So did we have a good window? Was it bad? Was it indifferent? I’d like to know what you made of it. You can even give it a mark out of ten if you wish!
My main concern at the start of the window was losing one of our top players. In fairness I think that was a fear shared by a fair few fans, especially with Alan Pardew admitting that a big money bid would have to be considered. Fortunately, or so it would appear anyway, no big money bids came in for any players, or at least any bids weren’t quite big enough to tempt a sale.
As a result we’ve kept all of our star players, with the only players leaving the club heading out on loan deals. James Tavernier headed to MK Dons yesterday where he will spend the rest of the season keeping Alan Smith company. Smith headed south a couple of days ago and will play out the last six months of his NUFC contract at Stadium MK.
In terms of outgoings I have no issue. I think we’ve played it perfectly on that front by keeping hold of key players and only releasing players who, for varying reasons, aren’t near the first team at the moment. In terms of incomings though, it’s a slightly different matter.
Obviously we failed to get a defender over the line which is the one let down of the window for me. Adrian Mariappa was the name that was strongly linked with us but for whatever reason nothing came of it in the end. I can’t say I’m overly disappointed by that as I could never see the reasoning in buying a backup up defender who is no better than your other backup defenders. We’d be in the same pickle should Mike Williamson or Fabricio Coloccini get injured so what would have been the point?
It’s a risky move, but some time to reflect has left me wondering if not bringing in that defender was so bad. Cast your minds back to Saturday and you would have seen a rather familiar and once highly-rated Hungarian name on the bench in the shape of Tamas Kadar. He’s fallen down the pecking order recently but at one time he looked like one of the brightest prospects to emerge from our academy. He’s been told to shape up or ship out, so maybe his inclusion is hinting that he is shaping up and proving that he doesn’t want to be shipped out?
It’s not all doom and gloom though. We actually spent money in this transfer window. In fact we spent over 10% of the total amount in the whole of the window in the biggest transaction of January when we signed Papiss Demba Cisse from Freiburg, significantly boosting our firepower up front.
With a fearsome reputation for goalscoring in the Bundesliga, Cisse arrived at Newcastle for a fee believed to be in the region of £9m. He will line up with his international team-mate and close friend Demba Ba meaning that we have two out and out strikers who can terrorise defences between them.
All in all bringing in a defender would have been the icing on the cake on what has been a pretty decent window for us. We’ve kept Cheik Tiote, we’ve kept Demba Ba, Tim Krul, Yohan Cabaye and everyone else at the club for the second half of the season at least. We’ve added a striker with a goalscoring pedigree and who is keen to transfer that form to a new league so I can’t complain too much.
A defender would have been nice, and arguably much needed, but only if it was a defender who could come straight into the first team. I’m talking a real top class centre-back, and not just some backup like Mariappa.
Still, that’s my view, how about yours?
9/10 for me. Very happy over all. We are still a bit thin at the back and a couple of bad injuries could really derail our season, but the same could be said of any team. The main thing is nobody went. Well, nobody important. Keeping the lads you mentioned Toonsy is like a new signing to me, especially Tiote as most of us had already accepted he’d be off.
Looking forward to Blackburn tonight, need 3 points to get back above the bin dippers. HWTL!
ArchieMag(Quote)
NO! Cisse had to come in Newcastle early in summer and his transfer is delayed in time. We need badly in CB in january which had been promised from Pardew… but now we must shaking every time when our CB’s do some tackle for the rest of the season. So no, for me is not good transfer window. The only positive thing is that we keep our best players… but if Colo or Willo goes injured… that will not be some that u can cheer about.
bra1n1ac(Quote)
Spot on mate!
Iain(Quote)
yep, great window. not one issue with it at all. the best bit was offloading smithy at long last!
craig chisholm(Quote)
i think its not an issue for the defence. why waste money for no reason other than buying a back up player, if one goes down we wil lhave to make do and if needs be, draft in one of the several good young ens. best wait til summer and get the real deal in. we wont get relegated this year and we wont do europe either, either way i think AP’s approach is pot on.
craig chisholm(Quote)
I am already thinking whether the club should find wingers that know how to cross!!
I know we have Sylvain Marveaux who in fact know how to cross well. Someone like him for the Right wing.
In Summer,and RB with CB of course.
1 winger that cross decently.
1 class RB
1 class Centre Back.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
I think we had a good one. Let´s remember we didn´t lose anyone this time. However let´s hope the tie up Colo and Demba with new contracts for the upcoming season. I know it´s risky business with no CB cover but if we can push on for a good spot this season our sketchy rep may improve even more for next season and in the summer we get rid of Smudge and that´s enough wage money for a LOT of players 😀
We´ll just have to cross our fingers and hope for an injury free run.
