bassplayerjj

Huntington always looks about 16 to me. Looks like he's struggling and confused all the time, in time he will fill out tho and with experience hopefully he will come good, has a good frame on him. I'd send him on loan for a couple of seasons. Edgar looks the most promising to me and I'd sooner have him at left back or in the middle than Ramage. Has a bright future that Edgar.

Was that not Le Saux ??? During France '98, you mean?? I wouldn't be surprised if I'm wrong, as the sands of time drift around my heed quite unchecked Think he's referring to Euro 2000 when we lost 3-2 and Neville gave away a stupid last minute penalty. No-one has let him forget it and it's nuts. People forgave Beckham for what he did in France '98, people forgave Seaman for what happened against Brazil in 2002 and no doubt the same is true of Rooney for last summer. So why does Neville still get tarred? because he looks like a cunt and always will. Sad really, happens to be quite a good player =)

I rather like the guy, mainly because I can't stop laughing when he's on the screen. Looks like the fooking scouse Punch out of punch and Judy, sounds like him also.

would rather we forked out and snatched Manuel Fernandes from Everton. Can't believe so many teams are just sitting by letting Everton take that guy, he's a Madrid/Barcelona/Milan player in 5 years time I reckon.

agreed. if owen starts i can't see us lining up in any other formation than a 4-4-2 Big Sam has come out and said that at times we will be fielding both Owen and Martins with a big man. Could be a 4-3-1-2 sort of thing. With the strikers playing a bit narrower than they would in a 4-3-3 but still keeping a similar midfield shape. With Viduka we have a forward who would be great in that role. Strong in the air for flick ons, and an eye for a pass and a deft touch. With everyone fit I can see us playing this way against some of the lesser teams, especially at home.

Viduka and MArtins linked very well. Milner was quality on the left and cutting inside, worked tirelessly as always. Butt was magnificent in front of the back four. The back four were tremendous! Smith did his usual grafting and hard work in the middle of the park. I remember looking at one corner thinking, JESUS, we got Taylor, Rozenhal, Viduka, Smith, Martins in the mix for this one, all pretty good in the air. With Cacapa and Enrique both over 6ft also to come into the side we will score a bunch of set pieces this season I hope. I honestly reckon we can push the top 4 this season, I have this warm fuzzy feeling inside. No Europe = a fresh and hungry team every week. Competition all over the park, tactical flexibility thanks to a manager who has a fucking clue and does his homework, and players that all seem committed to wearing the black and white with pride. BRING ON THE SEASON!

This is what I have been predicting, Martins as the Right Forward of a 4-3-3. Worked brilliantly in my opinion. Ran at the defence, worked tireless, and when Viduka dropped off, was able to burst forward and latch on to Viduka's clever touches. What a fucking player, delighted he is with us.

Come on Gezza, let's bring home something shiny!

2-1, Martins strike and Geremi free kick. Carr own goal...

I hope the Diop stories are true. We could get him for around 3 million I reckon. We have been crying out for some height and physical presence in the middle of the park for YEARS! We need competition at the defensive midfield position because I think Barton and Geremi would be wasted there, and if anythin happens to Butt then one of them will be put in there. I know Roz can play there and I bet he could do a good job there but I really like the look of him at the back so far and would rather keep him there. Diop brings with him such physical presence that makes him lethal at attacking set pieces and very useful defensively. He can also crack one from some way out and with 2 years Prem experience at a shite team like Fulham and at the ripe age of 29 I reckon he'd be a steely addition to the squad.

I chose to put Cacapa at right back because Taylor is bigger than him and probably better in the air, and if he has a calm head like Roz alongside him would be starting to perform far more consistently. Remember the Chelsea game last year where he ruled Drogba? let's have more of that this year Tayls. Cacapa is quite a capable right back, would have him there above anyone else we have in the squad at the moment.

