Lotus

I don't think there's anything in his quotes that is obviously directed at Owen. It's opinion of his situation not anyone else's. I think the reference to 'people who get carried away playing for their country' is more appropriate to players like Dyer, fringe players who need the kudos rather than Owen.

Anyway, IF Owen is more interested in England than Newcastle he will have alienated himself in the dressing room with or without Bartons comments.

I would consider playing both Emre and Barton at the same time, 2 players coming back from injury, as very risky. Neither will be sharp nor have match fitness and CM is a position where this will be most exposed.

Use one of them + a DM against Spurs.

As for the future, time will tell although i think there is potential for them to leave the back 4 exposed if both play their natural games.

Don't agree with that last bit Yorkie, remember Zoggy intercepting passes from the oppostions midf going to their right winger. I think Zoggy tracks back quite well (Souness era).

A lot of what it takes to be a really good sportsman comes from within. There are quite a few footballers who take losing all too easily imo.

In the diagram i gues it might depend on the trailing leg (of the tackler).

Yeah, talking about 'late fitness test'. Interetsing about the medical though TT.

What is a fitness test exactly?

What does it involve?

How do players fail it without injuring themselves or aggravating an injury?

Does it have any element of cardio fitness at all?

Being outrun by Petrov is no disgrace. Taylor's problem is his positioning, also i think he ball watches at crosses.

 

Agreed. He can easily improve in those areas, and with experience he will. I don't agree with some of these assessments of him. I think if he is put up for sale, some of the big clubs will be after him.

 

 

I wouldn't sell him either, unless he wanted a really silly contract. I think he's an important squad member.

Don't want to sound pedantic but i don't think it will be 'easy' to improve those areas of his game, experience will help but he's got to be savvy enough to make the right choices in that split second. Some have it naturally (Woodgate), some learn it (Ferdinand) and some just never get it (Bramble).

Hope he gets some good coaching and remains motivated and humble enough to learn. Then he'll be a real asset.

Being outrun by Petrov is no disgrace. Taylor's problem is his positioning, also i think he ball watches at crosses.

FWIW i still think we have problems at the back. Roz can't win a ball in the air, Taylor can't be relied on yet and the FB's will have to bed in. Zog's positioning isn't good enough (may improve).

I'll reserve my judgement on the MF until i see how Barton, Duff and Emre perform.

As for Forwards, Viduka'a good if he can play regularly and i think Smith would be a better at holding the ball up than Ameobi (these are the Viduka alternatives).

We will win the game with our crosses IMO. Kasper Schmeichel is utterly useless at coming for crosses and often makes a mess out of them at that leaves City really exposed.

Better hope Viduka's playing then.

Despite what people say about Arsenals kids, it does say a lot about how much ground we have to make up. Their kids are good but our first team is adequate at best. Too many passengers and grafters and nowhere near enough guile. That people here jizz about the mediocrity that is James Milner sums up how much ground we have to make up.

I agree but don't be cheap by knocking our own fans for supporting a player. It's not unusual for people to have an overly positive view of their own players so you're not making any revelation by pointing it out.

Hopefully this defeat, and the manner of it will inspire the manager/board to go about making Newcastle a club than can at least compete.

I suggested it in the "Team against Wham' thread. Butt should be dropped, i don't think Geremi is a proper DM and Faye isn't used to playing for us yet. That only leaves Roz who has any experience there.

....................Given.......................

Beye......Cacapa...Taylor.....Enrique

......Barton......Roz.......Zoggy.........

......Smith.....Viduka....Martins........

Bywater won't have an easier game all season.

Beye Roz Cacapa Taylor

Milner Geremi Butt Zog

Smith Owen

Martins on 2nd half. Gotta be.

This would be a good game to play either Beye or Enrique. Not sure that disrupting a back 4 by playing both is a great idea, you'd have to be very confident in their ability to gel.

I'm not sure we'll see a radical change in personnel. Sam will probably want to keep some consistency. Not sure if we'll see Enrique and Beye, maybe one of but not both imo. Don't know if Sam will want Owen to play his 3rd full game in a week either.

Jason Roberts maybe he kind of striker you're referring to.

Chelsea got a lot of players in there.

I realise it's open season on Ozzie, but I don't remember ever "unconditionally backing" anyone, Shaman, let alone Souness. And while I am well used to moronic strawman "arguments" from NE5, a man clearly incapable of arguing with anything anyone has actually said, it's the first time I've seen this from you.

 

Worried that your self-aggrandising username and tendency to use five words where one would do don't make you look silly enough?

 

 

not an argument, you said it yourself.

 

Stephen Spence.

 

I also recall a thread where you were telling us about your idol, Arsprilla, and how he didn't play for a lot of games up front because Rob Lee did.

 

I pointed out that it had in fact been Keith Gillespie who played up front for a period when Shearer was out injured, not Rob Lee, who I think only ever played in that role once.

 

Your memory is clearly flawed of this whole period. Which makes me suspect that your memory - if you had any in the first place - is not the best, and also that you may not be quite the supporter of this club that you pretend you are.

 

Stephen Spence is an absolute classic. I don't think even the youngest person on this board, wouldn't have wondered who you were talking about. Like HTL I sort of admire you for sticking this one out, but I'd admire you even more if you came clean, and more again if - like shamen says - you admitted you were completely wrong about Souness and that the changes he made at the club should not have been made, in view of your staunch backing of him.

 

As for dishing the dirt on the club to a London scumbag journo who hates Newcastle............it isn't really a matter of "getting into moronic arguments of debates with me" at all, the simple fact is that you yourself have made these moronic statements, and did such a moronic action.

 

 

I've no particular like or dislike of Ozzie and this thread clearly make him look silly. Despite that i'm confused why you keep coming out with the 'dishing the dirt on our club' line. He gave an explanation which i haven't noticed you contest yet you bang with this line. Like it's propaganda.

FYI i wasn't part of the 'Hitzfeld for the Toon' gang either.

Don't UEFA  have rules about how many homegrown players are in a squad for European competitions?

Loada b0ll0x i reckon.

Good questions for a change, he never really answered  the good ones though which is to be expected.