Frazzle

Is it? I'm confident of a win me.

Has the same number of goals from open play as Tevez and Drogba.

Fair enough. I should've wrote 'your' instead of 'more' as well.

Someone who has never been manager? Your comment would've made more sense with Calderwood.

Yup, really good finish even if he was on his own.

We've praised Hughton for his black and white hair, what about Bruce with his white hair and red face?

Bramble at his best there.

Injured Cech.

I guess Shola doesn't play in this now? Ranger and Lovenkrands up top?

I agree with Yorkie to an extent (although I think fan pressure is a problem). On the other hand maybe it's too early in the season to be talking about trends.

The best Ivorian bar none.

You think so? I thought he was pretty crap. Almost bobbled both crosses that he got to and at one point was in no man's land. Pretty bad judgment overall but all of that can only get better with experience so I'm not too worried. Thought he was quite composed. Came out for quite a few balls today and collected them all. He didn't even do the nervous hopeful punch thing that many keepers favour. Yup. Much more assured than Green. Talk about damning with faint praise. Just saying man.

You think so? I thought he was pretty crap. Almost bobbled both crosses that he got to and at one point was in no man's land. Pretty bad judgment overall but all of that can only get better with experience so I'm not too worried. Thought he was quite composed. Came out for quite a few balls today and collected them all. He didn't even do the nervous hopeful punch thing that many keepers favour. Yup. Much more assured than Green.

Just today?

Yup. If he hadn't scored everyone would be on his back still though.

He isn't an unknown quantity With this injury he is. It would be a ludicrous risk to sign him right now, as Yorkie said. Agree - this kind of injury affects players differently. Much of the subsequent problem can be in their head. Some get over it but look at Shearer ; mentally very strong and played for a futher 9 years but was never as dangerous as before because he lost some speed. With Shearer we knew what we had whereas with HBA we really don't ; is it the player who scored a cracking goal at Everton or is it the one who was ineffective against Stoke ? Then there are the off-field issues he had with previous clubs..... NUFC hasn't the money to risk so unless the trial can be extended, I wouldn't take the risk. Ineffective against Stoke? care to elaborate? Would you care to outline any incidents in which he created problems for them..?? What's the point you're even making? Yes it was the same player who scored against Everton. No matter how good a player you are you won't play well every game. It was his second start in English football for god's sake. If we do buy him he will have more good games than bad. Every player is a risk to an extent. If you can find a player for less than £6m who is guaranteed to be good for us on a consistent basis then give Chris a call. You have no proof that he would be as good as you say - you are basing your evidence on a good goal at Everton ' if ypu look at my post I clearly say that we don't know if we are getting a player who represents the goal at Everton or the nondescript performance v Stoke...in other words, we have no proof if he is worth a large fee ; 2 previous managers of major French clubs clearly didn't believe he was necessary to their sides. You state he will have more good games than bad yet you haven't an OUNCE of evidence to back up that statement. Every player is NOT as big a risk as one we know little about and has a somewhat chequered history with his previous clubs - we need the trial extending because as you may remember, NUFC has wasted millions on players who turned out to be less than great...Martins and Luque for 2, only we were lucky enough to get most of the money back from Martins...look where HE is now.... If you can't see the point I am making you are deliberately avoiding it. Name me a player who would cost under £6m who wouldn't be a risk. And once you've named him (which you won't be able to do because as I say, no player is risk-free) I'll say this: "You have no proof that he would be as good as you say" I can't guarantee Ben Arfa will have more good games than bad but I do have evidence...title wins in France, caps for national team, highly rated by Wenger and other players and managers. You're just being negative for the sake of it, I wonder why. 'Highly rated by Wenger'..... yes, so highly rated that he didn't even bother to try to get the guy on the same sort of try before you buy agreement that NUFC did...don't you think you've shot yourself well and truly in the foot there ? Wenger is no fool - if he rated HBA as much as you say, NUFC would have had NO chance of getting the player. And as for your claim about 6m players, if HBA is a s good as you say, there is no way he would have been sold by OM for less than 10m. And as for the International claim you made, he was never even selected in the French WC side...and anyone knows that they were a disaster..! There will be LOTS of players under 6m who are not a risk...Tiote cost 3.5 and so far, he has been a real asset in his DM position..I am not paid to be the club's scout but if I were I WOULD take up your challenge. You must be able to spend a great deal of time watching potential signings if you feel confident enough to make those sorts of claims...in fact, judging by NUFC's past record in wasting money, there may even be a vacancy for you ! I said Wenger rated him, not that he wanted to buy him. It's no shame not being good enough for Arsenal. If HBA is as good as I say? How good am I saying he is? All I said was that he would have more good games than bad (like Jose, Colo for example i.e. one of our better player). Then you say: 'if HBA is a s good as you say, there is no way he would have been sold by OM for less than 10m.' Yeah, because you can't find a player for under £10m who would have more good games than bad... I know he wasn't picked for France at the WC, you know who their manager was? The same one who wouldn't pick Pires, he's an idiot. Blanc picked HBA in his first squad and only dropped him because he effectively didn't have a club. There are plenty examples of players who didn't make world cup squads but are quality players: Cassano, Cambiasso, Benzema, Pato. Lots of players under £6m who woudn't be a risk? Like I said - name a couple. Tiote? Not example the best example to support your point is it? Before he played a game for us who would've said he'd be a success? It's only hindsight that allows us to say the £3.5m wasn't a risk.

