KaKa

I know a lot of people have said that too much is being read into these quotes and that Shay doesn't deserve any criticism; however, being the senior pro that he is, should he not know that the media live off these kinds of quotes and twist them to their utmost.

Why would Given voluntarily talk to the media about the fact that he wants to speak to the manager regarding his place in the team? It's quite dissapointing, and it does come accross as though he is throwing the toys out of the pram.

He is clearly not very pleased which is fair enough, but to throw it out there instead of keeping it private is really poor.

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/journalsport/tm_headline=pressure-builds-for-geremi%26method=full%26objectid=19741529%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

Pressure builds for Geremi

Sep 6 2007

by Paul Gilder, The Journal

 

GEREMI last night insisted that, despite having been appointed Newcastles captain this summer, he will not take regular first-team football for granted at St Jamess Park.

 

The Cameroon international has not missed a single minute for the Magpies this season but, having seen Sam Allardyce assemble a strong squad, an in-form footballer knows he will have to maintain his standards in order to retain his place.

 

It is something Geremi is determined to do having spent too long on the Stamford Bridge sidelines during a four-year career at Chelsea in which he was, at times, a peripheral figure in Jose Mourinhos plans. It was the chance to increase his involvement that persuaded the 28-year-old to head to the North-East this summer. But suggestions that Allardyces decision to hand him the armband will ensure a regular role have been dismissed, with Geremi adamant that being installed as St Jamess Park skipper has no significance when it comes to team selection.

 

Being captain doesnt mean youre in the side every week, explained the African, who has started and finished all five first-team fixtures this season. You still have to work and you still have to earn your place. Being captain is a responsible job. You have to be the man and set a good example.

 

I decided to leave Chelsea because I wanted to join a club where I would get more games. I wasnt a regular in the team at Chelsea and, when I got the chance to come here, I didnt have to think for long. I spoke to the manager and he told me his plans and I agreed to come. It wasnt a difficult decision. I was delighted when he made me his captain. But I wont be in the Newcastle team unless I deserve to be.

 

Geremis performances so far this season have vindicated his selection, but with Joey Barton having yet to kick a ball for the club in a competitive fixture, the competition for places will further increase this month.

 

It is something the clubs captain welcomes and, with Allardyce keen to challenge on three fronts this season, the versatile former Real Madrid schemer expects there will be times when he is asked to sit on the sidelines.

 

There are lots of matches in this league and there are the other competitions as well, he said. We need a big squad and we need cover in all positions. If youre not playing, you need to rest and make sure youre right when you get your chance. What we have here is a squad that can compete in all the competitions.

 

With competition in all positions, it remains to be seen whether Allardyce can keep all his senior players satisfied this season. Shay Given was frustrated having spent last weekends game against Wigan on the bench, Michael Owen was picked in preference to Obafemi Martins and Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye the clubs eighth, ninth and final summer signings will have to be accommodated in a defence that has impressed during the campaigns opening month.

 

Uniteds manager will hope all his players are as understanding as Geremi. The midfielder knows strength in depth is crucial and, although he is determined to retain his midfield place, he knows all will have roles to fulfil.

 

It was important to make those signings before the deadline because weve some injuries and we needed to strengthen, added a player confident Newcastle can maintain their momentum. To be a team with big ambition you have to have a good squad. Weve signed two more great players and we will need them.

 

So far the season has gone well and everythings good. Weve got a new squad and were trying to gel together. Whats good is that even while were doing that, were getting results. By the time weve all gelled together, well be even better.

 

Newcastles Carling Cup third-round tie at Arsenal will be played on Tuesday, September 25 (7.45pm).

 

A NEW record will be set on October 6 with only one of the weekends 10 Premier League games starting at the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off time.

 

Eight matches will take place on Sunday, October 7 and another at 12.45pm on the Saturday. Due to the demands of television and involvement with the Uefa Cup, only Aston Villa v West Ham remains a 3pm Saturday kick-off.

Spoken like a true captain.

