oldtype

He hasn't broken into the French side because he isn't good enough. He hasn't won any titles because he isn't good enough to earn a transfer to a team that can. Unless he fancies going back to France.

Failure? It was our best summer window since... Jesus, I don't even know when. The current state of the club can be put down to messirs Keegan and Ashley. The transfers themselves were pretty sensible. Failure, yes. Didn't address all the issues wih the first team and first team squad. Sold Milner late on and never replaced him. Have 3 fcking left wingers, 1 LB and 1 RB. WTF???!?!?!?!?! I'm not saying it was perfect, but compared to our usual standards it was f***ing dynamite. Can you name a better-run summer window? We've never, ever had a summer transfer window where everything turned out perfectly and there ended up being 0 holes in the squad. In fact, I think very few teams ever have. You're complaining about not having special fullbacks for backup? Howay man, I'm barely getting used to having any at all.

Failure? It was our best summer window since... Jesus, I don't even know when. The current state of the club can be put down to messirs Keegan and Ashley. The transfers themselves were pretty sensible.

Wasn't that basically the same situation as Keegan in the summer? Ashley didn't want anything to do with him, Keegan wanted him kept? Louise Taylor could write that the Earth is round, and I'd still ask for her sources.

Pretty hard to hate Ronaldo for diving when Jonas goes down like he's been shot at any sort of contact. I'll just have to go back to hating him for being a cunt.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11685_4764921,00.html Basically, an arbitration tribunal ruled last year that West Ham had committed an additional violation by continuing to play Tevez without sorting out his ownership after their 5.5m fine. The FA is now launching an additional inquiry into this accusation. Wish they'd just get the bloody thing over with and have them pay Sheff. Utd a gazillion pounds or whatever they want, since giving West Ham a points deduction this long after the event would be ridiculous. Travesty that they were allowed to get away with it in the first place.

Honestly, next year if we lose Given. Hardly think we're destined for relegation for goodness sake. Villa looked like they were destined to be a big club to face relegated only a few years ago. Football isn't static. Players change, managers change, etc. For all we know in five years, Newcastle could be preparing for their next Premier league fixture at Ibrox against Rangers or at the Vicente Calderon against Atletico fro our next Europe second divison fixture. I'd normally agree, but the way we've steadily taken a step further into the abyss every year against all odds makes me feel like there are some cosmic forces conspiring against us. I really thought it was the end of that after we drew at Old Trafford on the first day of the season. Unfortunately, events since then have systematically crushed any sense of hope out of my bones.

I agree that we're pretty much destined for relegation within the next five years or so, but I don't think this year will be the year.

"Would actually welcome a collapse of football as a whole" Jesus, just one new low after another for you isn't it.

Give it a rest dude, he's just posting something he's heard on here, not trying to offend anyone. It's no coincidence that he's posting transfer news now given that the window is open. I don't think the stick he gets is fair at all. I don't give a damn if it's fair or not. I find him immensely annoying. And a lot of other people do too.

Zog + 5 mil for Bentley seems like a good deal for both sides involved. This summer we would have wet ourselves in pure ecstasy thinking of playing Jonas on the left and Bentley on the right. Other than the fact that Bentley probably thinks he's too good for us, everything about that deal makes sense.

At this point, if he's a CM, on a free and not over 30, I'm on board.

Spurs would be a perfect club for him. They're useless but think they should be in the top four, so does he.

Arriving early allows the atmosphere in the ground to bulid up, good stewarding can sort out the kids. It also prevents you from getting properly drunk pre-match. I suppose I wouldn't mind if they were willing to sell alcohol at non-ridiculous prices within the stadium. You still can't drink in view of the pitch so someone would probably take your seat while you are on the concourse. Good point. They'd have to allow you to drink in the stands as well then.

Arriving early allows the atmosphere in the ground to bulid up, good stewarding can sort out the kids. It also prevents you from getting properly drunk pre-match. I suppose I wouldn't mind if they were willing to sell alcohol at non-ridiculous prices within the stadium.

