merlin

If this quote is genuine, Ashley has just proved that he knows as much about Football and managers as he does about investing.....how much did he lose again, in the Bradford/Bingley gamble ?? Oh Yes - it was 100m... just chicken-feed !!! Best comment about managers since Harold Thompson of the FA said that the reason they appointed Ron Greenwood as England manager instead of Brian Clough was because ; 'he's a jolly nice man..!!'' And people wonder why England haven't been a power in the game since 1973....Could this be a sign for the future of NUFC..!??

He will go.

Bearing in mind that the Liverpool game is close on this one, the Spurs game has fallen into the 'Must get something from it' category - and it will NOT be easy. They could easily have beaten Man U last weekend, and perhaps should have done on decent chances created...Redknapp's arrival has given them a lift in confidence ; they already have some decent players, which is why they have improved since he joined them Past results will mean NOTHING in this match, and NUFC will have to give 110% if they are to win. If we go behind, I reckon we will lose, but much will depend on whether Woodgate is fit - if Dawson does play, our chances are improved. We cannot afford to lose BOTH of the impending games - 2 points is the MINIMUM acceptable return from them if the club is to stay clear of the bottom 3.

I think Kinnear is wrong about Enrique - thought he did well against Pompey and has had more decent games than bad ones . He also looks as if he does care about the team and doing well, and at his age, these are good pluses ; this is only his second season in the Prem, and I reckon he will improve.

Agreed - even Clough and Fergie, who were both CFs, built their teams from the back. The true essence of a team that is successful, however, is one that attacks AND defends AS A TEAM ; something NUFC have often failed to do throughout the years. In the 70s, we had some really good players in forward/midfield areas, but NEVER a top stopper after Moncur past his best in 74 ; paradoxically, the Fairs Cup winners were built on a strong defence, with good competition at full-back and Centre-back positions ; John Craggs would have walked into most Prem teams today at RB, but was kept out by the excellence of David Craig, who used to put George Best into his pocket most times we played Man U.. If you watch the current(and past ten years')Man U sides, they attack as a team and defend as one - Jonas is a good example of how forwards should help out their defence and I rate this as one of the major qualities he brings to the side.

The problem is that some of them want a transfer for Christmas, and they may end up getting one...

All this agonising about Kinnear is pointless, frankly - if people are honest with themselves instead of burying their heads in the sand, they would accept that the ONLY reason he is at NUFC is because NOBODY who is anything like a decent manager will take the job. The whole club is the laughing stock of the Prem and the owner has totally lost credibility in football. The damage done has been immense, and will be long-lasting, even if the club avoids relegation. A new owner will be handicapped by the financial constraints to the economy and, probably, to his own wealth, so even assuming that Shearer, or someone of decent reputation can be persuaded to take the job, it will be difficult to make the type of signings that would push the club into contention for Top 8. I guess there will be a few seasons of 'consolidation' at best, and , if the worst happens, we will be out of the Prem for at least 3 years. When I look back at how all the efforts of the late 80s/early 90s to change the club have been squandered, it makes me very angry indeed, because this need NOT have happened. We are almost back to the same stage as we were then - a new Board wanting to take control, and the club in danger of relegation ; OK, last time it could have been down from Div 2, but bearing in mind how drastically the game has changed financially since, this is potentially just as bad.

'Ive loved owning Newcastle'....A pity the rest of us cannot share that sentiment apart from the fact that the club has(supposedly)less debt and Shepherd' empire is no more.

Agree - 6 months ago, maybe, but can't see it now ; we are perhaps a better bet to go down than Fulham because of all the turmoil. Reading the initial comments, if these are true, esp about Harper & Owen, I see little hope of survival ; Kinnear's comments about Enrique are unbelieveable from a so-called 'experienced' manager - having Kinnear as manager is sometimes like having a pet monkey in charge of an AK 47..on automatic....

To be honest, I was just saying what I think when asked the question in the thread header. Sorry, like. Apologies if that is genuinely the case, but it's the impression I get from you the majority of the time in here, whereas in Gen Chat you make fantastic posts like the one about Morocco earlier on. Apology accepted. My posts on Bellamy here may sound a bit sarcastic, because they are, but I am trying to make a point too, and it's a point that I often try to make in a roundabout way -- that we spend far too much time living in the past and mooning around wishfully over long-departed players and managers. Bellamy is history. He should stay that way. The idea is to learn from history. Were you against Peter Beardsley coming back, by the way ? I wasn't - but Beardsley was a far better player than Bellamy ever was, PLUS the fact that he could be relied upon to give no trouble to his club or manager and to look after himself. He did ALL of these things in the years after he returned to NUFC, and KK knew he would, so he was a great buy. I wouldn't have the same confidence in Bellamy - esp in his dealings with other players and as a good influence within the club.