Along the lines of what the Crumpy one said, Shay isn't very good with corners/set pieces as he isn't very good at coming off the line to punch the ball away when it is in and around him.

 

We all know Sam hates nothing more than being bad at defending and executing set pieces. Not saying there is anything in this but Crumpy mentioned something along the lines of Sam prefering a bigger keeper ages ago, even before Sam was hired I believe!

 

Doesn't Jussi's contract run out at the end of the season too? Hmmmm ...

 

Please follow the following instructions:

Open eyes.

When you realise it is dark try to turn head.

After finding it difficult, put your hands upon your neck and try to feel your head.

When you find something is stopping your hands from travelling further up your neck to your head, feel what is blocking your way.

When you realise it is soft and skin like, again place hands around neck and pull your head out of your arse!

Ha ha ha ha ... nice one.

Just having some fun with the story. However, I wouldn't write it off completely. I'm sure Given would have liked to lpay against Wigan last weekend.

There are direct quotes from Given to be fair. If Given is demanding to play then that is shocking. Especially considering how long Harper has waited for his chance and has played backup to Shay without complaint.

Along the lines of what the Crumpy one said, Shay isn't very good with corners/set pieces as he isn't very good at coming off the line to punch the ball away when it is in and around him.

We all know Sam hates nothing more than being bad at defending and executing set pieces. Not saying there is anything in this but Crumpy mentioned something along the lines of Sam prefering a bigger keeper ages ago, even before Sam was hired I believe!

Doesn't Jussi's contract run out at the end of the season too? Hmmmm ...

Geremi will only get better. I'm sure he is re-adjusting to not only being a first team player again, but also being back in the holding midfield position (where he began his career at Real Madrid).

We all saw how much Butt initially struggled when he moved over here. I have no doubt Geremi will get better and better, and I already happen to think he has been solid already anyway.

Geremi may do his work quietly, but that doesn't mean he doesn't do any. Geremi had the highest pass accuracy in the midfield in the game against Wigan (79%), and he also made more passes than any other player in the team (70, which is more than twice Butt's 33). Furthermore, he won more balls than any other player in the team.

 

Got all that from the Telegraph .

 

Not surprised to hear all this really. Like I said he is a lot like Gilberto, a very disciplined holding midfielder who stays on his feet and wins the ball by being in the right position at the right time. Not as noticeable as the occassional crunching tackle by Butt, but far more effective. Geremi plays the position the right way if you ask me.

 

Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Gattuso?

 

None of them play/played the position the right way do they?

 

Are these guys holding midfielders like Gilberto and Makelele though? I'm not so sure. Keane and Viera were more box to box players who broke up play all over the pitch, than holding midfielders who protected the back four. Wasn't Viera partnered with Gilberto afterall?

 

To be fair, those three players I listed are as good as it gets as DM's and are a little more all-action than someone like Gilberto. But I'd consider them DM's definitely as they do their best work when the opposition has the ball.

 

It's beside the point anyway, as Geremi is nowhere near as good defensively from what I've seen of him as Makelele or Gilberto. Just because he doesn't throw himself into tackles doesn't somehow make him a cleverer player than Butt or anything, and Bolton's goal in our first game of the season is a good indication that his defensive mind isn't all that great, needlessly commiting himself to a ball that wasn't really there to be won.

Butt has over committed himself on a number of times too, so I think you are bieng a bit unfair to Geremi for that one mistake. Also, the stats apprently show he has won more balls than Butt and has a far higher pass percentage according to the Telegraph thingy.

Geremi may do his work quietly, but that doesn't mean he doesn't do any. Geremi had the highest pass accuracy in the midfield in the game against Wigan (79%), and he also made more passes than any other player in the team (70, which is more than twice Butt's 33). Furthermore, he won more balls than any other player in the team.

 

Got all that from the Telegraph .

 

Not surprised to hear all this really. Like I said he is a lot like Gilberto, a very disciplined holding midfielder who stays on his feet and wins the ball by being in the right position at the right time. Not as noticeable as the occassional crunching tackle by Butt, but far more effective. Geremi plays the position the right way if you ask me.