Howay man, give N'Zogbia and Nobby a look in! Ok swap out carr on the bench and replace with Nobby, but zoggy wont get a look in for the time being, I want to see how the new midfield works first, I've always been a secret admirer of Emre, when hes playing well he can be devastating but he does go missing alot to be honest, but I would love to see him turn it round this coming season, if there was a season to shine, this is it Emre seems to have the qualities to really turn it on, but I think it depends on the people around him to create space. I think you may be right, hopefully the work of Smith, Barton etc can create the time and space for him. This was my team but Viduka instead of Smith! =) Geremi Barton Emre would be wicked in that midfield trio

That looks leathal. (in attack) I'munsure if it would work properly. Maybe with Martins playing behind the other 2 strikers as people were saying he was weak in that position against Sampdoria(I missed the game). I'm pretty sure the midfield would work due to the engines on those 3 players. A lot of industry and leg work with Barton and Smith timing their runs into the box. And, as I say, the likes of Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Nobby dropping in depending on opposition. With our options now, defences won't be able to play a high line of defence as Owen/Martins could rape them on the break, but if they play too deep, Smith/Viduka could impose themselves and hold the ball up, linking Smith/Barton etc. I would have thought you would play Martins on the left and Owen on the right if we go with a 4-3-3. You could also play Smith on the right and Emre in midfield as he might end up being a lot more productive in a 4-3-3 than he has been so far a 4-4-2. Well, people have been saying that Emre is a perfect fit for the left hand side of a 4-3-3, so it'll be interesting to see him there. Also, you're right about the Owen/Martins bit, although I can't see Owen wasted by being asked to play too deep. He's got the experience of playing in a 4-3-3 for Inter and I would think that it would be the type of formation that would suit his style the most. And yeah, I don't think 4-3-3 suits Owen at all really but if you're gonna play him in one I can only see that right hand side slot as worth a go. He's not big enough to play at the point and there's no reason for him to be on the left other than if you're wanting to swap players over for a while during a game. With Owen and Martins I can see us playing an inverted point, a 1-2 instead of a 2-1. Having them play a little bit narrower, as the likes of Geremi and Emre can give us good balance in the midfield as they have played this position for Real and Inter.

With every player we have fit and playing to their full potential: --------------------Given Cacapa-----Taylor------Rozenhal-----Enrique (back four with height all over 6ft, experience, youth, strength and pace) -----Geremi------Barton-------Emre (creativity, aggression, experience, long shots, skill, balance) -------------------Viduka (Aerial prowess, strength, creativity, natural finishing, hold up play) -----------Owen------------Martins (raw pace, power, finishing, dribbling, both on song would frighten any defence in the world) Bench candidates: Harper, Solano, Smith, Duff, Milner, Butt, Luque, Ameobi, Carr, Edgar, Carroll etc)

.cock That's the sort of encouraging signs that we're moving in the right direction IMO. As much as people don't rate Carr, or just don't rate him, he's our only natural right back at the club and has looked good at left back at the tail end of last season, and so far this pre-season. We undoubtedly still need to strenghten there, but I'd have him in ahead of Ramage, Solano or Taylor. I hate the little lazy hobbit but I have to admit he hasn't looked so bad this pre-season. Looks more like the player that had a few solid seasons at spurs than the one we brought here to sit in the treatment room. I don't know how Sam does it, but if his methods can work for that tubby little bastid then we have some bright times ahead =)

I'd love to see someone like Riquelme at the club, in fact, not just someone, but him. The trouble with a player like him however is that he needs 2 CMs working with him the whole time for him to be effective, like Argentina have with Mascherano and Cambiasso. It's not just that he can't put himself about and run around like most English type CMs but that he needs people around him to win the ball, and give it to him so he can find his own space to have time on the ball where he can make best use of his stunning technical ability and creative play. I think that in Geremi, Butt, and Barton we have the type of player that can win ball for Riquelme but Sam will be wanting to play 4-4-2 much of the time as we have 6 capable Strikers on our books, especially at home where we should be beating 80% of the league.

