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We are top of the league!

Posted on August 18th, 2010 | 211 Comments |

Michael Owen arriving for training last year.
Michael Owen arriving for training last year.
Settle down, settle down, I’m talking about the injury league table!

Funny old world isn’t it? Last season we pretty much breezed through the season picking up relatively few injuires along the way. Strange considering we were used to having a pretty full treatment room in the Premier League.

But our return to Premier League action has signalled more than just the return of trips to Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, it has brought with it a return to our usual spot at the top of the injury league table.

For a good few years now, Newcastle fans have had to bemoan the fact that injuries seemed to strike us more than other teams. Time and time again, the same offenders were repeatedly ruled out. Michael Owen and Marcelino spring to mind as probably two of our worst culprits for missing games, although there have been more than just those two in fairness.

Luckily it seems that our stint at the top of the table is about to come to an end. The return to fitness of Danny Guthrie and Peter Lovenkrands should see Arsenal take over top spot in the league whilst Newcastle slip down to joint second in the table.

These injury statistics have been inflated by the signature of Dan Gosling who is of course injured until sometime in the new year, but we also have Leon Best, Tamas Kadar, Steven Taylor and Danny Simpson on the sidelines currently, aswell as Sol Campbell, who isn’t injured as such and is just lacking in fitness.

Granted, this is a fairly tongue in cheek kind of article, but it does highlight just how fragile our squad is, and how a bad run of injuries can turn our team from a one that should survive to one that could survive. It also highlights the need for new signings in certain areas as if we lose someone like Jose Enrique then we could be in trouble with no dedicated cover for him.

Hopefully this is our ‘injury crisis’. Most teams go through one at some point in the season so I am kind of hoping that we are getting our injuroes out of the way early.

Touch wood, we have!

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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211 Responses

  1. Pathetic. Let’s see, Gosling and Campbell; brilliant signings aren’t they? Of course, most sides would want to recruit players who can play. Not us, we prefer those who are unavailable. Was Hughton a scout?

  4. But of course, it’s easiest thing in the world to sit back & criticise when you have absolutely no idea what’s actually going in…

  7. Can’t we just cut out all the BS and do what’s important, support the lads on the pitch, home and away, and bring back the noise and atmosphere at SJP.

  8. i will support the team through thick and thin no matter i go SJP to watch the players on the pitch not who is sitting in the owners seat, i know deals take time but i jus want something to happen am sick of speculation surely weve had are bloody targets identified instead of leaving to last week

  9. @1
    We dont need fan’s like you,if your gonna be like Please go and Support Scumlander.

  10. We knew that gosling was injured and when we could expect to have him playing before we signed him. As three article says sol just needs to get fit. We knew that too.

  11. i thought there was gonna be annoucment on HBA today by OM on were he is goin, well i wish they would bloody make it coz if i aint comin here at least we can stop getting are hopes built up

  12. noticed no comments from ch anywere today maybe he is meeting new players at least id like to think that,more likely he has probably been told to stop saying were signing players lol

  13. Davy-serious doubts Benny will be coming here now like. Marseilles have arsed us about for days/weeks on end now. They want cash up front. He might have said he wants to play in te premiership but if WB are the only ones stumping up cash now and he wants out of France, he’ll have nee choice.

  15. Best thing we can possibly hope for IMO is a couple loan signings… Expect a winger and left back. But nobody of Ben Arfa’s quality…

    Two players I just do not understand why they were brought in were Best and Perch? They’ve never shown any genuine talent in the league beneath us, what possibly made Hughton think they will do it at an even higher level?

    Still, fortunately for us, there are three or four teams worse than us, so we should survive. Hopefully next year we show some ambition to more than just ‘survive’.

  16. Also, to those knocking Routeledge… He did more than most players did against Man U. Yes his delivery wasnt great, but whose was?
    He showed pace, could beat a man, bring it forward, defended and IMO looked a much better player and more determined than Jonas on the day.

  17. Aye jj,
    i suggest people check out the ‘capello index’ for some stats on the manu game.
    Then they may be seeing things slightly different.
    Not saying it’s totally kosher, but suck it & see.
    :)

  19. JJ@15
    Agree but why wait till next year to get some ambition.Is it in the hope the youngsters will become world class and save us even more money?Thats the only reason I can see.

  20. It’s all too easy to have an agenda against certain players.
    We all have faves & bete noir’s, but a bit of research can make the world of difference, before you type.
    :mrgreen:

  21. Clint-to be fair that Capello index does seem like a load of balls, haha. Perch was always gonna be nervous the other night, first prem game away to man u I’d have been bricking it. In saying that for being a “versatile” defender, he struggled at LB against Rangers. I will agree with others though and say the Best signing confused and frustrated me. How much did he cost? Was it not like 3 mil? Maybe more!?..hopefully he has a canny season but I’ve seen absolutly nowt to convince me so far

  22. Newcastle look set to miss out on France playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa after Werder Bremen moved to make him their replacement for Mesut Ozil.

    The German side have lodged a £6.6million bid for the Marseille player after bagging £12.5m from Ozil’s sale to Real Madrid.

    Unhappy Ben Arfa has gone on strike at the French champions and had been keen on moving to St James’ Park, but Bremen’s bid is much more attractive to Marseille.

    Newcastle wanted the 23-year-old on a season-long loan and were prepared to pay £650,000 up front, with a view to making the signing permanent for £4.5m next summer.