 

Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Gattuso?

 

None of them play/played the position the right way do they?

Are these guys holding midfielders like Gilberto and Makelele though? I'm not so sure. Keane and Viera were more box to box players who broke up play all over the pitch, than holding midfielders who protected the back four. Wasn't Viera partnered with Gilberto afterall?

Geremi may do his work quietly, but that doesn't mean he doesn't do any. Geremi had the highest pass accuracy in the midfield in the game against Wigan (79%), and he also made more passes than any other player in the team (70, which is more than twice Butt's 33). Furthermore, he won more balls than any other player in the team.

 

Got all that from the Telegraph .

Not surprised to hear all this really. Like I said he is a lot like Gilberto, a very disciplined holding midfielder who stays on his feet and wins the ball by being in the right position at the right time. Not as noticeable as the occassional crunching tackle by Butt, but far more effective. Geremi plays the position the right way if you ask me.

Wow ... Butt has given the ball away a hell of a lot this season, and is a bit too reckless in his tackling for me. Geremi does a great job of getting the ball from the back four and kickstarting our forward play. He also takes up good positions defensively, but isn't as noticeable because he doesn't go flying into tackles like Butt. Geremi plays like Gilberto at Arsenal. I prefer my defensive midfielders not to go flying into the tackle like Butt and Parker, which isn't disciplined and can often lead to gaps in midfield when a tackle is missed.

I think Sam has gone with 2 DMs because we have had Carr and Zoggy at right back and left back. Zoggy is inexperienced in this position and carr is just crap. When our back four settles into Beye Cacapa Roz and Enrique I imagine two of the midfield three will be given more license to get forward. These two players willprobably be Smith and Barton.

 

So which three would be in the midfield & upfront then?

 

I find it hard leaving out Butt/Faye or Geremi in a midfield four let alone having a midfield three. We seem to play our better football in a 4.4.2 formation in anyways. What about when Duff comes back too?

I think it would be Geremi, Smith and Barton in the midfield three. As for the front three only God knows. That is going to be complicated because we don't know how Sam would use Owen in this formation. I would love to see Owen, Viduka and Martins upfront but not sure if it would work. If it did though we would be so exciting to watch. Hope Sam figures out a way to make it happen.

I think Sam has gone with 2 DMs because we have had Carr and Zoggy at right back and left back. Zoggy is inexperienced in this position and carr is just crap. When our back four settles into Beye Cacapa Roz and Enrique I imagine two of the midfield three will be given more license to get forward. These two players willprobably be Smith and Barton.

By the way, when Martins came on in the second half, over the weekend, did we switch to a 4-3-3 with Martins, Owen and Shola upfront?

Should have spent that £16.5m on some defenders tbh.

 

They've got good defenders tbh, Jol's just useless at organising the team to defend a lead..

 

King and Chimbonda are good but the rest aint that good, Dawson is utter s***. Alot has been said about Bale but defensively he is very average, Going forward he is very good and in time i can see him becoming a regular LW player.

 

Their best signing this summer. Saw a lot of Gareth Bale at Southampton and he is really quality. However, against the tougher and more acomplished teams in the premiership, I'm not sure if he will perform as well. He will certainly get there, but at the moment against the likes of the top four, or Everton, Villa, Blackburn etc he'll have a very tough time.

 

;D What do you base this rubbish on?

 

The fact that he is 17, and he is not going to be going up against Northern Ireland defenders who came in from the championship and league one every week.

 

I seem to remember him being one of our better performers against a certain premiership winning team the week before tbh.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. I am talking about when he is eventually moved back to left-back as Jol says he doesn't see him being used as a defender did he not? From what I recall he played as a left-wing against Man U. I think if he is kept there for now he will be fine. At left back though, I think he will struggle against better teams.

Should have spent that £16.5m on some defenders tbh.

 

They've got good defenders tbh, Jol's just useless at organising the team to defend a lead..

