Thumbheed

Absolutely this, Owen was a finisher with lightening pace that scared opposition defenders to death. Once he lost that pace, he lost his edge. He remained a great finisher but never adapted his game after his injuries. Shearer suffered some horrific injuries but always managed to find a way back by changing his game to get the best out his strengths, Owen gave up and wanted to retire. Without the passion, heart and desire of the aforementioned players he had no interest in getting the best out of himself, just coining in on his previous reputation. He doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Shearer. Going to Real Madrid killed his career. They highlighted the limitations to his game which separated him from the upper tier of strikers. Once that became apparent it was no wonder the top teams didnt go for him. He was a very good striker, just a total prick.

He's not very good at defending, which is brilliant because if he was he certainly wouldn't be here. Schar is a good defender. Very good at times, in fact. He really isn't. He is good at aggresive interceptions at that is about it, he gets caught out of position a lot but gets away with it in our three man set up with relatively deep wing backs making a 5 when defending. Wouldn't have him anywhere near my team in a back four. Great on the ball, lovely passing range. Decent finisher. He's not very good at defending, which is brilliant because if he was he certainly wouldn't be here. Schar is a good defender. Very good at times, in fact. He's not at all. If he was he'd be at a very top club I completely disagree. Superb defensively just 1 week ago. Some great challenges. Last ditch tackles and blocks are not the sign of a good defender. The best defenders don't tackle at all really. They don't need to. This. Never saw woodgate making them But the likes of Terry, Vidic and Cannavaro do.

How do modern posters on this forum still not realise that players will never come out and slag off their manager and paymasters (apart from very extreme circumstances when things have totally broken down)?!! I worked for some absolute dickheads but even I can recognise I'd be in the s*** and get sacked (fined / frozen out) if I slagged them off in public and in the press. Some of the subsequent post Rafa understanding of how football and world works have been a disgrace. Yes Greg, I want players to come out and praise Rafa whilst slagging off Bruce and Ashley. That is exactly the point I was making. I accept the players presenting a unified front and praising the current management; that's standard PR, as sickening as it is. I do not however, understand the sly digs at Rafa and the only reason I can give for this is they are happier without Rafa, which, if that is the case leads me to my point about them not being able to recognise quality in management. You've made a nothing point there.

How do modern players still not realise when they're working with quality managers?!! I worked for some absolute dickheads but even I can recognise the value they've added to the company. Some of the subsequent comments post Rafa have been a disgrace.

so it'll be 5-3----------------2 going forward then instead of 5-4----------1 We play with 11 players? When you quote formations the keeper is a given so you leave him out. As in a couldn't tell from what I've seen so far.

so it'll be 5-3----------------2 going forward then instead of 5-4----------1 We play with 11 players?

Quotes from Bruce saying they've been working on getting Almiron higher up the pitch. Has a Pardew converting Tiote into a box to box midfielder feel about it. Cant wait to see how this pans out...

Plenty of time yet. Need to take every stat as they come.

Thing is with Almiron unless the assists and goals start to come he will always be open to criticism as that's what forward players are judged on. Same with the other two we have just brought in also. I'd hate to be a striker under Steve Bruce.

Almiron was one of Rafa's actual picks. So the narrative on him will shift between "See, we did back Rafa with a record signing of a great, young star" and "Look at this chancer from the MLS Rafa wasted all that money on" where appropriate. And that's the thing on here Almiron was Rafa's so is beyond reproach. Rafa didn't want Joelinton so he is not given any slack. It's almost the HBA love in all over again Almiron was great under Rafa and looks lost under Bruce. There's a clue somewhere as to who is to blame for that. Go on, reach for it. You can do it Luke. Ah, I get it now. Worker likes his boss so puts a shift in. Worker doesn't like new boss so takes his pay and phones it in. Sounds like he needs to give himself a shake and roll his sleeves up. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll bite. Assuming that that is the case, then you need to ask yourself why he's downed tools for Bruce and not Rafa? Good manager's don't allow apathy to set in. I'm happy you can ignore the generous body of evidence that suggests Bruce isn't a good manager, but I'd love to hear what you know about Bruce that makes us all wrong. Personally, I give slack to those who haven't been given a fair shift, but when it's already going to script then I'm willing to put my neck on the line and say this will be a utter disaster. The most stupid thing about his appointment is that I can't think of a single player he's developed in his entire managerial career - he doesn't even fit into our model, but like I say, I'm happy to hear reasons for Bruce, reasons other than "he needs time".

