U23s & Academy

[Frazzle]

One last thing, can the people who are on here everyday wanting Xisco and Ranger please stop,  Xisco was woeful again and is a terrible player, he's weak as piss and is not a premier league striker and Ranger is a good prospect but we aren't going to throw him in when we have the likes of Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll available and for those saying he's scorong for fun he's only scored 2 goals in the last 9 reserve games and he's only scored 1 for the under 18's since the turn of the year!!!! hardly banging them in and on top form!!

 

To stay Xisco is terrible is simply wrong so it's not a very good argument.  Gave him a chance in the first team and he may regain his confidence to get back to his best. 

 

Ranger is an unknown quantity, if he was brought on in the last ten minutes against Chelsea what difference would it have made if he was ****? Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll aren't exactly 'scoring for fun', as you put it, are they?

[binnsy]

One last thing, can the people who are on here everyday wanting Xisco and Ranger please stop,  Xisco was woeful again and is a terrible player, he's weak as piss and is not a premier league striker and Ranger is a good prospect but we aren't going to throw him in when we have the likes of Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll available and for those saying he's scorong for fun he's only scored 2 goals in the last 9 reserve games and he's only scored 1 for the under 18's since the turn of the year!!!! hardly banging them in and on top form!!

 

To stay Xisco is terrible is simply wrong so it's not a very good argument.  Gave him a chance in the first team and he may regain his confidence to get back to his best. 

 

Ranger is an unknown quantity, if he was brought on in the last ten minutes against Chelsea what difference would it have made if he was ****? Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll aren't exactly 'scoring for fun', as you put it, are they?

 

Xisco doesn't even look a good player playing against 17-18 year olds in the reserve league,  he's weak as water he was struggling to kick the ball 40 yards when trying to hit cross field balls,  there's 13 year olds in my nephews team at cramlington juniors stronger than him!  He'd be the last player i'd want on a pitch against a team like Stoke, someone like Faye or Shawcross would probably snap him when they hit him! Even if you don't think he's terrible you can't throw a player into a relegation battle so he may regain his confidence!! thats madness.

 

I know what Ranger is, i've seen him in about 25 games,  if he was showing his pre xmas form i would say put him on the bench but he's not in that form now and Carroll is in better form, hence he was on the bench and has scored twice tonight, don't even think Nile had a shot.

[Frazzle]

One last thing, can the people who are on here everyday wanting Xisco and Ranger please stop,  Xisco was woeful again and is a terrible player, he's weak as piss and is not a premier league striker and Ranger is a good prospect but we aren't going to throw him in when we have the likes of Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll available and for those saying he's scorong for fun he's only scored 2 goals in the last 9 reserve games and he's only scored 1 for the under 18's since the turn of the year!!!! hardly banging them in and on top form!!

 

To stay Xisco is terrible is simply wrong so it's not a very good argument.  Gave him a chance in the first team and he may regain his confidence to get back to his best. 

 

Ranger is an unknown quantity, if he was brought on in the last ten minutes against Chelsea what difference would it have made if he was ****? Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll aren't exactly 'scoring for fun', as you put it, are they?

 

Xisco doesn't even look a good player playing against 17-18 year olds in the reserve league,  he's weak as water he was struggling to kick the ball 40 yards when trying to hit cross field balls,  there's 13 year olds in my nephews team at cramlington juniors stronger than him!  He'd be the last player i'd want on a pitch against a team like Stoke, someone like Faye or Shawcross would probably snap him when they hit him! Even if you don't think he's terrible you can't throw a player into a relegation battle so he may regain his confidence!! thats madness.

 

Maybe not play him against Stoke but I don't think crap players get picked for Spain U21s so I don't think he should be written of.

 

[binnsy]

One last thing, can the people who are on here everyday wanting Xisco and Ranger please stop,  Xisco was woeful again and is a terrible player, he's weak as piss and is not a premier league striker and Ranger is a good prospect but we aren't going to throw him in when we have the likes of Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll available and for those saying he's scorong for fun he's only scored 2 goals in the last 9 reserve games and he's only scored 1 for the under 18's since the turn of the year!!!! hardly banging them in and on top form!!

 

To stay Xisco is terrible is simply wrong so it's not a very good argument.  Gave him a chance in the first team and he may regain his confidence to get back to his best. 

