With Newcastle back in the Premier League next season, it has been an interesting season for 23 year old Ayoze Perez. After completing his third full season at the club, has he delivered on his early promise and will he be a key part of the squad moving forward?
Impressive first season
Perez arrived under the radar for a fee of just £2m in the summer of 2014. A few excellent substitute appearances saw him quickly win a place in the side. A return of 7 league goals for a then 20 year old in his first year in England was impressive. Most fans expected him to continue to develop and keep adding to his tally.
6 league goals in his second year in the premiership was not enough to help us stay up and his development had clearly begun to stall. Rafa coming in meant having a fellow Spaniard would hopefully help him push on reach the heights when he first arrived.
Championship disappointment?
Perez has underwhelmed this season though. He has finished the season well and his goal against Barnsley highlighted his quality, when on form. But a return of 9 goals from 36 appearances is disappointing in a league which he should have shone in.
The physical nature of the Championship may not have helped him but the main criticism of him is he is not clinical enough. Not reaching double figures this year, although it is his season return for the club, has not answered doubts on his long term future.
What is his best position?
Perez has occupied a few different positions during his time at the club. He was initially used as a lone striker by Alan Pardew. Although physically he doesn’t appear do possess the traits for the role, he has arguably showed some promise in this position.
Good work rate and famously scoring a winner against Liverpool, Perez certainly isn’t a bad option to have as a striker. Of course, we want a regular 20 goal a season man too, which he will never be, but he has proved he can step into the striker role if needed.
As his Newcastle career has went on, Ayoze has spent most of his time in the number 10 role. Although he is a clever player, I don’t think this role has been successful for him. He often goes missing in games and lacks the vision to make this role truly his own.
With Rafa opting for a 4-5-1 formation most games, Perez needs to find a role in this system. Interestingly, after watching the last three years, I think he has looked best cutting in from the left in the LW position. Rafa did not use his there this season, giving the berth to Gouffran in the main. He doesn’t score enough goals to be a main striker and lacks the composure to be a great number 10.
He has a good work rate, is good for 6-10 goals a season and has decent dribbling. Perhaps LW could be something for Rafa to consider next year.
Role next season?
It is hard to not to think Perez will have anything a squad role moving forward at NUFC. He has talent and a great attitude but has not pushed on after 3 years in the North East. We certainly are not in a position to sell players like Perez at the moment, as we have such little Premiership quality strength and depth going forward.
The fact he has linked with Barcelona when joining the club and the only suitors after we were relegated were Las Palmas shows Ayoze has not developed as expected. However, he is a good option to have and expect him to remain on Tyneside, for now at least.
Perez is a no brainer for me. He stays for sure. There are plenty more ahead of him to be moved out.
The has bags of talent, but he’s not consistent. But he’s only 23. I see him only getting better in the next few seasons personally. He has a good season next season and he’s a £30m plus player. He doesn’t and he’s still a £2m player with bags of potential – little risk, lots of reward.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agree with you both really. Simon – you say LW, while for me he looks better coming in from the right. Either way he’s just not strong enough for a No 10 (he doesn’t have the skills of a Silva) and he’s not clinical enough for a main striker.
Very useful from the bench should we sign someone better.
georgio(Quote)
Simon – there is no link or heads up on the previous article mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think if we had more attacking threat he would be more effective.
At the mo he is one of our main and only threats really – so teams focus on him – well they aren’t worried about Gouffran now are they?!.
I think he allows himself to draft out of games at times too though. Georgio mentioned Silva and a big difference is that Silva is always finding space & looking for the ball – Perez needs to do that more often for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
What I think is that we should buy a Shearer-like striker for 80 million. Or discover another Peter Bearldsley.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
For me, like.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sometimes I think I am a bit lesdysxic.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
or even ledysxic.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I agree that he’s most dangerous in the position that Gouffran & Ritchie were playing. He can play anywhere across the front to a reasonable standard and seems to do well as a super-sub. So perhaps we’re being a bit harsh. I do think he sometimes wants too long on the ball to be a no.10. I think he’s still a useful player though and he seemed to enjoy the PL more than he has the championship.
DJG(Quote)
I dont see him owning any position. A decent utility option across attack, squad player. Question is, will he want to stay as a squad player or move to further his career?
shamrock(Quote)
The bookies now have us favourites to sign Troy Deeney ?. That’s a bookies rumour if ever I’ve saw one.
I can see us going and getting Andre Gray though. The more I see that one, the more I think it fits.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, when we were talking about Andre Gray the other day, I didn’t realize he was entering the last year of his contract. That puts him right in Ashley’s wheelhouse and means we could potentially get him for far less than other comparable players. I still think we’d need another, better striker but I’d be happy to go into the season with Gayle, Gray and someone from a foreign league who Rafa rates highly.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
Charlie – yeah mate, and it’s highly likely that Burnley won’t be meeting his new wage demands, so he’ll be leaving. They will want to cash in on him now and get his replacement in for a pre-season I reckon.
