The Newcastle United Blog

82 responses so far ↓

• 1 perry // Sep 11, 2007 at 9:58 AM

  If Galatasaray can pay the amount NUFC for him, then sell him. If not, he must fight for his place. I actually likes Emre but his have prove his value to the fans yet.

• 2 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:02 AM

  You cant really blame Emre for wanting to leave. He isnt going to get into the team because Allardyce, apparently, thinks he’s too short! If only he can grow taller huh.

  And all this talk of Alan Smith, and Joey Barton being ahead of him in the pecking order in central midfield is just laughable. Skill for skill, talent for talent, passing ability, dribbling etc these 2 are no match for Emre. That too am sure really ticks him off, that those 2 are ahead of him.

• 3 pramod-toon roar // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:07 AM

  emre is one of the most under achieving players in the epl. ofcourse he’s been injured most of the time. but whenever he’s come on i think he lacked the pasiion.. hes gives the ball away way too much easily..i think he’s gonna leave in the jan transfer window..

• 4 Gordon Tan // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:07 AM

  Well Ed, like you’ve said it, its disappointing to hear that from Emre after only just one game from him.

  On the other hand, I personally feel that he’s a solid player and he is the missing link between midfielders and forwards.

  Emre also became a hit when he scored against the Mackems but since then, has been picking up injuries here and there.

  Now that Barton is not even back yet, Emre is already showing the white flag. What the heck? You do not build team spirit by publicly stating that “I want to go back to Turkey” and expects that rest of the team to play with you indifferently?

  Like what we like to say in Singapore; “wake up your damned ideas, Emre!”

• 5 Lamesley Mag // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:10 AM

  I expect him to leave in January as he’ll see very little first team football at Newcastle.

  Bayern Munich have been mentioned as being interested in Emre, but if Galatasaray can find the money, lets sell him and bring in some one who wants to play for Newcastle!

• 6 rich // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:12 AM

  I disagree Jerry.

  Smith & Barton are more suited to the EPL, its a physical game and whilst i agree Emre has more skill he cannot utilise it in the EPL., where as Barton & Smith can.

  I agree that Barton, Smith, Geremi & Butt & even Faye should be ahead of Emre as he is not cut for our league, he has no physical stregnth and gets knocked off the ball to easily.

  Not to mention his lack of tracking, the ammount of problems he caused our back 4 over the past few years is unbelievable.

  I like Emre, he was class in Italy but hes never shown any of that talent in the EPL, the only moment of genius i can remember is the winning goal against the Mackems.

  BBC gossip column today reports The Toon are ready to let Emre leave as long as someone matches their £3.5 asking price.

  get him out, and get a stronger, more physical cretive midifielder in.

  his commens also illustrate his poor attitude, once again things like this should be kept in SJP and discussed between Emre, Allerdyce & Mort but for Emre to go straight to the papers just shows you hes not right for our team in my opinion.

  good riddance i say.

• 7 Bill F // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:16 AM

  Have to agree with Jerry and Perry. The only problem I’ve seen with Emre on pitch is the end product, his finishing for a man of his ability has been abysmal at times.

• 8 Craig Allen // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:32 AM

  Sell him to West Ham or Sunderland, they’ll pay probably more than what we have .
  Regarding Emre’s comments though, I find it strange he voices his opinion after the window’s closed.

  Why didn’t he say anything while Sam was busy offloading Dyer, Solano and Huntington? Strange.

• 9 CasinoMonkey // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:33 AM

  Sell him to whoever has the cash.
  If he doesn’t want to play for us then let him move on.
  As long as we get what we want for him.
  Simple.

• 10 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:41 AM

  Rich

  I take your point about the PL being very physical. However, Liverpool have got Alonso who isnt physical, lacks pace, all attributes apparently required for the PL, but h has settled in really well.

  You can use Emre in the PL! Its all a matter of how you structure your team to get the right balance. With your argument players like Riquelme and even Arteta wouldn’t have any place in the PL. That cant be right.

