Who has a better starting XI?

I give in.

 

Saturday, 31 March 2012
Barclays Premier League
Newcastle v Liverpool, 15:00


GET SOME NUTS!

 

The last two games (Blackburn and QPR).

Well I just put down what I thought were the best possible line ups, easier like that.

 

The thing about the 3:1 at Anfield is that we were ****ing ****! Others have pointed out that Man U were equally dreadful against us when we won 3:0 and I'd equally as bad as Liverpool when we beat you at St James' last season in Pardew's first game! Its rare that in a game, both team will play to their absolute best, so this 'who's starting 11 is better' has to be entirely hypothetical, bringing that 3:1 result into it just doesn't ring true for me!

As it stands, we've both teams that are a signing or 2 away from being top quality, but Crouching Shola has it right, we're Newcastle United, we **** things up (by that, I mean the board **** things up!) and let's be honest, how many years have been Liverpool's year now?

From a footballing perspective I'd take a few of your players and keep a few of ours, but honestly? Aside from Enrique, when it comes to having those players at my club and replacing our own lads, I wouldn't want any of them! I think Gerrard is scum, Bellamy was and always will be a mouthpiece (John Carver would ****ing murder him if he ever came back) there's something innately dislikable about Suarez and the rest of them, I'm just being soppy here, but I actually like our players too much to replace!

 

Isn't that his natural position?!

 

It's a fairly irrelevant question, probably made slightly more relevant by the fact they signed a couple of our lot and we are currently near them in the league. Of course they have a better team, but they should, they have spent an unfathomable amount of money and have not only played in but have won the champions league.

However, one thing is abundantly clear, if the question was 'who's team would you be happiest with?' I'd say ours. Why? Because we are over achieving, or at least sensibly building a team that can challenge in a sensible and considered way. Liverpool on the other hand are a million miles away from the top four - where they are seen to belong - and are under control of a backwards Scottish clown with no idea of how the modern game works yet unfortunately everyone at the club is far too afraid to challenge. So, I am happier to be a Newcastle fan at present, if we had spent the amount of money liverpool had, I would be extremely disappointed that my team were below Newcastle. Id be so disappointed I'd blame the FA for unfairly banning one of our players - whilst knowing fine well they were right - instead of facing up to the fact that our manager has wasted millions of pounds and gets it tactically wrong time and time again.

 

Depends on the opposition really as to which side I'd pick, but it's generally a 50/50 split between them.

Reina/Krul (between Krul's form this season and Reina's over the past few I'm having a hard time choosing one or the other)

Johnson, Collocini, Agger, Enrique
Ben Arfa, Gerrard, Tiote, Jonas
Ba, Suarez.

That's 4-4-2, but it would probably become 4-1-3-2 with Tiote dropping back. As I say though, it's liable to change according to the opposition. I might go Tiote/Lucas in the middle for a more defensive 4-2-3-1 line-up, or Cabaye/Gerrard for more expansive play.
Jonas goes in because I think he'd work better with Enrique than Downing or Bellamy.
The front two, as has already been said, pick themselves.
Haven't seen enough of Santon to put him in there.

 

dont forget they are now racist biggits according to most!.
sorry not wumming. Just word on the street poodliens

 

What a lot of Geordie bollocks on this thread. They have a mid-table team that has so far over-performed - simple as. Liverpool on the other hand have a squad that is performing in all aspects except 1 - PUTTING THE BALL IN THE NET. If you take the penalties we've missed, only half of the times that we've hit the woodwork and transfer them into points then we's be sitting comfortably in 3rd!

So lets stop this rubbish. They need to improve their whole squad and we need to turn our performance into goals!

 

Jesus...Liverpool's net spend was around 40 million only in the last 12months. 40 million to completely overhaul a SQUAD is peanuts by todays standards so please stop all this crap about how we spent so much money or how we should be much higher given how much our team cost. Net spend is what counts.

Anyway, trying to be as neutral as possible: assuming all squad players are fit.

Krul - on current form only. Reina is a class above but has made a few too many errors this season.
R. Taylor - Johnson's improved, but still not totally convicing defensively.
Agger - No question.
Colo - Skrtle has been immense, but so has Colo.
Enrique - Best LB in the league so far this season.
Lucas - Best in the premiership at what he does. When even Man UTD fans would have him in their 11, that says something.
Gerrard - No question.
Cabaye - Like the look of him, wish we'd picked him up...
Suarez - Unplayable at times, real creative spark. Suffers from having to create from deep rather than be the finisher atm, Gerrard back should fix this and he'll start scoring when back imo.
Ba - No question. Clinical finisher.
Ben Arfa - I'd prefer Bellamy, but harsh to use 'if fit' as an excuse for his dodgy knees. If he could play each game, he'd be in. Ben Arfa looks more than good enough though.

