Slightly off topic but thought you might want to know Steven Taylor has apparently ruptured his Achilles and is out for the season.
I heartily go along with this, 4 2 3 1 is tailor made for our squad. this should have been in my previous post
Difficult to make a song about but I'm sure someone will try. They can console themselves that they still have Williamson
We do have a knack of performing ok against the quality sides! Its bringing them performances against the lesser teams thats the problem! However its the fact that both types of matches require 2 different types of performances! Its performing when taking the games to lesser sides that needs sorting out!
Have to disagree Marcus. I thought Catts was the missing link in the first half. For the first time this season playing away, I thought we were too negative in the first half. With City having no strikers up front, a reserve goalie and other second line players starting, I thought we'd give it a go. But Gus had us set up for the draw and for the first 30 minutes or so we did have them going round in circles, playing virtually 9 at the back, keeping it tight. They were clueless. For me Catts was a massive miss. And, for me, this was more points lost, even though it was City.
Prior to this injury I was thinking a song for Taylor. Pink Floyds Another brick in the wall substituting " another post in the goal" and adding a few lyrics for when they played here. The b*stards took all that away now.
I think the quality of Alvarez is starting to show now, his touch is superb. If Rodwell can start to play to that level, it's like a new new signing, if that makes sense. We need a CB and a striker, plain and simple, and if we can an attacking midfielder, a ball player, a proper passer. Giacc & Alvarez may reduce that need, but let's just try and do it. Wing back cover would be nice as well, but that's probably asking for too much....
I doubt he'll ever play for Newcastle again. He'll end his time there with a derby defeat, a mediocre season & the realisation that he's won **** all. Knowing he won't play against us in April is a shame, would've loved to have seen him being humiliated again.
We need full back cover, a LB is essential even if its someone on loan. That way Vergini can concentrate on being a centre back. Jones can be RB cover (his best position) and we have Rev and PVA as our first choice full backs. A centre back needs to be a priority but I only want one now if we can get a quality one, if not stick with what we have got until the summer. I don't want another "squad player" Then we need a striker, Altidore and Graham to go and a new striker to come in. So 2 x players a LB and a Striker. But if a quality centre back becomes available I would take him. Were getting close to where we need to be and to be honest its injuries that have scuppered us so far this season. At this moment I want to see the following: .................Pants.................. Rev...JOS.......Brown....PVA ..........Catts...Larsson......... Alvarez.....Giacc..............AJ ....................Wickham......... Rodwell will have to play exceptionally well to replace Larsson who has been superb this season, but he is a decent option off the bench as is Gomez. Fletch and Wickham are interchangeable depending on form. We have really missed PVA and Rev they gave us balance and width and currently we don't have that.
In the end it boiled down to free efforts for Toure being given too much space in the area he loves most, and a free header for Lampard. Taking nothing away from City but our defensive nous in both cases was not good.
I`m having my 2 pennorth. We were obviously set up for a boredraw. It was inevitable they would score eventually. They`re too good for that. Worth a try though. Better than being 4-0 down at half time. I suppose we did well to keep them out as long as we did. When we went 2-0 down I thought we were in for a hiding. Gus, to his credit made good subs and we fought back well to the point where we gave them a bloody scare. Giacc & Alvarez were particularly effective (Gus take note) and, barring injuries have a lot to offer. Catts needs one yeller for a ban so Rodwell I expect will get some more game time. He did ok today I thought. We can attack. The subs proved that. We did not roll over. I was pleased with that. There is promise in that squad and a couple of the right buys in January I reckon we`ll be in a decent position to step up a notch. That, for now, will do for me.
No point leaving Catts out for a yellow, he's gonna get a yellow before April and serve that ban, no 2 ways about it. If he's been dropped for that Gus is a goon.
Didn`t mean that mate, what I meant was Rodwell is likely to get more game when it happens. As it inevitably will.
With Giaccherini and Alvarez up to speed its time for Gomez and Buckley to drop to squad players. Pva and Rev coming back will be a huge boost. Id move Vergini inside and only use Brown if injuries hit, he's finished and is just a liability now.
My point exactly. He seems to be improving. Reckon I`d be tempted to play him against Leeds rather than have Catts pick up his ban in that one. I think that`s what I mean.
Yeah I'd leave him in too, if e finds his feet he's a major long term asset. I hope we are strong v Leeds as we really would benefit from a cup run, I don't think we are in any realistic danger of going down, and we ain't likely to rise any higher than 10-12th.