    The Germans are also offering £70,000 a week to a player who needs to get his career back on track after failing to fulfil the promise that once saw him named the brightest prospect in French football.

    Marseille are also waiting to see if AC Milan formalise their interest. Reports in Italy say that the Serie A giants are prepared to offer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in exchange for Ben Arfa, which would fulfil Marseille’s priority of signing a world class striker.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1304073/Werder-Bremen-use-6-6m-Mesut-Ozil-funds-hijack-Newcastle-swoop-Hatem-Ben-Arfa.html#ixzz0wxvVXpFH

    Take it as you will…

  24. Harper
    STaylor-Colloccini-Campbell-Enrique

    Guthrie-Barton

    Routledge Arfa Gutierrez

    Carroll

    Subs: Gosling, Nolan, Perch, Simpson, Lovenkrands, Kadar, Ameobi

    Others: RTaylor, Ranger, Tavernier, Ferguson, Xisco, Vuckic

    Not a bad team with Arfa and no injuries. Something to look forward to at least…

  27. LOL JJ- I forgot Williamson too. But that sort of proves my point- when fit there is depth and a bit of quality in the squad…

  28. Ross,
    all i’m saying mate is:
    At least they base their stats on reality, not whether they ‘like’ a player or not, like some of us do.
    & Best didn’t cost £3m man, nowhere near. Half that maybe.

  29. There was no one injured except the ones we know about (Gosling, Sol, kadar, Saylor).
    The rest just weren’t played.
    ‘slight injury, knock’ or whatever is parlance for they are not being played for whatever reason.
    Howay, does no one watch football?
    Carroll was ‘injured’ so he didn’t play for england, then was back right as rain for manu. Every team does this, like forever.
    C’mon.
    fergie et al does it all the f***ing time.

  31. Clint- why no Guthrie then? Surely he was “injured”- he’s been first choice all preseason and most of last year. I think Loven would have played as well

  32. Clint-fair play mate, I have no idea why i thought we might have shelled out bigtime for Best, at least I can rest a little easier knowing it was nowhere near that much. I think I must have just made that figure up in my head in a fit of rage having watched him have a poor game or something. A knee jerk reaction no doubt, lol.
    As for the index, I get what you’re saying mate..does that mean we can boast about wor andy being better than shrek

  33. Dunno why I pressed post there. That was supposed to contain a “haha :D” to show I was clearly kidding, lol.

  34. I really hope Hughton doesnt chase the Ben Arfa deal until the last day or two of the window and gets lfet with nowt, Its getting very dull now if he aint coming find some more targets

    I hear Benjani and Marcus Bent are available… :cry:

  35. Ross,
    :)
    Nice one mate.

    Carroll was indeed better than shrek, on the day.
    & we didn’t play as bad as we want to think.
    Sometimes you just get beat by a better team. Which is hardly a surprise away to manu first up, is it?
    We see a minor mistake & lose the plot.

    mds,
    cos CH didn’t fancy him v manu, qed.
    He knows the lads, the set up n’all.
    We can’t change his mind, even if we think we know better.
    I woulda had a go at them, but, hey, what do i know?
    Maybe if we did we woulda got hammered.
    Maybe if Carroll buried that easy header they woulda got riled & killed us 5-1.
    Who knows?
    ;)

  37. mds,
    CH was trying a ‘damage limitation’ strategy.
    It’s his prerogative, he’s the manager.

  38. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    August 18, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    We’re ALL gonna die!

    Meditate on that.

    Oooooh CLiNT, heavy,…. from the moment we’re born we’re……., we’re…… Thump! Croak!

  39. I doubt Hughton left Guthrie and Lovenkrands out of the squad entirely to justify not starting them. There is no logical reason other than injury why Lovenkrands wouldn’t feature among the subs.

    If Clint’s conspiracy theory hold true perhaps excluding Guthrie altogether appeases fans but I’d like to think he wouldn’t jeopardise the team to save face.

  40. Clint-I was shocked at the first 10 mins, we held up really well and created that chance, lol. Brilliant movement from carroll in the box to leave vidic and he should have scored. He was top notch all night though. I just think we were a bit static at the back. First game against a fast paced team and we weren’t used to it. We also let scholes run the game which he he proved a week earlier was a bad thing to do against the PL champions, we can’t complain too much. Just need to tighten up at the back a bit, get everybody up to speed. A bit of pace and creativity would be nice but we’ll just have to see what the window brings mate. If we get a couple more good players, brilliant. If not I’ll be canny gutted but you just have to get your head down and get on with it. Something hughton and us as fans are all too used to these days!

  41. CC says:
    August 18, 2010 at 3:31 pm
    I really hope Hughton doesnt chase the Ben Arfa deal until the last day or two of the window and gets left with nowt…..

    Fancy a bet that’ll be the case CC?

    We’ll sign, I’ve no doubt that we will see signings but who and at what standard’s another matter!!!!

  42. Pretty much agree with that Ross.

    We had some real chances to counter frustrated with only Carrol up front. Had he been paired with someone with pace (Loven for example) we might have been able to convert one of those opportunities as well. That’s my problem with the 5 man midfiled with Nolan in the whole. Put someone with pace there (Arfa, please), our counter could be dangerous- and you’d still have Carrol’s aerial threat. So you either need 2 up front or someone with pace playing of Carrol.

  43. chris hughton said it himself yesterday:

    ….’chris, are you close to any signings?’

