The Newcastle United Blog

74 responses so far ↓

• 1 MattyDread // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:20 AM

  Berbatov would be an absolutely immense signing. But it won’t happen.

• 2 nightfall // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:23 AM

  well…yes..he’s worth it! viduka is getting old, owen is past his best and smith…smith is just a decent sub… oh and shola is a championship player… so…yes…i think we should sign berbatov!!!

• 3 yemozone // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:30 AM

  Berbatov will prefer Man u b’cos man u too has shown interest in signing him

• 4 Midjew // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:30 AM

  Berbatov is SUPERB he is not JUST a goal scorrer but also setups up amazing goals.

  HE WOULD BE A GREAT BUY!! But dont see it happening!

• 5 andy // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:34 AM

  nightfall are you a mackem in disguise or what!
  owen past his best? have a word with yourself he single handly won the two games against russia and israel. and as for viduka no1 in the premiership has the centre foreward mentalaty anymore if you can name one i will take my hat off but at the moment would i want berbatov, yes in an ideal world but we much need a midfielder with flair..

• 6 Karl Fenham Hustler // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:36 AM

  I think there’s an outside shot of us being able to coax him into coming here.. With Allardyce’s powers of persuasion as well as Berbatov calling it ‘a dream come true’ to play at St James park.. I’d like to sign him. Think it would be awesome.. but who knows

• 7 ross // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:39 AM

  I think he’ll come. If he idolised wor Al and the club that much he would pick us over the mancs. He would be a deffinate starter too with one of our stubby strikers playing off him. If he does come up for sale we should go for him and if we do, dont rule out seeing him in a toon top next Jan.

• 8 Steely // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:39 AM

  Oh my God!! After what we seen from him at the game on Monday night I cant believe anyone could agree that we should try and get him….especially after our past record with stroppy players (Robert, Bellamy, Dyer etc).

  If we were to get him it would be one of the biggest step-backs in time that the club has ever made, and it would tragic after seeing how well we are moving forward right now.

  And I dont care how much of a “man manager” and “inspiration” to wayward players BSA is….its just not worth it!! Why waste time trying to calm wild players, when he should be out there nurturing the talented and willing!

  I have every faith in BSA that he will not go down this road!

• 9 Steely // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:42 AM

  Please bear in mind that Tottenham were warned about his reputation as being an extremely arrogant and stroppy player when they bought him. Its all good and well when he gets things his way, but just look at what’s happening now when he isnt calling the shots….not what we need…AT ALL!!

• 10 Jerry // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:43 AM

  This I think is our best team and hopefully Allardyce will stumble on my selection and tactical plan.

  Viduka

  Nzogbia Martins

  Emre Barton

  Faye

  Enrique Cacapa Rozenhal Beye

  This formation/tactic will enable to use all our outstanding players and in their positions too. In a defensive mode, the formation can easily switch to a 4-5-1 mode, and in an attacking situation could switch to a 4-3-3. This will hopefully means ball played to feet! No long balls !

• 11 indian toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:45 AM

  naah.. we hav martins, smith, carrol for the future and top draw strikers in viduka and owen. btw shola is NOT A CHAMPIONSHIP STRIKER, he’s played through the pain barrier many a times for nufc and will always do so.. a couple of bad games and the whole bunch of fans are out with their pitch forks. thats how fickle minded nufc fans are.. just give the lad a chance to prove himself. believe me he’s gonna be a good target man. hope sam gives him some chance specially against weaker teams and in the fa cup..

• 12 Nick C // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:45 AM

  The thing is. He is absolute quality. He reminds me a little bit of Cantona. Not many people were interested in Anelka when Sam purchased him for Bolton and yet he managed to get him playing.
  Berbatov would be a great signing under Sam Allardyce.

• 13 Aussie Geordie // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:45 AM

  He wont move here and we should not want him.

• 14 Jerry // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:46 AM

  …………………………………………Viduka…………………………………………..

  ……………………….Nzogbia………………………Martins

  ………………….Emre………………………………………Barton

  ……………………………………..Faye………………………………

  Beye…………..Cacapa……………….Rozenhal………………Beye

• 15 ssdd // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:46 AM

  what about sell Owen and buy him
  he can play alongside with martins and smith
  then Viduka be his backup
  and Shola..
  no place for him=(

• 16 Jerry // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:48 AM

  No place for Owen am afraid. He can only play in a 4-4-2 and at the moment the players we have, and those we MUST accommodate do not fit into this system.

