The best thing about Oba's form is...

[lovejoy]

the pressure its going to put on michael owen to perform when he is back.

 

discuss

[Guest smoggeordie]

The prospect of their partnership is frightening. Has the potential to be as deadly as Sir Les/Al

[Tooj]

The prospect of their partnership is frightening. Has the potential to be as deadly as Sir Les/Al

 

Depends, I'd say the way people on about Sir Les and Wor Al as a "partnership" is frankly a bit misguided as they really weren't that special as a partnership when you look at say a Pedro and Cole but thrived due to the excellent service they received from either flank.

[Guest Knightrider]

I'm still unsure as to whether Owen and Martins will work together as a partnership myself, but good point Lovejoy, the competition to be numero uno can only be good for the team.

[Guest Knightrider]

The prospect of their partnership is frightening. Has the potential to be as deadly as Sir Les/Al

 

Depends, I'd say the way people on about Sir Les and Wor Al as a "partnership" is frankly a bit misguided as they really weren't that special as a partnership when you look at say a Pedro and Cole but thrived due to the excellent service they received from either flank.

 

True, but their roles in the team helped those behind them, just as much as those behind them, helped the pair. Shearer and Sir Les were no Beardsley and Cole or Bellamy and Big Al, but they were effective for the TEAM, if not so much each other, and that's what it is all about. You don't need a telepathic understanding up front, or a match made in heaven, just two players able to play alongside each other to the benefit of the team, the rest will take care of itself.

[M4]

Oba will easily be number one striker at the start of next season, will be up to Owen to move up from number two.

 

I think they will work very well together.

[lovejoy]

the toon fans seem to have a new hero, and it isnt michael owen, and i cant see him liking that too much

[gray]

aye he'll be off to liverpool

[Shearer9]

I don't think they'll work well together, but I think they can flourish in the same team at the same time.  Just depends on how our midfield ends up working.

[gazza ladra]

and we all know how competition has brought out the best in both N'Zogbia and Duff.

[Guest andynufc84]

 

I'd love to think both Martins and Owen can get 20 goals each in the Premiership. This would mean us collecting probably 15 to 20 more points in the league.

 

Martins has proved he is capable in his short time here already, and we already know Owen will score goals when fully fit -  no doubt about it. I just hope they can play together effectively. Only time will tell.

[Syrette]

Martins has age on his side, I bet in a couple of seasons he'll have ironed out his obvious flaws and will be something else.

[Nate]

Martins has age on his side, I bet in a couple of seasons he'll have ironed out his obvious flaws and will be something else.

 

He's been playing at the highest level for 4-5 years now, if he was capable of ironing out the flaws in his game i imagine he would have done so already. He is an explosive player, if a little inconsistent, but i don't see him improving dramatically from here.

[Guest JamesD]

he's been mostly a sub though, coming on as a spark player, so the expectations for him are different in his new role, and i imagine it will take some time to master his new job. but when he does....its gonna be nice.

[thomas]

and we all know how competition has brought out the best in both N'Zogbia and Duff.

How many games have they had between them this season? 

[Syrette]

Martins has age on his side, I bet in a couple of seasons he'll have ironed out his obvious flaws and will be something else.

 

He's been playing at the highest level for 4-5 years now, if he was capable of ironing out the flaws in his game i imagine he would have done so already. He is an explosive player, if a little inconsistent, but i don't see him improving dramatically from here.

 

Yet, he's still only 22, in his first season in a new country, playing for an injury ravaged squad with an inadequate manager. On top of that he's had to deal with some of our fans who are all too happy to write someone off quickly. You never fail to worry me with your pessimism.

[Nate]

Martins has age on his side, I bet in a couple of seasons he'll have ironed out his obvious flaws and will be something else.

 

He's been playing at the highest level for 4-5 years now, if he was capable of ironing out the flaws in his game i imagine he would have done so already. He is an explosive player, if a little inconsistent, but i don't see him improving dramatically from here.

 

Yet, he's still only 22, in his first season in a new country, playing for an injury ravaged squad with an inadequate manager. On top of that he's had to deal with some of our fans who are all too happy to write someone off quickly. You never fail to worry me with your pessimism.

 

I think he's been brilliant. He's already scoring regularly in the Premiership and in Europe, i just think the flaws in his game are part of him rather than something he'll improve on.

[Cajun]

He has already improved in the short time he has been here, how anyone can think a 22 year old will not improve any further because they have been playing for 5 years is beyond me!