I hate non-allocated seating. Makes for chaos within the stadium with people milling all about, have to arrive an hour before the match so you won't get dumped in an obstructed view seat somewhere, and of course there will be stupid kids who save entire rows of seats up front for their "pals." A properly allocated standing section would be a much better compromise.

Smith in the midfield literally has all of Butt's weaknesses (reckless tackling, horrible distribution, low awareness) with none of his strengths (positioning/covering). As for Smith v. Shola up front, Shola Ameobi has scored more goals this season than Smith ever will for the remainder of his career. That's all there is to it really.

That 11m was Boumsong, Babayaro, and Amdy Faye by the way. Not a tall order, money or quality wise.

I'm sorry, but he absolutely is the putrid player most make him out to be. People have just forgotten because how bad he is because he's been out of the team so long. Makes Butt look like Fabregas in midfield, makes Ameobi look like Trezeguet in the attack. And Xisco, by the way, has scored more goals.

and why is that? paper thin midfield. smith can cover if we desperately need. What? So he can run around as a forward somehow managing to be in the wrong place all the time, never take any shots on goal, play with his back to the opposition goal for 90 minutes and fail to link up along side anyone else unfortunate to be playing along side him? Or are you talking about his midfield ability where he somehow manages to be in the wrong place all the time, dives into unnecessary tackles, fails to link up with anyone else in the midfield, or defence, or attack and manages to gift at least one edge-of-the-box free kick to anyone we're playing. We'd be better off playing with 10 men than put Alan Smith in the team. he showed, albeit some years ago now, that he has atleast some ability. If he can regain fitness i belive he could be an okey sub/cover for midfield/striker. however, alot of other players should get the nod ahead, and we should deffo offload him. however not until the summer. It's just been so long since you've seen Smith play. You've forgotten how utterly horrible he is.

How is it "better" ? Do you not think the Keegan Newcastle team would challenge for the title ? Do you think the England team of 1990 is not better than the one of the last few years ? Why do you think that football "always" improves ? Its not the case mate, believe me. There are plenty of players through the ages who would still walk into current teams. You are the best of your era, you can't do better than that and you can stand alongside the best players of any other era too. I think the Keegan Newcastle team would probably finish between 4th & 6th around the likes of Arsenal & Villa. Prepared to be shot down here, but that's my opinion. It also goes beyond just a direct comparison in quality. Back in Keegan or even Robson's days it was easy to build a team that could put away opponents in the bottom half of the league with consistency. These days teams like Villa will have their bad days where they're completely outplayed by a team like us. Not only is the league much better in general, it's also much more level. (Excluding the "top four," of course) as detached from the true reality as those who attempted to suggest that under Ashley we were trying to sign young players with potential for the first time in our history. What you say is nothing new, it's always happened and always will. NE5, isn't it a fact (I know you like that word) that in the mid-90s, the Premiership was maybe the fifth or sixth most prestigious league in the world, when now it is unquestionably number one? Isn't it a fact that the talent pool in the 90s was mostly limited to players from the British Isles (with a few notable exceptions,) while now the best talent in the world flocks to the league? Isn't it the fact that the Premiership has been absolutely dominating the Champions League in recent years? Isn't it the fact that the amount of money in the league has increased nearly a tenfold in the past decade? Despite all that, are you sure the Premiership is still the same old league it was in the 90s? European Cup: Winners 1977 - Liverpool Winners 1978 - Liverpool Winners 1979 - Forest Winners 1980 - Forest Winners 1981 - Villa You were saying ? We were talking about the change from the mid-90s to 2008. Completely unrelated to those results. But then again, you're probably above such insignificant things as common sense. were we ? You may have been. But I was saying that nothing changes, you have the same teams to beat. If you are top of your era, you stand beside anyone else who is top of a different era. If changes and advances are made in training, medical techniques, dietary research, they benefit all teams. Newcastle United has always been one of the top clubs in the country, to bring this nearer home, but we only capatilised, or attempted to, on our potential during the period 1992-2007. You said that English clubs have dominated the Champions League lately, I have shown you they dominated it more in a different era. Its been a good last few years, but there have been other good years. English teams also won the Fairs Cup from 1968-1972. Aside of those European Cup wins, there have been others, a few losing finalists and lots of semi finalists too. Leeds lost the final in 1975, and Liverpool won it again in 1984, and lost the Final in 1985, the year of the Heysel disaster. Not bad is it ? 6 winners and 2 losing finalists in 11 seasons. The current world champions are Italy too by the way. How many Italian internationals play in the premiership ? You make another childish comment in your last line again. Do you want to discuss this like an adult or not ? The fact that English first division was also dominant in the 70s and 80s does that prove that the English first division has not changed in quality from 1996 to 2008 and certainly, absolutely does not prove that the quality of football in the top English division has remained constant over the past however many years. You can pull out completely unrelated stats all you want. Absolutely does not change the fact that you're talking nonsense and absolutely does not change the fact that you cannot tell me with a straight face that the Premiership is unchanged in quality in the past decade. I don't even know why I bother arguing you. You'll just respond by completely misrepresenting my arguments, trotting on stats which have absolutely no relevance, or making some pathetic attempt at wit and typing in "mackems.gif" Heck, I'm pretty sure that nothing I'm saying right now is even registering with you. You're just to caught up in your own world and your own whacked out view of things. For both our sakes I'm going to stop biting and just ignore you now. I certainly have no desire to become the next Mick.

