PaddockLad

Drawing away with 10 men against a team about to play a champions league qualifier tells us nowt about the season ahead. I've read some reports of the match and I think there are some people with unrealistic expectations about pre season friendlies in general . Aren't they almost always awful and give us no clue whatsoever about whats likely to happen in the forthcoming 10 months?...maybe its just me, but I've yet to see many worth paying for, or even watching for most of them. Apart from when Gazza got the winner at Hearts, away at Tynecastle in 87. Then we were attacked by the Hibs CCS on Gorgie Road in Edinburgh. Good night out that

who got sent off then?...

Strange exit policy...wonder where he's going?...

The Nazis thought nothing of torturing and murdering millions of people they held prisoner. We thought that jolly well wasnt on, so we put a stop to it. That was the British thing to do. Can you see the irony in what youre saying here?...

Nice view for lunch the week before last, Stari Most, Mostar, Bosnia-Herzogovina: We arrived at 1pm at the bridge on a day trip from Dubrovnik, just in time for the call to prayer to wail out from the mosque. Went to the museum just on the Muslim side where we watched a video of the Croats destroying the bridge in late 1993. Very evocative and humbling. The banner on the side of the bridge says "don't forget Srebenica 11-07-1995". We were there the week of the anniversary, which was particularly sobering. I remember watching the bridge being blown up on the news in the nineties, never thought I'd get the chance to visit it. After we'd been in the mueseum and had lunch, we wandered around the mosque and old town and bought a few trinkets before heading back towards the bridge to re join our bus. We noticed a local with blood on his face being placated by some women in a shop doorway, when suddenly he ran back down the hill towards the bridge where he proceded to kick the shit out of a bloke stood in the doorway of the museum! Had the missus with me so got back up to the top of the bridge a bit sharpish in case it err "escalated". A Russian lad in our party said he saw the police turn up and commented that he thought that the attack was "political", which is as a good a euphamism as I've heard Think huge strides have been made since the war, but looks like you cant stop people from hating each other. The folk on the bridge are putting cash into a hat passed round by local lads who, when theyve got 30-40 euros from the tourists, they jump the 25 metres into the River Nerverta. This is the video we watched in the museum: Dubrovnik was great too, all in all a brilliant holiday. Did day trips to 4 islands and spent a few days in the city itself which is a gem. Chilled out at our apartment at Zaton Bay the rest of the time. If you're ever in the area though I'd advise a trip to Mostar is a must though, very thought provoking.

Was Llambias responsible for our former recruitment strategy?...the one you liked very much, and the one that may have brought in Douglas this summer before Kinnear appeared on the scene?...this is just the start, and if you cant see a time in the next 6-12 months where Kinnear will be our a manager with apprently Harford in tow attempting to bully millionaires then you're being a tad on the naive side I fear

Jose Mourihno was never paid to play football. His win percentage as a manager of professional football teams is higher than anyone elses in history. When the Kinnear/Harford axis is in control sometime this autumn you will understand that where you come from in football is irrellevet to how well you manage. Mourinho is a highly intelligent university graduate, whereas without footballing ability Kinnear wouldve been digging holes in roads and Harford wouldve been down the pit. Go figure.

you were there then? If you like prisoners being beaten by their jailers feel free to go and live somewhere where its a regular occurance...

Dressing room meeting after game; "harsh words exchanged"

VGL, Is that the autism one?...

It would be ironic if he was trying to take some sort of moral high ground and then turns round and joins the most morally dubious club in a league riven with corruption and the huge pay rise that goes with it.

I take it the problem is Virgin and Barclays offer specific Islam friendly products and Wonga don't?....

