Oba Martins has returned from Ghana, and seems very keen to play for King Kevin at Newcastle, now that the Nigerian seems to be getting fit following his ankle injury.
Oba Martins - looking forward to playing for Keegan
Martins talked to the Newcastle Evening Chronicle earlier today, about new manager Kevin Keegan:
“He did a lot for Newcastle and all the fans love him.” “That’s why they brought him back here.”
“They call him the king, so I think it’s very good.”
“It’s very good for him as well, and the players are going to try to play for him and try our best just to make him proud.”
Martins returned last week from Ghana with an ankle injury, which is why he missed last Saturday’s disaster at Aston Villa, when we were soundly beaten 4-1 by the Birmingham based side.
Oba talked about his ankle injury:
“I’m sure everything will be OK. Let’s wait and see.” “I think Kevin is very busy at the moment, but he had the doctor call me to see if I’m OK.”
Nigeria did not play well in the African Cup of Nations and even though they were Africa’s top rated side they didn’t make it past the quarter finals stages as hosts Ghana defeated them 2-1.
Oba talked about Nigeria’s performance:
“It’s very disappointing.” “We played very well in our last game with Ghana, but I don’t really know what was going on.”
“I think what was wrong with us was about 10 minutes before the end of the game we relaxed a little bit and Ghana took their chances – and that’s why they got the goals and won.
“But I will return to Newcastle now.” “Everything has changed. We have a new manager and he’ll have changed a lot of things.”
“I think it’s not a problem for me to go back and focus on starting playing.”
Oba is still top scorer at Newcastle with 7 goals, even though he has been away in Ghana since early January. Michael Owen is closing on him with 6 total goals this season. We have to hope that Kevin can get the best out of Martins and use his speed in attack.
We need points on the board, and we’ll have to rely on both Martins and Owen to get us some goals, which have been in short supply recently. In our last 8 league games we’ve only managed 3 goals and only 29 goals in our 26 league games so far this season. Two of those goals in the last 8 games have come from Michael Owen, who hopefully is showing some good goal-scoring form right now.
We also need that from Martins if we are to stay above the relegation fray, which we are perilously close to right now.
Comments welcome.
Loading ...
65 responses so far ↓
1 Nicky Butt is crap! // Feb 13, 2008 at 20:37
he is important, but he must show more consistancy… he’s always one for missing sitters but then will pull something magic out the hat.
2 Tom_Toon // Feb 13, 2008 at 20:40
‘Newcastle Need Goals From Oba Martins’ - Obviously, hes a striker, but…..
Newcastle need more goals from fkin golden boy Micky fkin Owen that stupid overpaid mug, 17 mil what a fkin joke.
3 Nicky Butt is crap! // Feb 13, 2008 at 20:43
im suprised owen seems to be more behind us now then ever. we are in a relegation battle and he isnt linked with wanting a move away. any one else shocked? lol. he probably know no one with half a brain would take him with his injury record.
4 daiv // Feb 13, 2008 at 20:54
None of the top teams want Owen because of his injury record and being on the slowish side nowadays.
Nobody misses more sitters than Oba. Andy Cole was a world beater in comparison.
Anbody who can score a goal or even have a shot is welcome at the moment.
Still, there is always the bartender or stroller to fall back on.
5 Robert from Serbia // Feb 13, 2008 at 20:55
Owen and Martins in attack….N’Zogbia,Emre,Barton and Milner in the middle,and Enrique,Faye,Taylor,Beye in defence…the winning team !!
6 Jon // Feb 13, 2008 at 20:59
Martins misses many chances but he creates a lot of chances and he always gets a lot of chances and that’s interesting. Martins has a great work rate. Owen hardly gets a chance a whole match.
7 Leo* // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:08
damn someone beat me to nicky butt is crap as a name. lol. i guess i will have to think of something else to change my name too.
8 Leo* // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:09
obafemi is bound to score goals if him and owen can form a partnership and play ‘for eachother and for the team’ bit like rooney and tevez. always checking if someone is in a better position
9 iraqi_geordie // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:20
Is he fit for manur game ?
10 Robert from Serbia // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:37
Leo- maybe Alan Smith sucks ?:D
11 Leo* // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:39
i might change my name to
i want to run nicky butt over
12 Murvar // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:53
I can’t believe that people regard Oba so highly. He’s crap. He can’t control the ball, he goes absent for whole periods of games and he fails to see other players in better positions. If he has time to think, he cocks it up. He does produce the odd moment of magic but on the whole he misses more chances than that most overrated of our past strikers, so-called SuperMac.
