Kevin Nolan

[Guest neesy111]

We need Nolan in our team and this is coming from a Nolan hater as well.  The link-up between midfield and striker is vital and he is the only player capable of doing is.  His fitness is open to question.

[Hanshithispantz]

Barton in the centre tends to stay to deep for me, when he's out wide he seems get involved much more and infact in the games he's played out there has pretty much bossed th midfield (he certainly did against the Mackums and Arsenal)

[Guest BooBoo]

Jonas and Routledge on the wings are a waste of time really. I don't think we actually have the players to play 442 with wide men, yet it's all Hughton seems to know.

[Cajun]

Jonas and Routledge on the wings are a waste of time really. I don't think we actually have the players to play 442 with wide men, yet it's all Hughton seems to know.

 

Didn't he play 4-5-1 for quite a while, to the point people were moaning about it.

[Mick]

Even though our best performances this season have probably been with Nolan in the center and Barton on the wing? I can't think of a more frustrating wing combination than Jonas and Routledge.

 

It depends on what you call our best performances, Routledge and Jonas played on the wings against Villa with Barton in the middle and that is our best result of the season.  I thought last week was one of our best performances and Routledge and Jonas both played against Chelsea.

[Mick]

Jonas and Routledge on the wings are a waste of time really. I don't think we actually have the players to play 442 with wide men, yet it's all Hughton seems to know.

 

We've played 4-5-1 this season, probably as much as 4-4-2.

[Hanshithispantz]

Aye, everyonecomplaned that we never created enough, which to be fair they had a point. In the earlier parts of this season though, playing 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 we never had a truly bad game even when we were beaten, recently though we've had a couple of absolute stinkers which I think says more about our squad depth than it does our tactics.

[Guest BooBoo]

I think a 451 is far more appropriate away from home.

[Guest BooBoo]

And the so called 451 has actually featured Nolan playing so advanced, it's really been 442.

[Andy]

Even though our best performances this season have probably been with Nolan in the center and Barton on the wing? I can't think of a more frustrating wing combination than Jonas and Routledge.

 

It depends on what you call our best performances, Routledge and Jonas played on the wings against Villa with Barton in the middle and that is our best result of the season.  I thought last week was one of our best performances and Routledge and Jonas both played against Chelsea.

 

Fair comment. I tend to disagree with you and think Barton offers more on the right than any other player in our squad, based purely on his crossing ability, but there's an argument to be made for Routledge starting there as well - I personally think he's too inconsistent and too likely to flatter to deceive, though.

[Frazzle]

It was a 4-4-1-1 with Nolan playing really

[Doctor Zaius]

I'd much rather have Nolan playing that Shola like

[Hanshithispantz]

With Nolan, Barton & Smith/Tiote (the latter especialy as opposed to Smith) in the same midfield we were able to pretty much bully the opposision's midfield and we also had the quality to keep the ball too, we realy lack that withought Barton, Nolan & Tiote together and I think our recent posesion stats would probably back me up.

 

We've been pretty light in the physical department recently in the centre which was one of our biggest strenghs imo

[Guest BooBoo]

When everyones fit I'd like to see:

 

                Tiote.      Gosling

 

Barton.             Nolan.            Ben Arfa

 

                       Carroll

 

Certainly away from home anyway.

[Pilko]

Guthrie has the strange knack of overhitting all our freekicks and underhitting all our corners.

[Mick]

I think a 451 is far more appropriate away from home.

 

It probably is and we might as well put somebody in the middle if we're going to go with an under-performing Ameobi.

[Mick]

Fair comment. I tend to disagree with you and think Barton offers more on the right than any other player in our squad, based purely on his crossing ability, but there's an argument to be made for Routledge starting there as well - I personally think he's too inconsistent and too likely to flatter to deceive, though.

 

Routledge is too inconsistent and I hope that he can improve with games.  We have weaknesses and we'll have to live with them until we can bring in better players.  I just see him in that position and Barton in the middle as the lesser of two evils.

[morpeth mag]

Nolan, Barton, Colo amd Williamson were the only players to come out of today with credit.

[Guest neesy111]

Guthrie has the strange knack of overhitting all our freekicks and underhitting all our corners.

 

Yeah he does, which pisses me off even more regarding to his ability.

[ujpest doza]

Yes, but you could also argue that we need Barton on the right wing in order to give Carroll a supply line.

 

I'd settle for Barton through the middle and Routledge on the wing.

As much as i want Routledge to do well he has been garbage and Nolan and barton were both a massive miss today.

[ujpest doza]

I'd much rather have Nolan playing that Shola like

I'd rather Rob MacDonald played instead of Shola mind.

[Mick]

As much as i want Routledge to do well he has been garbage and Nolan and barton were both a massive miss today.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree about Nolan.

[LiquidAK]

Going to be relying on his leadership now more than ever.

[dinotheprehistoricgeordie]

Going to be relying on his leadership now more than ever.

 

[Crumpy Gunt]

Going to be relying on his leadership now more than ever.

 

I hope he gives more than the last time we went down.