Whilst the hunt for a striker continues in earnest, Newcastle have been handed a boost in that department with the news that Leon Best and Nile Ranger should be fit to feature at Blackburn.
Both players picked up ‘knocks’ in the stunning 4-4 draw with Arsenal, although Nile Ranger’s ‘knock’ looked rather conspicuous by it’s absence. Still, they were both withdrawn from international duty for the midweek matches of their respective countries, and they are both due to start training again on Thursday.
There is also some positive news regarding Shola Ameobi, although nothing is yet confirmed. Preliminary reports suggest that Shola could be out of action for less than anticipated and could return to action againt Everton at the start of March.
It’s still to early to tell, but the early return of Shola could well deter the club from signing up a free agent as a short term fix. A decision on that is expected to be made today according to the local press.
It’s not an ideal situation that we find ourselves in and it could be argued (strongly) that we needed another striker even before Andy Carroll departed for Liverpool. The fact that we never/didn’t have time time to replace him is a pain in the backside, but we have four strikers who will now have to step up to the mark.
They collectively have a chance to shine and they need to take it, with both hands. Nile Ranger has already proved to be a handful in some games, but he needs to get a goal soon to keep his confidence high and show that he can score the goals a Premier League striker needs to.
Leon Best is another who has performed above expectations so far, and he has managed to find the back of the net four times (five if you count his wrongly disallowed goal against Arsenal). He is a willing worker for the team, but I still have doubts over his ability to read the game. He has pace and strength, and he can knock the ball around a bit, but he still needs to work on his game.
Shola Ameobi, well what can I say? On his day he is unplayable. He is big, strong, suprisingly fast when you see him cover the pitch, has a good touch, can head the ball and has good feet. Unfortunately he is just as likely to forget how to play football and look completely out of his depth. Still, he can be a valuable asset. He has to be.
Peter Lovenkrands needs games. I’ve said that all along and I’ll maintain that. Look at last season as an example. Loverman took a few games to get into his stride, and then he started banging them in left, right and centre. The problem with that is that whilst he is getting into his stride he doesn’t offer much else to the team, and this season we can’t afford any passengers. It’s a Catch 22 situation.
In those four we must trust. As I said, it’s not ideal, but it’s all we have and they will have to do the business. Whether or not they get added to on a short-term basis remains to be seen, but these four are likely to be our main men until the end of the season.
Now we must get behind them!
About toonsy
A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.
come on best knock 10 too 15 goals in and we will get 40 mill for ya in summer 😀
batty(Quote)
batty 😀
score the goals lads and we’ll all be happy.
For the most part though……….they’re all still ****
I Love Mike(Quote)
if best scores 10/15 goals BATTY will win his bet imo,that more to the point 😀
icedog(Quote)
I don’t know about the abilities of the strikers available on the market, but I’d sign the Brazilian just because he has shown class. While he is on Tyneside, he might teach a trick or two to Best & Ranger-so that would not hurt at all.
BeeGuy(Quote)
Batty is a c@nt 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
I would sign the Brazilian, based on the fact he’s a Brazilian and they are all propa mint. Even the sh*t ones.
Moreno(Quote)
Moreno, what about Fumaca?
bobby(Quote)
How much would Fumaca cost? If he’s free or cheap I reckon we’ll have looked anyway 😆
toonsy(Quote)
I would agree with the comments about Brazilians. One of my good mates is a Brazilian. The bloke is 51 years old and fat, but can still perform “elastico” and shoot a belter from 20 or 25 yards into the top corner. And he was a goalkeeper 😆
OHurley(Quote)
OHurley who did you borrow that mate off 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Davey-
No one m8, it’s the god’s honest truth! I seen him with my own eyes!! Fookin canny like!!
OHurley(Quote)
Ha, glad to see someone’s on here now. For christ’s sake, it’s like 9:15 here and I’m bored as fook at work lol! What are you up to? Still shootin’ the big guns in her majesty’s royal irish brigade? 😀
OHurley(Quote)
Oh… I misread your post. F!ck you lol!!
