The One Thing We Need, Above All Else...

[junkhead]

JULIO BAPTISTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gash

[fredbob]

Carrick is the player who id love, would be perfect for out team, would be signing we could make as well.

[Dave]

Carrick is the player who id love, would be perfect for out team, would be signing we could make as well.

 

How?

[fredbob]

Well, has his price, is droppping down the pecking order a little, getting crowded out the centre of the park. Is a geordie boy and has always said he'd love to come here.

 

Nothing in stone obviously but a hell of a lot morelikely then any other top playerin a top 4 team.

[Dave]

Well, has his price, is droppping down the pecking order a little, getting crowded out the centre of the park. Is a geordie boy and has always said he'd love to come here.

 

Nothing in stone obviously but a hell of a lot morelikely then any other top playerin a top 4 team.

 

Someone said that before, and I've no idea where it's coming from. He's started loads of games this year, and still is doing so.

[Yorkie]

One chance then, yeh? How many chances has he has all season, honestly speaking i cant think of many good chances he's had, could probably count the number of chances hes had on 2 hands.

 

He's had an absolutely golden opportunity in a lot of games i've seen him in this season, particularly recently. Man City after half time which he toe-prodded it to the keeper, Man Utd where he was offside and the keeper stopped, Stoke away where he couldn't control a relatively simple curved pass right infront of goal, Stoke at home, in which he scored, and also against Arsenal yesterday. Those are the ones that i can remember off the top of my head.

 

He's absolutely pointless. He can't get into the game unless the midfielders are on top form. He can't collect it and run at players. He's got no pace whatsoever. He's short so he's not much of an aerial threat.

 

And he just seems to have lost a lot of his 'intelligence' for me, which appears to be everyone's back-up claim for him. You can call him a natural goalscorer... not anymore he ain't, not this season. Countless times yesterday when there was a move down the wing and Duff/Zog cut inside to play the ball low - into the heart of the box, Owen's plan was to 'run as fast as i can at the keeper'. Not enough; what does that achieve? So many times we were craving one of the on-rushing attackers to drop off and give the winger someone to pass to. It wasn't happening.

 

I'd agree that we need a striker in the long-run, but we've got Viduka and Martins to come back and i can't wait to see Oba playing under Keegan (he's vital whenever he plays imo, completely unlike Owen). We need midfielders first but a striker in the summer is important.

[KaKa]

Well, has his price, is droppping down the pecking order a little, getting crowded out the centre of the park. Is a geordie boy and has always said he'd love to come here.

 

Nothing in stone obviously but a hell of a lot morelikely then any other top playerin a top 4 team.

 

Someone said that before, and I've no idea where it's coming from. He's started loads of games this year, and still is doing so.

 

Played a lot due to injuries to Hargreaves and Scholes, as well as anderson taking time to settle at the start of the season.

 

Hargreaves and Scholes are both fit now and Anderson has really come on lately.

 

It will be interesting to see how much Carrick plays from now through to the end of the season.

[Dave]

Well, has his price, is droppping down the pecking order a little, getting crowded out the centre of the park. Is a geordie boy and has always said he'd love to come here.

 

Nothing in stone obviously but a hell of a lot morelikely then any other top playerin a top 4 team.

 

Someone said that before, and I've no idea where it's coming from. He's started loads of games this year, and still is doing so.

 

Played a lot due to injuries to Hargreaves and Scholes, as well as anderson taking time to settle at the start of the season.

 

Hargreaves and Scholes are both fit now and Anderson has really come on lately.

 

It will be interesting to see how much Carrick plays from now through to the end of the season.

 

That's fair enough, and if he doesn't play between now and the end of the year then fair enough it might be worth a look. As it stands he's been instrumental in their cracking first half to the season and I don't think we'd have a hope in hell of signing him.

[fredbob]

One chance then, yeh? How many chances has he has all season, honestly speaking i cant think of many good chances he's had, could probably count the number of chances hes had on 2 hands.

 

He's had an absolutely golden opportunity in a lot of games i've seen him in this season, particularly recently. Man City after half time which he toe-prodded it to the keeper, Man Utd where he was offside and the keeper stopped, Stoke away where he couldn't control a relatively simple curved pass right infront of goal, Stoke at home, in which he scored, and also against Arsenal yesterday. Those are the ones that i can remember off the top of my head.

 

He's absolutely pointless. He can't get into the game unless the midfielders are on top form. He can't collect it and run at players. He's got no pace whatsoever. He's short so he's not much of an aerial threat.