I’d be happy for him to replace Mitrovic, but I agree, we need to replace Murphy with a top forward – I don’t know who, but Gayle & Gray would be good cover I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
My bet is Rafa will come up with somebody fans like us never even considered and not the list of average joes (Barnes, Rodriguez, Gray etc) that the journalists are feeding us.
Staying with Perez for a minute he’s still too lightweight and easily nudged off the ball. He’s all right foot too which means he always turns and runs to the right. Does better coming off the wing.
georgio(Quote)
I reckon Bas Dost could still be a target. One of those ones being worked on while the media link us with every ****** else
Sharpy17(Quote)
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bas-dost/profil/spieler/56331
Sharpy17(Quote)
said the same couple of weeks back mate
icedog(Quote)
Ah, Bas Dost and his mam again? 3 years running now.
At least it’s better than the usual Barnes, Rodriguez, Gray and now Deeney ‘links’.
georgio(Quote)
Bas Dost, John Terry, Deli Alli, Harry Kane.
Why are they always referred to by both first and last names?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Georgio – that wasn’t Dost, it was the German lad from Hamburg who’s name I can’t remember now. But aye, I remember the MILF ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
http://bc01.rp-online.de/polopoly_fs/kerstin-lasogga-sohn-pierre-michel-fotoshooting-1.5121389.1432792844!httpImage/3760967823.jpg_gen/derivatives/d540x303/3760967823.jpg
Pierre Michael Lasogga & his mum
Sharpy17(Quote)
More trouble for Scum,Millwall up to ccc,don’t want to be going there the fans are mental head cases
Icedog(Quote)
Sharpy: you know what MILF stands for, right. Would you? I wouldn’t. Just saying…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That one looks like a GIWGAN – Grannies I Wouldn’t Go Anywhere Near.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Was thinking the exact same thing ice.
As for lassoga’s Mum, I said before she’s a poundland version of Brigitte nielsen
kimtoon(Quote)
Not a chance mate, but she obviously fancies herself as a MILF in that photo doesn’t she?! ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice – Milwall v Leeds should be a canny dust up
Sharpy17(Quote)
Back to Perez and thanks for a good thread Simon. I don’t rate him as a number 10 type player, better coming from the wing but overall poor this season . Don’t think he liked the championship one bit, then again who did.
kimtoon(Quote)
Aye that will take top billing lol
Icedog(Quote)
So West Ham are getting a break on the Business Rates for the London Stadium or whatever it is called now. Those Newham politicians must be the stupidest in the history of politics and that takes some doing. They are not paying the full whack because they only use the ground on certain days in the year. Yes!!! Like every other football team!!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The links continue to McCarthy and Cairney. Are they really worth 20 million each? It just seems like a lot of money and that there must be other options abroad. Man U cannot buy all of the players in the World so we should be able to negotiate on price for someone from say Roma or Dortmund?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Good footy day ahead. Celtic v Hearts just now, then the conclusion of the PL later.
It ain’t the toon, but I will miss watching footy for the next few months like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: Real Madrid against Malaga at 7 pm your time. Could be an epic day for the Madridistas or an absolute calamity. Champions League final from Cardiff on June 3rd as well. Plus there is an el clasico friendly in Miami in the summer. If you look for it, there will be stuff to watch.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I like my golf & rugby too mate, so I’ll be right. Looking forward to the Lions
Sharpy17(Quote)
McCarthy is one player i would not buy more so at 20mil,,he only gets game time when Everton are short in m/f cannot make that killer pass plus hes a right dirty git as Eric says there is better overseas
icedog(Quote)
Ice – watching Celtic at the mo and there’s a young lad called Roberts on loan from City. He is way better than that standard of football & just got his 13th assist of the season.
He looks a real good player.
As for McCarthy. If we were after that type of midfielder I’d rather go for Mooy from City – very similar and half the price. But I wouldn’t go for either.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Icedog: what I am saying is that for 20 million now you are not getting a star player when you really should be. Somehow teams like Dortmund and Roma can get very good players for that price and we are looking at a Championship player whose former teams were Hull and Blackburn and an Everton reserve.
Don’t get me wrong, I think they are probably upgrades on your mate Colback, but 20 million!!! The English clubs are charging for steak and giving you chicken now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: Real Madrid are playing in Chicago against the MLS Allstars – an oxymoron if ever I heard one. I might go but I saw Bayern Munich and Man U in a friendly here at it was like going to the ballet the amount of commitment they showed. Maybe I will get my golf clubs out instead.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And I will repeat myself for clarity. I know Beardsley came from the Vancouver Whitecaps, Waddle from non-league and Keegan from Scunthorpe but they weren’t 26 and didn’t cost 20 million quid.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I agree Eric – teams like Roma, Dortmund are not paying anything like the kind of fees we’ve been led to believe are required and still they come up with surprisingly good players.
