KaKa

It says a lot that I'd written off any chance of anything today at about 2pm when I heard the abysmal team selection.

 

The sad thing is though Wullie, that was as close to an Allardyce Bolton system as you can get with a big-man upfront and two winger/strikers just off him in a 4-3-3/4-5-1.

What I don't inderstand is why he put Viduka up top if he wanted to play the long ball more often today. Viduka doesn't have the workrate to play that role if he has to fight for long balls and try to hold it up for the team. I thought we had already figured out this much at least, which is why Alan Smith was given this role recently. However, it appears this isn't the case as Sam went back to Viduka as the lone striker and we were terrible.

Baffling.

Although I do agree that the manager could be better as far as tactics and selections go, I am still surprised at how poor the players are sometimes.

I mean seriously ... we are talking about the likes of Derby and Wigan?! Unless the manager has told the team to go out and let the opposition walk all over them then there really isn't any excuse to be as bad as we have been.

At some point you're pride has to take over and even if it means you ignore the so called tactics while you are out on the pitch, then so be it.

I think in general our players are just dissapointing individuals. The players with any ability are not mentally strong enough to apply themselves as they should, and those who are mentally strong seem to lack the ability.

Friggin mess really.

SSN - "Newcastle look more comfortable, more fluent, more effective in the 4-4-2"

 

Why can't our manager see this!!!

 

That is quite rich from someone who has spent months crying out for a 433 formation.

Yeah, but if the players are not suited or are not adjusting then we have to go with what works for the team.

The 4-3-3 will never work with Viduka as the lone striker and so I will never be happy with it with Viduka up there. We saw things start to improve with Smith up there and if we had gone with Smith up top today and Faye at DM we would have played much better.

SSN - "Newcastle look more comfortable, more fluent, more effective in the 4-4-2"

Why can't our manager see this!!!

I can't understand why we didn't just play Smith upfront with the Duke?

Can't believe Sam went back to using him as a defensive midfielder.

Why not just play Faye there if he wanted to rest Butt? And then play Cacapa and Taylor at centre Back.

Sam is looking really bad right now. This is absolutely shocking stuff really.

Not surprised it looks like we are hoofing the balla  lot to be honest. That will be because Viduka doesn't compete for the longer balls like Smith usually does and so the ball will never stick upfront when we play longer passes.

Cacapa is our only defender who doesn't hoof it up all the time.

I was really hoping we would have Faye and Cacapa at centre back today. I don't really trust Taylor enough, apparently he almost just gave a penalty away.

Very dissapointed but definitely relieved too as we at least didn't lose.

Here is my positive spin on things ... when Faye and Taylor are 100% fit it will mean Roz is our fourth choice centre back.

Also, I thought Duff looked very bright and will definitely add something to the team.

Lastly, I love Martins but he isn't going to work out for us on the wing. I believe we will actually look better with him at the African Nations Cup. Milner and Duff out wide will improve us a lot.

Today was bad but I will at least give Sam some credit for avoiding disaster with good substitutions.

We're in the top 10 right now and I think we'll be fine I honestly do.

Portsmouth, Blackburn and Man City are also beginning to slow down a bit.

Today I am grateful for small mercies. We did not lose the game.

How good is Bianchi!

Why are Man City looking for a striker again?!

He always seems to score when he is in the team.

Exactly Janitor.

 

Quite a few think Riise is poor, but would you rather have N'Zogbia at left back? Besides there are hardly any decent left backs out there with premiership experience. He would certainly be a huge upgrade for us and better than we have had in years now at that position.

 

I would definitely expect us to bring in a speedy striker type on loan too as Oba is off. We will absolutely need that speed option upfront, as Owen isn't quick anymore and is always one mistep away from serious injury. Most quality strikers from abroad e.g. Castillo are unlikely to be made available on loan, so we will probably be looking at the likes of Cisse, who could do a similar type of job as Martins (share similar good and bad habits but can both be effective) and will certainly utilize his pace better.

 

I'm not so sure about the "speedy striker" bit, either, as I can see Duff taking Martins' role when he returns from injury. I'd also like to see N'Zogbia given a go in that sort of role at some point, too.

 

It will be interesting to see what formation Allardyce uses at SJP after the recent results with one central striker up there.

Very good point about Duff actually, and if we could get a left back like Riise then Zoggy would indeed be in the mix for one of those positions upfront too.

Should be interesting.

If we could get Diarra and someone with a creative spark/bit of pace in for midfield I'd be a happy bunny.

 

It's very unlikely to happen, isn't it? Diarra alone would cost a fair whack, being only 6 months into a new contract. I'd be happy with Diarra + nobody, personally.

 

Reasonably unlikely I guess, but I think Diarra only cost them £2m and has declared he wants out. Seems like he'd be the right signing at the right time with Butt looking seriously on the decline. Creativity is what we crave more than anything, imo, but it depends who's available. That's my ideal scenario though.

Speaking of which did anyone see Songs performance yesterday? He looks like a great prospect as well and is only 20. Typically plays defensive midfield and was really good there when on loan for Charlton last season in the prem under Pardew.