 

Ranger is an unknown quantity, if he was brought on in the last ten minutes against Chelsea what difference would it have made if he was ****? Owen, Martins, Lovenkrands and Carroll aren't exactly 'scoring for fun', as you put it, are they?

 

Xisco doesn't even look a good player playing against 17-18 year olds in the reserve league,  he's weak as water he was struggling to kick the ball 40 yards when trying to hit cross field balls,  there's 13 year olds in my nephews team at cramlington juniors stronger than him!  He'd be the last player i'd want on a pitch against a team like Stoke, someone like Faye or Shawcross would probably snap him when they hit him! Even if you don't think he's terrible you can't throw a player into a relegation battle so he may regain his confidence!! thats madness.

 

Maybe not play him against Stoke but I don't think crap players get picked for Spain U21s so I don't think he should be written of.

 

 

Shola played for England under 21's so i wouldn't use that argument!! 

[Dr Venkman]

Just got back, really enjoyed the match. Guthrie was playing really well before he went off, the same couldn't be said about Smith though. He really needs to stay on his feet more. THought Vuckic looked really really good when he came on, and Morris played well (despite only having a right foot)

 

I'll probably disappoint people here, but I thought Ranger used his arms too much, and comitted too many fouls (which were not pulled up). Good assist for the second goal though.

 

Petrov was very good for them, Hamann was hopeless, and Weiss was exciting but should have been sent off for grabbing the referee.

 

Good game though

 

pretty much agree with all of this, twas my first reserve game, enjoyed it. smith was SHIT

[Guest fading star]

I'm working on the theory that those who've seen Ranger first hand have said he's got potential but looks nowhere near the finished article. Carroll has scored two first team goals and wins a f*** load in the air, thought he was an excellent target man against the mackems and if he had someone who could run up alongside him we'd have faired better. Anyway, I don't think he's great, nor do I think he's awful, and I'd rather throw him in than a completely untried kid against Stoke's giants.

 

Depends on whether we plan on on simply twatting it up front as we did for 90mins against Chelsea.

When your under the cosh it’s unavoidable, which when you’re not very good is most of the time.

 

It’s far too late in the day to develop an effective passing game. These things take time, especially when the players are either of dubious ability or lacking confidence. Or both. Motivation is all Shearer can offer over seven games, and motivation doesn’t make players technically better. It can make them run a bit faster, but it doesn’t improve their close control. 

 

Shearer has to work out which players are up to the job at hand and come up with a simple system they can play in. Getting crosses into the box for Owen and Carroll might not appeal to devotees of total football, but it’s simple and we have the players to do it… down the left, with Enrique overlapping Jonas. Down the right we could try another approach, Saylor’s heroism plus Raylor’s deadball skills perhaps.

 

Who’s knows what the solution is? Perhaps there isn’t one?

[Guest optimistic nit]

Huge dilemma for Shearer.

 

The way our midfield has been playing i.e. a complete inability to string together a number of passes on the ground, we are going to need to involve a target man who can at least challenge for the inevitable balls lumped forward and it will have to be Carroll.

 

Shearer will have to decide between Oba and Owen to partner him.

 

 

a cant see any reason why we need to play a tall guy. the best way to beat a team when you cant pass a ball very well is not by starting a 20 year old next to an out of form striker and punting balls at him, and its even more wrong to try and do that against a team like stoke who play long ball football much better than we do because that's all they have. we need to keep the ball against stoke, regressing to long ball football is what they want.

[Guest optimistic nit]

I'm working on the theory that those who've seen Ranger first hand have said he's got potential but looks nowhere near the finished article. Carroll has scored two first team goals and wins a f*** load in the air, thought he was an excellent target man against the mackems and if he had someone who could run up alongside him we'd have faired better. Anyway, I don't think he's great, nor do I think he's awful, and I'd rather throw him in than a completely untried kid against Stoke's giants.

 

Depends on whether we plan on on simply twatting it up front as we did for 90mins against Chelsea.

When your under the cosh its unavoidable, which when youre not very good is most of the time.

 

Its far too late in the day to develop an effective passing game. These things take time, especially when the players are either of dubious ability or lacking confidence. Or both. Motivation is all Shearer can offer over seven games, and motivation doesnt make players technically better. It can make them run a bit faster, but it doesnt improve their close control. 

