Chris_R

As someone who's seen all of them for Newcastle, Ginola was streets ahead of the others. On his day, he was absolutely out of this world. Only genuinely 2-footed player I've seen, used to take corners with his left and right feet. Pretty impressive when you're still a club's best corner taker with your weaker foot.

No idea where the blame lies, be it Ashley, Pardew, the scouting network or Llambias, but to let 3 players leave and only one injured one to arrive when we've already got such a threadbare squad is tantamount to gross misconduct. Sure, it's impossible to fully foresee the Carroll situation exactly as it unfolded. But they must have realised a bid was possible, if not probable, and should have had a plan B for if that was the case and the bid was either too much or the player wanted out. Let's face it, that's exactly what Liverpool did when Chelsea came in for Torres. Why couldn't we? I doubt Liverpool foresaw their prize asset leaving any more than we did but somehow they managed to sign TWO good replacements. It's called planning for every eventuality, and we didn't f***ing do it. I realise you pay a premium near deadline day, but let's just hope we don't pay a bigger price at the end of the season if we keep turning in insipid displays like today.

I couldn't disagree more. Carroll's always been very good in the air, but he has come on loads with the ball at his feet. I'm with Ronaldo on this one. If Carroll keeps himself fit and relatively out of trouble, he'll be a Premier League great.X I agree wholeheartedly that he's improved with the ball at his feet, but he's improved from shit to average.If he continues that improvement he'll be superb, but he's a long way short yet.

Carroll's fantastic in the air, but he's only average on the ground. Shearer and Ferdinand were streets ahead of him as were both nearly as good in the air but much better with the ball at their feet. Different types of players, but Cole and Beardsley in their prime would both have been better in my eyes too. Same for probably a motivated, fit Michael Owen, but it's debatable if we ever saw that in a black and white shirt.

Thinking about it, I'm just fucking delighted he's not going to Spurs.

Wish people would stop with all the conspiracy theory bullshit about Ashley telling Carroll to put in a transfer request etc. It's embarrasing.

Should show him his written 5 year contract.

We're not going to match Liverpools ridiculous bid. Depends what you 'value' Crouch at. Could be something horrific like £25m + Crouch at £15m, not that he's worth anywhere near that. But then we'd be as desperate for a replacement as Liverpool would be, so maybe Crouch's value goes up exponentially too. My head hurts.

Not sure what's more bonkers: - Liverpool offering £40m - Us rejecting it - Me being happy we've rejected it

Hands up if you trust Pardew to spend £40m wisely... (assuming he's given it all to spend, that is)

Think my F5 key is on the verge of giving out. It's certainly not going to make it through to 11pm.

Routledge out, Carroll out, possibly Ireland in. Shit transfer window if that's how we end up. I'd not have too much problem in Carroll going if we got a decent replacement in, but Bothroyd isn't the man to fill ACs boots and I can't see who else we can go for at this late stage. Window shuts in under 7 hours ffs.

He wanted games. He's not good enough? He wanted games - Improve, we know he's got the talent in there somewhere. He's under contract here and we need him so it's not his decision to make. He's not good enough - Improve. Even if he doesn't, he's still another body if we need him.

Gutted when he left, angry at the timing. I find it mildly amusing that he's not getting games and that it's backfired, only because he left in such shit circumstances. That said, I wouldn't boo him. OK, he made one shit decision but he was one of our best players for over a decade. That's got to count for something. Would I take him back? Probably got another 4 years or so left as a top goalkeeper, so maybe. Probably not though, Forster and Krul need to be shown confidence and given a chance. Personally I think it would be hilarious if on his return Given walked onto St James' Park to utter silence.

Happy enough with this. We needed another body in midfield and we've got one. Still confused as to why Routledge left though, would have been better still if he'd still been here.

That makes him the tallest 4 year old I've ever seen.

Which says a lot about Nolan, given that HBA currently has a double break of his leg.

Love how cynical everyone is about the current regime.

I've been saying this since he signed for us.

I'd now be pretty disappointed if we finished 17th. It'd require us to implode fairly spectacularly.

Fucking gutted. Can we just play for 89 minutes next week, please?

Gutierrez putting a great ball in from the right hand side with his stronger foot there. Really wish we'd see more of that, he's not a left winger ffs.

Beardsley and Tino swapping porn in the stands...

Bit of a s*** reason to go back, considering how short a footballers career is. Footballer in "not having brains" shock.

Haper did OK, but I'm sure Given would have got us the one extra point that we needed to stay up.