Whilst Colo is yet to resume full physical training, he has been doing fitness work for a week or so and will be tested this week to see if he is ready to return in any of our final four league games of the season.
This poses an interesting problem for our manager. What do you do if he is fit enough to return? Do you put him straight back into the team given the fact that he is our captain and is arguably our best defender on his day? Or do you stick with the Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Steven Taylor partnership which, aside from a couple of blips, has generally been fine and seems to be getting better?
The issue is clouded even more with the uncertainty surrounding the future of Coloccini who may well be off in the summer anyway. So do you then focus on the shorter term aim of staying up by including a player who hasn’t played since the 4-2 win over Southampton in February or do you continue with what is likely to be our first-choice defensive partnership next season, barring any new central defensive recruits in the summer of course.
I really don’t know. If Colo had been in the same kind of form he was in last season then these questions would have easier answers and Colo would walk straight back into the team for me.
But it’s not that simple. Colo hasn’t been great this season. He’s shown flashes of what he can do such as his performance away at Sunderland but, much like the rest of the squad, he’s failed to hit the heights of last season consistently enough this term.
I honestly can’t make my mind up but I think a lot of that is to do with the nonsense in January which is playing on my mind a bit.
So, lacking in match fitness, would you usher Colo straight back into the team in the hope that he can hit the ground running? Or do you stick with Yanga-Mbiwa and Taylor at the heart of defence?
Stick or twist?
Gulper drew you out though Hissy didn’t he !
Stardust(Quote)
Welcome back Troy, truly it’s not the same without you… 😆
Newkie(Quote)
@Newkie
I’ve had to comeback to stop the Gulper Eel promoting all things Ashley. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Good to have you back Les 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
The Cowardly Hero returns woooo hooooo – I knew the second I told everyone how you felt you’d be back you snivelling little toad!
Stardust(Quote)
Sharpy
The spare time gave me an opportunity to take up Free Running (for those who don’t know what free running is – basically running over roof tops as fast as you can).
I’m now running classes, usually running over the roofs in the city centre. I’m doing Northumberland Street this Friday.
Mrs Stavers had to call the fire service today like cos I was practicing the Frosbury flop over my TV aerial on my roof when my cape snagged and I was left dangling unable to get down! 😯
The neighbours were howling like but that’s the hazards you face being a free running instructor! 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
😆 Well Troy good to see you back lad about time and all 😉 as for Stardy the Gulpher maybe if he opens his mouth wide enough he might scoop up the jelly fish as he did seem to be very fond of him.
On the reality train it seems a lot of one are now on the train after being against us so long, no the way we were being told that the summer window was good enough because we kept our best players etc 😀
Why don’t you just ignore him if he comes back on and just set down the ground rules that you not wasting your breath ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Woo hoo ,Troys back 😀 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
Sharpy @136 LOL
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stardy @ 155 😆 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
@Stardust
The only time I’ve ever took the huff was when you repeatedly pulled my nose on a night out cos you couldn’t get a bite verbally. 😆
I quickly got over it when I realised what I had said, ” you pulled my nose! Its not funny!” 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy – That was you?! 😯 – I thought it was **** van **** mate – shtep in time n all that carry on.
I knew a kid that used to do that round Cruddas Park but it was usually with a DVD player under his arm and a copper hot on his heels 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Troy @ 156 could you take Stardy with you and accidentally throw him of a roof 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
@Dave
Stardy is made of jelly so he would just bounce. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy there must be something you could do with him
Big Dave(Quote)
On the Lee Ryder story I bet Lambastad will be reminding him just how nasty they can be
Big Dave(Quote)
@BD
I stated at the start of the season that anything less than re qualification for the Europa league is a failure. Just like I never foresaw us finishing 5th last season, I never foresaw us in the plight we find ourselves this season.
I still feel Pards needs that chance to prove himself but he needs the backing of the board.
I accept Pards and his tactics are partially to blame for this disastrous season but I also believe the squad is still woefully short on quality in depth.
We have had serious injury problems and we haven’t been able to cope. Can you imagine if Cisse had been injured shortly after the January transfer window closed! We have no real cover and it was a huge gamble not to replace Ba.
But, that’s a general theme of Ashley’s. Gambling. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Bayern smashing a defender over and an offside goal. Lucky *******..
Newkie(Quote)
Its just German dominance Newkie 😉
Andymag(Quote)
Don’t think people should read too much into Pardew’s “top 10” comment, if he’d have said he was aiming for 6th he would have got slaughtered and mocked. Couldn;t really win either way. He should have just said he was focusing on this season tbh.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Andy 😆 Bet your dad is loving this! It would be nice if Dortmund could win it though, with Bayern getting Gotze anarl……
ST-That’s exactly what I thought mate. People are ready to read into and crucify his every word now and it will be the same with any press conference from now on. May as well not bother.
Also, I see I just overtook you in the fantasy league, unlucky pal 😉
Newkie(Quote)
@Troy
You would have had to finish 5th to qualify for Europa this year (due to Wigan and Swansea), was never going to happen.