When is Papiss ready for play?
Robert G(Quote)
9/10
Groucho(Quote)
Delighted with Cisse in and Smith sort of gone and everyone useful staying. A bit pissed off by the lack of centre back cover even though the mariappa deal made no sense to me, But players like Ryan Nelson for nowt or even the odious **** bassong on loan 👿 made slightly more sense as short term back up.
Still time we dint sign Kuqi on the 10th of feb and fat sols still on a free… 😉 😯
CC(Quote)
Yes, was good, not great but good… and if anyone else things otherwise, you can all f@$% %^$#% #%#…. #%#% #%#%…. 😀
Richie, comment 499 on last thread? I can’t get through the first sentence mate I keep falling asleep… 🙁
JJ(Quote)
7/10 Good – Could of done better!
bra1n1ac – Pardew did not ‘promise’ us a CB.
How we signed Cisse is a sign of our policy and of things to come – We wanted him in the summer, he was about to come and then Freidburg pulled out (Read Cisse’s interview in the chronicle for what happened). So instead of wasting money bringing in our 2nd or 3rd choice we held out for Cisse in January and then got him. 😀
We don’t know who our CB will be but going off this I’m sure we wanted one we just couldn’t get him at this time so we’ll hold out for him in the summer.
nobby(Quote)
I’ve got to say (apart from Cisse) Wolves getting Bassong on loan was the signing of the window for me. Wolves have very close games with teams and rarely get thumped and therefore just need a bit tightening up at the back to start securing wins – Bassong should give them that little bit extra and could make the difference with them playing Premiership football next season.
nobby(Quote)
Although they got thumped last night by the dippers of bin 😆
nobby(Quote)
Pleased to see some sensible considered comments this morning. I have to say I was expecting a barrage of rants against Ashley, Pardew et al for keeping the money in their pocket. Maybe the kids are still in bed.
A pretty good window in my book. We were all so keen to get Cisse last summer and he finally arrived – imo the best of the names we were linked with. Despite a lot of feeling otherwise I always felt that the major players we have at the club just now are very different to the ego driven players we used to have like Nolan and Barton. I have never had the feeling that Tiote, Ba and Collo really wanted to leave so I’m not surprised they are still here and without any scares. Like others I can’t say I’m disappointed by the failure to get Marriapa. So all in all a pretty good window for me.
Tony Toon(Quote)
great window for me, mightly chuffed considering the rumours about players leaving..
I would of loved to had Colo’s contract sorted before the window tho, then at least we would of known what kind of defender we’d need, a covering defender or a replacement for Colo, perhaps thats why we didnt act seriously for a defender in this window.
mark(Quote)
Havent lost any of our top players, and weve made a great signing in Papiss Cisse.
Cant really complain, its never gonna go perfect for you unless your Manchester City really.
Gordz(Quote)
Craig @5
“Pardew’s approach is pot on” 😆
I always think clearly after a bit of the green stuff! 😉
JJ(Quote)
Just grateful no one left…. have to say we have got our striker and lets be honest no one thought we would get cisse.
Feel a bit for mariappa best move of his career and looks likely we will not be going back in for him in summer. Wasnt ever sure if he really was good enough.
WOuld like to see 3 points tonight but going to be a hard game.
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Gordz – I popped on Blue Moon last night to see what City fans thought of their window and you’d be surprised. A lot of them are unhappy about not getting a top class defender in 😯
toonsy(Quote)
Decent transfer window. A bit of a slap in the face for the doom sayers who were predicting Krul, Tiote and Cabaye out. “done deals” I think the expression was. Then again it was the same people who predicted relegation…
I hope Kadar gets a chance as I would hate to think we nutured him for nothing.
bkemp247(Quote)
Tonytoon – it’s early days yet, mate! 🙂
Seriously though, I for one am not fussed about the CB thing. Really. Pardew & Co obviously thought they didn’t need to get desperate and decided to do some speculative bidding in the basement area. I think some assessment of progress has been made and realistically we are expecting to stay above the top 10 this season, and any better (european places) a happy bonus. I would have taken it at the start of the year. I think they know who their real targets are and summer will be a completely different story, preparation for a real push next term will be on. Meanwhile we have an academy, reserves etc for a reason – this will be a good time to fire up the competition for places, points to be proved for some of our young’uns like Kadar, Tavernier, Ferguson and even Streete if they can all start stepping up their time is now. 9/10 for me as we have lost nobody we didnt want to lose, yes even Besty he still has something to give I think.
