Carroll proved he is up for the fight last night.

Posted on August 17th, 2010 | 188 Comments |

Carroll will do the business.
Carroll will do the business.
One of the question marks heading into this season has been regarding Andy Carroll and his ability to make an impact at Premier League level.

Those concerns will have been dampened for the time being given the level of performance from the new number nine at Old Trafford last night.

I know people will look back and remember the header he should have scored to give us a 1-0 lead. He should have done better, and he knows that. What is more important though is that we know he can do better. We know he can score headers and can be deadly in the air, but he isn’t going to score all the time – even Alan Shearer missed the target occasionally, only occasionally mind!

What impressed me most was his all round play, his hunger, his desire. Few can deny that Carroll doesn’t wear his NUFC heart on his sleeve, and he did that again last night.

Going up against Nemanja Vidic is not an easy ask. Vidic is one of the most physical defenders in the league, but he will know he was in a game last night and it wouldn’t surprise me if he has the bruises to prove it.

If the supply line towards Carroll can be established then I believe he will score goals. He will certainly ruffle a few feathers in oppositon defences at the very least. At times he cut a lonely figure up front last night, but that didn’t stop him tracking back to help the defence, or dropping back and helping out at set-pieces.

There is a problem with playing Carroll up front on his own, and that is the fact there is generally nobody around him, especially when the support role is being played by a player who is less than mobile, although in fairness it turns out that he had concussion during the game.

The bottom line is that while Carroll may play with the heart, desire and physical power of a number nine, he still needs support. Time after time the lad was left alone last night, which always had a chance of happening at Old Trafford in fairness, but that meant we often lost the ball or the move broke down.

What Carroll needs is someone who can play next to him, like Lovenkrands, or someone who will be able to get up and support him a lot quicker than what Kevin Nolan did last night. He isn’t the kind of striker that will beat three or four defenders and score, not on a regular basis anyway, but he is the kind of striker that needs help, support and chances created for him.

If that can be done then Carroll could have a very successful season indeed.

P.S – I just put the next poll up for the Aston Villa game on Sunday, so get voting.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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188 Responses

  4. Carroll’s performance was one of the big positives. I haven’t seen someone winning so many headers against Vidic, lately, if Loverboy played instead of Nolan, we might have scored, as the second strikers pace was something we really lacked. Carroll gave some hard time for Vidic and his work rate was fantastic, if he keeps on going like this, we will have an Englands international in our team….

  5. i thought he was our best player last night.Remember a couple of seasons ago when he came on as sub against man city when we were down to 10 men.he made berbatov look like a workhorse. I think he has improvered his attitude no end which bodes well for the future

  7. Has anybody been able o see the OM video and translate it, that’s if it was 18:30 French time of course?

  9. Carroll proved he is up for the fight last night !!!!!
    Did we watch the same match ??
    He didn’t even have one shot at goal man… get real he was rubbish like nearly all of the team.
    Heart is not enough, he’s a good lad but too slow and it takes him half an hour to turn round , it will be a while if ever that he will be premiership quality.
    Sorry but it the truth :-((

  10. Agree on Carroll – not finished, but easily good enough for our purposes this year once Loverboy is back. Great guts shown last night.

    Having slept on it (and I believe I actually agree with Stuart on this one) the best thing about last night is that we kept at it, unlike the 6-0 thrashing when we just gave up. The spirit remains and I still think they’ll just be relieved to get that out of the way without shipping six goals, a-la-West Brom.

    Add back in some key players, get rid of some nerves, and we’ll cause teams problems.

    (But we still need more players – as if anyone is arguing otherwise!)

  11. Does anyone think shearer should have done what speed did and be a no 2 first?I think he would be a manager somewhere by now if he did

  12. @ Novocastrian –

    “He didn’t even have one shot at goal man… get real he was rubbish like nearly all of the team.”

    “Did we watch the same match ??”

