Another disappointing result in another disappointing season just about sums this game up for Newcastle fans.

With the talent we have in the side - and now that just about everyone is back fit again - we should be beating teams like Portsmouth – even away from home.

However, none of us really believed we would do much better when the starters returned - because they had not performed well at the start of the season….and quite honestly I would have liked to have seen some youngsters retain their position – albeit on merit.

Since the Liverpool win on February 10^th we have gone seven league games, lost four, drawn two and won one - while scoring 3 goals and conceding 7.

I am not being negative here – these are the facts - and with this form over a season we would end up with 27 points and be relegated - and this with nearly all our injured players back.

This season is about as bad as it was good at the end of last season - when we won six of our last seven games.

Roeder indicated that three or four players went missing in the first half against Portsmouth. He should identify those players and leave them out of the team for the game against Chelsea on April 22^nd. …the last thing we want in the side are slackers.

Some good news - hopefully we will see Michael Owen again in a black and white shirt – sometime during the Chelsea game.

Glenn Roeder will have one more season to turn this club around and with Owen and Martins firing up front we should do a lot better next year - as long as we bring in some good defensive reinforcements in the summer.

We don’t need any more strikers with Ameobi and Owen returning, both probably fitter than they ever been for quite a while.

Indeed, one bright spot for Newcastle yesterday was the form of eighteen year old striker Andrew Carroll – when he was brought on for the second half.

He was a threat in the air and good with his feet so he can joust with Sibierski for the role of target man next season. Indeed it wouldn’t be a surprise if he comes along big time next season – he’s just the type of striker we need at the club.

Hopefully we will see Carroll have a full game before the end of the season. Certainly the youngsters have always performed well this season when they have got their chance – unlike some of our over-rated starters.

Let’s hope Roeder is good to his word and clears out these slackers and recruits players who will give 100% effort for the club – that’s the very least supporters should expect from their team….and that is not happening right now.