timnufc22

Duff was definetely better today, looked good on the right, positive and tried to make things happen.

Hi Timnufc22, I sit in the middle of the Gallowgate & he has looked s**** from where I am sitting so if you want to swap seats drop me a PM before the next home game. I would mate but it seems singing in the Gallowgate End in bared these days so al have to pass But fair enough its your opinion, for me he works his socks off and is a quality ball winner. He's been made to look poor at times because he's having to try and be the playmaker at the same time, which isnt his game, imo.

But he dosent. He does nothing apart from wait for a chance laid on a plate. common myth tbh, he's lost his pace but he's effective dropping deep and linking up play, very rarely wastes the ball Obviously when all he does is lay the ball off 5 yards. What exactly does he do thats effective when dropping deep, what link up play do you mean? I dont see any clever passes, one-two's, any skill. He can be neat & tidy and thats where it ends really, like a lot of strikers in the league.

Nicky Butts a good player & has done really well for us this season just like last imo. Hes just never been given a proper partner, someone to push forward next to him. He gives quality protection to the defence, grit & determination in abundance, and a cool head.

What does it matter who's foot the ball came from when he missed a tap in from 3 yards (today) & a one-on-one with the keeper (man city) etc? Does it suddenly not count as a chance he should have scored? Its fair do's not bieng the most deadly ever if he caused other problems and had skillful link up play. But he dosent. He does nothing apart from wait for a chance laid on a plate. But thats the problem, its not like he the amazing finisher he's hyped up to be.

Isnt Martins our best goalscorer?

Spot on. Owen is simply a reputation & hype. He's a name, not a brilliant player. And the thing is he did have chances, again, today- but hes simply not this finisher he's hyped up to be. People really need to realise what he actually is and not be sucked into the rubbish Owen hype. He's not the worst player ever obviosuly. But 'lethal finisher', 'world class striker' 'give him a chance and he'll put it away striker'? Its hype, and hype only & not the truth. Get rid asap.

We definetely need to get a settled team going. Martins & Viduka upfront, Butt & Barton in the middle, NZogbia & Milner on the wings, Rozy & Faye(if fit) at the back with Beye & Jose as the full backs. Get em playing week in week out regardless of opposition, theres enough quality there to make the opposition worry once they gel.

No. Difficult to see what point Tim was making then or why you backed him up. Im saying hes not the deadly finisher hes hyped up to be. If he really was then the fact he dosent offer much at all in general play could be excsued, but he isnt imo, he isnt this 'one chance one goal' player. His reputation gets him by so much and Martins offers much more imo.

Then why didnt he finish his 2 chances v derland?

Whatever you think of Owen, surley its obvious Viduka & Martins is our best partnership up front and should be worked on.

Spot on. As long as Owen is in the team we will continue to struggle and it's as simple as that. Contributes very little IMO in general play, particularly when we are struggling. If he's going to be solely a chance taker, then he has to take chances like that one which came his way from Harper's long clearance. Thats it, in a nutshell.

Absolutely superb! Legend, theres only one Mike Ashley..!

His position was undermined back in August though. Two games in and they were smashing the panic button with a mallet. Things may have sorted themselves out if they hadn't done that and made it clear he was on borrowed time from the start. Spot on.

Exactly it dosent matter if it wasnt made for Newcastle, it now does have the connection & was done by a Geordie. Its irrelevant which film it was made for, it was adapoted by Nufc and change shouldnt happen just for the sake of it.

Emre formed a good partnership with Butt and we picked up some good results with those two in the middle. It seems incredible that two successive managers would make the same mistake but I think that's what happened, as you say Parker was given attacking license while Emre was told to protect and it suited neither player. Because Roeder made Parker captain he didn't have the balls to drop him, and I remember Souness saying he thought Emre was a defensive midfielder. Emre's problems are obviously about consistency and injuries, one possibly to do with the other. Keep him fit and I think he'll find consistency. The main challenge for Allardyce will be to keep him fit all season. The thing I like about him is he sees things early, plays the ball early and spreads the play from flank to flank. One of the problems of recent seasons has been players like Parker and Jenas who weren't willing to take a chance and run at people or play ambitious passes, instead deciding to turn around and play it sideways or backwards. In the end both took flak from the fans and wanted out at the first opportunity, which I think tells us something about their characters. It just goes to show that our fans aren't just about big tackles but appreciate a player who can drive forward and take a chance now and again. We've really missed Emre and Barton so far, the sooner the two are available the better. I still believe Emre has the potential to be a crowd favourite here, but the injuries have to stop. Aye theres no doubting he'll be a very useful player if he drives forward and plays his games in the final third. Unbelievably, we had him sitting on the half way line under Roeder, blatently lacking support upfront and Roeder didnt change it one bit, crazy.

Looks like he could possibly improve on the Souness brand, a compliment if ever there was one.

Nail on head. Exactly.

What a sad day, Nobby you are a total Legend. Massive shame he couldnt play out the last year of his contract. Must have a belting reception when he comes back.

I'd have Geremi RB on saturday

Its quality weve got competition, really healthy. Although I do hope just because Geremi is captain he should never be dropped it would be wrong, and theres no big deal if he is, players have dips in form captain or not.

Think Butt's played much better so far, granted things wernt amazing vs villa & boro, but thought Butt was one of the few to come out with some credit, and looked good when he came on against Barnsley. His experience is vital, he dosent needs to be the most mobile because he can read the game so well, and his passing is under-rated. Also a good talker, seen him bollock Taylor more than once this season.

For me Butt should be in the holding role ahead of Geremi if one was to be picked. Been quality so far, possibly unlucky not to get the armband. Both of them in the team is fine away from home although at home Geremi needs to get forward more than he has done. Although I understand that its about playing the percentages and bieng solid, possibly not play the most fluid football, but with people like Martins up-front we should nick a goal.

Are you his brother? Get a grip man, they get paid enough money! So they should take stick when they are useless! Remember who pays for all this, the fans! So he deserves being called a retard, and being hated, I'm not denying he was a crap manager but some people go way OTT Thats fair do's although I do find it a bit disturbing that someone who supposedly has the best interests of Nufc at heart can drop an in-form Solano at RB for Steven Carr as soon as he's 'fit'.

The thing is though with Roeder, wheres his standards? The only thing he bangs on about is unjuries, we actually played better with injuries compared to when everyone was fit! Has playing Carr over Solano not got anything to do with how shit we were? Playing Duff over NZogbia regardless of performance? Banashing Luque and not doing his job to actually attempt to manage him and get the best out of him? Turning Sol Campbell down? Putting Milner on the bench for our biggest game of the season? Playing Dyer once fit regardless how shit he played? I think theres more reasons than just injuries why we were so terrible Glenn...