I've just been thinking about the teams both clubs could have if they had all their strongest players available. Here's the mags strongest 11 - -----------------Krul-------------- Simpson-Taylor-Coloccini-Santon ---------------Tiote----------- -----Cabaye-------------Jonas---- Ben Arfa------Cisse------Demba Ba Our strongest 11 ---------------Mignolet---------------- Bardsley---Oshea---Brown----Richardson ----------------Catts------------------- ----Larsson------------Gardner-------- Sessegnon------Gyan--------Campbell I personally think ours is better. Krul vs Mignolet - Krul is a bit better, but not much. Both are quality. ------------------------------------ Our defence is superior IMO Coloccini and Steven Taylor vs Oshsea and Brown - I'd say there's nothing much to separate both CB pairings. They're both solid. However we're far stronger at fullback position. Richardson isn't spectacular, but he does a more solid job than Santon who is a talented young player, but he's tactically inept. Teams have sussed him out, simple diagonal balls played and he's clueless. Bardsley is better than Simpson - Simple as. ----------------------------------- I'd say our midfield is better in a way. Tiote is more technical than Catts, no doubt. He has more skill and is a bit classier. But when it comes to doing the job of a good, solid defensive midfielder, Catts is better for me. Catts is stronger, he provides a mental boost to the team, he's much better at harassing opposition players. Tiote is better on the ball, but Cattermole is more tactically aware and that's what matters most. Cabaye is potentially better than Larsson as a creative spark and an all round player. But Cabaye has been inconsistent and is struggling against quicker teams and is finding it hard to get used to the pace of the league. In a lot of his games, he's a passenger. Larsson has certainly been better this season, scoring often, creating loads of chances and is currently better than Cabaye. Jonas is the only player other than Coloccini that I really respect from Newcastle. He works very hard, plays where ever he's told, and does a job in defence and in attack. He's a work horse. However, whenever Gardner has played at fullback, he's done a decent job, where as Jonas struggles in that position. Gardner is more versatile and provide more of a goal threat. -------------------------------- Attacking wise, I'd say Newcastle were a bit better, but not much really. The mags can harp on about Ben Arfa, saying he's "world class when on form", but at the end of the day, Sessegnon has been playing brilliantly all season, and has been scoring, providing, and looks better on the ball and works harder for the season. Ben Arfa is probably a bit more of a goal threat, as he has a lethal left footed, shot, but as an all round player, Sessegnon is better. Then it comes down to the strikers. Gyan is a fantastic striker, and I think he's better than Ba or Cisse. I think he has a better all round game to him, and he's also a fantastic finisher, and more skillfull on the ball than Ba and Cisse. Gyan obviously saw where the fat geordie twat was taking us and I don't blame him for wanting out when he did. Sessegnon has hardly been perfectly happy here, but MON has got the best out of him. I think the way MON has gotten the best out of all the players, he could really work with Gyan and make him even better than he was. He's better than Ba and Cisse. Campbell isn't as good as either of the senegalise pair, but he has fantastic pace and could be brilliant in a counter attack on the wing, and he's not far off either of them IMO. -------------------------------- Then you have to talk about the influence of the managers. MON is better, and with a full strength Sunderland side, he could work wonders and I reckon us at full strength, we could easily push for 6th and be right up the mags backsides. I know saying the fact that we had a **** manager for half a season, is no real excuse, but if MON was here from the start, then I fully believe we'd be level if not higher than Newcastle. We certainly would have bossed the derbies IMO.
Jonas falls on his arse more than heskey and balotelli put together. If there is a stat somewhere he would be way ahead of anybody for falling over when somebody is close by him. He has got the skill but soft as ****e
Can't we just agree both have reasonably decent teams, they've done well this year and we should have done a but better, it's a good time for both clubs, let's enjoy it
1). He has a name about Pardew 2). His first two threads ever on this forum are about Newcastle. I sense a wum.
To be fair to the lad I think he's new and doesn't realise this has been done to death and you'll never get a mag to agree they have a weaker player than us......ever! Lol
McClean not in your best XI? Gyan better than Ba or Cisse? Brown and O'Shea better than Colla and Saaylor? Clattermole better than Tiote? I agree you have better full backs, but thats about all I agree on from that thread (Sorry guys, I know he isn't a poster to be taken seriously but thought I may aswell give my viewpoint)
In complete 100% honesty. Krul beats Mignolet Bardsley beats Simpson Coloccini beats both O'shea and Brown Saylor beats Brown but is on par with O'shea Richardson is not a defender IMO, therefore Perch and Santon are slightly better. Sess vs Arfa, both are tremendous talents and Sessegnon has had the better season overall and more established but I genuinely believe Ben Arfa has the potential to be world class and will succeed Sessegnon, but at this moment in time its pretty level with Sess just edging it. Tiote vs Cattermole, While cattermole has been better than I thought this season he isn't even in the same league as Tiote, I have never seen someone put so much pressure on attackers and break up the play so well in my entire life of watching football, which is why hes reportedly being monitored by Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd. Gardner vs Cabaye, Apart from the odd thunderous effort on goal I think Gardner is a player who doesn't really offer much amazing going forward or defending, an average CM at best, yet Cabaye, although definitely over rated has that touch of class about him and that grit to get stuck in that makes him a better player. Ba is better than Bendtner, Gyan and Campbell, and from what I've seen of him so far so is Cisse.
My favourite bit is how Gardner is a better midfielder than Jonas because when Gardners played fullback he's done well. Logic!
Anyone who knows anything about football would know that if we're not as good or better than Newcastle, then at full strength, we aren't far off them. They're not superior. If we had MON for the full season we'd be right up there with Newcastle.
Agreed. More proof that he's a wumming both sides in my opinion. I'm a mag and even I'd put McClean in your first team.
Mclean is a great player, but In that 4-3-3 formation, I'd rather have Sessegnon and Campbell on the wings. Don't call me a wum just because I have different opinions to you. This is a forum.
So you think you are a top 4/5 team?? Considering we are level with Chelsea on points you also think you are better than them too? You really are excellent at WUMming!
My honest XI would be: Krul (Gordon if he's fit) Bardo-Colo-O'Shea-Santon HBA-Tiote-McClean Sess Ba-Cisse or Krul (Gordon if he's fit) Bardo-Colo-O'Shea-Santon HBA-Tiote-Cabaye-McClean Sess Ba/Cisse I think that Newcastle have the better XI, but not by a country mile and I think we will be very close in the league next season.