    ‘no, not at the moment, but we are hopeful of brininging in a few additions before the end of the window”

    this suggests we are not close to signing ben afra despite his determination to sign with us last week!!

    you will hear this again and again from chris and any dealings we get will probably be last minute.

    i am not ruling out ben afra but it is looking increasingly doudtful, the next day we will learn a lot. the thing in our favour is his determination to move to the premier league

  44. If Hughton wants cheap deals and possibly another championship player – Ross Mccormack on loan might be worth a punt. Would be weird to loan from a lower league but he was top scorer in his first season, missing last through injury – and fans have spoke up in favour of signing both Hooper and Maynard in the past.

    I’d love us to go for Whittingham as well because despite the Bellamy deal cardiff are a wreck financially. If we got him I’d experiment with Jonas off the striker. We could have 4 in midfield who know how to pass and keep the ball and let Jonas do his stuff in a more dangerous area for the opposition.

    We are currently fairly unique in the premiership for having two “proper” wingers and that might be because it doesn’t really work unless you’re man u.

  45. Lesh,
    that was just to appease/buy into the doominati.
    :)

    WTVH,
    bet they’re ‘fit’ for the next game.
    He didn’t wanna play them.

    Ross,
    it’s our MF letting the defense get to much to do.
    scholes shoulda been shut down, he’s an aaard get. He’s got no legs & he’ll be exposed v better teams than us.
    We let them control MF.
    The defense can only do so much, when they’re being overrun.
    There were holes all over MF mate.
    As per.

  46. Also,
    this dumb idea of going with 2 wingers ’til it hurts, is out moded football.
    We have to be able to adapt, mid game.

  48. Fostino,
    he’s not gonna tell the press anything mate, especially what he’s up to in the transfer market.

  49. lesh

    I didnt say that would happen i said i hope it doesnt, We have been chasing this Ben Arfa deal for at least a fortnight now and we are still apparantly at stage one negotiating a fee!

    Whether that is them messing us about or not we dont know but maybe its time we gave marseille a take it or leave it offer and if we get the thumbs down turn our attention elsewhere.

  50. Clint-for me 4-4-2 is dead and we’re stuck for options in a 4-5-1 because even if we do persist with two out and out wingers they struggle to produce quality into the box consistently (Carroll clearly being mainly an aerial threat). I’d like to see us play a 4-3-3 every now and again, give the likes of Vuckic a go in the hole, who knows how it’d turn out? As for the MF, I just thought the gap between our MF and back four was too big. Played a ball over the top Far too often and scholes was dangerous running the game on the edge of the box.

  51. nice to agree Clint.

    Wingers can be a real positive for us but we need more options – and not simply sticking Barton or Guthrie wide. We need a much smarter ball player if possible- Vuckic could be the man.

    On the Guthrie and Lovenkrands “injuries”, your explanation is plausible of course but I don’t see what Hughton gets out of leaving two of our better players out of the squad altogether.

    And is dropping players and pretending they are injured a dangerous game with their morale.

  52. Walters to Stoke for 2.75mil plus add-ons. Seriously 5mil for Ben Arfa sounds more reasonable every day – I hope tomorrow Ashley finally agrees.

  53. WhoTheVuckicHaris

    He fits in nicely with Stokes policy of signing lumbering 6 footers regardless of ability

  54. is it confirmed arfa is in talks with werder?? or is just paper talk, coz om president saying they havent recieved an offer yet…fepping confusing

  55. Ross,
    with you all the way with regards forms.
    We have plenty of options 451, 4231, 4321, 4312, 433, 4411, the list is endless & we have quite a few versatile players too.

    WTVH,
    mate,
    i just think CH saw this as an opportunity to try out a ‘damage limitation strategy’ v manu, fully expecting a loss.
    While keeping the likes of villa etc from seeing our best team with PL & DG, just a thought like.

    I’m with you on TRY HARIS OUT in the hole.
    He looks a canny ball player & knows where the goal is.
    But again, CH isn’t gonna advertise him to fergie at their yard, canny move imv like.
    He’s a sly fox auld CH.
    ;)

  56. alex84 – I think Werder have denied it. Eveything remains paper talk and we have to sit it out…

  58. not sure about a fee alex but the om president told l’equipe that they were in talks with bremen and that he thought that the bundes would be better suited for HBA than the EPL

  59. Back on thread…

    I’m a bit shocked by the number of missing players, but I do also suspect that it was a ploy to just save players for more winnable games. All things considered, we did well.

    Best of all, we never gave up.

    If Stuart is reading, here’s one for him – and it’s not a dig, just a point to make following on: If signings rather than team spirit are what make a team play better, how come:

    Our 08/09 squad, fired up under KK, got a point at Manure.
    That same squad, with minor changes from the January window, then held out against Manure at home until half-time. They then conceded, folded, and got skunked 6-0.

    Now a far, far cheaper and less experienced team, missing key players, goes back to the Theatre of Prawn Sarnies, and – while losing 3-0 – keeps fighting to the end, and generally vastly out-performs the team that got spanked 6-0.

    So my argument is simply this: yes, team spirit DOES make you play better, in every way.

    Just a thought!

  60. Now i seriously Hope Ben arfa gives up hope playing for toon and goes Bremen,and done deal the saga~~~

  61. BTW,
    off topic, whatever that is? :)

    But i was watching an interview (in Slovenian) with Vuckic & solvenian bosses, obviously, i don’t speak/understand slov like, but what i did pick up on was they pronounce his name: Voochitch not Vukitch, just to be pedantic, doubt anyone will call him Voochitch like, but there y’go.
    :)

  62. Just re-read that and I didn’t point out the important bit:

    Match 1: Good spirit; KK back in town.
    Match 2: Awful spirit; chaos in the club, lots of managers, uncertainty and players leeching the club, ready to jump ship.
    Match 3: Great team spirit.

