The Newcastle United Blog

76 responses so far ↓

• 1 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:29

  Alan Smith scoring on his debut. Not a bad way to please the Toon.

• 2 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:30

  Enrique should be ready for Bolton so at least our back line will be ok for aug 11th.

• 3 Craig Allen // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:32

  Yeah was it not for that bad offside call he’d have 2 right now

  GO ALAN!!!!!

• 4 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:34

  How is he/the team playing Craig. I am only getting the updates off official website.

• 5 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:35

  whats the score guys? as cant seem to find any live action going on any websites, cheers

• 6 Craig Allen // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:38

  Oh he’s playing his heart out as usual .. we were a bit shaky in the beginning and still some gelling issues but we look much better than last season! Viduka also had a wonderful opportunity to put us ahead in the first half

• 7 carl // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:38

  1-0 toon, smith scoring

• 8 Gary // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:38

  Its still 1-0, playing pretty good. Geremi and Smith playing really well

• 9 Craig Allen // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:39

  Newcastle 1 (smith) Samp 0 @Jamie

• 10 Graeme // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:39

  Its a fairly “Vigourous” game for a “Friendly”!!! Some hefty challanges flying in on both sides. Taylor looks very good as does Rosy. Smith is typically Smith - will give 105% every time. Oba managed to miss a sitter from 2 yards out and hit the bar!!!!

• 11 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:41

  lmao @ Oba!!! yeah just got it live on soccerstand. Bbc as ever arnt even bothering with it lol.

• 12 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:41

  Is geremi right mid now

• 13 Craig Allen // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:43

  Set pieces make me nervous !!

• 14 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:44

  the offical site has some good info regarding this match

• 15 gboy // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:46

  where are you guy’s seeing this match I can’t find it anywhere?

• 16 AB // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:47

  What’s the point of this article? Its just needless sensationalism. We haven’t signed Enrique (yet?) because there has been nothing official from our club. The info is based on an article we all already know about. Pointless.

• 17 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:47

  nufc has minute to minute text comentry.

• 18 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:50

  AB it’s a boring day on the transfer front and there has to be some articles. Enrique is at the game so he is joining for definate.

• 19 Ivan // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:51

  guys
  no one injured rite??

• 20 carl // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:54

  AB- its simple,dont read it if you dont want to!!

• 21 AB // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:55

  Its a boring day because there’s a match going on atm (which despite my Setanta subscription I can’t watch, Freeview blows). Why not wait until the club announces it? A headline of “Jose Enrique Signs for Newcastle” suggests he has signed, not that he’s at the game and a paper has just managed to translate the page that we all read yesterday. It just annoys me that there’s no new info here, its all stuff we knew yesterday.

• 22 Domy // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:57

  Given injured

• 23 gboy // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:57

  AB’s just lookin for new stuff, he can’t get enough of the toon! lol

• 24 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 16:58

  It says on sky that Drago will decide his future tomorrow and that he may stay at Sevilla. Lets hope not. Did it finish 1-0?

• 25 AB // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:01

  gboy - Exactly! (I spend most of the day trawling NewsNow :$ )

  What with us all agreeing that the Express is idiotic for regurgitating the Martins sale story, it seems a bit hypocritical to be rewriting yesterday’s news here.

• 26 carl // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:06

  AB- i agree, if i was the author or journalist id be ashemed to even write that story after the amount of times sam and the board have said what they are doing.the blokes dont deserve their wages!

• 27 ToonKing // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:07

  Well it was a good game, Alan is MoM, if he keeps this up he’ll be a legend. Those tackles are just wicked, every time he goes in i’ve got the feeling that he’s gonna rip the guys legs off and be suspended forever :), yet he always makes the tackle and gets the ball. Wicked.

  And how about Martins lol lucky for him it was offside haha.

  Overall it wasn’t a great game, but we looked very good, cant wait for Saturday.

  PS: Did u guys see Sam ?? he was on the phone all the time, and i mean ALL THE TIME, he must be making some very important transfer negotiations !!!

