Lotus

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

Chelsea got a lot of players in there.

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.

Derby - Win Wham - Win Arse - Win Mancity - Loss Everton - Draw

Did SA actually say that? I thought he said Smith wasnt Dyers replacement and after we bought Smith and still had Dyer SA said if Dyer is sold he will look for a replacement. I dont understand the s*** Smith is getting on here TBH. This aint aimed at you Baggio but the general tone of a few people, Smith may not be the most gifted player but that doesnt make him a s*** player. So far i wouldnt say he's been s*** or that he's been outstanding. I thought he had a good game against Bolton but average games for the rest. I'd agree Smiths best position is up front and ideally i'd prefer him to be rotated with the other strikers and not used in the midfield unless we have too. How come Smith is getting a lot of s*** yet Viduka aint? I havent been impressed with Viduka but that doesnt mean im gonna write him off. When we agreed a deal with West Ham the first time around Allardyce came out and said that his replacement would be revealed tomorrow, the next day we signed Smith, from what I remember Allardyce said the money we got from Dyer when he did finally leave would be reinvested in the team. Smith is offering nothing, he gets stuck in in midfield but so will Faye when he plays at a fraction of the price, he's been a passenger in our last few games and he hasn't really offered us anything when we attack, as a team we have been struggling to create much and when you've spent £6 million on a player to play in midfield even though he's got few qualities to offer us then the fans are going to knock him. He's also only managed 3 goals in his last 79 games which is f****** attrocius. Get the blinkers off man. He's not being played to his strengths, nor was he at manure most of the time from what I saw of them. People who have said he's a victim of his versatility have got it spot on. I think some people just don't like him, hence stuff I've read in the past making out he's a bad lad, assuming his aggressive attitude on the field spills over into his general lifestyle when in fact off the field he's a model professional. There's a negative bias against him from a lot of people, not saying you in particular, but it's pretty obvious in a number of threads and more than a bit sad. I've got no blinkers on, I've seen from his time both here and at Man Utd that he's a s**** midfielder who offers f*** all in attack apart from plenty of graft, I'm well aware that he started out as a striker and that's his best position but that isn't much good to us while he's jumping into tackles like some sort of f****** madman in midfield is it? Btw he isn't that good as a striker either, certainly not as good as either Owen, Martins or Viduka, so what have we got? £6 million spent on a player that isn't good enough to start in attack or midfield, at the same time we've sacrificed signing a creative player with pace to accommodate him, you're right people don't like him but that's because he's an average plodder rather than them disliking him as an individual. I find it funny how you were happy to knock Parker all the time yet jump to the defence of Alan Smith, even though he's like an identical clone of him in midfield. What a laugh, mate. There is no comparison between Parker and Smith. None at all. Why are you comparing a player being used out of position with a player who was consistently used in his strongest position? His best position is up front, he's better than Viduka and should start alongside Owen. The fact the manager selects him out of position is a problem but there's nowt I can do about that. If Allardyce never comes to his senses about Smith I'll see it as an asset wasted. As for people disliking him because he's an average plodder...what a load of rubbish. i think smith is only being used wide right because with no proper left back match fit (enrique) we need to put n'zogbia there meaning the best available person to play left is milner,leaving a space on the right hence smith. playing smith up front in a 3 is something worth a try,however if he plays 4-4-2 id play him as the attacking midfielder madras, I can't see even the slightest reason why you think Smith is suitable for an attacking midfield role. Obviously I see different attributes in the player. Not directed at me but i'm joining in anyway. As i said, not thrilled about his signing but i am wondering if SA thinks he could do a similar job to Kevin Nolan, i.e. midfielder with a good engine and gets stuck in and arrives late in the box to score a few goals and is decent in the air. As he is a striker (originally) i guess his finishing will be better than say, Emre, Butt, Geremi and i've never seen him shirk an aerial challenge. If SA thinks he might be applicable to a Nolan type role, don't you think he's got the necessary attributes? I realise that this all based on a massive supposition from me that SA doesn't see him as a DM!