 

King and Chimbonda are good but the rest aint that good, Dawson is utter s***. Alot has been said about Bale but defensively he is very average, Going forward he is very good and in time i can see him becoming a regular LW player.

 

Their best signing this summer. Saw a lot of Gareth Bale at Southampton and he is really quality. However, against the tougher and more acomplished teams in the premiership, I'm not sure if he will perform as well. He will certainly get there, but at the moment against the likes of the top four, or Everton, Villa, Blackburn etc he'll have a very tough time.

 

;D What do you base this rubbish on?

The fact that he is 17, and he is not going to be going up against Northern Ireland defenders who came in from the championship and league one every week.

Should have spent that £16.5m on some defenders tbh.

 

They've got Ledley and Dawson to return and Kaboul looks alright. However in midfield, Zokora is a nothing midfielder. Doesn't defend well and doesn't attack either. He's just kind of there ... Huddlestone is talented and passes the ball well, but then he doesn't quite work in a 4-4-2 as he doesn't quite get around the pitch well enough, and so it leaves them exposed. The left wing is just weird too, they constantly rotate random right wingers into the psoition and it just never quite works.

 

On the whole they also seem to lack character and toughness. They have no real leadership and are a pretty quiet team. When under the kosh they will always crumble. Could you imagine them fighting Chelsea the way villa did today? Powder Puff Pansies tbh.

 

You mean like last season at the Lane?

I can't really recall that game tbh. Was it a battling victory or were you fortunate on the day? I'll go along with you for now because I can't remember. However I'm not convinced and you just aren't a strong team consistently enough. Look what happened when we played you at home last season. Crumble city. How about when you played Chelsea in the cup!!! Up 2 goals, crumblitis all over again. Against Fulham this weekend and numerous other times you guys just seem to fold when you face tougher teams.

However teams like Villa, Everton and Blackburn are always going to be tough and hell to go up against. The difference this season is they have all added quality options that make them more dangerous going forward. Young is coming into his own at Villa and Reo-Coker allows them to get forward more as he offers better protection in the middle. Yakubu will be a terror at Everto. Santa Cruz is already fitting in excellently at Blackburn.

You guys on the other hand have ruined a brilliant attack (Berbatov and Keane are telepathic!) by confusing things with the addition of Bent and keeping Defoe, and you are no stronger in midfield.

Should have spent that £16.5m on some defenders tbh.

 

They've got good defenders tbh, Jol's just useless at organising the team to defend a lead..

 

King and Chimbonda are good but the rest aint that good, Dawson is utter s***. Alot has been said about Bale but defensively he is very average, Going forward he is very good and in time i can see him becoming a regular LW player.

Their best signing this summer. Saw a lot of Gareth Bale at Southampton and he is really quality. However, against the tougher and more acomplished teams in the premiership, I'm not sure if he will perform as well. He will certainly get there, but at the moment against the likes of the top four, or Everton, Villa, Blackburn etc he'll have a very tough time.

Should have spent that £16.5m on some defenders tbh.

They've got Ledley and Dawson to return and Kaboul looks alright. However in midfield, Zokora is a nothing midfielder. Doesn't defend well and doesn't attack either. He's just kind of there ... Huddlestone is talented and passes the ball well, but then he doesn't quite work in a 4-4-2 as he doesn't quite get around the pitch well enough, and so it leaves them exposed. The left wing is just weird too, they constantly rotate random right wingers into the psoition and it just never quite works.

On the whole they also seem to lack character and toughness. They have no real leadership and are a pretty quiet team. When under the kosh they will always crumble. Could you imagine them fighting Chelsea the way villa did today? Powder Puff Pansies tbh.

To think Tottenham could have had Reo-Cokers grit and toughness in midfield and Ashley Young on the left for the money they blew on Darren Bent! Could you imagine how much better they would be.

 

From what I have seen so far this season there is no way Tottenham are in the top eight or even nine. They are way too soft. After the top four, in my opinion Blackburn are better, Villa are better, Everton are better and we are better than they are. Man City could be added to the list also.