• 28 Alex // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:09

  Just read that Harper replaced Given after 38 minutes.Please dont tell me he is injured.Krull has already gone out on loan!!!

• 29 Dave // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:10

  should have been 3-0 because of the “offside” and the penalty we should have got

• 30 Max // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:12

  yeah i saw sam on the phone, me thinks he is negotiating the baines transfer becasue baines is supposedly going to decide on his future today!

• 31 Craig Allen // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:13

  I read Krul put in a solid performance on debut .. clean sheet

• 32 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:18

  is Given injured? anyone?

• 33 Ivan // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:18

  is anyone injured?

• 34 Tetsuo // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:21

  Another decent pre-season performance and without the likes of Cacapa, Enrique and hopefully Drago and pulled out another clean sheet so from that point of view i think we shouljd all be pleased. No idea how the first team sheet is going to look though when everyone is fit, what does everyone think?

• 35 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:28

  Given.
  Capaca, Taylor, Rozy, Drago
  Milner, Geremi, Barton,
  Smith, Viduka, Martins.

  Very Solid and attacking team there.

  thats without N’Zogbia, Duff, Solano, Luque, Owen, Enrique, Butt, Dyer etc etc etc. Suddenly some strength in depth it looks like.

• 36 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:29

  To hard to choose at the moment, well the midfield and attack

• 37 Alex // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:30

  From what ihave just read Taylor andRohzenhal looked really strong together.Maybe Capaca will have to wait a while for his debut.

• 38 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:31

  Capaca can play RB he did at Lyon and did fair to badly

• 39 PM // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:31

  geremi is a wonderful player!!! some of the tackles he made were unbelieveable!!! one thing i couldn’t understand was why oba was playin on the right when i think he should have been upfront with ameobi and letting geremi go wide right and smithy,butt go in centre midfield. doin that to oba (playin him out of position) in future games could result in him being unhappy and leaving the club. i think he is a wonderful talent and i would hate to see him leave.

• 40 StevieA // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:36

  Geremi is simply too good to play right back. I said he would be a quality player for us in midfield and he has proven to be just that so far. He will only improve too with the amount of games he will play, he has been a fantastic signing for us.

  One of my concerns with Smith was that he might be unfit or “chicken” out of challenges but from what I have seen he is back to his best, fantastic to see.

  Lets get Enrique and Drago in now and introduce Cacapa, Enrique and Drago into the team. The teams looking good and one or two more signings and we could really push into the top 6.

  Come on!

• 41 PM // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:37

  what do you lot think about Peter Ramage? I think he is a solid centre back and i think that he may leave the club because he wont get enough oppotunites. i hope he doesn’t because he is a good player

• 42 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:40

  Push into top 6. With these signings in prospect and a decent RB and a playmaker we could knick the 4th place spot.

• 43 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:41

  I personally would like to see Martins inside front left forward and Viduka the other side, little and large combination and it puts Martins in his optimum postition. I rate him so much more over Owen. I hope Owen comes back better than ever, but he would have to play better than ever to move Martins out.

  Geremi right side or central midfield, along with Barton or butt. Milner last season looked like he had bulked up alot and what a talent hs is, dont be surprised you see him come through this season as with a fantastic record.

  Exciting times!

• 44 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:43

  O not forgetting Smith either upfront in for Viduka or Central Midfield along with Barton and Geremi over to the right a touch.

• 45 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:43

  Viduka on the wing forward as we will play 4-3-3 dont make me laugh hes a good finisher but he cant run.

• 46 PM // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:45

  does any1 know if kieron dyer is gonna get shipped off on loan if a buyer doesn’t come?

• 47 PM // Aug 5, 2007 at 17:45

  does any1 know if kieron dyer is gonna get shipped off on loan if a buyer doesn’t come?

• 48 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:02

  “Viduka on the wing forward as we will play 4-3-3 dont make me laugh hes a good finisher but he cant run.”

  Sorry U missed my point, Viduka through the middle / right center, with Martins left center. Not Viduka Right Wing lol.

• 49 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:04

  Well Dyer is 28, I doubt he wana be on loan, Im guessing he wants a clean break completely. He will be injured anyway so he will make a good come in player if we need him.