Have said this all along - the midfield is the heart of any side, and the NUFC model needs a transplant, and quickly, or the patient will expire.. There isn't ONE player in central midfield who would get into any of the sides in the Top 10 of the Prem, and quite a few lower down too. In the midfield area, we are already a Championship side, with only N'Zogbia & Jonas having anything like the required skills for a Prem midfield. The lack of movement off the ball & passing accuracy is dire.

You're right on the money, HTT - good to see that there are at least a FEW realists on this board. I made the same comment about Villa on the '80% Chance of keeping Owen' thread a few days ago, and was told to Piss Off by Asipith,who found support in Bobyule.... Lets see who is right in a few weeks.....OR months.

8 goals in 14 matches (4 of them on as a sub), I'm not complaining. That's understandable. I still feel that our team play suffers when he's on the pitch in a 4-4-2. When he scores it's awesome great, but when he doesn't, we play like we've got 10 men on the pitch. You are one of the people I was referring to, and if you can't post without telling someone to 'piss off' then I suggest you don't post at all until you have something sensible to say - your comments about Owen could be directed to almost ANY player with ANY club in the Prem...are you saying that the likes of Robinho are overpaid..?? IFs & ANDs about 4-3-3, 4.4.2 etc are just smokescreens ; Owen kept the club up last year - LIVE WITH IT or try to dream up another excuse .. As I said, I hope he goes, then you can have the pleasure of watching Championship football next season - it might open your eyes as to what class players really are. I'd agree with Apisith here, in that this is an issue that can really hurt us, in the same way as happened when we kept Shearer as an automatic choice long after he should have been treated as a squad player. Yes, Owen will score goals, but his entire game is based around stealing into goalscoring positions. He doesn't contribute much else, and if we're under the cosh and not creating much, then he disappears. Martins, with his pace, can keep the opposition defending deep - something Owen can no longer do. There's also the possibility, with his physical presence, that he'll get you a goal out of nothing or create something for someone else on the break. In football terms, the fact that he's the one getting subbed when we're trying to hang on to a lead makes no sense. I also think that Owen and Martins don't work as a combination because there's no-one to drop deep or hold the ball up. Re-visiting last season's 4-3-3 with Viduka or Shola is probably a better option if both Owen and Martin are to stay in the side. It's just a matter of taking an objective look at what Owen is actually offering the side and how it compares with the other options. I mean, we've seen that we can score goals without him as well as with him. I think you need a reminder that the object of the game is to put the ball into the opposition's net - Owen does that better than anyone else at NUFC..AND you don't get more than 50 caps for your country unless there is more to your game than sitting around in the penalty box. As for your comments about Martins - he has pace but THAT is ALL - no awareness, erratic distribution, cannot hold the ball as well as Owen. Do me a favour; Owen was a World Star at 19 - Martins is 23 and wouldn't even be a target purchase for other clubs ahead of Owen, now 29.....

perhaps we should get rid the currrent owner first.... While Kinnear isn't the man for the job, people shouldn't forget that he's only here 'cause no-one else wanted it. No decent manager will work under Ashley/Wise and chums. For me, they are the ones to blame. Unless Shearer will come in, i think we have to perservere with JK, hopefully survive,( probably by the skin of our teeth), sell the club and start afresh in the Summer. We really are a shambles. This is a good post - it sums the whole thing up, and relegation looks a strong bet now.

really? We're a Jekyll and Hyde team, 2 draws away from home (albeit one being against the smogs) then that s**** today. I wouldn't rule us out getting something surprising in one of them. We are NOT - we are a 'HIDE' team, as in too many go into hiding in away matches..

Agreed.

8 goals in 14 matches (4 of them on as a sub), I'm not complaining. That's understandable. I still feel that our team play suffers when he's on the pitch in a 4-4-2. When he scores it's awesome great, but when he doesn't, we play like we've got 10 men on the pitch. You are one of the people I was referring to, and if you can't post without telling someone to 'piss off' then I suggest you don't post at all until you have something sensible to say - your comments about Owen could be directed to almost ANY player with ANY club in the Prem...are you saying that the likes of Robinho are overpaid..?? IFs & ANDs about 4-3-3, 4.4.2 etc are just smokescreens ; Owen kept the club up last year - LIVE WITH IT or try to dream up another excuse .. As I said, I hope he goes, then you can have the pleasure of watching Championship football next season - it might open your eyes as to what class players really are.

Pliko posted on the build-up thread to this match that I 'need to consider things a bit more before coming out with all guns blazing'....! Seems that this comment would be better applied to the team after today's giveaway - Oh, and also to Pilko himself.. Most of what I though might happen did, and if I had been asked to put a bet on who would score the equaliser it would have been - Yes - Abdoulaye Faye. How many times do former players return to haunt SJP..? This goal could be crucial at the season's end.

