JawD

Was good to get back last night. Shame half of the city didnt see it the same way. The attendance was very poor, swelled only due to the number of celtic fans. Naturally many of them locals. As a whole, their fans were well humoured and in good voice. Just a shame there are pockets who insist on signing ira songs while walking the town drinking bottles of red wine (not get no buckfast lads?). If I was going to pick ut a few players, Id say Luque started well then was in and out of the game. Still looks a bit lazy and a bottler, but you have to commend him on getting two goals. One was well taken and one a bit bundling. Still, would be interesting to see how he responds. Maybe potential suitors will sit and take notice. Milner or Geremi would have been my motm. Milner his usual hard working self on the wing and Geremi looked very handy. Broke up play well but also isnt shy to have a shot himself and came close a couple of times. Also looks like he will take the corners. Given made some good saves and looked in good form. Rozenhal I thought started a bit shakey but soon settled into a solid performance. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a clean clinical performance. Huntington was ... ok at LB but we really need that position sorting. Carr was ok but sloppy at times. Did see that we still have our boo boys who insisted on giving Carr / Luque stick for the tiniest thing like bending the grass on the pitch. So, much for a fresh start eh. Has to be said that Celtic moved the ball well and at times looked a threat and that they were up for it. Very poor at the back though with confusion usually akin to ourselves. A useful work out for us and good to get the goals.

Aye. Looking forward to the game, just to get back there. Shame Barton/Viduka wont play. Will be good to see how Roz and Geremi do though. Apart from that, Im not expecting much of a game. Will be interesting to see how Carrol does and whether Luque see's tat he has a chance to make an impact with a fresh start, or that he's still here for a ride. Id also like to see for myself how Zog does at LB.

Aye. Good shout. Duncan Ferguson too. £8million. I actually liked Big Dunc when he was fit. But that was the problem. One of my fav goals was him v man u.

and without letting the cost of the player influence: Goalkeeper : Mike Hooper Defenders : Serrant ; Alan Goma ; Titus Bramble ; Jean Alain Boumsong Midielders : Fumaca ; Cristian Bassedas ; Des Hamilton Forwards : Andersson ; Albert Luque ; Guivarch

Goalkeeper : Mike Hooper (0.5m) Defenders : Alessandro Pistone (4.5m); Marcelino (5.8m) ; Titus Bramble (4.5m) ; Jean Alain Boumsong (8.0m) Midielders : Diego Gavalan (2.0m); Cristian Bassedas (4.1m) ; Hugo Viana (8.5m) ; Silvio Maric (3.7m) Forwards : Carl Cort (7.0m) ; Albert Luque (9.5m) Total Cost : £58.1 million

You'd be pretty gutted if it came and set next to you like.. Its probably got some highly infectious disease and its the cat thats killing them

Reading the news this morning, Sams latest interview about not being able to get players largely due to no European football, the injury to Barton, Dyer wanting to leave, the new chairman learning about football and so on. Its all pretty depressing after a flying start in June.

"WHAT'S THAT?!........*I think she's telling me to get my hand out from under her top*.........EH?!.........*Yeah she definitely isn't enjoying this, but I think I'm getting away with it. This loud music thing is BRILLIANT*.........I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!"

Didnt really stick nowt on with the intention of it making any lass swoon But used to be stuff like Deep Forest, Enigma, Portishead. Unless when I was a kid living at home it would be anything loud at that time I was into Metallica / Faith No More

Seems nailed on that he (Dyer) will be away one way or another. I can only assume we are already on the lookout for a replacement. Heard Sam on the news this morning saying how frustrating it has been and that several bids had been accepted only for deals to fall at the final hurdle.

Reminds me of a lad I work with. No, he doesnt look like that He was on a bus with his daughter. She was facing the person sitting behind them. He noticed she was pulling faces at the person behind and told her to stop. She said she done it as he was and when my mate turned around to apologise he noticed the person had obviously had a stroke or something

Dont have a problem with it. Mainly because when I get home from being out on the lash Im asleep as soon as I get into bed

Said on the radio this morning he has just signed a new £30Kpw deal (Shorey).

Thats just the thing. Not arsed if he leaves and we bring someone else in.

Really scratching around for news aint they...

