Noelie

Nowhere near anyone else in his team as they ahd no clue how to find him. Hardly his fault. Perhaps that's true but what I find lacking in Martins is his work-rate and effort off the ball. You don't see him doing much chasing, putting in tackles, tracking back, like we got used to with Shearer. I think he's canny in the air for his size and good on the ball but lacking off it. Young lad's first season in a new league in a shambles of a football team - He's done pretty fucking good if you ask me. If you keep comparing every striker we get to Shearer then you're never going to be happy. First season or not shouldn't have anything to do with a players work-rate off the ball and if as you say he's in a shambles of a football team then surely he would be inspired to work harder off the ball, I know I would, I don't and didn't compare him to Shearer as he's a one-off, I just used him as an example of work-ethic, I've seen Shearer make more clearances from corner-kicks than any defender I could name but I don't expect that from Martins, I just want to see him do more off the ball.

Nowhere near anyone else in his team as they ahd no clue how to find him. Hardly his fault. Perhaps that's true but what I find lacking in Martins is his work-rate and effort off the ball. You don't see him doing much chasing, putting in tackles, tracking back, like we got used to with Shearer. I think he's canny in the air for his size and good on the ball but lacking off it.

So where was Martins against Arse n'all.

Strange, yer joking aren't ye?? That was absolutely eerie decision, I found it strange he was even on the bench, especially when that young striker from the reserves should be getting some playing time to see what he's got to offer. We've seen enough of Luque to know he's got nowt to offer.

Sad thing about this match was that Arsenal were missing good players, they were playing way below par, and they were there to be beaten, and if we had been able to kick it up a notch we could have won easily. As it was we played below par too and all in all it was a boring game with little excitement, another 2 points hoyed away.

Damage at right-back? shows Pedro doesn't have much between his ears.

I think a lot of you are being unfair to Parker and I believe it is mostly because the team as a whole are are performing badly and someone always has to be subjected to the ire of the fans and at the moment it happens to be Parker. Personally I think he is a good player playing on a bad team and perhaps he is trying too hard and because of that his performence suffers. If we were winning the games against teams we should be beating I think Parker wouldn't be getting slagged as much as he is. I hope he is with us next season and if the structure and performence of the team is enhanced by the influx of new players and possibly a better manager I think Parker will shine. He has the talent, he is a 90 minute player, and has the aggression I admire in any player.

Is your mam and your sister agreeable to your arrangements for them? With a little luck I may be coming home this year, er......ahem......psst......I don't smoke.

With all the talk about top-class managers, Roeder's failings, Shearer etc etc etc I tend to think there are those among us who overlook the fact that success and failure are ever present for anyone, and that success for a manager at one club doesn't mean he will be successful at another. There are many who have done well at certain clubs but failed at others. I think the amount of talented players at a club have a lot to do with a manager's success unless he is one of those gifted people who can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear like Clough. Track records are not always the key to success, for instance, O'Neill did well as manager at two clubs but is not doing too well at Aston Villa whereas Roy Keane is doing well in his first job as manager at Blunderland. And as for Shearer, being an icon, a legend in your own time, a great player, you name it, does not guarantee a success in management as much as I would like to think it did. For example Wolverhampton player Billy Wright, a bit before your time I think, but he was a legend in his own time, first player to be capped 100 times for England, was captain in 3 world cups, and when he retired became manager of Arsenal. Didn't do too well and was eventually fired and never took another management job.

Seems to me you should be playing up front with Martins cos yer profile gans alang wi most o' Glenns boys. You should ask for a trial................on the pitch I mean.

Early days left-half(was right-footed but there always seemed to be a shortage of cowies). then right-back as I got older and slower, finished as central-defender as I got more older and slower, but smarter. Was 56 when I played my last competitive game.

Wes Brown-ale

See what you mean, I stand corrected

A good article 'stevieintoon' but; Gazza was not the only one caught before anyone could get him if you are referring to League teams. That other Gateshead lad Waddle was signed from Tow Law, and before that he played for Clarke Chapman's and Pelaw. Inccidently I served my time at Clarke Chapman's and had a runout with them but that was long before Waddle's time.

