themanupstairs

Here's the thing, do we really need a marquee name to join for a massive transfer fee, if we pack the midfield with excellent talent as we seem to be trying to do? If we create enough chances, we won't really need big names up front. If we manage to get one of CNZ or Gervinho, then I personally wouldn't be against a striker pool of Best, Ba, Long and Ameobi for next season. Obviously it would be excellent if we could fetch a big name up front, but the contingency plan, if nee fucker wants to join, isn't a bad one if we get our midfield right.

Absolutely true. The reason he hasn't REALLY "delivered" is because he has been the only real outlet in a midfield devoid of pace and ideas. In the coming season, with Tiote, Cabaye and HBA, add to that a signing of the N'Zogbia ilk, we will surely see a different Jonas. Fantastic professional who is probably one of the last I would sell at this point.

5 year deals should only be offered to consummate professionals! Players who are damn serious about playing football. Not sure how Simpson fares in this department, but his heart seems to be in the club, and he doesn't seem like the waster that Ranger is. If he should ever become 2nd choice, and doesn't like it, he can move on to get first team football elsewhere. The last thing we want is to be lumbered with wasters on 5 year contracts who have no real ambition or desire to play and succeed.

Fantastic news if true!!

:clap: Welcome back to the PL. Excellent business by Al Fayed. Good luck to Fulham.

Don't be so overly dramatic. So you're telling me Ashley can fuck this entire window up, and still have fans who think he's the right man to own, let alone run NUFC?

I think we will as well. There's not just the Carroll money but the tv money to come in as well. Ashley can spend big and still have change left over. I'm not dumb enough to ignore past history here but he's rarely been in a position like this where he doesn't have to find money from his own pocket. If he spends big, and spends well, he ends up back on track with his "5 yr plan". If he doesn't, he will lose even more supporters. Our squad is begging for a healthy injection of quality and depth. It's too obvious for him ignore. I hope!!

I can imagine calling for the ball is a bit of a nightmare. http://th114.photobucket.com/albums/n273/benny1230/th_partridge.gif my 5-a-side team includes 3 Marios. The opposition we play every week has 4 Chris'. As you can imagine, nicknames had to be made up such as Noogs, Boot, Sock, and Chris

Ah ok... A Norwegian supporter of Newcastle, interesting... lol But it shows that Newcastle is an international club with supporters all over the world, it's great ! Quite a few of us actually and some swedes, some yanks,danes,irish,canadians,koreans,aussies,austrians,finns and at least one pole in iceland. feel free to add to the list, i did try to get a definitive list off the ground but it fell flat on its arse. 1 Bahraini. Smith_1 is a Croat. I'm from Cyprus. There's an Ethiopian wum somewhere too isn't there?

I think 4th choice is not that bad either. It's important to keep him until we figure out how many strikers we bring in this summer, and their relative quality. If we bring in 2 bigger names, he should be let go immediately. If we end up with one decent striker and we care about Ranger's development, he could be loaned out, with Loven 4th in the pecking order. Might be pessimistic, but I'm expecting the latter to happen.

HBA all over again. He's ours

:lol: :lol: :lol: Has rafa been beheaded or something?

Nothing good ever came from that bastard.

How is someone who is tactically inept, a top player?

That's the thing a lot of our fans are talking about. It was bad enough with Houllier when we went up there. My mate went, said it was -10 that night, we were s****, and Houllier spent the night waving at the Kop and walked off without a glance at our lot (after we'd been slaughtered). When I told him the next morning that Houllier had said "if i have to lose, I prefer it to be to Liverpool, as I like Liverpool" and had tapped the This is Anfield sign when going down the tunnel, I had to restrain him from heading to the training ground to lynch him. So, yes, it is something he's going to have to be a bit sensitive about. That would make me sick to my stomach had that been the Newcastle boss. I feel that things have gone stale at Villa. Need something/someone new. If I were Lerner, I'd go after someone who will come in and re-build the squad. There's some decent young talent there with a couple of excellent PL players. Martin Jol would be your best bet.

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/15/saylorfmj.jpg Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Haha that's a mate of mine holding the shirt up. He was on holiday in Dubai, and found it randomly at an Adidas shop at Dubai Mall. Friend of his that was with him, Chelsea fan, couldn't believe it as it hadn't been released yet by the club. Took a photo and posted it on Twitter. True story.

Leaving out the fantasy side of it (no way he'll come here, wages too much for us etc..), I don't think anyone is questioning his ability at all. It's a totally different kettle of fish playing for Man Utd and SAF is your boss. His hunger for the game is questionable, and I'm really curious to know the reasons behind him behing left out completely of the final squad, when they only had Mickey Mouse Owen as the alternative!! Not so straightforward this one...

Would love him here, as long as it doesn't take away from the kitty for other players coming in. We do need pace upfront, and although this fella is world class, he isn't exactly pacy gonzalez. If we secure the services of the likes of Gervinho and Gameiro, and sort out contracts for Nolan and Enrique (or have Enrique replaced), then it's a no-brainer really. Top top player, but only with the right formula around him.

Assuming we get this lad in, I'd love to hold on to Jonas. For once we will have proper balance, and 2 guys on the flanks that will scare the living fucklights out of defences. I think we'll see a whole new side to Jonas, as we will finally have someone else to share the outlet responsibilities with him.

in 10 mins

linked with Tranquillo Barnetta yet again? Seems like every fucking window since Euro 2004 or summat, without fail.

My point exactly,hardly any of you have ever seen him play or even heard of him and it's funny watching you all big him up on the basis of nothing at all. Have any of you considered why he is leaving a club in the CL to sign for a lower half PL club? We're not as stupid as what you're used to. Plenty have asked this question, and since the bloke hasn't signed anything yet, no one really has any answers. The optimism comes purely from the hope or fantasy that this lad will sign, and turn out to be a bit special. I think that's quite obvious , making your wummery a tad redundant. Oh, and 5-1

Just under an hour from now.