Tsunki(Quote)
Fortunate that no bids came in for our top players.
Good decision to buy a centre forward despite the fact, it was a priority, then it wasn’t and then they decided it was again.
Absolutely shocking that we had a few months to identify and buy a CB yet we end up getting outbid by a paltry sum by Wigan. 🙄
Bearing in mind we now go into the final third of the season with Perch as cover.
The chasing pack are closing in and we are gambling again in the hope that we won’t get injuries. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Great succes, as borat would have put it. I think we are really careful when it comes to buying. I mean cisse could have been bought in the summer,but not on our terms. Bringing in a defender for the sake of it makes no sense. Maybe we are waiting for the summer with vertonghen??? Rather bring in quality in summer than scrap for someone in Winter like sunderlamd those poor sods dont know a good transfer policy when they see one.
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
As one of our more level-headed fans this is exactly the sort of delusional negger bullshit that really grates on me (taken from the Journal)…
Keegan07God
9:01 AM on 1/2/2012
No it hasn’t . Spin is an insult. Top 6 was there for the taking, one injury or ban and it all falls apart .
Toon Chicken(Quote)
Well we never lost anyone so that’s a big plus, But i am very worried what may happen if we get injuries to the back. I guess we just have to keep our fingers crossed until summer ,i hope we don’t lose anyone then but show our intent to push on. For me 8/10 because of Cisse .
kimtoon(Quote)
BKemp – I was one of those who said Tiote would be going but not as a doomsayer – I was getting my ear bent by someone who was allegedly ITK. Maybe he thought it would be in the summer, but then that’s a 50/50 guess anyone can take about any of our top performers while the bindippers have money to burn. 👿
Tsunki(Quote)
Good windown and yet again proof that all the IKN are complete and utter **** merchants… No one prediciton was correct! Believe no one!
Nathandio(Quote)
Absolutely disgusted that we didn’t bring a centre half in. We have known since the summer that we are short in that area. Perch just isn’t good enough at full back, never mind at centre half. Any injury or suspension at the back and Perch comes in and when he does we more often than not lose.
As for Cisse I hope he turns out to be an excellent signing. As for a mark out of ten, 10 for the Cisse signing, 0 for lack of centre half so a 5 on average.
Sirhc(Quote)
By IKN i meant ITK (in the know) Duckin phone 😆
Nathandio(Quote)
It was good but could have been better. Cisse was excellent business but a lack of a CB who is equal or better than Williamson either bought out right or on loan will bite us in the ****. Can’t see a top 7 finish now, but hope to be proved wrong.
We haven’t ‘offloaded’ Smith, we are still paying the vast majority of his wages so that can’t be considered in this window. That won’t happen properly until the summer.
And the fact that we haven’t lost anyone important can’t be used as a plus point as there was no substantial evidence that any clubs were interested or that any of our team wanted out. Plus we don’t actually need to sell players now, it would be of no real benefit.
EvilFranky(Quote)
ToonChicken – How do you become a level-headed fan? Can you write an article on that because a lot of us really need to know how to do that. 😀
Tsunki(Quote)
If you’re waking up this morning only to discover that your friends who claim to be “In The Know” are nothing but sad, pathetic, attention seeking billy no mates, then more fool you.
I can just imagine the queue at the Reality (bullshit bus) Train Ticket Office this morning. Hundreds of mugs demanding their money back, while the charlatan that led them a merry dance woohoohoo’s off into the distance! 🙄
Toon Chicken(Quote)
no shola tonight = 3pts with shola tonight = 0 pts SIMPLE
Army69(Quote)
I think it’s a huge problem that we didn’t get a decent defender in. Not too fussed about missing out on the Watford lad. Maybe it’ll give a chance for somebody to step up if needed, but I hope nobody is needed because I don’t have much confidence in the back up – actually, I don’t have much confidence in one of the preferred centre backs.
Looking forward to seeing Cisse, though.
On balance, probably a decent window. That’s two in a row.
brisvegas(Quote)
Tsunki – it comes with experience and being able to see the big picture. 😉
Toon Chicken(Quote)
@TC
So you are happy to have Perch as cover? 16 games to go.
We’ve had months to identify and get a player in.
Pardew quote last week;
Pardew told the Chronicle: “We still need a defender.
“Don’t forget that – I haven’t lost sight on that.
