Dr Gloom

Mother's mate tell you that? Seriously, I don't think we'll get hammered, Arsenal are a poor side and while better than we are, they are nowhere near their fluent best. I don't expect us to win like but I remember last season we were hit with injuries, played well and lost 1-0 despite many claiming we'd get hammered. Same again most probably. A scrappy game, a scrappy goal to win it. 65178[/snapback] Arsenal are a poor side?? Is that an exclusive? 65199[/snapback] my thoughts exactly after reading that. i wish we were as poor as arsenal!

surely even fat fred won't be stupid enough to sack his manager again without a replacement lined up

he hasn't had a lot to aima t to be fair. he'll improve when we get the likes of owen, luque and dyer full fit. i agree that he needs to hold his position more

he never fails to come up with some belters

i'd go with three at the back so we're not playing too many players out of position. it's not the best formation but if it means we avoid using shearer or faye at the back it's got to be worth considering. someone on newcastle-online was suggesting faye at right back and elliot at left back

don't panic - we've got faye and clarke to step in

i always end up getting far too pissed on the free champagne and making a tit of myself in front of all the office bigwigs. no doubt i'll do the same this year.

agreed. if dyer was fit now, i'd put him ahead of shearer and ameobie to partner owen. two shorter men upfront with pace would encourage us to get the ball down and play rather than relying on long hoofs up to shearer's napper. that sort of pace and mobility up top should also get the best out of our 'door openers'.

Tosser, I'm well hungry now 62942[/snapback] me too. and i've got to face my work canteen for tea later. not a good look

your typical sunday afternoon tv. it's up there with antique's roadshow, heartbeat and songs of praise. absolute shite

hmmm curry. all about your jalfrezi, garlic nan and tarka dal

where? i can't see him anywhere

i don't know why i'm bothering tbh - i don't particularly rate him. i just don't think he's as bad as others make out and it gets on my tits the way some players get all the stick when others seem immune from criticism no matter how shite they play. that said, it looks like not even shearer is above it these days.

that question also applies to shearer tbh. that's what i don't get. shearer keeps his place no matter how crap he plays and doesn't get anything like the stick shola gets just because of who he is. when was the last time shola had a run in the team alongside anyone else but shearer? shearer has looked equally crap whenever they've played together.

try to understand footsoldier. i'm talking about the merits of the two strikers at our disposal in owen's absence and the relative amount of stick each player gets on this message board. i originally defended shola in this thread because i felt he was getting all the abuse for our poor perfomance at everton when shearer, who looked slow and ineffective, yet again went without criticism. shola is far from the finished item - his touch with his back to goal can be poor and he can improve his heading and finishing, but i wouldn't say he's shite because that implies he's never put in a decent shift in a black and white shirt - which frankly just isn't true.

i stand corrected, having just taken a look at this thread on N-O http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/...pic,9710.0.html

he's probably confusing you with me to be fair. i was one of the few that thought we shouldn't have sacked sir bobby when we did.

while we're at it, why don't you enlighten me as to exactly what alan shearer's strengths are these days? at least shola is mobile and can run at defenders. it's a sad that it's come to this, but shearer now seems unable of creating anything or converting any of the chances that come his way. and yet i can't remember too many threads on this board devoted to bashing our skipper. for me shola has been the better player of the two this season yet comes in for more stick because he's an easy target.

no - i don't think he's shite. i think he's inconsistent and he looks poor alongside shearer.

look. i never said he's the best striker in the world, just that he's getting unfair stick when there are just as many in the side who are underperforming who don't get as much criticism because they're not the scapegoat of the month. his inconsistentcy is annoying but you've got to take it in context. he's mostly playing alongside a man with no pace or mobility whatsover. shola isn't the quickest either yet he's expected to do all shearer's legwork. i think shearer has been poorer than shola this season, yet it is ameobie that gets all the stick.

looking at that squad makes you realise how much we need a new striker

Dan I agree with you that they definitely don't form a good partnership, so it may be hard on Ameobi as he hasn't often been in the team with someone with pace and movement. The thing is though, he has to show something, and for me, he's shown almost nothing at all. It's a harsh reality mate, but he really is not good enough, I don't think it would make a lot of difference who he partners. I really hope he goes in January, if not, then next summer. 62082[/snapback] well i obvioulsy see something in him that the majority on here don't. it doesn't happen very often, but occasionally he can win a match. i'd give him one more season personally. if he doesn't take his chance after shearer retires we should let him go. it's not like we're going to be blessed with too many forwards next year anyway after shearer retires and if owen does what we all fear and walks.

Thats what I'm afraid of. As i said it's early days and times on his side. 62085[/snapback] you're right to be afraid. he is spanish afterall. he's obviously nothing but a money-grabbing parasite.

Gemmil/HTL i don't particularly rate shola and i'm as pissed off as anyone with the shite we've had upfront when owen isn't fit. just seems a tad unfair to me that shola, who has been our best striker in owen's absence, gets all the abuse while shearer remains untouchable with most, despite offering little for the past 18 months. tbh most of this is down to the manager. i think shola and shearer, despite their limitations, can both still offer us something - just blatantly not as a striker partnership. play one or the other for fuck's sake. rocket science it aint.

he's a foreigner. what do you expect? he's bound to be a mercenary/parasite that will only play when he fancies it. he won't track back, doesn't have any heart and is obviously just here to pick up his wages. i mean, he's had at least 180 minutes of football. i'd have thought it would be obvious to anyone that he's a waste of money. blatantly the next marcelino.