    Oh, and the injury thing? Easy: Ashtanga twice a week. Ask Gary Speed. :)

  63. Our 08/09 squad, fired up under KK, got a point at Manure.
    That same squad, with minor changes from the January window, then held out against Manure at home until half-time. They then conceded, folded, and got skunked 6-0.

    Wrong season we lost 6-0 the game after allardyce went, We lost 2-1 in the relgation season when Hughton was caretaker

  64. Clint-we have plenty of options. Try colo in a DM/sweeper when Campbell/Taylor is fit, let Vuckic play the playmaker role, give Guthire a go at the same, Christ maybe even Jonas. 4-4-2 is getting old and we need to adapt. Look at all the best teams in the world, not many use a 4-4-2 regularly, all have other options. Not saying we have players of that quality but we do have the ability to switch it up and try players out in other positions. In saying that we should have done so in pre season. Middle of this season is not the time to experiment.

  65. West Brom apparently bid 3mil for Tiote, the Ivorian defensive midfielder we have been linked with…

  66. Ross,
    couldn’t agree more, on all counts mate.
    ;)
    Colo at DM, Jonas infield, he’s not a winger by trade, it’s obvious by his crosses.
    Colo is cool at breaking up play & using the ball (distributing).
    We have the makings of a very adaptable squad here.

  67. Lesh,
    that was just to appease/buy into the doominati…

    CLiNT…. whew, that’s a relief…. must have been close to a near death experience… like what the doominati seem to be enjoying??

  69. Has anybody else experienced problems trying to take the new Newcastle United away strip (blue) back to Sports Direct due to the fact that it has clicked as soon as it is worn. They refuse to exchange it stating that it is not a quality issue but will ‘click’ if it comes into contact with anything. I have currently sent Sports Direct a letter which will result in me taking legal action if my complaint is not resolved in 14 days. I am reliably informed that the official Newcastle United shops are providing refunds in these circumstances

  72. John..SJT posted the other day saying he had to take his sons back(twice I think)………..I’m fairly sure he said he got his from sports direct too but don’t think he had any prob changing it.

  74. Whumpie says:
    August 18, 2010 at 4:33 pm

    Could it be when we got walloped 6-0 it was because we had yet another caretaker manager who wasn’t interested?

    But for you to say that team spirit makes you pass better (Ask Nolan or Barton), finish better,(Ask Andy Carroll) or run faster (Ask Perch or Nolan) is absurd!

  75. It would appear that Werder have put a spoke in the wheel regarding Arfa.

    Arfa was desperate to come to NUFC but it just remains to be seen whether he’s more desperate just to leave Marseille.

    Money talks… NUFC not interested in anything other than a loan at this stage.

  76. So the morale of the story is:
    ‘Don’t carry kittens in y’new Toon away top’ (the blue one).

  77. clint……..but if they provide shoddy goods then the club should tell them to sort it or get rid of the supplier.Also the shop is responsible to the customer for the quality of the goods they sell(I think) ;-)

  79. tbh clint the amount of stories about the quality is putting me of getting one for the first time since the 70’s :-(

  81. I’ve only seen a handful of feedback regarding the new shirts and I already know I Won’t be buying one. All I’ve heard is that they’re of shocking quality and need to be replaced within a matter of days. Really unhappy about leaving adidas tbh. We’ve got a crap design and crap production quality. It’s fine for a professional footballer who pulls on a new shirt every 45 minutes but what about the bairns who worship the lads in them, want to wear it daily and would sleep in their shirt if their mam let them. A shame to be honest. I’ll buy myself a bag of binliners for a pund and paint some White stripes on them. Would save me 45 quid and I too can have a new one every day, sounds just as reliable as the new kits.

  83. Richie,
    gotta say, other teams have said similar stuff about the PUMA tops.
    It’s not just us.
    PUMA needs a slap.

  84. clint….thats what I mean surely its in the contract that that they have to be of a certain quality and if not the deal can be terminated and Puma would be liable for any costs incurred? you’d think anyway.
    Then we could bin Puma and negotiate a new and better deal as a prem club with another company…..say Adidas ;-)

  85. richie
    :)

    Ross
    not keen on the new adidas tops, with the stripes ending up the arm, then starting again, weird.
    But i’ve always bought adidas, since long before we were sponsored by them, so i’ll still be buying B&W adidas gear, though not with NUFC on it.
    BTW, i think the home top is a good first attempt, in the looks dept.

  86. Tbf….adidas also gave us some that were criticised at the time(remember the black shield on the back)………….but the quality was better imo

  87. richie,
    you’d think.
    Gotta few spuds mates doon here & they’re always bemoaning the quality of their gear.
    Bollox isn’t it?
    :)

  89. richie,
    & that blue, orange, white, green, yellow, in fact every color under the sun top from a few years back.
    Made from off cuts, surely?
    Mad as a box of frogs that top.
    :)

  90. Clint-I really liked last seasons adidas effort. Visually some of them have been a bit iffy but the shirts have always been well made. As for the Puma effort..it’s not bad but the neck looks like you’ve let a bairn loose with safety scissors and they’re apparently a strange fit. Unless you’re in athletic shape you can wear a tent, or stroll around the gallowgate looking like the only gay in the village it’s that tight. Wish I’d cashed in when the club were flogging the adidas stuff on the cheap at the end of last season. Ashley must have felt right at home in the club shop. “everything must go! 50p socks! 2 quid shorts!”

