coming for what, 2 months? Or do you drop him because, however good his finishing is, he just doesn't fit in with the personnel available? We don't create the chances that Owen feeds off. We really don't create any chances, so what I'm saying is drop Owen, put someone in who will contribute to the 'team play', something that Owen apparently doesn't acknowledge this season, and make sure the team plays better because that's the only way the team will be able to get the points needed to survive. Look, one of the truest cliches in football is that if you don't lose the ball, the opposition can't score. So, we need to keep the ball better. Owen doesn't help us do that. We are effectively a 10 man team every minute he's on the pitch. That's why we can't keep possession, that's why we don't stretch teams and because of the constant pressure that our defence is under because the whole team can't keep possession, we conceded more than our fair share of silly goals. Owen is very very unselfish, and he keeps possession (or well, keeps up the ball and wins it back) better than almost any other on our team. Its not that Owen's selfish, but when he isn't scoring he really doesn't contribute much to our attacking play. I'm not saying he never will (he certainly did in the 4-3-3) but he isn't at the moment.

Ugh, if he's zero where do Smith and Ameobi stand? He's a far better team player than Owen even, at the moment.

*Holds up hands for crucifying him in the past - but he was pretty horrible against Man City at home* Ameobi must give really good head to get the nod over him every time.

Yes.

If we can field teams that play well without Martins, then yes I'd agree with that.

I could have sworn that Stoke had 56% posession with ~20 minutes left. Maybe they were only counting the last 30 minutes.

Even if he did feign injury, we'll have to deal with it in another way. We just can't afford to lose him now. Bullshit we can't. If he plays again after feigning injury and destroying our tactical shape, that would seriously undermine Shearer's leadership. What does the club need right now? Our pride (and Shearer's), or players capable of making a difference? Are you sane? What kind of message do you think it sends out to the players if Shearer says "okay Oba, you feigned injury but I'm going to start you every week anyway because we've got nowt better." Is everything painted in black and white for you? Its called player management - obviously Shearer isn't going to say that, but he certainly shouldn't be letting Oba rot in the reserves. The players are nothing but resources, and its how we manage our resources thats going to get us out of this rut. I'd have no qualms if he was shipped out at the end of the season but this just isn't the time for that. Fucking hell man, he's not Fernando Torres. There is absolutely no need for the entire club to bend backwards to accommodate him despite his idiocy. What kind of message does it send out to the squad as a whole if Shearer is unwilling to stamp his foot down on this? That he isn't Graeme Souness mk2? We're third from bottom if you haven't noticed, and thats a pretty big "need" if you ask me.

Even if he did feign injury, we'll have to deal with it in another way. We just can't afford to lose him now. Bullshit we can't. If he plays again after feigning injury and destroying our tactical shape, that would seriously undermine Shearer's leadership. What does the club need right now? Our pride (and Shearer's), or players capable of making a difference? Are you sane? What kind of message do you think it sends out to the players if Shearer says "okay Oba, you feigned injury but I'm going to start you every week anyway because we've got nowt better." Is everything painted in black and white for you? Its called player management - obviously Shearer isn't going to say that, but he certainly shouldn't be letting Oba rot in the reserves. The players are nothing but resources, and its how we manage our resources thats going to get us out of this rut. I'd have no qualms if he was shipped out at the end of the season but this just isn't the time for that.

Even if he did feign injury, we'll have to deal with it in another way. We just can't afford to lose him now. Bullshit we can't. If he plays again after feigning injury and destroying our tactical shape, that would seriously undermine Shearer's leadership. What does the club need right now? Our pride (and Shearer's), or players capable of making a difference?

I've been saying that for weeks mate, you're not alone. I didn't think I'd ever see a premier league midfielder more immobile than Geremi/Butt, but Nolan's done it.

Even if he did feign injury, we'll have to deal with it in another way. We just can't afford to lose him now.

Probably just lacking match fitness Surely he had to be fitter than the dinosaurs left in the middle of the park...

I missed the first 50 minutes of the match, so was there a reason Guthrie had to come off?

I hate it when I'm right.

Uh, Guthrie's fine.

As far as consistency is concerned, Nicky Butt has been our best free kick taker so far

Moves more than Nolan or Butt does.

Bar the 2-0 and 3-0 wins against Aston Villa and Portsmouth, the team as a whole never looks comfortable on the ball.

I can't stop laughing at that smiley