• 11 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:51 AM

  - Jerry

  Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta both possess significantly more body balance than Emre so i don’t really see your point as valid

• 12 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:53 AM

  At any given day i would put Emre instead Barton.But if he’s not willing to fight for his place…well,that’s too bad.
  As for Rich comment about causing our back 4 problems.Rich
  Rich..I want you to know one thing.Last season our back 4 sucked BIG BIG time and even if we had Kaka,Ronaldinho in our midfield wouldn’t do any good,so you can’t blame Emre for that really.
  The strikers cannot score that many goals if the back 4 can concede more of what is scored.
  So you’re trying to say because he’s short and he cannot play in EPL,that is so so pathetic excuse of a poor knowledge from some fans who think they know that football is not about physique,it’s about vision and Emre has that vision.Try and put Emre in Arsenal and you’ll see what kind a player he is.
  Fabregas,Arteta,Rosicky, are similar height as Emre but look how they play.
  Emre just doesn’t suit Newcastle’s style of play which is too direct without too many passing.
  I really really hate to put this name into comparison with this case about Emre but i’ll just give you a hint.
  The best goal in the history of football.A similar was scored by Messi against Getafe last season.

• 13 Johnny JJ // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:56 AM

  I can’t help but thinking that there has been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.
  It’s funny that this story comes out when Emre’s on International duty and the fact that his quote is about 8 words long. This makes me think that some Turkish journalist is trying to make a name for himself. After all, Emre is massive news over in Turkey.

  What’s the chances of Emre denying he wants to leave when he returns to Newcastle???

• 14 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:59 AM

  Alonso and Arteta have more “body balance” than Emre? OK try these aother names – Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Nani.

  I bet if we had these players they would be on the bench because they ant “hard men” like Alan Smith and Joey Barton and lack body balance. Football is a game played with skill and finesse, its not a physical fight.

• 15 philsta // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:02 AM

  Emre is a great player if he’s fit and is given the space to run and pass so he’s suitable against some more skill based opponents that don’t close down as tightly i.e European teams or playing at home against less rough teams like Manu. Emre suffers against teams like Blackburn Rovers.

  Emre adds a spark to the team when he’s fit so we should keep him, he can really run with the ball and has good close control although he can be weak on the ball. BSA can use him once every other game or in Europe especially if we need more creativity in midfield.

• 16 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:05 AM

  Hadji – you know your football!

  It just makes me laugh when some NUFC fans talk of Barton as a creative player, and applaud Sibierski and Alan Smith as brilliant players.

• 17 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:08 AM

  Jerry

  Yes Alonso, Arteta, Cristiano and Nani all may not seem like they have the best build when it comes to a physical match but all four use their body balance to shrug the opposing player off, someones body balance is what enables them to hold the ball for longer periods of time when being pressured from the opposition, its not about their physique, otherwise players like , for example, Baptista would not have struggled with the physical game of the premiership

• 18 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:12 AM

  i know Fabregas is a world class player despite his size

• 19 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:14 AM

  One of my favorites who played for Newcastle was Lauren Robert,he was short aswell but that didn’t stop him to score one of the best goals in club’s history.

• 20 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:22 AM

  “Football is a game played with skill and finesse, its not a physical fight” what sort of comment is that to make, how can you generalise a whole sport as being about “skill” and “finesse” when there are so many different ways and strategies to win a football match, im beginning to question what some people on here really want, results? or finesse? Arsenal are the best at finesse but what have they won lately…exactly….and what is normally given as the reason for Arsenal not winning much lately….lack of fighting spirit. If football was about “skill and finesse” then players such as Lampard and Gerrard would have no place in the sport would they

• 21 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:23 AM

  Hadji i understand YOUR point about vision etc, but Jerry just sounds mad that we are not taking the ‘total football’ approach

• 22 Amornthep K // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:24 AM

  Hi Ed and everyone,
  I like to highlight some information which is unrelated to the above but about Newcastle nevertheless.
  Few months ago, before MA buys out Newcastle, he must have done hid due diligence about prospect and current situation and so on so forth. What is bothering me is why he/Chris Mort came out to say that Newcastle has debt higher than expected. This is weird since Newcastle was a public limited company and that all information must be submit to the SEC as part of their legal disclosure. Such as buying of any types of assets (including players), takeing mortgage, issueing bond and other types of financial related activities.
  Now that all information are there, (reports coming in from SEC) about any types of activities that club engages whether financially related or not. So why in the world would they say that its higher than expected. I think this could be one of their tactic to limit spending last summer. Need to sell in order to buy.
  Although i ve to say that BSA has done wonder job buying and managing money. I m curious as to what others think this could be a stunt pull by Chris Mort/Mike Ashley or is it really higher (but how?).
  If in fact, it was higher then shouldnt SEC has already jump down on FS throat by now because engaging in activities not disclose to SEC and manipulating account.