    – We certainly did did watch different games, as Carroll had at least three shots on target and couple more off target.

  13. Novocastrians. you are an idiot. he had at least one shot on goal. watch the match? shut up don’t be stupid

  15. Puzzles me how the squad last season was virtually injury free bar a couple ,and we are 1 game into the new season ,and we got 7 players out already .Oh and over on Ed’s blog someone saying Ben Arfa in Newcastle ,dont know how true ,just sign the lad up ffs .

  16. Tom + Cadbury

    Watched it twice ! Since when has a header been a shot,think u two need to watch it again

  17. We should be very chuffed to have Bigger Lad coming through so well; it didn’t look likely a couple of years back.

    I really think we shouldn’t be too hard on the lads for last night. Manure had another gear in their pocket, but I still think we did a lot better than many teams in the league would have done, especially with Scholes on fire and Berbatov… smiling??

    Shame we didn’t get just the one goal; would have changed the way the whole game was judged, and perhaps reflected the fact that we did actually create a decent number of chances given who we were up against.

    We’re two or three years away from challenging this lot, but I’m pretty sure other teams will fair far, far worse against them this season – which is what matters at the moment.

  19. Novacastrian

    He had a shot with his foot that was saved too, at least one shot tha I can remember

  20. Novo, Carroll was getting past top class defenders repeatedly, won almost every ball, and had some good shots. Wayne Rooney didn’t get a shot on goal last night as well, I think. So is he total rubish and going to take a long while until he is premiership quality?

    Look at the overall play man. If you thought Carroll was bad, then our entire team wasn’t even moving in your opinion.

  21. Novocastrians – according to the Sky Sports stats, we had 4 shots on target: precisely the same number as Manure did. They also rate Carroll a 7 – the highest of our team.

    Think y’er out-voted on that one, fella, but you’re entitled to your opinion!

  22. Carroll definitely misses having Lovenkrands next to him. Nolan was never near him after the first 15 minutes, which left him completely alone and surrounded by defenders several times. Jonas also keep pushing way too far into the center for my liking. I remember a few instances where a ball was put out wide on the left, and Alan Smith had to try to do something with it!

  23. Good point about the comparison with Rooney. Last night may have been a good night for one and a bad night for the other, but it shows the gap between them just ain’t as big as the price tags would suggest!

    Let’s give Bigger Lad some credit for really showing up when needed, eh? We need players with big ol’ cohunas this season, and from the way he went at Vidic last night I’m surprised wor Andy can bring his knees together…

    Good on yer, Andy – more of the same, please. Show no opposition any respect and just do your thing.

  24. I think Carroll would be absolutely flying if we get Benny boy feeding him and playing off his flick on’s.

  25. AndrewT – yep, dead right. Nolan’s a good man, but against opposition like that he just ain’t got the speed.

  26. I hope that Hughton can have the awareness to drop Nolan and put in Lovenkrands for the Villa game. Also, having Guthrie in the center instead of Smith will be a huge help as far as fluidity and counter-attacking go for this team. We were missing some key players yesterday for sure

  27. I must admit like Carroll looks like he was right when he said he could handle the baggage of the holy 9.

  28. on that sky sports table with succesfull passes it also says nufc have scored 3 goals??lol

  31. The rumour is OM to sign Gignac to replace niang ,and reached an agreement with wigan for the Zog ,which will free Ben Arfa !!! Happy days IF it happens

  32. Qoute from .com blog

    just listened to this report that was posted earlier my french is not all that good but from what i could understand the OM manager has resigned himself to ben arfa leaving but doesn’t understand why he wants to go, and says he has tried everything he can to help Ben Arfa, i think that is about the jist of it, i will try and get full clarifacation on what was said later when my mate’s wife gets home from work i will tell her she has to watch it (and she’s from Marseille lol)

    http://www.om.net/fr/OMtv_Online/301003/Accueil/5308/_Les_Experts_OM_avec_Deschamps_extraits

  33. I really hope that this Ben Arfa thing gets sealed up soon. I’m sick and tired of hearing about it and getting my hopes up every single week, even every single day there seems to be something new either in the english or french press about it. I agree that he would be a great addition to the squad, and is actually sorely needed, but if Ashley doesn’t have the common sense to pay the minimum that they’re asking for and just get it done so that we can have a good squad that can compete in this league, then the bed sheets will be coming out soon. Unfortunately.

