We should bring Shola back into the side

Yes, that formation but with a new, good striker - Gomis would be a good start

 

Shola Ameobi has never, and will never be anything more than a squad player in the PL.

He simply isn't good enough.

Granted that Cisse has basically stopped trying, but when you consider that we sold Demba Ba and Leon Best who are both better than Shola, Carlton Cole was a free agent for a time, you start to wonder if anybody at the club knows what the hell they're doing!

And of course they don't.

Even suggesting we start Shola is a sad sign of our current desperation.

 

No, is this what we have come to , just the thought of Shola or even Sammy coming on as sub fills me with dread.
Shola has had a lucky career playing most of his football in Premier league for us, most clubs would have got rid years ago.
Nice lad no doubt about it but good footballer no.

 

I did warn.

To be honest I'd play............................actually do we have an option outside of moving Remy from his most effective position. My team heading forward would be:

Krul
Debuchy
Dummett
Saylor
Colo
Tiote
Anita
Cabaye
Gouffran
Santon
Remy

Bench: HBA (impact sub from now on), Sissoko (sell asap), Mbiwa (give him time), Marveaux Campbell, Haidara

I'd be offloading Santon and Sissoko as soon as the chance arises and HBA if someone was willing to give you 7m plus.

 

Got to give Santon a go in a more attacking role, preferably in a cup match, if that means against Man City then so be it. As for Sissoko hasn't had a chance yet because of your mate Pardew.

 

Had ample opportunity. Played in his preferred central midfield role all season. Last year there were excuses as he moved around. This year every game, central midfield as part of a 3. The position every supporter to a man wanted to see him. Utter garbage. I don't doubt his natural ability. He just isn't interested. At least Mbiwa is trying even if he is not performing.

Fed up with watching the likes of Sissoko, not fit to wear the shirt.

 

And had good games on occasions, did notice him on the wing more on Sunday but then you don't want a stand out play like Sissoko or Ben Arfa but would rather have a manager who failed in the Championship with Charlton and got sacked from a League 1 team for poor results in 2010. He lives off the odd good seasons with West Ham (05/06) and Newcastle (11/12). Sissoko and Ben Arfa I believe would flourish under a good manager.

 

I think the majority of our squad would mate. The sad thing is - we would never go out and get one. No one would any self respect would come into this job under Ashley. If Pardew gets sacked, which I can see happening, **** knows would come in. I don't think Joe will personally but some bottom feeder would. I actually believe it would be someone truly wretched. Save Di Matteo I can't think of anyone currently out of work (in England) I wouldn't mind having. If Pullis became manager it would be soul destroying.

I think Ashley would hire an unbelievable bottom feeder to piss off the fans even more.

 

To be fair I don't think the club has any intention of sacking Pardew, even if we got relegated which is sad as he is clearly not up to the job.

 

Pardew wouldn't be my choice of manager but he would be at present given what will follow.

Sissoko has maybe had one good game so far this season. I've never in all my time watching the club seen a lazier player. I'm not quite sure how that can be pinned on the manager? Do you honestly think he is sending him out under the instruction "don't run about, don't close down today". He went wide on Sunday in a tactical switch which was required - better him than Cabaye or Tiote who are ill suited. Not to mention having Sissoko's work rate as part of a 2 in a PL midfield would be suicidal.

I do question how Pards justifies picking him ahead of Anita, certainly at fault for that.

HBA and him are not stand out players - its a myth. They may be in terms of ability but unfortunately for them football is about more than ability. You have to apply yourself. Unfortunately we are seeing exactly why no other clubs were fighting to sign Sissoko when available for 2m buttons. We're seeing why no one has bothered to try really hard to poach the "world class" talent of HBA. They don't deliver and lack the one thing a coach can't teach them - effort.

Sissoko is indefensible for me. I was clinging to the hope he was struggling to adapt but I can't pretend. The lad isn't interested.

Look a Cabaye. Performance wise, ten million times the level of Sissoko so far. This from a man who wanted off from the moment we finished 5th, who refused to play for the club. Yet he still has enough about him to be professional and give the effort required of a pro footballer. Sissoko seems to think he is above it. I'm beginning to wonder if he did storm out the training ground last season and has been in the huff ever since. Needs dropped urgently.

 

Sissoko had good games against Fulham, Villa, West Ham and Cardiff, seems to play worse when Tiote is in the team, thankfully Tiote is finding his form again since getting the captaincy which I will give Pardew credit for. I agree at present on current form that Sissoko should be dropped for Anita. Think if the rumours about the training ground incident was true he'd be gone and the club would stop him doing press interviews.