  Please share some of your though. Thanks

• 23 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:26 AM

  Dragoner – if a player has the ball and another player shrugs you off that is a foul surely. All you need to do is go down and that is what players like Emre, Ronaldo, Robben and co. do. There is no point standing your ground to prove you re some kind of bulldozer.

  If this is the team Allardyce is building then we must be wary. A team that has as its hallmark physical strength at the expense of skill and ability? We need both. And if we have to sacrifice one of our midfield hard men to accommodate Emre skill and subtlety, then we should do that and get him to stay or get RIQUELME.

• 24 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:32 AM

  Dragoner which is why players like Lampard will never be considered GREATS. Name me one non-defender GREAT PLAYER who does not possess skill and finesse.

  Playing hard man football will never get you anywhere, and as for Arsenal wouldnt we want to be where they are now? Regular champion’s league football, won the PL a few times and the FA Cup, all in last 10 years.

• 25 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:34 AM

  finally we agree, yes we do need both, and emre doesnt possess both so if he wants to leave we should let him leave, Riquelme is another player who requires time on the ball to perform to his full potential, players like that arent BEST suited to the EPL and very few of them can adapt, i dont even think Riquelme would be willing to adapt because apparently he is a big ego and would probably resort to publicly complaining about the EPL rather than making the effort to change his game accordingly, just like Baptista did

• 26 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:36 AM

  it doesn’t matter about how a player is perceived by the media etc, all that matters is their contribution to their teams cause, lampards contribution to chelsea is second to none

• 27 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:43 AM

  ok now compare what “nitty gritty, physical” chelsea have won in the last 3 years compared to what “skill and finesse” Arsenal have won in the last 3 years, now you tell me how vital skill and finesse is, i rest my case.

  by the way i regularly attend Arsenal home games so i know first hand that all their team are gifted players, i just dont fink it is essential to winning football matches. it is simply their approach to winning football matches.

• 28 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:48 AM

  What has nitty gritty England won as against the skill and finesse of the Brazilians?

  Now, I rest my case.

• 29 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:53 AM

  the fact that you have resorted to talking about international football when we are talking about domestic football shows you have nothing to say against my Arsenal v Chelsea argument, you cant compare premier league to international football, thats just silly

  by the way englands failure is nothing to do with their “nitty gritty” approach, but more to do with their manager, strategy etc

• 30 Rob Kirton // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:01 PM

  If Emre doesn’t want to fight for a place in the team, for what ever reason, it must be a case of “get rid”.

  Re the physical aspects of the game in the EPL, Emre’s stature and his ability to handle the rough and tumble, I was surprised to see the name “Cristiano Ronaldo” mentioned. Have any of you seen him? He’s a big guy who probably towers over any of our midfielders and plays and incredibly physical game (as well as being a great artist with the ball)

  Back to Emre: He has never really delivered what has been promised. I had great hopes when he came – hoping he would be the guy who could deliver the killer pass each and every time. For an attacking midfielder he gets few goals and also precious few assists.

  I don’t think it was ever fully resolved who did what when he played in Midfield with Parker. Those days are gone, Parker also. It loooks like he is likely to go the same way himself.

• 31 t-g-w // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:08 PM

  For an attacking midfielder, Emre doesn’t score enough goals. I would rather have barton in a PL team any day.

• 32 Cam_Toon // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:26 PM

  Hey guys…. look at the stats… Barton scored more last season then our entire midfield… and thats for a poorer side. Emre better than Barton.. give me a break.

• 33 rich // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:27 PM

  i wasnt reffering to his size but his physical side of his game, he gets knocked about too easily, you watch Fabregas and it takes alot more effort ot get him off the ball if you can compared to Emre.

  everyone entitled to their opinions and ive seen most NUFC games over teh past 3-4 years and Emre has never impressed me.

  Just look at his goal record, compare that to bartons goal record, as Sam said we need more goals from midfield something that Emre & Parker cannot do.

  and how you can compare Emre to Fabregas, Kaka & Christiano Ronaldo is beyond me.

  You might aswell compare Thomas Gravesen to Pele.

• 34 jason // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:31 PM

  Lets be honest emre has done nothing since coming to newcastle,when we first signed him I admit I expected him to be a class act but he is just another overseas star that hasn’t cut the mustard as far as I am concerned.
  I think he should stick out the remainder of his contract in the reserves and training with the kids would be good too so he can learn some respect.
  Sam will not tollerate stuff like this and I expect him to be getting a size ten boot up his turkish derriere pronto !!