  34. the way this transfer saga is going, I wouldn’t be surprised to see HBA going to the mackems, Everton, or even some place like Blackburn. It’s taking sooo long. hate it. can we just get somebody in who can play on the wing should jonas or routledge get injured or suspended?

  37. Yeah, Carroll was definitely my MoM for Newcastle last night. I thought that he and Mike Williamson were our biggest bright spots. I was pleased to see Joey behavin’ himsel like. I thought that yellow card was a little bit undeserved as he got the ball clearly.

    I DO hope that CH has the gumption to play Guthrie and Barton in the middle for the Villa game with Lovenkrands up front playin’ an attacking 4-4-2. We certainly had our best resutls last season playing that formation.

    And I would love to the Ben Arfa saga come to a successful close. Would also love to see us nab Leroy. Seems a crackin young player. I still believe that even with those acquisitions that we will need someone to cover the wings and another LB. Would also love to see a nippy #10 type striker come in for us. We need pace up front and attacking power in the midfield. That is abundantly clear after last night’s performance.

  39. IMO We looked more dangerous when Ameobi came on – too late in the day but suddenly Jonas and Routledge started getting crosses in as there was an extra body to aim at.
    Prior to that too often Carroll had to chase his own flick ons – I think another good striker is essential as well as a creative midfielder (ie Ben Arfa).
    Think with 2 or 3 decent signings in we could have a decent season, however Ashley needs to relax the purse strings for that to happen…

  40. Mmm, AC maybe had more shots on target than shrek but I know which one I’d rather have, andy was certainly our best player and with more service will score a few but in the prem you have got to take your chances.

  41. Can’t say I was too surprised about the way yesterdays match panned out, and I agree with much that has already been said.

    Carroll did do really well taking everything into consideration, and we were definately more of a concern for ManU when Shola came on, although that may have something to do with ManU winding the game down by then.

    Can Nolan’s substitution lay to rest some of the belief that he is untouchable? I certainly don’t think he has the kind of power lots of posters seem to think he has. I just think he was very consistent last season and since we haven’t added too much to the squad, he is always going to have some part in the game.

    It’s nice to see that Williamson is getting some praise. I think that both he and Collocini played well for the main part yesterday and we actually looked worse when we just tried to hoof it out of defense.

    The spotlight seems to have turned onto Enrique now as many of the people I have spoken to today seem to think he will be ‘found out’. I think he just needs to settle down into the swing of it again.

    Unfortunately I think Perch is going to be permemanently suspended, he’s far to rash into the challenge. He did it pre-season and he did it again yesterday.

    On the whole, I think we can and will do better. Let’s not forget that it was the opening game of what will be a long season, we were away from home, against ManU.

  46. richietoon – its the pitch, its the pitch, dear old honest arry will say & I need 3 more triffic players.

  47. CLINT alreet m8,some say smith played well,seeing he was playing d.m. he never got within 20yds of the old man p.s. must be a new way of playing,we are crying out for a d.m.among others imo

  50. Well we wont be able to use that old chestnut of you’ve never been in the champions league before to them, they can turn around and say yes we have and you haven’t for 7 years. :(

  51. Starkadder – jose needs to learn that sometimes you don’t try to play-out it out from the back & row z is the best option but he did handle a top-class winger quite well, thought perch got better as the game went on.

  55. 3-0 after 30 mins, ‘eck thats worse than us. :)

    Can always trust good ol’ spuds to f### up.

