KaKa

So we have Enrique, Geremi, Carr and Beye all fit.

There is absolutely no excuse for having Zoggy at left-back any more. Especially against the likes of Ronaldo and all.

But no manager has shown the creativity to fit in Zoggy, Duff and Milner with Zoggy staying wide left and so I am not holding my breath.

It's all so depressing really.

Just heard an interesting argument and I think I might agree.

The new boy Wheater at Boro I think is better than Taylor.

Big brute that wins a ton in the air and throws his weight about a fair bit, is genuinely physical with strikers and is pretty succesful with it.

I keep on hearing about how Taylor is muscular or is a physical presence ... but when I watch him I just don't see it. To be honest he gets pushed around a lot of times.

As a matter of fact what are Taylor's good attributes? What does he do that is impressive? I've just listed Wheater's goodish points, but I honestly can't think of any for Taylor, other than being a Geordie.

Oh wait ... spectacular and dramatic goaline clearances with his hands? Does that count?

I hope he is at the very least a squad player next season, not ready yet and may never be.

Well it's the moment of truth as far as Kev's thought on the team go. With everyone fit, except maybe Oba, we will at least begin to get an idea of what Keegan thinks is his best 11.

Can't wait to see what team is trotted out come Saturday. People are worried about whether Smith plays, but in my opinion the real drama will be who is selected in midfield and defence.

What will Kev decide to do with Enrique, Faye, N'Zogbia and Emre. His decisions regarding these players will be aht is really interesting.

I'm anxious to see what kind of setup he goes with.

Havant & Waterlooville as well as Barnsley, might actually have more pace than Inter Milan.

Shocking lack of pace in their team. Absolutely zero pace, not a single player with a hint of it.

Ibrahimovic for freak's sake! Get a grip man!

Takes off Babel for Pennant and leaves Kuyt out there on the left wing!

Rafa is garbage.

Goal Inter Milan.

You really have to wonder why in the world anyone would play Kuyt on the right.

Rafa really does do some disgusting things.

Very poor.

Torres does miss some sitters doesn't he?

 

Had to score there.

 

Liverpool are doing it again, they might end up losing this.

 

I agree. Pearson has his work cut out.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa sharrrrrrap!

Oooooops ...

All these Italian teams are pretty pathetic. Just a team of old men with no pace or athleticism. Just sit behind the ball all game.

Crap.

Is there a more honest footballer than Jamie Carragher?

 

Christ, pass me a bucket. I wouldn't care if he wasn't a whinging t*** who does most of his defending with his arms. Bet he makes more saves than Reina over a season.

Baheng looks like he could be a real gem to me. Great with the ball at his feet, really composed and has definetely got some pace. By no means the finished product but certainly someone who has the skill to break through.

Agree completely. Looks an intelligent player too which always bodes well, especially considering his overall physical attributes.

He could definitely be a bit more forward minded at times, but that is a much easier problem to fix.

Really like the look of him, has a bit of class about him. I disagree completely with someone who said he looked a typical Allardyce player. Didn't agree with that at all.

was keegan watching?

Commentators mentioned that he was at the game, yes.

I actually thought Ngo Baheng looked tidy and intelligent whenever he got the ball at his feet, but the attacking support around him wasn't that great. I thought Ngo baheng was supposed to be 6 foot 2 or something? Only looks about 5 foot 10 or 6 foot at the most though.

Kadar looks like he could step into our first team at left back straight away and Edgar looks like a real leader and has a ton of composure.

I really enjoyed watching that, probably the most entertaining Newcastle game this season.

It's been a long time since I have watched a Newcastle game and been so relaxed about it. Simply just enjoying the football being played tonight. No concerns about the manager, the chairman, the fans, the idiot pundits, the press, the crap football, Alan Smith, etc.

Pretty depressing 

I really hope we stay up and get things right this summer.

Any score yet?

No, still 0 - 0.

Baheng looks very good with the ball at his feet.

I think overall these young guys just seem to be a lot more comfortable with the ball at their feet.

Just caught a bit of this ... I actually think these lot would beat the team we sent out while the Africans were away.

ANYONE BUT TAYLOR !!!

FYP!

