It might not be of course, but there have been several clues as to the identity of the mystery striker left by journalist (a pretty reliable one at that), Mark Douglas on the micro-blogging network, Twitter, and Erdinç (or Erding or whatever) seems to be the one that fits the bill, especially when it’s gets said that “events over the weekend may have helped”. Would they be events such as a club signing a rival striker in the form of one Kevin Gameiro?
Quite possibly.
But who is Mevlüt Erdinç anyway? What’s his history like? What type of player is he? I’ve done some leg work and I hope to come up with some answers to those questions throughout this article.
Erdinç has dual-nationality and was eligible to represent both Turkey, through family, and France, through birth. He chose to represent the country of his family and has made ten international caps since 2008 scoring just the one goal in the process.
However at club level he is much more prolific. For his first club, Sochaux, he managed to bag what works out to be a goal every three games (25 goals in 84 appearances) during his time there. Not bad considering a lot of his appearances came from the bench for a team of perennial strugglers, and that he never really forced his way into the first team until the 2007/2008 season.
His performances earned him a €9 million move to PSG in the summer of 2009 which brought about an upturn in his goalscoring form. He’d scored 11 goals in each of the two seasons previously, but in his first season with PSG he managed 19 goals in 36 appearances. That is a much better return of a goal every (just under) two games which saw him win the PSG Player of the Season award for that season.
Last season wasn’t so prolific for him however as he only managed to plunder the nine goals in 36 appearances. The key thing to point out though is that his last season goes against the grain and generally he has always scored more than that.
So what type of player is he? Well he is the type of player I’d be happy with if he had a decent hold-up player working with him up front. I don’t think he is cut out for the rough and tumble of the Premier League so he would need someone to help him out. I’d class him as a second striker as opposed to a main striker. Think Craig Bellamy.
He has a bit of pace, a few tricks, and can finish fairly well, all for a price said to be in the region of €8 million. He wouldn’t be a bad player for us, if he was paired with the right striker up front.
Now we’ve just got to wait and see whether or not it’s him that is being talked about!
MDS-Would be a brilliant window if we got them and kept our current lot, with the exception of some of our fringe players. If we lost first teamers then its hard though. If Enrique went I think we’d struggle a bit at left back but its not a massive problem, and if we kept Nolan and Barton I’d be a happy man.
Newkie(Quote)
agreed moreno, i for one am neither an optimist or pessimist, more of a realist. some people seem to think NUFC should be going after the cream of the crop in terms of players, others think that NUFC will sell all players and be back in the champo. it is our 2nd season of being back in the prem, i think we can push on for the top 8 and if we break it then happy days!! we have hardly got a team of world beaters to make me think we should do better, but we have a good group that can stick together and on any given day, match any team in the league!
rambo87(Quote)
MDS- I think that would be a pretty good window, barring the loss of Enrique, Nolan and/or Barton. If any of them go, it would be nice to see a direct replacement, in addition to the list you’ve got there.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
Sort of agree Newkie. i guess Pardew is saying Ba plus possibly 2 next week, plus another two and he’d be happy. i guess that COULD mean:
Cabaye, Ba, Taylor, Erding, N’zog and ________.
I certainly would happy with that, assuming we can keep Barton and Nolan for at least the coming season. I leave Enrique out of it because even if he leaves I would think the club would use at least most of the money to sign a starting caliber LB.
MDS(Quote)
MDS – I would be happy with that to be honest, depending on outgoings of course.
Should Jose go then I would want a big signing as his replacement, I would love Baines but realistically it isnt going to happen. I am struggling to think of a LB in the league that I would want in replacement. What about a cheeky bid to steal O’Shea away from the mackems?
I think we all agree that effectively Gosling and HBA will like 2 new names too so I think we can cope with a few departures. I also agree with whoever said Vuckic should be on the bench each game.
Moreno – good job BBSN9 didnt take you on over Toonsy yesterday 😆
raffo(Quote)
cwarr07 Colin
Banker of Royal Ascot running in 1st race at 2.30 Goldikova at 6/4 #RoyalAscot
This alone tells you everything you need to know about cwarr.
#joker
Toon Chicken(Quote)
Sky reporting we’re after Craig Gardener. Thoughts?
Toon Chicken(Quote)
raffo
i don’t mind people having a pop at me and my views if they don’t agree with them, will give as much back as I get… 😀
Can’t abide by the slagging off of others unprovoked though, if people don’t like or agree with views then fine, explain why though instead of labelling people ‘mongs’ 😐
Moreno(Quote)
TC,
I sent him a message straight away comparing him horse tipping skills with his transfer skills – useless 😆
Moreno(Quote)
MDS-“I leave Enrique out of it because even if he leaves I would think the club would use at least most of the money to sign a starting caliber LB”
You’d think so, but if Jose decides he wants out on the last day… Still, I don’t think it would be too bad blooding in Fergie and Taylor, its the only way they’ll get any better.
Newkie(Quote)
Moreno 😉 😆
Toon Chicken(Quote)
MDS, agree completely and you’ll see how much I agree when my article goes up 😉
dan4toon(Quote)
Newkie,
Is fergie a left back though? I was always under the impression he was more of a winger?
Moreno(Quote)
load of rubbish about gardener im sorry but hes not good enough for the toon
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Newkie- you are right that the enrique situation could posible come to that, but i hope the club imposes some sort of deadline to avoid that.