• 17 yemozone // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:51 AM

  ssdd-yes u’re right

• 18 yemozone // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:53 AM

  sell owen,buy berbatov and nufc will be a threat in the prem leag

• 19 Brisbane Mag // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:57 AM

  Berbatov would be too expensive for Newcastle but a terrific signing for someone at the right price.

  Would need Big Al and BSA using their powers of persuasion to bring him to Newcastle, but also Ashley providing the cash; i.e. lots of it…..

  I don’t see Berbatov coming to Newcastle, although I expect Ameobi to leave in January and BSA bringing in a replacement!

• 20 andy // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:02 AM

  the question is would Berbatov be interested in joining the toon??

• 21 ssdd // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:23 AM

  andy- if Spurs is not improving, and we achieve EURO , surely he will want.Brisbane Mag was right, we need Big Al and BSA using their powers of persuasion to bring him in. mayb at the coming summer

• 22 ssdd // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:26 AM

  martins—–viduka
  martins—–smith
  martins—–berbatov
  viduka—–smith
  berbatov—–smith

  either one if we do buy him and owen leave

• 23 Len // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:27 AM

  Berbatov at the right price would be a great buy. Right price means you can unload him if he doesnt perform. And that is unlikely to happen. Personally I would try for Anelka who seems to have got his act together at last or the Pompey Cheetah Utaka who looks fast enough to be useful at the Olympics.

• 24 ChrisL // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:30 AM

  We just got shot of all our sulky players…. Undoubtedly a great player but I don’t want him as I fear he’d upset the balance in the dressing room. He’s also a player I believe that will jump to a bigger ship every chance he gets.

• 25 bowsie // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:44 AM

  If we want to achieve our ambitions we have to try and snatch players like Berbatov. He can play the ball on the ground, he’s superb in the air, he’s pacey, he creates – Berbatov is simply one of the best centre forwards in the world at the moment.

  In saying that – we should probably concentrate our big money for someone in the midfield. Perhaps someone who can play in the right or centre.

  But, if I was Mike Ashley, and willing to spend the cash, then this is kind of move you want to sanction. Can’t afford to let class like that go idly by – though Berbatov is probably bound for a bigger club.

  As regards his temperament, don’t be so short-sighted. There’s something rotten at Spurs and while he hasn’t shown the best professionalism, a good coach can manage that side of him.

• 26 iain // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:46 AM

  we would be daft not to have a crack at signing a player that good especially given the recent story about berba being a shearer/nufc fan as a kid. whether he is now who knows ???

  we should always be looking to improve the squad though, imo some players who we can do better than and there possible replacements…

  shola – berbatov
  pattison – edmilson
  carr – my nan(even with osteoporosis she is nimbler than that fat lump)
  babayaro – a cardboard cutout of babayaro himself.

• 27 Gallacher the Horse // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:54 AM

  Iain, the ‘cardboard cutout’ made me laugh out loud. At least it wouldn’t move out of the way of tackles!

• 28 nightfall // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:07 PM

  ssdd:
  + martins-carroll…they showed they can play together

• 29 valle // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:39 PM

  Sell Owen???… U cant be serious!… We have one of the absolute best finishers in the world and thats not enough for u?… Owen is pure class, he knows the game and can bring the wingers in, make smart passes and get on the end of chances, and when he does, he is mr. cool…

  Jerry:… Hopefully Sam wont use that tactic, to be honest it seems a little like a football manager 2008 formation. I would rather use Owen and Dukes up front with Smith and Martins as cover and then buy a world class right winger and a creative midfielder… Oh, and perhaps a new cover for left back

• 30 TOONNUTTER // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:39 PM

  iNDIAN TOON.

  SHOLA A CLASS PLAYER , HAVE YOU SEEN THE GUY PLAY.
  SORRY HE HAS HAD MORE OF HIS CHANCES .
  HES NOT WHAT WE NEED.
  I SAY SELL HIM IN JANUARY , BUT YOU AINT GOING TO GET MANY BUYERS.

  NOT GOOD ENOUGH SIMPLE AS

• 31 Cockney Magpie // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:49 PM

  Shola is not as bad as ppl go on about but people r right in sayin he is not good enough for us, i think he would fit in fine in one of the lower prem teams an i think calling him a championship player is a bit harsh, i think in a team where he would be a first team starter say … wigan, birmingham, etc he would prove himself as a decent prem striker.

