TherealnorthernTOON

too much optimism for you?

To me it seems like they aren't used to it quite yet, hence the reason why it seems more like an offensive midfielder at times instead of a midfield trio. Cabaye and Barton are probably going to take turns to run off into the hole as both got something to offer there. Want us to put the line abit higher up as I think we got enough speed to do so. Maybe the left back situation has prevented us from doing so yet but hopefully we will set the line as high as the circle in later stages of the season. That will close the gap between midfield and attack quite abit. Wingers I hope will be more of inside forwards. Simmo this season clearly has more loose shackels as he was running up the field all day long. But I question his willingness to get back again when he has gone for a run. Maybe he has to work on his stamina to be able to do both in games? Also thinking the thought of having Raylor on the right back as he can offer alot with quality service out wide.

Just got a gut feeling that M'Bengue is going to be an excellent left back in 2 years time. And we will feel sorry for missing out.

More like rubber tbf!

Seems more competent when he got a leader beside him. Had a good game, won alot of headers and can't remember that he lost one on the back of my head. Was directing a clearing right into the enemys feet once. For him to improve his clearences has to become better. His footwork should become a little better. But his overall reading of the game looks neat beside colo. They are really covering up for eachother and working for eachother. Looks to have bulked up aswell and seems a really strong lad now. I'd put money on him scoring atleast 5 goals this season. 3 of them to be matchwinning/really important ones.

Think the whole team looks like they need a few suicide laps tbf. Sunderland lost the game, but they ran alot more then Newcastle today. The boys need to get the fitness in order for the next games. If this goes on for too long we will loose matches, and alot of them.

He's good with the ball. But what baffles me mostly is his willingness to fight for balls. He rarely runs the channels and strethces the defence as I could see. Would like him running inbetween right back centreback to push the defence more on their backfoot to create space for our rather slower midfielders. He never seems to do that, Imo for him to become the player we need his work load on the field have to vastly increase. And he has to direct the runs more directly to scare oponents. Hope pardew sees the same and he does something about it. Could also see both Barton and Simmo give him instructions during the game. So frustration that such a talent could be spilled.

Good performance. Allthough, hope he will be more comfortable with containing possession. Think sunderland gave our midfield a hard time today. Alot of high upfield pressure all game.

Very good game of young Krul today. Showed alot of confidence for me today. Looked tidy and clean, a few misses with the kicks and a corner I'd rather see him catch then fist away. But a nice performance nonetheless, hope he grows on that one!

Ran into many peculiar situations today. Either he just didn't want too or Pardew had told him to carry the ball upfield. Because he seemed like passing it back to defence at times was a "not a chance in hell I'll do that"-thing.

The only real problem there is selling Smith...

You could easily ask do you want your club to be reliant on the double neck in london, or do you want it to be a self ran buisness?

I for one think we are in a transition period. We will finish mid table this season aswell. Maybe next too, then we might push for the higher ends. We will get more talented players. Some of our more talented players will leave for CL chasing clubs during this period, thats a part of the plan to raise the funds needed to make a push. A push for a top side costs sustainable amount of dosh theese days. If we aren't a well run club to start with we have no chance to get up there without going into bankruptcy if we fail. A part of the plan should be, if things fail, we won't die as a club like leeds. But with the kind of base allready here the club should be able to push higher and fall back on the loyalty of the fans if it fails to do so. And then again raise the funds over a couple of years and get rid of the players who failed the push. Do it over and over again you will end up like tottenham. All their players got decent wages, modric was on what? less then 50k? I so bet we bid alot more then that for him during the shepherd time.

So, replace Enrique with Chissoko and a last minute loan for Sturridge with option to buy, maybe a fringe player during the window. Would that be bums on the seats signing for us?

Taylor did bail coloccini out on two occasions though. Think Taylor is going to flourish alongside colo this season. I'm really in a twist whether I want a more defensive minded LB or an offensive minded one. As we got many canny players up front I think a defensive minded one could be just aswell as when we are in forward positions he just has to recieve the backpass from the winger to whip the ball inn. Other then that we just be capable of getting close to their goal in numerous other ways.