Raffo- I think Gosling, Vuckic, Lualua, Kadar and possibly Tavernier are ready for the squad if needed. I leave Fergie off that list because i think he is already there. An ideal situation for me would be having a squad that would allow Vuckic, Tavernier, and Airey to go out on loan, with Smith and xsco moving on.
MDS(Quote)
@Moreno
You are scary! Toonsy is a pussycat! 😆
@arrowhead
That was some outburst yesterday. I don’t take anything personal so I hold no grudges. 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Moreno-Same, he is more suited to left wing or that’s certainly how it appears, but I guess it depends what we want out of him, and obviously if he’s happy playing there. Personally I wouldn’t mind using him as a left back as he still has the ability to push forward and if he and zog were on the left together I think we could get some brilliant attacks going, both of them have the ability and the will to take people on and plenty of pace to burn. Problem is we end up with a kind of assuo-ekotto, great going forward but possibly too weak to defend properly.
Still, if we had a full bill of health I have confidence that Colo and Tiote’s tackling and positional ability will be able to make up for defensive frailties at either right back or left back…however, can they cover for both wings? And if Colo gets injured can we cope at all? That’s a different question 😕
Newkie(Quote)
I would like Kadar to perhaps be involved with Collo as a CB pairing. I think Tavernier needs a loan move, and Fergie is a LW IMHO and will stay.
I am in two minds with Vuckic. I think he either needs to be involved in every squad or he needs a loan. Again it depends on who leaves but Airey has a chance to be involved too, so if McLovin left, maybe Smith and Xisco and kept everyone else there would be a good squad to choose from. I like Guthrie but I think his chances will be reduced further unless Nolan and BArton move on. With Gosling and HBA back it pushes him further down the list.
I have seen alot of ‘teams’ people want to see next season and very often Nolan isnt in them. I think that had HBA certainly and possibly Gosling been fit, we wouldnt have relied so much on BArton and Nolan. I dont know if they are as vital to the team as people think
raffo(Quote)
Blogs been quiet today…
I you take away BSn9’s (Chuck no2s) comments, most of which I fall asleep to…. There’s not much activity today…
JJ(Quote)
Colo getting injured 😯
Dread to think 😥
Moreno(Quote)
Aye….Taylor and Williamson? Bring back Sol! 😆 😆
Newkie(Quote)
@JJ
Now now. . . Bit bitchy there JJ . 😆
The thing is we’ve all been waiting for the wonderful input from you which you do everyday.
Oh sorry, I’m getting mixed up. You don’t put any salient points do you.
Shucks. Never mind, at least you participate and that’s important. 😕
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Fortunately Bobbsy (Chuck), not many people share your opinion (the thing you see as fact), usually because you talk so much bullsh#t….
Usually hypocritical criticisms about people taking comments too seriously… When they return the banter 😀
Someone with your arrogance would ever find anything other than his own opinion interesting.
But ye, participation is fun… That’s all I’m here for…
How’s the coffee… You moved on to double expresso yet?
JJ(Quote)
BSN9 – who would you like in as a replacement for Jose should he go?
Would you consider a Collo – Kadar CB pairing as too risky?
raffo(Quote)
@JJ
You really are a sensitive soul aren’t you.
I best not wind you up too much or I might get a warning for making you cry. 😆 😆 😆
(this post was heavily edited by Bobby Shintons PR team).
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Moreno…I quake in my boots…..
Northern_Jedi(Quote)
@Liam Southern Toon
Gardener not good enough?? He would be an excellent buy imo.
10 goals from midfield playing for a relegated team. Another one Villa let go too soon i reckon. Not sure Ashley would part with 5m for him tho. Altho at 24, he has got sell on value.
KillyMag(Quote)
It drives me mad that some fans think that we have this right to sign top class payers.
Some fools were on here the other day slating the possible signing of Shane Long; the same player who Bayern Munich are looking at signing.
We are an average team, with average players who finished 12th in a very average league. Outside the top 4 or 5 teams the rest are garbage.
This somes from the most loyal, blinkered and biased newcastle fan there is. We need a reality check. I nearly sh@t myself with laughter yesterady when people started mentioning Gomez and Adebayor 🙂
Northern_Jedi(Quote)
Not sensitive at all Bobs
Why is it when you make slight jibes its a joke…
Yet when someone plays along you see them as taking things too seriously, or hurt by what you say?
My apologies I didn’t realise the joking could only come from your side… You sensitive soul you!
JJ(Quote)
NJ- who exactly are “top class” players then?
Agreed we’re not going to attract the likes of Gomes, but are Tiote, Ben Arfa, and Cabaye merely average then?
MDS(Quote)
@JJ
You are biting. 😀
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@northern Jedi
I agree. Jump on board my reality train.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobs,
I’m quite happy to bite… I enjoy a good debate… Sledging match.
Quitely simply because, quite like you… I could give a f#@ what anyone thinks about me, apart from those that I love…
And I don’t love anyone here…
JJ(Quote)
Erdinc – 6m
Ba – Free
Sturidge – Season loan
Would transform our attack.
I Love Mike(Quote)
Erdinc is a good player. His goal ratio really belies his coolness in front of goal. He is a bit like Nasri in the sense that he never seems to panic. Nothing like Nasri in any other way though.
He will add much needed pace to our attack if we do indeed get our hands on him.
If we sign Erdinc and Ba we will have signed two good strikers. Neither are fantastic, but it’s all about the quality of the service at the end of the day.
~ El Toro ~(Quote)
Not really bothered about this guy… Nor Ba that much either if I’m honest like!…
Jamie Vincente(Quote)