• 35 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:32 PM

  With fans like Rich and Dragones no wonder NUFC have won zero for so long.

  How anyone can even entertain the thought Barton or Alan Smith is a better player than Emre is beyond comprehension.

  Oh well…………

• 36 AndyW // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:35 PM

  On the point of Emre taking his position to the press, if that is reason enough to move him on are we going to ditch Steven Taylor as well?

• 37 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:44 PM

  Emre has every right to shoot his mouth off and want to leave. You cant discriminate against a man purely on the grounds of height! That is laughable.

  He has committed no more sin than the perrennialy disloyal and ungrateful Michael Owen, but of course because the latter is English, the “johnny foreigner” will always get a hard time.

• 38 jason // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:45 PM

  Barton would make mince meat out of emre,barton is a box to box player loads of energy and goals,gets stuck in like an animal and I would certainly not like to be playing against him..proper mean machine !

• 39 jason // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:47 PM

  Johnny foreigner…haha I don’t think thats the case-owen got lots of the same stick on these very pages a few weeks ago and I would expect anyone no matter what nationallity steps out of line or disresects newcastle should expect a barrage of comments and more..

• 40 jason // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:48 PM

  p.s get rid of the useless turkish midget

• 41 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:52 PM

  Rich your last comment probably refers to me i guess.
  I never compared Emre with Kaka and R10 cause thats uncomperable all i was saying that even if had those 2 last season our back 4 would still suck and we wouldn’t finish higher than the 10th place which is a same s..t as 13th.
  Ok lets swap the roles shall we.Let’s presume that Fabregas was our player last season and Emre was Arsenal’s player last season.
  All of you’dd be spitting at Fabregas now and dreaming that Emre will play for Newcastle one day.

• 42 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 12:55 PM

  Oh No!!! Kaka wont be good enough to play for NUFC – because he isnt a nutter like Barton and Alan Smith and cant scrap. lol

• 43 WelshWizard // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:00 PM

  @AndyW

  Taylor hasn’t said he wants to leave, it’s only contract negotiations. Emre has told the press he wants to go, that is different..

• 44 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:03 PM

  jerry your beginning to piss me off, saying dumb stuff like “with fans like rich and dragoner…etc” who the hell are you to say that!? you are just expressing your opinion on here like the rest of us, you sound both arrogant and ignorant in your statements of “skill and finesse” whilst i am expressing my opinion of there being numerous ways to get a result in football, you however are just getting angry when someone disagrees with you, Alan Smith, Joey Barton and Emre are all very different players so why do you keep trying to force your opinion of ‘emre being better’ do everyone favour and just be quiet, no1 cares about your one sided argument, you clearly do not understand the premiership, if you want ‘total football’ watch the dutch or spanish league, i for one, care more about results

• 45 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:05 PM

  WelshWizard..Leaving the club or contract negotiations its all the same thing.The bottom line is you just don’t go public and try to ruin the club reputation,especially not now when the atmosphere is so good in the club.That reffers for Emre and Taylor,i put the in the same basket for going public.

• 46 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:07 PM

  Hadji i agree with you on some parts of your argument, however i do feel Fabregas is a far better player than emre and he would be effective in almost any team he plays in due to him being able to make killer passes with only a little amount of time on the ball, unlike emre who requires a team that plays more of a possession, passing style of play.

• 47 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:08 PM

  Jerry and Dragoner…Let’s all be friends again shall we and use our time and ideas on something more productive instead argueing.
  One thing’s for sure,we all like Newcastle.

• 48 Magpie Neil // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:10 PM

  I agree Jerry well said. Emre will probably deny the statement he made to the Turkish press as soon as he returns to England.

  He is so much better than Alan Smith in midfield who looks lost every game I have seen him. Besides in our new look side Emre wouldnt need to track back so much as we now have more than enough tackling hard men midfielders.

  I hope Big Sam doesnt take what he has supposedly said to some idiot journalist to heart, and that he gets his chance to prove himself.

  Lets face it we need to keep hold of these creative midfielders!

  I dont want to see Nicky Butt aimlessly belting long balls forward anymore (like he did against Villa).

• 49 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:13 PM

  i agree, we are both newcastle fans, i just dont understand why people seem to think their ‘opinions’ are ‘facts’, be more open minded people, lets just agree to disagree

• 50 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:13 PM

  Yes Dragoner i’m not saying he isn’t but I’m talking about last season when we played awful the whole time.
  We never saw Emre playing when the team is doing well like at the moment,but we’ve always seen Fabregas playing when the whole team of Arsenal is doing well.
  But Fabregas is better,i just wish it was other way around.