 

 

How are your knees, in other news?

Eh?

To think Tottenham could have had Reo-Cokers grit and toughness in midfield and Ashley Young on the left for the money they blew on Darren Bent! Could you imagine how much better they would be.

From what I have seen so far this season there is no way Tottenham are in the top eight or even nine. They are way too soft. After the top four, in my opinion Blackburn are better, Villa are better, Everton are better and we are better than they are. Man City could be added to the list also.

Blackburn are lethal.

When you have Santa Cruz and McCarthy lurking around in the box, with Pedersen and Bentley whipping balls in it's going to be hard work for any team.

Meh...we've not bought anyone since that mad day when we bought 4 players in about 20 minutes...was hoping for someone to knock me socks off but c'est la vie...theres no money tree growing in the centre circle at CoMS. Still pretty happy with our team, Isaksson is training again, we're sorted really. Think we could have done with an upgrade on Hamann and I'm not entirely convinced that Ireland is good enough to fire us into UEFA contention but I don't believe there was any urgent need to go out and buy someone. We're sexy enough as it is for now.

 

Could do with GK not related to Dracula, Patrick Vieira Jr and Diego next year tho... 

I think Gelson Fernandes will eventually take over from Hamann. Also, Ireland will most likely be displaced by Geovanni on a more regular basis.

Does Arteta not play in central midfield?

Arteta plays on the left & right.

This looks a decent squad:

 

Scott Carson - GK

Thomas Sorensen -GK

Stuart Taylor - GK

 

Wilfred Bouma - LB

Steven O'Halloran - LB

 

Olof Mellberg - CB

Gary Cahill - CB

Curtis Davies - CB

Martin Laursen - CB

Zat Knight - CB

 

Gareth Barry - MF

Stiliyan Petrov - MF

Nigel Reo-Coker - MF

Craig Gardener - MF

Shaun Maloney - MF

Patrik Berger - MF

Isaiah Osbourne - MF

 

Ashley Young - MF

John Carew - STR

Luke Moore - STR

Gabriel Agbonlahor - STR

Marlon f****** Harewood - STR

 

And I am genuinely happy. However, spot the woefully understaffed position in the above squad.

 

Not a single f****** right back at the club. His number one target isnt available till January, so he's going to wait. Madness.

 

 

I thought you guys might have gone in for Rosenior. Mellberg was decent as a right back last season so he will most likely play there. Who was O'neill's top target then?

I can't f****** believe we haven't signed a centre mid

 

What a f****** joke

 

Can this season end now? We're going to achieve f*** all with no midfield so we might as well just call it a day now

 

When is Cahill back? Both Cahill and Neville are decent players. Carsley and Gravesen as backup. not that bad at all really.

 

Phil Neville is one of the worst midfielders I've ever seen in my life and I've seen some real s**** play for Everton in the last 15 years

 

He's ok at right back, but in midfield... jesus wept. Carsley isn't up to it anymore either. Gravesen was poor in the SPL.

 

That leaves Cahill who is always injured and Jagielka who I like but isn't a world beater.

 

Was there anyone that you thought you were going to get but didnt or has Moyes not been very agressive in the market ?

 

We missed out on Fernandes at the last minute then spent a week with £12m to spend, desperate for a centre mid and seemingly not doing anything (apart from the pathetic panic signing of Gravesen)

 

Our CEO was happy to let the fans be strung along when SSN asked him about specific players today though. Thanks for that Keith.

Well the Diarra news for Arsenal came out of Nowhere so you never know. Still don't think things are that bad for you. Actually forgot about Jagielka. Yakubu will also make a big difference to your team overall, so the midfield won't be such a glaring weakness anyway. Actually think you guys look a very strong team right now.

I think Diarra has gone to the right club, with Arsenal he should go all the way. Good signing for them, shame we missed out on him.

Quite a few central midfielders though? Fabregas, Gilberto, Flamini, Diaby, Denilson and Song.