13 Toon for life. // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:54
I have my Faith in the little lad. Howay Oba.
14 Toon for life. // Feb 13, 2008 at 21:55
I think Martins and Owen will work mine together
15 obafemimartins // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:16
robert from serbia
winning teams normally have goalkeepers!!!!!!!!!!
16 Chicken // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:21
Tom_Toon - It makes me laugh that you use the words “overpaid” and “mug” in the same sentence. Surely a contradiction in terms, no?
Calm yourself down lad - go and pull your plonker to a chickawawaa vid on you tube or something.
17 Robert from Serbia // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:26
heh,with that team,we dont need goalkeepers xD
18 Tom_Toon // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:35
Hes a mug AND hes overpaid, no contradiction. Shut the fk up or ill skin you mate
19 ToonUSA // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:42
have you guys seen pictures and mini video on the official site of the match played between the lads at SJP with KK in the middle giving nstructions….Well it just kind of reminded me of how KK has not had tme to really work with them. I hope he can stir some magic cause i can pick 10 diffrent combination of teams but at the end of the day they need to know how to play with each other. And its what KK has been saying in his interviews it just kind of hit home when i saw those pics.
I say we are going to give to the MANURE
LETS GO DA TOON
20 Tom_Toon // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:43
ToonUSA, are you romanian?
21 ToonUSA // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:45
No why?
22 Tom_Toon // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:46
I went onto bigsoccer on a romanian thread and you were on there so many times
23 ToonUSA // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:47
no man someone has copied my name……..shit i guess they didn’t see the copyright sign next to my name
24 Tom_Toon // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:49
oooh, they had a pic or KK aswell
They sounded a bit like you aswell, strange eh?
25 GP // Feb 13, 2008 at 22:51
Murvar - Yes, SuperMac was so crap he played for Arsenal too. F***king shite, that lad.
Oh, and you’re wrong about oba too. He got 17 goals in 44 games last season, which may not sound like much but I think that’s very good for a striker who’s adapting to english football AND who’s in a subpar team.
26 Leo* // Feb 13, 2008 at 23:15
just realised something, if you renew your ip address you can vote as much as you want lol
27 Leo* // Feb 13, 2008 at 23:15
not going to bother though because beye has won it quite convincingly and he was my choice also
28 m. stockley // Feb 13, 2008 at 23:35
yeah sorry leo, its a nickname that is funny and true… how about…. stephen carr’s man tits or alan smith for scunhorpe???
29 Beardsley's Love Child // Feb 14, 2008 at 0:26
Thats not the ToonUSA from BigSoccer. This guy’s not surly enough…
30 There’s only one United // Feb 14, 2008 at 0:49
Name change
31 Len // Feb 14, 2008 at 2:16
Martins creates a lot of chances. If he becomes more clinical he will be 30 a season. I think that is mostly down to experience and lack of regular games, he tries too hard to make sure, because the crowd get on his back every time he misses.
32 nufctj // Feb 14, 2008 at 2:54
We need Oba to score in the short term, that is certain, but in the long term I think he is out. KK does not like strikers who need 10 chances per goal. Remember Andy Cole?
33 ende // Feb 14, 2008 at 4:23
I want that jersey.
34 Hadji // Feb 14, 2008 at 6:56
I have a feeling that Alan Smith’s gonna score against his own club this time.My team would be
………………Harper…………………
Beye…………Faye……..Cacapa…………Enrique
…………………….Geremi………………………….
….Milner……….Emre………………..Duff……….
……………………..Smith……………………………..
………….Owen……………..Viduka…………………
Come on Toon lets beat those cun*s.
35 Graham // Feb 14, 2008 at 7:50
We need to play Martins in his right position before we can expect more than a goal or 2 from him. And we also need to provide both him and Owen with decent goalscoring chances to get us out of the mess we find ourselves in.
Play Oba up front instead of out wide right and he will get the goals we need.
I have already pointed out on here that he scored 17 prem league goals last season in a poor team - but he was playing in his correct position. Put him there again and the goals will come.
36 Quazi // Feb 14, 2008 at 7:58
murvar. at least he’s betta than u. anyway who could ever forget his goal against spurs at WHL last season?
37 Quazi // Feb 14, 2008 at 7:59
Hadji. does that mean that Given IS injured???