  58. Whumpie says:
    August 17, 2010 at 6:40 pm

    We’re two or three years away from challenging this lot, but I’m pretty sure other teams will fair far, far worse against them this season – which is what matters at the moment.

    Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!

    Two or three years did you say? Was that a miss print?

    Can you give me the blueprint for this prediction please? I need to see it!

  60. I bet that tit in the Daily Mail won’t be writing any headlines about Spurs front men like he did about Wor Andy being a ‘landan’ team and all!

  66. noir9@51: You might well be right. But I don’t think it’s his style and I don’t think he’s going to be able to change quickly. He’ll settle down in a few games, but we need to get points on the board in those games.

    If nothing else it will get shot of Bartons ridiculous ‘tache

  68. Right ladies I don’t normally post stupid comments about ‘something I’ve heard’ but I will now.

    I’ve just been told that Ben Arfa will be an NUFC player before the Villa game. Whether or not he plays I really have no idea.

    The clubs are talking again and there more or less there.

    Like I said I don’t normally comment on stuff like this, but this lady knows people and I trust her.

  69. Plus points = We looked out of our league so MA should be warned of the limitations of this squad and the possibility of a quick return to the 1st division.

    Andy C worked well – often alone – but needs someone to support him (not necessarily another out and out forward)

    Ben Arfa could provide AC with support or the midfield with some flair/unpredictability.

    Minus points = If we dont get some quality into this team in terms of creative/attacking midfielders, we’ll end up with performances like yesterday’s where we were unable to hold onto the ball after it gets cleared from defence.

    Holding on to the ball is of paramount importance – Jonas and others please note

  71. lets hope so Stu………a) cos he looks a bloody good player and b) I’m sick of the whole bloody saga

  72. very un-like stuart your right,sometimes certain people get to know things but dont say owt,let it hang out m8 nee shame

  79. RICHIETOON,one thing would never get drunk drinking with you,owr busy laughing m8.
    not happy with spuds like :(

  80. Pavlyuchenko had to score eventually. The lad shoots every single time he gets the ball within 30 yards of goal. Doesn’t even look what’s going on around him, just pulls the trigger. Should be greatful he’s scored given the amount of chances he just wastes with a nothing effort on goal, lol

  84. aye Spurs will go through now………Arry would have got away with it if it wasnt for those pesky kids!!

  85. France Football Information : Announced in Newcastle , with whom he had given financially on a loan with a season for two weeks Hatem Ben Arfa ( Press Photo – Sports ) will surely change destination . The Werder Bremen, who has just sold for 20 Mesut Özil million to Real Madrid , has just sent an offer for Marseille ‘s attacking midfielder. The German club has 8 million in cash to the OM. phocaean leaders are poised to give their approval to the assignment . A final decision will be made Wednesday .

    4.5 million gross per annum
    Still on strike in training since last Thursday , the French international would have already agreed , through its advisers , and with Werder sporting director Klaus former Marseille player Allofs . Ben Arfa would sign for four years with Bremen, who must face Sampdoria on Wednesday night at the 3rd qualifying round of Champions League. His new salary would be about $ 4.5 million annual gross , so that staff charged with 220,000 euro gross per month in OM . Still under contract with Marseille until 2012, the former Lyon had been bought 12 million euros to Lyon in 2008. Newcastle seems to depart for the mid Phocaean . The English however had faxed in the day a final proposal to the OM . The Magpies proposed lease of 800,000 euros with an option to purchase auto ( 5.5 ME) if Ben Arfa was playing 25 games in the Premier League.

  86. @ craigcoozy – you have been found out to be lying! The real craigcoozy said that he never posts on this site and also he does not have inside info, he only knows when people are staying at the hotel we use when in talks with a player!!

    I tske it you are saying Werder Bremen as Ozil is away to R.Madrid!

    Grow up!

  89. It doesn’t matter if Werder off 100 million,he’ll go where he wants and not where L’OM want him to go.

  90. Grr might have been a bit quick with that comment but just P1ssed off with all this Ben Arfa transfer saga. Now after getting close to signing so many times (apparently) we then dont get him !!