OHurley(Quote)
Fookin mick 😉
OHurley(Quote)
Dave 😆
OHurley…ya got there in the end 😆
richietoon(Quote)
dave the big greasy paddy
batty(Quote)
Richie-
Yeah m8, mind works slow until I get my coffee in me 😉
Batty-
HAHA! Big greasy paddy lmfao
OHurley(Quote)
well lads if you have got the bottle which is the best blog this or org ,and dont forget worky will read it .i say this 😉 because the other blog has a sacastic chief 😉
batty(Quote)
oh and i know ohurley wont answer ,as them yanks have no bottle ❓
batty(Quote)
rich will run off 😉
batty(Quote)
the dog and dave will bottle it 😥
batty(Quote)
hitman jj stardy and tc will all say this 1 😉
batty(Quote)
haha ohurley knew you would bottle it 😆
batty(Quote)
rich hiding under his bed 😆
batty(Quote)
🙄 w@nkers 😆
batty(Quote)
:Lol:
toonsy(Quote)
THIS ONE 😀
richietoon(Quote)
………mind that gooners one was streets ahead 😉 😆
richietoon(Quote)
BATTY you oot fishing the day 😀
icedog(Quote)
told ya dog would bottle it 😆
batty(Quote)
ohurley has realy let the yanks doon ,over too you mds 😉
batty(Quote)
I got caught stealing full stops.
My lawyer says I’m looking at a lengthy sentence. 😀
richietoon(Quote)
batty,…you’ll have to wait for Jersey, he’s got the bottle, Big Dave’s **** scared of him 😆
richietoon(Quote)
🙄 🙂
batty(Quote)
fookin hell dog has been through 2 world wars and hasent got the bottle too answer a simple question 🙂 only me and rich with bottle then 😆
batty(Quote)
where the bottlers gone where the bottlers gone ❓
batty(Quote)
Got more bottle than a brewery Batty, never you fear 🙂
You haven’t seen my name on org. for awhile have you so that should answer you question.
No offense to .org because they do great work- but I’m too simple minded to handle more than 1 at a time 🙂
MDS(Quote)
…and the Boer War 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Batty the only thing i ever bottled was homebrew .
As for your question this blog is the best, because the owner dosn’t try to insult you or treat people like naughty school kids. Plus most of the bloggers are top notch. 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
and the battle of the boyne 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
I reckon Ed’s .com blog is at the forefront of blogging worldwide, it’s not only the best nufc blog, but the best blog for any subject every created and the bloggers on there must all sit an IQ test before they join they are that insightful.
The rich 45 articles per hour really do it for me, you can get a proper conversation going for around 30 seconds before the next thread about that danish (somewhere in scandanavia anyway) lad who has always been an nufc fan and will be joining us tomorrow.
Moreno(Quote)
moreno 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Dave…..see Moreno’s comment, look and learn, that’s how you do sarcasm 😉 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Its sad that Eds has ended up that way, I started reading his way back in the soccerlens days and it used to be top notch.
I mean like any self respecting nufcblog would give time of day to that farcical Shefki Kuqi story… 😯 😯
CC(Quote)
richie i think moreno has a degree in sarcasim
Moreno it wouldn’t be skelbred ?
Big Dave(Quote)
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6742998,00.html
CC(Quote)
Yanks won’t answer…man, if ever there was a definition of fishing…
I second MDS’s remarks…only place I post and read now.
Sh#t no bottle…my 3rd leg is a bottle…at least according to my wife.
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Ok, that last bit was a bit over the top…
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Norcal is that one of them minitures 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Dang it…I was hoping no one would ask for details, Big Dave…
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
😯 😯 😯 😆
batty(Quote)
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_6743058,00.html?
batty(Quote)
🙄 🙄 🙄 and now i know who all the **** lickers are 😆 😆 😆
batty(Quote)
If it was any other club you would think it was a **** take… 🙄 🙄 😆
CC(Quote)
Lads, The Fighter, quality film, just seen it, go and see it.
Anyway, if Kuqi signs it’s another body I guess, thing is he might not even play this season if all our strikers stay fit! Beggars and choosers n all that….
I’m not expecting Ronaldo, the lads a donkey but hey, he’s coming here for the right reasons so he should get our support.
I Love Mike(Quote)
My god. The Daily Mail got something right 😯
toonsy(Quote)
Batty are you thinking of opening a bottle recycling plant you greasy jock 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Shefki Kuqi? Absolutly hilarious.
Apparently Ewerthon knocked back our first offer. Know you’re in trouble when you can’t offer the unemployed a wage like.
Oh well, the 34 year old it is. Carroll out, Kuqi in, incredible.
Ross(Quote)