merlin

Agree with this - the midfield are very poor at retaining the ball which brings extra pressure on to the defence. We got away with it today, but when only ONE defender has an off-day, you lose games unless the midfield keep the ball better that ours does. Backs to the wall stuff, but got a point which was deserved for the spirit and determination of the defence - unfortunately, it wasn't a point that would have removed some pressure because most of the teams around us also picked up points ; Hull have proved that they are probably going to stay just out of the relegation scramble, Stoke continue to pick up crucial points at home, and Fulham did as well as NUFC at Liverpool. The game at Boro is even more crucial now, and the club cannot afford to lose this if we are to retain reasonable hope of avoiding relegation ; also, home wins MUST start coming more regularly.

There is NO way that Ashley would get anything like 450m for the club - he will be doing well if he gets 250m in the current financial climate ; if he is offered 250 he should snap their hands off and be glad he got his money back with a bit of a profit... Unfortunately, as I have said before, potential buyers have him by the short & curlies - he either sells for a reasonable price(NOT what he originally wanted)or he is faced with piling even MORE millions into the club in an effort to avoid relegation and his Investment crashing even more... Its looking more & more as if this sale is either going to be drawn out into December, or not happen at all. NOT a good scenario if its the latter.

Not surprised to see Kinnear in charge until end/Dec - I thought he probably would unless the club was bought in Nov... However, I wouldn't be happy to see him remain in charge for the Transfer Window because unless Ashley takes the club off the market, Kinnear will be buying players that the next manager(there WILL be one if the club is sold)will probably not want. If Kinnear ends up buying players in Jan, he may well be manager for the rest of the season ; will that be enough to keep the club up ? - I am not confident, but there is little alternative ; there is very little chance of the club getting a top class proven manager in its current situation and of all the so-called big names, only Shearer is likely to touch us at present(or even until it is apparent that the club WON'T be relegated).

I thought he would be at the club until Christmas, but after the article by Rob Lee(quoted in the Telegraph today), I'm not so sure... It depends how much Ashley wants to patch up the rift with fans, and whether he CAN sell the club before Christmas - I said a few weeks ago that Shearer coming in as manager, with Rob Lee as No 2 couldn't be ruled out if the club was sold. I now believe that this COULD happen under the existing ownership, because all parties can see how serious the club's situation is becoming - it benefits nobody to have the club relegated and Ashley must know he will lose a packet if that happens. Shearer's appointment is now probably the club's best hope of escaping the drop, as he WOULD be able to attract any decent players available in the Jan window, although it will still be a huge task for him if we are in the bottom 3 by then. We will find out if Ashley has any chance of selling very soon, because I suspect that he would avoid having to back down over his management structure by appointing a manager who would insist on total control of transfers - as Shearer most certainly will...IF Ashley starts negotiating with Shearer soon, we know he is NOT going to be able to sell.

Will be lucky to get 'NIL' in this...could be heaviest defeat of the season ; they are a much more fluent side than last season when we lost narrowly. Scolari has shown just why he is a top manager as he has taken them to another level - my tip for the title.

Sorry, but your Dad is right - with or without KK, the team ISN'T good enough. We might have got one or two points extra if KK had still been manager, but not many or enough to keep the club from relegation..the table tells the tale and if they can't beat a weakened Wigan side after coming back from a goal down, tnere isn't enough fight in the team, let alone class. Time to get Prayer Mats out because the club could be entrenched in the Bottom 4 by Christmas, and there will be no fairy story escape this time...

You are right to be depressed/concerned - NUFC are LIGHT-YEARS behind Chelsea and in my opinion, the gap is now too big to close. Potential buyers will be aware just how big is the task to even keep the club in the Prem, never mind catch Chelsea... That is why a sale is taking such a long time - people will be asking themselves whether its worth it.

That's embarrasingly inaccurate. Sure we are not "too good", but to say that we are a "good shout" is equally stupid. We have a better squad than most of the bottom half. I think even under Kinnear we will pick up enough points at home. The results don't back up your opinion of the squad - that is a fact. The table doesn't lie ; we are in the position we deserve to be in - look how so many on here reckon our squad is as good or better than Spurs' ; then look at how they have done with a new(permanent) manager.... We are basically a bottom 6 side.

Two of a kind - both flatter to deceive... Dyer had better direct pace(when he could be a----d to use it) Duff the better dribbling ability, but disappears up his own backside - very little end product.. Both highly over-rated, Dyer mainly because of his crap attitude and off-field antics.

