Most of us knew that the squad was light on players before the season even kicked off.
Actually that’s probably wrong as our squad is as big as many other squads in the Premier League. What we do miss though is a little bit of quality in reserve so when injuries or suspension hit we are left wanting in certain positions.
Which is why, to this day, it still confuses me when I look back at the January transfer window. Here we had an opportunity to tamper with the squad and add a bit of quality to it, but we failed miserably in that respect and ended the month weaker, both in numbers and quality, than we were when we started the month.
This is not to negate the fact that we received a silly money bid for Andy Carroll which, in reality, was hard to turn down, or the fact that we are currently overseeing a pretty bad injury crisis, made worse by suspension to some key players, but moaning about it is a little hard to take when the vast majority of our fans could see the problem a mile off.
The result of this was a weak bench which highlighted just how low we are on quality within the squad. This is not to downplay some of the youngsters who made the bench, but in reality there should be perhaps one or two of those kids on it, along with some of those that were included in the starting line up yesterday. It gave us a lack of options, and that is Alan Pardew’s main gripe:
“There were not a lot of options on the bench for us, and that is a worry,” Pardew told The Chronicle. “When games are not really flowing and there is nothing happening, you want to try to change it. We had four young boys on the bench.”
“We didn’t have the options we should have for a club our size. That is a little note for next year. We don’t want to get in that situation again. Villa bought on the likes of Reo-Coker, Heskey and Pires and it makes a big difference.”
It was always going to be tough for us and there was always going to be times when our backup players would have to be called upon. We were never going to assemble a Premier League squad – with squad being the operative word – overnight.
Our starting XI is not too bad and doesn’t require major surgery in my view. We need a new striker or two and a right-winger (or left if we move Jonas), maybe a new left-back (if Jose goes) as a priority. We’ll have Hatem Ben Arfa back next season, hopefully, and Dan Gosling so we are effectively boosted by two new signings already.
Aside from that we just need to beef up the squad with a bit more quality in my opinion, so that when injuries hit we aren’t down to the bare bones.
That’s the big test for the summer for me. I don’t care how much money we spend and I’m not fixated on that £35 million, as long as the squad is in better shape for next season.
Fortunately it looks as though next season will be in the Premier League!
I really don’t think we can manage it. The fact we seem to be working on the basis that Carroll’s transfer money is all we will have is a fail.
We cannot sign 6 first team players (which is what we need) for £35m. Ashley is gonna have to spend money not related to player sales to make the squad even as good as it is now.
We have the real chance of Enrique and Barton leaving, which means we may well need 8 players. Can you buy 8 first team players for £50m nevermind £35m?
I don’t think so.
funkyjesus(Quote)
When Best, Shola, Ben Arfa, Ireland, Nolan, Tiote and Gosling all missing who would have been involved it just shows how badly injuries/suspensions have hit us. That’s nearly an entire team there we have out.
I agree toonsy our strongest eleven does not need much changing, just a striker, winger to replace Jonas and a left back if/when Jose leaves.
Harper
Simpson Williamson Colo new left back
Barton Nolan Tiote New winger
Ben Arfa
New striker
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
“I don’t care how much money we spend and I’m not fixated on that £35 million, as long as the squad is in better shape for next season.”
Agreed, Seb Larson, Manuel Fernandes, Taiwo and Trochowski to name just a few are out of contract and would improve the squad, As long as we plug the gaps at i couldnt give a **** what we spend…
CC(Quote)
Just a thought, would anyone not like to see Ferguson be our left back next season? If I was Pardew I would start him, he’s came through the tests against Stoke away and Chelsea away where he showed he can attack – then Wolves at home he showed his defensive abilities.
He’s 20 in June, for some reason I thought he was younger than that.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
I think in the final summer transfer window before the new money rules come in, prices are going to be insane for any decent player.
It’s going to be very hard to get any one for the money nevermind who wants to join a team with no european football.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Guys,off topic but do any of you know how good is Freeman Hospital at Newcastle upon Tyne?Am looking at options to do my residency..
deepak is an indian toon(Quote)
“When games are not really flowing and there is nothing happening, you want to try to change it. We had four young boys on the bench.”
————————-
Then why not play them? Clearly we had nothing going in that game so what was there to lose?
MDS(Quote)
Just a thought, would anyone not like to see Ferguson be our left back next season?
——————–
I like Fergie and would certainly like to see more of him but it is too early in my opinion to rely on him there by himslef. think we will eed a bit more experience at that position if Bull leaves. Leave Fergie as the backup but get him minutes whenever you can
MDS(Quote)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX0l5rpYyGc&feature=youtube_gdata_player phil shithoose on jose
batty(Quote)
Deepak, all the Hopitals in Newcastle are first class and near to the city centre, if your a supporter then its the place to be doing your residency.
bobby(Quote)
FJ – I was under the impression that January was the last window as the recording period starts over the summer?
toonsy(Quote)
Bobby-Thanks mate,have been a supporter for more than 10 years…have heard abt the hospital and it has good reviews,wanted to know from a local perspective though..Its a long process anyway,will take me more than a year..And of course,the close proximity to the club is the main reason why I want to do it somewhere in Newcastle..:)
deepak is an indian toon(Quote)
I thought it was the 12/13 season it all started?
