Newcastle’s 4-0 win over Rotherham United at the weekend highlighted a lot of things. It highlighted the importance of Matt Ritchie and Jonjo Shelvey, it highlighted that Daryl Murphy is very good cover for Dwight Gayle, and it also highlighted that DeAndre Yedlin is a player that is improving at a rapid rate.
The interesting situation that was referenced in the title is that, although he is a defender, he is highly exciting.
This is an unusual trait for a defender. He is quick, energetic and has a clear passion for the game.
However, what is most significant is the improvements that he is making to the defensive side of his game.
Yedlin is only young, and while he may have been playing against the worst team in the division this weekend, he showed that he has the potential to improve his positioning and tacking, which are possibly the weakest aspects of his game.
Vurnon Anita may well be a better option currently, but it is good to know that Yedlin can provide adequate cover, and someday, perhaps displace his Dutch counterpart.
They should always win these games, Ice. But that would put Reading 9 points behind…
Stuart79(Quote)
i thought Fulham would get at least a draw
icedog(Quote)
Bloody Hoots. That man is amazing.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Only 3 losses. He just knows how to get points in the Champs. His team is as stubborn as he is. 🙂
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Reading could be only 3 points behind us by the time we play next. Although we’d have two games in hand. Thankfully our next two games are at home and we should have some players coming back too.
Stuart79(Quote)
Good news man. If the teams around us keep winning then that has to better our chances of strengthening next week.
If they dropped points, I could well believe the money men would be happy to risk it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
funrafa(Quote)
I have just worked something out… and after all these years 😯 😯 .. Troy & Georgio are actually the same blog poster. They are never on at the same time and both make nonsensical comments 😛 😛
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Sharpy, you’re very optimistic mate, I’ll give you that. I don’t think the results have any baring on transfers. I’m of the opinion that Jabba has told Rafa that it will be loans or nothing this window and preferably nothing at all because Jabba things were already promoted.
It’s clear as day there’s no money about.
Stuart79(Quote)
So now the less report the Barrow deal or the deal Barrow (get it) is not likely and Swansea want to have a deal that means we will buy him permanently if we get promoted and we don’t want that.
Seriously – why not just spend the money on Townsend?
Stuart79(Quote)
Aussie – now now, there’s no need for insults like that. After all the arguing between you two I often wondered if you and Troy had something in common. Email address maybe? 😀
Anyway how are you these days you shifty sod?
georgio(Quote)
Snodgrass off to Burnley 10 mil
icedog(Quote)
Palace have agreed a fee with Norwich for Brady. Does that free Townsend?
Stuart79(Quote)
i hope so mate if only to get their wage bill down
icedog(Quote)
All good Georgio. I still have administration privileges and I checked you out behind the scenes. I had no idea that you were a woman! 😆
Aussie(Quote)
Thought you had a sense of humour Aussie
georgio(Quote)
What is going on with our goalies?
Darlow has played so well he is going to be hard to shift and Elliot must be second in line after what he did last year but I bet Selz will play Saturday.
Is it time to send Selz out on loan though as do we need 3 senior Goalies? That is even before we ask the question of is he good enough?
And Krul has 18 months on his contract but cannot get a game on loan at Ajax. Do we recall him and where would he then stand on the depth chart (is that from American sports, I don’t know)? A few years ago he was worth about 10 million and he must be recovered by now. I like Timmy the Hoof and he has been a great servant, but his distribution was always suspect. He also let a few mistakes creep in before he was injured which wasn’t like him. I think he will be focused again and the mistakes will end but we probably need to sell as the others are on long term contracts.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If you think about it, there is a bit of transfer value with our goalies. If Timmy can prove his fitness, which would only involve a phone call to Ajax, then he has value. And there were supposedly several teams after Selz that we got the jump on. Just because Darlow has played a blinder doesn’t mean Selz has lost all value.
Why don’t we cash in to free up some money if Fatty won’t dip into his pocket? Probably too late though unless something happens with Chelsea, which would probably be a loan anyway.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
#nufc still talking to Swansea and Palace about Barrow and Townsend. Not straightforward. This could go to the wire.