 

Shearer has to work out which players are up to the job at hand and come up with a simple system they can play in. Getting crosses into the box for Owen and Carroll might not appeal to devotees of total football, but its simple and we have the players to do it down the left, with Enrique overlapping Jonas. Down the right we could try another approach, Saylors heroism plus Raylors deadball skills perhaps.

 

Whos knows what the solution is? Perhaps there isnt one?

 

 

punting a ball up to a 20 year old player with about 300 minutes is not the way for us to avoid the drop.

[Incognito]

Huge dilemma for Shearer.

 

The way our midfield has been playing i.e. a complete inability to string together a number of passes on the ground, we are going to need to involve a target man who can at least challenge for the inevitable balls lumped forward and it will have to be Carroll.

 

Shearer will have to decide between Oba and Owen to partner him.

 

 

a cant see any reason why we need to play a tall guy. the best way to beat a team when you cant pass a ball very well is not by starting a 20 year old next to an out of form striker and punting balls at him, and its even more wrong to try and do that against a team like stoke who play long ball football much better than we do because that's all they have. we need to keep the ball against stoke, regressing to long ball football is what they want.

 

A very good ,well-made point...I don't see playing route 1 against Stoke doing us any favours.It's playing to their strengths...

[binnsy]

Huge dilemma for Shearer.

 

The way our midfield has been playing i.e. a complete inability to string together a number of passes on the ground, we are going to need to involve a target man who can at least challenge for the inevitable balls lumped forward and it will have to be Carroll.

 

Shearer will have to decide between Oba and Owen to partner him.

 

 

a cant see any reason why we need to play a tall guy. the best way to beat a team when you cant pass a ball very well is not by starting a 20 year old next to an out of form striker and punting balls at him, and its even more wrong to try and do that against a team like stoke who play long ball football much better than we do because that's all they have. we need to keep the ball against stoke, regressing to long ball football is what they want.

 

A very good ,well-made point...I don't see playing route 1 against Stoke doing us any favours.It's playing to their strengths...

 

Playing Carroll doesn't necessarily mean we have too play long ball football,  he's decent on the deck and will give us an outlet as he can hold the ball up,  plus bearing in mind the team we are playing,  who's strength is set pieces and high balls, his aeriel ability will come in handy at both ends of the pitch.

 

I would play Carroll but i wouldn't be telling the team to launch it route one all the time,  i want us to get the ball out wide and get to the bye line and get crosses in.

[Guest optimistic nit]

if we're putting crosses in we want owen on the pitch, and playing an immbile owen with carroll would be about as bad as playing owen and shola up front vs sunderland, and that game made my eyes bleed.

[Jamie]

Was at the match, and after his performannce tonight, Xisco should be nowhere near getting a start in the first team. Didn't look interested at all, weak as water, and look fucked. I know he hasnt played much but he looks terribly unfit.

As for the rest, thought we played well for most parts. Vukic when he came on was fantastic, looks a really good prospect. Good touch, quick, and has a bit pace for a big lad. First time i've ever seen Ranger play, and i wasn't disappointed. He's also quick, and very good in the air suprisingly, but not yet a finished article, has great potential.

Carroll was OK, took both his goals well, first goal was superb, belted in top corner from corner of the box. Apart from that nothing special. Smith looked average, Guthrie done well until he went off, recon he'l be ok for Saturday though.

[Beezeri]

The gap between youth/reserves and Premier League is quite big no doubt about it but I hate this when Shearer says that "I'll always pick Owen when he's fit"! Not sure but it certainly looks that Shearer is another guy who prefers experience over potential ability. So we'll see a lot of Butt, Smith, Duff, Geremi, Viduka etc. instead of our more promising youngsters a la Ranger, Carroll, LuaLua, Vukic...who have've playing good all season and showing twice better form than any of the former mentioned!

 

Butt and co have clearly shown they have no desire to fight for the club(except saying so...) anymore not to mention class! Unfortunaly I'm not that sure we'll going to make it out of the dropzone in last 7 games so what we're going to lose if some of these youngsters would be given a chance? Only Jose Enrique, Seb Bassong, Habib Beye and Jonas are players who should be guaranteed a certain first team spot at the moment IMO! A huge improvement in performances is required from the rest and pretty fast indeed

[SteveMc]

If you think Nicky Butt's poor performances are related to a lack of desire or fight then you've not been at many of our games this year.  From the list of 'players we'll see a lot of' only one started on Saturday. 