Pardew is getting an skewed level of stick imo, but manager always do, the @nufcstats show he’s not done as badly when he got the signings that the many of the same people that want him sacked, said we’d suffer without.
Unfortunately it;s been a season of underperformance from everyone involved in the club and that’s what has resulted in our **** position.
It’s too easy to lay the blame just at Pardew. Even if our football has been **** and we have the same glaring weaknesses every game. 😐
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
@Trumpet
You’re right he shouldn’t have said anything instead of saying top 10.
It sends out the wrong message not only to the fans but it makes it harder for him to demand cash for players from Ashley.
I suspect those are Ashley’s words spoken by Pards.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Newkie
I peaked last year, check out my position 😉 Think it’s the first time Newcastle bias in these things have ever helped!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Newkie
Keeps shouting at the tv saying that Bayern are fouling, telling me to get that grin off my face.
Andymag(Quote)
Barca were destroyed tonight. 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy on the injuries front I said a few times where would Spuds be without their best player Bale, or where would the dippers be without Beaver ? well for me Benny mightn’t score as many but imo without doubt he is our best player and the one player that can give that spark.
ST but the problem for Pards is he should know that people are going to jump on it, and I agree with you he should have just said he hasn’t thought any further ahead than the next game or this season
Big Dave(Quote)
ST-Did you win it last year? I don’t even know how to check last years results…?
Hah yeah, I remember the days when I actually had 3 newcastle players in a side, how long ago does that seem now…
Newkie(Quote)
@BD
Agree, but I would include Ba in that as well. With Ba, Cisse and HBA producing moments of magic last season was a huge reason why we finished so high.
We’ve been without 2 of them for long periods this season and its hardly any wonder we’ve struggled.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Newkie
I’m not sure I ever actually looked up the code to join – top 10k though!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Watching the match the neet and if we can get Santon, Tiote and Raylor back fit we wouldn’t be far off Munich like 😯
Sharpy17(Quote)
Andy 😆 Fair does
ST-Really, crikey. Well done sir.
I think we should have a rule that when tactics come into discussion, the blog member with the highest fantasy football score is automatically victorious…Now, I have no idea who any of the top 12 are, but their names don’t remind me of anyone so…
Pards oot, Newkie for manager.
Newkie(Quote)
@Sharpy
I still have to punch myself when I think back to the days when we beat Barca in the CL!
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Well I assume we will be dramatically improving the squad in the sunmer. We have the Remy money plus an extra £30m from the TV deal too. Can’t wait. Just a shame every fcker else will have the extra cash too…
Trust Carr to find the better players though – if they release the cash…
Stuart79(Quote)
@Andy
its looking likely that your Da is giving you that money 😀
You shoulda bet him a £100 😀
Santii(Quote)
@Dave
Even another arguable strength of his has deserted him this season. He used to seem quite media savvy.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Troy – that was some night that like. I watched it in the Time Out Bar of Eldon Sq leisure centre where I worked at the time. Nearly got the sack when my gaffer caught me in there supping a pint on duty 😛
Sharpy17(Quote)
Troy-Aye, who the **** is Luis Figo?
Newkie(Quote)
I can’t believe I said I have to punch myself instead of pinch! 😳
I’ll leave the punching me down to you’s! 😛
Freudian slip. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Newkie, nah, you’re known as “the Stoke of FPL”, we need someone a bit more progressive, I think a couple of years back when we sold Carroll I took a punt on Ranger, you don’t get much more progressive (/idiotic) than that!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I still remember the moment we equalised at the Nou Camp under Sir Bobby, anyone else remember that? JJ? 😉
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Stuart
There should be a decent war chest to strengthen the squad, no doubt. Whether it materialises is another matter.
But I’m a bit concerned with our wage to turnover ratio. Its something near 70%.
That should improve with the turnover increasing next season with the extra TV money, sponsor deal and supposedly a new financial deal yet to be revealed, but if we want to be realistic contenders for Europa, I believe we need at least 5 quality players this summer, similar to those bought in January.
That will surely increase the wage ratio but I can’t believe we could afford to go much higher.
KK had it around the 50% mark during his reign.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
ST-I am insulted…especially as I’m a well known Benny fanboy 😉
Ha, I still remember when Enrique tweeted a picture of that comment by someone on Ed’s blog saying “Ranger is our Messi” after the Liverpool game.
I think the caption he put was “KEKEKEKEKEKEXAHAHAHAAHAHAAH” or something along those lines. Shame they were both c*nts like.
Newkie(Quote)
@191 😆
We all remember Shola the king silencing the nou camp…Well, JJ probably only remembers how lucky we were that our plane landed safely in spain or something…
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy17@162, what you doing slumming it in Cruddas Park mate, that’s my old stamping ground 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Lads, I wouldn’t admit to coming from Cruddas Park soon to be renamed Riverside Dene.
