Chris_R

Problem with having a shit player as a captain is it makes it almost impossible to drop them. We need our captain to be someone who will start every game on merit, not because he's the team captain. That leaves us with a choice of (IMO): Beye Faye N'Zogbia Milner Given I'd rule out N'Zogbia and Milner on the grounds that they're too young and would struggle to command the respect of their team mates. That leaves Shay, Beye or Faye (Hmmm, rhymes as well!). After that, it comes down to their respective personalities. Never met any of them so that side of it is hard for me to judge, but IMO Given isn't enough of a communicator to have the captaincy. So choice of 2 then. I'll go for Beye as Faye seems to pick up injuries.

How could we possibly know if he's finished when our supply to him is non-existant?

Yeah, looked decent. Went past his man a few times which is always nice to see. No end product though, but he's only young and it was only 15 mins. Would certainly like to see him given another chance some time soon. I won't do the "Eee, he's younger than me!" thing as I think all of them bar Nicky Butt are younger than me. Some day soon I think I might have to consider that my dream of playing professionally for Newcastle might not happen after all!

More effort and workrate >>>> creativity and flair. This club is slowly being killed. Actually, it's being quite quickly killed. Culled even.

Voted for Ginola, but it was tight between him and Ferdinand. I know Ginola wanted to go and Les wanted to stay, but still, that's my vote. Ginola was fabulously talented, one of my favourite Newcastle players of all time.

Keep: Beye - Looked really good so far. Been impressed. Faye - As with Beye. If only he can stay fit... Given - Not the best in the world but he's certainly good enough and would be hard to replace. Enrique - Young and highly rated, not seen enough of him yet but needs a chance at least considering the investment. Cacapa - I still think that despite the Bramble-esque mistakes that there's a quality player in there somewhere. Owen - Tempted to say "Get rid" to free £100k from the wage bill, but he's a quality player and the kind we need. When fit. N'Zogbia - One of only 4 players at the club who can beat a man. Needs to stay. Duff - As above. Looked decent since coming back. Harper - Happy to play second fiddle and perfectly able when called upon. Taylor - Has a future. How far he can go I don't know but he can still improve with the right coaching Martins - As per N'Zogbia. Wasteful in front of goal but composure can be taught. Just need someone to teach him! Milner - As per N'Zogbia Boot Out Emre - We desperately need a creative, high-flair midfielder. Emre is that, but he's not good enough IMO Butt - Need a younger version. Might last another year but we need to start looking around now Smith - tough decision here as I feel he might make it if we played him exclusively up front. But still not convinced he's good enough Viduka - Quality touches but too much lacking from his game (Pace, workrate) Barton - Shown nothing as of yet and will be banged up anyway Geremi - Again, like Smith, perhaps he's suffered as he's not been used correctly. But still I've seen nothing to say "keep him" Ramage - Simply not good enough. Premier League is one league too high for him, he'd flourish in the Championship Carr - Old, fat, slow Rozehnal - Can do a job for us at the moment, but I think we need better if we look long-term Ameobi - No comment needed

Surely the word is "amble", or "meander"? Anyway, anyone advocating dropping Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins or Mark Viduka for a man who: - Couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo - Is 6'3" but can't win a header - Is a big lad but has all the strength of a glass of water - His first touch is so bad that his second touch is a tackle seriously needs their head read. Geordie? No doubt Nice lad? Quite possibly Good Premier League centre forward? Not until the day I run through hell juggling snowballs.

Does he? Thought he'd have other things on his plate tbh but fair play to him, he is omnipotent after all.

A five year plan does not mean no improvements for 5 years then suddenly we're great. We should be looking for constant improvements over the course of 5 years to build up to a much higher level. So far, the improvements I see are as follows: - Smaller injury list - Improved backroom staffing However things that have gotten worse: - Playing soul-destroying football - Players all out of position - Going to bottom of the table sides and trying to snatch a 0-0 - Tactics that don't suit the players we have The problem to me is that the things that have slipped backwards are so easily rectified, but Sam just refusing to do so. Playing players in the correct positions, in a 4-4-2, and trying to win a match rather than draw does not take a tactical genius, it just requires someone to have eyes and a half-formed brain. That's why Sam is losing my support, not because he has a 5 year plan and I'm too impatient.

I'm past worrying about our players leaving for pastures new. He's good but he's not the jewel in our crown or that good he's indispensable. Anyway, I can't see any of the top 4 being interested enough to pay serious money for him. While I agree he's not THAT good and not irreplacable, he's one of only 4 players in our entire squad who have even the slightest ability or inclination to go past their man - The others being Milner, Martins and Duff. Considering Martins will not play once Owen is fit and Duff is just back from injury and the jury is still out on him anyway I'd say we desperately need to keep hold of N'Zogbia. This side has little enough flair as it is and I don't trust Sam at the moment to replace him with someone with similar qualities. I wouldn't be surprised to see another Alan Smith / Geremi type player come in as we got when Dyer and Solano left - 2 other cases where flair and creativity have been replaced by good honest hard work.

I was hoping it wasn't going to come down to relying on Sam to make the right changes. Predictable really. Tactically, the guy is totally clueless.

Sh#t.

Fixed

Chelsea fans so vicious.

Don't mind Owen for Martins. We're creating chances and if you want anyone on the end of a chance it's Michael Owen.

Owen coming on, presumably for Martins.

Smith off? Hmm. Odd. Miraculous even!

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.

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