He isn't an unknown quantity With this injury he is. It would be a ludicrous risk to sign him right now, as Yorkie said. Agree - this kind of injury affects players differently. Much of the subsequent problem can be in their head. Some get over it but look at Shearer ; mentally very strong and played for a futher 9 years but was never as dangerous as before because he lost some speed. With Shearer we knew what we had whereas with HBA we really don't ; is it the player who scored a cracking goal at Everton or is it the one who was ineffective against Stoke ? Then there are the off-field issues he had with previous clubs..... NUFC hasn't the money to risk so unless the trial can be extended, I wouldn't take the risk. Ineffective against Stoke? care to elaborate? Would you care to outline any incidents in which he created problems for them..?? What's the point you're even making? Yes it was the same player who scored against Everton. No matter how good a player you are you won't play well every game. It was his second start in English football for god's sake. If we do buy him he will have more good games than bad. Every player is a risk to an extent. If you can find a player for less than £6m who is guaranteed to be good for us on a consistent basis then give Chris a call. You have no proof that he would be as good as you say - you are basing your evidence on a good goal at Everton ' if ypu look at my post I clearly say that we don't know if we are getting a player who represents the goal at Everton or the nondescript performance v Stoke...in other words, we have no proof if he is worth a large fee ; 2 previous managers of major French clubs clearly didn't believe he was necessary to their sides. You state he will have more good games than bad yet you haven't an OUNCE of evidence to back up that statement. Every player is NOT as big a risk as one we know little about and has a somewhat chequered history with his previous clubs - we need the trial extending because as you may remember, NUFC has wasted millions on players who turned out to be less than great...Martins and Luque for 2, only we were lucky enough to get most of the money back from Martins...look where HE is now.... If you can't see the point I am making you are deliberately avoiding it. Name me a player who would cost under £6m who wouldn't be a risk. And once you've named him (which you won't be able to do because as I say, no player is risk-free) I'll say this: "You have no proof that he would be as good as you say" I can't guarantee Ben Arfa will have more good games than bad but I do have evidence...title wins in France, caps for national team, highly rated by Wenger and other players and managers. You're just being negative for the sake of it, I wonder why.

He isn't an unknown quantity With this injury he is. It would be a ludicrous risk to sign him right now, as Yorkie said. Agree - this kind of injury affects players differently. Much of the subsequent problem can be in their head. Some get over it but look at Shearer ; mentally very strong and played for a futher 9 years but was never as dangerous as before because he lost some speed. With Shearer we knew what we had whereas with HBA we really don't ; is it the player who scored a cracking goal at Everton or is it the one who was ineffective against Stoke ? Then there are the off-field issues he had with previous clubs..... NUFC hasn't the money to risk so unless the trial can be extended, I wouldn't take the risk. Ineffective against Stoke? care to elaborate? Would you care to outline any incidents in which he created problems for them..?? What's the point you're even making? Yes it was the same player who scored against Everton. No matter how good a player you are you won't play well every game. It was his second start in English football for god's sake. If we do buy him he will have more good games than bad. Every player is a risk to an extent. If you can find a player for less than £6m who is guaranteed to be good for us on a consistent basis then give Chris a call.

I thought Rijkaard was doing rubbish in Turkey anyway? He he not just quit anyway?

Agreed, some people are daft enough to think the whole world is against Carroll. Not sure what you're getting at? Are you being sarcastic?

Who has told you Carroll is guilty? Some insider knowledge that.

I may have missed something quite significant but it think it is a little bit early to come to that sort of conclusion. It is a FACT that Barton stubbed a cigarette/cigar out on another players eye. It is also a FACT that Barton has criminal conviction's for common assault and also assault occasioning ABH. It may or may not be the case that this time next week Carroll will also have a conviction for ABH but to me there is a big difference between a "woman beater" and someone who has pushed a woman away in self defence resulting in a head injury. As we do not yet know what has gone on here it is a bit early to say. There's no need for little things like court cases with the N-O judiciary on the matter.

I don't think he's been convicted of anything yet. He was convicted a few years ago, from an incident in town No he wasn't.

What about it? I didn't think you would be able to stomach it morally.

In the sense that only a moron would try to make fun out of a Newcastle player breaking anothers jaw. What about the swear word in it?