Wigan have fans?

How is it "better" ? Do you not think the Keegan Newcastle team would challenge for the title ? Do you think the England team of 1990 is not better than the one of the last few years ? Why do you think that football "always" improves ? Its not the case mate, believe me. There are plenty of players through the ages who would still walk into current teams. You are the best of your era, you can't do better than that and you can stand alongside the best players of any other era too. I think the Keegan Newcastle team would probably finish between 4th & 6th around the likes of Arsenal & Villa. Prepared to be shot down here, but that's my opinion. It also goes beyond just a direct comparison in quality. Back in Keegan or even Robson's days it was easy to build a team that could put away opponents in the bottom half of the league with consistency. These days teams like Villa will have their bad days where they're completely outplayed by a team like us. Not only is the league much better in general, it's also much more level. (Excluding the "top four," of course) as detached from the true reality as those who attempted to suggest that under Ashley we were trying to sign young players with potential for the first time in our history. What you say is nothing new, it's always happened and always will. NE5, isn't it a fact (I know you like that word) that in the mid-90s, the Premiership was maybe the fifth or sixth most prestigious league in the world, when now it is unquestionably number one? Isn't it a fact that the talent pool in the 90s was mostly limited to players from the British Isles (with a few notable exceptions,) while now the best talent in the world flocks to the league? Isn't it the fact that the Premiership has been absolutely dominating the Champions League in recent years? Isn't it the fact that the amount of money in the league has increased nearly a tenfold in the past decade? Despite all that, are you sure the Premiership is still the same old league it was in the 90s? European Cup: Winners 1977 - Liverpool Winners 1978 - Liverpool Winners 1979 - Forest Winners 1980 - Forest Winners 1981 - Villa You were saying ? We were talking about the change from the mid-90s to 2008. Completely unrelated to those results. But then again, you're probably above such insignificant things as common sense.

Not too bothered about Tottenham winning the Carling Cup again. With the CC being what it is, win it once than alright that's good you've actually won something, but I figure winning it twice, especially on consecutive years, comes with a heavy dose of apathy.

Kinnear may be completely inept, but as Bassong > Taylor indicates he's not insane. Butt v Guthrie would be such an obvious choice... If he gets that wrong there's just no hope.