 

In regards to Martins and Owen not working together I don't see the problem, people seem set on the idea that a partnership will only work if its a big man little man set up. I could understand if Owen and Martins were exactly the same type of players but they are very different imo. I think some still see Owen as the young lad who sprung onto the scene ripping apart Argentinas defence when infact he has adapted (partly due to a loss of some of his pace) his game since then and is more about instinct, positioning and movement. 

[Nobody]

For those who say that Owen/Martins won't work together...

Martins has been banging goals in when he's played with both Dyer and Sibierski up front, i.e doesn't seem to have a problem adjusting his game

Owen has been banging in goals throughout his career, no matter who he's played with.

How unlucky would we be if it just happened that just these two won't match?

[Lenny]

Martins has age on his side, I bet in a couple of seasons he'll have ironed out his obvious flaws and will be something else.

 

He's been playing at the highest level for 4-5 years now, if he was capable of ironing out the flaws in his game i imagine he would have done so already. He is an explosive player, if a little inconsistent, but i don't see him improving dramatically from here.

 

Yet, he's still only 22, in his first season in a new country, playing for an injury ravaged squad with an inadequate manager. On top of that he's had to deal with some of our fans who are all too happy to write someone off quickly. You never fail to worry me with your pessimism.

 

I think he's been brilliant. He's already scoring regularly in the Premiership and in Europe, i just think the flaws in his game are part of him rather than something he'll improve on.

 

thierry henry was at Monaco for a good few years and then juventus and even arsenal for a season before he became considered one of the worlds best so i cant say i agree  that you dont think a player of the age of 22 wont improve over the next few seasons!

[toontownman]

How unlucky would we be if it just happened that just these two won't match?

 

about as lucky as normal Id say!

 

The only thing we will miss from an Owen/Martins pairing is height, although both of them are good in the air, Martins in particular has an insane jump on him. Both players are capable of holding the ball up well, Owen is decievingly strong on the ball, they are both great with the ball at their feet but different with their positional play.

 

Whilst Martins should be looking to run into the gaps he tends to hold back and how many times have we seen him pull back to the position he scored from against AZ? Whilst most strikers especially Owen would be running into or across the goal mouth for a cross Martins often prefers to hang back. This is according to the pundits a flaw.

 

I think Martins prefers to play deeper more like Rooney/Tevez, and he certainly likes to shoot from distance. Owen of old would come and collect the ball from deep and run at the defenders but he certainly knows how to ''own'' the box.

 

Flaw or just the game that he plays I think how Martins is playing will enable the partnership with Owen to work.

 

We will add another striker to the mix in the summer which (provided he is half decent) will see our attack looking very strong and versatile.

 

Much like this season depending on the opposition we will mix our strike force up, eg Dyer partnering Martins against Portsmouth and their collective pace ripping portsmouths older defence to shreds, whilst playing Sibbers when we need more height and physical presence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mick]

I don't see why height should be too much of a problem as long as we use people like Taylor and Bramble for corners and learn to play the ball to feet, the pace that these two have will more than compensate for a lack of height, obviously Owen might come back slower.

 

Owen and Martins could cause chaos to any defence if we play a quick ball over the top, I would guess that teams will defend very deep against those two, that's when they'll need to be a bit clever but work on the training pitch should sort that out.

 

If we can learn to draw teams onto us and break with speed they will be deadly, to do that though we need to be comfortable in defence and play balls that the pair can run onto.

[James]

With Owen, Martins, Zoggy/Duff, Milner/Dyer looking to get behind a deep defence, we need a player who can exploit the large gap between defence and midfield. Martins can do that by dropping deep maybe, but it  would also help if we had a central midfielder who could shoot from distance.

 

I'd like to see Parker partnered by Pedro Mendes in the middle.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

I'd love to think both Martins and Owen can get 20 goals each in the Premiership. This would mean us collecting probably 15 to 20 more points in the league.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think any team has had two strikers score 20 premiership goals each in the same season. Also, Owen has never scored 20 premiership goals in a season. There's a first time for everything though!

[AlanSkÃrare]

With Owen, Martins, Zoggy/Duff, Milner/Dyer looking to get behind a deep defence, we need a player who can exploit the large gap between defence and midfield. Martins can do that by dropping deep maybe, but it  would also help if we had a central midfielder who could shoot from distance.

 

I'd like to see Parker partnered by Pedro Mendes in the middle.

 

More like Kim Källström. Overall good workrate and one of the best left foots in Europe. Also excellent taker of freekicks and corners, something Newcastle have lacked this season. We're still to score our first freekick right?