 

And he just seems to have lost a lot of his 'intelligence' for me, which appears to be everyone's back-up claim for him. You can call him a natural goalscorer... not anymore he ain't, not this season. Countless times yesterday when there was a move down the wing and Duff/Zog cut inside to play the ball low - into the heart of the box, Owen's plan was to 'run as fast as i can at the keeper'. Not enough; what does that achieve? So many times we were craving one of the on-rushing attackers to drop off and give the winger someone to pass to. It wasn't happening.

 

I'd agree that we need a striker in the long-run, but we've got Viduka and Martins to come back and i can't wait to see Oba playing under Keegan (he's vital whenever he plays imo, completely unlike Owen). We need midfielders first but a striker in the summer is important.

 

Golden oppurtunity in a lot of games? You must of seen alot more chances then i have seen.

 

Also the bit in bold is the key bit if you ask me, Owen is an 18 yard box player and if we dont havea midfiled who will be able to dominate teams and possession we wont ever see the best of Owen, or many other players to be honest.

[Guest criminalz]

IMHO, In owen and martins, we have 2 of the fastest strikers. together with charles and jame milner on the wings, we do have a pretty quick attack. In the middle emre and barton does have that  creative spark. dare not think about our defense... only problem, players are pretty short.

 

Of course with this setup, it looks to be pretty attack minded, but hey...izznt that wat we wan.

 

 

[Dokko]

IMHO, In owen and martins, we have 2 of the fastest strikers. together with charles and jame milner on the wings, we do have a pretty quick attack. In the middle emre and barton does have that  creative spark. dare not think about our defense... only problem, players are pretty short.

 

Of course with this setup, it looks to be pretty attack minded, but hey...izznt that wat we wan.

 

 

 

Milner & Owen are fast...if they were in a slug race, on the pitch playing football, neither lack any real place i'm afraid, and one of them's entire career was built around that and its gone.

 

 

[steve_69]

Regarding Carricj, someone said he's a geordie and he's always said he want to come here. No he hasn't!

In fact he's said completely the opposite on more than one occasion.

[Yorkie]

One chance then, yeh? How many chances has he has all season, honestly speaking i cant think of many good chances he's had, could probably count the number of chances hes had on 2 hands.

 

He's had an absolutely golden opportunity in a lot of games i've seen him in this season, particularly recently. Man City after half time which he toe-prodded it to the keeper, Man Utd where he was offside and the keeper stopped, Stoke away where he couldn't control a relatively simple curved pass right infront of goal, Stoke at home, in which he scored, and also against Arsenal yesterday. Those are the ones that i can remember off the top of my head.

 

He's absolutely pointless. He can't get into the game unless the midfielders are on top form. He can't collect it and run at players. He's got no pace whatsoever. He's short so he's not much of an aerial threat.

 

And he just seems to have lost a lot of his 'intelligence' for me, which appears to be everyone's back-up claim for him. You can call him a natural goalscorer... not anymore he ain't, not this season. Countless times yesterday when there was a move down the wing and Duff/Zog cut inside to play the ball low - into the heart of the box, Owen's plan was to 'run as fast as i can at the keeper'. Not enough; what does that achieve? So many times we were craving one of the on-rushing attackers to drop off and give the winger someone to pass to. It wasn't happening.

 

I'd agree that we need a striker in the long-run, but we've got Viduka and Martins to come back and i can't wait to see Oba playing under Keegan (he's vital whenever he plays imo, completely unlike Owen). We need midfielders first but a striker in the summer is important.

 

Golden oppurtunity in a lot of games? You must of seen alot more chances then i have seen.

 

Also the bit in bold is the key bit if you ask me, Owen is an 18 yard box player and if we dont havea midfiled who will be able to dominate teams and possession we wont ever see the best of Owen, or many other players to be honest.

 

Shrug. Play Martins then when he gets back.

[bodson]

We should hijack The smoggies move for Afonso Alves. Class player!

 

 

 

[Guest rebel_yell12]

For those claiming Michael Owen is "finished"...the following is submitted as proof that KK has not stepped through the looking glass in continuing to rate him.

 

WENGER: OWEN STILL A MAJOR THREAT

By Jim van Wijk, PA Sport

 

Arsene Wenger has warned his Arsenal players not to underestimate the threat of Michael Owen when Newcastle return to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

 

The England striker may have only scored once since October - against Stoke in the FA Cup - but Wenger insists the "quality is there", with Magpies boss Kevin Keegan confident Owen will soon be back among the goals.

 

There have, nevertheless, been suggestions Owen could become a high-profile casualty under new England manager Fabio Capello when the squad is announced for the friendly against Switzerland.

