AyeDubbleYoo

You should take a look at that Dirk Kuyt?

He provides something similar to what Wilshire is doing for Arsenal IMO... he carries the ball into very tight spaces, direct at defenders. But he's not running for the sake of it, he always has his head up and is looking to create something. I just hope we can maintain our robust team game when he returns, I don't want us to just go for "get it to Ben Arfa" all the time.

I burst out laughing at the thought that the next post would be Dave saying "What a wonderful debate." Alas, it was not to be. I just post the Tiote face to express a feeling that can't be put into words. It's hard to explain, the face just does the job.

Still love the "we all live in Kevin Nolan's house" song... one of the best for years.

The Everton highlights of him were scarily good... I've rarely seen a player combine that much acceleration with that much technique. Make no mistake, he will take us to the "next level".

You would think Andy Carroll is a kitten rapist. What he has got up to so far is nothing even compared to the likes of Terry, Rooney and Ashley Cole, so to be arguing he isn't setting an example is total nonsense. He's been involved in a couple of minor scuffles because he's a young lad who has risen quickly to fame and fortune. That's pretty much it IMO.

Surely there's no way Mike Ashley is going to make a profit on NUFC? He would have to sell at a totally unrealistic price to get his money back. Unless we win a cup or finish pretty high in the league for a few seasons, I doubt the value of the club has increased much since he bought it.

I know you're right, but it would be immense for him to get a cap... I'd love to see it.

Will be a bit surreal to see him run out for England. And class obviously.

In a couple years Simpson might actually be in with a chance if he comes on a bit. We're not exactly blessed with right-backs.

It's a bit much to expect Newcastle fans to be enduring one of the most painful periods in recent memory and step back and say "can't wait to see how the lad Coloccini turns out". He might have been caught up in the crossfire of the general hatred directed towards the team, but it's understandable IMO.

For a guy with Mike Ashley's recent track record, not making an immense blunder and fucking things up = steering us in the right direction. You could argue things are happening despite Ashley, but at least he isn't stopping them happening, which for him is a big step forward.

That's great to hear, good on ya Joey lad. I think a big part of the issues Barton has head is that he doesn't feel at home with the typical Premier League dressing room... I think the fact we have a solid bunch of fairly normal people is helping him settle down a lot.

Pulis's idea is total bollocks on many levels. He's just making himself look more of a tool suggesting things like this.

I agree, still think fans would be reluctant to accept a ref saying "At the time I didn't see Cattermole handle the ball of the line, but looking at the replay it's totally obvious". I wonder whether it would actually do much good.

I see what you've done there Taylor27, pointed out all the strengths of the players without any of their limitations. I know what you mean though, it would be difficult to change the team right now. Thing is, it's too far away to even worry about - by the time Ben Arfa returns we might have lost 4 or 5 on the bounce and Nolan or Shola might be injured. It's just great to have a player of Ben Arfa's quality in the squad.

Not only that, but it's impossible to know anyway.

I agree with you in principle. What if the referee just didn't see something though? Or in his opinion it wasn't a foul, when replays suggest it was? Would simple explanations like that be enough for people?

Ashley has never done anything at NUFC for short-term gain. He's done a load of things wrong and for the wrong reasons, but they've been because he was ignorant and naive about what it takes to run a football club and the chance that an owner could be "one of the lads"... not because he wanted to make some quick money. He doesn't want to spend beyond our means, that's true. But the idea that he's some sort of asset-stripping profiteer is just not true.

http://tvnz.co.nz/2010-fifa-world-cup-news/fifa-referees-got-96-percent-right-3638147 Not independent but probably about right. Very interesting! They're definitely right about the one mistake overshadowing everything else. That's the issue I have with people criticising referees, all the correct decisions get forgotten. It would be like slating Tiote for the 6% of passes he misplaced yesterday.

I don't believe it's getting worse or is more biased towards big clubs than it ever was. Obviously that's only my opinion and there's nothing scientific to back it up. I would like to see assessments of referees based on right and wrong decisions etc etc, does any independent body gather that sort of information?

I'm not denying they got it wrong, and obviously their assessments should reflect that. But you can't possibly be shocked or surprised... it happens all the time, and always has done.

I never understand how people can ask questions like this. It happened, they missed it. It happens all the time, so how is it in any way surprising? It's like we're judging referees against a non-existent ideal standard that has never ever been met.

Haway man, that's ridiculous. Is it? I use the ball better than him, ffs. Give Chris a call then, we could use you. I'm with Keefaz on this like. His vision is pretty horrible, but he's got other qualities that makes up for it. He's been good for us this season, especially since HBA got injured. I'm not trying to say his 'vision' is great, that's not his game. If we want vision then he's obviously not the player. If we get a player with vision for the LW then he would likely lack other things that Jonas has... pace, energy, workrate, carrying the ball forward occupying defenders etc. I don't see the point in criticising him for lack of vision, we know he's not a world-class playmaker.