• 50 Rich // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:13

  Alan Smith - Legend

  Sky sports are running a story that sounds like Drago could possibly stay at Seville due to european football although if what is said above is correct then it sounds like hes coming to us, Sky Sports is probably just another lazy journo speculating as to why someone of his calibre would join NUFC.

  oh well, Bolton here we come!

• 51 e // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:34

  sky sports dont make these kinda bullshite storys up, they are normally right

• 52 Howie // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:38

  At least it seems we will know by tomorrow so Sam will be able to get on and target someone else if he rejects the move but i think he will join.

• 53 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:40

  Enrique is here and i have a good feeling about Drago, i dont think he can turn down prem football at his age and especially a team on the up.

• 54 9th June // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:43

  BS says on official site that he is pleased with 3 signings in a week, hoping that Enrique will put pen to paper tomorrow morning or afternoon. NO mention of Drag!!!!!

• 55 Tetsuo // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:46

  I agree I don’t see the point in moving Dyer on to be honest…we all know on his day he can be a real handful and even if he does never play a game for us again i don’t see the sense in handing him over to our premiership rivals (ok perhaps too much credit to west ham). I agree with Jamie in that he’s someone we can chuck on to inject a little pace to a game and for the first time in a while we look to be having selection headaches all over the field and i think that will only serve to get the best out of the squad and to help us consistantly perform over a long a gruelling season. We need to keep quality at the club instead of replacing it and i know most won’t agree with me but i personally hope he does stay and maybe we won’t have to panic everytime someone take a knock….

• 56 9th June // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:49

  Jamie, you rate Martins above Michael Owen? Have we all forgotten that when fit this guy is the most lethal goalscorer of his generation and it’s scoring goals that win matches. Not hitting a 30 yard thunderbolt every 8 games! I’m not knocking Martins cause he’s an exciting player and happy to have him at the toon but if you think BiG Sam would play him ahead of Owen when he’s fit then dream on!
  Please don’t anybody use that yard of pace argument on me. You don’t lose the ability to score goals after knee surgery, just ask Alan Shearer or Ruud Van Nistleroy!

• 57 Tetsuo // Aug 5, 2007 at 18:59

  I also agree with Tom i don’t see anyway Drago won’t sign in the next couple of days, hes already made it clear that the amount of money he will recieve here is a major bonus (maybe not that inspiring but at least honest) and also his belief that BSA genuinely want him after chasing him a few years back as Bolton manager….no problem

• 58 StevieA // Aug 5, 2007 at 19:00

  9th June- Sam was talking in terms of this week that Enrique will be the last.

• 59 Tetsuo // Aug 5, 2007 at 19:04

  The Martins, Owen debate is not rediculous in the slightest even if you take the pace argument out of it, in my opinion although I’d just about rather have Owen on the teamsheet first(and this is only because of his goal record) Martins is far more frightening taking on a defence and I’ve always felt watching him that with more quality around him which we now have his ability to take people on with such skill would bring more opportunities for the rest of the team. That for me is going to be the toughest choice for BSA this season if he chooses to go with a 4-4-2 type formation with the problem moving into a midfield selection if we go more for a 4-3-3….

• 60 steve // Aug 5, 2007 at 19:17

  BSA has said after the sampdoria game enrique will sign by tomorrow morning or afternoon good news we are almost ready for bolton now come on toon

• 61 StevieA // Aug 5, 2007 at 19:25

  The thing with Martins is that he is only 21. Most strikers do not reach there prime until 27/28 at least. He has a lot to learn and he needs to be more “explosive” and beat people with his pace. He doesn’t do this enough for me and the hardest thing for a defender to do is to tackle someone who is running straight at them at pace.

  Martins could potentially be the best striker at the club. Also the plus side to Martins is that he very rarely misses games so he will play plenty of games.

  Owen will miss part of the season, I accept that but he is still the best finisher at the club when his confidence is sky high. Viduka is a close second for me because he scores more with his head.