 

We have been watching a different Sissoko if you think he had good games in those I have to say. All opinions of course. I hate watching players who don't put the work in. He seems to be making him a bluechip player based on those first couple of games, particularly playing as a number 10 v Chelsea.

I do think he has all the tools and is laden with ability. For some reason effort seems an issue for him which is both annoying and a bit bewildering. Why would any footballer not want to make the most of their talent? I watched Sissoko when he arrived and thought "**** me this is some player". Then a bad game came and I thought "ah well give him time". Then game after game I watch and think "come on you lazy bastard, work!!!".

I don't get this "Pardew has made him worse" stuff. What? He has made him not try? That is all that is missing. The thing where Pards pisses me off is he afraid of the big reputations. He gets paid to make tough calls but is too afraid to drop HBA and Sissoko for the good of the team. Scared the fans won't like it. **** the fans its about winning and the team. A top manager like SAF or Mourinho would have laid it out plainly for these guys by now about workrate. Obviously its easier when you have a squad full of competition to wave in their face but even if it is just to make the point to them they are not bigger than the club.

 

I think Sissoko is trying, Pardew has dropped Ben Arfa on a few occasion so again I'd disagree with you there, remember Cardiff away this month. As for players not trying if you said Cisse I'd agree and personally think Pardew was right to drop him when he did would have dropped for Everton personally if he hadn't scored against Leeds.

 

Fairly obviously, Krul, Debuchy, Dummett, Colo, Saylor, Tiote, Anita, Cabaye, HBA, Santon, Remy.

Gouffran doesn't scare players, HBA does. If we had more work in the middle and on the left (Anita/Santon) there'd be more gaps for Remy either due to Ben Arfa drawing attention or creating chances. It also means you're slightly asymmetric, but that's fine because Debuchy is a very able full back and our left side is a bit more traditional. Anita has a tendency to drift right, which works in this formation.

I also then think you have like-for-likes on the bench - Sammy for Santon, Gouff for HBA, Sissoko for Anita, and so on. Which means you can inject freshness without upsetting rhythm. There's also enough options to batten down the hatch (Jonas for HBA, 5 across the middle, Shola for Remy, long-ball o clock) or attack more (Cisse for Tiote, go 4-2-4 for example).

I think we have all the tools I just think it's taking Pardew too long to make the big calls. I'd love to see the above vs Chelsea. Vs City, I'd take a good few out but keep to this 4-3-2-1.

 

Got to put a full XI out tomorrow, telling them to go and out win the fans back over, which everyone involved with that club do after Sunday, with events both on and off the pitch.

 

He's not good enough to score often at premier league level, he is good enough to play as an effective target man.

Like it or not we don't have the manager to get our players cutting teams open with passing football everyweek. We need a target man and we need to play routine football sometimes.

Cisse isn't cutting it, and Remy is far better on the left.

I'm not at all happy that we'll have to resort to this, but what other option is there? Please tell me?

 

Ok, that would be a decent suggestion if we were in January, but we're only just approaching November.

What are we going to do to try and get points until then?

People are assuming that I'm trying to say Shola is a good player and that I'm saying this should be a long term thing bringing Shola into the side.

It's not. It's basically me trying to react to the current situation at Newcastle.

The false 9 thing doesn't work. We cannot cut teams open every week, we don't have the manager to organise them. Cisse isn't firing.

Shola can prove effective and has played a part in winning quite a few games over the last few years. He doesn't score often, but his presence helps the player he plays with in certain games.

 

Oh he is trying alright! Trying the fans patience.

I think you will be in a very small minority who thinks he is. I've noticed the anger at the match towards him is growing with every game.

Stunned you think he is trying to be honest, he is lazier than any Newcastle player I've watched since 1988 - and I include Shola/Emre/Viduka, the whole lot. The maddening thing about him is the talent but I dare say that is the case with most lazy players.............except Shola

 

This is what is frightening about our summer business

 

Tash I agree this false 4-3-3 doesn't work but bringing Shola back is not the answer. I woukd still rather have Cisse than Shola. What people should remember yes Cisse has been poor but without his late goals last season we would have gone down. There is doubt about it the Ba episode effected him and it was terrible management from Pardew who simply pandeered to another player.

Cisse has not been great sure but Shola has been an abomination for 13 years. I cannot believe the useless bastard has been here that long - I just can't believe it!