Just what the “right type” is will be up for debate, but I view the right type of player as someone who will be able to handle the rough and tumble of the Premier League whilst improving the team and not costing a load of cash in the process. I don’t mean cheap players when I say that, but I do mean that we are unlikely to see any big names arrive through the doors at NUFC during the summer.
What we are likely to see is an attempt at trying to unearth more hidden talent of the ilk of a Cheik Tiote or Hatem Ben Arfa – good players on reasonable fees. It’s a risk, as is the signing of any player, but then again you always have the option of getting rid and not making too much of a loss on a player if it doesn’t happen to work out.
That wouldn’t have happened in the past when names like Michael Owen, Albert Luque and Damien Duff arrived at the club. These were all big names on big wages with big price tags and surely wouldn’t let us down. Wrong! And it’s a repeat of that kind of mistake that the club are trying to avoid this time around.
This is why scouting will be very important to Newcastle as they look to bolster the squad and, as I wrote the other day, this is why Graham Carr and the rest of the Newcastle backroom staff will have vitally important roles as preparations are stepped up for the summer. However, as Alan Pardew has revealed, the club will leave no stone unturned as they hunt for players to recruit in the next few months.
“We’re looking everywhere – no stone will be left unturned. Nothing will be left to chance,” Pardew told The Chronicle. “The French market, the Dutch market, the Spanish market and the German market – we’re looking everywhere all of the time.”
Incidentally I went to a German Market just before Christmas and all I came back with from there was a dicky belly from some of the dodgy beer and food on offer. If the club really is looking there for players then I hope they have a much better time of it than I had!
Anyway, enough about my beer and sausage fest (tee hee hee) and more from Alan Pardew on our summer recruitment drive. Pardew continued:
“We don’t want to make any errors because we need to bring in the right type of players. I will be going to two games on the Continent this weekend.”
“I will be looking at players again to check them before we give the final nod. Whether they are available we don’t know but we’re working hard.”
We’ll have to wait and see whether or not this “hard work” pays off in the summer as at the moment these are just words, and the club as a whole generally don’t have a good track record at keeping to their word.
Still, it will be interesting to see just who we end up with this summer. There is no doubt in my mind that we will end up with players from abroad as, quite simply, there are just too many instances of scouts being abroad and Newcastle staff being at continental games for us not to be interested.
As ever though, time will tell.
I hope their scouting isn’t just abroad; look at people like Best and Williamson – gems with unrealised potential from lower leagues. I wouldn’t want to see the club lose its admirable ratio of Brits because of an obsession with Euro markets.
At least we won’t be looking at South Americans via YouTube, eh.
My main concern is the January window, when the club managed to significantly weaken our squad where it most needed strenthening, while spending a lot of money on their one arrival – who plays where we’re already strong and was crocked anyway.
Really, really worryingly poor performance. I just hope it was a brain-fart not to be repeated.
Whumpie(Quote)
Gems?
Stuart79(Quote)
Really hoping we sign Trochoski from Hamburg… He’s a German international winger and best of all…. FREE!
sunlounger(Quote)
And still has a few years left in him at only 26…..
toonsy(Quote)
fatty ” hoy gobshite – get out there and start bullshitting about our summer signings – i’ve still got thousands of season ticket renewals outstanding ”
gobshite ” i’m on me way boss – you know i’ll do anything you and derek ask ”
roy cropper(Quote)
It will be interesting to see what matches he attends this week. Could give us an idea on their thinking for the summer
MDS(Quote)
Sunlounger/Toonsy,
What kinda player is he? I don’t know him…
OHurley(Quote)
MDS-
No doubt, man. Will be interesting for sure.
OHurley(Quote)
OH – Left winger IIRC? Fast as fook.
toonsy(Quote)
Cool. Do we need another LW though? Isn’t that where Benny will be playin?
OHurley(Quote)
OH – Hope not. Benny ain’t a winger 😉
toonsy(Quote)
True, but he looked pretty fookin’ deadly there earlier this year. Of course, I always his name bantered about when talkin of players to play in the ‘hole’. But what would become of our noble captain? Cos I KNOW we ain’t gonna let Barton sit on the bench if we got him..