• 32 Ace // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:56 PM

  Lets go get him……….See if we can include Shola in the deal too…….No sense keeping dead weight around anymore. I think its possible to get him especially cause FFS is no longer around but I forgot he always backed his managers.

• 33 michael // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:58 PM

  he’s been absolute arse this year. definitely not worth £25 million+ for a striker who scored 12 goals last year. seriously overpriced, overrated with an apparent overinflated sense of self worth. although when describe him like that then it’s obvious he’s toon fan!

• 34 michael // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:59 PM

  and shola is wank. so was chopra. get real people

• 35 nightfall // Oct 24, 2007 at 1:06 PM

  25 mio? 10 + owen and sell carr, babayaro and shola for 6-7 and so we get a cheaper and a better squad for 3 mio… all those wages cost aprox. 1 mio a month…

• 36 Jam // Oct 24, 2007 at 1:30 PM

  Berbatov would be class, but way too much. I would prefer us to spend on Eidur Gudjohnsen, try to bring in Edmilson and Urby Emmanuelson, then try and manufacture some sort of deal to bring Giles Barnes from Derby as Dyer’s replacement with Shola going the other way in January. That would do very nicely..

• 37 true // Oct 24, 2007 at 1:35 PM

  We dont want him not because he is not good enough because of him attitude, San is building a squad glued together with team spirit, listen to how many of the players are prasing and publicly stating they want to play for him.
  Berbatov has a history of been a disruptive player, WE DONT WANT HIM there are better to be had for the team.

• 38 true // Oct 24, 2007 at 1:37 PM

  Oh, and if anyone out there thinks selling Owen is a good move! you obvioulsy have lost the plot and i suggest you sell up and move 5 mile across the river there is a team there in red and white you should be watching! you muppets.

• 39 ToonKing // Oct 24, 2007 at 1:59 PM

  Sell Owen and get Berbatov ?????????????????? Where do people come up with this nonsense ?????

  When will you finally realize that Owen is our best player by far ?? he’s our superstar, he’s up there Rooney, C.Ronaldo, Ronaldinho.

  However i would gladly take Berbatov, him and Owen would be an absolute world class pair fit for any team in the world.

  Compared to those two Viduka, Ameobi, Martins, Caroll, Smithy are all Championship strikers, and i say this with the biggest love towards them.

• 40 Ross // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:11 PM

  fair enough berbatov would be an excellent signing, but anything around the region of 25 mil would be a ridiculous price.
  its been said he loved newcastle, he loved shearer, but it doesnt mean he wont throw a wobbler if he isnt happy.
  maybe sam can deal with players like that, but he shouldnt have to. the amount of money theyre paid, players should do as they’re told.
  and as for selling owen for him, thats ridiculous. owen and a decent sum of money for berbatov, to a spurs team that are horrible atm anyway, is terrible.

• 41 JJ // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:13 PM

  I agree with Indian, Shola is not a championship player…he’s a conference player. And although Dmitar would be a great buy, I thik someone like Dean Ashton would be better value if Sam could gt him injury free.
  He remins me so much of Shearer, strong in the air, good with both feet, great powerful shooting. Strong on the ball, and starting to bald.

• 42 Tom_Toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:15 PM

  Viduka and Oba championship strikers?!? Do you seriously know anything about football?

  Personal i cant stand Owens guts, aye hes a good player but id rather have someone stronger, quicker an dworks harder for the team but not as good a finisher than owen, all this predujice from him cos hes english i couldnt give a shit but i am atoon and portugal fan

• 43 Tom_Toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:19 PM

  @ Jerry i like that team very much

• 44 Soren // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:21 PM

  I like the idea of buying a cardboard cutout of Babayaro

• 45 leo // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:25 PM

  sell SHOLA and get BERBATOV

  why would we sell OWEN and get BERBATOV that wouldnt work

  strikers

  owen
  martins
  berbatov
  viduka
  smith

  carroll and baheng for the future

  would look good. and maybe get gudjohnsen to replace viduka also because he can play midfield so creates options

  midfield

  duff
  nzogbia

  emre
  barton
  butt
  geremi

  milner
  ??????

  jose
  krol???

  faye
  cacapa
  rozehnal
  taylor

  beye
  ????

  keepers we dont need to even think much about that, they is such competition in both youth and current

• 46 ToonKing // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:27 PM

  Tom_Tom, i’m not English either (and just for the record i’m a Portugal fan too), who cares if he’s english or not anyways u just pulled that out of your arse. I never said Viduka and Oba are Championship strikers, i said they are one compared to an Owen and Berbatov partnership.