  92. Ross,
    Get shot of the beer gut mate.
    :)

    Get down the gym, buy a proper fitting top man.
    :)

    Only joking mate.
    ;)

  95. Clint-I’m a complete bean pole mate, the whole slim fitting thing appeals to me given the fact I’ve looked a complete plum in tent esque footy shirts for years now. Loved the England wc one. My criticism of the sizing issues was purely down to my kind and considerate nature, looking out for fellow toon fans such as yerself! Haha, kidding mate! ;)

  96. richie,
    i bet you looked……………..

    ……………….a picture………………….

    …………..lovely…………………

    ………………………..or something?

    I couldn’t do it, my style detector said a big NA! to that one.
    :)

  97. Well Colo would certainly be more adept in dm than Smith. I personally thought Williamson looked the more secure on Monday bar a couple of dodgy clearanes.

    Campbell and Williamson with Colo in front would be pretty solid through the middle but perhaps we should avoid having a solely defensive minded player in the middle – a lot of people worried about Smith being like a third centre half at times.

  99. Stu – sorry for the delay. Work stuff.

    I’m honestly astonished that you think team spirit makes no difference to performance. Surely THAT is an absurd assertion, not mine?

    That team that got thumped was stuffed full of known, expensive players with no team spirit. They did as their boss said, but heads dropped as soon as the first goal went in and they completely folded.

    Contrast that with Monday night, where a team worth probably less than half as much, with loads of unknowns, kept up the fight and got a far better result and kept some pride, if now with a chunk of realism stamped on it.

    No, the passing wasn’t great at times. But at times it was; we actually looked pretty useful at times right through the match. Likewise the running, the ideas, the willingness to get stuck into one of the best teams in the world, on their ground. The exact opposite of the Duffs, Vidukas, Owens and so on who just rolled over and waited for it to be over.

    My argument, therefore, is that we are far better equipped now than then because, in large part, of team spirit.

    Yes, I want more players, but so does CH and it’s being worked on. Nobody’s saying otherwise – but that team spirit seems to have survived its first big test and I’m pleased about that because it’s what will keep us up.

    (For what it’s worth, I think your first post on the post-match analysis was spot on. Bad result, but could have been a lot worse, and far from disgraceful.)

  100. Im sure saltysellars said even the the players puma match worn ones were crap quality too(he’ll correct me if not)

  101. £20 odd million and Ireland for Milner, Villa must be laughing all the way to the bank, Especially after we didnt bother with a sell on clause, Nice one Mike…

  102. *r

    WTVH,
    Colo & Williamson are a good pairing, no doubt.
    It’s gonna be interesting to see if Saylor gets back in so easily.
    Love Williamson’s attitude, just gets on with it, no nonsense, good defender. He should stay ’til he’s untenable, which i don’t see happening.

  103. CC depends if reports were true which said we were offered £8m and a sell on but Ashley asked for £12m no sell on. I don’t know what Ireland is valued at but I doubt anyone could have foreseen Milner going for £25m+

  105. no way is milner worth 25mill +,real madrid have just signed ozil and sami Khedira,for way less and there both better than milner,fkin madness

  106. Clint-glad you enjoyed that one mate! :D haha
    Hitman-agreed RE Milner. It’s the whole British, or more specifically, English factor. Any half decent English player moving around English leagues especially prem to prem and you can stick an extra 5-10 mil on their tag, moreso if they’re moving between high profile clubs. The one real English young talent coming through for me who deserves the hype at the mo is Adam Johnson. Looks a class act.

  108. Whumpie says:
    August 18, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    You misunderstand me. I do think team spirit makes a difference. But only on the physical aspects ie makes you try harder.

    You can’t say that team spirit makes you a technically better player – If you’re not talented enough to do certain things well, team spirit won’t make you any better.

    If you lack pace, you lack pace – No amount of spirit will quicken you up. Might make you try harder, but the body cannot do it, it won’t do it.

    Quality is what finds that killer pass, that great finish or chase and catch a winger with pace.

  110. aye the shirts from the players i got from norwich match were pretty shoddy,thats the away ones.the adidas match worn shirts were fanastic like,totaly faultless.i have had some other puma match worn shirts,notably vfb stuttgart comes to mind and they were very poor to say the least.they had a plastic/rubber badge and they clicked really easily,plus there were random threads hanging off the sleeves!! awfull puma are like.ive not got hold of any new home match worns yet but hoping to get at least one from the manusa match soon so will update on quality then but i would imagine its pretty low.bear in mind the players shirts are a lot different to replicas

  112. SS11 – apologies if you have been asked this before … but how do you get hold of the post match shirts ???

    Do you just hang about outside ??!! :)

  116. @shrews-
    theres a few mates of mine who have links to staff and most importantly the kit men,plus there are a whole load of other collectors out there

  117. silly me i forgot ashley owns us means we will have to talk rumours till window shuts,ah well fun while it lasted i surpose :(

  118. so how do you know when its handed over that it’s real .. :) .. no offence .. :) .. but it just seems a little odd that people would pay over the odds for a shirt that might (or might not) have been worn by a player :)

  119. On Eds it says we’ve been offered him on original terms but havnt replied yet if this is true somebody needs to slap Ashley on his flabby chops and get him to the fax machine.some twat is also saying Santa cruz is coming to Newcastle and is apparently in a hotel in the toon.

