Minhosa

Gordon will have a long way to go to prove he's better than Given who, IMO, has proved himself top top class during his time with Newcastle.

Really happy. I'm pleased that we haven't gone down the trophy signing route and paid sensible prices for very solid players. I've also got an air of excitement about the new lads who I've never seen before. Theres something I love about the transfer windows where you sign unknown players for a decent fee. The potential to unearth an awesome player is brilliant and the best thing about the summer break for me. I'd love to see Enrique or Rozenthal or someone just turn out to be immense. Quality.

Well early, but what the hey. I would think he'd start Butt in the middle. Don't know who he would drop for him out of your starting XI mind. Maybe Solano instead of Carr and Butt in the middle?

You must have been bored stiff, are your mates Palace fans? It was a bad game I thought Anichebe was ok myself, he's still young and raw but he caused them more problems than Johnson did who was disappointing for me. He hasn't had a good game for a while tbh. The centre half you mentioned handled him quite easy, young Portuguese lad. Baines is needed because Valente is too old now and we don't have any other left back at the club. Agree about Milner, he would be good for us as would pretty much any proper winger. We haven't got one in the whole squad. Nice one I agree with your post and Moyes does deserve it, rumours he is unhappy with his lot. Yes Mate - the lads I was with were mainly Palace fans and one Everton fan. Oh, and yes - bored shitless. Awful game. I have been impressed by Anichebe previously, really impressed actually, but he didn't do much for me yesterday. Agree that AJ strolled through the game. That Portuguese CB did look very composed mind. Might keep an eye on him and Tom Watson, who reminded me very much of Steve Sidwell - and not just because they're both Ginga's! All the best.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/8391/75973265oi8.jpg The troll definitely looks like he's lost weight. I thought that. Sam has certainly had an effect on him. The fat bastard. He did ok today in fairness. After signing our new LB tomorrow, RB is defo the next position to improve if we have the funds.

1878, I watched your boys against Palace yesterday, and whilst a pre-season friendly is nothing to go by, you really struggled to impress. I always thought you're defensive unit was rock solid but you looked pretty vulnerable at times. If Palace had anyone better than Scowcroft/Morrison up front they would probably have beaten you. That said, the only player to stand out was Tom Watson (CM - Palace) and a Centre Half they've just signed looked decent - so they weren't outstanding either. Some of your players were just strolling (Carsley, Hibbitt etc) mind so, like I say, it's probably unfair to slam them. You seemed to need a playmaker/partner for AJ. Someone who can change a game but with a bit of work rate. Maybe Cahill would've made a difference. I said to the lads I was with, someone like a Milner would make a massive difference to the Toffees. Anichebe looked a bit like Shola. I'm sure it must have just been an off day for him. Nobody deserves that kind of comparison!! I can see how Baines would really improve your left side though and think he'd be worth the outlay. Good luck for the season ahead.

Had an ABSOLUTE FUCKING NIGHTMARE with these pricks. I rang up about half an hour before the Celtic game (using the number on screen) and said to the call centre fella: "If I don't rate your service, can I cancel tomorrow and only get charged the £9.99?" He said "Yeah, no problem, call us up, you'll only get charged the £9.99 once and we'll cancel you - there's no commitment term on this package". Watched Celtic, lost about 30 minutes of the match presumably due to a shit signal and then had to put up with shite, Channel 5 like coverage. Rang them back the next day and said to the call centre "Wasn't that impressed with your service, I don't want to subscribe in future - can I take the £9.99 charge and cancel my account as this is what I was told I could do last night?" They said "You didn't call us last night" I replied "Errrrr yes I did" Them "No you didn't Sir, you were either an internet booking or we rang you" Me "You fucking didn't - are you calling me a liar?" Them "Well all we know is what we have on screen and there is no way you rang us" Me "I did but fuck it, I want to cancel the thing anyway, can you do that?" Them "Not until the end of August and you'll have to put it in writing" Me "I was told I could cancel immediately" Them "You didn't even call us so who told you that?" Cue me giving the daft little cock a piece of my mind and slamming the phone down. Day after I see I got charged £19.99. Presumably, from reading this thread, it was a connection charge - I wasn't told about that either. COMPLETE BUNCH OF WANKERS. NEVER AGAIN.