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) January 25, 2017
icedog(Quote)
but what the hell would he know,as normal jack ****
icedog(Quote)
OK, if I were McCarthy where would I go? He has supposedly turned down the Mackems who are obvious relegation candidates. But other places that might be interested might be somewhere like Burnley, Watford, Swansea, Bournemouth, Palace? Are they really PL teams? They are just as likely to get relegated as not in the next few years. Maybe Stoke or West Brom, but they are also not that far away from being relegation candidates. They are probably being saved because there are much worse teams this year.
Then there is us. Yes, we have been relegated twice in 7 years but bounced straight back up and will again. We are a much bigger club than those mentioned and have a world class manager. Apart from 2 years in The Championship we have been PL and quite often in the top half. I know where I would choose. But I might be a bit biased 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
BTW, I like McCarthy and hope we sign him. I have been fooled in the past though. I think we have all been through it. Where you watch a player a few times during the year and they look great. Then your club signs them and you see them every week and only then do you see their faults.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
On a non-NUFC topic but still black and white. Has anybody seen that Juventus badge? What a pile of non-descript, corporate graphic design, boring *****. The old badge had character and meaning.
I like the NUFC badge and was fond of the magpie one as well. The only one I found a bit boring was the semi-circle NUFC one which is probably why I so dislike the new Juve badge.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I thought Chelsea were interested in signing Krul ?
kimtoon(Quote)
BTW: Juve, contrary to the new badge, always seem to make their shirts look good. Our design department should look at a few of theirs for the next strips.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Lad at work (Everton fan) doesn’t rate McCarthy. He said he’d only scored 12 goals in over 200 PL apps. I asked him how many goals he thought Tiote had scored! I don’t think we’d sign him because of the number of goals and assists he has! 😯 He agreed that McCarthy was better than Colback though. 😕
DJG(Quote)
McCarthy is troubled with hamstring injuries and hes not that good.. next.. 😀
Gashley(Quote)
I agree with you,not a goal maker for me plus he’s a right dirty git worth a couple of red cards a season
Icedog(Quote)
There’s talk Charlie Adam could be available from Stoke – I know he’s 31, but I’d take him at least on loan.
He can create and score goals & bags of experience.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: Ice was talking about dirty gits and you bring up Adam 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am surprised in every game he plays that Adam stays on the pitch.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Aussie(Quote)
Our transfer business will involved a loan deal for a less than impressive player who is about 10th on the list.
Stuart79(Quote)
Five or six years ago Charlie Adam would have been a good addition. Now? Not so much. He’s lost some pace and seems to have lost some of his drive to play hard as well.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Charlie Adam… sheesh.. scraping the bottom of the barrel now.. doubt we’d after him anyway..
Aussie(Quote)
*we’d be*
Aussie(Quote)
All Adam has is the odd long range shot and smashing into players and then pretending he didn’t mean it. He never had pace. He is Jack Colback except he takes them long range shots that never go in and where a normal pass would have been the better option 99% of the time. I don’t rate Adam at all.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Carrying on my ACON rant: I am watching Atsu play for Ghana and the pitch is like a cow’s field. I will be surprised if our lot all come back in one piece and not with twisted ankles and knees.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Watching Saints going through to the cup final last night and couldn’t help but thinking Ashley would have been thinking his vision for our future is right.
How many of their top players have Saints sold in the last 2-3yrs for big profit. Yet they are still a secure PL side and now in a cup final. They are probably already looking for replacements for Virgil van **** now as well.
Just the type of inspiration a bloke like him needs.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ashley need no encouragement Sharpy 🙄
georgio(Quote)
reading the rags i would say we will sign no one this window
icedog(Quote)
No he doesn’t mate, but he will use Saints as a ‘well they’ve done it’.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice – give no credence to the rags mate. Most report on twitter rumours nowadays – they have very little fact IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
ate mate your right on that point like
icedog(Quote)
Brighton don’t look like dropping any points at all do they. Gonna have to be really on our game to stay ahead of the chasing pack and if we sign no one and then suffer a couple of injuries we could well pay for it.
kimtoon(Quote)
KIM your right,these bloody rags lead you round and round in circles if you read their ****,daily star now six deals are going too happen,they haven’t got a clue,this is going down to the wire imo
Icedog(Quote)
I it’s only two hours since the same daily star said there would be no deals ffs
Icedog(Quote)
Ice, I pay little notice to rumours or the press titbits anymore, I may comment on them but I don’t actually believe a word of them. When I see them in a shirt then i’ll believe it.
kimtoon(Quote)
If we don’t sign anyone I’m not too bothered. Better no one than third rate players at Premiership prices.