£20m for McCarthy is a joke. Apart from everything else he’s a sicknote.
georgio(Quote)
Eric – your they are more exhibition matches than true friendlies those ones. More for the kids to say they got to see Ronaldo play – more about selfies & autographs after the game.
I’m hoping NUFC have a few more home friendlies this summer. Think there was only one last year & I was at work. Would love to take the boy.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I do agree with you. The only thing I would say to that is that Roma & Dortmund are attractive to these young players because they see a path through to the first team with them. Plus, there is real opportunity to compete for trophies & play in Europe regularly with those clubs.
I hate to say this about our beautiful club, but we don’t have that attraction. We aren’t a London or North West club with the attractions of the big city lifestyle and we don’t pay huge wages.
I hate to say it again, but I think players would see clubs like West Ham & Everton as more attractive clubs than Newcastle – and they are probably looking at the same players as us.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Believe it or not but we have every Premier League game played live on 10 different channels.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
For me, the common sense move this summer would be to snap up Lucas on a free transfer – at 30 he’s good for a 3yr deal & can walk straight into the first team.
Then look at bargains like Hayden during that time.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I agree with you, except that Manchester is a bit of a sh!thole. Cheshire and the Lakes are nice.
If I was one of Newcastle’s players I would live in Ponteland. It is only an hours flight to London and 1/2 on the Heathrow Express. They could easily go to night clubs down there and be back for training. Not that you would want them to 🙂 Last time I did it, it was 200 quid return. Sol Campbell was on the plane so I think he had sussed it out.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I love the NE, but then I’m a native. I love Northumberland & get up there as often as I can. The wife & I plan on retiring up there (though that’s a long way off).
But on a football note. I think Lucas has that relationship with Rafa & would probably jump at the chance to play for us if we give him a 3yr deal. He could help stabilise us as a PL club again – which would in turn make us more appealing to promising young players.
I look at the squad at the mo & there is so much money needed to be spent on creative & goal scoring players. A free transfer on a player with Lucas experience & ability should he a no brainer IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The amount of money these players are paid they can live just about anywhere, and remember, it is only temporary. I recall Dyer and Bellamy hiring a plane to go and watch Ipswich and Norwich. They can all afford Chauffeurs if they want them and fly first class so I don’t think location and distance is what it is for us mere mortals.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: was back last year and did a tour of the North and took loads of pictures. Bought a book by a National Trust photographer, Joe Cornish, called The Northumberland Coast. Well worth an investment of a tenner just as a reminder. It is incredible how unspoilt that area still is and when you go further up the coast into Scotland it is the same.
You can get the book on Amazon, they shipped it here from the UK.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – well away of Mr Cornish, our house is littered with framed photos of his. Yeah I like Scotland too, but prefer the West coast – Dumfries area.
But Northumberland for me every time!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: aren’t you down in the SW? My plan next time I am back is to go to Cornwall as I have never been. Been just about everywhere else. I bought a travel guide that you might like – Pallas The West Country by Peter Sager. An interesting read if you are into history, but also as a travel guide. I was part owner of a European Travel Company with my ex-wife so I have done a lot of tours. There’s also a guy down your way called Alistair Sawday who does really good B&B guides.
I know you didn’t ask for my travel advice but you got it anyway 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Very very true,did you have to include Colprick in your comment lol
Icedog(Quote)
Bloody show off 😆
Icedog(Quote)
Icedog: when I was back home a couple of years ago I just could not believe that you couldn’t get a 3 o’clock game on TV on a Saturday. I had watched them in Thailand the year before and can see every NUFC game live here. It’s a ripoff, man.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – no mate. I was born a Blaydon lad but now live in Lumley – just up from the Durham Cricket Ground.
I’ve never done Cornwall either & have looked at it a couple of times but always end up in Northumberland – if it ain’t broke ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
It is Shamrock that lives down there, I think.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Lucas hasn’t scored a premier league goal in 8 years, but he also doesn’t give 20 fouls away at the edge of his box every game. He’s getting an award today for 10 years at Anfield. Hopefully, that will be a kiss farewell and he will be in B&W next season.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Cornwall is beautiful but I loved the lake district and the highlands .
kimtoon(Quote)
You need top coat and wellies for the highlands mate 😆
Icedog(Quote)
god yeah Ice, you’re not wrong there.
kimtoon(Quote)
Just looking at the PL no alls said and done up then. 8th place only needed 46pts but equally 17th was 40pts – really small margins there like.