  121. toon army mike FU*K YOU a used a forum to lay owt my thorts u might b happy with our buisness but am not, fair enuf ashley has the rite idea but hes going about it all rong, marseille have gave us owa original ofer but noffing, get your tung out of ashleys ring n then tell me hu is guna get the ball to carroll next tym were 3-0 down F**KN NOB ED

  122. Well Lads still fuk all happening, except our Captain Fantastic saying theres nowt to worry about we will bounce back, with a gut like that its obvious, but he didnt say that he was embarrased to be carried by the team for 70 mins.
    Richie please dont waste yer money on the away top it is total shite my wee Lad has loads of footie tops some 2 yrs old and they look far better than his month old away top, God love him too as a few times I have shouted at him for gettig pluckers all over it, but its not his fault they are total garbage, upto now his home top is ok but it still looks like a cheap copy you would get on holiday :(

  123. Sosa from Bayern is another player we could look to loan for the no10.spot- add to the argie contingent.

  124. toonarmymike – probably bollocks I know but if we got Santa Cruz we’d surely have to get rid of one of the 5 strikers we currently have over 6ft tall.

    However, it is possible in that teams like Stoke, B’ham, W.Ham,Fulham who might have been interested have all recently signed strikers.

  125. Alreet Dave…if anything I’d buy the home one but at the minute I’m just sticking with last years………..probably just drop hints to wor lass so she buys me one then I dont waste my own money ;-)

  126. Eds must be the only bloke who would waste his time writing an article on this Keita bloke and then say we dont belive there is any truth in this story…

    Santa Cruz would be a bad signing, Citeh are paying as good as all of Bellamys and Onuohas wages, We could end up with a quality striker for nowt.

  127. BIG DAVE ashley doesnt care who he screws m8,he will say he doesnt make em,dont buy that myself so he was not shown a sample first no quality control dept,dont buy any of his shit,maybe should have bought a copy you would get better quality, fat t@@t

  129. richie,
    agree regarding Saylor, decent RB that lad. ;)

    & yea, the ‘great milner rip-off’, what a bunch of divs manc are, ridiculous amounts + ireland.
    :)

  130. All that carp about Milner and sell-on clauses…

    One more time:

    We got far more than he was worth, and far more than we would have now if we’d dropped the price to put in a sell-on clause!

    Ok, rant over. Gnite all.

  132. icedog: Ashley doesn’t make the shirts. It’s not as if we’ve not got enough REAL gripes with the man – you don’t have to make up new ones!

    Have a pop at Puma if you must.

  133. Whumpie I would say that the Fat Controller had a big say in the shirts and ultimately the final say, and I cant remember Ice saying he made the shirts, and as for making up gripes

  134. Anyone noticed milner’s new attitude in his gait?
    The ‘i’m worth £25m + ireland walk’.
    :)

  135. @don’tshootthe messenger.

    Get lost u prat.if u were a real Newcastle fan ud know that that article first came round last night and has not been proved.stop coming on here and eds and sprouting sh*te he hasn’t agreed to sign for werder Bremen yet.

  136. WHUMPIE are you saying he never saw the quality dont accept that sorry,ime not makeing,anything up on your posts you always say i dont like ashley then go ahead and defend him on every small point from his point of view,sorry you dont fool me,then again you often have go at the fans,you have your point of view i have my own thank you

  137. hitman. ye i just saw that on skysports and remembered hearing his name before. don’t know much about sosa myself to be honest.

  138. Who here honestly will feel angry/upset/hopes dashed…

    if indeed Ben arfa goes to Bremen? It will 99.99% announced together with gignac going to OM if the deal is done~~~

  139. Is it cragcoozy who put the story on Ed’s blog about Cruz? If it is him, the real one, he has normally been spot on. Doesn’t know anything about the transfer, just the goings on in the hotel.

    Think he would be a good signing if we could get him

  142. Clint flick totally agree regarding Milners gait Hughes developed an even more smug attitude when the Arabs bought citeh it was like “look at me they are mega rich so I must be great” but not for long

  143. AOD I dont think it will happen but I wont be too sad as I think there is others that would have been better buys. But I will be gutted but not surprised if the window slams shut and we dont have anymore players in.

  144. Simon…no it wasnt him and I doubt he’d be booking in under his own name as claimed………plus he’s too similar to what we have,wages will be too high,alaways injured and imo crap. ;-)

  145. Big Dave and Richietoon, yeah you are both right. Only thing I’ll give Craigcoozy is the hotel bit, he was here last week, but he was no doubt going over the top with the tour of St James’ bit

  146. ime not one that goes to the bookies maybe some of you might and find out how true this is, guy on eds blog saying william hill has suspended betting on B.A. joining toon.
    didnt know they had a book on it.cannot belive ime still talking about this pain-in-arse saga

  147. Simon you hit the nail on the head there if as he said he was at SJP and there was cameras there it would have been all over the net. From what I can gather he isn’t a regular blogger only really on when he has info, which to me means that he can say anything as he wont be going on for a while.

  149. BIG DAVE hope the young fellow isnt to upset, i can always get a top from one of the malta teams when i go over and send it to you if you think it will cheer him up,i hate seeing kids upset

  151. DAVE first time ive been on today.
    i talk to richietoon about it keeps his mind off how bad his F.F.team are doing :)

  154. well looks like some clubs in the prem are starting to move transfer wise.another day and more s***e about the scarlet pimpernel ben bloody arfa.