Any confidence I had in Roeder dissapated in a heartbeat today after seeing his inept choice of starting players from a large injury-free pool. The lateness of his substitutions was the icing on the cake of no-confidence. My concern now is that if he is still with us in the summer he will prove to be equally inept at bringing in the "right" kind of players to strengthen the team even if he is given enough spending money.

I haven't been too critical of Roeder in the past but now I'm of the opinion that he needs to be replaced. He should have started Sibierski against his old team, he would have been out to prove something. He makes substitutions too late in the game. Why didn't he use Emre at some point in time to create something. Why wasn't Zoggy even on the bench. Why why why.....................

SO, with everyone available with the exception of Owen and Amoeba it will be very interesting to see what line-up Roeder puts out there tomorrow. Will he start Carr and Babayaro our apparent bonafide full-backs? Will he drop Nobby as right full-back? Who will he start as central-defenders, Taylor, Bramble, Gooch, or Moore?? Who will he start in the middle, Duff, Emre, Butt, Parker, Dyer, Milner, or Nobby??? Who will he start up front, Martins, Sibierski, Dyer???? With so many fit players available I believe this will really test Roeder's managerial skill in putting a winning team out there.

I wish I wasn't among the very few.

Had a phone conversation with a marra in Gosforth after yesterday's match and he said the worst thing that can happen to a Newcastle supporter is to be an England supporter as well.

WOW! what you were banned for? I'm sure your explanation will be in your inimitable style and I can hardly wait to read it. chayton and mags will tell you. LeazesMag's inimitable style as predicted. Typical style of evasion and refusal to answer questions put to him. MY question was for YOU, not chayton or mags, YOU tell me why you were banned on toonchat. Do you really want to know ? Alright, I'll tell you. I had some sort of disagreement with chayton and mags..........................which basically ended up with me asking if he gave her one up the shitter. Can't take a joke ....... so I was banned. ...................................................... I don't really want to go over it again, I know it was a bit uncalled for, even though its only a message board. You asked. There is your answer. WOW!, no wonder you were banned, not much of a joke there and certainly not funny under any circumstances in any disagreement, in fact rather crude and distasteful and uncalled for to say the least.

WOW! what you were banned for? I'm sure your explanation will be in your inimitable style and I can hardly wait to read it. chayton and mags will tell you. Mind, you might be waiting a long time, as long as it appears to take you to impart some of your vast knowledge of the club to members of this board, including myself who has genuinely asked you about Len White, you being reluctant to respond, the reason why being fairly obvious. LeazesMag's inimitable style as predicted. Typical style of evasion and refusal to answer questions put to him. MY question was for YOU, not chayton or mags, YOU tell me why you were banned on toonchat. So what do you want to know about Len White? other than Newcastle bought him from Rotheram for 12,000 quid in 1953 the year I was 21. That he played 269 times for the club and scored 153 goals. That he played up front in partnership with Milburn who overshadowed him but he came into his own when Wor Jackie left. Was on the Cup winning team of 1955 and left for Huddersfield in 1962. Finished his career at Stockport County. Died in 1994. You can get most of your questions answered on Google so what's your point in trying to make out I know nothing about Newcastle United.

Not sure I would call; 97 wins, 93 losses, 60 draws, an average job, that's about a 38% win ratio. Are you saying he did a shit job then? No I'm not saying that, I'm saying it was less than average. If you go alone by points won and lost then; 97x3=291 for a total of points won. 93x3=279 plus 60x2=120 for a total of 399 points lost. 291 points won versus 399 points lost in my book is not what I would call average.

Not sure I would call; 97 wins, 93 losses, 60 draws, an average job, that's about a 38% win ratio.

WOW! what you were banned for? I'm sure your explanation will be in your inimitable style and I can hardly wait to read it. You haven't answered MY question LeazesMag, so how come you're always harping on about people not answering yours??

WOW! what you were banned for? I'm sure your explanation will be in your inimitable style and I can hardly wait to read it.