All on the list apart from Dubs, Schar, Lejeune, Longstaff and almiron. Yeh, theres a difference between players that want to improve and players that just want to play well. I guess he's the latter.

I think it was Brummie who said he would blame everyone but himself, so the fans have already set themselves up as the only scapegoat he needs. 17th is all he needs and he knows that.

I didn't make that up myself. In that interview with the Daily Mail, Ashley said that the Rafa camp were asking for a one year extension, but he wanted to sign Rafa long-term. Presumably the one year extension was to give Rafa time to see what was happening with a takeover. Oh sweet baby jesus A decade later : This tribunal statement over the issue of whether Keegan had control of transfers does tend to get trotted out whenever it's convenient to disbelieve absolutely anything that Ashley says. You have to look at each situation as it comes. What has Ashley ever said or done that make him a reliable source? Genuine question bytheway.

Absolute poon hound too.

Scholes, Xavi or Iniesta. Easy.

I'm interested to see if these superfans can stick with it when the inevitable happens. My guess is they'll double down.

I don't think he's under any pressure. Any pressure from the crowd is nullified by the fact that Ashley doesn't care what the crowd thinks so he'll gamble to the very end. I don't see any example of the crowd's will influencing any of Ashley's decisions. Things won't be difference this time. The only pressure will come from poor results. That is the same for any manager, certainly was for Rafa when he went on a bad run. He was big enough to take the pressure and cool enough to stick to his methods. That is where I have no faith at all in Bruce as I don't believe he has any real method. He will just chop and change in blind hope like Pardew did, and I expect to see similar results. Pressure from who? The fans? So what? It's not pressure when it doesn't lead to anything, it's just loud noise at worse. The only pressure fans can exert is by not being there.

I don't think he's under any pressure. Any pressure from the crowd is nullified by the fact that Ashley doesn't care what the crowd thinks so he'll gamble to the very end. I don't see any example of the crowd's will influencing any of Ashley's decisions. Things won't be difference this time.

I've just re watched it because I thought it was the pass too but Willems is at fault for this. He does not react to it at all and is also totally oblivious to the oncoming attacker.

These are the type of people who didn't realise they were crap at football themselves but still showed up in 150 quid football boots.

Rafa's start last season will bite us in the arse a bit due to the lazy comparison but I saw enough and heard enough to suggest there could still be legs in this movement. Atmosphere was dead. I'd be surprised if the missing 5k would return after what was served up to day and I'm struggling to see that improving with the fixture list we've got. Could be an interesting few months.

I think Joelinton could be an upgrade for us. He's obviously more versatile, looks like he offers the same qualities as Rondon, probably pacier but is also able to carry the ball forward which should add another dimension to our attack. Dennis Wise told me this. Yes he could, but we have no depth at CF. I'm starting to sound like I'm defending our transfer business but Gayle, Muto, Joelinton, Almiron, Maxim and Carroll are our forwards/strikers. There aren't too many teams with that many options for their front line and I'd argue that they're by no means dross. Muto is still an unknown quantity and Gayle as our 5/6th option isn't a bad one to have. You are right in theory, it's not bad but Steve Bruce is our manager. It's like taking a looker home then realising she has a cock. Disappointing. Explain. Transfer activity = looker Steve Bruce = the cock Looks good on paper but at the end of the evening, you're working with a cock. In most cases that would render the looks pointless.

Seems like the boycott is getting some traction in the media which is fantastic. Good platform to get those undecided on board.

I think Joelinton could be an upgrade for us. He's obviously more versatile, looks like he offers the same qualities as Rondon, probably pacier but is also able to carry the ball forward which should add another dimension to our attack. Dennis Wise told me this. Yes he could, but we have no depth at CF. I'm starting to sound like I'm defending our transfer business but Gayle, Muto, Joelinton, Almiron, Maxim and Carroll are our forwards/strikers. There aren't too many teams with that many options for their front line and I'd argue that they're by no means dross. Muto is still an unknown quantity and Gayle as our 5/6th option isn't a bad one to have. You are right in theory, it's not bad but Steve Bruce is our manager. It's like taking a looker home then realising she has a cock. Disappointing.