  155. Listen, ladies , Newcastle have met Marseille’s original loan asking price plus a little add on for appearances and goals but it depends on Arfa really.

    Were not prepared to buy him – Ashley won’t allow it. Werder are happy to pay for a full transfer. The full transfer is Marseille’s preferred option, obviously.

    It depends on him really, if he’s still desperate to play for us he will, but if he’s more desperate to just get out of Marseille then he’s going to Werder.

    Fingers crossed, but it don’t look good.

  157. Stu – I thought Wor Donna got sacked for pinching Ashley’s Ginger Nuts – you sure she can be trusted?

  158. icedog says:
    August 18, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    As of last night we’d agreed a deal with Marseille, but when a club comes in with real money and more of it they stop and talk to them. It’s up to Arfa. But his wages are pretty high too.

    Toon Chicken says:
    August 18, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    She can be trusted for sure. She doesn’t like football, just knows a few ex players and a couple of people at the club. If it turns out to be bollox even the guy at the club is being told a pack of lies.

  160. interview with W.B. manager before tonights game asked about benny;we like him but there is nothing definate yet end of

  161. Never mind all this football talk. Why hasn’t anyone raised an eyebrow about people buying kits from sports direct? I thought everyone was staying away on pain of death.
    Toonsy ban them, its discusting.

  162. @Stuart79

    Dont suppose there was any sort of time scale given by your good lady friend?

    To be honest I just want the saga to be over either way so we can move on. I would love him at the club but whether he comes or not we still need to be pressing on with other targets as well!

  163. NI_Toon says:
    August 18, 2010 at 8:15 pm

    She doesn’t have a clue. She only got a little bit of info by accident, she has no interest in it at all, she couldn’t care less if he signed or not. She doesn’t even know who the fck he is. lol

  164. Bremen does not want Ben Arfa

    Werder Bremen did not need Hatem Ben Arfa to believe Klaus Allofs , one of the leaders of the German club.

    Hatem Ben Arfa to Bremen? It is not . At least if one believes Klaus Allofs . The former striker of Olympique Marseille and Girondins, now Secretary General of Werder says the German chain Satellite 1 that his club did not need the French striker . And despite the departure of Measur Ozil for Real Madrid … Info or intox ? Hatem Ben Arfa is also followed by Newcastle, Schalke 04, Hoffenheim.

  165. The sporting director of Werder said this before the match:

    The athletic director Werder Bremen Klaus Allofs said Wednesday that recruiting French Hatem Ben Arfa, as mentioned Wednesday in the French press, was not “a hot track.

    “We’re not looking for a replacement for Mesut Özil” which Wednesday officially joined Real Madrid, said Allofs on pay TV channel Sky Germany before the third qualifying round of the Champions League to go against the Sampdoria Genoa.

    “Whether or Marko Marin Aaron Hunt or someone else, you will find a domestic solution,” he added.

    The leader of Werder, who knows the Championship of France to be changed when he was a player, admitted that his club could be strengthened before the end of Mercato.

    But “the track leading to Ben Arfa is not hot,” he said while in France, the rumored transfer of French international moving past few days.

    Ben Arfa, 23, wants to leave Marseille, his club since 2008.

    Werder seems primarily interested in the Brazilian Wesley, under contract with Santos (1st div. Brazil).

  166. its going to go down to the wire with signings isn’t it!

    However, if we already haven’t learnt, the papers talk shite!

  167. kinel….I cannot believe there has been so much bolloocks written about HBA…roll on the end of the transfer window, get this crap out of the way so we can concentrate on the football.

  168. Munich Mag says:
    August 18, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    It just shows how desperate the supporters are for some hope, anything to give us some hope.

    Sad really.

    Championship players, championship side, playing in the PL.

  169. Stu…there’s a serious piss-take going on here mate…

    tbh Santa Cruz and Andy Carroll would reap havoc in the PL imo…

  170. theres absolutely nowt on Werders web site. Klaus Allofs is a smart dude, they’ve got 15 mill in the bank from the sale of Özil. Cannot see it happening though..

  173. I wouldn’t hold your breath!

    I won’t be making any predictions on where we’ll finish until I see our final squad and after I’ve seen us play the next five games.

  175. STUART,some things we agree on some we differ,but one thing i must say i have took note of your posts and you stick to your guns right or wrong,which i like,unlike some who say i hate ashley then go on to defend everything,keep it up m8,even though i sometimes dont agree,but we have toon at heart

  176. TC no probs mate….I thought that was the case !!..

    Stuart, one game down having lost away to one of the best teams in the world, and your getting the noose out mate. Settle down a bit big man…!

    We’re a PL club, playing in the PL. Give the lads a chance before you go slagging of our black and white favourites…

  177. I am watching this Werder Bremen game on Sky Sports 2 and they don’t need Ben Arfa. Aaron Hunt is destroying Sampdoria.

  178. bit off subject, but really I CANNOT BELIEVE that Citeh have paid so much for Milner. English football is being spoiled by these idiots…these numptys must have 50 players in their squad, and they’ll still win nowt. Mancini will be toast before Christmas and good riddance to him…

  179. MM i agree citeh,the money they have spent and wages they pay is obscene,thought chelsea were bad,but they going out of control,spoiling the game as we know it imo

  180. Just read a link this lad put up on the other nufcblog and it was an interview with breman’s gaffer right before they went out for their champions league match. he said they do not need to replace ozil and said they were not after hba!!!!!!!