-------------Give/Harper Carr----Taylor-----Rozenhal-----N'Zogbia (although I wouldn't be surprised to see Ramage here for the extra height) ----------------Butt --------Geremi------Smith Martins-----------------------Milner ---------------Viduka This team would beat Bolton and when everyone is fit I'd expect us to be fielding Enrique at LB, Taylor or Cacapa at right back with the other playing CB, and Barton in the middle with Geremi. We gonna be seeing a whole lot of rotation this season though which I think will be healthy for competition and for the players in terms of being able to rest up whilst adapting to Allardyce's rigorous training regimes and. We haven't had the luxury of being able to rest players these past few years! no wonder we had all those injuries.

I still think we need 2 more players, a versatile backup defender of international quality, and a big strong defensive centre midfielder like Diop, someone to push Butt for a place. I'm very happy with the squad at the moment but I think 2 more would keep us going for the season and we are definitely in for a shout for top 6.

basically, the same age and price as Baines, but a far bigger physical specimen. Let's hope the boy can defend, stay fit, and get used to our weather =)

I was initially 100% for Taylor to be captain but now I tihnk Geremi is the best choice. His attitude at chelsea although not playing the amount of games he would have liked to was superb. Never complained, just got on happily with the job he is paid to do. I remember Jose reserving some special praise for him a few weeks ago (although he said the same for Duff and Parker!) and I respect Jose's judgment when dealing with his players as they respect him so much. Communication is so very important as a captain, this is what I saw Parker not doing enough of. The fact that Geremi can speak all those different languages makes a big difference for me. He also seems a very amicable character (much like Jay-Jay Okocha) and seems to live his life respectably off the pitch. I don't know who should be the next captain but whoever Sam chooses I will support 100%. Sam has been saying and more importantly doing all the right things since he has come here and I trust his decisions more than any manager we have had since Keegan.

Sam was on the phone for the whole game so you can forgive him for this call =) I reckon Roz or Geremi were the men-of-the-match, no-one performed outstandingly but we played very well as a team, defending as one, and at times passing like one =)

Teams will fear coming to SJP once again. With Barton, Smith, Taylor, Cacapa, Butt, Viduka and more arriving there will be no ponying about this year. Some good proper roll your socks up grit your teeth action all over the park!

I'd flog the little C*** for 3 mill. Who needs a moaner in this new look, new era, hungry NUFC team.

With us not playing in europe this year and the strong competition Sam is looking to have all over the pitch I think we can beat spurs and anyone else to that 5th spot. I'll even go so far as to say we may have one of the tightest defenses in the prem this year, especially at home. The arrival of more quality defenders like Jose Enrique, Dragutinovic & more as well as the man Cacapa we will have more competition in defence than we have had for at least a decade (probably more!). Yes I said it, Newcastle may have one of the tightest defenses this year!

Saw the game today and from being disgusted with Alan Smith signing for the club I am now delighted. Call me fickle, call me whatever, I'm being honest, I swallow my pride, I made a mistake =) It was a real treat seeing a player look so committed and proud to be wearing the shirt today. He's showed that he's willing to give his all for the team and this is what matters, this is what Dyer lacked the moment he refused to play on the right for Sir Bobby. He looked like the old Alan Smith, not the one at United that looked a shadow of himself, especially after the injury. More positives were the performances of Roz & Taylor (especially Roz who was so composed and precise with his defensive interventions) who as I predicted resemble a Hyypia-Carragher partnership (both in stature and performance) but with more pace It was also fantastic to see the defence hold such a tight line and actually look organised! Geremi looked fantastic in his centre mid role. Really composed and skillful as well as effective passing. Martins didn't have the best of games (what a bleeding miss!) but he showed commitment and industry (especially in defensive areas) that proves he is up for the fight this year and if he doesn't mind it could well become Sam's Diouf (without the spitting and general c***tishness!) Can't believe I feel so optimistic about the season and happy with the summer signings so far, from Alan Smith to Rozenhal they all look to be very positive additions to our weak squad. Jose Enrique on his way, Dragutinovic for competition at LB and CB, another CB/RB and a powerful big centre mid-fielder like Diop and I think if we stay fit this year we can finish at least 5th =) Good job so far Big Sam!