LoveItIfWeBeatU

It all depends on what situation the teams we (Newcastle & West Brom) play are in at the time we play them. For example, a team with a chance of a play off place will probably be a harder game than a team in mid-table with 'nothing' to play for. Same goes for teams down the bottom. If they're fighting for their survival you'd expect it to be a harder game. If they're already relegated they could play with no pressure.

I doubt we'll be the only team doing that. A lot of teams will be shopping on the cheap. West Ham will be having a clear out, especially if they get relegated. Roy Hodgson says Fulham aren't going to be breaking the bank: - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/8578757.stm

Well we definitely need to loan another Centre Back with S.Taylor, Williamson and now Hall all out injured. Hall looked like he'd pulled a hamstring. That only leaves us with Colo and Kadar and no cover. I think the Emergency Loan Transfer window closes this week.

Or maybe only £900K wasted which the club will get back via a transfer? No manager has a 100% success rate when it comes to players they sign becoming a success. Also, it just doesn't work out for some players at some clubs. Duff was crap for us but he's been good for Fulham. Bellamy wasn't liked at Coventry but he was great for us. Like others have said, everyone hated Carroll a few months ago.

The whole team were God awful until Jonas got that gift. He was unlucky not to score with that header. If Best does turn out to be a dud he cost something between a reported £900K and £2m. That's pocket change compared to the amount of money NUFC has pissed away on poor players in the past. If it comes to it NUFC will be able to get most if not all of the money back. Now the Xisco transfer is another matter entirely!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8565371.stm

How does that work?! The Football Gods don't like us. The more important Carroll becomes for us, the more likely he'll get done. His case will probably be heard by a Mackem judge. Steven 'Stevie' Gerrard can do anything and get away with it. Knowing our luck I doubt Carroll will be as lucky.

The worrying thing is, the better he gets the more likely it is he'll get sent down when his case goes to court on April 29th (I think it is).

Promotion is the main objective but it would be a right pisser not to win the league having lead for the majority of the time. Anyway, it's in the hands of our players what with the point lead and two games in hand (not to mention the superior goal difference).

Exactly. In a way it was very fitting that Shearer's last act of playing professional football involved sticking one in against those bastards at their own ground.

If you did grow tired you could switch to kicking him in the balls while you rested your fists.

Could well be a bit of a makeshift defence on Wednesday. http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-utd/2010/03/14/united-facing-defensive-crisis-after-tough-battle-79310-26027621/

Can't say I'd want to extend his contract. This season is the first season he has played where I haven't hated him being on the pitch (and that's probably because he's at his level in the Championship). If Everton or whoever are still interested in buying him for a decent fee I'd sell him (assuming we could buy a better replacement). He's very limited in what he does. He'll get sent off in the Premiership for the challenges he gets away with in the Championship. Apparently he's a great professional, a good influence in the dressing room and a good character. That's good but I'd rather have a better player.

There is no way Nicky Butt will be at NUFC next season. 1. His contract expires in the Summer. 2. He's on huge wages. Mike Ashley wouldn't sanction a contract extension paying Butt even half of what he's currently on. 3. At the start of the season he hinted he will probably retire at the end of the season. 4. Hughton rarely picks him to play in the Championship so assuming we get promoted he'd never get a game in the Premiership. Only 11 more potential Newcastle appearances for him to go.

Maybe it's more a case of we need to play 4 - 5 - 1 away from home. Every time we try 4 - 4 - 2 we seem to play like shit. Butt is a 'only use in an emergency' player. With Smith and Barton out he's the only 'natural' fit. Our centre midfield aren't great.

I see we play next on Wednesday and West Brom play on the Tuesday. Potentially they could be 1 point behind us on Wednesday. Colo probably won't be fit for Wednesday with his dead leg (who said it was a dead leg by the way?) so our defence will be far from our strongest.

Do you seriously think the squads of Portsmouth, Hull, Burnley, Wolves, West Ham, Wigan, Sunderland, Bolton and Blackburn are so much better than Newcastle's? Granted three of the teams I mentioned will be relegated but they are the teams (and the other two Championship clubs that get promoted) we will be competing against if we get promoted.

That is really bad news about Williamson. If he's out for a month he'll be due back at the same time as S. Taylor. Hopefully Hall can do a good job. Time for an emergency loan centre back I think as we have no cover.

Like I said, we need strengthening but not a total clear out. Adding to what we've got will probably do. Is our current squad that much worse than the teams I list above?

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-utd/newcastle-utd-news/2010/03/07/newcastle-united-will-not-risk-joey-barton-79310-25977085/ http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2010/03/05/hughton-will-ask-joey-to-have-a-little-patience-61634-25966014/

Even before strengthening the current squad we would probably have a decent chance of staying up. We've got to pick up more points than three teams from the two promoted Championship clubs and whoever doesn't get relegated from the Premiership this season I.e. the likes of Bolton, Burnley, Hull, Wolves, Wigan, Portsmouth, West Ham, Sunderland and Stoke. With the players playing as a team this season for a manager they like and with relative stability off the pitch (unlike last season) it should be very possible. With the state of most football club's finances I can't imagine the teams I've mentioned doing any major squad strengthening. A lot of them will be getting rid of players to try to balance their books.

Except when someone is daft enough to pay £17m and £100k/week for him. I'd forgotten about that one! He went to the end of his contract with Liverpool and Newcastle. No one will buy him off Man U and he'll happily sit there for another season basking in the glow of training with top quality professionals so that will be 3 'to the end of the contracts' versus 1 left before the end of contract with Real Madrid. I still think he'll retire after he leaves Man U. He thinks too highly of himself to play for a team not pushing for a European spot. Didn't he sign for Madrid for £8m or something? Pretty sure it wasn't free. My knowledge on Owen's career isn't as good as I thought it was. I do know we did a swap deal with Real Madrid for Owen. Santiago Munez went the other way. (Goal! 2: Living The Dream) Very much doubt it. He already said when he left Spain he didn't want to go abroad again. His horses are in England so he'll stay near them. I can't see him being willing to play his way down the league. He's played for top clubs. He'd never have come to Newcastle if it wasn't for the World Cup that year. Who would want him who he'd be willing to play for?

We definitely need two back up wingers next season. As soon as Jonas or Routledge aren't in the team all attacks stop from their respective sides.

Except when someone is daft enough to pay £17m and £100k/week for him. I'd forgotten about that one! He went to the end of his contract with Liverpool and Newcastle. No one will buy him off Man U and he'll happily sit there for another season basking in the glow of training with top quality professionals so that will be 3 'to the end of the contracts' versus 1 left before the end of contract with Real Madrid. I still think he'll retire after he leaves Man U. He thinks too highly of himself to play for a team not pushing for a European spot.