Got to get the cover right in the squad. We can’t afford to have the dips in form we had this season when Gayle & Shelvey were missing.
I also think our home form has to improve on this season too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – style of play maybe but I’d take that amount of home wins again this coming season. It would have us easily staying up.
All of these dodgy rumours about signings are really ALL journalist guesses in between recycling interviews they did three weeks ago. Everyone’s away and will be for at least another two weeks.
I actually live in Northumberland so it’s really nice others rate it. I do like it down where Shamrock lives particularly Devon. Bristol’s cool too 😉
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – where do you live mate?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Georgio – I think we made too many mistakes at home last/this season and PL teams will not let us off as easy.
We need to make SJP a hard place to come & take points. But we can’t leave anything to chance either. We have to have good cover for our key players.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – far end of the Tyne Valley mate. Very beautiful but generally ignored by the touristas. Empty and quiet.
It’s possible the ‘key’ players will be replaced never mind cover for them.
Shelvey, Clark, Gayle and Ritchie all had poor seasons in the PL last time around. The press are bigging up Adre Gray when Mitro scored more in the PL than him.
georgio(Quote)
Anyone watch the clip of Arma scoring in Korea. The kid really is a cool and clinical finisher. Rafa could do worse than have him on the bench next season.
georgio(Quote)
yep, have we really given him a chance to show his worth in the PL.
kimtoon(Quote)
Georgio – sorry mate I got busy this afternoon & forgot to reply. You’re a lucky ducky – sounds like my kinda place. I know the wife has been looking at house up and around Belford.
I agree re Armaz. I wish we had him to come into the team when Gayle was out last season – similar type of player, playing on the shoulder of defenders.
Does he come back in or is he out on another loan. I hope he gets a good chance in pre-season, coz if it’s another loan I don’t see him getting into the first team personally
Sharpy17(Quote)
So Moyes has gone maybe it could be a job for Eric’s mate ugly John or Parsnip
Icedog(Quote)
Said last week that Moyes would be gone but I expected them to negotiate a compensation deal. He has resigned without a payoff which is almost unheard of in modern football. The Mackems have a gargantuan task ahead of them and Desperate Dave knew it. He simply wasn’t up for the fight after being trashed at Man U, Sociedad and now Sunderland.
He sort of gave up in August which really says a lot. The players apparently called him the Energy Vampire. I am not sure we will see him again for a couple of years and then it will be Middle East, China or a return to Preston.
Farewell Desperate Dave. You have done the almost impossible and made the Mackems even worse than when you got there. The only silver lining is Jordon Pickford who you weren’t even selecting until the other goalie was injured. Where are the Everton Reserves going to go now? You can retire to the botox clinic and get that plowed field of a brow smoothed.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think it was obvious to everybody that Moyes was a broken man – the Theon Greyjoy of football management. He was obviously not up to the task of managing Man U, but succeeding Lord Ferg was almost impossible and being the hand-picked successor broke him. They even had that massive banner with his face on it and The Chosen One. The pressure must have been enormous. His points total was not that different to Van Gaal and Mourinho, but they have total arrogance and self belief and Desperate Dave does not.
Fast forward to Sociedad and he almost got them relegated. I don’t know about “Energy Vampire” but you could tell by his body language he no longer had self belief. Every goal scored against Sunderland had Moyes with his head in his hands, like the first goal was all but the end of the game. It would be interesting to see how many comebacks there were after going a goal down. He had had the life sucked out of him and was more of a zombie, certainly not helped by the ginger pallor and the wrinkles. Sunderland have been a zombie club for at least 5 years operating on the edge of the abyss so it was only fitting that they should be managed by Moyes in his final serious job.
I know there are a lot of metaphors there but the unwashed had become the undead under Moyes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Several papers are linking us with Michy Basthuayi today. I know he didn’t get a lot of time at Chelsea this year, but I think that would be a real coup and a striker we could get excited about. He certainly wouldn’t be cheap and it’s not clear whether Chelsea would be ready to sell him, but it sounds like he’s possibly looking for first-team football ahead of the World Cup next summer.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
I heard it was coz he was fuming at the carry on down at Chelsea yesterday.
He was also told that the club will continue to sell their players, with little investment in return.
I can’t say I blame Moyes one little bit to be honest. He was mad for taking the job in the first place IMO.
That and Hull have to be the worse 2 jobs in English football at the moment I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Charlie – load of **** mate. Chelsea won’t let him go. Costa will go & Lukaku will come in and they will keep Michy as back up/competition after his good form shown.
Sharpy17(Quote)
tend to agree with you mate,plus they have CL footy next yr and will need all their players,does help you in the lge with no PL to contend with
icedog(Quote)
Ice – I reckon Lukaku will go to Chelsea and that Tammy Abrahams will go to Everton as part of the deal.
Sharpy17(Quote)