    :(

  93. @Richie

    Do you think he had turned down Germany as a destination or just the specific clubs in Germany that were bidding?

  94. more twists and turns then an episode of brookie, when it was good, with the lezbos n that!

    Lets just hope it doesnt end up all Trevor Jordache for us!!

  95. probably just another re-hashed story ice to drive the price up.Bremen put an offer in the other week and he said he didnt want to go there.

  97. If Newcastle have f**ked this deal up then I’m going to be so pi**ed off.a player of his quality wants to come to Newcastle and we lose him to werder Bremen?not giving up hope yet but the signs are there.Marseilles president said it would take 48 hours.is that cause ozil hadn’t signed for Madrid yet?

  98. NI……..destination I think……..he wants to play in the prem……of course if someone offered him a massive pay rise then ya never know.I just cant see them coming back in when he’s told them he didnt want to go there.As ice says maybe just another L’OM game or the papers putting 2 and 2 and getting 5 cos Werder have sold Ozil

  100. believe nowt from Marseille…this was in January….

    Marseille chairman Jean-Claude Dassier says the club would consider an offer in the region of €45million for Hatem Ben Arfa.
    There is speculation the winger could leave the Ligue 1 side in January with the likes of Manchester United, Sevilla, Tottenham Hotspur and Olympiakos rumoured to be interested in securing his services.
    Dassier is almost certain he will stay at the club, but says that if an offer in the region on £40.5 million is made the club would consider it

  104. Who knows. There was speculation that he was going to Milan earlier, this could again be speculation. However it seesm like they will sell Ozil in the next few days for zillions so they could come in with a £8M bid then I think we could be knackered assuming they would also offer higher wages. Could be french paper talk, could be true. It is worrying how long this has dragged on and it’s basically because they must not happy with Ashleys offer. On the one hand if he wants to come specifically here and we do get him people may say well done Ashley for holding out, but on the other I think £800,000 loan and £5.5m is low and I can see a player of this quality going for £8M or so. Put simply if we offer a loan and clause and they just offer £8m to buy him now there’s no way OM will let him come to us.

  105. MAW……..cant be too reliable mate if they rate him at £12m when offers for £5-6m have been accepted(Apparently)………….all we can do is wait….and wait..and wait :roll:

  107. DJG……all L’OM can do is accept various offers or not,but then its entirely up to the player which one he chooses to go to(if any).L’OM can’t force him to go anywhere.

  108. Agreed richie, I’m now at the point that I’ll only believe it’s happened when I see him wearing a toon top.
    Far too much speculation and BS but I think we’ll see it all resolved one way or the other before the week’s out.

  110. Yeah Ozil has gone, that’s why Werder have put the cash bid in :( I hope there’s a plan B, because if there isn’t we’re in real serious trouble!

  111. Well Lads still nowt happening except that Stuart has become our new insider ;) there is nowt like getting info of a regular as you can bet he is not a WUM

  112. we will find out tomorrow.one way or another.i will be heartbroken if he doesnt join us.hughton wont find anybody like him available for a long time.

  114. Theres no way Arsenal would pay £12M and it doesnt have any specific details so I would say that was a complete fan rumour by some gunner fan admirer.

    If the big boys were interested we would have had no chance without getting anywhere near this stage, although his goal for france won’t have helped. Funny when the only time you want them to be quiet they perform so well. :(

  115. He’s already said he doesn’t want to go to Germany and that he wants to play in the prem, which points to us. If he does end up in Germany then it’s purely down to cash and he’ll be going back on previous statements. I just want it over and done with now. We need to strengthen in numerous areas and it’s almost as if because the saga is keeping us all interested, we’re completly pre occupied by it and it’s distracting everyone away from the fact that we’re short in numerous areas. I hope to god the club are working on other players and this isn’t the be all and end all of our transfer activity because if that turns out to be the case, we’re up a certain creek with nee paddle.