 

Wenger, though, has long been an admirer of the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker, now 28, who looked lively during the FA Cup fourth-round tie at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday but lacked decent service and support in the final third.

 

The Arsenal manager knows full well it would be foolish to write off Owen as a spent force.

 

"His match sharpness will come back with more games," Wenger said.

 

"On Tuesday night he will be sharper than against us on Saturday.

 

"You still feel that if you make a mistake, he will be there to take advantage of it as his runs are very intelligent.

 

Against us in the FA Cup on Saturday, I was worried about him as I felt that if no-one was there, he would be there - on deflections he is in there.

 

"You see that the quality is there, but Owen is not yet 100 per cent."

 

I'm finding it hard to disagree with the more expert opinions that Owen is not yet finished.  Frustrating?  Oh f*** yes.  But after the better part of 2 years out, or in-and-out (the first part of this season) of active football, it will take more than his customary 5 matches to get fully sharp.  And some help from the midfield that will hopefully come when the squad adjusts to Keegan's style and everyone is actually fit, out of jail, and back from Africa. 

[chicago_shearer]

Alexander Frei at Dortmund.  Regular goal scorer, experienced, little risk of adapting to the league.  Would be expensive and may not be interested, but more likely to sign than some of the names mentioned. 

[Yorkie]

He's a professional footballer. Match sharpness should have returned to him now atleast a little bit.

 

Right no he's about as sharp as cat fur. He offers nothing.

[Robster]

3 Points against Boro (being realistic and assuming that tomorrow wont bring a win)

[Guest rebel_yell12]

Apparently, Arsene Wenger disagrees with you.  And anyone who claims Owen's not a threat.  I don't think anyone can honestly claim that Wenger doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to football. 

 

For someone who isn't at all sharp, he did score just one match ago.  And considering Newcastle earlier in the season failed to score against defences like Derby's, I still don't think it's entirely fair to the lads to claim "it was just Stoke". 

 

I'm hardly arguing he's been golden of late.  Just saying that I'm not ready to write him off.  I feel fairly comfortable in that, being backed up by opinions of men who clearly know and understand football -- men like Arsene Wenger.  I took especial note that his "runs are very intelligent" which rather negates certain claims that he's lost his ability/intelligence for good runs.  Sorry, but I have to trust Wenger's opinions, as a man whose footballing nous I think is well attested to by Arsenal's fairly consistent performances under his management.

[johnnypd]

bloody hell man, he's hardly going to come out and slate an opposition player on the eve of a match with them. he's not thick. what would be more interesting is what Wenger in private tells his defenders, no doubt to push up cos Owen hasn't got the pace to run in behind, to block off the chance of him receiving the ball on the ground and when it is played in the air to barge into him, cos he's not very strong.

[Guest rebel_yell12]

You have a point about not slating an opponent before a match -- I just thought Wenger was a bit more effusive (if Wenger can ever be considered anywhere near effusive...but I couldn't think of another word) than necessary before a match.  He could have been much more general than he was, saying something simple like "Owen is always a threat, he's got a great record" or something and not said anything more.  Maybe that's just my interpretation, fair enough, I suppose.

 

That said -- how do you know what Wenger has told his defenders "in private"?  It sounded to me like he's told his defenders to keep Owen in front of them, but other than that, I've not a clue.  He could say "Owen is sh***, don't worry about him" in private, really, or equally likely he could say "I want two of you marking Owen, he's the one we have to worry about" and we'd never know either way.  Except that he seems to be well-marked, which indicates to me it's at least not the former.

 

I just thought it was noteworthy that Wenger mentioned the intelligence of Owen's runs (something he certainly didn't need to point out just to sound like he was not slating him before a match) when so many on here argue that he has no movement, can't read the game and isn't making those intelligent runs. 

[Baggio]

He's a professional footballer. Match sharpness should have returned to him now atleast a little bit.

 

Right no he's about as sharp as cat fur. He offers nothing.

 

I did try to tell you this back in June, Yorkie.

 

http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=42018.msg892802#msg892802

[sicsfingeredmong]

Adebayor showed today how a quality forward can get a team out of a less than stirling performance. Clinical.

 

It wasn't that long ago - around the time of the last WC i think - when many members on this forum dismissed Adebayor as being 'a glorified version of Ameobi'.

[fredbob]

I cant believe people are genuinely questioning Owens ability? Are these the same people who think we arent creative enough?? 

 

 

[mozy]

I cant believe people are genuinely questioning Owens ability? Are these the same people who think we arent creative enough?? 

 

 

 

owen is still a valuable asset to us

 

but of course we lack creativity, our midfield cant pass 4 yards and Zog knows only dribble or cross