I'm trying to be positive about Milner. He's a good lad with a great attitude, but he lacks pace. So  I say to myself that Beckham also lacked pace, as did Nobby, but was so good at crossing and seeing things quickly they overcame it and became quality players, so I hope that Milner can also do it.

In truth though, I don't think he will be but I hope that I am wrong.

I really do resent paying £35 to watch Alan Smith play football.

Because we could afford to and we need him for days like today.  Not a big deal. 

A useful player but only a squad player for me.Can't fault his attitude though.

Sibierski could have done the same job yesterday at 6 mill less.An exuberant signing imo.

Striker hoping he can emulate Shearer

Oct 9 2007 by Paul Gilder, The Journal

ALAN Smith last night identified Alan Shearer as his striking inspiration and admitted that following in the Newcastle legend’s fabled footsteps was a dream come true.

The England international played in United’s attack for the first time during Sunday’s 3-2 win against Everton and, although a player more at home in midfield these days was unable to open his account in a Magpies shirt, it was a role he relished.

Smith partnered Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen in a stirring encounter as Sam Allardyce’s team engineered a result that lifted them back into the Premier League table’s top half. And although both players can be considered to rank among top-flight football’s finest talents, it was the chance to emulate a striker no longer terrorising defences that held the greatest appeal.

“I loved playing up front against Everton,” said Smith, who, having started his career as an out-and-out attacker at Leeds, has been deployed in a withdrawn position at St James’s Park – a role to which he became accustomed during his career at Manchester United. “While I was playing, I kept thinking about Alan Shearer and the fact that he was such a great player in that position for Newcastle and England. I was thinking about him throughout the game, he was driving me on.”

Shearer retired following the 2005-06 season having smashed Jackie Milburn’s long-standing scoring record with his 206 goals in Newcastle colours. Almost 18 months on, the former England captain’s legend endures at St James’s Park. Given that his long-term future appears to lie in the Magpies midfield, Smith cannot be expected to emulate Shearer’s exploits at St James’s Park but a combative player feels he has much to offer in a team that can no longer be considered a pushover.

Smith’s tough tackling has seen him collect five bookings in 10 appearances following his £6m move from Old Trafford, but a player who has attempted to set the tone with his industrious efforts is confident his approach is the correct one.

“We’ve got players at Newcastle who are prepared to fight for everything,” he said. “I had a bash to the head, a scraped hand and I picked up another booking so I will miss the game against Spurs (on October 22), but everyone will run through a brick wall for this side and that makes me believe we’ll be fine this season.”

Although he conceded that Smith has been ‘reckless’ at times this season, Allardyce insisted that the 26-year-old had not deserved his latest booking and should not be suspended for his side’s next game.

“You wonder sometimes whether some people’s reputations get them booked rather than fouls that they might or might not commit,” said the Newcastle boss, who questioned Martin Atkinson’s decision to caution Smith for an innocuous challenge on Joleon Lescott. “He will miss the Tottenham game through suspension, that’s a disappointment.”

Meanwhile, Owen is content to keep playing through the pain barrier for Newcastle and England, having made a remarkable return to action at the weekend. The 27-year-old scored against Everton just eight days after undergoing a stomach operation, and will join up with the Three Lions squad this morning.

Owen is expected to spearhead the England attack in the forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia and, although Allardyce has understandable concerns about the player’s participation, United’s £16m striker has no fears.

“Everyone knows you can come back from surgery and play,” he said. “It’s just about managing the discomfort. It doesn’t stop you from playing. The surgeon said as long as you can manage the pain, you can do what you want because it’s not going to get any worse.

“The surgeon tells me nothing can go wrong in terms of the operation and it is much stronger than when I went in. I’ll listen to the surgeon and no one else. She has performed thousands of operations before. I don’t see any risk in me playing. It’s not like I’m pushing myself to get back and play for England.”

Alan Shearer was such a great player for Newcastle and England. He was driving me on

Smith was very good on Sunday, he linked the midfield so well with with the attack, better than i've seen from anyone do for us in a long time. Very clever play, held the ball up well, picked his passes well, brought people into play superbly and very mobile puts himself about alot, brave as you like in the challenge and basically tries his heart out. One critisim is, he needs to shoot himself more, he opted to pass a few times when he probably should have had a go himself. Shame he's suspended against Spurs.