They simply got the better of Liverpool that match in second half because liverpool were SHIT in second half. There was no steam left in them after the break.

No sturridge nor lukaku in the squad for Chelsea... Maybe there still is hope? Appearntly Everton has pitched an offer for loan on Sturridge.

Imho, fifa should make diving to gain a penalty a red card offence.

What he was saying was more towards the lines, when our younger players gets good enough and are ambitious they want CL footie, national footie etc. before they carreer is down the drain. Top clubs rather buy a 25 year old Enrique then a 28 year old Barton or Nolan. We can't compete with the likes of them at this stage in a sporting manner. It's important to keep your best players, but at what cost? Demoralizing the squad, keep unhappy players? At this stage I think many players sees us as a step up from the lower leagues around europe and gladly accepts comming here. The staff sells the club nicely telling them we will try to boss games and dominate. Players surely loves that story and so do we. If we can carry on doing what we are doing and bring in quality on the cheap. Sell players when the time is right for us and they start to unsettle. We might see ourself in a spurs situation. Our squad will become better over time because better and better players will see us as a good place to further their carreer. Players like Modric, Bale, Lennon, Downing. They all have to prove themself at a stage like us before they can earn a "bigger" club. When time is right we have a good foundation I bet we will be able to push on. Be it in a year, two or three? we'll see, it might even take five. But for me aslong as we stay top 10 in the league for a sustainable period I will see it as a long term good plan.

The line today seemed abit sloppy at times with the offside trap letting RvP trough at times. But a rather good performance from both Coloccini and Taylor. Think Simpson handled himself pretty well too tbf.

I'm not so sure, if we had an adequatly good left back. More pace in the team forcing Arsenal to fall back quicker to not be overun and let players like Obie, Benyo or Marv behind their lines I really think we would have kept more of possesion. As barton, Cabaye and tiote would have alot more space to operate in infront of their defence.

What we needed we didn't have for that game, and it was pure speed. We needed players to run at them, to create space. No one in the team or on the bench could do that, and all our attacks ended toothless. When obertan came on he did something. But when you are the only one trying to create a havoc is like trying to boil water with a matchstick, it will be there as a flash and die quite quickly. No one could follow his runs adequatly enough imo. Demba ba should've been there alons side him, as he tends to be running more into space then amoeobi, our hold up play was shit with ameobi aswell. So the decision to keep lankypants on instead of someone who's new and could've done something, atleast excite the fans have a little more pace and power moving the channels going forward alongside Obie instead of waiting behind. It's more and more obvious to me that barton should play more in a midfield 3 then what he was now. He's good at running up and down the pitch, find space, got grit. Cabaye got creativity at the same level. With obertan and marveaux at each side of the two of them could create alot. Get the ball inn, get working on those rebounds reflections etc. and get the ball in the back of the net. What is encouraging aswell is that both Cabaye and Barton got a good distance shot, so there is more threats around the team now then before. If Dekka just can get out and get those last few players we need we will have a pretty good squad compared to last year. Where we had one option and it was route one and nothing else. Now we got several different approuches to choose from if something isn't working. That especially is pleasing to me.

Fast, got the trickery, no pardew, teach him what fergie couldn't, how to use it for the benefit of the team. To a more positive thing, manu fans whom are friends of mine told me he was ripping defences apart all day long for their reserves. So hope its just a confidence thing before he starts doing so regularly in the prem aswell. Also saw what others have seen before me, how he really didn't know where to go in offensive positions to get the ball.

Yes, what I really want is Charlton Cole.

Watched the Fulham replay after the game today. And saw Andy Johnson, and I immidetly thought thats the kind of player we need. A AJ type, a Suarez type. So much mobility so much running to stretch the defences leaving so much space for the midfield to fill up from behind.