Oh well, if that is the case, then maybe we might have a hope with some sort of realistic prices then. Fingers crossed.
funkyjesus(Quote)
normally we would have expected Gosling and Ireland to be available for selection for the last few games, which would have perhaps filled the midfield gaps left by suspensions and injuries. Of course as we all know the invisible men have failed to appear. That we have no decent striking replacements to chose from is all down to the owners and the ,management team…pathetic, whichever story you believe about Judas… Good job we have the points picked up from early in nthe season to fall back on, because without those points we¨d be in the serious brown stuff…….in fact we¨re still not out of it yet… 😕
Munich Mag(Quote)
CC….Trochowski is off to Spain mate….half the Hamburg team are disappearing elsewhere, including Van Nistelroy…
Munich Mag(Quote)
FJ – “Under the new Financial Fair Play rules clubs will be permitted up to £38.5m in losses in the first monitoring period of 2011-12 and 2012-13”
Munich – Five points to guarantee safety 😉
And that is if West Ham and Wolves win all of their games. Four point to keep away from Wigan 😉
toonsy(Quote)
wor lot are talking as if we are the only ones with money to spend this summer ! It¨s gonna be REAL hard to attract good new players, with no euro footy to offer, and radge owners, thats why imo it makes sense to hold onto the good players which we have. A new striker is an absolute must, together with one or two quicker footballing midfielder/strikers.
I think when we have everyone available we have a real good footballing side, i.e. we can keep the ball within the team, as possesion is imperative. We need an outlet up front, hence the new striker…….flipping Spanish keyboard …doh…
Munich Mag(Quote)
toonsy…I know we´re pretty much safe mate, but it gets on me nerves sometimes how wor lot perform, I mean there are thousands of people travelling to see the toon, paying there hard earned cash, and they deserve better than was put out on Saturday… 👿 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich – I agree. I’ve done it meself remember. I’d rather have been at Villa Park yesterday than places like West Brom and Stoke as I have been. Granted we lost yesterday, but at least we didn’t see our team get pumped 😉
toonsy(Quote)
The problem we have is that the squad needs quite a lot of work doing now, what is it going to need if the likes of Barton, Enrique and maybe Tiote leave?
It’s no good having a **** load of money to spend if you cannot get better than what you sold.
Stuart79(Quote)
Barton leaving would be the ultimate **** take for me like. He is going through his first good spell he arrived here and would **** of at first chance if he did leave despite how the club and fans have stuck with him with when many turned their back.
Still, it doesn’t surprise me.
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy
Posted April 11, 2011 at 3:12 PM
Or he could just be totally pissed off with the club and their ambitions? If he left I’d be worried, as it’ll mean that he knows something is wrong.
He’s made the commitment to take a salary cut, that must be applauded so if he did leave, something would be seriously wrong.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart79
Posted April 11, 2011 at 3:26 PM
“Or he could just be totally pissed off with the club”
Still think it’s a bit rich considering what he has put the club through. Anyway, hopefully this is just a theoretical conversation and will never come to light 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Same as Jose sy , 1st sign of interest from ANY club and he’s off,
shitty little foker
Hello(Quote)
Don’t mince your words like 😆
toonsy(Quote)
hello- don’t know what your’e on about, first class foker you are 😆 😆
Jobey07(Quote)
Speaking of Mince 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Is jonas left or right footed?
pearceet(Quote)
less of that toonsy 👿 😆
Jobey07(Quote)
A Liverpool fan on Jose Enrique:
“If he is good enough, why is he scoring negative points every week in my fantasy team? I’m sure the scorin are based on stats.”
🙄 🙄 🙄 😆 😆 😆
toonsy(Quote)
they don’t deserve players if they think like that 🙄
Jobey07(Quote)
Pearce – He is right-footed. He used to play on the right for his old clubs.
toonsy(Quote)
What a tard, The average bindipper summed up in a flash 🙄 😆
If and when we pick up a couple more points and confirm survival is when we will really find out, If Enrique then still refuses to talk then he can **** himsel, Does he really think King Kennys rabble are champions league bound ?? I remember Kennys first half season at SJP when we were runners up and qualified for the CL before he put his own “stamp” on the club and we ended up in a four year lull until wor Bob finally shovelled out the **** wth his genuine managerial class.
BTW Barton is starting to **** me off, I agree with him in that i would like to see the club trying to improve the squad but he is the last one to start making demands after his first 3 seasons here and the ammount of ***** hes brought to the clubs door…
CC(Quote)
CC – 100% agree.
toonsy(Quote)
This summer is the best opportunity we have had to improve for years.Its up to Ashley and co to grab it.Miss the chance this time does’nt bear thinking about.No last day **** ups.Team all sorted for pre season.Just hope Pardew is up to it!!
How much interest does £35 mil accrue in six months?
nutmag(Quote)
About £2 million, roughly.
toonsy(Quote)
Oh goody we will have £37 mil to wrestle from Ashleys grasp 😆
nutmag(Quote)
Plus the money from the sale of Tiote, Nolan, Barton, Colo, Jonas, Gosling, Ben Arfa and the metal railings around the ground 😆
toonsy(Quote)
cant beat blind optimism Toonsy
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Wey if you can’t beat em, join em
toonsy(Quote)