Raconteur

For starters, you certainly are in the minority wanting Barton to stay! Secondly, you make a good point that Barton's tackle wasn't as bad as the Nolan or Guthrie tackles mentioned in isolation. The huge difference is that this was Barton's first game back, it was a crucial match and you can bet your bottom dollar that Shearer impressed upon him the importance of keeping control. Which is the big point - when you really, really need your players to be professional, can you count on Barton? The answer is most certainly not...

Hmmm - it assumes the fitness of some crocks. For instance Woodgate, Dyer and Saha are always in the physio room. EDIT: As those with faster fingers than me suggested Interesting hypothetical, but that's all it is, a hypothetical. On paper the squad we had last year should have kept us up, but football isn't played on paper...

true......wish they'd have shown it last season though. Also true - but I would expect the players leading the "revolt" (Taylor, Beye and Bassong are mentioned) are the very few who did give everything last season. The problem was that there wasn't enough to form a team...

A positive spin might be that it shows some players have some pride left, by making a stand and demanding improvements to their workplace...

If Viduka wants to play in the World Cup so much, how come he hasn't played for Australia since the 2007 Asian Cup? Pim Verbeek has all but begged him to commit, and yet he hasn't - because he really isn't that fussed. A friend of Viduka's told me the big man was seriously contemplating retiring after the recently-concluded season...

In answer to the question posed in the thread's title: YES, your thoughts ARE as far-fetched as they seem. Maybe even more so. The "malice" or "vengeance" attributed to Ashley - he would have to be a sociopath of gargantuan proportions to willingly and maliciously inflict this level of suffering on such a large population group (ie Toon fans as a whole). The kind of disorder that would have manifested itself long before he bought the club. Even if such a disorder were latent, the "Boycoutt" protests would not have caused a sufficient "break" (or switch from normal to monster) to validate these lunatic theories. Give it a rest people. He's a clueless gambler who is drowning us all in his incompetence, NOT malice...

Pretty good summary there - Oba's biggest problem was trying too hard early in the match, getting frustrated then giving up. It was the way he sprinted to the bench after being dragged that bothered me most about him though. Surely a real professional is disappointed and drags his heels exiting the field...?

Yup, me too. Time for a new avatar... I'd say it's because we all knew what we were getting with Viduka. Sums it right up - world class for one game, non-existent for the next five. Still better than what Owen produced though.

Correct, I'm not bothering to research the five months of matches in order to win an internet argument. I have the evidence of my own eyes. But maybe you might wonder why Alan Shearer chose Viduka and Martins over Owen with the club's Premiership future on the line?

Egg-fucking-zactly

He did in the time both were at the club. Ie since January... EDIT: And since you blamed the creative department for Owen's poor return, it is entirely valid to compare what another striker can produce with exactly the same supply Minutes on pitch/starts/role of players/starting 11's/oppositions played if we want to get into a serious comparison. Stick to Martins-bashing mate, at least you're making some valid points in that thread...

He did in the time both were at the club. Ie since January... EDIT: And since you blamed the creative department for Owen's poor return, it is entirely valid to compare what another striker can produce with exactly the same supply

From that most reliable source (but still worth reproducing as it provides some idea): http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2511697/Farce-as-flops-return.html

The same creative department that allowed a Danish journeyman to outscore our supposed superstar? Owen is washed up as a player and a pathetic weasel of a man. But most importantly, he's gone. Fuck off Michael. And if God is kind, Vidic will break both of your legs in the first training session. So bitter :****( Thank you, yes, I am. Very much so. Thank you EDIT: Good of you to address the Lovenkrands comparison too...

Would you say he worked his socks off and was the best player in the team for most games? Would you also put him on the same level as Van Basten or Shearer? Yes, Yes and yes. You have got to be fucking kidding. On all three counts. Stop taking the piss mate

The same creative department that allowed a Danish journeyman to outscore our supposed superstar? Owen is washed up as a player and a pathetic weasel of a man. But most importantly, he's gone. Fuck off Michael. And if God is kind, Vidic will break both of your legs in the first training session.

Lucky to see Nolan & Butt partnership in the central midfield? Really? If anything that's the first problem which should be adressed ASAP!!!! Krul Beye Saylor Bassong Enrique LuaLua Guthrie New LM Skjelbred Carroll Ranger I'd be more than happy to see something like above... When did we sign Skjelbred? I must have missed the announcement. And I've looked on YouTube and FM database for this "New LM" player but can't find anything... Oh, and "" = sarcasm/irony/derision et al

But our main reason for needing to sell players is to drop the wage bill and Bassong is on f*** all, unlike 10 or more losers at the club on massive wages. We shouldn't be looking to sell our best players unless their wage is ridiculous. Aye, spot on, the money we save on the likes of Owen & Viduka going should be spent towards offering Bassong a higher wage. That's all very well, but a 10-12 million injection will cover wages for the whole squad for a few weeks/months (depending on who else is sold). Or pay a chunk of the (supposed) overdraft, thus reducing repayments, and thus having a few coins of liquid cash per month. I'm all for getting rid of the high rollers like Martins, Duff, Smth, Barton, Geremi et al, and keeping those on more reasonable wages - but the fact is all of those will be difficult to shift, and selling Bassong gives us some breathing space. Ashley's got us in a real pickle, and ideal situations are little removed from pipe dreams. It's the same thing as selling Martins for a seemingly paltry fee of 5 million - it's not so much about price as value...

Harper Raylor Saylor Tozer Kadar Guthrie Nolan Butt Duff Carroll Ranger And that's if we're lucky

Doomsday scenario (tongue firmly in cheek) 1) The following team trots out against West Brom: Harper Raylor Saylor Tozer Kadar Guthrie Nolan Butt Duff Carroll Ranger and is humiliated 0-4 2) Wages don't get paid, and the players force the club into administration, resulting in points deduction and virtually all of those players walk out claiming breach of contract 3) Ashley is tackled by Toon fans at Heathrow Airport attempting to flee to Belize and brutally murdered 4) Toon fans succeed in buying the club and turning it into a supporters trust 5) Raconteur comes out of retirement to debut in goals for NUFC in the 2010-11 League One Season See, it's not all bad

I would say the second scenario if Hulse and Elliot had knowledge of Shearer coming in i reckon they would stay but in Hulse case Liverpool knocking on your door is too good to say no too even if Sheare was appointed looking at it logically for him ,so is this a message we should take as a warning or just one of those things and we read too much into it . The third scenario, of course, is that they both decided that with no immediate prospect of stability they (very reasonably) chose to look after their own interests...? Hulse leaving for 'Pool seems a clear case of moving to (much) greener pastures, but the Robbie Elliott situation gives me chills - he's a black and white man who would have been very happy to work under Shearer. I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but that's the way the tea leaves look to me...

Come August it won't matter - may as well be Malcolm Allen v Paul Kitson...

First I've heard of it. Im sure you cant transfer to another club within a year, therefore he is ours till next January at least I'm pretty sure the rule is that you can't play for more than two clubs in a season, and therefore could be sold. If we could find a buyer, and a way to make him accept lower wages, of course...

It might not be a club for much longer if he gets the go ahead though. Think your misunderstanding fat freds role in this consortium. He is a figure head only, a link between the manager and the money men and for that role assuming Shearer is the manager i think he will be ideal as they already have a good working relationship. FFS will be an employee and minor shareholder so I dont even think about the fuckups he made last time as I know he wont be allowed the free reign like he had before. FFS was only a minor shareholder and figurehead last time too...

Keep digging, caveman...