Used to be prone to them on busses, always just before your stop. Being a shorts wearer and in a suit it was always glaringly obvious. Actually happened the other day in a motorway services while I was queuing for a coffee trying to readjust myself through me pocket so wasnt as obvious. Im sure someone gave me a wide berth when they noticed

Real first name: Darrel Nickname: Not really Age: 35 Occupation: Co Director doing all sorts Location: Gateshead Language(s) spoken? English - basic Avatar - why? Classic 80's cartoon! Previous avatar? Some animated cow Tell us when you first joined the boards? Reet at the beginning when Phil put it together after running the news thingy and modding the soccer 24-7 nufc section Board highlights? the craic back in the day .... Board lowlights? Dunno, quiet periods in between seasons and all the bollocks between here and NO What would you be doing if you weren't doing your current job? Dole Pets? Border Terrier called Oscar I play a bit like.... Mike Hooper. Shite so put in goal and still shite then. Football heroes? Peter Beardsley, Sir Les, KK Football villains? Man U fans Best advice given? Dont burn your bridges Ideal partner? Couldnt look past wor lass. No honest! Ideal dinner date? What, place or person? Ideal meal? Probably italian with good white wine Can you cook? If I can be arsed I can do ok, hardly be arsed though Current wheels? Merc ML Biggest influence? Dunno TV programmes? Scrubs, 8/10 cats, various discovery channel type stuff Burger and chips or fish and chips? fish Chinese or indian? What do you order? Either - Chinees Satay Chicken n Fried Rice, Indian Chicken Balti Veg pelaw rice Favourite tunes? All sorts depending on mood, largely Pink Floyd Abi Titmuss or Jodi Marsh? Titmuss, Marsh is a freak. George Clooney or Bradley Pitt? Pitt probably Favourite film? Dunno If I won a million pounds.... Pay off everything, give some away, move into the country in Northumberland. Age first drunk alcohol? First drink? Not including sipping me Fathers beer, prob 14-15 Old English Cider (yuk!) Ever suspended/expelled from school? Why? Never, not even close. Favourite insult? Dunno, usually go for humor though. Not a lot of people know that......... My Great Grandfather (or similar) sculpted a statue in Tynemouth and the Royal Crest on top of the theatre royal. Most you've ever spent on an item of clothes? £150 coat maybe, £120 jeans perhaps. Not these days like. How many pairs of shoes do you own? More than I realise, prob 4-5 I'm obsessed with..... Nowt really, In 5 years time, I hope to be.... alive

Rhyl - possibly the worst place Ive ever stayed.

Aaah clever, I like what you did adding that last 5 to spice it up a bit and throw people off course

Great, two rumours that pretty much cancel one another out Edit : ok 3 rumours, Im ignoring the 3rd to make my point work

It is a concern after such a good start. I also find the comments about making Zog a LB a worry. To me it sounds more like conceding defeat in the market for a new LB and using him as a makeshift. I'd watch with interest the coming friendlies to see if he plays Zog there and if so how he copes against better opposition. As mentioned, we now have a smaller squad than last season and really must get in some players before the window closes. We need a couple to firmly have a place in the first 11 and a couple more to fight for it / give depth. The Dyer thing needs sorting and fair enough let him go, but thats another body that would need replacing. I wonder if we would go for SWP and give him the centre role alongside Barton (when fit) to replace Dyer.

Who?

If its a legitimate whack on the thigh, Id not be that worried. See if he's back for the Juve game.

I think he will change depending on who we are playing and where. He has said he wants to be hard to beat away from home and perhaps more attacking at home. I do think we will see him use 4-3-3 but I also expect the usual 4-4-2. Once Viduka is fit I'd imagine he would start with Owen if in a 4-4-2 though in 4-3-3 Viduka would be flanked by Owen and Martins either side. For 4-4-2 you could imagine Milner & Zog/Duff out wide with Barton/Dyer in the centre. When we play 4-3-3 the centre could change to Barton, Emre/Milner & Dyer. At the back I reckon the centre will be Rozenhal & Taylor/Newbloke with Geremi & newbloke as full backs. Unless he will use Carr at RB and pull Geremi into midfield for games where we need more strength in the centre. All in all, in other words, I havent got a clue