4-3-3 formation with Ben Arfa and Suarez roaming, Gerrard surging forward and Lucas/Cabaye sitting and setting the temp. Would seriously push for the title I reckon.

edit: given injuries, i'd take Johnson at RB (our defensive record suggests he'd not totally lacking even in this department) and of course Tiote instead of Lucas.

 

I'd have Reina over Krul at the moment

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/s...-demba-cisse-completes-newcastle-move?cc=5901

Not bad, heard some good things and at 10 mil not too much of a gamble. He has been in good form in Germany, could be like Ba? Although isn't cisse a bit pacier? I am sure everyone will do their homework on him.

 

Well we're higher on the table than you and have been 'over-performing' all season you pretentious ****.

So, with all due respect, up yours.

 

I take it you've never seen Lucas play and are just taing **** out of your mouth? Tiote is a beast no doubt, but lucas has been nothing short from amazing in the last two seasons.

And as to which team is better.


I think Krul right now is better than Reina so 1-0 newcastle
I think Jonhnson is better than Simpson 1-1
I think Skrtl is better than Williamson 2-1 Liverpool
I think Agger is better than colocini 3-1 Liverpool ( very close one ).
I think Enrique is better than Santon 4-1 Liverpool.
I think Tiote is better than Spearing 4-2 Liverpool
I think Cabaye is better than Adam 4-3 Livepool
I think Ben Arfa is better than Maxi Rodriguez 4-4
Ithink Bellamy is better than guteirez ( very close ). 5-4 liverpool.
I think Ba is better than Gerrard ( right now, anyways ) 5-5
I think Suarez is better than Cisse. 6-5 liverpool


So all in all i think liverpool are just better, but alan pardew is the better manager so maybe 6-6

 

Of course its bollocks, yesterday was literally the worst possible day for an article like this to be posted. We just signed the Bundesliga's 2nd top scorer last season (9 to his name so far this). It would appear that due to the ACoN Ba and Tiote are more than likely going to be Newcastle players until at least the summer. We're all absolutely loving it - we're going to be a little biased.

DESPITE THAT

You still come out with a couple of ridiculous comments yourself:

"They need to improve their whole squad"

We need to improve at GK? (Krul at 23 and essentially a product of our youth development - bought in after just turning 17, is arguably the most promising GK in the Prem)
LB? Davide Santon, who is still only 21 and who Mourinho said could be the new Paulo Maldini
CB? Colocinni, who few can argue has been top class the past 2 seasons.
CM? Cabaye and Tiote, who people keep telling us will be bought up by bigger teams (I didn't realise that was because we need to improve!)
ST? Ba, A man who despite fasting for the first 4 games of the season is still 2nd top scorer in the league?

2ndly saying "If we took all those times our players missed penalties or hit the post and turned them into points, then we'd be 3rd"

Well **** me, is that it works these days?

 

Look, it's nice to see loyal fans on both sides but come on.

Liverpool's defence has been better than Newcastle's, although they have played well. The back five pick themselves.

When fit, Lucas will continue to be a better, more cultured DM than Tiote.

Newcastle's wingers are arguably better, although Jonas and Obertan are poor. Maxi and Bellamy are better than them but perhaps not HBA (although he is inconsistent).

Cabaye is proving to be better than Adam (why did we lose Meireles).

Ba must play, as must Suarez. Gerrard is first on the team sheet.

 

This.

 

And i might as well mention that its my OPINION and given the two squads to play with i would go with aginarrr. I have my preferences and i would argue to the hilt for them but its pointless to try as everyone else will argue to the hilt for theirs.

 

Remember Willo is our second choice after the injured Saylor and is doing really well in what is only his second PL season. Also Simpson is getting better every year and is still young. I do think Johnson is quite good but seen him have some shockers too.
Bellamy is Quicker than Guti but nowhere near as skillfull and doesnt work back like Guti.

 

Agger isn't as good as Coloccini in my opinion, at the minute no one is.

Ba is nowhere near Gerrard, there aren't many that can come close. Also they don't play in the same position!