Shush

Just got home to log on and find out we get Arsenal away. Fuck sake. That's us out (assuming we beat Stoke at home!). We may as well throw the Stoke game and forget the cup. There is no chance we will beat Arsenal away, we might as well save our strength to ensure we don't get dragged down the league further, or perhaps if we do turn things around and go on a run, ensure that players can sustain it without a cup game distraction. Grr... why couldn't we get home to Barnet!

If he has a good game in any position, then I will say well done. If he has a shite one (which seems to be the only form he's offering) then people want to vent their frustrations about it here. If its boring for you to read, perhaps don't come in to this thread, which is clearly where people want to discuss how shite Alan Smith is playing. Rocket science eh? - meh

We are desperate though. Playing Smith in midfield is more desperate than us buying and playing Koumas.

Bah... a bit to presumptuous really.

Owen is our best finisher. Give him 2 or 3 chances and he usually puts 1 of them away. He's starved of chances so he doesn't score. Good example of Owen is that friendy against Argentina. You didn't see him all game, then bam... 2 goals from him. He's still got it, we just ain't supplying him with decent passes/crosses.

Probs didn't bother going when he found out Smith was playing in midfield.

The thing is though, there are actually defensive midfielders out there who can pass the ball. We don't necessarily need people in there who get forward, but more importantly, people who can pass the ball. Pirlo has a great free kick and long range shot on him! Butt and Smith need miracles just get the ball towards the goal.

True about the 2nd part, but I just don't know about Barnes. 70 games and 10 goals isn't bad for a midfielder at 19.

I would take that gamble, if it kept Smith out of midfield.

No chance of Noble, he's die hard hammers. True, it's a shame, quite like Noble. (as a player, of course).

What scares me is that I don't believe we can get the big name player which the majority of fans expect or would accept, mainly becasue we are all over the media as being shite, our form is shite and we are not in Europe. It's most likely we could get one of... David Dunn Jason Koumas Mark Noble Giles Barnes Not exactly the big name you'd hope for, but regardless of what people really would want, they are people we "could" get and they are light years ahead of Smith, Butt, Geremi at getting forward, making a decent pass or forcing a save from the keeper at distance. Although I've only got an education from YouTube of Ashvarin, I'd rather go for him and Barnes in the window then any of the others.

With Emre not in favour and Barton only recently no longer having to cry himself to sleep in a cell, what the hell do we do about a creative passer in midfield. We are currently crying out for someone to find a killer pass or to give the opposition keeper something to worry about from range (bar Zoggy). I think the top priority during January is to bring in one or maybe even two creative centre midfielders. I would love Emre to be that man, but this season he ain't so I would be happy for him to move on knowing that two were coming in. Our only threat from midfield is Duff, Zoggy or Milner... and that is sad. Wingers have their jobs to do, but the pressure needs to be taken off them with a decent centre midfielder looking to make chances for our strikers or providing better passes to our wingers so they have more time to create a better shot/cross. Viduka tried to drop back in first half against Stoke but could only offer a couple passes at best. Even Owen dropped back looking for the ball to move it about a bit during the second half against Stoke. These players shouldn't be having to do this. It was embarrassing watching Nicky Butt trying to be that man too, with more shots being likely to leave the ground than hit the back of the net. Question is, who can we even get during this transfer window that could offer us that creative edge in midfield? Please, don't bother suggesting... Diego Riquelme Van der Vaart etc... as I believe they are beyond our reach while we don't have European football to offer.

Butt did ok today, the reason he looked shite at times is the fact that he was covering up for Smith. We desperately needed someone with creative passes, flair and long range shooting from the middle of the park. Butt and Smith are no doubt low down the list of players you would want to be looking for any of these, yet they were our two centre midfielders. Butt did what he had to do today and more, it's not his fault he has to cover up for how shit Smith is.

Well, he made a few runs that looked dangerous. It's impossible to judge him on that, but I would say that I would like to see more of him and I'm suprised we already haven't given that Duff was injured for most of this season.

