Minhosa

I'm actually quite happy with the squad right now. The defence looks the best it has for years, in terms of both quality and amount of cover. We've got lots of options up front and, when Barton/Emre are fully fit I like the options across the middle. Plus we've got Duff to come back in and Owen to get fully fit (crosses fingers!). I'd be inclined to sign a couple of young, highly rated full backs and bladder the two lazy crocks that are currently being paid for doing shite all and costing us a fortune by taking up Physio time. Carr and Babayaro.

Good post Doc. Not jumping on the defensive here, or responding just cos he plays for us but I reckon Smith, at £6m, is a useful asset. Granted, he's not the best forward in the world and we could do without him in midfield at the minute but for the price we paid, given he's an England Squad regular, not too old, very professional by all accounts doesn't represent bad business imo. By that I mean, if we sold him in Jan we'd not lose much on him and moreover he could become a really useful asset, given his ability to play anywhere across the front 6 from mid to fwd and not let you down. I know he's taken some stick on here, and some of it rightly so, but as an asset I don't think it'd be fair to label him a flop and I still don't think Big Sams settled on a system yet - he may have bought him with a new formation in mind? In some respects people might liken his buy to that of Duff last year (i.e: a good player becomes available so lets buy him and worry about fucking off the Zog/others later, lets just make sure nobody else gets him) but I think we'll see more from him in the future. Anyhoo, Keiron Richardson - anyone?

I laughed out loud!

To be fair, if I was him, I'd play for fucking Torquay to be able to nail her whenever I liked.

Agree. It's like having Ronnie and Reggie running your club. THANK THE FUCKING LORD FOR MIKE ASHLEY.

Last season? What difference would it have made who or what we needed? Your mate Fred would've just signed who he liked anyway, wouldn't he?

Souness? Roeder? Gullit? He has some competition tbh He has - I agree. He's still the worst of that lot. The difference is Roeder and Gullit inherited shit teams. Souness was the only one who inherited a side comparable with KK's. I still hate Dalglish more though. Could never fucking stand him and his miserable, mumbling interviews after games and his old Pal's act bringing in Rush, Barnes et al. Wanker.

Can't stand Dalglish. He took a great KK side and dismantled it. Any bloke who can agree to the sales of Ginola and Ferdinand after their performances the previous season should be shot with shite. The worst manager in recent NUFC history imo.

haha can we impeach him? Impeached? He should be impaled for starting such a wank thread.

How the fuck is this lad a Moderator?

The thing that pleased me most about yesterdays performance was seeing the back four actually 'pass' the ball out into play instead of giving the ball to a defensive midfielder to pirouette (sp?) a la Parker, play it back to the Centre Half it's just come from a la Bramble and subsequently get launched 200 yards to a big lad to inevitably lose possession. Building from the back is where it's at and yesterday was the best we've done that in years imo.

He went to America and Germany. Saw the granddaddy of all injuries that is Dr Steadman. Isn't Steadman just a knee-specialist?

As it's now abundantly clear Geremi and N'Zogbia can't strike a decent free-kick or corner for toffee, who do you feel BSA will look to use in future? Can Barton take free kicks? I don't recall seeing him take any for Citeh? How about Enrique? Has anyone seen his dead ball ability from his previous club? Don't think he'll use Duff, whose (very occasional) delivery last season was poor and Emre often fails to beat the first man too. Thoughts?

Exactly what I thought. Given he could hardly run by the time he left us.

Thats some bench. Very solid. Perhaps lacking a good creative midfielder but thats all.

Had a few little bets;- Ameobi, S. (1st Scorer - EW 1/3 1-2-3) Derby v Newcastle 7/1 £2.00 Rozehnal, D. (1st Scorer - EW 1/3 1-2-3) Derby v Newcastle Each Way 40/1 £2.00 Draw/Newcastle (Half-time/Full-time) Derby v Newcastle 4/1 £2.00

Sorry - instead of Viduka. Hamstring strain.

Shola starts

Cheers Greg.

How many of them are new? And is 'Craig Russell', the same lad that used to play for the mackems?

Are you sure that response wasn't for the Le Saux thread? I've got my doubts.

The bigger picture needs to be looked at here. A couple of months before we sacked SBR the Scousers decided they had reached the end of the line with Houiller and sensibly, imo, finished him before the pre-season and went for the most successful coach in Europe (excluding Mourinho). Despite the fact they had beaten us into 4th position. Since then THEY have won the CL and seen a significant improvement as a squad and also in style of play. Since them WE have witnessed a Souness and Roeder regime and are only just starting to see how the club SHOULD be managed from top to bottom. Are we really in a position to criticise? Stones. Glass. Throw. Houses. Don't. In. Put them in order and that's what comes to mind.

A good time to buy?

One thing is for sure.......we look bloody hard to beat. I don't think we'll be getting smashed by anyone.

Great thread Lads. Well done. Delighted that the Club are building bridges with the Supporters. About time. 1. Oliver is the obvious 'please get sorted' request that stands out for me. 2. I'd like to see a reduction in cup game ticket prices. 3. It'd be nice for the club to put on coaches to some away games too. Charlton have done that for years and it's a really nice touch. 4. In the longer term, I'd like to see the club extend the stadium in the corner between the leazes and east stand. I'm sure there's been good reason for this not to happen in the past (planning permission or whatever) but perhaps Mike's Billions could sway a decision in our favour. That would really make the ground stand out as one of the best in Europe.