Some 'fans' of NUFC, many on here, don't deserve to have a player of Owen's calibre in their side - he is by far and away the best striker at the club and, when fit, one of the best in the Prem. I personally hope he does leave, because he doesn't deserve the written ignorant scorn that regularly appears on various fans' websites about him ; it would do these people well to realise that NUFC would be playing Championship football NOW if Owen hadn't been at the club last season, and if he had been left out yesterday, the club would have lost a crucial game.. The Club's prem life hangs by a thread, and if he goes in Jan, those who have abused him through some stupid perceived view that he doesn't care, will get their just desserts because the club will go down in my view. If I was O'Neill, I would sign him like a shot because he would probably help to guarantee CL football for Villa this season, and even City or Spurs would benefit from having him there. There won't be any shortage of takers despite what some on here believe, and for those who say they would drop him in favour of Martins, just ask yourself if, given the choice, which player would MON, Hughes and Redknapp choose if BOTH were available ? I look forward to some of the replies, because I know I am guaranteed a good laugh...!

Thats bollocks Stoke aren't a bad side, yes we need to win but it doesn't mean we'll go down if we don't. Will Spurs go down if they lose their next game? We'll soon see if its 'bollocks' or not, and sorry, Stoke are NOT in the category of being 'not a bad side'.. By Prem standards, they are POOR ; their strengths are Physical play and discipline, nothing more. If NUFC cannot beat them at SJP, they DESERVE to go down - if you don't like it that's tough, but it happens to be true. The Spurs comment is irrelevant ; they have already proved that they can get results against Liverpool and Arsenal which NUFC have NOT, so their prospects look better.

That's actually not even true, we have a very good record against Wimbledon at SJP, including a few pastings for them. Where we struggled was when we had to travel to their place. As in the FA Cup game at SJP, after all the hype with Vinnie Jones and Gazza..!?? We had a better side ON PAPER, and lost , 3-1 ; were you there, or are your views based on the thumping we(eventually)handed out to them in 1995 when Jones was in goal..? We also failed to beat Wimbledon at SJP in 1987 when Mirandinha made his home debut... We only just beat them 2-1 at SJP in Shearer's debut home game, and it took a very late free-kick from the man himself to do it.... Doesn't look 'not even true' to me - NUFC have ALWAYS struggled against physical sides.

It makes sense, esp in home games - Owen is more dangerous now when coming in from a withdrawn role behind a target man and second forward ; Viduka is better than the other 2 at holding the ball, Martins has good pace, and Owen has the skill and sense for goal-chances around the box. Would use Zog in LM role at home, Jonas away, with both players coming on as late subs if needed ; Zog has the direct pace to threaten tired defenders in away games late on, and Jonas can keep the ball better(necessary in home matches when you are hanging on for a result near the end).

They pulled it off with Robinho, so there's no harm in them trying for other top players - in fact, that's what any club with ambition SHOULD do.. All those whingeing about this should remember what fans of other clubs used to say about NUFC when we were the only ones spending large amounts on transfers ; esp, the Man U fans' comments when Shearer joined us instead of them... Good Luck to City - they are having their day in the sun just as we did in the 90s...the difference is that their owners really DO have megabucks, so all the sour grapes in the world won't worry their supporters when they are making big signings....making it all work is another matter entirely....!

This is a MUST WIN game if the club are to avoid being rooted in the bottom 3 or 4 ; having said that, it will not be easy to win. Stoke are a physical and difficult side to play against ; they are a bit like Wimbledon in the 80s, but not quite as good at their game. NUFC have ALWAYS struggled against this type of team and we need at least a 2 goal lead by the 80th minute if we are to win ; being 1-0 in front with 10 minutes to play would be tempting fate in the extreme because the defence are always likely to give goals away at set-pieces - Stoke's speciality. Whilst ANYTHING can happen in football, I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that if this game is lost at SJP, NUFC WILL be relegated.

You deserve derision here though, why shouldn't we expect our team to do ok in the league? This club pays out the 5th highest wages, why on earth should we accept s*** for that kind of outlay? mainly because the team is top 10 at very best and the club is a shambles? and has been for many a year? we're fighting relegation yet again this year and "big" clubs dont do that as often as we do. a "big" club imo = 1/3 big fanbase, 1/3 off field success (ie. regular financial gains, stability, a general feeling of moving forward each season etc) and 1/3 on field success. we have 1 of those things. There is no way anyone can disagree with this - it is a FACT. NUFC WAS a so-called 'Big' club, but it isn't any more and will not be until it starts finishing in the top 6 with regularity. Jordan is a pain(as is his female namesake, and just as pumped up..!)but some of his observations are correct ; where he is wrong is that he fails to mention the mismanagement which has virtually destroyed the team over the past 5 years - this is the reason why fans are angry, not just because they are 'fickle'.. Refusing to face the facts does NOT help ; if you can't(or WON'T)see what is wrong, you can't correct the problems.