  116. Slarth…they put a cash bid in the other week,L’OM accepted but Benny said he wouldnt go there……………but who knows….war and peace is a short story compared to this

  117. Have the chance to sign a genuine class player and pass up the opportunity, then they will say we tried, just like modric, beckford etc

  119. Also, did Marseilles not say it would be resolved by tomorrow at the latest? Doesn’t look like anything solid is in place yet like.

  121. I can’t see this going on for much longer (2days at v most) so club will have time to conduct other business. If we, and it’s getting more unlikely, do sign him I would say this saga, time and effort won’t have been in vain coz we won’t get chance to sign a player like this for maybe 3 seasons.

  123. If, & it’s a big IF, any of this is true, OM will be trying to make HBA’s life/choice as difficult as humanly possible. Their, apparent, ego is unprecedented.

  124. I have been to every game for the past four years and do not understand for one minute why some of you out there want Guthrie in the side. Hell he is only marginally better than what Geremi was.
    Strike force should be Carroll and Ranger. Ranger is not a target man. He is a second striker

  125. There are three sides to this story, NUFC’s side, L’OMs side and then there’s the truth ;-)

  127. DJG-I agree mate. If he signs for us then brilliant. Clearly a tough deal to negotiate but the club stuck at it and we got a player who is highly regarded as a fantastic talent on the cheap, a huge coup.
    If we don’t get him? We’ve wasted a huge chunk of the window, no one bar the club is really too sure how close we were to getting him, or how serious we were about getting him and we have precious little time to do some serious strengthening of our squad

  130. I think this will hurt a lot of fans if they are seen to let this one slip away because of £1.5M and terms of purchase. After he was spotted at the airport and stayed in Jesmond Dene Hotel for two nights. Would represent a real lack of ambition and confirm that Ashley just wants to cut and run. Could this be the biggest error yet?

  131. Ross > If we don’t get him? We’ve wasted a huge chunk of the window, no one bar the club is really too sure how close we were to getting him, or how serious we were about getting him and we have precious little time to do some serious strengthening of our squad
    That was maybe Fat MA’s plan A ? ;)

  132. BIG DAVE it takes about 6 games to judge imo m8,but i thought williamson was a plus like,you might not agree but the more i look at 3rd goal think harper could have done better there was only one place that ball was going

  133. Completely agree DJG, he was here, wanted to be here, if this slips away it just shows ashley is still treating the fans as mugs

  134. I see this as one last chance to pull our name out the soil abit and try to build up a team again that will compete in the top league. Its decisions and cost- cutting like this that could turn us into a yoyo club and eventually we will never be linked with players like this again, until new owners.

  135. Icedog
    I thought Harper got his angles wrong on the first goal as well. I know nine of the team had played premier league before but I think a few of them were caught out by the pace. A big step up from the championship

  136. what the f**k has hughton been doing for the last few months?he had a drop on everyone else,so he should have known who his b*****d targets were ffs.
    we keep hearing about how we have stability,the clubs being run in the right way etc,absolute bollox imo.
    when it comes to transfers,these f**king clowns running the club are amateur at best.
    they were full of s**t about how they were going to watch other clubs activity then gazump them,they’ve done f**k all.we were sitting there last night with young’uns on the bench,because sandie shaw hasn’t got the balls to stand up to jabba the gut to ask for the funds to strengthen the squad.
    i’m just so f**king angry at that fast tosser ashley,does he want to lose more money in the long run?.