OHurley(Quote)
I think Ben Arfa will get used left midfield when everyone’s fit with a midfield of; Barton Nolan Tiote Ben Arfa. That would leave our reserve midfield. Gosling Ireland Guthrie Jonas. we really do have one of the best midfields in the league when/if everyone’s fit. 😉
dan4toon(Quote)
…always *hear* his name bantered…
OHurley(Quote)
toonsy
Posted March 9, 2011 at 3:20 PM
OH – Hope not. Benny ain’t a winger
He can play anywhere!
Stuart79(Quote)
Dan4Toon
No doubt. Even our reserve midfield would be pretty **** good. Anybody think we could use Benny as another striker? Then pick up Trochoski for the left wing? German wingers are pretty good…
OHurley(Quote)
Stu 😀
OHurley(Quote)
Stuart – So can most footballers, but it doesn’t mean that they are effective everywhere does it?
Have we seen enough of him to say the he should be played in x,y,z position? I know I certainly haven’t not in a black and white shirt anyway.
What I have seen is him when he is at his most dangerous, which is when he is cutting in from the RIGHT to use his LEFT FOOT.
If he is going on the wing he will go on the right.
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy,
Maybe, but I coulda sworn that Hughton played him on the left
OHurley(Quote)
OHurley – I think we should take a look at Podoslki. Now i know he hasn’t done much in club football lately but if we could get the best out of him we could have one hell of a player. Like a fast Hitzleperger at Westham, he’s still only 25 as well 😉 But am guessing would command high wages.
dan4toon(Quote)
toonsy
Posted March 9, 2011 at 3:30 PM
Have we seen enough of him to say the he should be played in x,y,z position? I know I certainly haven’t not in a black and white shirt anyway.
What I have seen is him when he is at his most dangerous, which is when he is cutting in from the RIGHT to use his LEFT FOOT.
But you’ve just established that you haven’t seen enough of him to make that judgment.
Stuart79(Quote)
you no what you find when you look under stones..
worky 😆
hitman(Quote)
Dan4Toon
Would LOVE to get Podolski! He’s a crackin’ player even if he is a bit out of form lately. I’d love to have him and Schweinsteigger, as unlikely as THAT transfer would be 😆
OHurley(Quote)
Stuart79
Posted March 9, 2011 at 3:32 PM
“But you’ve just established that you haven’t seen enough of him to make that judgment.”
Have we seen enough of him to say the he should be played in x,y,z position? I KNOW I CERTAINLY HAVEN’T, NOT IN A BLACK AND WHITE SHIRT ANYWAY.
There ya go Stu. I made it bold and in capital letters so you don’t miss it again…
I was referring to the times that I had watched at Marseille and Lyon. You do know that the Champions League is on the TV don’t you?
Hitman – Stop trying to stir ****. It ain’t happening.
toonsy(Quote)
Didn’t Podolski get homesick in Munich? Tough to get the Germans out of the Bundesliga anyway
MDS(Quote)
Does anyone else look at that midfield line-up and think “that’s four central midfielders”. No width; no ability to get to the by-line and cross; just a cramming of talent onto the pitch, similar to the England team under McLaren.
Without Jonas we’d be a lot of points short of where we are. Barton is only played out wide due to a lack of other options (we had one and sold him and it’d be the same story with Benny.
You can just about get away with playing with one winger, but not none; not against every team. Hopefully Benny and Nolan can fight it out for the ‘in the hole’ position, but that’s at the expense of a true 4-4-2, so no doubt that’ll get criticised.
I like the idea of two top quality players fighting for each position. But we don’t have that. We have one winger for two positions, plus five or more vying for the one position in the middle. T’aint good!
Unless Ireland proves to be a stunning success and can justify his inclusion ahead of Barton, Nolan and Benny, he should go back. Guthrie has shown he can do a job as backup for Tiote, so unless we sign a better one, he’s needed ahead of poor Smudge, in my opinion.
That’s what I think SHOULD happen. What WILL happen, I suspect is a kludging together of a line-up that has most of our midfield playing out of position.
Whumpie(Quote)
We should persuade Alex Ferguson to part with Berbatov on the cheap. Berba is a die hard, life long toon fan so it makes sense
Moreno(Quote)
Whumpie,
“Does anyone else look at that midfield line-up and think “that’s four central midfielders”.
