ChrisMcQuillan

Swapping with Routledge would be a really bad thing. Who'd cover the RW with Barton gone? We need depth, and Routledge is decent backup. Why replace our only decent backup for a position when the replacement will act as backup when we already have a platoon of average players waiting for their chance.

That really irritates me. Not that we have a wage cap, but that Alan Smith is earning enough for four decent players. Yeah, I presume that if there is any kind of cap on wages it is on total wages and linked to turnover. Until the remaining silly-contract players leave, there will always be problems. It's a start though, and surely the only way to build. The silver lining is that players like Smith will hardly be in a good bargaining position when their contract is up for re-negotiation. When does his run out? End of 2012. We gave him a five-year contract.

That really irritates me. Not that we have a wage cap, but that Alan Smith is earning enough for four decent players.

He's better than Best, but I don't think he's the level we should be aiming at. Ba would have been a good signing for us at £6m, but clearly that's not the kind of money we're allowed to spend anymore on top of Ben Arfa.

We've been absolutely blessed with goalkeepers for over a decade. The bar has been set very high. Krul can be a top drawer goalkeeper, but still will fall short against Given and Harper in their primes. That said, Krul is very young and I have absolute confidence that if he's handled correctly he'll be every bit the keeper Given was.

The more I see of Holloway and Blackpool, the more I want to see them stay up. Holloway's just a decent bloke who speaks sense (sometimes), and Blackpool are a team of very average players who work their socks off. Exactly what the Premier League needs.

Dunno if this has been brought up, but when Tiote comes back is he still two yellows away from another two game suspension?

Airey... Jesus

Any idea why Shola is the BBC's image for Football today on their main page?

There's actually no good referees anymore so it doesn't matter that much who's reffing.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_le3z01eAUi1qdodh0.gif Can't believe i voted for you as "Best Foreign Poster".

What else did that Northern Irish lad have to do to win that? Not be from the British Isles. Or score a goal that was supreme technique rather than a total fluke. Altintop and Hallenius' goals both pissed all over his goal. It wasn't fluke, man. It was lucky, but intentional. The chances of pulling it off were small, but it was intentional.

Yep, it is. But you can't be negative on here anymore, cause you're not supporting the team. Or something along those lines.

What else did that Northern Irish lad have to do to win that? Not be from the British Isles.

Pardew or Jonny Hall?

Not a single Premier League player...

I think the criticism levelled at neesy above is pretty ridiculous, tbh.

Me too Scared the shit out of me.

Exactly. God, why doesn't he just say "James is a terrible footballer. The sooner we f*** him off, the better." I mean that'll really help the guy He could just not say anything at all.

We'll get no one, then Pardew will say that Ben Arfa was our signing we always wanted and that the window's been a huge success.

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2011/01/09/transfer-frenzy-is-off-limits-says-pardew-79310-27953639/ “I wouldn’t want someone like James (Perch) to leave. I think he’s a good character and his Newcastle career has really only just begun.” God help us.

http://intothefinalthird.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/pard-wars-the-revenge-of-stevenage/

Pre-season friendlies a little different to a domestic knock-out cup competition, as well.

hahahaha, did he blame injuries? who was injured that wasnt for west ham alan? steven f***ing taylor? Jose and Jonas. they were actually injured or rested? Jose was ill. Jonas I'm 99% sure was injured during the Hammers game, but played through the pain.

Truth is, the only two who are abysmal and never play well are Smith and Perch. There is no reason to keep them, and they MUST leave. Xisco, Lovenkrands and Campbell I wouldn't shed a tear over, and I like Lovenkrands as a person a great deal. Always seemed a top bloke. Guthrie, Williamson and Ranger have more to give, esp. Williamson. Keep.