• 51 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:14 PM

  yes thats true, if emre was willing to stay i would have liked to see him play in the new Newcastle team

• 52 WelshWizard // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:17 PM

  Hadji

  i fully agree with you that they are both wrong for going public, both players should of kept things private with the manager and chairman.

  Emre wants to leave then let him.

  Taylor going public pisses me off but i dont want him sold for it, plus he wasn’t expressing a wish to leave like Emre which was my point for everyone wanting to linch one of them and not the other

• 53 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:19 PM

  Anyway in 1 or 2 years i’m coming to Newcastle,hope we’ll be in the Champions League by then.

• 54 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:21 PM

  Dragoner you beginning to behave like Barton now!

  Calm down its only a discussion. lol

  No anger on my part, just engaging in a discussion on football.

• 55 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:25 PM

  ‘discussion’ is that what you call forcing your opinions on other people??

• 56 ChrisL // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:26 PM

  Don’t worry or think too much about what footballers say, generally they play football because their brains are in their feet. So they do say stupid things sometimes.

• 57 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:29 PM

  Am not forcing anything on anyone. I am just making my point forcefully.

  And for the record, I do not believe Fabregas is a better player than Emre.

• 58 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:43 PM

  Jerry..As a fan i’m with you for your last comment but if i’m being neutral person i would have to disagree with you,anyway Emre will not leave in January.I know that his statement in the press is just to give Sam little sign that he really wants to play for us.

• 59 Jerry // Sep 11, 2007 at 1:48 PM

  Of course Hadji –

  My own view is Fabregas is not a regular for the Spanish national team, hasn’t really stood out in the Champion’s League and in International football tournaments like Emre has done at Inter Milan and for Turkey. Until he does all that he has some way to go.

  I will put Fabregas on a par with Iniesta, up and coming stars, I will say.

• 60 RAHUL // Sep 11, 2007 at 2:25 PM

  i think emre should leave provided we get the right amount for him i am new to this site and have been reading a lot about a playmaker or lack of it . u always do not need a no.10 as there is no point in having one who is inconsistent and becomes a liability not being in europe means that we wont be able to attract the best . also a lazy playmaker makes the team predictable as all plays involve him and the teams can easily defend as they not being streched . B.S.A should rather get a quality right winger and attack down the wings just look at bayern everyone wanted them to get a playmaker but they put two solid guys in van bommel and ze roberto in the middle and are destroying teams down the wings with ribery and scwienstieger . my choice would be either borowski or van der vaat as both will track back and help out .if not no need to but one for the sake of it we also have joey barton

• 61 Geordie joe // Sep 11, 2007 at 4:17 PM

  Get you facts right lads, It wasn’t taylor who went public it was his dad. Taylor most likley didn’t want him too.

• 62 rich // Sep 11, 2007 at 4:45 PM

  With fans like Jerry no wonder NUFC have won zero for so long.

  How anyone can even entertain the thought Emre is a better player than Barton is beyond comprehension.

  Oh well…………

• 63 snake // Sep 11, 2007 at 5:31 PM

  perhaps emre should try playing a game to prove himself? i quite like him as a player, but he cant stay fit for more than five games at a push. replace him then sell him, no big loss.

• 64 apan // Sep 11, 2007 at 5:42 PM

  i like the combination of emre and barton……rather than smith, barton can replace smith in that area so does geremi

• 65 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 5:46 PM

  Jerry i think you are alone in your view of Emre being better than Fabregas, apart from the biased fans of course, Fabregas has a presence in midfield that Emre couldn’t even dream of

• 66 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 5:47 PM

  people dont want to say Fabregas is world class because of his age, forget his age, actually go to an Arsenal match and watch him, he has a part in almost every single move

• 67 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 5:49 PM

  and what the hell!?! Fabregas hasn’t stood out in the champions league!? what are you basing that on? do you even watch Arsenal? it doesn’t sound like you do

• 68 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 5:53 PM

  i bet you based that statement on wikipedia stats didnt you? lol!

• 69 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 6:15 PM

  actually scrap the three comments i have posted above, if you think emre is better then Cesc then fair enough that is your opinion

• 70 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 6:15 PM

  i meant four comments posted above

• 71 Rich // Sep 11, 2007 at 7:18 PM

  thats what i tried illustrating Dragoner, i know that my opinion that Emre is suited to the EPL and that hes done nothing for us except score the winner against the mackems, i know thats my opinion.

