Craig Gardner and Tranquillo Barnetta?

toonsy

Newcastle Alp-ing themselves to this Swiss international?
It emerged yesterday that we are rivalling Sunderland for the signature of Birmingham City midfielder Craig Gardner, well according to Sky Sports News anyway.

The thing is, I have absolutely no idea why.

Now I know this is more than likely going to be a bit of press rumour mongering, and in fact I wouldn’t put it past our unwashed neighbours to pimp the story themselves just so they can say the beat us to a signature of a player that we were both after. They are a bit like that. But realistically we just don’t need another central midfielder!

Granted Gardner has his best season last season, in a team that ended up relegated I’ll add, but that doesn’t mean that he’ll be capable of dislodging any of our current midfielders. Is he any better than Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton, Yohan Cabaye or Cheik Tiote? I think not. In fact I’d put him in the backup queue with the likes of Dan Gosling and Danny Guthrie.

You see midfield is a position where we are well stocked at the moment. Circumstances could change of course dependant on the futures of Barton and Nolan, but for now we are pretty much spot on in the middle of the park. In fact I would go as far as to say that we have one of the best central midfields outside the top four!

Alas this Craig Gardner talk will more than likely just be a rumour. It will be someone somewhere “understanding” something and translating it as us being in for Gardner. I wouldn’t be against it, but I would wonder what the point of it would be.

Now it’s a different matter when you talk about our wings. There is most definitely room for improvement in terms of our wide players as we’ve had to put up with a right-winger playing on the left for three seasons now and a central midfielder playing on the right for the last season and a half. That is our real need – not the middle.

Step forward Tranquillo Barnetta who has apparently made it crystal clear to the Bayer Leverkusen top brass that he wants to leave. A fee of about £6 million would be enough to secure the services of the player who scored both goals for Switzerland at Wembley earlier in the month.

Barnetta is usually a right-winger, which to be fair is a position which needs addressing. However, he does have the bonus of being able to cover in a more defensive role in the middle of midfield – handy when you have a yellow card machine like Chiek Tiote currently occupying that role.

So there you go, two bits of gossip for you to dissect and discuss. To me there is just no point in the first option of Craig Gardner, but the Tranquillo Barnetta one is something that interests me, even if it is just speculation at the moment.

What do you think?

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.

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88 thoughts on “Craig Gardner and Tranquillo Barnetta?”

  1. its clear that we need more mid fielders – many more!! we need to go for a 0-10-0 formation. kinda like the charge of the light brigade.

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  3. why gardner when we could have zog and barnetta. Both wide players would bring real depth to the team and split defenses to pieces.

    ZOG TIOTE CABAYE BARNETTA with a good front man and ben arfa playing just of him could be something special.

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  4. The only reason we have been linked to all same players as safcshite is so they could sneak in and pinch players from under our noses ie zog and ba. Brucie trying to be crafty.

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  5. And if Nolan and Barton go, will we not need at least one more midfielder. The squad is paper thin to start with.

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  6. We should bring in as many quality players as we can then we can alternate like other big clubs and it would give us a fighting chance at europe,would not have finished bottom half if it wasnt for tiote/nolan/guiterz all out last game of season. So i think its good but we need to strenthen attack as well.

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  7. Barnetta is definitely a go for me, looked good putting two past England, 6 mil aint bad either for an international winger

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  8. I’ve heard gardner isn’t a target, would like to get barnetta though, looks a good player.

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  9. Barker
    Posted June 15, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    “And if Nolan and Barton go, will we not need at least one more midfielder. The squad is paper thin to start with.”

    I think we might need one, but only if BOTH go to be honest. Even without Barton and Nolan we still have Cabaye, Tiote, Gosling, Guthrie, Vuckic and so on……

    I think if they both go then yes, we’ll need one more, but we’re already overloaded in the middle of the park. The squad may be paper thin, but central midfield certainly isn’t.

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  11. Something leaked to divert attention? An attempt to put pressure on Nolan to sign a contract? Fabrication? Agents trying to ellicit a response? Transfer stories appear for all sorts of reasons.

    Wish we were in for a right back to match Jose on the left.

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  12. Don’t forget the injury situation we will facing at the middle of the season. We won’t get away with injuries!

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  14. I only want n’zogbia, sturridge and ba, then I don’t care as long as we replace Enrique, no kore cm’s

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  15. Think sturridge is well out if our range. In fact at 20 million I bet he is out the range of a lot of clubs who would start him every week. Go for a loan instead 😉

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  16. Its pretty clear that pardew wants a team that is young, quick and athletic. Pace is everything in the premiership and we have lacked it at times. If we can add 2 more wingers, 2 strikers and cover at both full back positions, then we would have a very good squad.

