Thumbheed

That's the last we'll see of Pardew. His career is now dead.

Those 10 fans have achieved more than the 50k who turn up every week to "support the team not the regime" ever will.

it's obviously s**** but didn't all of the clubs agree to this rule together?  if so didn't they f***ing think about it at the time

I think the problem is the exploitation of the rule. Barca had every opportunity to sign someone in the allotted timeframe and fucked that up. Not only that but they still have Griezmann and Messi up front with a wonderkid on the bench. Furthermore, they loaned out 2 youth strikers, both with an obligation to buy clause in a period after they learnt they lost Dembele.

This is a total shambles. Joke league.

Can't believe no ones said David Silva yet. Easily up there with Robert for me.

 

He's not even in the same ballpark! Robert regularly scored screamers from 35 yards plus.  Silva is more technically gifted without a doubt but Robert s***s on him in the left peg stakes

Being "more technically gifted" with his left foot is exactly why he's up there.

Yes, also Bernando Silva has lovely left peg as well.

Well on his way to being right up there.

Can't believe no ones said David Silva yet. Easily up there with Robert for me.

I can't call that offside on the basis of a single freeze frame.

Exactly. Are we measuring the release of the ball in the same fractions that we're measuring the actual offside?

I hate VAR

He had pace that killed defenders and was a decent finisher. He was very good, for a short period of time.

 

Sadly for him, how long you remain at the highest level, ultimately defines you. Theres plenty of one season wonders, or players who shine for several seasons  but few who last the distance and become true greats of the modern era. The likes of Lampard, Gerrard, Shearer, Terry etc etc did it for over a decade and lead the clubs with heart and desire.

 

Micheal Owen will go down as a talented, mercenary, crock, who shone in a few high profile moments but will never feature in a list of all time greats, certainly not in terms of club football.

 

When referring to Owen, people will say "he was decent", when talking about Shearer, nothing more will need to be said.

 

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.

Schar is top quality, shouldn’t be anywhere near this club

 

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.

 

Schar is top quality, shouldn’t be anywhere near this club

 

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 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.

 

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.

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...

 

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.

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...

 

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.

Bit weird that Shearer picked on Almiron particularly.

 

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.

Not sure why the narrative was about Almiron when clearly we have far bigger problems (and I don't specifically mean Ashley!).

 

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".

Ooooh its all gone for "Want the best for Isaac" to "He's on the list" quickly here then?

 

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.

If we finish up losing our first 4 games, which is a strong possibility, I doubt Bruce would be able to take the pressure and hold it together.  Whenever I watch him on the touch line he always looks kind of beaten and he certainly doesn't exude confidence.  This will rub off on the players very quickly.

Under Rafa, you could see that the players believed in the plan and tactics and I don't think that is the case now

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.

Cronky man, that's a helluva lot of speculation in favor of the people who are known to lie and deceive the fans. You can't just make up an imaginary contract offer to argue against what Rafa has said.

 

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

 

The Club admitted to the Tribunal that it repeatedly and intentionally misled the press, public and the fans of Newcastle United.

 

Gutierrez was found to be a "credible and convincing witness".

 

Managing director Charnley's evidence was described as "evasive and lacking in credibility".

 

A decade later :

 

Hey guys' date=' Mike Ashley said Rafa eats babies in an interview, sure glad we got rid of that monster - isn't Mike swell - we should be thankful for everything he has done for us, so much better than those dark days of Keegan and Robson[/quote']

 

 

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.

I play like a cross between Colo and Sissoko. Always try and win the ball cleanly at the back, read the game and make interceptions and look to play the ball out. Also have a decent engine so can surge pretty well like Sissoko, I'm also fully w*** at shooting, like Moussa.

 

On a more general, romantic note I'd be Cassano. Undoubtedly talented but with completely the wrong mentality to get good value from the talent.

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.

Like him or not, one thing’s for sure, he’s under a lot of pressure to get things right as fast as possible. Faster than probably most managers of NUFC have been afforded. I hope he does. Got a lot of work to do based on the second half vs Arsenal.

 

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.

Like him or not, one thing’s for sure, he’s under a lot of pressure to get things right as fast as possible. Faster than probably most managers of NUFC have been afforded. I hope he does. Got a lot of work to do based on the second half vs Arsenal.

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.

He showed his pass to the unmarked left wing back allowing for the marker to make a run on it. Willems did not help the situation not shortening the distance or reacting any quicker. It’s not a fine pass man. It’s never a fine pass showing that much of your intention of where it’s going and then hitting it short to allow for that. The entire back line conceded that goal but in no way should we have put ourselves into that situation; we had pushed the team up and we’re not under any pressure at that time until that mistake. Compounded by poor recovery marking by Lascelles and Schar.

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.