I'd love to see it! In fact, I think it would be a nice send-off for him. A special moment between him and the fans.

What other option did we have? How about not renewing his contract until he'd proved his fitness? Let his original deal, at a far less cost, run it's course. And lose the player for nothing, while telling other players who might be thinking of coming here that we won't stand by them if they get injured? Ozzie, If you think we've had good value from Kieron Dyer since we signed him all those years ago and his service deserves any form of loyalty payment then thats up to you. Personally, I think he's the lowest of the low and I, for one, will be booing the bastard at every given opportunity whoever he plays for next season. I've said nowt about loyalty payments, so save it. Meanwhile, back to what we were actually talking about... Would you work for someone who might sack you when you got sick? If I had an employer who had stuck by me through years of sickness, questionable performance after paying £6m to get me to join them I THANK my fucking lucky stars and think it would be better than a lottery win. I don't think I could bring myself to stitch them up if I chose to leave and I think I'd have the decency to put in a leaving/transfer request given that I'd be embarrassed at my performance since their initial investment. Perhaps that's just me though, eh Ozzie? Was the question "Would you work for someone who might sack you when you got sick?" too difficult, then? On the one hand you're saying we should have turfed Dyer out when (because) he was injured, and on the other you're slagging him for his alleged lack of loyalty. Spot the contradiction. Face it, no one on here really knows what's been going on with this transfer. Meanwhile, when else has he been either disloyal or greedier than any other footballer? Ozzie, Stop being condescending. Too difficult? Every sensible employer in the country has a policy to deal with sickness absence. If I'd been unable to perform my duties for best part of 3 years, I don't think I would be in my job. Would you? To answer your question, I do work for an employer who might finish me if I was sick. Not if I'm off for a few weeks/Months but if my body was so unreliable to the point where I could not perform my duties then yes I would be phased out. I fear we're digressing though. You're offering support to someone I wouldn't cross the street for. We're never going to agree on this. Oh, and did I say?, stop being condescending with your posts. You can have the last word on this. I sense it's important to you.

What other option did we have? How about not renewing his contract until he'd proved his fitness? Let his original deal, at a far less cost, run it's course. And lose the player for nothing, while telling other players who might be thinking of coming here that we won't stand by them if they get injured? Ozzie, If you think we've had good value from Kieron Dyer since we signed him all those years ago and his service deserves any form of loyalty payment then thats up to you. Personally, I think he's the lowest of the low and I, for one, will be booing the bastard at every given opportunity whoever he plays for next season. I've said nowt about loyalty payments, so save it. Meanwhile, back to what we were actually talking about... Would you work for someone who might sack you when you got sick? If I had an employer who had stuck by me through years of sickness, questionable performance after paying £6m to get me to join them I THANK my fucking lucky stars and think it would be better than a lottery win. I don't think I could bring myself to stitch them up if I chose to leave and I think I'd have the decency to put in a leaving/transfer request given that I'd be embarrassed at my performance since their initial investment. Perhaps that's just me though, eh Ozzie?

What other option did we have? How about not renewing his contract until he'd proved his fitness? Let his original deal, at a far less cost, run it's course. And lose the player for nothing, while telling other players who might be thinking of coming here that we won't stand by them if they get injured? Ozzie, If you think we've had good value from Kieron Dyer since we signed him all those years ago and his service deserves any form of loyalty payment then thats up to you. Personally, I think he's the lowest of the low and I, for one, will be booing the bastard at every given opportunity whoever he plays for next season.

What other option did we have? How about not renewing his contract until he'd proved his fitness? Let his original deal, at a far less cost, run it's course.

They wouldn't have to if he didn't want a payment. The original deal was £6m, why would Newcastle change that after agreeing to it initially? It can only mean he's after a payment of some sort, probably in lieu of his testimonial. Little bastard.

Would hardly say he's been outwitted. He's still holding the ace card and as it's a buyers market, he's bound to go before the deadline. If he'd been outwitted he would've accepted Dyers demands for a payment just to get rid of him. I think it's absolute quality that we've stood up to the little twat and his agent and said 'hang on........if you wanna leave, then fuck off, but don't expect us to pay you to go'. He should be fucking grateful that we stood by him through years of injury.

