Newcastle United - 2009/10 Coca Cola Championship winners!

1-1 draw against Carlisle after a 91st min. equaliser by Solano.

And Owen has gone and pulled his thigh muscle (happened in training last week) and will be out for about a week

My guess is that Fat Sam is playing Nobby as right midfielder. Maybe Fat Sam knows something about football after all. Good for him, good for Newcastle, and good for Kimbo too.

Pah, these friendlies are just fitness exercises, the result is irrelevant. Apparently we created alot of chances and were the better team, that's what counts. And with alot of youth out there, Kazenga etc got alot of time.

Fraid not Puro, Solano played at RB, where he belongs. But don't worry, the fact that he pulled Bolton up from nowhere to the top 6 of the premiership tells me he knows about football.

Kimbo wrote:Pah, these friendlies are just fitness exercises, the result is irrelevant. Apparently we created alot of chances and were the better team, that's what counts. And with alot of youth out there, Kazenga etc got alot of time.

Fraid not Puro, Solano played at RB, where he belongs. But don't worry, the fact that he pulled Bolton up from nowhere to the top 6 of the premiership tells me he knows about football.

At right back! Nobby's wasted there.

Great avatar by the way. I was cracking up when I first saw it.

Puro wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Pah, these friendlies are just fitness exercises, the result is irrelevant. Apparently we created alot of chances and were the better team, that's what counts. And with alot of youth out there, Kazenga etc got alot of time.

Fraid not Puro, Solano played at RB, where he belongs. But don't worry, the fact that he pulled Bolton up from nowhere to the top 6 of the premiership tells me he knows about football.

At right back! Nobby's wasted there.

Great avatar by the way. I was cracking up when I first saw it.

It's from Trigger Happy TV, one of the greatest shows ever.

He hasn't got the legs for right wing anymore, and we have Dyer, Milner, and Geremi that can play there. Maybe we'll see Solano play in midfield sometimes, i think he would work well in a 3 man midfield with a couple more athletic players with him(Barton and a new DM).

Joey Barton has broken a metatarsal in his left foot and will miss the start of the new season. He is expected to be out for six weeks.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=478081&CPID=8&clid=4&lid=3&title=Magpies+confirm+Barton+blow

The curse of the Newcastle training pitch strikes again...

why do bad things happen to good people?

That's just mean!

borocooper wrote:why do bad things happen to good people?

3 clubs interested in Dyer. Would be utterly stupid to sell him IMO, after he's just gotten fit.

kas wrote:3 clubs interested in Dyer. Would be utterly stupid to sell him IMO, after he's just gotten fit.

Can't see it happening, especially now Barton has got himself crocked. He would've been a player i would be looking to sell tbh*, but because we might be playing 4-3-3 Dyers versatility could come in very handy.

* http://europeanboard.ephpbb.com/European-Board-c2/Premiership-Board-f3/If-Allardyce-becomes-Newcastle-manager-t9057.htm

I thought Allardyces comments regarding Dyer - basically that he would like to keep him, but that Dyer has been at the club so long and has some really bad memories of his time here so may want a new challenge - were interesting. Personally, though Dyer has had some bad moments and the fans have occasionally got on his back, most of his worst moments have been of his own doing or simply down to injuries. And whilst hes lost of a lot of friends at the club over the years - the likes of Bellamy, Jenas and Bramble - I cant see him being desperate to leave.

Basically, I think Dyer more than anyone else at the club can, when on full form, add an edge to our team. Hes the only midfielder we actually have who has shown he can really drive from the centre, run with the ball and make intelligent runs of his own. Emre doesnt do that and isnt any more creative in his passing than Dyer, whilst N'Zogbias best peformances at least thus far have been from the left (though I do believe he could become a top central midfield player). The problem is that Dyer is injured too often, and only rarely plays his best. It often seems like he plays on occasion just to show he can, then once thats established or once he gets moved out of a favoured position he simply doesnt bother as much.

Still, because I havent heard us linked with anyone else who can do what he has the potential to, I wouldnt be happy selling him. It would leave our central midfield very weak, especially now Barton is injured too. Like Ive said before, I dont think Barton is creative enough to be partnered with a defensive player - Butt and Barton, or even Geremi and Barton, for me wouldnt work - so if Dyer went, a lot would depend on N'Zogbia and Emre. And so far its not clear that N'Zogbia will be a huge part of the team, or that he will be considered as a starting central midfielder, whilst on his performances since signing for us, Emre simply isnt capable of providing enough for the team.

In sum, I personally would be sad to see Dyer go. If it forced us to bring in some top class midfielder, somebody truly creative, then fine, but I dont see much evidence of that at the moment. I think its a risk to sell another player, especially one who is potentially one of our best, when we dont seem to be making great leaps of our own in the transfer market.

So Ive just been reading that Allardyce has praised N'Zogbias performance at left back in our friendly at Carlisle, suggesting N'Zogbia is the best left back the club has and should be happy playing there.

