Newcastle United 1 - 0 Leicester City - 31/08/09 - post match reaction from p22

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Our players massively under-performed last season, for whatever reason(s) including the off-field nonsense. There's very few who aren't good enough for the premiership, if they perform to their best. Nobody can hack the premiership if they don't do that.

[gazzaA2]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

[TRon]

Our players massively under-performed last season, for whatever reason(s) including the off-field nonsense. There's very few who aren't good enough for the premiership, if they perform to their best. Nobody can hack the premiership if they don't do that.

 

I think that the players could all do a job for a Premier side but we had too many of the same type to play in one team. A bunch of one-paced midfielders with little creativity might get us results in the Championship but in the Premier teams are far stronger and faster, although I agree we shouldn't have finished in the bottom three.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Our players massively under-performed last season, for whatever reason(s) including the off-field nonsense. There's very few who aren't good enough for the premiership, if they perform to their best. Nobody can hack the premiership if they don't do that.

This. We had some players last season who could have made it into top-half Prem sides, 2 of them even moved on to play Champions League football. We still have 5 players in the current squad who could make Premiership sides imo and it's excellent for us, if we do get promoted to still have that Premiership core of players, it makes survival and progression much easier.

[ChezGiven]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

Put it another way, if we had kept Martins, Bassong, Beye and Owen, the results in the first 5 game would have been an embarrassment for the Championship.

 

These players were relegated.

[TRon]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

 

I disagree that Allardyce kept Blackburn up with good management, he stumbled upon a set of players which fit his long ball blueprint. if he'd been a good manager he'd have made better use of the players he had at Newcastle rather than trying to play the same brand of football with players who weren't suited to it.

[gazzaA2]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

 

I disagree that Allardyce kept Blackburn up with good management, he stumbled upon a set of players which fit his long ball blueprint. if he'd been a good manager he'd have made better use of the players he had at Newcastle rather than trying to play the same brand of football with players who weren't suited to it.

 

He still wouldn't have relegated us though.

[Kanj]

Always have a soft spot for Leicester, as my father and his brothers grew up there. Always been my 2nd team, shame they were once a mainstay in the PL as well, quite liked Filbert Street and Walker's too.

[TRon]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

 

I disagree that Allardyce kept Blackburn up with good management, he stumbled upon a set of players which fit his long ball blueprint. if he'd been a good manager he'd have made better use of the players he had at Newcastle rather than trying to play the same brand of football with players who weren't suited to it.

 

He still wouldn't have relegated us though.

 

Yeah, his methods are pretty effective at just avoiding relegation.

[gazzaA2]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

 

I disagree that Allardyce kept Blackburn up with good management, he stumbled upon a set of players which fit his long ball blueprint. if he'd been a good manager he'd have made better use of the players he had at Newcastle rather than trying to play the same brand of football with players who weren't suited to it.

 

He still wouldn't have relegated us though.

 

Yeah, his methods are pretty effective at just avoiding relegation.

 

And top 6 finishes at Bolton.

[TRon]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

 

I disagree that Allardyce kept Blackburn up with good management, he stumbled upon a set of players which fit his long ball blueprint. if he'd been a good manager he'd have made better use of the players he had at Newcastle rather than trying to play the same brand of football with players who weren't suited to it.

 

He still wouldn't have relegated us though.

 

Yeah, his methods are pretty effective at just avoiding relegation.

 

And top 6 finishes at Bolton.

 

yes he's still living on that season isn't he?

 

 

[NG32]

I was sat between two right moaning cunts and there little gimp thing last night, almost spoilt the game for me.  Everyone was shyte, Barton is shyte, Nile Ranger isnt strong enough.  Harper was lazy for punching and not catching the ball.

 

Any mis placed pass was met with utter contempt for the player.

 

They took nothing into consideration, the weather, the fact we only had one centre back on the pitch, and basically a team full of centre midfielders mids.

 

Utter cunts.

[Ronaldo]

Wow Pearson is a cock.

 

he learnt from the best

[Guest Heneage]

Pearson was rather arrogant in that interview. They were all standard questions.

[ChezGiven]

Pearson was rather arrogant in that interview. They were all standard questions.

 

Interviewer at one point asked a closed-ended question about how amazing things are at Newcastle or something. Pearson rightly looked annoyed.

 

You probably think there is nothing wrong with that sort of question because you are slowly becoming one of them.

 

Our hate for you will only grow.

[Yorkie]

Is Vuckic our youngest ever player?

[Tooj]

Is Vuckic our youngest ever player?

 

How old is he? Sure Watson and those that came through around that time all played very young too.

