machoman

[quote]Are you joking after what he said about joining us in the summer, i belive it was "why would i move to a small club with no ambition" o something along those lines! Best steer clear! Deano & Gre...[/quote] Sorry Phil Burrows but I think you''ll find that Henrik Pedersen of Bolton has never said any such thing about us, though certainly Morten Gamst Pedersen who is languishing in Blackburn Rovers reserves did. Not sure about Henrik though - I think priority is midfield. 

So we were doing Ok until 2 games ago - eeh, did I miss something or is not winning in 11 games doing OK? I''m afraid I''m with Silver Fox - the current team is not up to the pace of the game - I think being bottom with 8 points demonstrates that, so how can playing other players such as Safri and Helveg who Worthington bought after all - and the likes of Shackell and Jarvis do any harm. As for giving players a chance to prove themselves - spot on silver fox, and it''s the inconsistency of Worthington''s approach (or perhaps I should say the consistency since some of the squad get long run-outs because they consistently huff and puff), whilst Helveg gets told after just a few games he had failed to take his chance - yep how''s your confidence in the manager doing, now he has effectively told the rest of the premier league in public you''re not up to it Thomas?   

Has anyone else seen the interview with Worthington on Sky Sports news today? Basically he said Helveg has had his chance and not taken it with both hands and I''m not going to play him just to keep him in the Danish national side - so is that it? Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I now have my doubts Helveg will play again for NCFC. BTW on the same interview - we''re not winning because we''re too nice - we''ll have to be ''hard'' - so that''s the new Worthington masterplan?

Crouch scored 2 goals, one with a header for southampton reserves this week

This would be the same Houllier that won an FA Cup, Worthington Cup, UEFA cup and qualified for the Champions league. He wasn''t perfect, but yeah I''d love that to moan about 

ZippersLeftFoot, that post was mine - and whilst I think stats are OK for picking general trends, they can''t tell the whole story. I think the bad goal difference for the teams that were relegated were due to a few 5-0, 4-0 etc pastings, mostly early on - and to be honest who cares if its 4 or 5 - they both mean no points - and it''s points that kept the other teams up. I haven''t checked, but I bet the real difference between the relegated teams and the rest was the number of 1-0 defeats where the defence was OK, but the lack of strike power meant that once a goal was conceded it was very difficult for them to come back, never mind win. These teams did scrape about the same number of goals from their top 3 scorers - but it''s when you score that counts. There''s absolutely no point in a having a 20-goal a season man who scores in every one of your 2-1 defeats. Far better to have someone who only scores around 10 goals, but they are all 1-0 wins, thus keeping the clean sheet has to be a platform for the strikers. I seem to remember that when we were relegated before, we actually didn''t concede too many, but Chase in his wisdom had decided to sell off what strike force we had, so once 1-0 down the game was over. Unfortunately, I think the same may happen again unless we find a way to score goals, and quickly.

Yup so carefully you didn''t notice the bit where I explicitly stated that I didn''t rate Malky because of his lack of pace

Nolegs, sorry you couldn''t seem to actually quote the part of my post that you then attacked. Sorry also my personal opinion offends you so much - there have been many such comments on Malky''s strengths and weaknesses over the last few days - why pick on mine? I was under the impression that opinions were what we all had an inviolate right to - and I will stick by MY opinion. I didn''t ask you or anybody else to agree or otherwise- nor is your opinion any more valid than mine - it is what it is - a personal belief. I''m sure if everyone on this board was asked to rate players we would get about 100 different lists of who people did and didn''t rate - none would be right or wrong. My opinion of Malky is not based on him as a one man team - we got to where we are because he''s one defender and one goalscorer from a squad - and if you''d read the whole of my post, you would have noted that I actually wanted to keep him and the benefit of his experience for a little longer in that squad. 

Sadly I think maybe part of this saga has to do with Worthy''s dealings in the transfer market. Worthy obviously banked on getting Primus and to my mind let that non-transfer drag on far too long - hence he couldn''t offload Malky until he''d finally got round to looking elsewhere, buying extra cover in the shape of the Doc. Personally I''m in 2 minds about Malky - I have never rated him due to his lack of pace - however, to at least be able to put an experienced back-up defender in the team he was probably worth keeping for a tad longer. As for West Ham I don''t read much into that - if I put myself in his position - and wanted and needed to play regularly anywhere other than reserve football - I''d say the same.

I agree AJ in the sense that I actually really rate Smith as a player - I think he should be in the England squad - my gripe is the manner in which he got called up - he''d only had about two matches or something at Manure with this ''better'' service and Sven must have known how well he''d play, even from his Leeds days, with the better service he should have expected from the England squad - who after all are suppose to be the finest (ha ha). Nope in my mind it''s just Sven blinkered to a few clubs - James gets picked ''cos once Sven found out Howard was American, he couldn''t be bothered to look further than Manchester.

Nice one susie b. As for DDIM''s comment - so wise my friend - he''ll go to ManUre, play one game and suddenly be England''s number 1 goalie - not that I''m cynical or anything - but Alan Smith anyone.