  It is you who acts like he knows nothing about football mate, name 1 single striker who is as good as Owen……the only one i can think off is Van Nistelrooy.

  U may not like him but you can’t deny he’s pedigree.

• 47 leo // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:29 PM

  i wud have his granny over baba the balls behind you yaro

• 48 leo // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:29 PM

  wheres my earlier post gone???

• 49 Tom_Toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:38 PM

  They still arent championship strikersd compared to Berbatov and Owen for one it depends what you consider a good striker if your on about goals to games ratio there are quite alot of good strikers that are 1 goal every 2 games like owen there are also hundreds stronger and quicker.

• 50 Tom_Toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:39 PM

  Also it depends if your on about any time or this season on how good the strikers are.

• 51 Bill f // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:41 PM

  I’ve said it and said and said it, imo we are light on strikers for many of the above reasons. The correct Berbatov would be an assett but not his evil twin from the dark side.

• 52 Mighty Mouse // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:46 PM

  well worth the fee.

  Oba and Berb would be the best partnership in the premiership bar none. No not even Wazza and Tevez could compete.

• 53 valle // Oct 24, 2007 at 2:59 PM

  Oba comes nowhere near Owen… try watch a game and count the number of times his miscontrol looses our possesion. He can be very frustrating and is nowhere near the finished article.

• 54 Tom_Toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:04 PM

  The premiership is about pace and strength – two things oba has and owen doesnt

  good finishing simple isnt paramount anymore, nor good enough if you dont have strength and pace to go with it.

• 55 ChrisL // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:13 PM

  Oba & Owen are very different strikers but we are lucky to have both. Both are very good.

  Yes Oba might not have the same level of control, but to say he’s nowhere near Owen would be a mistake. You are only comparing one aspect of being a successful striker.

  Oba is able to offer many things that Owen can’t, speed & the ability to play ‘without needing the right partner’ for starters. But that does not make him the better striker either.

  It’s basically horses for courses. As a fan of Newcastle, in some circumstances you’d want Owen on the ball & in other situations you’d want Oba.

  Just be happy we have both & stop having a go at each other on this web site. Everyone is entitled to their opinions without receiving a ton of abuse. All this garbage about “you know nothing about football”, it’s all childish cr*p & at the end of the day…. I’ve got the biggest d*ck anyway.

  

• 56 valle // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:23 PM

  tom_toon… Lets see… Pace and strenght u say, how bout we bought Vassell then, along with Heskey and Spurs big buy this season Bent?… I dont think we will ever agree tho, so me ght as well give it a rest.

  ChrisL… It isnt the only aspect of which i think that Owen is best, but its the one thing about Oba that frustrates me the most, so i chose to higlight that aspect. I do agree however, that we have both and should just be happy about that as Oba is still very young, but i dont agree that u have the biggest d*ck… i have

• 57 ChrisL // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:27 PM

  Valle,

  You obviously know nothing about how to use a ruler.

  

• 58 ToonKing // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:29 PM

  Finishing isn’t important????? then what is ???? you can run all you want and out-muscle any defender, what’s the point if you can’t put the ball away??

  Of all the strikers playing in Europe this season there are only 7 players who have a better goalscoring record in their league then Owen.
  Those players are : Ronaldo, Trezeguet, Van Nistelrooy, Vieri, Luca Toni, Shevchenko and Henry.
  If Owen hasn’t been injured for almost 2 years he would probably be the most prolific striker in the world still playing!!!!!!!!!
  So think of that next time you bash him.

• 59 ToonKing // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:33 PM

  oh and i almost forgot ……………….i’ve got the biggest cock by far……….

• 60 valle // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:38 PM

  U use a ruler?… Personally i need to count in yards

• 61 ToonKing // Oct 24, 2007 at 3:50 PM

  I just put it on the scale………………………..

• 62 hadrian // Oct 24, 2007 at 4:05 PM

  owen and ameobi out , berbatov and some young french whizzkids in ?
  yes please !!

  wonder if oba would let him have the number 9 , its obviously an ambition to wear big al’s old number and shirt .

  berbatovs already warmed the hearts of geordies with his mums recent statements , the lad would be welcomed with open arms in the toon !

