Chris_R

Rozehnal coming on to cover left back. Pray to god he isn't taking Charlie off....

One Zoggy is enough. Just play the poor lad in his correct position ffs.

how I love that old double negative. If we've never won f*** all, that means we've won something. If they sang "You've won f*** all", then fair enough, but of course, I'd respond with "one time, one time, oneeee tiiii-iiiiiiime, the intertoto, we've won it one time". Actually we won the intertoto in the 1970s as well. We were the holders from when the competition was disbanded to when it came back in about 1994.

I was hoping it wasn't going to come down to relying on Sam to make the right changes.

GET IN! N'Zogbia with a great forward run and Butt scores. See Sam? He isn't bad going forward you know, you daft cnut.

And the face-bumming will probably only get more vigorous from here to full time.

Yeah, because his future as Newcastle manager will hinge on us beating Chelsea away.

*****

Without doubt. I'd rather he mucked up chances than we not create them at all... Couldn't agree more. Missed chances >>>> No chances. If you don't buy a ticket you can't win the raffle etc etc.

Martins messing up a 1 on 1. /o\

It's been a pretty busy period so maybe it was to keep the team relatively fresh. Then again, the team that played away to Wigan was so pathetic that the team needed a bit of a shakeup too. Both fair points, but it's hardly going to help the team gel is it? You surely can't be suggesting that we play the same personnel / formation as away to Wigan just to give some consistency though? If they play that dire we need to make changes. If we don't change things then nothing will change. I think the problem is the formation though, and a 4-5-1 is not going to be productive. Ever. It's not the 4-5-1/4-3-3 that is the problem though is it. It's the way the players move the ball and carry out their roles within the formation. Personally I'm not a fan of 4-5-1. I can't call it 4-3-3 because it's not - The wingers (Milner and Martins) have not been playing in any different a position to what they'd play in as wingers under 4-4-2. But yes I do agree that the 4-5-1 could be implemented better and maybe we could turn it into a 4-3-3 if the players showed more invention and flair. But again, for me, that's down at least in part to the manager's instructions to the players. And it's definitely down in part to the fact that half our outfield players are normally playing in the wrong positions.

Radio Newcastle on Faye being in at DMC - "I suppose it gives Nicky Butt a freer (sic) role as well" Nicky Butt in a free role? Are we that desperate?

Classic What leadership qualities!

It's been a pretty busy period so maybe it was to keep the team relatively fresh. Then again, the team that played away to Wigan was so pathetic that the team needed a bit of a shakeup too. Both fair points, but it's hardly going to help the team gel is it? You surely can't be suggesting that we play the same personnel / formation as away to Wigan just to give some consistency though? If they play that dire we need to make changes. If we don't change things then nothing will change. I think the problem is the formation though, and a 4-5-1 is not going to be productive. Ever. Looks like we're trying something we've not tried before this season, and with players in positions they've not played in. Well nothing we've tried so far this season has worked, so why not?

It's been a pretty busy period so maybe it was to keep the team relatively fresh. Then again, the team that played away to Wigan was so pathetic that the team needed a bit of a shakeup too. Both fair points, but it's hardly going to help the team gel is it? You surely can't be suggesting that we play the same personnel / formation as away to Wigan just to give some consistency though? If they play that dire we need to make changes. If we don't change things then nothing will change. I think the problem is the formation though, and a 4-5-1 is not going to be productive. Ever.

Much as I want to slap Allardyce round the face at the moment for his ridiculous tactics, this is a bit of a no-win situation for him. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. If he goes 4-4-2 and gets beat, people will say it was wrong because it's Chelsea away and we need to keep it tight. If he goes 4-5-1 and gets beat, peopel will say we should have had a go at them. Personally I think we should have a go at them, we'll not get a better chance to beat them on their own turf given their absentees. 4-4-2 suits the players better and we need to create something and have a go at them. If we fail, we fail. At least we've had a go. (Probably be another insipid 4-5-1 again though with half the team playing out of position and no shots on goal)

WAAAAAAY too ambitious. I'll go for a cavalier 5-4-1: Martins Duff Milner Butt Smith N'Zogbia Cacapa Faye Taylor Given

Very much doubt it'll be 4-4-2. But with Martins, Milner and Duff, it's a struggle to work out just what the hell the team actually is going to shape up like. Probably 442. Based on what, the fact that if the players are in their correct positions then the team sheet lends itself to 4-4-2? Are you forgetting that normally 5 of our players are out of position?

Probable Chelsea lineup against probable Newcastle lineup: Pizzaro - Viduka Kalou - Martins Cole - Milner Obi Mikel - Smith Sidwell - Geremi Essien - Butt Bridge - N'Zogbia Ben Haim - Taylor / Cacapa / Rozehnal / Faye Alex - Taylor / Cacapa / Rozehnal / Faye Fereira - Beye Cech - Given Wouldn't take any of our lot over any of theirs tbh with the possible exception of Charlie, but he's being played at left back whereas Bridge is a natural there. They're still stronger than us in every department. Add to that the shambolic tactics we're likely to employ and it all makes for depressing reading. Sure, their absentees mean we might not come back with our ar$es looking like the Japanese flag, but we should still expect a vigorous humping. I'd love to say otherwise but I just can't see it myself.

Well you can't knock his immense powers of observation there, can you? Though not sure about his prediction on the result. More accurate would surely be: "Even though Chelsea have nearly a full team missing, I still expect Newcastle to get bummed in the face today. Prediction: 5-0"

Sorry but how the f#ck can someone on tens of thousands of pounds per week have money problems? I don't care if he's injecting heroin into his eyeballs 24 hours a day he couldn't spend that amount. The guy must have sh#t for brains if he's getting through that sort of cash. I can understand him going on a spending spree and getting into debt but his income is guaranteed and so enormous that surely any bank would be understanding and just wait until it's all paid back? I've no idea about the details of his problems by the way (Though I admit I'm curious), but I just can't grasp the concept that someone in his position can get into any financial situation that might be classed as a "problem". Unless, like I say, he has sh#t for brains. But even then - How?

Ronaldinho to 'Boro

You been at the wine gums again?

Yeah, I'm gonna count any backpasses by their players as shots on target for us though. I mean, you just never know - That ball just might take a nasty bobble over the goalie's foot. It's happened before. Actually, maybe that's Sam's master plan away from home - Keep a clean sheet and hope one of their players get's so frustrated that he overhits a backpass and sticks it in his own net? Maybe Viduka isn't really just standing there imobile in the opposition box for 90 minutes, maybe he's got secret instructions to dig divots in their penalty area while everyone else is chasing the ball so that backpasses might hit them and get deflected in? Bonkers I know, but it still makes more sense than our current 'tactics'. What was it Sherlock Homes said? "When you've ruled out all the probable options, then whatever's left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."

Should be: ^ Martins Viduka ^ | | | | N'Zogbia Emre Butt Milner ^ ^ | | Enrique Taylor Faye Beye Given Will be: ^ Viduka <----------------| | Martins | ^ | / Milner / ^ ^ / | | / | | | | | / | | | Butt Geremi--------> | / Smith | N'Zogbia Rozenhal Cacapa Beye Given And no, I don't know what the f#ck that second formation is supposed to be either, but that seems to be what Sam is determined to play. I'll not predict the score but I will predict we'll get beat and not have more than 3 shots on target all game.