38 subz // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:02
How man hadji, we wouldn’t even beat them with the 12 players you have in the team….PLUM!!!
39 Quazi // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:07
i guess he didn’t pay attention in maths
40 Bobby Ollox // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:18
I think hadji may have a point though
—————Given —-Harper ———————
–Carr-Beye- Taylor-Cacapa- Enrique-Zog—–
-Milner -Butt-Taylor-Barton-Emre -Duff——-
———Viduka -Smith-Owen-Martins————
Still looks a bit weak at the back though…..
… and in midfield….
..and up front.
41 ELFER // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:33
Why you all forgot about GEREMI? I think he would be much better at right (or maybe try him on the left side?) fullback! + he provides us more power in freekicks!
I would prefer to have this team:
————————Harper ———————
Geremi———Taylor-Faye———Zog
——————Emre———Barton———
Milner ————————————Duff
——————-Owen-Martins————
42 Murvar // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:33
Quazi - no, we’re talking about OBA! He’s crap. His first touch is so bad his second touch is a tackle. He’s not a footballer, he’s a one-man band flash Harry. Not consistent and not worth a place in the team. Goodbye Oba!
43 Callum // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:44
Murvar - You have a short memory - If it wasnt for Oba we’d be in the Championship right now
44 Quazi // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:51
good one Callum
45 Rich // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:19
We could play Geremi right back and Beye at centre back with Faye that might tighten up our defence
Geremi Beye Faye Enrique
46 JMC // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:25
Hadji, since when is there 12 players on a team?
Harper
Beye–Faye–Cacapa–Enrique
Milner–Geremi–Emre–Zog
Owen–Martins
Subs. Vids–Taylor–Barton–Duff–Forster
Strongest attacking side!
47 Anon // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:29
Far too much blinkered vision on this thread!!!
The problems is not the strikers not banging the ball in the net, the problem is, and has been from day 1, the creation of chances for the strikers to bang the ball into the net!!!
A fit MO would be on 20 goals already if he was in Arsenal colours, with OBA on 25!!!
We could nt create anything for either at the minute because the big problem is the creating of chances. We simply arent doing it!!!!
The exception being Manure, Ronaldo Rooney and Tevez all have the ability to create their own chances out of nothing, this is why they are so good.
No other team in the EPL have players in their team to do this, all need players around them to give them chances…Adebayor, Drogba, Torres, Carew, yakubu……..all ahev players creating their chances………………
We create on average 2 chances per game for our strikers, they have not got the ability to consistently create their own!!
Bring back Nobby and Dyer please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
48 Quazi // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:32
well y don’t u just go for another team then u ungrateful little….. arrgh….
49 roscoe // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:37
My team against Manure:
Owen Martins
Nzog Emre Barton Milner
Enrique Faye Beye Geremi
Harper
subs: Duff Tayls Forster Viduka Smith
My Team for this Game NEXT Season
Owen Martins
Duff Deco Carrick Ashvarin
Bridge Faye Beye Geremi
Harper
Come on the TOOOOOON
50 Betting on the Toon // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:38
If Martins wants to play under KK then he needs to start showing a bit of consistency when he gets the chance. Owen is in good form at the mo though - just imagine what he’d be like if the rest of the team bucked their ideas up - he’s proving again what a top-class player he is.
51 Davey G // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:41
Far too many people still picking Cacapa in their team………………..
He is cak with a capital C!!
Harper
Beye
Faye
Taylor
Enrique
NZog
Geremi
Milner
Viduka
Owen
Martins
THE ENTERTAINERS!!!!!
My thinking on this team
Viduka to hold up the ball for MO and OBA whilst remaining a threat himself……..
NZog and Milner Doubling up with the fullbacks and Germemi & CB on Ronnie , Rooney & Scholes & Tevez!!
Two nippy strikers up against Ferdinand and Vidic, pulling out wide etc!! Even if just to keep manure thinking..
Easy really
Biggest tactic of all, GET AMONGST THEM, dont let them settle on the ball at all!!
Ring……………..ring………………that bloody alarm clock, time to get up for work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
52 Jon // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:59
I think we should sell Taylor. His passing sucks.
53 valle // Feb 14, 2008 at 10:12
Sell Oba asap…
54 CRAIGG // Feb 14, 2008 at 10:26
The best team is :
Given
Beye Taylor Faye Enrique
Milner Barton Emre N’zogbia
Owen Martins
Subs: Harper, Edgar, Duff, Lua Lua, Carroll
God some people have short memories about geremi he has a couple of decent games for cameroon and they all have him in the teams.