I completely agree with what you're saying re Keegan. But it doesn't alter what am saying. Everything up to last year was turned back into the business. He's taken 11mill? out and he'll take more until we're cheap enough to be sold at a realistic price. As long as we're in the prem he just needs to bide his time. Sadly, so must we. I think KK is coming back at that point as head of a bid and will become chairman. Then, for good or bad, the club will belong to the supporters, we'll have one of our own at the top of the club with real ambition,drive and determination. Then he'll have a daft row with somone and walk out

If the Carroll money hasn't been reinvested where did the cash for the Cisse deal come from?....Ashley hasn't put a penny in since promotion mate. That includes transfer fees and wages. It's tricky working out what's gone on, but the bookies closed the book last week on Sinclair to Newcastle after they received several large sums on that bet. Theyre seldom wrong, but who knows? This little lot may well be financed by Cabaye leaving for big money. That's how are doing it.

Still fat as fuck then?.....always thought he'd be tricky to handle but didn't have him down for over indulging on the old duck pizza...

Is it not because we've barely put a bid in for anyone due to kinnear needing a week in Benidorm straight after his appointment? There's been plenty of apparent links.... http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1704115-newcastle-united-transfer-gossip-6-players-linked-to-the-toon We were the biggest spenders January, hence lots of coverage. . am not expecting a repeat...

I suppose you could call Charltons position in that a "false 9"?...anyway, the accepted wisdom at the time was it was 433, and that's what Charlton himself says. It was very fluid, the front 5 all capable of great movement and flexibility and the fullbacks overlapping in support. Cohen and Flowers were said to have pretty much invented modern fullback play under Sir Alf's guidance,Martin Peters was later said to have been 20 years ahead of his time, Geoff Hurst scored a hatrick but Alan Ball was man of the match. The greatest goalscorer England has ever produced only good enough for the bench. A truly great side,whatever the formation was...

So say we get Bent,Remy,Sinclair and this Rolando gadge, and let Perch,Shola,Gosling and Simpson go, would that be a good summers business?...things can and will go wrong,but I think the only purchase that's at all doubtful of those 4 at the moment is Remy, due to his wages. Bents wages will be set off by a low fee, theres no way any fucker will pay 8mill. Am not really sure what folks are hoping for, we've been told not to expect too much after Januarys splurge. Am not suggesting that all is completey well and good, but there weren't too many complaints on Feb 1st. The cuckoo in the nest is Kinnear this time round, so we'll have to see how it all pans out with him at the helm.

Is that your own interpretation of it?...thats fair enough but not what my old man says or what's in bobby Charltons book either...both said Sir Alf played 433 and was slaughtered for it in the press, until he won the world cup that is

True. And anyone who can't recognise that to solve this its Ashley who needs to get his arse in gear is equally as clueless. I like Fish's formation a lot but it looks very offensive for a Pardew side where its mostly safety first. The only difference is Cabaye being pushed further forward which we didn't really play, we played mostly with two lads sitting in. We'll see what happens, no one leaving(?) a full pre season for the players bought in January and Pardew reading this thread should see us top 5 at least

He didn't fucking buy him though...he was bought for him. Pardew's comments are frankly bizzarre, but it may be down to modern player power as much as anything. Wouldn't be at all surprised if Pardew is in the habit of asking players what they feel their best position is, and if Pardew got a bit of a shrug from Sissoko as an answer he's likely as much in the dark as the rest of us. He played in behind Cisse and in the right hand channel pretty much due to Ben Arfa being injured, then when he ran out is steam Ben Arfa waddled back in. Let's see where Pardew picks him when he's got a full squad...am sure someone will tell him what to do...

Did we need another central midfielder then?....

It was known by the brand name "two dogs" in the UK in the 90s...alcoholic lemonade...don't know if CT missed out back then or he's been sold something pretty old under a new name...am thinking the latter...

That's the thing, they aren't wingers, it confuses and bugs the tits off me when people say "Pardew played so and so on the wing" its a blatant misunderstanding of the system. England won the world cup with a team that played mostly 433 and they were called "the wingless wonders".

/Aye in an ideal world another LF and a big hitting ST/ anyone care to translate? I'll guess left forward but am stuck with sexually transmitted for the other..