It should be easier to sign the best English/British young players. It looks like Fergie has given up poaching other clubs youth team players, Arsenal is a place that is no friend to the English/British youth teamer, Chelsea went ballistic a while back sigining youngsters like Bertrand, Philliskirk, Worley, Woods, Tawio, Sinclair & shed load more, but they have slowed down a lot, Rafa has singed half of Eastern Europe + the odd Spaniard as youth  team players.  So the domestic market place is a really decent place to look, although that means putting in road miles rather than more glamours air miles.

Arsenal? No place?

False. I predict that in about 8 - 10 years time around 60% of the England team will be Arsenal players.

Have you seen their teams from 18 below? The English kids that have been there from the age of 9 under the Wenger regime?

England will have a lot to thank Wenger for in the near future. You only have to look at how someone like Bentley is faring right now.

We really have to sort ourselves out as a club in this respect. One of the reasons I was particularly happy about the new setup we have.

Hmmmm ... Looking abroad but only wants players he has seen himself.

I hope he watched a lot of european football during his time off as there are quite a few decent players that have come around since he last managed.

Recruitment is going to be a real pain this summer especially with the Euros getting in the way.

I hope this won't be another summer of scouting players at the tournament before rushing things at the last minute.

The dilly dally man trying to compensate for his lack of pace  on the pitch.

Twat.

Oh dear:

 

 

Smith given Keegan blessing

 

Feb 11 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

 

KEVIN Keegan has insisted every club needs a player like Alan Smith despite the fact the striker has still not scored for Newcastle United following his £6m move from Manchester United in the summer.

 

Smith played much of his football under former manager Sam Allardyce in midfield, but he has been used as a striker by Keegan. The 27-year-old has not scored a Premier League goal since November 2005, although his manager is adamant he brings more to the team than he is given credit for.

 

He said “Alan Smith’s working his socks off. It’s a hard job playing up front when a team’s not getting a lot of good possession.

 

“It’s great place to play if you’re like (John) Carew on Saturday and you’re getting the ball at the right pace and it’s got the right weight and in the right areas.

 

“But our front two have had to fight and battle for scraps and I think the two of them have done well considering.

 

“Alan hasn’t scored goals and if you judge him by that you’d say he hasn’t done very well. But if you look at his work-rate, his enthusiasm, I thought first half, he was just about the best player on the park.

 

“He got us a lot of possession which was probably 50:50 or 60:40 their favour. I like him, I like his character. Every club needs an Alan Smith around – bubbly, lively, bright and who cares.”

 

Keegan was also quick to praise his captain Michael Owen after the forward had responded to being dropped by new England manager Fabio Capello against Switzerland last week with a goal.

 

He said: “I said to Michael Owen: ‘They’ve written their stories this week you write yours’. To a point he did and it’s a pity it wasn’t enough to win a football match.

 

“Michael’s a great character, a very strong character. People try to shoot holes in him and the more they do that the more he’ll try to prove them wrong. I think that’s always been the mark of great players. Michael knows, I know, you know. Big names make big stories, great headlines.

 

“I told people before this match, before the last match, Michael was very fit and if we provided him with chances he would score.

 

“We’ve only provided him with two half chances for the two goals he’s got, but he has shown courage and an appetite for work.’’

 

Alrighty then ... this isn't too great now is it!

Here is a positive outlook though.

If Keegan is happy with the strikers, but not happy about our posession or the chances we are creating, then this can only mean he isn't happy with the midfield.

If this article means he changes the midfield around then I will be happy.

Zoggy - left wing.

Emre and Faye - Centre midfield.

Milner - right wing.

If he does this and keeps alan Smith upfornt I will be able to stomach it. Surely this would be better than keeping the midfield as it is now and replacing Smith with Viduka, which won't make a bit of difference. Alas, changing the midfield as well as replacing Smith appears to be beyond our manager, therefore the former would be preferred out of the two options.

Geremi at right back and Beye at left back next game?

 

Why.

 

So Carr doesn't have to play.

 

Geremi, Faye, Cacapa and Beye vs Man Utd. is our best chance of doing any defending in that game.

 

 

Is Enrique injured? He might be, i've only just got in - i haven't read anything today...

 

I thought he was still injured.

 

You didn't, you just forgot about him, let's be honest here.

Maybe ...