Exactly Janitor.

Quite a few think Riise is poor, but would you rather have N'Zogbia at left back? Besides there are hardly any decent left backs out there with premiership experience. He would certainly be a huge upgrade for us and better than we have had in years now at that position.

I would definitely expect us to bring in a speedy striker type on loan too as Oba is off. We will absolutely need that speed option upfront, as Owen isn't quick anymore and is always one mistep away from serious injury. Most quality strikers from abroad e.g. Castillo are unlikely to be made available on loan, so we will probably be looking at the likes of Cisse, who could do a similar type of job as Martins (share similar good and bad habits but can both be effective) and will certainly utilize his pace better.

The Times says Rafa has to sell to buy in January after his meeting with the owners. apparently Riise is available with only 18 months left on his contract.

I would expect Sam to be looking at him for sure if this is indeed true.

Sounds like we are looking at loan signings.

Some options would definitely be the likes of Gudjohnsen and even Cisse as thye are somewhat out of favour at the moment.

Yup, I think he has. I was thinking the same while I was watching the match yesterday.

Well we know Sam loves his fullbacks with some height and so will probably be looking to develop this kid as a left back.

Really hope we manage to get Wes Brown or Ben Haim. If we could pair one of them with Cacapa then we could have Faye and Emre in midfield wit Barton, and drop Geremi and Butt.

We absolutely have to give Emre a run in the team from now on. He should start ahead of Geremiwho has been unbelievably poor. At least Sam made the change very early today.

Get out of Toon: Newcastle put £8m Owen up for grabs

 

By MARTIN HARDY

 

Last updated at 22:22pm on 13th December 2007

 

Michael Owen's miserable stay at Newcastle will end during next month's transfer window if the club can find a buyer.

 

Newcastle are ready to cut their losses on the England striker, who cost them £17million to sign from Real Madrid in the summer of 2005.

 

Manager Sam Allardyce has contacted Manchester City's Sven Goran Eriksson to see if he is interested in Owen. The two worked closely together during the Swede's five-and-a-half years in charge of England but although Eriksson is keen, City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has blocked any deal because of the 28-year-old's wretched fitness record since he moved to St James' Park.

 

Owen has started only 21 games since joining Newcastle. When his £105,000-a-week salary is taken into account, the deal has so far cost them more than £30m.

 

Newcastle will want about £8m and fear the former Liverpool striker would be available for nothing at the end of next summer if he is not sold. There has been no sign of a contract extension and Owen is eager to be playing European football at this critical stage of his career.

 

Owen is expected to return against Derby on Sunday week after spending more time on the sidelines because of the damaged hamstring he picked up on international duty with England.

 

Allardyce would prefer to do a deal towards the end of January, which would give Owen time to prove his fitness.

 

Newcastle will be without Obafemi Martins during the African Nations Cup next month and will need a ready-made replacement.

 

Crucially, Allardyce has been told he has little cash for transfers during the January window and will have to generate his own finance. If he can find a buyer for Owen, he will be given the funds for new players.

 

Owen's miserable injury record has contributed to Newcastle's disappointing form over recent years and former manager Sir Bobby Robson will tonight stir the pot further by claiming the club's problems can be traced back to his departure from St James' Park.

 

Robson was in charge for five years before being sacked after a poor run of results at the start of the 2004-05 season.

 

Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder followed but failed to live up to expectations and now Allardyce, appointed in the summer, is the latest to feel the pressure.

 

'I took the club over when it was bottom of the league and in the last three years I was there it was third, fourth and fifth,' said Robson, 74, in an interview to be shown on on Setanta's Friday Football Show.

 

'We were in the top five for the last three years. I lost my job rather abruptly, I couldn't believe it. I didn't lose two consecutive matches and I lost my job, it was crazy. Without being egotistical, the club has suffered ever since.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=502036&in_page_id=1779&ito=newsnow

Okay so here's the thing ...

Our resurgence has come since we switched back to the 4-3-3 which also gave us a decent amount of success at the beginning of the season, and you honestly have to wonder where Owen fits into all this when he returns.

I don't know if this is true but I wouldn't be surprised.

I am particularly worried about the lack of pace we will suffer from upfront when Martins departs in January. We will be frightfully slow as an attacking unit. Whether Owen stays or not I think this has to be addressed.

At the very least we could try and see if we could get Cisse on loan from Marseille if possible.

[0quote author=Stephen927 link=topic=47697.msg1102735#msg1102735 date=1197318386]

Looked up Babayaro's Wikipedia page. Apparently he's famous for the unique backflips he does after he scores. 

I must've missed that.

It was just another means for him to get injured.

He actually broke his leg doing the backflip while at Chelsea.

Will be interesting to see how Owen fits into the team that has got us results of late.

Hopefully this means that we have maybe secured a left back to come in in January?

God I f****** hate Spurs.

ditto.

ditto.

DITTO!

UNBEATEN IN TWO GAMES WOO HOO!

I feel a streak coming.

Thank F@#K for that lykes.........Now I can enjoy whats left of my weekend

Tell me about it ...