Local Hero

Right, first things first:



Probably going to play our 4-3-3, although may experiment with a 4-4-2 away from home.

Transfer budget is 20m after the Cabaye sale. Unsure who I'm going to buy at this stage.

Is that the default skin?

Moved quick to spend the Cabaye money.

Hopeful of a top 7 finish in the league.

Grenier can be an absolute fucking beast if you get your tactics right.

It is.

With the better than default panels.

...

Went for a 4-4-1-1 in the end for my first game, wasn't working so moved to a 4-3-3 with De Jong as a targetman upfront, which worked as he got 2 assists as Ben Arfa bagged his first Newcastle hattrick!

Good start.

Good luck with this Poe, do enjoy Newcastle careers as they're rare.

Good start Poe, look to see how far you can take newcastle!

Was losing 1-0 and being completely outplayed using the 4-3-3 that Newcastle play in real life until I moved to a more direct 4-4-2 with a Cisse-Remy partnership upfront, and Sissoko Marveaux as wide midfielders which seemed to do the trick here.

Anita done a great job in the middle too with Grenier.

Eased to victory over a substandard Southampton. Going to use the 4-3-3 at home and the 4-4-2 away from home, got Man Utd next so the first proper test.

3 of the goals were from set-pieces though which is worrying, 2 glorious freekicks from Grenier and a pen from Remy. His first was excellent, though.

Not a bad first month for Grenier! 3 in 3 and a player of the month award.

Mental game, 4 clear cut chances each but we managed to score 2 and Krul played a blinder.

Went 4-4-2 here and Remy got injured on international duty with France so it was Cisse and De Jong upfront. Cisse missed 2 easy chances before De Jong scored both of his for a great win at Old Trafford. Went with the guile and work rate of Sissoko and Gouffran on the wings more than the craft and brilliance of Ben Arfa and Tello and told them to mark Man Utd's overlapping full backs and it seemed to work a treat. All Man Utd's play was through the middle which Tiote swept up.

Moyes had won 3 in a row before this as well the stupid ginger arsehole.

Another easy win at SJP where we haven't conceded a goal this season, bad news is Tello is injured for 2-3 months.

Disappointing result really considering where Villa are in the table, didn't really create anything. Grenier couldn't get his rhythm going in centre midfield and it showed with only one clear cut chance created. Fell to Ben Arfa who skied it.

Sissoko is only out for 6 days so that's not a worry.

Another one! What a signing he's been!

Tells the story really - we suffered injuries to 5 players through the course of this match. De Jong, Grenier, Gouffran, Marvauex and Tiote all suffered injuries. Only De Jongs and Greniers were enough to force them off, hope they're not too serious.

Played the last 20 minutes of this one with 10 men due to injuries too.

De Jong out for 3 month, Marvaeux for 2 weeks, Grenier for 5 days and Gouffran for 5 days.

Over to you Cisse....

Now Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is injured too /o\
ffs

Dominated from start to finish and conceded a shit goal due to a Steven Taylor mistake.

Oh and another injury, this one to Ben Arfa.

Back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over a struggling Spurs, back to the top of the table too.

Took a risk here and played a half fit Remy in an attempt to stop the 3 games without a goal and it worked.

Also in shocking developments, another injury to a key player. Debuchy out for 3 weeks.

Remy with another goal and Tiote with a long range screamer.

Still haven't conceded at fortress St James's.

We're also through to the quarter final of the Carling Cup where we'll play QPR.

Another superb performance and we nearly have our full contingent back now, only long term injury victim Luuk De Jong is injured.

Fantastic how quikcly your flying through this! Keep it going, looks like you've got your side set up almost perfectly!

First time we had our first choice 11 out in a while and they really dissapointed.

No real chances of note and they scored with a long range wondergoal.

Annoying to lose our 100% win record at SJP.

Seems we bounce back from losing against substandard opposition by beating the big lads!

My 4-4-2 is working wonders against sides that have more talent than us, beating Man Utd 2-0, Spurs 1-0, containing Liverpool to a 0-0 draw with 10 men and absolutely smashing City 4-0!

The Remy-Cisse partnership was again in good flow.

Aye, my girlfriend is away and I'm off work today so thought I'd have a FM day.



Another clean sheet, win and goal for Loic Remy. Becoming the norm

Chelsea failed to beat Villa too, sending us back to the top of the table - however we have Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Quite a remarkable game

We were 3-1 up just after half time but a Tiote own goal and an error from Krul meant we had to settle for 3-3. Remy missed 3 one-on-one chances with Cech, while Krul saved a penalty.

Probably a fair result in the end. Keeps us top, and doubles the amount of goals we've conceded this year to 6.

We were very lucky that Ridgewell got sent off as we were hopeless beforehand.

"Whilst the girlfriends away...Poe will play" .

Your tactics seem remarkable still! some grande results, fancy sending them across so I could give them a go?

Tyne-Wear derby destruction of Sunderland.

Couldn't help but throw Shola on and hope we got a penalty \o/