We need Faye to compete with Butt. Smith might be a better option as the right side of a front 3 than Owen as i think he'll work harder for the team, he'll defend from the front very effectively as well. Sam might also see him as a Nolan type goal scoring midfielder. Saying that, wasn't excited at all about Smith signing. Give them all time though to settle, maybe by Xmas before judging.

I thought it was a Lawyer who was representing Zog who brought him to out attention and the club gave him a trial. Don't remember it being anything to do with our scouts tbh.

All clubs make good and bad appointments, you can't be right everytime or all clubs would be doing well. FS made some good and bad appointments, SBR was good and i think SA will be good. Don't remember how i felt about Dalgleish but i could understand the reasoning. Gullit's appointment was a joke and anyone who defended it were totally unaware of full stroy at Chelsea, SBR became available so that was a no-brainer, GS was the worst replacement and it was totally obvious what was going to happen, Roeder had only ever relegated teams so that was only going 1 way, SA has some pedigree, he deserves a chance at a bigger club. I applaud the previous board for SA's appointment and lambast them for Gullit, GS and GR. I think the way handled the managers was the previous' board only really obvious weakness, making SOME bad choices, giving them too much £££ and selling players behind the managers back which is deplorable. I might also add i thought the Owen deal was stupid. Anyway, they did their best, there were ups and downs and now it's all history.

Anderson

NUFC key strikers.............Villa key strikers Viduka Carew Martins Young Owen Moore NUFC key midf..................Villa key midf Ron Reo Coker Butt Barry Milner Petrov NUFC key def.........................Villa key def Taylor Larsen Rozza Mellberg I think these are the key players (who are available). We worry about our FB's but i don't think they are any better off tbh. Key battle will be in the middle as always. I think their forwards are very athletic but i would reckon ours are better finishers. Looking at the squad lists makes me think we have better options to change the game too, Smith, Zoggy, Cacapa, Nobby (doubt Dyer will play), etc. They'll play 4-3-3 i reckon. If we do the same we could cancel each other out unless 1 team is more effective at it than the other. If we go for width 4-4-2 with Milner and Zoggy i reckon we'll more potent going forward but might lose out in the middle of the park. I think we've more quality.

He's just what they need, someone aimless runing round in midfield I'm not sure they know good from bad atm tbh. THEY might think he'd be perfect........certainly hope so!

Wonder if the spuds will have another look at Dyer after that abject performance from their midfield.

Dave, thought you were talking to me, sorry. Dave, you never talk to me............. Dave?

I was joking. Can't access any smilies, sorry!

Hull, obviously....

My guess: ...........................Harper.......................... Carr........Taylor..............Rozz.............Zoggy ......................Ron.........Butt........................ Dyer.....................Smith......................Oba ...........................Viduka............................

The idea of Smith certainly doesn't give me any kind of buzz but thinking sensibly, Martins & Geremi will be off to the ANC early next year. Smith covers both of those 2 positions.

Pronounced 'Kassappa'

I can see it being: ............................Given............................. Taylor.......Cacapa............Rozzie..........Drago .............................Butt............................... ...............Smith................Geremi............ .......Owen...........Viduka........Martins........ 4 CB's with this formation = a total lack of width btw. Edit: This is what i think will be the line up against Bolton should the 3 proposed moves happen.

How many of them are going to be fit often enough to play at the same time, i wonder.

and I'm sure Shepherd at times had wished John Hall would have just shut the f*** up when he stepped down too, but he didnt either You mean when Sir John spouted on about the Geordie Nation, and Sporting Club of Newcastle, and team of all Geordie bollocks ? I bet he did too. How embarrassing. Didn't SJH say he thought 'Freddie probably needs a bit of help' with reference to someone else on the Board to advise on football matters? I bet that made Freddie's day tbh. Especially coming from 'a mate.'

how about how useless someone 5'11' is at defending a corner against Shearer? Cannavaro at the San Siro for a start!