  138. In fairness to Marseille they are wanting the best for their club, if it was nufc selling a player we wud want the best, ashley cud of wrapped this up ages ago, now it looks like we’ve lost out

  139. Ice TBH I have allways thought Willianson was a decent player and yer right he had a good game As for Harper I think he could have done better but im just hoping it was 1st night nerves for most of our players, I wasnt too impressed with Captain fantastic after all his big talk before the game, I think he was useless and we carried him the whole 70 odd mins

  142. Ashley is like a business man who by his very nature wants to pay chavs min wage, make his crappy wares in 3rd world countries for 5p a shirt ect and try to get as much as possible in profits back whilst keeping the car running on fumes so to speak. Well guess who you might run your shitty sports direct like that but thats no way to run a football club, our football club and there will be trouble, both fan and financial if you don’t pull your finger out and invest in some proffesional staff for the office mate.

  143. Dave-scary isn’t it mate. That after past experience we’re sitting here wondering whether this is all just an elabourate stunt to keep fans occupied and a spending at the minimum so come the end of the window Ashley can say “we tried to strengthen, look at what happened with Ben Arfa!”..would you put it past him!?
    I would give him the benefit of the doubt and say he’s not that daft but Christ knows mate. We need LB cover, another DM, a 10 and a striker. Not gonna happen.

  145. ashley is willing to spend 1.5 – 2 million on all these average players i.e routledge, perch, best etc, then a classy player wants to join & he tries to get him for peanuts, the blokes a joke but knows the fans will still pay him his money

  146. icedog,he’s got me roond the twist ashley,it’s been three and a bit years of abject misery since he took over.
    it’s so depressing,soul destroying,that negative creature ashley would make a hyena cry.

  147. tbh,when L’OM agreed the original loan deal then shifted the goal posts I would have told them to shove it and moved on to the next target instead of all this p!ssing about.

  148. It was OM that pulled out of the deal!
    That’s well documented, hello, remember?
    That’s why HBA has come here to try & force OM’s hand.
    Although everything can be used to furnish an argument against us, if it suits like too.

  149. BIG DAVE yer reet,two things stuck out carroll will get nee help with what we have at the moment,and we are crying oot for a d.m. the less said aboot nolan the better,talks a good game

  150. If Benny doesn’t turn up i’m affraid we’ve left it too late to sign anyone else… Unless its a major smoke screen by CH and he’s got some other signings lined up! Dreeeeeams…

  151. Richie I can remember last week mate you said you were pissed of with all the Benny saga and you weren’t going to talk about him anymore :lol: :lol: :lol:

  152. I very much doubt we’ve been just sitting around twiddling our thumbs, waiting for the outcome of this saga.
    Howay!

  154. just before the kick off the camera panned to the prick standing in his customary white shirt complete with his black and white scarf.the ugly b*****d,i felt like putting my fist through the telly.
    he was sitting shaking his head when we were three down,he has the cheek to shake his head lol.

  155. TROJAN remember moses,bexford,c.h. said yes we are after them and are close,what happened ashley gave him a bloody nose,said before 48hr man thats how often he changes his mind

  156. At the end of the day Nolan and now Barton where like big fish in the prem, (still not as good as maynard ect) but they are distinctly small mackerel compared to class like scholes and Lampard and as soon as they shutup and just get real with the situation they are now in the better I say. The money gans to their heads man, Barton genuinly thinks he can play for England. :lol:

  157. Trojan he wouldn’t be worth wasting a tv over, which reminds me where is the flat screen that tosspot lambs arse promised us ? Probably in his office the useless bag of sh1te

  161. What p##### me off is the fact that he will probably be in some casino now gambling £50,000 on red 19 or something, but there are ‘very limited funds’.

  162. I hope for his sake Ben Afra doesnt get sold to some other club for £7M tomorow or something coz the bedsheets are coming oot on sunday. How the hell did he ever spend £10M on a defender??

  163. Clint-you’re right in saying OM started arsing everyone around, but they clearly want the cash mate. Do I like the fact we won’t be bullied? Yes. But Christ..do i wish for once Ashley would just dip into his pockets bigstyle and bring in a player that could change a game and entertain us all?..of course!
    Even if we do have other deals on te horizon I’m just worried benny is occupying too much of our time should it fail. Look at the comments from rios’ agent saying they’d heard from is and then suddenly everything went silent and no one really knows jays happening

  164. had ashley sussed from day one,so this dosnt surprise me,shame like would of been a crackin signing..