[Teasy]

The gulf in class between the two leagues is so great that there is actually a whole classification of players who aren't good enough for the premiership but are too good for the championship.

 

I think most of them were in our's, West Brom's and Boro's squads last year.

 

Its not that simple though. Stoke had a Championship team on paper and finished 12th.

 

It comes down to good management and team spirit. Two things we didn't have last year and Stoke did.

 

Now we have and we also have the quality, which is why we look like running away with the league.

 

Say there are 150 players in this classification. Then not all of them can play for the 3 teams that get relegated.

 

I take your point about management but that wasnt what i was talking about. I was talking about the gulf in class in the leagues and how some players can therefore fall between the two.

 

But we aren't one of those sides who are full of players too good for the championship but not good enough for the prem.

 

Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Harper, Guthrie, Taylor and Enrique are proven Premiership players, who we are spoilt and blessed to have in this league. Butt and Geremi are proven but have arguably seen better days.

 

The only players i'd maybe put in that category are Ameobi and Ryan Taylor. Ameobi clearly a class apart in this division but won't get 20 goals in the Premiership. Having said that Taylor still did well for Wigan and Ameobi would probably do well for someone like Burnley or Bolton. So no i don't think we've actually got any players who aren't good enough for the Premiership.

 

Fair enough but if you think we have the nucleus of a side already that will be able to keep in us in the premiership if we get promoted then we disagree.

 

I think Guthrie can improve, Barton is good enough, Jonas should be but is lacking in ccutting edge, Nolan is ok but would not provide the strongest link in a prem team and Smith the same. Enrique is a great defender but gives the ball away even at this level too many times.

 

You're also essentially denying that the gulf in class between the leagues exists. This gulf logically creates this class of player, since individual ability isnt determined by TV revenue but club quality unfortunately is in the long-run.

 

The gap is mostly between the top half and the bottom half of the Premiership and then between the big 4 and the rest. The Championship is a poor division in terms of quality which is why teams coming up need to strengthen.

 

The likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Hull and last seasons promoted sides etc are in my opinion inferior to what we have. Allardyce kept blackburn up through good management and grinding out results, while we had to put up with the farce with Keegan, JFK and then try and rely on a guy with no coaching experience to get us out of trouble.

 

If we go up with this squad then we clearly would need to add to it and will do. The main thing is a realiable Premiership goalscorer. Had Michael owen done what he was paid for, then we wouldn't have been in any trouble.

 

 

 

I disagree that Allardyce kept Blackburn up with good management, he stumbled upon a set of players which fit his long ball blueprint. if he'd been a good manager he'd have made better use of the players he had at Newcastle rather than trying to play the same brand of football with players who weren't suited to it.

 

He still wouldn't have relegated us though.

 

Yeah he would.

[Yorkie]

17 years and ten days.

[Greg]

17 years and ten days.

 

Pretty sure Watson was 16 when he made his debut.

[Guest Heneage]

Pearson was rather arrogant in that interview. They were all standard questions.

 

Interviewer at one point asked a closed-ended question about how amazing things are at Newcastle or something. Pearson rightly looked annoyed.

 

You probably think there is nothing wrong with that sort of question because you are slowly becoming one of them.

 

Our hate for you will only grow.

He said are they the best team in this league. It's a fairly easy question.

[afar]

I never heard the Sky interview but the quotes on the beeb from Pearson are strange and extremely arrogant, he said this was a place that he expected a result from. Then if he did, he's a fucking knob.

[healthyaddiction]

Watson was around 16 years and 7 months old according to the dates on wikipedia

[clintdempsey]

17 years and ten days.

 

Pretty sure Watson was 16 when he made his debut.

16 years, 7 months and 9 days old. From Fountain of Knowledge Wikipedia.

[Jayson]

Put it another way, if we had kept Martins, Bassong, Beye and Owen, the results in the first 5 game would have been an embarrassment for the Championship.

 

These players were relegated.

 

As said before though, the level of ability a player plays with doesnt stay constant does it. I think its quite incredibly obvious that the players you've listed ARE good enough for the prem...3 of them have fit into some of the best sides in the prem. Clearly expectancy, pressure, uncertainty, negativity in general etc get in the way of a team of players producing what they are capable of. Our attacking set pieces are a great example of that, i dont for a second believe theyre doing anything differently than they were last season in training. The difference is last season they didnt believe they could create in open play so that put more importance on the delivery....and that pressure basically resulted in them endlessly cocking every single attacking set piece up.

 

Confidence is massive in football, as individuals & as a team barely any of our players had any last season. Thats why we were relegated more than anything else. I dont think we have a massive amount of players who fall in an area between the leagues. Ameobi with the confidence he has now would score more in the premiership.