toon25

Duff and Milner put in a decent shift, Carroll looked like he could warrant a decent run. The rest quite simply are not good enough - no pace, no movement, no vision, no threat, etc. Manyoo didn't even get into gear, they waltzed around without breaking sweat whilst our lot nonchalantly strolled around the field. By the looks of players you would know that there is no confidence and no fight. When players lost the ball nobody attempted to chase the cause. We are in the shite and I question those that say that there is 1 worse team in the league now (assuming Derby and Fulham are as good as gone) - similar teams in this position at least put in a shift! I very much doubt KK is the man to turn this around, poor run or not we have seen little fight, little tactical awareness, and baffling team selections.

Just seen the line up and fuk me!! I'm lost for words - why oh why do these fuking shite piss poor excuses for footballers continue to get into the starting eleven! Nicky fuking Butt, what does he do to merit an inclusion? Honestly, what is KK thinking - the ineptitude of certain members of this team got fuking hammered against Villa, fuking hammered against Arsenal drew with Boro, and failed to get a result against Bolton.

Butt and Smith to start, I guran-bloody-tee it. We'll be disappointed come 16:45 when the teams are announced

I live in Norwich and have seen them play a few times this year. Unquestionably Roeder has improved the squad, given them self belief and changed their approach to games - rather like he did here. Like others have said, this is what he has a great track record for, turning clubs in difficulty around and then imploding the following season. I'm no Roeder fan though and have no delusions about his time here - he was made to look remotely competent after the Souness farce and the momentum that took us into Europe - which I put more down to the Souness cloud being lifted. Tactically naive and seemed far too weak and pathetic to cut it as a premiership manager. The Championship is his level.

1. I could run out there and give 110% and so could every poster on this forum. Doesn't mean s***. 2. One decent game against a team that was off the boil at the time is a fairly s*** return for an entire season's effort. 3. Alan Smith does not, and has never, played neat football. 4. He hasn't scored in 3 years tell me how exactly he is going to break open the most stingy defence in the league? 5. As s*** as the team is Owen bagged 2 in the last 2. The chances are there, he is just not good enough to take them. 6. The reserves is for building up confidence. 7. Just bandying about cliches doesn't make it true. 1. So could I but I bet none of us here has his stamina and the technique to go with the effort level. 2. The team hasn't had many decent games for the whole season. We've been struggling the whole season and our performances have been very scrappy. Granted that could give excuse for all of our players for not performing but personally I've seen lot of positives in him. He hasn't succumped under pressure like many others (Given, Cacapa, Rozenthal, Barton, etc.). 3. I don't think you can get into team that playes one of the most attacking football in the league by being a poor footballer (technique and intelligence wise). Obviously he's a crafter and playes with somewhat mental style but he does have decent enough footballing brain and technique to be more than a destroyer. 4. My guess is that when we get our midfield and defence sorted out and can actually start playing instead of chasing shadows. 5. And how long did it take Owen to net 2 in 2? He had quite dry spell before that and he isn't really comparable to Smith anyway Two totally different type of players with different assets and weaknesses. 6. Like we have any extra bodies to spare for "reserves" right now. We aren't getting any new players between now and end of the season... have to do what we have right now. In my eyes he is doing hell a lot better than many others in the team who have bottled it in one way or another. Like when he played at Manyoo you mean? He was as much of a headless chicken there. The main point here is that, however Smith may be defended in the eyes of a minority, we have far better strikers in line that should be playing before he gets a look in - Viduka, Oba, even Andy Carroll. The only way Smith will be an asset is if he joins the rest of us in the stands cheering the boys on during matchdays

Personally, I think he's lost the scoring touch. As many have said before, it's been coached out of him. At this moment in time he offers nothing. I'd love to see Oba back in the side and back to his best. We could really do with his goals

Spot on

The problem with Faye is that he is the possible solution to two immediate problems: - defensive frailty - owing to the ineptitude of Taylor - the lack of spine in midfield - owing to Butt I know it has been discussed in a different thread but I honestly don't know which of these problems requires addressing sooner, I think it varies depending on the opposition. If, like last week against the Boro, the opposition offer relatively little up front, then Faye should be given the opportunity in midfield in place of Butt. However, if like today, where the opposition had big physical forwards likely to bully defenders, Faye should almost certainly play at the back However, I accept that to adopt this would breed inconsistency, something which we have too much of at the moment

Genuine question: does anyone know why Sam actually bought this useless fucker? What excuse did he give?

We certainly don't have many options, particularly in the centre. I am however confident that KK will, unlike Sam, be prepared to drop underperformers. He did mention in his post-match interview that some performances were not what he expected from Newcastle players - this may be a sign that he is prepared to bench those who, in some cases underperform, and those who are just utter shite

What a joke, I am utterly disappointed at the manner of our collapse yet again. Though the first half showed some definite 'spells' of improvement - neat passing, players moving forwad to receive a pass, no long balls, etc. the lack of spine throughout the squad leaves me concerned as to where our points will come from and whether or not the actual signs of improvement will be inculcated throughout an entire 90 minutes rather than a few decent 'spell'. After the first goals we just seemed to sit back and try to soak up Villa's attacks without really breaking forward - a gross mistake seeing as we are weak defensively and toothless in attack I'm not convinced that we are 'safe' because other teams are far worse than us - that fact of the matter is, those other teams have bolstered their squads over January, we have not. The expectation among the management that players such as Carr, Smith, Barton and Butt will help us clime out of this position is misplaced, as results are proving.

Really, REALLY worrying how we seem to just completely and utterly collapse. Good luck Kev, if you can turn this one around you'll be worthy of your 'messiah' status

The f*** are you on about? What club are you even on about? Villa - bastards

Come on Toon, I fucking hate Villa, their arrogant wanker of a manager and their smarmy bastard of an owner!

How has Smith been doing?

How has Butt's passing been?

Are we not allowed to have an opinion of the pre-match line-up? It doesn't matter what side we put out, if we win. Of course people can express an opinion, I'm just saying that we should have a bit of faith, we're not out on the training ground every day, KK has picked that team for a reason.

Let's just judge AFTER the fucking match?

Exactly, what a complete load of bollocks. Yet another way of destroying the culture and tradition of the game.

Is it worth giving a couple of our youngsters a run in the side? We lacked pace and movement today and despite KK's rhetoric, a fat lot of good the so-called 'experience' of Butt and Smith did us. Youngsters have to start somewhere, is this the time to do it?

Nope, not at all mate, I thought he played well

I've never been a fan of Butt, every time I've seen this arsehole he persists in giving the ball away, for a supposed 'defensive midfielder' he has no presence, no quality, and no fuking talent! We'd do far better with Barton and Emre, at least we'd have a go at teams and give them a chance to form a decent partnership. We're not out of this yet, I'm worried about the lack of spine in the team Next week we'll have Enrique, Beye and Faye back, they are the only positives at the mo

Get the fuck in! Now let the floodgates open!

Would like to see Barton in the centre at some point, fucking Boro are not offering much through the centre so it would benefit taking Butt off.

Exactly