  166. Aye Ross,
    providing you believe what the press put out.

    But anyway, surely that would suggest over things being worked on, huh?
    Can’t have it both ways.
    All teams will be trying/working on all sorts of deals, why do you think most deals happen in the last week, if not last day, of the window?

    This is all pretty standard window saga really, it’s just that some fans sweat about it more than others, stuff now gets every minutiae trawled over, constantly, all agendas covered.
    Que sara sara!
    :)

  168. Novocastrian????????? so in your faulted logic, a header is not an attempt on goal then? So if it goes in, it’s not a goal right? who give’s a crap which part of his anatomy it comes off, as long as it’s on target…. THE BOY DID GOOD FECK WIT……
    And to the rest of ya’s ” we were shit ” brigade….. IT WAS MAN U FFS….. GET A GRIP… Held our own for 32 mins… more work required, YES, but all in all, Didn’t get pumped…
    Much to the dismay of that C*nt Keys, he was willing us to get battered… Sycophantic Man U PRICK!!!!! top of my hate list now… Just above you Novocastrian…

  170. JT

    This has been going on for so long now though. Even last week people were calling for ‘closure so we can all move on’, as if someone had died or something.

  171. JT-to be fair, that’s what a blog is about! Pick up on the rumours and discuss. Wait until deadline day if you think this is bad, lol.

  172. Areet lad got one 4 u ere. The big fat bloke that works at the club looks after ashley at home games just seen him at the ground wit a young lad aswel as derek wright and derek lambias. Take wat u like no shit lads

  174. Lads, whilst you do make vaild points, it is ridiculous to see just how much the general tone of comments changes on the back of one unsubstantiated rumour.

  178. JT-understand where you’re coming from but you’ll still find lads on here that have said from day one and will continue to say, he won’t join us. Ashley haters..sympathisers (although I reckon they’ve all been forced out, lol)..it’s a canny mix. If you read/post regularly though then you’ll know that and apologies if I sound like a patronising tw@t, lol. Just don’t recognise the name that’s all!

  179. Hitman-was translated earlier I think. Just something about them offering a decent fee up front. Dunno if it says he’ll sign for them but like others have said it’s all paper talk and at the end of the day, If he’s gonna move, he’ll move where he wants. Scroll up a few posts though and I reckon you’ll find a google translation or somethin

  180. @hitman

    it basically says Ben Arfa has changed his mind and that Werder Bremen have made an 8€m bid for him that has been accepted..he will replace Ozil

  182. Exactly JT, he was going to Milan earlier and now Bremen. These rumours can’t distract from the FACT Ben Arfa was in Newcastle and we are the clear favourites to sign him. Keep the faith. HWTL.

  184. hitman, I reckon its saying –
    Having been in Newcastle it is certain he will at least be changing destination one way or another.
    Werder have bid 8mil
    A decision will be made on wednesday
    He would sign a four year deal
    Werder play Sampdoria wednesday
    He’d be on 4.5mil euros a year at Bremen
    He was on 220k a month
    Newcastle had previously agreed an 800k loan with a price of £5.5mil if he played 25times

    – Hopefully just speculation

  187. I am sick to death of knawing on my fingernails waiting for hba to sign. My wife is pissed off cuz im on the internet on my mobile all day checking for any news. God if your listening, i know deep down your a newcastle fan, we have been through so much and kept the faith, cant you reward your faithful sons with this one gift….amen

  188. I was actually at the game Novocastrians and Carroll definately had a shot on target, yes it was right down Van Der Sars throat but werent a bad left footed effort outside the box from a right footed player so i think u need to sit down and watch the game again. Anyway Big Andy looked good last night and will prove a pain in the arse for some lesser prem defences.