• 62 9thJune // Aug 5, 2007 at 19:38

  Accept all your arguments, but putting the ball in the back of the net is the name of the game and Owen is the best we have for that. If he’s fit, he’ll start.

• 63 Tetsuo // Aug 5, 2007 at 20:15

  I thought the argument was who was the better footballer?

• 64 stu // Aug 5, 2007 at 20:34

  no one answered the question ‘is given injured’??
  also a agree that owen is a better finisher than martins bt martins is still young and i think if we keep him over the nxt 4-5 years he will become a great striker

• 65 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 20:36

  We need a RB, why arent we trying to get Trabelsi on a free!?!

• 66 Tom_Toon // Aug 5, 2007 at 20:42

  Oh and as for the playmaker rumours i havent heard anything about Riquelme only Deco (ages ago) and Stankovic

• 67 Jamie // Aug 5, 2007 at 23:13

  O stankovic would be a player sam would like as hes built and a worker. You guys say we need a right back, we have capaca and carr as cover. Taylor and rozy in the middle with ramage and even Drago as cover, enrique left back with N’zogbia, Drago and babayaro as cover (I know we havnt signed Drago yet, but its been well documented over many a new source with him saying that this is the financial opportunity of his life. So why wouldnt he sign)?

  Geremi can play right back aswell if totally need be. Its good to see we have finally got some strength in depth providing we sign Enrique and Drago this week. I dont think there is space for Diop now Dyer is staying.

• 68 gboy // Aug 5, 2007 at 23:44

  BTW does anyone know if Luque played tonight?

• 69 Ed Harrison // Aug 6, 2007 at 0:04

  gboy - Luque was an unused substitute along with Edgar, Huntington, Forster, Pattison, Troisi and Carroll.

• 70 ToonKing // Aug 6, 2007 at 0:21

  @ Jamie: I don’t know who started this thing with Cacap at RB. He’s no good there. I admit i didn’t see that many Lyon games, but i’ve never seen him there, nor heard that he playes RB. He’s a pure CB, he got no pace, can’t cross for shite and so on. We only have Carr and maybe Taylor, i’m not even considering Geremi there.

  We need a RB. (period )

• 71 Darren // Aug 6, 2007 at 1:07

  Toonking - I’d consider Geremi at RB way before Taylor, as a rightback Taylor is mediocre.

  Looks like Drago deal is in doubt now too, lack of European competition being the killer.

• 72 Darren // Aug 6, 2007 at 1:13

  BTW Ed - I have a copy of the Sunday Sun in front of me & nowhere does it mention we have signed Jose Enrique. Monday/Tuesday he’ll sign hopefully but he hasn’t signed yet - don’t jump the gun as you are quick to shoot down other journalists & newspapers for similar articles.

• 73 Hadji // Aug 6, 2007 at 1:36

  Gk-Given
  LB-Enrique
  LCB-Rozehnal
  RCB-Taylor
  RB-Cacapa
  DMF-Geremi
  LMF-Emre
  CMF-Barton
  RMF-Millner
  LCF-Martins
  RCF-Owen
  Subs-Luque,Duff,Smith,Drago,Harper,Viduka,Carr,
  Can anyone tell me about Luque’s injury at the moment.When is he gonna be fit to play.

• 74 Tom_Toon // Aug 6, 2007 at 2:08

  Switch enrique with drago then your there

  Glen Johson for Toon!

• 75 Tom_Toon // Aug 6, 2007 at 2:09

  Johnson*

• 76 iain // Aug 6, 2007 at 3:18

  id imagine that if we get drago in on time and cacapa is fit enough the team for bolton will be…

  harper

  taylor cacapa roz drago

  geremi butt smith milner
  viduka martins

  subs from - foster/zog/shola/carr/enrique/solano/luque/carroll/ramage/edgar/huntington/

  formation might be 433 with smith/milner going wide right of the front 3 and martins left side with viduka centrally. taylor will get the nod at rb imo becuase hes better than carr in the air. and away from home sam will want our tallest defenders concentrating on defending. also that is probabaly the best selcton of players in a team for defending set pieces, solano/zog etc lack of height away from home might be a problem so that why imo they wont start.

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