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1077070,00.html

For a long time Ive thought that N'Zogbia should be the best left back we have, simply because hes left footed, and, whilst being an attacking player, has the strength and ability in the tackle to work defensively. But ultimately he isnt a defensive player, and Im completely against turning a player with clear attacking ability into one. Besides which is the fact that Duff is injured, and so N'Zogbia is the obvious replacement for him on the left wing.

We need to buy a proper left back, who can add to our forward play and support our left wingers but who can also read the game well and show some positional sense - especially since our defensive problems over the years have often come from the poor positioninal sense of the full backs, who isolate or drag our centre backs out of position. For me, Baines would still be a perfectly suitable option, and probably not too expensive, though I understand there are qualms about his height - I feel that, with Taylor and Rozehnal available at the back, our lack of height in midfield is more of a concern, and Id be disappointed if Baines went to Sunderland whilst we continue to wander on in our miserly fashion.

LB? come on Sam.

I only want to see him play there in emergencies. Right now he probably is the best left back at the club, but that's saying nothing really. I want to see him play either wide left or as the attacking midfielder in a 3 man midfield. Apparently he's been a bit of a beast in the 2 friendlies, and tore Hartlepool to pieces, plus he apparently returned to training in great shape and has been putting the effort in. So maybe he has turned a corner. I'm sure he'll prove his doubters(the morons that judge players without actually watching them) wrong this season.


It sucks about him having to pay Le Harve 400k compensation though, hopefully the club will foot the bill.

at least he gets to play, how many appearances did he make last season?

Ganamos Con Ramos wrote:at least he gets to play, how many appearances did he make last season?

Very few, but that was down to injury and him not getting on with Roeder, not his talent. IMO he is still the most creative player in our squad and we need to play him where he counts.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=478686&CPID=8&clid=4&lid=3&title=Big+Sam:+Dyer+could+leave

Friendly against Celtic today, apparently there are a lot of injuries though. Any idea of the starting lineup Kimbo?

kas wrote:Friendly against Celtic today, apparently there are a lot of injuries though. Any idea of the starting lineup Kimbo?

No, but here's my guess...

----------------Harper------------------

Carr--Rozehanl--Ramage--The Zog

-----------------Butt--------------------

---------Solano---------Milner---------

---Martins------Carroll------Luque---

Dicking the Jocks 3-0, 1 for Oba and 2 for LUQUE!

Is Dyer playing or in the squad?

You think Luque has a future at the club? . I think he'll do well under Alardyce as he has a proven track record with homesick or just sick foriegners.

forza_rossi wrote:You think Luque has a future at the club? . I think he'll do well under Alardyce as he has a proven track record with homesick or just sick foriegners.

Sam reckons he does. He'll probably do well, under Roeder and Souness there wasn't really a place for him as it was always 442, big man small man blah blah blah, but Allardyce likes the to play 4-3-3 and Luque made his name in that formation.

Freddie Ljungberg wrote:Is Dyer playing or in the squad?

Not in the squad, i expected him to be on the bench tbh. If you do get him you better hope it's on nothing more than a 3 year deal, he's 28 now and with the wages he's on...

Strange really, people still talk about him as if he's a young prospect.

Kimbo wrote:

forza_rossi wrote:You think Luque has a future at the club? . I think he'll do well under Alardyce as he has a proven track record with homesick or just sick foriegners.

Sam reckons he does. He'll probably do well, under Roeder and Souness there wasn't really a place for him as it was always 442, big man small man blah blah blah, but Allardyce likes the to play 4-3-3 and Luque made his name in that formation.

Freddie Ljungberg wrote:Is Dyer playing or in the squad?

Not in the squad, i expected him to be on the bench tbh. If you do get him you better hope it's on nothing more than a 3 year deal, he's 28 now and with the wages he's on...

Strange really, people still talk about him as if he's a young prospect.

I actually want Luque to do well as he was one of my favourite players in the Deportive side. He definitely has the technical ability. Lets see how it pans out for him. His debut wasnt that bad against us mind.

Great to see that Solano's delivering beautiful assists to both Martins and Luque. Nobby might just show Fat Sam that Luque can play provided the great Peruvian right winger plays in his natural position delivering all his balls to them forwards.

Puro wrote:Great to see that Solano's delivering beautiful assists to both Martins and Luque. Nobby might just show Fat Sam that Luque can play provided the great Peruvian right winger plays in his natural position delivering all his balls to them forwards.

No mention of Milners assist Puro?


Nobby is playing centrally in a 3 man center midfield, i keep telling people he'll be quality there, but everyone seems to think a player needs to be pacey to play there.

Kimbo wrote:
No mention of Milners assist Puro?

Nobby is playing centrally in a 3 man center midfield, i keep telling people he'll be quality there, but everyone seems to think a player needs to be pacey to play there.

I didn't know Milner got the other assist. Good for him too!

Oh FFS Edgar!

4-1

Milner got the last goal, with an assist from the Zogmeister!