robbo_11

Manchester City after Cassano (Gazzetta). Alberto Aquilani is wanted by Inter Milan, and (Tuttosport) claim a deal is already in place with Crespo heading the other way. Roma a selling club? Real Madrid are keeping tabs on Inter's Mario Balotelli for around €18m (Spanish Media). Spartak Moscow are looking at Kevin Kuranyi, whose contract runs out in 2010. A very good player who I saw on TV afew time when in Austria over the summer. Scores goals for fun. Luis Fabiano to Chelsea for around €15m in January (The Times).

Tim Krul got some experience last season at SPL Falkirk and its good to see Forster will get a few games at League One standard. Personally I think Krul is the better keeper, but maybe with a few games Forster will continue with his rapid improvement.

I have been thinking this for a while, but are we fighting a losing battle trying to improve the academy? I was at the Newcastle v Blackburn reserve game on Monday night and the only player to impress for Newcastle was Tim Krul (Netherlands U21) who pulled off some great saves. Blackburn had Alan Judge (RoI U21) who impressed and Marcus Marshall who (English uncapped) impressed to a lesser extent, he played like a typical English target man. Apart from these players I couldn't see anyone who I thought straight away would play Premiership football. There are players at Newcastle like Doninger, Morris and Lough who although they may have featured in the past during pre-season or a little involvement on the bench haven't looked like breaking into the first team. Maybe its a case of getting them out on loan, but what happens if clubs don't what them on loan and prefer to opt for the experienced league players instead or an injury hit club like Newcastle can't afford to let them go, but don't feel they can bring them on? Reserve football is becoming a slight step up from youth football, but a mile away from senior football. The players stagnate and don't get much experience before being thrown in the deep end to either swim or sink. We have brought in a few foreign players, which could be detrimental to the national team, but improve Newcastle. Out of those players Ngo Baheng and Tamas Kadar looked impressive, but both have been hit by injury. I haven't saw Soderberg or Zamblera play yet, who knows how they wil turn out. It could be a case of shifting the dead wood and focusing more on the development of these players. Would people prefer to see foreign youth brought in ala Arsenal instead of the homegrown youngsters? I know that there is a few on here who know a bit more about other set ups/players at other clubs so I won't go into that, but have Newcastle still got the reputation that it isn't a good club for a young player to go to? It did a few years ago when promising players from the area, even 10 minutes from the training ground, joined other clubs instead because of the way Newcastle went about things.

How has Amara Diane been doing?

Just got in from the game and it was a drab affair. Before the game the car park had filled up and Hughton and Kinnear went to pull in before being told to go to the next car park . Hughton used the line 'I'm Chris Hughton' and was let into Blue Flames and the guy at the entrance was told who he was by another steward. The game was poor with Blackburn shading the first half, but neither side looked like creating much. Marcus Marshall, a targetman who was excellent at holding the ball up, and Alan Judge, pacy strong winger with a great cross, were good players for Blackburn. Newcastle's best player was probably Ranger, who took his goal well, producing a low finish after jinking inside the defender. The penalty was dubious, but there was contact in the box after Donaldson had won the ball. Shane Ferguson is weak and gave the ball away nine times out of ten. Krul made 3 great saves otherwise they would have been out of sight at half time. Lough was getting caught out by the ball over the top a lot. Ameobi did nothing when he was brought on. Godsmark is all pace and Marwood and Doninger are average. Ranger is used as a target man, but his dribbling is actually quite good aswell. Julio Santa Cruz was decent for them, but when the rain started he vanished from the game.

As a Newcastle fan I would like to know what your opinion is of Nacho Gonzalez, the player we have just signed on loan. Is he any good? Do you think he can cut it in the premier league? Or is he just another journeyman that Newcastle seem to acquire all the time? Ravi Sood I wouldn't call him a journeyman, but he wouldn't be my choice for the Premier League. He's an elegant playmaker, I've enjoyed his performances in Uruguay for Danubio, but I'm not sure he's right for England. I'd love to be proved wrong on this, but I fear that the rhythm of his game is too slow and that he's not mobile enough. From Tim Vickery's blog on the BBC.

There was a bit of banter flying around the Gallowgate end about him and his Oliver connection. Things like 'Its alright about his mistakes because we get an apology in the paper' and 'He is going to score a 9 for that run where he ran past a defender and pulled the ball back to the Blackburn player first half, it will be Geremi fault for being on the otherside of the pitch according to Oliver'.

Faking injury?

I thought Shola did ok bar one or two touches, he out in a great cross across the face of the goal. WTF was Geremi doing for that chance about 4 yards out is what I want to know!

Also the actual penalty was very soft, although the ref should have spotetd their handball. Also Nelson should have seen red for his challenge on N'Zogbia although we didn't even get a freekick!

Name the child after the first goalscorer? Obafemi or Xisco.

Given - Some great saves after some sloppy defending, but a bit reluctant to come away from the goal line? Bassong - Technically not a great player, but physically he is sound. Coloccini - A decent display, not really troubled. Cacapa - Slow, but experience is useful. Taylor - Error prone today. Geremi - Deliveries were poor and was immovable before he went off. N'Zogbia - A few decent runs and some decent passes. Duff - Much better in the 2nd half, some lovely skill. Butt - Too slow, but can still tackle. Owen - Fantastic player. Xisco - Hard worker, won most of his headers today.

He was very error prone today, at least 5 before half time.

I've just got back from uni and thought this was some some of joke. My mate told me, first reaction 'who?' then followed by 'him?!?!'. I don't think Keegan coming back would suffice, just seems like we are a joke club going around in circles, especially if KK comes back. Where has it came from that Ashley personally spoke to Kinnear?