    I hope that no one leaves but if we can add another 4 or 5 players for the kind of money spent on cabaye then we will all be pretty chuffed.

    I am pleased with the type of player we are going for and things are looking up

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  18. Barton and Nolan may be saying they are going knowhere but come the last week of August when they realise they are not getting a game and a side loses its first three games and panics both Barton and Nolan will be on their way. Gardiner I dont think will end up here Barnetta possibly.

    But how our squad is going to look. Will Guthrie hang around? Every possible signing puts him down the pecking order.
    What also happens to the young uns of Richardson, Donaldson, Inman, Ferguson, Ameobi and Lua Lua. Do we loan all of these guys out

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  19. chebs
    Posted June 15, 2011 at 7:54 AM

    “Its pretty clear that pardew wants a team that is young, quick and athletic. Pace is everything in the premiership and we have lacked it at times.”

    Hmm, I might make an article out of that later 😉

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  23. Hasn’t the whole world and his dog taken notice of Barnetta? Might be lots of offers for him.

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  25. @Chebs – young, quick, athletic and cheaper than our current lot
    If we ship out Barton, Nolan and Smith we’ll have one of the lowest turnover/wage ratios in the prem

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  26. @22.. i agree with toonsey 😯 three great names… forget sturridge though as he is way way out of anyones league. he will be first team chelski next year, lay money on it with drgoba and anelka going or one of them gone at least.
    Ba we are waiting on as we all heard it was done deal then fell on its ar5e cos agent did what agents do best.. .try to make lots of money for themselves. Having said that.. nothing is on any site or outlet so maybe not.
    Zogs is THE man we want but i think we will not even bother as our ambition does not reach as high as that alas. So all things considered, i think we might land ba and thats it out of that little list.

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  27. 4411 – which is what we will desperately need next season. The scum have a reported 80% ratio and they need to sell alot of players. I dont think we will go in for Gardner, I think he will go to Villa to be honest but he is a decent player.

    I think Gardner coming would reduce even further Vuckic’s chances and I want him to start getting involved or we face losing him too, and he is reported to be very highly thought of

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  28. I dont know Craig – if the rumours are to be believed Zog fancies a return, but theres no guarantees so dont believe it.

    Ba and Zog would be great and the club moving early is what we need to try and beat the likes of the scum. Sturridge is a dream, but never gona happen. Loan is the only way I think and then maybe just maybe a great season as the main man in front of the masses at Mecca could persuade him but I just cant see it

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  29. TWITTER RUMOUR ALERT

    LewisKing7 Lewis King
    Newcastle set to sign ba, erding,taylor, barnetta and n’zogbia this month. No gervinho, gardner or long

    I would be happy with that to be fair, but it is RUMOUR

    TWITTER RUMOUR ALERT

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  30. Raffo.

    Zogs can fancy a return as much as he likes but it’ll never happen unless we agree a fee with Wigan!

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  32. Raffo – i take of your clear rumour discaimer, but if it was to happen it would be great 🙂

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  33. Exactly Lesh – but he can and may hold the club to ransom like Judas did and Jose looks like he is doing.

    Richie – I dont know if any of the top 6 want him. Im suprised that Lpool are looking like going after Downing instead of him. I do not rate Downing at all

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  34. Barnetta could provide Simpson with more support down the right, stop him getting exposed. Don’t think we need a new right back.

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  35. Raffo….agree about Downing, I’ve never liked him, always thought he was well overrated. Decent enough on his day but generally average for me like.

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  39. hey have you seem AP’s jose comments. its an exact replica of what i said last night. he saysd they have offered him great deal but he wants to wait and see if better club come in form him first. Sell the spic tw@t now. put him on transfer list with a known price. be clear on it and get shot.. bye jose.

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  42. Alan shearer not for cardiff job. Oh well.

    I got a feeling he best suit for blackburn job.

    Since all my FM games,alan shearer started at blackburn. 🙄 😯

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  43. yes… 35 million my ar5e lol lol!! 35 million should have been the very least. cos that was money generated from player sales and would have meant that we would not in fact have still spent a penny of this windows budget. i am not saying we godda spend it but ffs….it should be there for a player like zogs who we know is 12 million, wantsto come to us and wages not problem ffs.. Ba deal going to fal lthrough cos of what – 2 miilon!!! ffs, PAY OUT SOME BSTARD MONEY

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  44. Curry – Thats been my arguement with having JB on the RW. Simpson is overexposed because JB naturally drifts inside. Its why I have wanted to move Jonas over there as he also gives added defensive cover. I think too much has been made of the over productive left side which is a bit of a myth.

    I am very hopeful that the Zog will return, alot more than I ever was of Gervinho coming.

    Toonsy – I thought I had better do that in case my comments are labelled as a dreamers fantasy again!