Groucho(Quote)
ime the same mate in fact it just not make interesting reading anymore,in fact Rafa said some of the names are wide of the mark some havent been talked about
icedog(Quote)
Last season Lacalles was my diamond in the rough player, now his doing really well and captain of the team. Even Darlow’s been really impressive. Rafa certainly know’s how to get the best out of people like McClaren didn’t. Rafa must of seen video’s of Colocini defending and instantly knew he was ****.
Terry(Quote)
Rafa might not even be interested in Townsend. He did jump ship after we were relegated and his form’s been poor at Palace.
Terry(Quote)
I certainly didn’t believe the 25 million bollox for 2 player’s. Maybe in the summer. Mike Ashley just needs to stay out of it and let Rafa and Lee do the job.
Terry(Quote)
the chinese have bought into Southhamton i see
icedog(Quote)
We now have a British core who will do OK in the PL, I think – Darlow, Elliot, Dummett, Lascelles, Shelvey, Hayden, Ritchie, Gayle. Add in a couple of our decent foreign players like Anita, Yedlin, Mitro and MBemba and we may have the makings of a mid-table team.
I think Rafa will go foreign in the summer transfer market as there is more value there and we already have a British core. I don’t think there are many bargains though as the teams in other leagues rub their hands when they see a premier league club is interested. You even have clubs like Watford buying from AC Milan and Boro from PSG.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Alright, I am going to do it. I am going to predict the lineup for Oxford. It is difficult though with 2 league games in the following week, some injuries, ACON and Sammy and Sterry cup tied.
Selz
Yedlin Lascelles Hanley Haidara
Ritchie Shelvey Colback Lazaar
Murphy Barlaser
Eric Sykes(Quote)
In an ideal world Ritchie, Shelvey and Murphy would only play 60 minutes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric I can see us having a hard time in the summer. It’s getting rid of the **** player’s I mean. Saviet, no club’s going to buy him. Rivierre that’s another 6 million down the drain. Siem De Jong can’t stay fit so another 6 million down the drain. I would rather we just buy British player’s because the french are just *****. I don’t think much of the Dutch player’s Carr’s signed either.
Terry(Quote)
Terry: I would look at Spain, Italy and Germany. Rafa has contacts. Remember he managed Napoli. British players are very expensive. I think McCormack cost more than 10 mil for example.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Forgot he also managed Inter. Just googled him and it gives some basic info like age etc. Said he is 165 lbs which is 11 stone 11. Might need to update that page 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
this has to be a joke
http://sportwitness.co.uk/crystal-palace-interested-signing-former-newcastle-united-player-free-transfer/
icedog(Quote)
Eric have Newcastle ever had a German player ? I can’t think of one. Rafa will have to do some clever work in the summer with the peanut butter and jam money Mike’s offering. Spending within your mean’s and making a profit is the only Ashley I know.
Terry(Quote)
Didier Hamann. I was not impressed when we flogged him to Liverpool.
Shamrock(Quote)
Cheer’s Shamrock 🙂 Didier Harmann the defensive midfielder. I forgot all about him. It’s nearly 19 year’s since we had a german player in the team.
Terry(Quote)
I hope you are not forgetting Ralf Kiedel, who was on our books in 1998…..He never played a minute for us.
Shamrock(Quote)
Heard Kuqi is available on a free. Also looking at Pancrate.
Stuart79(Quote)
Man U off to another final. Even when they are **** they still win stuff. Lord Ferg’s final year was a pretty **** team and they won the League and Van Gaal won the FA Cup. Still their fans complain.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart: Doumbia?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Did I ever mention I went to see Man U against FC Bayern in Chicago a few years ago. I think Man U had won the European Cup the year before, if not it was definitely the league. About half their fans had those green and gold scarves on wanting the Glazers out and I was in a bar beforehand and that’s all they talked about. Now look. Spending God knows what to try to buy the league and I bet their w@nker fans are still not content.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Shamrock I’m getting a bit like Joe Kinnear and yes I forgot about Ralf Kiedel as well, although he does sound a bit hopeless 😆
Terry(Quote)
Evening all,
Thread for the Oxford game by myself going up at 8am tomorrow.
#upforthecup
Andy The Magpie(Quote)