Centre half?

Bad news.

So does anybody know what the man thinks about football fans from the North East of England? To be honest, I'm not sure it really makes any difference. He's a businessman, NUFC is a business and one of the positive factors when he bought it would be the (virtually) guaranteed sell-outs at home. Whether they're sold out with passionate fans or silent disinterested types doesn't make a bit of difference as long as they're paying their way and that income stream is nailed on. We might like to think, or to read in the press, that we, as the clubs supporters are some kind of irreplaceable force when in all reality we're just numbers and a good thing about the club. Not being negative, btw, just realistic.

All this Dyer is world class, Dyer is irreplaceable. Get a fucking grip lad. His injury record and ability to turn up for every 1 game in 20 is unrepeatable.

James, You're talking shit mate.

I don't really know Faye but isn't he more of a holding player than Nolan? I was thinking Nolan would be pushing on when attacking and dragging everyone else back into position when defending.

Don't disagree it could well be a 4-4-2 start but as we agreed it'll very likely end up a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 whatever you want to call it. As you've probably seen in the post above, thats why I think Nolan would be a decent acquisition. Not because he's a world beater just because he'll be able to help everyone around integrate Sam's systems on the pitch where Allardyce can't communicate effectively with them.

As you'll see from my various posts I'm not convinced we should replace him, certainly not just because 'we'll miss his pace' but Diarra is a very good call imo for the following reasons:- 1) Could a natural replacement for Butt; 2) Can cover right side as you said; 3) Is young and will/should go up in value; 4) Would probably accept not starting every game if he was still getting a good run out occasionally. The other one that jumps out, rather obviously, is Nolan and the reason I think Sam would like him is the fact they know each other inside out. Sam knows Nolan's game/Character/Workrate and Nolan knows the Sam approach/system/tactics well. So, the pivotal position of CM is covered without Allardyce having to put the work in (on someone like Emre) from scratch.

Aye, i was well up for that. Just don't think we've got the players though. Don't think Milner would be comfortable there, on the side of that front three - he was hardly involved for England in the Under-21 Championships, and i don't reckon Martins or Owen could handle it either. The only proven player we've got who can do that, is Duff. And Luque apparantely, but never in England. We're a 4-4-2 team at the moment. See your point Lt I reckon Milner could handle it (he's got the workrate and intelligence) as could Owen though I don't think he'd like it. Martins I'm not sure about but he is a grafter, does challenge and he's got the pace for it. The reason I'm not sure Sam will play 4-4-2 is because he likes his sides to be fluid going forward and rigid, tough to break down out of possession. Well he has in the past anyway. You might be right, maybe he feels he hasn't the personnel to pull it off, but in my opinion it's the best group of players he'll ever have had at his disposal quality-wise (far better than any BW squad he had) and due to their quality he should be able to get the front 6 (whether in a 3-3 or a 4-2) to work as well as he has elsewhere. The question probably is whether he's had the time with them? Oh, and whether he's comfortable that the front 6 are his choice and he's not looking to replace half of them. I reckon he'll defo play 4-3-3 at some stage, just a question of when really. Maybe he'll wait until he's got more of his signings around him and a years worth of training/getting to know the squad, next summer?

My starting midfield would be a middle three of Barton, Emre and Butt with the left and right sided forwards dropping back to wingers when we were out of possession. They could be Martins/Milner/Duff/Owen or any of the attacking players chosen to start there really. Hence the reason I wouldn't replace Dyer when he goes. Even if Sam plays 4-4-2 (very doubtful imo) I still couldn't find room for SWP given that I don't think Milner has let anyone down and SWP, for the money they're talking about, wouldn't be £12m pounds worth of improvement. SWP's a winger, nobody could play him through the middle as he can't defend properly out of possession, therefore his competition at our place would be:- RW - Milner/Nobby/perhaps Geremi LW - Duff/N'Zogbia Is he really worth spending £12m on when we've got ample options there at the minute? AND given the dire back four situation? Not for me.

You're lucky if you're starting to forget about Souness, consider that a bonus. No, rather it's just a misty black haze that I can't quite erase Mick!