“We’re working hard on that to bring one in.
Alan, you known since the start of the season. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Sirhc
Perch has been ok at the back, what really cost us is when we had to play Simpson and Perch there.
As long as Colo stays fit, thats the key.
JJ(Quote)
if we are gna play 2 upfront tonight play loven and best ….. not SHOLA!!!! how can pardew not see how bad he is???
Army69(Quote)
TC @ 24 – What part of that sentence is untrue? What is delusional about it?
EvilFranky(Quote)
Evilfranky@30-Did we not have a bid for Best rebuffed. He may not be Ba or Cisse but should one or both of them be injured i would rather have Best to pick than Shola!
kimtoon(Quote)
Army
You just ruined my day… 🙁 having to see the sight of Shola in a Toon shirt up front again…
I just can’t stand seeing him play. But who knows, is had had about 16 **** games in a row no. He is due one good one.
JJ(Quote)
ToonChicken @35 – good article mate. Concise, well thought and to the point. I get it now. All we have to do now is, convince the rest…. 😆
Tsunki(Quote)
EF – First of all it assumes that Colo and Willo will get banned and/or injured. Second of all it assumes that if that does happen then Perch will not do an ample job of deputising as he has 9 times out of 10 this season. And thirdly, it assumes that whoever we did bring in would slot straight into position and play like Franz Beckenbauer from the get go.
Anyone remember a certain curly haired Argentinian internationals first season?
Toon Chicken(Quote)
Over the past few months, I’ve read post after post from virtually every blogger on here stating we need a CB.
Can you honestly tell me that you are happy that it came down to Pardew on SSN on the final day of the window, having to accept Wigans £2.5m –
£3m bid beating ours. 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Tsunki – good man! 😉
Toon Chicken(Quote)
I get the feeling that no matter how well we do in the future, there will always be one or two unhappy custumers…. We were in the championship not so long back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The club is better! No matter how you look at it!
But then again, its the diference of opinion that makes this a good blog!
Nathandio(Quote)
@JJ
You say;
As long as Colo stays fit, thats the key.
Exactly. 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Pardew seems like someone who knows what his team can do and our place in the table seems proof of that. I feel pretty confident he will have his back line covered in his view, otherwise I think the Jan window would have been a lot more aggressive. Anyway, we have little choice but to watch it pan out now, even if it is through our fingers at times.
Tsunki(Quote)
JJ. Has he though. Played at brighton, lost 1-0, played at WBA, lost 3-2, played at norwich lost 4-2. theres a pattern starting to emerge here. Im not saying that these results are all down to him because the tactics were all wrong at Brighton. What I am saying is that he is not good enough for us at centre half.
Sirhc(Quote)
However JJ i totally agree on your point about Shola
Sirhc(Quote)
@Tsunki @31
Classic! 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I can assure you i didn’t wake up ‘devastated’ or ‘pissed off’ that we didn’t get a new centre half in… maybe a bit disappointed we didn’t get a CB in on loan. Let’s face it though, who should we have brought in that can’t be bought for a lot less in the summer? January is always a **** time to buy, especially for a defender who’ll find it hard to adjust half way through a season to a new back line. Beginning of the summer for a CB is a perfect time to buy.
Let’s hope Pardew can start having a bit of faith in Kadar. If rumours are to be believed though Kadar will have to earn that faith.
BTW… why does an apostrophe go before BLOG to make ‘BLOG? What is missing at the beginning to warrant an apostrophe? 😕
nobby(Quote)
Troy – Does the fact that Wigan were interested in the player not give a hint towards his ability?
toonsy(Quote)
Well I’m just glad the window is now shut again and the players can settle and knuckle down for the most important part of the season.
I am convinced that the constant rumours and whispers do unsettle some of the lads which is reflected in the teams overall performance.
Now, my big concern is this. We have got what looks like 2 very good strikers, but no one of suitable quality to supply the ball to them. :@
We need Marveaux fit and obertan to improve drastically.
HBA is a good player, but doesn’t seem to get the whole team thing.
We seem ok in attack now, even with the back up players, just hope Colo and his defence survive unscathed to the end of the season.
.
Troy – have you enjoyed yourself winding people up about players leaving. You do seem like a very sad, lonely old man who craves the attention all the time. Or just a tad pathetic really.
Seriously you need to get out more.
Hey ho.
Hoping for a win tonight, but can’t see where the goals will come from.
Toon Toon.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Troy… calm doon man!!! 😉
nobby(Quote)
Nathandio
One prediction was right.