I must be the happiest fan today. Having dual Austrian/British nationality and having lived in both countries I can''t say I wanted either side to lose (or have to take flak from relatives either way). Plus James hands England promotion to number 2 to Green- maybe. As you say susie b - Sven has his favourites and I don''t know what James has to do to get dropped.  

I didn''t see this post as a moan - just a valid question backed up by some results. I agree it''s only a few games into the season - but I think the basis of Gorleston Jim''s question was maybe (Arsenal excepted) we should see how we do against teams who are in actual - rather than reputational - form

nycanary - I made that exact point about a week or so ago. I know the Villa fans have mixed feelings about Barry''s consistency and pace - but he is a naturally left sided player who can tackle, pass and cross well. To my mind he would give England better balance than using non-lefties. Barry also gets a fair number of goals and assists. The one problem- he doesn''t play for ManUre, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool.

My guess would be Shearer - but not yet - maybe as second to some ''stop-gap'' until Shearer decides he too gets the boot - since what Shearer wants Shearer gets. On the Villatalk site there''s an interesting point. It is 5 years to the week that a non-injured Shearer was on the bench - 3 days later Gullit was dismissed. Saturday, Shearer on the bench and now Sir Bobbie has gone - mmmmmm!

Breaking news, Sir Bobbie has gone - very shabby Newcastle - the minute Freddie Sheppard publicly undermined the authority of his manager by announcing he would go whatever at the end of the season, he allowed the players to dictate what they wanted to do. Shame on you Bellamy, Shearer, Dyer et al. A case of the tail wagging the dog methinks.

So how is the canny toon Dirty Lyle? When were you at Uni there? I went to Newcastle Uni 1992-5. Great place to live (though I was out at Jesmond 2 years) - very friendly people and very passionate about footie. I didn''t get any grief for supporting Naarwich - probably ''cos they recognise fellow genuine fans who care about their home city club.

Sorry to be pedantic Peter but where is St. Jame''s Park? I suggest you read ''Eats Shoots and Leaves'' LOL.

Ameobi''s record at barcodes: Appearances 127. Started 65 Goals 25. England U-21 Appearances 20 . Started 11. Goals 7. Better record than some of the donkey''s bandied around recently - JJ and JS spring to mind. Good potential - my only doubt is he seems to blow hot and cold - that and getting his legs in a tangle. Anyway he''s not coming so it doesn''t matter

Can''t see Shrek moving to the Barcodes - and we all know why everybody goes to Manure - guaranteed England place for life - hence much more likely. Still Ameobi for a season or two would be nice - but as you say olster1 - probably no chance

Err which point did I miss? - you used Viera against Francis - discuss whether Damien Francis is the new Patrick Viera - since as you correctly state by definition there cannot be a ''new'' Patrick Viera only the old and original, it is the aforesaid gentleman''s qualities I presume you were suggesting Francis now possesses, thus it is perfectly natural to discuss Viera''s qualities and achievements against Francis to answer your point - or else why not say ''Damien Francis the new Damien Francis discuss''. And in no way did I suggest Arsenal were a one man team - though perhaps if you think Francis has Viera''s class then Francis too is a one man team. I was suggesting that Viera is an outstanding captain of a team that has gone 42 matches unbeaten.

agreed Blacko - I live in Exeter and the rivalry between Exeter and Plymouth is every bit as vitriolic as Norwich/Ipsw*ch - but Paul Sturrock did an excellent job for Plymouth and went to Saints on merit - now 5 months later and somebody has talked him out of the job (Lowe listening to media??). What a very negative message to British managers - ''fail'' after a few months - or indeed 2 matches - and you''re out. As for Rupert Lowe - to stand up on MOTD and declare to the world Sturrock is safe then sack him 2 days later - ridiculous.

Nope -for me not even in the same league. Viera is sheer class even by Prem standards. When Damien Francis has won the World Cup and European Championship (OK impossible), 2 doubles plus one more FA Cup and one more prem league gong etc, then come back and tell me he''s even close. Arse have gone 42 games unbeaten - absolutely no coincidence that Viera is their captain? - I don''t think so - Viera has the ability to impose himself on games - time and time again - the man is a proven colossus.

Agree Kingy - whilst our display was very good and should give confidence - it''s points that count - I''ve never yet read a result that read ''2-1 - but the losers played well'' and I''ve never read a league table that read ''21st - but played valiantly/were unlucky etc'' - I just hope that we''re not too many points behind and have to play catch-up - then the confidence goes too.

Have to agree Templeton - I too was going to make the exact same point about Smith - Sven only picks from the same 3 or 4 clubs - which means players like Owen, Gerrard, Butt, P. Neville, Heskey are on sinecures - always there on reputation not form. As for the problem left side of midfield - it always amazes me how Sven could continually overlook Gareth Barry of Villa - surely one of the best English left midfield players IMHO. I really thought that things had to change after our dismal Euro 2004 - but what do I see - the same lot that let us down - AGAIN.