I don't know, but but if Smith is starting in midfield I won't be watching it.

What? Faye was miles better imo.

Firstly, well done to Stoke. They battled hard and closed us down for 90 mins, and when on the ball they were not scared to pile forward and probably should have scored. I was most pissed off with our overall performance. After 45 mins, there were indications that we could win and signs that it would require us to adapt our style a bit. Instead we continued to play poor and there was only a handful of players in a black and white shirt pulling the strings. The rest were simply there to lose the ball and make up the numbers it seems. Given - 6/10 - Hardly a confidence filling performance, but made saves when he had to. Got lucky when Faye clambered back to cover up Taylors fuck up. Enrique - 6/10 - Didn't do much wrong. Didn't do anything else of note going forward. Feel there is a talented player here who is not being used to his best in the Newcastle side. Faye - 8/10 - Great performance. Often called upon to sort out all sorts of defensive slip ups and generally the man there to save the day at the back. Taylor - 5/10 - Didn't have much to do, but his fuck up neary lost us this game. Rozenhal 4/10 - Wasted possesion far too much. Duff 7/10 - Was lively, just didn't seem to always get the best pass to run on to. Stoke made life difficult for anyone on the ball, but always felt Duff seemed dangerous. Was a great backwards lob when the keeper was off his line in the 2nd half, shame lady Owen couldn't poke a head at it. Butt 8/10 - Great performance from Butt. He worked hard and battled and was always looking to quickly pass the ball around a bit and take advantage of Stoke's "charge at the man with the ball" approach. My biggest gripe with Butt, is that he is being called upon to be the creative man in midfield as well as the tough tackler and protecter of the back four. So many times the ball was given to him to shoot at goal when he has a terrible shot on him. Also he was the only player looking to find creative passes, fair play for trying, but Butt should be used for his best ability, breaking up play and simple passes. Fed up with seeing him trying little dinks over the full back fail etc. Not his fault, as fuck all else tried to find the killer pass in the final 3rd like he did. Smith 1/10 - I honestly have no idea why this man was on the pitch other than to make up the numbers. He is useless. Would rather play with 10 men than have him play in midfield. When Smith is near the action you think "hey we have a player there" but he complete undermines the team by ruling himself out of action through a wasted lunge at the opposition. He can't pass, he can't tackle... no idea what happened to this man as in this game, he looked the worst player on the pitch. N'Zogbia 7/10 - N'Zogbia looks like our most dangerous player. He works very hard and must have been responsible for a fair amount of our shots at goal (bar Butt's row Z'ers). As much as I enjoy watching him run at goal and take shots, I feel too much reliance is on him to get us something out of games. It shouldn't be a 1 man band, we need to create and finish as a TEAM. It's not Zoggy's fault (when say fault, I mean be greedy and go for goal) that he's the only one with some venom when he runs at goal, but its frustrating that our most dangerous man is only Zoggy when we should look dangerous as a unit, especially against a Championship side. Viduka - 6/10 - The most talent played on the pitch skill wise. Great feet and vision, just sadly a lazy fat cunt with zero work rate. 2nd dangerous man on the pitch from Zoggy, mainly because Viduka can pull rabbits out of his from time to time. Need to take advantage of this man more as he can receive the ball and make use of it nearly every time. By his standards in this match, he was average though. Owen - 6/10 - Shame. We have one of the worlds best finishers, yet we can't provide him with decent chances to finish. Think he did well to drop back 2nd half and try to pick the ball up and pass it. Infact, I'd rather have Owen in centre of midfield than Smith. Owen can receive the ball and pass it wisely, something Smith never showed in that game. Of course, I'd never actually want Owen anywhere else than up front. It's also frustrating that we have nobody to supply this man with a decent through ball. Butt was the man trying, but it's not his game to do so. As for our subs... Lua Lua - 7/10 Looked lively, made a few good runs. Why hasn't this man been used as a sub more often while Duff was out? would like to see more. Carroll - 6/10 Did ok to reach a few headers. It was far too difficult to find a goal from that really tight angle (and under pressure from stoke players) right at the death, but again someone that I'd expect to see a bit more of while Martins is out. ------------------------ Again, credit to Stoke, they played very well and made it tough. It was clear that we had the ability to win this game, but we just don't play the type of football to do it.