  181. Latest info in France is that OM asked Newcastle to agree to an automatic transfer if we stay up and not an option. We refused. OM are trying to push for the Werder deal as they’re fed up. I reckon if we stay up with (or thanks to) Ben Arfa he’ll be worth more than 5m…

  182. I don’t think i would even swap Ireland for Milner let alone add on an extra 16mil and have to pay off Ireland’s wages.

    Mancini froze out Ireland- player of the season before last and has kicked away last season’s main man Bellamy.

    That’s a flawed policy I think.

  183. tewbsofstprix – I read something last night (in french) where it was talking about a 4.5mil fee if he played 25 games for us. I thought it meant that was the previous arrangement – either way it sounds like a good deal.

  184. WTVH,

    Seems reasonable enough condition to me and probably a counterproposal linked to us being unwilling to commit to a full transfer in case we go down and HBA refusing a relegation clause. Confidence reigns.

  185. WTVH…it all makes sense to be honest, but we obviously run the risk of missing out on players if we play hard ball too long. It seems as if it’s a question of who blinks first Marseill or MA..

    Agree 100% on Milner, average player imo…

  186. Somebody posted article on nufcblog the other one, they posted a french article in the comments that said ben arfa was gone from OM……

  187. It is L’OM that are playing silly buggers here & I wouldn’t be suprised if the bremen story actually came from them. According to afra’s agent we have already met their terms & they then tryed to move the goal posts.

    Staurt79 reckoned we had sweetened the deal to try to get it done so I’m not sure what more we can do unless we just buy him & we are obviously not going to do that.

  188. The article saying he had left L’OM was dated the 10th !!!
    NObody knows so just wait and see,nowt else for it.

  190. After what has been said between Ben Arfa and Deschamps, there’s no way he can stay at OM. The deal struck with OM and Ben Arfa on Monday was that if he kept his mouth shut and stopped slagging off everyone at OM, they’d let him leave. They’re now trying to engineer the best deal they can get that will be acceptable to both parties. OM either need something more from Newcastle so they can save face or an alternative offer that Ben Arfa would accept.

  193. nae botha…..I’ve been sitting out of most of it cos everyones just going round in circles…………..apparently htat articles a new one now…..me heed hurts :lol:

  196. Ice I felt shit for shouting at him when I realised how shitty the top was as he kept telling me that he was sorry and that he was looking after it. Honest you wouldn’t believe how easy it is to plucker it. He has got over it now because I got him the home one. Thanks for your offer Ice he just loves all things footie

  198. Ice your a star if you see a nice looking one yeah mate please, I will send you an email mate with his size etc. When are you planning on going over again ?

  199. BIG DAVE dont know yet mucking about trying to sell icepups house,but i make a promise i will get him one 100%,but if it looks like it will be a while ill ring one of mates out there to send me one no worries m8

  201. BIG DAVE nee worries just e-mail size.

    and there might be another as a surprise as i still have some contacts in other countries ;)

  203. Nice could have accepted a higher bid from Hoffenheim but chose to let Remy go where we wanted – hopefully Marseille do likewise with Benny.

    Cautiously optimistic (again)

  204. Ice your a true Star mate I will email you tomoro as im going to get something to eat now then bed as im shattered I will catch you tomorrow mate.
    Take it easy Bud

  207. so marsaille have signed gignac and remy in the last few days?

    these have replaced the two strikers they sold already, niang and the other fellow.

    sounds like marseille have done well for themselves here, they’ve gotton teir men, they mightent need to raise funds now so please let ben afra come to us

  208. the latest developments are promising, marsaille get the replacements for the players sold so now the door is open to allow ben afra come to newcastle

    any interest from bremen and germany looks like pie in the sky

    i think if remy would rather come to milain or the premier league he’ll choose the premier league (newcastle)…having said that the champions league attraction is also a factor….i don’t thin marsaille need another striker (hnutelaar now that they have just signed to so hopefully the rumour from milain is false too

    the facts are that ben afra has stated he wants to come to toon

    marsaille are now prepared to let him go

    newcastle have not denied interest

    hopefully this will result in ben afra in the black and white stipes of toon

  210. Newcastle United have been told to include a specific option to purchase the player in their offer to sign Hatem Ben Arfa on a loan deal, according to Marseille President Jean-Claude Dassier.

    The President wants the magpies to ‘add an option in case of automatic continuation in the Premier League.’ This seems to suggest a condition or promise whereby Newcastle will have to purchase the player if they stay up.

    He said:
    “This case is not complicated. On the British side, I asked them to add an option in case of automatic continuation in the Premier League.” We will not let the British take us for idiots. We know them. They saw what was happening with Hatem and they come back.”
    “Bremen is more serious. This would be great for him to go there.”
    On the other side, Werder Bremen Sporting Director Klaus Allofs has said the club’s interest in Ben Arfa was ‘not hot’.

    He told a TV channel before their game against Sampdoria:
    “We’re not looking for a replacement for Mesut Özil. Whether or Marko Marin Aaron Hunt or someone else, we’ll find an internal solution”
    Ben Arfa, the 23-year old France International is believed to be keen on a move to Newcastle United.

  211. this has become a 1 horse race lads, bremen are out, milan got prince boatang, that leaves us without a date to the dance. seems only fitting that after a nasty break up hba finds a lonely nufc ready for the rebound lol…..