• 63 Tom_Toon // Oct 24, 2007 at 4:37 PM

  There is way more than 7 and when did i saw finishing wasnt important i said good finishing isnt just enough, if you have pace, strength and average finishing (oba) rather than no pace, no strength and good finishing (owen) you’d be better suited to the premiership if you had pace, strength and average finishing.

• 64 Bill f // Oct 24, 2007 at 4:40 PM

  Toonking whats chickens got to do with it. Any way as some one who is average I know how to use mine. Its not size etc.

• 65 ToonKing // Oct 24, 2007 at 5:13 PM

  Tom_Tom, no there are exactly 7:

  http://soccer-europe.com/Data/Rankings/TopStrikers.html

  Look at the first column, which is the league record.

• 66 Arty // Oct 24, 2007 at 6:33 PM

  How about Owen goes to Man City, we get Elano + say £5m then just buy Berbatov. At leaset we KNOW he would like to play for NUFC re his past love of the club.
  Just a thought…………

• 67 toonoholic // Oct 24, 2007 at 7:14 PM

  taxi for shola … taxi for shola….

• 68 Bill f // Oct 24, 2007 at 7:27 PM

  Incidently re the C*ck jokes ( I’m assuming they are) anyone noticed where Keanes arm seems to be going.

  Is he asking Berby if it was him who nicked his salami?

• 69 Dirk // Oct 24, 2007 at 8:18 PM

  dont think we need him we have four gr8 strikers but im sure berbatov would fit n any side including ours. thered b gr8 contention for places sell ameobi and we have the best strike force in the prem wivout doubt cos they are all performing brilliantly

• 70 JoshI // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:19 PM

  Is there any1 out there with Berbatovs talent?

• 71 John // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:39 PM

  Bollocks to Berbatov, the stroppy shite. Lets not forget the likes of Dyer, Robert, “young JJ”, Bowyer, and all the other attitude merchants

  BUT … if BSA does go in for him, and gets him, then that was the right decision…and we’ll support it.

  In SAM we trust … right guys !!! He’s a man with a plan, and the self belief and confidence to be successful.

  I’m loving the ups and downs so far, because I can see solid progress, our defence is the best it’s been for years, and looking better each game.

  The forwards are more than capable of punishing anyone.

  Who wanted creative midfielders? We have Joey and Emre….what do you want?

  Hawaay the Lads !!

• 72 John // Oct 24, 2007 at 11:54 PM

  Ok I have some previous on this one, having lived in Germany for several years as a Newcastle fan I wished we had signed him, before Spurs, before most English team seemed to become aware of his talent, but too late now! Personally I would sell Owen for him as he is the perfect partner for Martins, and an extraordinary player in his own right. Would love him to come, but I fear one way or another NUFC will miss out. Also I always wanted Miroslav Klose here too but that won’t happen either, and Timo Hildebrand if Shay or Harper ever left. If there is one thing I know as well as Premier League in recent years it is the Bundeslega – pity we only ahd one full time scout at the time – I would have done it for free. Also knew that Hleb was decent but could not finish and ws selfish with the ball, goood player but for me one of Arsenes few mistakes….

• 73 TOONNUTTER // Oct 25, 2007 at 11:58 AM

  UNTIL WE GET INTO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE , WE WILL NOT ATTRACTED THE PLAYERS WE NOW NEED TO GET US STAYING WERE WE SHOULD BE IN THE TOP HALF OF THE TABLE,

  SO GIVE SAM TIME AND LETS SEE WHAT HAPPENS

• 74 Matt // Oct 26, 2007 at 1:03 AM

  I am as much a die hard fan as you lot, but some of you are jumping the gun a bit i think. Particularly toonnutter. champions league should be the goal for next season. not this season. berbatov would be ace & a natural replacement for viduka cause hes getting old and will only have about 2 seasons in him tops.

  as for Owen, I think he’s a great finisher and an excellent player, however he only really fits into the 442 system and despite what he says i dont think his heart is in it for newcastle (whereas berbatov would be). martins on the other hand fits into a 433 or 442.

  I think Barton will be a top notch box to box player & should be partnered by emre in the middle of the park. Wouldnt hurt to see another creative player in the mix in the central midfield positions (riquelme? deco?) also cover for fullback is paramount. the bull & beye seem ok (not 100% on beye personally) but theres no cover. as previously stated grandmothers & cardboard cut outs are better than carr and babayaro. the replacements dont need to be guns, just youngsters with lots of promise ie. clichy @ arsenal while cole was still there.