  It does my nut in when people like Jerry think that their opinion is fact and anyone who thinks anything different is just plain wrong & ignorant.

  hence i copied his comment but swapped Barton & Emre around, becuase IN MY OPINION Barton is far superior in the EPL.

  You just have to look at the stats, and Barton outshines Emre in the EPL.

• 72 nightfall // Sep 11, 2007 at 8:11 PM

  the fact is we don’t need emre…he won’t get many chances in the squad we have now…
  our midfield: geremi, faye, butt, barton, n’zogbia, milner, duff, smith,…emre…they’re all in front of him…

  he will leave..if you like it or not….if he likes it or not…

  …and….if we’re going to play 4-4-2, we will need another AMR…having only milner is not enough ‘cos smith is…eh…no comment…

• 73 Rich // Sep 11, 2007 at 8:57 PM

  i think the criticism of smith is unjustified.

  hes not a right winger so he wouldnt be considered for the RW position.

  hes either a CM or a CF. and a good one IMO, he doesnt set the prem alight but hes solid and puts in 100% everygame.

  Emre’s gone, hes not a Big Sam type of player and hes not suited to the EPL IMO.

• 74 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 9:36 PM

  Hey guys……First of all we don’t even know for a fact that what Emre said while in Turkey was true,we could go on and on all day and night.Let’s wait till he comes back and tell Sam in the face that he doesn’t want to fight for his place.This could be some idiotic Turkish journalist who is sucking up to his boss to get a job as a journalist and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it.

• 75 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 9:59 PM

  - rich

  i thought the same as soon as people started comparing smith to emre, but just couldnt be bothered to state the obvious, half the time it falls in deaf ears anyway, smith is a quality CF who is being shaped into a Winger by Big Sam because he likes his players to be competent in at least 2 positions (even though i think smiths 2 positions should be CF & AM), yet already people compare him to an already accomplished midfielder, where is the logic?

  however i do feel smith will be comfortable in this position by the end of this season

• 76 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:15 PM

  Rich….stats mean nothing to me.He has better stats than Emre cause the entire team of Man City was depending on him which gave gim the freedom and space to do whatever he wants on the field.

• 77 dragoner // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:21 PM

  hadj

  stats mean nothing to me aswell, i hate it when people search a player on wikipedia and then decide who is better than who, like i said earlier in the day, a players quality is measured in more than just their goals and assists.

  by the way hadj, you see what u jus said about barton and man city relying on him, thats how i feel about tevez, he wont be a shadow of the player he was at Man U now that the whole team arent relying on him, what do you think?

• 78 AndyW // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:22 PM

  Taylor’s Dad speaks for him, like all agents. If the player doesn’t like how he is being represented he can do something about it – difficult when its your dad though. Taylor has my sympathy but don’t lets pretend that his Dad isn’t trying to manipulate the situation, the same as Emre is. Clip round the lugs all round I reckon.

  By the way I didn’t want to suggest that Taylor should be sold, far from it, he is the future. I was just suggesting if Emre doing his deals in the press was a reason to get rid, then whats good for the goose……….

• 79 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:30 PM

  If you look at the stats of Gilardino while he was in Parma and compare it to the stats now while in AC Milan you”ll be amazed of the diference.
  While in Parma the whole team was depending on him and gave him the freedom and space just like Barton had when he was in Man City.
  Look at Emre’s stats while in Galatasaray when they won the Uefa Cup and then try to compare him with Barton.

• 80 Obafan // Sep 11, 2007 at 10:38 PM

  @ Hadji – hope you’re true.

  For me it’s very strange that first he said he wanted to fight for his place in the team and that he was looking forward to this season and now when thes season is only 4 games far, he completely changes his mind. Think it is a bit strange and perhaps paper talk, because in Turkey they all want him back.

• 81 Fred // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:23 PM

  Obafan, you’re right on. Emre is second to Allah overthere. When Emre will be back, he’ll straight that story out. He’s a competitive player use to compete for his place. It’s certainly not a inconsistent joeybarton that will make him lose his confidence. With Inter, they’re was huge competition. The guy started playing pro as a teenager! With better skill player in the middle and with a better defence, he’ll use his vision and skills to create a lot of attacking chances. Ask Obefani wich player gave him the best passes last year?

• 82 Hadji // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:31 PM

  Dragoner….I really don’t know what to answer you about Tevez cause i didn’t understand your qustion.
  Sorry mate