See my post on the Fulham match report thread...P 33....

What would it take for Kinnear to be made permanent ? A total brainstorm by the new owners....

This result will prove to be more significant than the home win over Villa. I said after that, that I wouldn't get involved in any OTT celebrations about the performance because its getting results away from home, esp against relegation rivals, that will count - and so it has proved. Leaving aside Cacapa's awful, school-boy style defensive error which put the team in a chasing position, the basic problem with the side is one which will, unless it is able to be addressed in January, will get the club relegated ; this is the fact that we have NO central MF player who can pick up the ball from the back 4 and start a dangerous attack with a decent defence-splitting pass, OR who can carry the ball forward himself and beat players - this causes the opposition defence to backpedal.... The number of times that the ball was passed around the back4, or from Butt & Co BACK to the back 4 meant that by the time it went forward, Fulham had their defence back in numbers and they crowded out players like Jonas , Martins & Duff. There is no doubt that Hodgson will have sussed this out from scouting reports or by watching the team himself . Failure to dominate a midfield results in defeat 8 times out of 10, and I shudder to think what Chelsea would do to us..... Team not good enough because of too many weaknesses in key positions - will NOT be good enough until these are addressed and people have to stop kidding themselves ... relegation is becoming a probability, not a possibility - remember, the Mackems should have beaten Fulham at Craven Cottage - we never looked like doing it for most of the game.....

I agree with all of that, also Duff is playing better. Yes, much of this is correct - Ameobi is holding up the ball much better than he ever has and it looks like Kinnear & Hughton have been working him hard ti improve that aspect of his game ; it made a huge difference against Villa, because the ball wasn't constantly being lost by the forwards and then coming back to put pressure on our midfield. You cannot build consistent attacks without someone who can hold the ball when it is played up to him. I also think they have been getting at both Guttierrez and Martins; Jonas because he wasn't attacking the box enough, and Martins because of his concentration(or lack of)- the results were clear against Villa...

He's the best striker at the club(and one of the best in the Prem at taking chances) - if he's PROPERLY fit, he will play ; simple as.... The accent is on the word PROPERLY..if so, NUFC are not endowed with such an embarrassment of riches up front that they can keep him out. Many of those who 'wouldn't bring him back yet' are the first to want Given back in the side when he has been out injured, even if Harper has done nothing wrong, on the basis that they think 'he's the best keeper at the club'...the same logic should apply to Owen.

He played well tonight and scored the goals - but 'best player at the club' he definitely ISN'T. When he has scored 20 goals a season for at least 2 seasons(provided he has been fit) THEN you can start making those sort of claims ; he isn't even the best STRIKER at the club Owen is, and has the International goals to go with it. At 24, he should be almost the finished article.

This could turn out to be one of the most crucial games of the season. Whilst Villa could have been two up by half-time(Agbonlahor missed an open goal and they had other clear chances), the team stuck at it, and this is the main quality that Kinnear has brought to the side. Ameobi held the ball much better than he has previously and this was a key factor in keeping too much pressure off the back 4/midfield ; Martins took his first goal really well, and I have never doubted his ability to score that type of goal, but to be in the right place for the second was just as important. I have criticised Jonas in the past for not hurting the opposition with his undoubted skill - this time, he did what I've been wanting to see and got behind their defence with a great piece of skill and acceleration to lay the second on a plate ; that is what wingers are for - more of that please..... He was helped by the fact that Duff(who also played well in this match) moved over to the left, and the Villa defence didn't know which one was going to try to make the crucial run behind them ; the play between the 2 helped to open them up. I've always liked Enrique and still think he could turn out to be a really good LB ; Coloccini had a good game in CD , but really, hardly anyone played badly.Barton showed improvement and commitment in midfield but he cannot resist those stupid brushes with trouble - a different ref may well have sent him off for raising his hand ; a player with his reputation needs to behave himself for a LONG time... All those wanting Owen put on the side - get over yourselves...he saved the club's bacon last season, and, provided he stays fit, will get goals on a far more regular basis than any other player on the books. Like any other player, he has to earn his place but no decent side will leave a striker with Owen's capabilities on the sidelines for long. Its when you are stuggling against a packed defence or up against it away that he will still do the business, and Kinnear knows that only too well - which is why he doesn't want him to be sold or allowed to leave... There are many tough games to follow - this was an enjoyable, but brief respite. When we start winning away from home and putting some daylight between us and another 4 teams is the time for excessive self-congratulation. Nevertheless - very well done to the players AND management.