No offence but it’s a **** hole nowadays.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I still feel that we missed the boat by not turning over an average Benfica side 🙁
We saw what Barcelona were made of when FC Bayern got amongst them, we could have done the same with Benfica 🙁 Opportunity missed 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Troy, I know mate. It was probably a **** hole then too…:-)
What with them Scotswood lads and the Noblers 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Santii
He originally offered a £50 bet but I was reluctant as it was only the group stages at the time. Should’ve stuck with my guns, saying that its not over yet.
Andymag(Quote)
Munich-did you see that vid I posted of scotswood aggro boys in the 70s a few days ago? Or just coincidence? Didn’t know you were that feckin old anyway!
Cruddas park was just over the river from me…
Newkie(Quote)
Munich – I was a Blaydon lad mate, but my cousins lived in Benwell and a friend of ours lived in Cruddas Park so we were thru there quite a bit as kids/teenagers.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Troy – Riverside Dene?! 😯 who the **** are they trying to kid like?!
Sharpy17(Quote)
wooo hooo auld huffy knickers, pissy flaps Troy is back 😛
knew u wouldnt be away for long..
As for B Munich, they showed the desire more than Barca. Pardew should show our lads the game and tell them to take heed..
mark(Quote)
so Troy. do you still say like ur kid, back Pardew, sack Pardew or back sack and crack Pardew.. 😯
mark(Quote)
Newkie, I did see the vid mate of the Scotswood lads. Mid 70’s I was living through that mate. It wasn’t much fun to be honest, you couldn’t go anywhere in those days without being quizzed where you were from… if you just got your lug punched you were lucky 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
@196 when has Cruddas Park never been a **** hole, did a job there the other week, smack heeds everywhere..
mark(Quote)
Sharpy17, I played cricket a bit at Ryton…Benwell was also like the bronx… 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Mark@206, did you feel at home mate 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich…Aye family say similar stuff like…Still, at least you weren’t born a mackem 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Trtoy@196, we all have to come from somewhere mate 🙂
Everywhere was gash in the late 70’s, the toon was rough as flock…….do you remember Byker, Walker, Longbenton, Newbiggin Hall, Big Lamp, Cowgate, etc etc being any better ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
@208. 🙂 nah m8, we’re not classy in Westerhope. its a place i aspire to be in the future 🙂
mark(Quote)
@Munich Mag
all of those place apart from L’Benton still have their problems, for one reason or another. Big council areas with delinquent kids and doley owt for nowt parents . burn the lot down I say.. 😯
mark(Quote)
Marky@211, are you turning soft, Westerhope is where the thugs go for gangster training 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
Mark@212, the scumbag class has always existed mate… 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Welcome back Troy ??? Have you been away? Travelling? Sickness? (mental issues, probably – but if so, sorry, glad you are feeling better).
brisvegas(Quote)
On thread … I’d be ok with Colo coming in if fit. I’m not so sure whether it means Saylor or M’biwa should make way. Colo can play a kind of defensive libero – sometimes as an extra defender and then moving into defensive midfield. That should then allow the fullbacks to push forward a bit more to give some width to midfield.
And if you add Tiote, Jonas and Anita there, then defence should be tight and there’d be options to play out from the back.
That would allow Cabaye to get forward more to support Sissoko, Ben Arfa, Gouffy and Marveaux. Bit of football talent there. But if we decided to go long, we’d have Cisse and Shola up front.
Elliot and Harper in goal.
I can’t see us losing with that line up.
brisvegas(Quote)
Welcome back Troy! Woooo hoooo! 😀
GeordieTwo(Quote)
the bloggers on Eds site are now ignoring Troy, so he has come back here with his tail betwen his **** cheeks 😳 😳 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Just following on from last night. Lads I still deliver the Evening Chronicle round the doors of Cruddas Park so that’s how I know its still a **** hole. I occasionally pitch my tent on the green next to scotchy road.
@Mark
I knew you had missed me. 😉
I’m still the same about Pardew. Got to give him next season or at least most of it to see if he can turn it around. I just don’t see us being able to attract a top manager with the paltry wages Ashley offers and strict transfer budget of balancing the books.
@Begas. Good to be back my Aussie mucker. 😉
How’s our big pal AMF?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
🙄 Where is your disclaimer mate? 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Just jokes Troy… glad to see your back (I am going to regret those words, I just know it) 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Aussie
The disclaimer is soooo 2012. 😉
I’m always adapting and reinventing myself. Its good to see you’ve never changed. Tradition is good Aussie. Its a safe outlook on life. 😉 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy, you don’t have to reinvent a classic mate…. timeless
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
In round one of the comeback tour Aussie flattens Troy with one line, has Troy got what it takes to bounce back or after his mauling by B&B does he run off like last time – bubbling in the bogs 😆
Stardust(Quote)
@Aussie Magpie Fan
He can’t use his disclaimer as it only applies to himself now. after now taking 3 monumental hissy-fits in a year and running off vowing never to appear again.. surely the disclaimer will be too embarrassing 😯 😆 😉
mark(Quote)