Believe Llambias
He said before the window opened that we would get a striker and any other signings would only be a result of replacing any players sold.
We got the striker and no-one was sold.
I’ll only believe Llambias predictions in the next window.
sidekick(Quote)
Nobby @ 52: Blog comes from web-blog, which was how it was originally referred. It’s highly unusual to put an apostrophe before the b – but given the random ways apostrophes are used on here perhaps it’s not so strange. 😉
brisvegas(Quote)
Nobby you are correct in that the summer is the perfect time to buy a centre half, which is why we should have signed one last summer. We knew then we would be short at the back, and we still are short at the back. For me it’s a gamble only having 3 centre halfs. It had already backfired for us in a few games having Perch playing alongside Williamson and Simpson. I for one did wake up annoyed that we are willing to take this risk with the rest of our season.
Sirhc(Quote)
@56 😛 😛
Nathandio(Quote)
Toonsy… answer my question please @52
It kept me awake all last night. 🙁
BBoots@54
Oouff!! I felt that one straight in the heart… canny harsh! 😯
nobby(Quote)
@Toonsy@53
spot on m8, I hadnt even heard of him before our interest.. no sleep lost. can’t believe the same ppl that slate Perch would like us to show ambition and outbid Wigan for another Perch… 🙄
mark(Quote)
Cheers Bvegas!!! Can’t wait to kip tonight!!
nobby(Quote)
Hey bris. Hows it going with the roar????
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
Whats happened to the BBC/sport website. Some ones been on acid or mushrooms me thinks 😯
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/
Halftimebovril(Quote)
I am slating Perch because he is not good enough Mark @61. However personally I am not saying that Mariappa would have been the answer because I have only seen him play once, what I am saying is that NUFC could have identified a centre half who would be better than Perch.
Sirhc(Quote)
SIRHC@58
Who do you think we should have feasably brought in at CB? ❓
nobby(Quote)
I’ve been reading about the history of football tactics for a job I’m taking up netx week. It’s interesting to see some of you guys talking about centre half and not centre back. The history of the centre half is very interesting, especially the way the position has been used in places other than England.
The English centre half is very different to a European centre half – who is a more mobile and creative player than the English guy.
brisvegas(Quote)
Good article Toonsy – I agree with all of that. I’m a little disappointed there was no defender brought in but wasn’t convinced Mariappa was the answer. I would rather wait until the summer when some of our other targets are likely to be available (Pardew’s view in the Journal today).
Looks like we are hopeful of getting Colo to sign a new contract – agent in for talks this week. http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2012/02/01/newcastle-united-still-plan-to-make-major-signing-61634-30239582/
If we can get that done then it will be a cracking result.
3hourswasted(Quote)
@Sirhc
I wasnt calling the ppl that slate Perch m8, I was referring to Mariappa being just as good as perch, so whats the point in signing him..thats all.
I think we should have enough at the back until the Summer, we should also know by then the intentions of Colo.
mark(Quote)
Nobby I’m not sure mate. I watch Newcastle and a lot of Premier League football but don’t really watch other teams thinking this one or that one would fit in well at the back. From what I have seen of Perch I don’t think he is good enough. It’s the fact that we have known for probably a year that after Sol Campbell left we would be left with 3 centre backs that we should really be looking to bring one or two more in.
Sirhc(Quote)
It was a case of the Good, the Bad and the Lucky surely?
Good – we got a relatively proven striker in and didn’t sour the deal by being too cheap.
Bad – we are desperately short at the back and should have tried to get someone decent in instead of trying to lowball for Mariappa. We could also use a decent winger with a good assist rate.
Lucky – we were lucky no one put a decent bid in for Colo, Ba, Tiote or Krul because I’m still not convinced Flabber the Hutt would have just said no.
Pootle(Quote)
@Bris
I thought a centre half and centre back were the same, just the oldies call them centrebacks.
mark(Quote)
Mark I hope your right that we do have enough at the back until the end of season. I don’t want us to get any injuries or suspensions. I just think its one hell of a gamble.
Sirhc(Quote)
APP@63 In a word: *****.
Went 36 games unbeaten then lost 5 in a row Finding it difficult to win these days. Issey has become a fringe player.
brisvegas(Quote)
I thought the window was a success. Our top players stayed and we added a player with real goal scoring ability which hopefully he shows with us. And I think its great that the club sticks to is valuation of players. We wont be held to ransom by anyone. Yes we need cover but it didnt happen and we move on. Does anyone know when marv is due back?
Johno toon(Quote)