[Beezeri]

If you think Nicky Butt's poor performances are related to a lack of desire or fight then you've not been at many of our games this year.  From the list of 'players we'll see a lot of' only one started on Saturday. 

 

Surprisingly Butt had a decent game against Chelski but as overall he's been very very poor all season! Okay...Butt only started but Geremi and Smith were on the bench and so would have been Viduka and Shola if they just were fit enough

[SteveMc]

He's been poor, but not due to a lack of desire.  There is a distinction to be made.  He tries, he is just  a pretty limited footballer

[joeyt]

People who were at the match yesterday:

 

Do you think the ref bottled not sending off Weiss? I didn't actually see him grab the ref, I was bending down for a sniff drink of coke (I did see the dive though)

[themanupstairs]

Huge dilemma for Shearer.

 

The way our midfield has been playing i.e. a complete inability to string together a number of passes on the ground, we are going to need to involve a target man who can at least challenge for the inevitable balls lumped forward and it will have to be Carroll.

 

Shearer will have to decide between Oba and Owen to partner him.

 

 

a cant see any reason why we need to play a tall guy. the best way to beat a team when you cant pass a ball very well is not by starting a 20 year old next to an out of form striker and punting balls at him, and its even more wrong to try and do that against a team like stoke who play long ball football much better than we do because that's all they have. we need to keep the ball against stoke, regressing to long ball football is what they want.

 

A very good ,well-made point...I don't see playing route 1 against Stoke doing us any favours.It's playing to their strengths...

 

Playing Carroll doesn't necessarily mean we have too play long ball football,  he's decent on the deck and will give us an outlet as he can hold the ball up,  plus bearing in mind the team we are playing,  who's strength is set pieces and high balls, his aeriel ability will come in handy at both ends of the pitch.

 

I would play Carroll but i wouldn't be telling the team to launch it route one all the time,  i want us to get the ball out wide and get to the bye line and get crosses in.

 

I don't know why, but I have a soft spot for Carroll. I think he's got the makings of a really good center forward. IMO if Wenger had him instead of Bendtner he would turn him into a better player than the big Dane.

[Stu]

The gap between youth/reserves and Premier League is quite big no doubt about it but I hate this when Shearer says that "I'll always pick Owen when he's fit"! Not sure but it certainly looks that Shearer is another guy who prefers experience over potential ability. So we'll see a lot of Butt, Smith, Duff, Geremi, Viduka etc. instead of our more promising youngsters a la Ranger, Carroll, LuaLua, Vukic...who have've playing good all season and showing twice better form than any of the former mentioned!

 

Butt and co have clearly shown they have no desire to fight for the club(except saying so...) anymore not to mention class! Unfortunaly I'm not that sure we'll going to make it out of the dropzone in last 7 games so what we're going to lose if some of these youngsters would be given a chance? Only Jose Enrique, Seb Bassong, Habib Beye and Jonas are players who should be guaranteed a certain first team spot at the moment IMO! A huge improvement in performances is required from the rest and pretty fast indeed

 

I'm sure you're a nice guy but this post is lacking somewhat. Butt not trying?? his biggest problem is that he tried TOO hard at times and makes mistakes when trying to force a pass or tackle!

 

[Jamie]

People who were at the match yesterday:

 

Do you think the ref bottled not sending off Weiss? I didn't actually see him grab the ref, I was bending down for a sniff drink of coke (I did see the dive though)

For some reason, neither did i, i was on my phone i think, i just heard the crowd (for once) start shouting and cheering, my mates said he grabbed him after he'd walked away and should've been sent off

[binnsy]

lol that makes 3 of us,  i saw him go down, thought the ref had gave a pen but tuened away when he booked him for diving,  he wasn't too happy and went towards the ref, my dad wasn't sure if he pushed the ref but he was in the refs face,  think he should've been sent off tho.

 

He was a canny player as well, loved a stepover, he done more of them than Ronaldo!

[joeyt]

I was sure it was Ranger that set up Carroll for his second yet the Vhronicle thought it was Danquar

[Pilko]

SSN mentioned Shearer as 'very impressed' with Carroll's 2-goal haul.

[Ash]

I was sure it was Ranger that set up Carroll for his second yet the Vhronicle thought it was Danquar

 

Definitely Ranger.

[Kaizero]

SSN mentioned Shearer as 'very impressed' with Carroll's 2-goal haul.

 

Hopefully that means we'll see an Owen - Carroll combo against Stoke.