Also i will be slated for this but Nicky Butt was better at the start of the season than Geremi was Butt was excellent earlier on in the season and also was our best central Midfielder last season .
If it wasnt for Taylor, Martins, Milner Given & Butt (All who get slammed by people who watch from their armchairs) we would have been relegated last season and we wouldnt have a fighting chance of KK kicking things off again next Season ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Rant Over
55 valle // Feb 14, 2008 at 10:27
Dream team for next year…
Harper/Or a new top class keeper brought in
Beye… Dunne… Taylor… Bridge
Bentley.. Carrick.. V.D.Vaart.. Duff
………..Owen..Henry………………..
Keeper: I have been one of Shay’s biggest fans over the years, and i love the fact that he has stayed with us this long, but there is something wrong and i doubt it can be fixed… Whether the injury has marked him or if he has gone stale i dunno, but we need a change imo… One could argue that Harps have deserved a crack at it tho.
Taylor: I was tempted to put in a world class name instead of Taylors because he simply isnt good enough atm. But along an allround better defense i hope he can finally reach his potential and become a geordie legend.
Dunne, Carrick and Henry: Allot will say that these players are unrealistic and i agree with that as things stand… However i still maintain that it only takes one world class player to jump aboard to make the others follow.
56 Bob // Feb 14, 2008 at 10:33
Murvar:
Martins had something like 13 goals in 18 games for Nigeria when we bought him - he’s not crap.
It’s not his fault that he joined when we were in complete turmoil. In a more settled team under Sir Bobby Robson, he would have had 20goals last season.
Play him in his correct position (striker) and give him some service. And give him time to mature into the top class player that he has the potential to be.
57 CRAIGG // Feb 14, 2008 at 10:42
And just to add to my previous comments while im at it Terry Mac Helped us get to an F.A. Cup final and promotion to Div 1 as a player.
As an Assistant/Coach/Chief joke teller whatever he is.
We had one of our most successfull periods Div1 title, Runners up in the premiership twice , Playing in champions league & UEFA Cup and getting us to another F.A. cup final helping Kevin and Kenny.
More short memories
Rant over!!!(again)
58 Punk Skunk // Feb 14, 2008 at 11:06
Harper
Beye-Faye-Taylor-Enrique
Milner-Emre-Zog-Duff
Owen-Martins
59 Rich // Feb 14, 2008 at 11:21
Rocoe - id go with your line upm v Man Utd also, think having Beye and Faye at centre backs could be our best bet
60 Martins // Feb 14, 2008 at 12:58
Harper LOL he is crap. 100 games in his career what a joke
61 Rich // Feb 14, 2008 at 13:19
Martins - Harper is certainly not a crap keeper, hes a brilliant understudy and would be many premeier league clubs top keeper!
62 Dan // Feb 14, 2008 at 13:47
oba is auwesome, he works tiresly for the team, when u watch games he will always chase full backs, wich will be good against the mancs as they try to play from the back, and last time we gave them to much time on the ball. owen and oba will work well together, both good in the air aswell, just need emre and barton on form through the middle, that could also be a great partnership aswell as faye and tayls.
63 Micky Toon // Feb 14, 2008 at 14:24
There seems to be an invasion of dirty SMB’s on here. Either that or they don’t know *anything* about football. Any idiot can see that Owen and before him Martins are just not getting the service into the box. It’s because we have no one who can actually hold the ball in midfield and create a killer pass. Milner and Zog bomb down the flanks and can cross a ball, but they don’t boss the midfield. We need someone like Gerrard who can take the ball and keep it or lay off a killer pass. The only link we have from back to front is a big punt up field. I said punt, so no Viduka jokes, please!
However, after all that I still can’t believe we haven’t improved our defence one bit in ten years! It’s still the same crappy defense that we had last time keegan was here. Actually the 1996 team was probably better in defense, at least they could score a couple (Albert).
The current team is possible the most useless I’ve had the displeasure to watch, not including the crappy McFaul side of the 80’s.
64 valle // Feb 14, 2008 at 14:24
Martins… Im sure you meant to call yourself Harper and state that Martins is crap?
65 hanz_emre // Feb 14, 2008 at 17:57
our goals is more goals in every match between now & the end of this season.If we win 4-3 every game so be it.
Leave a Comment