AyeDubbleYoo

Everywhere! At the moment I believe in the second striker role behind Carroll, although Jonas might benefit from a bit of competition for the LW as well.

Character can be a weakness for him, but ability certainly isn't. His technique is excellent now.

But taking the decision purely as a single incident, it's a total blunder? Yes, Pardew could be a success here (like I said in that post, I think he will be moreso than Hughton because Ashley will back him because he's a mate), but at the time, he was still appointing a man who had recently been sacked from a League One club, had Charlton relegated and led West Ham to their worst run of defeats in over 70 years - he couldn't have possibly known at the time he'd be a decent choice of manager. Yeah, Hughton was clearly a mistake by normal football criteria. I don't think you can argue that Ashley didn't think Pardew would be decent though... he obviously did as he gave him the job. FWIW I don't think Pardew's reputation as a manager is really as bad as some of us are making out.

I would be tempted to put the slight drop-off in form down to the moral-lowering effect of Hughton's impending sacking, rather than the fact the players weren't playing for him anymore.

Owing money to your owner is a normal business practice though, and surely much better than paying for expensive overdrafts and debts to external creditors.

Yeah, the Hughton sacking was a bad decision under any logic, but I think Jonny meant it was too soon to say the same about the Pardew appointment. Treating them as two separate incidents, obviously.

This is what I hate about the football press... they just invent absolute bollocks based on total speculation. It also annoys me when my Dad believes it all and is convinced Ashley is looking to asset-strip the club. Totally infuriating.

Been so long since we had such an exciting flair player! (Just what the Geordie nation wants, we'd rather lose 4-3 than win 1-0, etc etc)

I just don't want to sell Carroll, I prefer him to be playing for us than £30m of unknown players. We have a top striker that we paid no money for, we benefit from every minute he plays for us.

For every Ben Arfa bargain there's a James Milner overpriced player. There's much more chance of Andy Carroll becoming great and helping us to success than there is of us investing £30m to bring in new players to do it, IMO.

Will be happy if he gets some minutes towards the end of the season and is completely fit for the next one.

Let's not forget, a few years ago Spurs were well behind us. It's all very well talking about Carroll joining a more successful club, but if we keep making signings like Ben Arfa, Tiote, Enrique and Colo we will be back on their level in a few years. It's at least a possibility, and a strong motivating factor to keep our best players.

That would be absolutely insane. There's no price I would sell Carroll for right now - our main guarantee against relegation, local lad and future England star, unplayable on his day, etc etc. There's no profit to be had in selling Carroll at this point, and I still think he's not going anywhere. It's just the usual transfer window speculation. Well ya we would be relegated if we didn't replace him, that's why I said I agree only if the 30M will be reinvested to strengthen the team all over. Carrol has massive potential but he is far from the finish product. It is the Geordie hero part that is making us overestimate his ability. We can get a better non English striker for 20M. Disagree, I've heard many impartial commentators talk about him as a future star, people with nothing to do with NUFC and who usually spend their time criticising us. Yes, we could stay up if we bought £30m pounds-worth of average players, but to achieve anything approaching success or progress we need to retain players like Carroll. Actually, there are no players like Carroll, so we need to keep him specifically!

That would be absolutely insane. There's no price I would sell Carroll for right now - our main guarantee against relegation, local lad and future England star, unplayable on his day, etc etc. There's no profit to be had in selling Carroll at this point, and I still think he's not going anywhere. It's just the usual transfer window speculation.

If it was a leg break without much damage to surrounding ligaments, should be no problem at all for him to return as good as before.

I just wish I could find the Everton video.

I strangely admire Harry for his tapping up skills. TBF, if journos are allowed to constantly ask about transfer rumours then I suppose he should be allowed to answer.

Ashley is a twat, I agree, but we aren't selling Carroll.

I'm sure the FCB's will be happy you did. I know, I feel ashamed but happy. FWIW my girlfriend got me an NUFC rubber duck for christmas, so actually I had already broken the boycoutt.

FYI... kitbag.com has this seasons shirt with £10 off and free Premier League badges and name and number! I've shamelessly impulse-ordered one!

The thing about our transfer policy now is that it can work well. It makes it more difficult to get great players, but when we do get them we get them with something to prove and for decent prices. I do think it's better than spraying money about like mad.

Absolutely awesome! Let's just hope he recovers well (which I believe he will). Might need to adjust my vote on the Europometer!!!!

Niel, how long is Cahill away for?

Bentley there's no real point in signing, Barton is looking good and we have Lil Wayne, Keane I would only have on loan.

The majority of our better performances this season have come with Nolan in that role. Well maybe, but that doesn't mean it's the reason, or it's working. It does like. Nolan was totally absent from the Wigan game, for example, even though we played well as a team. It's a bit of a pointless discussion as we don't have anyone else decent for that position, but I don't think our good performances have much to do with Nolan - except maybe for his motivating influence.