ElDiablo

Owen is still quick, in comparison to his younger self he's not as, for sure. You've got to think, with him being up front with Smith and Viduka for the most part this season, with them dropping off he has to play the disciplined striker role ie. on the shoulder. He never gets the chance to use his pace. He's still got enough to get away from most defenders still imo, like for that chance he should have tucked away against Blackburn (the 2nd one).

Haven't felt like this about a game in ages, can hardly keep still.

Viewability and standard are different though. The prem has far more strength in depth imo.

Yes. La Liga is so much better than the Premiership, so I'd assume a lot of people are. No, you mean Barcelona and Madrid are better to watch. Lower down the league the standard is pretty poor. No, I don't. Okay, in what ways is it so much better?

Yes. La Liga is so much better than the Premiership, so I'd assume a lot of people are. No, you mean Barcelona and Madrid are better to watch. Lower down the league the standard is pretty poor.

Absolutely spot on pol. Our players are far too spread out and don't get close enough to each other to get in behind. Everything is played in front of the other team. For example when Milner recieves it out on the right he is so isolated it's untrue, there's never a simple ball on, if there is it's predictable and the player recieveing it is under pressure as the other team has read it. When you get more players closer it makes the opposition think and creates space for others to use. Take Keane's goal today, if Lennon hadn't have run into the box Onouha would have simply closed the space down between Keane and the goal and blocked the shot. But Lennon's (not even intelligent run, just him being there) presence put him in two minds, then bang, a simple 5 yard pass from Chimbonda and Keane has a free shot on goal. We don't do any of that.

Not exactly a couple of yards, but yeah, shouldn't have been given.

Good result for us today with Wigan winning but i'm still worried. I think we'll be lucky to get anything tommorow and can't see us beating both Reading and Fulham. It will be tight, I'm really not sure how it will go. Our one saving grace might be the fixture lists of other teams. If Fulham play like they did today they'll pull clear though as they have a fairly easy run in.

Potential isn't just what a certain player might do in the future. I'm thinking collectively, there is enough in our squad to be top 8 (you may forget but we have beaten West ham, Spurs and Everton this season.). We play like a bunch of strangers, tighten it up, give each player a clear, definite role then there's nothing stopping us. Then maybe with the addition of a bit of pace and creativity in summer we'll look a lot more healthy. Until then though, come on Arsenal!

Organise them, tighten them up. Defend narrow, attack wide.

But that's what I'm saying. If you have enough time to implement a system ie. get the right players to fit with your style of management (which may take 1-2 seasons at least) and get them playing together for a decent period and organise them properly then you begin to get results. We haven't sustained a manager long enough for them to get results. I think i might be coming across wrong here, what i'm trying to say is I think our squad has the potential if drilled, organsied etc to yield the same results as Villa, Everton. Performances suggest otherwise recently I agree, but the potential is there in the existing squad to be up there challenging for Europe.

Look at that Boro team above. No way is that team better than ours. We have the players but not the organisation. They're all over the place. Then you look at Everton whose squad is marginally better, but playing with organisation and understanding look where they are and what you can achieve. Look back to Bobby's times as well, our defence was pretty s*** on paper yet they played with an understanding of their role and they were solid. I'd say we have a just as good if not better defence now than then, yet they look like conceding more regularly. Beg to differ there. I think our squad is a lot better than yours, not marginally. Especially in defence and midfield. The only Newcastle player I'd genuinely like to see here is N'Zogbia but even he would spend a lot of his time in and out of the side competing with Pienaar, Osman & Arteta for a place. Martins is your next best player imo but he blows hot and cold & would be back up for Yakubu. I disagree there. I think your squad is playing better and almost to their full potential, therefore it seems that way. Most of your squad are players who were average to good players but now who are organized and know exactly what their and everyone else's in the team's job is and are thriving. Best example is Yobo, never thought he was that good remember him being dominated often and making quite a few mistakes, now he's a fucking rock, because the team is so organised and disciplined, his confidence has grown and so have his performances. Anyone who actually plays football knows that's how it goes. Our team lacks direction, lacks discipline and lacks organisation. You don't get anywhere without them now. Everton has it in abundance, Newcastle has next to none. Swap the squads over this season, Newcastle's squad with Everton's 'system', we'd be top 8 at least, I honestly believe that. The only place you outclass us (individually) is in centre midfield. With Arteta and Cahill. It's got absolutely everything to do with it mate, that is where our problems lie. We simply don't get the best out of our players. We've got a huge amount of potential in this group of players that we're not tapping into. As for swapping, put any of those groups of players under the circumstances our players have been in this season and they wouldn't have done much better. By that I mean lack of fitness, getting used to one regime that fucked us up basically, then having to swap midseason, confidence shot to shit, huge amounts of pressure. Not much differance at all imho.

Look at that Boro team above. No way is that team better than ours. We have the players but not the organisation. They're all over the place. Then you look at Everton whose squad is marginally better, but playing with organisation and understanding look where they are and what you can achieve. Look back to Bobby's times as well, our defence was pretty shit on paper yet they played with an understanding of their role and they were solid. I'd say we have a just as good if not better defence now than then, yet they look like conceding more regularly.

Jones missed for Sunderland from 6 yards, headed it straight at Cudicini.

What about him? had me scared for a minute. Substituted and as he left the pitch threw his shirt at Steve Coppell! That bloke who looks and sounds like a choir boy?

Remember mentioning him on here and people saying they preferred Martins, christ. tbf I think Martins would fit right in at Pompey though and score goals. I'd still prefer Defoe though.

Shit. - Reading. - Chels.

Not stopped me making the journey up to Newcastle this year on numeruous occasions and attending several away games as well. Despite me not owning a car may I add. The thing that pisses me off is this is a game that could decide our fate in this league and people can't be bothered to go the extra mile. I know I will definetly up for the Fulham, Reading and Sunderland (If I can get tickets) games just because there such huge games. On a Monday night it's not about being arsed, it's about being possible. I'd love to go. I'm going down to Portsmouth which is a lot more effort and it's not a game i'm anticipating like Birmingham, but i can't go to Birmingham, because i live in Edinburgh and have to be at uni at 9 the next morning! I'm sure it's similar for many Edinburgh to Portsmouth!? Jesus. Great effort mate. I'd love to go too I just can't get there or back and won't be able to afford the train + ticket. Hypocritical bleeder is stozo.

If Frank Lampard would ever sign for Newcastle it would be the day when I run around naked in a mall shouting "Make way for the helicopter, make way for the helicopter." Which means never, or a day when I'm more drunk than usual. mackems.gif

Darren Ambrose should be in there.

Haha, yeah. We were a few minutes late at Anfield last week and I had to walk out and then up to the top while everyone was in the middle of Hey Jude, brilliant.

Agree with seeing the ground as walk up to it. Used to go up for a week or so every summer and the afternoon at St James' was literally the only reason why I went, quality. The 2-0 to 3-2 at Loftus road was good too.

Liverpool are only good at being the underdog, if they come up against Roma I think they could struggle.

Who?