TheMoog

Would indeed be nice but we could really do with one top class striker being brought in amongst the squad players (Mbiwa excluded as a squad player)

Peacock and his built-up shoe

I think it's fair to say Pardew's lost momentum within the team and maybe evening a certain portion of the dressing room. I agree that we'll make some signings before the transfer window closes but will they be enough? Prior to this poor run I'd have said so but I can't help feeling that the buzz from the team last year has gone and there's no way of getting it back without a change of manager - but then is there really anyone decent available out there who 1) would work with Ashley or 2) could make best use of the resources we have for the remainder of this season, enough to stop a slide in to relegation? My time for Pardew has passed I'm afraid, especially since his most recent excuses, he's lost my support to be honest and as much as I hate to say it I'd like to think we're now considering our options. That said I still maintain that this whole dismal situation is 100% Ashley's fault for not strengthening last summer, had we done that I think we'd have kept momentum and these problems would never have arisen. We probably wouldn't have increased much in the end result of the season from last year but we certainly wouldn't be in a relegation battle.

It'd be even nicer if we kept him AND Colo, I still don't see how we can be forced to lose Colo.

'Agent Graham' has a ring to it

At the end of the day they've had to pay way over the odds in wages to get the guy, would we want to do the same? No chance. When it comes down to it they're the ones that have to buy favour and Saggy Face is just a weekly contradiction of his own stupid self, so much so that he just can't be taken seriously by the top people in the game.

Ahh, good point

From the Beeb

Depends what he wants long term I guess, I'd have thought there was less money flitting from one club to another on lower wages after that initial 6 months of playing for QPR though.

Lol, Stevie v Ant one night, Barton v Hamann another - supporting the Toon sure show folk an entertaining time on and off the pitch

That's a fair point, if for whatever reason he signs for QPR and they still get relegated one can only assume that he'd have had a hand in the relegation by not performing as hoped and thus devalue himself for any possible contract offered be a club coming in and activating his release clause. Such things have seen players drift from one club to another from that point onwards, never fulfilling their potential and never getting another top contract again... bet he hasn't thought of that at all.

Bah, I wasn't that bothered about Remy until I saw that video Tooj put up, then he grew on me - I hope if he does go to QPR he's shit and can't get on with the English game... not that I'd be bitter or owt.

I guess we need to wait and see, Barton's also said he's not sure if someone's winding him up or if he's winding the Toon fans up. We won't know until something concrete comes out from one of the party's involved but it's shite having to wait on the news, the worse thing is we could see it happening depending on (1) the player's potential level of greed and (2) the player's desire to play for a big club with a massive fanbase. On the up side we have more of his national compatriots which might help, on the down side QPR are a London club (which players seem to think is a good thing)... albeit a small one.

Depressing doesn't even touch it, I mean QPR? Seriously? They're an even lesser club than the chimps down the road on Wearside.

Really? Please tell me that burns victim, saggy faced, bung peddling, used car salesman, cockney wanker hasn't got in and turned the player's head - I hate that twat.

Slag-tastic!

'If' Pardew is looking at playing a more attacking, 433 style or such he's going to need the extra attacking players for any prolonged run with it - besides, we needed another striker before Ba left, getting two in (one being able to play wide) sounds about right and 27 is probably the top end of what's acceptable for our transfer policy.

Was just reading this thread after googling looking for what team Danny Graham supported as a kid, some funny posts there. http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=505&fid=240&act=1&mid=2113477345

It'd be a good bit of business for £4m I reckon, especially as the Mackems have been linked with him (just to piss them off if nothing else). Seriously though Graham would be useful as a differing tactical option at the very least.

Would have liked to see Moussa Sissoko here tbh, if the Mackems get him for £3.5m and we've not even shown an interest we need a serious kick in the pants.

While that's true surely we need adequate players to achieve it? Tactics alone won't help us, the same as players alone. We need a better first team and deeper squad, but at the same time Pardew needs to pull his finger out now and stop with the shitty tactics we've been employing this season - it's almost like Ashley's told him to calm down and leave the winning tactics we had last season out during the summer break.

A few stories knocking around newsnow this morning: Loic Remy deal agreed and expected to sign this week, Tomkins priced at £10m though still expected to become a Toon player and West Ham have noted Newcastle's interest in Cameroonian Gaetan Bong and have sent their own scouts to watch him. Incidentally it always amuses me when Fat Sam or Saggy Face Redknapp are touted as expert talent spotters when it seems to me they just watch to see who other club's with better scouts find then try and sneak in an interest themselves.

Just got back from the match, got to say it was a pretty shit ordeal. I've come to the conclusion that Ashley has had Pardew lobotomised during the summer to make him more accepting of his shit and in the process erased all of the previous season's tactical knowledge, we've got from last year playing attractive, attacking football on the deck to this continuous, useless hoof-balling. I just can't see where else this apparent obsession with long-ball footy has come from. I'm sure we could have won today, Norwich really weren't that great themselves, anywho, I'm off to warm up, it's bloody baltic out there today.

So it looks like we're after Tomkins from West Ham as a new centre back. Thing is we need someone who can command the line, run the back four, we have nobody able to do that if Colo goes. Williamson is a good squad central defender but the rest of the central defenders at the club are either too young, not strong enough or Steven Taylor (and all he does is run around blaming everyone else for his fuck-ups). We need a solid replacement for Colo, I can't think of anyone that's likely to be available though, even if we can poach someone established at another team for such a role they'll be costly no doubt.

Like Jimmy Savile drilled? Or Sgt Major Drilled? They aren't far from Fritzl don't forget.