I don't think it was a bad ball, maybe a poor decision to play the ball to Taylor? Taylor just thought he could have opened his body, but O'Hara read it easily and disposessed him. Thats now two mistakes in two games for Taylor. I think its down to his overall game mentality as well, he stands away from the play, often leaving things to the last minute before deciding what to do. Both errors have been him reacting slowly to other situations/players.

Butt gets a 7? Dont let the idiotic commentator fool you mate, he was very bad tonight. I still think he's a good player, who offers a lot when on form (last season at the Lane when he tore us apart), but everything he did today, he did wrong. Lots of effort though, if that counts. Don't get me wrong, I dont think they were superb today, far from it, its just other players weren't involved or poor. I didn't think Jenas did anything of note and Lennon didn't get involved until his assist. Giovani looks a promising player and someone I would love Newcastle to have. The times I have saw Bale I don't get all the hype surrounding him, a few freekicks, but he doesn't do alot else. Gomes looks a good goalkeeper as well, pulled off numnerous good saves when we could have scored.

A bit of a 'meh' encounter. I didn't think any player played well in this game and a stupid mistake has ultimately cost us. Steven Taylor continues to inept areas of his game, although you should expect better from an Argentina international. 'Never play the ball across the face of your own goal' was something your taught as school boys. I thought Butt, Owen, N'Zogbia and Bassong did ok. Cacapa could be a useful player for us, but isn't suited to the midfield role due to a lack of pace. Oba was decent when involved, but that was sparingly. Given 6 - Not a lot to do. Bassong 6 - Looked our most assured defender. Collocini 5 - A few nervy moments, but generally composed. Taylor 5 - Won a lot of headers, but there is always the chance that he is liable to make a mistake. Geremi 5 - Corners he needs to beat the first man. Cacapa 6 - Would be better if he had a bit more pace, but showed his experience to aid the side. Butt 7 - Looked like he wanted to push us on, but on his last legs unfortunately. Duff 6 - Pretty anonymous except for his chance. N'Zogbia 7 - Most attacking threat. Owen 6 - Not involved a lot, but took his goal well. Martins 6 - Not involved a lot, but had a few chances.

Sky channel 333.

I forgot about him, but I think Kadar could be an impressive player once he gets over this injury and a decent run of games. Tozer seems like he could be in the mould of another Edgar, just about good enough, but Championship would suit him better. Baheng has looked ok in the few games I have saw, but maybe is a bit one footed and likes to play with his back to goal. If we compare young players at Boro and us who have been on the bench, Walker v Doninger, I know who I would rather have.

I think we haven't had any decent players coming through for a while. Kris Gate, Alan O'Brien, Peter Ramage, Mark Brittain are just some who haven't made it. Carroll looks good at reserve level, but hasn't done enough at Preston or in the brief games at Mewcastle to say he will. Taylor is alright, but not exactly 'steady eddy'.

Thing is with the Nigerians is that the consortium have around £350m according to NVA management and are trying to get more money together. How are they going to deal with the debt and get in signings as well if there trying to get the money to buy the club now?

He resigned.

Right. Are you telling me the day he walked was his first opportunity to walk? No, I'm telling you that it was probably a culmination of various things that have happened over the past couple of months, which reached a head on deadline day when we didn't get the LB, RB, RW, and AM that we desperately need to do better than last year, having lost a good RW. September means transfer window is shut, surely as a debt of gratitude he could have held his tongue and took us through to January? Why did HE kneejerk and leave? I don't believe it was kneejerk, I believe he left for the reasons above, i.e. a culmination of various things. Face it "The messiah" dropped us in the s****. Long term, we could be deeper in the s*** if he stayed. He may have left us troubled for a few weeks, but I believe in the long term, KK will have done the best for the club. That piss poor transfer window and s**** backroom staff got us 4 points from Man utd and Bolton FFS, he put himself first when we had put him first so many many times before just accept it. Just accept what. Whose to say he hasn't done what he believes is right for the club (i.e. something so drastic as resigning to show the fans how poorly we are being run) If Keegan was to resign to show us how poorly the club was being run I would blame him for the mess. "I know what to do, I will resign to make this situation a whole lot worse and cause uproar, that will show the fans how much I care about them". We need to forget KK and move on.

Keegan came in with two weeks left in the January transfer window. He didn't make his first signing until the 7th March with Lamine Diatta coming in after a trial period. Wise, Vetere and Jiminez had all been appointed by this time and Keegan knew that the club were looking at the structure when he agreed his contract. During the Summer transfer window we signed Danny Guthrie, Jonas Gutierrez, Fabricio Collocini, Sebastian Bassong (after a trial period), Ignacio Gonzalez and Xisco. Now it is possible something could have happened on deadline day, e.g. Newcastle trying to sell Joey Barton who Keegan stood up for after the Arsenal game, but we may never find out. Although I have some blame for Keegan, the situation hasn't been helped by Llambias, Ashley and Wise.

So Keegan returns on the 16th of January with Wise, Vetere and Jiminez appointed on the 29th January. Keegan was aware that the structure was going to be in place “I am very happy [about the situation],” Keegan said yesterday after further discussions with Chris Mort, his chairman. “That’s a fact.”. Lamine Diatta signed the 7th March with no players signing in the January transfer window leaving our squad bare. I just get the feeling that Keegan knew about the structure and it was a poor decision by everyone involved with the timing and lack of news coming out of the club. Also everything seems to be a 'fact' , the club statements etc. Anyway, I wasn't expecting a result, but the performance does not inspire me for the next two games. Perhaps Shola was right when he said we has to get results against the clubs around us, we didn't against Hull and we won't against West Ham.