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  46. Seems we have agreed personal terms with BA at £75k per week. Seems we have a new wage cap 😀

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  50. Hitman – has to be worth a pisstake surely 😆

    For sale – barely used, nearly new etc etc 😀

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  52. Craig – what am I dreaming about?

    Hitman – I wanted us to go for him last year, but I am not sure if he has really set the world alight, but may be a good chance to get him. Would you prefer him or Erdinc?

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  53. raffo…I think Craig’s referring to you “labelled a dreamers fantasy” comment 😉

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  54. Personally think wage cap is a myth. Total wage bill of say £50m or £60m pa more likely

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  56. Premandup – I agree. There may be a wage budget, like there is everywhere, but as long as were within that I don’t think it matters what players are paid. A wage cap is not how Ashley works. Its nor how any business works in fact. A wage budget is entirely different and is completely the norm 🙂

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  58. Toonsy – I was going to say the same thing. Another reason to get a couple of really high earners to spread that wage over 2 -3 younger better players from across the water on lower wages. I know alot has been made of the new regulations but I think there will be a massive fire sale next season at alot of clubs trying to comply with them, or there will be lots of ‘gifts’

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  60. Toonsy – I dont know how easy this would be to do as I know bot all on computers but, you know you have the facebook likes links etc around the site? Is there a way of having a list of all members that are logged in and online? We have to log in to comment so I wondered if that would be possible and then you could see who is actually around to chat with, kinda like the facebook chat thing.

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  61. Speculative bit Hitman – plus he didnt score very many and they may just take a small hit. Who knows. Or maybe we just dont want to spend and will get a couple in from Darlo 😆

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  62. Don’t think we are going to get Ba,

    Seems like a mercenary and will he fit in? Gervinho didn’t (according to the Chronicle)

    We need players who are in awe of the club (Cabaye and N’Zog going by his recent comments) and not players who feel the club should be in awe of them.

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  63. raffo….is that so when you see I’m logged in you won’t bother coming on 😥

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  64. Hitman…..transfer prices fluctuate from season to season.
    Last season Gyan £15m, this season £8m if that 😆

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  66. @JamieDalton82
    Jamie Dalton
    Lille are also interested in PSG striker and Newcastle target Mevlüt Erdinç (French Radio)

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  67. Richie – as your one of a few to actually engage with my comments no I would like to see when you are here!

    Moreno – Couldnt agree more. I like the fact, if true, the club werent sold by Gervinho and what he had to say. The players need to want to be at the club. Nolan and Barton have made the right noises but if they really really did they would sign.

    Ba at £75k a week would also suggest that Enriques new offer wouldnt be too far away from that either surely, if he is to be one of the top paid at the club?

    £75k a week is far too much for someone with so much hype over his knee. Would much rather take the total amount of money budgeted for Ba’s contract and go and get Wickham from Ipswich

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  69. raffo….deaming cos you think we wil lget zogbia. no chance. zero.
    Moreno @62… you mean like barton and nolan?

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  71. craig,

    Nolan and Barton are exactly the type of players we need at the club, especially with the young uns coming through.

    Nolan has been a captain of a Premier League club for a decade and does more behind the scenes than people realise, can’t understand why a compromise can’t be managed. It’s either the player or the club digging their heels in and I imagine it’s the latter….but you just never know.

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  72. i see kuqi knocked back extension as we didnt have enough ambition for hom.

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  73. A West Ham executive has said that he believes Demba Ba will join Everton after walking away from Upton Park.

    Ba turned down a £50k a week contract at the Hammers in order to stay in the Premier League, and despite strong rumours last week saying Ba had agreed terms with Newcastle, the Senegalise striker may well join the Blues after all.

    The executive was quoted in The Guardian as saying, ”He was offered £50,000 a-week wages and a half a million pound signing on fee. But he decided to walk away. We think he may now sign for Everton.”

    Read more: http://www.nsno.co.uk/everton-news/2011/06/west-ham-chief-thinks-ba-could-join-everton/#ixzz1PKuXiFhq

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  74. Nah not dreaming just hopeful but realistic. We will need to be lucky and rely on his affinity with the club. He did after all persuade Cabaye to come.

    With this Matuidi talk, could it be we are looking to play him WITH tiote in a 4-2-3-1 with Cabaye a little further forward?

    Either way it is very interesting to see these links but cant get carried away

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  75. i am still no sure if i am pleased with window or not at minute. i think we are on knife edge in terms of complete disaster or a godo one for the first time ever under ashley. It was clear that judging by the league table last season that its a very tight league now and one or two wrong moves spells relegation batle. Its also clear that to stand still is to move backwards. I just dont know, its impossibleto work out our owner… all we have is past windows so it looks bleak based on that.

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