Half time, it's pissing it down which isn't helping, but we've been poor really. Here's how I've judged it so far, player by player. Given Not really much to do apart from the free kick save at the end. Enrique Has done ok, nothing special. A few misplaced passes when he's ventured forward, but stoke are sending two men straight at whoever has got the ball, so we've not got much time to think. Needs more support from a striker and N'Zogbia for easier passes. Faye Done well! - See's danger and is strong and quick enough to get there and sort it out. Making Taylor seem absent at times. Taylor Hasn't done much really. Generally Faye is taking control and sorting things out. Ronzenhal Frustrating. He's played far too many shite long balls from the back when a simple pass is needed. Has left us exposed down the right flank a couple of times. N'Zogbia Dangerous, always looking to run or shoot. Perhaps needs to think about crossing sometimes and not just shooting though. Butt Done ok, but still needs to realise he isn't David Beckham and his long chip passes are not that effective. His game should be winning the ball back and passing it only. Smith Complete joke. The only thing he has showed is his ability to run at the opposition and slide in with a tackle. Only once (out of dozens of times) has his sliding tackles worked, and that was more by luck than anything else. He should not play in midfield. No positioning sense either. Just seems to be a headless chicken. That time on the right wing when we lost the ball and he was the closest man, he should have got close to the stoke player and put him under pressure, not try a stupid slide tackle which left us well exposed down the right hand side. Duff Like Zoggy, looking dangerous. Shame that Viduka has not played the best balls to him, seems that he wants the ball to feet more. Viduka Done well, he's linked up play and been the most creative player on the pitch. Good first touch and lay offs, few good passes too. Nearly sent Owen through with that lob that bounced over the stoke centre back. Drops back to help link midfield and attack too. Just wish he was a bit more active at times when he hasn't got the ball. Owen Hmm... well he's not played bad, not seen much of the ball really. When he has got he ball he's linked up well with others. When he found himself one on one with the keeper after the ball bounced over the stoke players head, Owen really should have looked to just head it over the keeper. Instead he raised his leg to flick the ball but keeper got close enough to stop him. Overall thoughts:- Need to get a creative player on the pitch in the middle. Smith off now. Rozenhal told to keep it simple, no more long hoofs unless it’s a clearance.

Hmm... Martins hasn't been playing well this season, but neither has most of the team really. £13million is tempting, but who can we get with that money that will make a difference? - I can't see many strikers wanting to come here unless its from a lower club/league, and the chances of a player coming here from a lower league and making a difference is very hit and miss generally. I'm going to say stick with Martins, sell Ameobi and bring in someone else to replace him (Dave Kitson?). Can't see anyone signing Martins til end of January incase he is injured badly for Nigeria.

I like Dean Ashton. Clever player, good strength, good feet and and good shot. Sadly, no pace... and very injury prone.

Not convinced its time to cash in on Martins. Still believe we should keep him. He's not taken many of those famous blasts at goal this year, but then again the whole team's been shite in some games, so not going to single him out.

Will this really be the final wake up call to Joey Barton? Crying in jail? - surely he will change after all this... well at least you'd think so. Have no sympathy for him. He's been shite for us, unlucky with injury, but ruined it will stupidity. Shame we didn't go for Reo-Coker instead. Looks like Villa made the right move.

A lot of people think so. If you don't believe we do, then don't vote. Simple.

What do you think the problem is?

Despite the awful football and results, I'm still backing Sam. If we finish less then 10th, I believe he should go.