'He jumped ship'?? Wasn't he sold by a club who wanted 12m for him, and yet wouldn't even talk to his agent about putting him on a longer contract with similar wages to Taylor ?? He always did his best, even after he was messed about by Roeder & Shepherd on the eve of a new season...some people need to take their Black & White glasses off and see the reality OR unplug their nostrils & smell the coffee. I think that booing him would merely convince him(if indeed he needed any further proof)that he had made the right move ; also, he will be the one having the last laugh if Newcastle are relegated in May..!

Well said, I'm surprised people want us to sign him. We are s*** man deal with it, this is the level we are at. WBA were ripping us to shreds at home ffs. This was with Barton back, Duff playing the best he has for years, Colo, Beye & Jose in the team. I am more surprised that people think we still have decent team than anything else. indeed. We don't have the intertoto aspirations anymore never mind the top 4. In fact, next season the priority may well be promotion back to the premiership. Isn't everything just great . Agreed - too many on this site are deluding themselves as to how 'good' NUFC are ; we are where we deserve to be, and if West Brom had had a decent striker, we would have probably lost ; they played us off the park in the second half.

Martins also bulled KK up when he arrived - its all about getting picked regularly.

Only a mug wouldn't - you obviously have never seen NUFC relegated..... Just hope you don't this season...

If we lose this game, relegation is on the cards for sure - the other teams around are picking up points and the loss of another 3 home points will put the club well and truly on its backside. its about time people began to face reality - the club is in a mess on AND off the field, and it will take a huge effort to stay up if we are still in the bottom 3 at the end of November. I NEVER predict results where NUFC are concerned, but I will be surprised if we get more than 1 point from this game and NOT surprised if we lose.

You mean they thought their manager wasn't up to the job so replaced him, hardly similar to our situation was it? A similar situation to ours was at West Ham, manager walks out but their fans do to sensible thing which was to be patient and wait to see what the management team do about replacing him, now West Ham have a new manager in place that the fans seem happy with and the old manager is forgotten. Our fans on the other hand decided to take a different route by holding protests outside the ground, waving bedsheets around with incorrect spelling which fans all over the country had a good laugh at, they then decided to try and force the owner to sell the club and call for nobody to buy any pies or programmes until he did, with a few adults seen shouting at young kids for buying one, then when the owner does agree to sell a few of them set up a pressure group a realise one ridiculous statement after the other telling any potential new owner that we won't put up with any of their s*** and threaten to write to all major club sponsors if the club isn't sold by the end of the season, this gets picked up by one the Internets most popular websites for football kit news which makes us a laughing stock again. Then they wonder why the club is unstable at the moment and not like those clubs who's management teams were allowed to get on with things when decisions had to be made. The manager walked out because the Board either changed the terms of his position regarding buying/selling players or simply promised him players that didn't materialise - this happened BECAUSE the club was being mismanaged from the top ; KK has a reputation for this sort of action but , as you well know, both Fergie & Wenger backed his stance - they thought his position had been made untenable... The reaction of the fans was to be expected, not only because it was Keegan, but because this was yet ANOTHER NUFC disaster in the making, following 4 years of blunders from the previous regime ; also, because Ashley had demonstrated a cavalier attitude to the resignation by going to the USA instead of sorting it out.. Curbishley was a former West Ham player, but in no way as popular as KK at Newcastle - their fans were not too bothered about him leaving, and they had NOT had the turnover in managers that NUFC fans had seen over the past 5 years ; there is really no comparison between the two situations. Whatever anyone's views about some of the Chavs who paraded for the Sky cameras(and they ARE a laughing stock), the majority of the club's fans believe that Ashley mishandled the situation - and they are quite right. He will now have to pay the price, either by coughing up to stop the club being relegated, or by having to accept a lower price than he wants to sell the club.

This is quite right - they also have better players than us, despite some on here thinking that Guthrie is as good as Modric... Redknapp has done a good job in his first few games, and obviously instilled confidence in his players ; their ability is now coming out...you don't beat Liverpool if you are a bad side - lets see how NUFC do against Villa......

Don't you mean the one where he stood behind a badly-organised wall and watched as Elano's shot tore past him, despite the fact that he had a full view of what Elano was going to do? Or even the Villa game where he was virtually a spectator when Carew & Co hit the side for 6 ?? Etc Etc.... I note that KK had Harper back between the sticks for all the crucial run-in games after that....

Not now he isn't - that's my opinion, and there are others who also think so - remember that thread last season about 'Given beaten easily again from long rang'.....!?