NSG

Just looked at the front cover of The Mag from last year. The front cover says "All our hopes rest on a player who isn't even ours. Just how bad can it get?" That was in reference to Rossi. What a difference a year makes, eh?

Too much anyway, wouldn't pay anything over 4m max for him, highly doubt Baines "snubbed" Everton as he was even at the ground the other day, fee problems and hopefully we can nick him. You've been to Goodison Park? An hour there and you're thinking... 'God I'll have to play here 18 times a season, my car don't stand a chance' (pulls phone out of pocket) 'Hello Sam?, Please bring me up to Newcastle, I'll accept any wage you want to offer, just get me away from Goodison!' After the Dyer incident, no cars are safe

just had the swoooosh

Still no update on SSN. Waiting for the swoooosh, then: "news just in from newcastle---over to david craig" "well chaps, im here at SJP with the chronicle in hand, leighton..." "no david, smith has just signed" "you what???"

He's wearing Joeys number in training

Good news.

He trained with the lads this morning. Expect Kev or Jamie to confirm this soon

It's a lie.

Quality, loved this stuff last year.

I don't think anyone else would want to be associated with that pun

Exactly. Taylor is only 21 (I think). Will do him no harm whatsoever to have a couple of seasons in a lower risk position as he matures as a player. He's maturing fine at CB, he doesn't need a spell at RB, it would be a pointless exercise that should only be carried out in a total emergency. Maturing fine? Seemed to make a lot of mistakes last season for someone maturing "fine". At that age defenders make mistakes, he's about as accomplished as any 20-21 year old CB in the league. Wouldn't it be better to make his mistakes out wide though, and let a much more accomplished (at the moment) CB do a better job? Then when he's learned his trade in a couple of years (when, may I add, he's still young for a CB), he can revert into the centre and be a top top centre back, that hasn't harmed the team as he was produced. If there were some serious flaws with him, it should of been done with Bramble after season 1, but it wasn't. Taylor doesn't need this, he only needs to have more games in a settled back line coached by a good manager and get another years worth of experience behind him. He knows what his mistakes last season were, he won't make them again. He's changed a lot, and will keep changing, we need to keep pushing him forward an not sideways, we've took the biggest risk, we've almost fully blooded him at CB, lets not push him to the side now. You're not going to listen anyway, so i'm not going to bother anymore.

Exactly. Taylor is only 21 (I think). Will do him no harm whatsoever to have a couple of seasons in a lower risk position as he matures as a player. He's maturing fine at CB, he doesn't need a spell at RB, it would be a pointless exercise that should only be carried out in a total emergency. Maturing fine? Seemed to make a lot of mistakes last season for someone maturing "fine". At that age defenders make mistakes, he's about as accomplished as any 20-21 year old CB in the league. I think Smoggie has a point though, I think his development has stuttered over the last season or so. I expect Allardyce to put that right though. It came on leaps and bounds last season, a perfect season for him ruined by a handful of stupid antics imo. Some of them 100% his fault, and i've berated him for that, some because he's been totally let down by the man beside him. This season he'll become a rock, cut out the mistakes and cement himself in the heart of defence, putting him at RB is about the biggest mistake we could make in his career to date. I'm just glad NUFC is now run by someone with a clue, and it simply won't happen. He made a mistake 40 minutes into his first match this season, which cost him an injury. Whether you want to admit it or not, although he has the potential to be one of the best, at such a young age it is asking fartoo much for a 21yo lad to be our main centre back for a full campaign.

Exactly. Taylor is only 21 (I think). Will do him no harm whatsoever to have a couple of seasons in a lower risk position as he matures as a player. He's maturing fine at CB, he doesn't need a spell at RB, it would be a pointless exercise that should only be carried out in a total emergency. Maturing fine? Seemed to make a lot of mistakes last season for someone maturing "fine". At that age defenders make mistakes, he's about as accomplished as any 20-21 year old CB in the league. Wouldn't it be better to make his mistakes out wide though, and let a much more accomplished (at the moment) CB do a better job? Then when he's learned his trade in a couple of years (when, may I add, he's still young for a CB), he can revert into the centre and be a top top centre back, that hasn't harmed the team as he was produced.

Starting lineup: Given Carr Rozehnal Taylor N'Zogbia Solano Butt Geremi© Milner Smith Viduka Subs: Oba Martins, Steve Harper, Albert Luque, Peter Ramage, David Edgar, Paul Huntington, Matty Pattison, James Troisi, Andy Carroll, Shola Ameobi, Fraser Forster No links to illegal audio or video streams or requests via PM, thanks. To clarify: This game is being shown live on Setanta Sports. It is not being shown on Newcastle World. There is commentary for UK listeners on AM, digital and online via BBC Radio Newcastle and also via Century FM. This may not work for overseas listeners. Anyone asking for or discussing illegal video or audio streams for this match will have their posts deleted and they will be warned and/or banned from the forum in line with the rules on copyright found here: http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=19161.0

Exactly. Taylor is only 21 (I think). Will do him no harm whatsoever to have a couple of seasons in a lower risk position as he matures as a player. He's maturing fine at CB, he doesn't need a spell at RB, it would be a pointless exercise that should only be carried out in a total emergency. Maturing fine? Seemed to make a lot of mistakes last season for someone maturing "fine".

Exactly. Taylor is only 21 (I think). Will do him no harm whatsoever to have a couple of seasons in a lower risk position as he matures as a player.

Even if they're not fit enough now, they still seem a helluva lot fitter than in any previous pre seasons in recent years, and their fitness will only improve under Sams guidance. Things are certainly improving.

Roy Keane especially. It's mint when we get the players that Sunderland and Boro want. Aye, would have been mint if we'd got Richardson and Chopra for a bargain 12 million

Would be one of the best signings of our summer if it came off.

http://www.i-canut.com at a guess

What a miss from Hoyte

There's nee bugger there, most will probably turn up for the second day.

Just about to start - Arsenal Vs Lazio on SS1

Two days ago people were panicing,, now, potentially 2 signings later, everyone thinks we've had the best pre season since 95

Cheers.