Yes, 100%
Moreno(Quote)
OHurley – Yeah Schweinsteiger is quality. 2 years ago he was being offered to clubs for 3 million when he was out on the wing. A few year later he’s in the middle and worth about 25 million. 😯
dan4toon(Quote)
Dan4Toon
YEah man, he’s been a helluva success. Remember when Dennis Wise convinced everybody that he had contacts at Bayern and the Schweinsteigger deal was already done? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What a mangy little dwarfish git!!
OHurley(Quote)
Speaking of wingers, is Nobby Solano still playing? Last I heard he was in South America or summit..
OHurley(Quote)
dan4toon
not only was he being offered to clubs he was being offered to us for £3m with wages of £30,000 apparently!
pearceet(Quote)
pearceet-
according to dennis wise, at least lol. Though I don’t doubt it. Wise was such a muppet that I can easily see him fookin’ that deal up like.
OHurley(Quote)
what about a 4-1-2-1-2
____2 new strikers___
________HBA_____
_____Barton__Nolan__
________Tiote_______
Jose – Willo- Colo- Simmo
_____Harper______
You could have Jose and Simmo bombing forward with one of the CM’s helping out on one wing if we need in attack or defence…… This may be a lack of width but with two wing backs it might work. Jose would be the perfect left back for this and if we can get a RB similar if would work I think.
pearceet(Quote)
Yeah he was meant to be our replacement for Milner 🙄
And Solano is playing for Hull I think after Nigel Pearson took him from Leicester.
dan4toon(Quote)
OHurley
Ah didnt realise it was all wise, in that case it is all cr*p probably!
pearceet(Quote)
It would have been one hell of a bit of business tho! £9m profit and a much better player
pearceet(Quote)
Pearceet-
I actually like the diamond midfield formation. Chelsea used it to great success a season or two ago. I think we can TOTALLY pull it off now, actually. HBA is the PERFECT attacking midfielder to play that role. On FIFA 09 I used a diamond formation with my newcastle squad with Luka Modric in the role and scored more goals with him than with anybody else lol. Granted, that’s a video game. But I think we could do it!
Dan4Toon
That’s right! I forgot he was back in England (or did he ever leave? I could’ve SWORN than he was back ower the watta… lol)
OHurley(Quote)
Nah he’s still playing for Hull, just checked 💡
I think he gets played right back a lot when he does get a game.
dan4toon(Quote)
Does anyone else look at that midfield line-up and think “that’s four central midfielders”
——————-
Yes- that is why half the players we are linked with are wingers. I think the club will address that issue
MDS(Quote)
_____One mint striker___
Jonas_____Nolan_____HBA
______Barton__Tiote____
_______________
Jose – Willo- Colo- Simmo
_______Harper______
*One mint striker (aka Leon Best)
Moreno(Quote)
Moreno – I like that team and have always thought 4-2-3-1 is the way forward 😉
dan4toon(Quote)
Moreno-
I like that too. I think with Nolan and HBA in the lineup we could probably afford to go 4-5-1. And honestly, Leon Best has been delivering. No sense in leaving him out like.
OHurley(Quote)
Oh yeah, covering all points except Asia, Africa and all of the Western Hemisphere. (I’m hoping they get into the Serbian areas, as they make durable and knowing players there.)
Well, it is for good reason, as it will be hard to get passports and work permits for lads from those areas. But is sure would help with shirt sales to get a good player from China or Japan.
BeeGuy(Quote)
BeeGuy-
Yeah mate, I’d like to us have an asian player. What was the Japanese lad’s name that impressed so many in the world cup? He was crackin as I recall..
OHurley(Quote)
Honda?
dan4toon(Quote)
Toyota? 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Dan, yeah I think that was him! Who’s he playin’ for now?
Toonsy 😆 mint
OHurley(Quote)
He’s been playing for CSKA Moscow for a year. Heard a few rumors Arsenal wanted him for 15 million after the World Cup but things seem to have died down since then.
dan4toon(Quote)
Hmm… didn’t Osaze play for Moscow? Wasn’t great for them racist cnuts, but has been mint for WBA since coming ower to the prem like
OHurley(Quote)
Would anyone take Defoe? Surely if Spurs sign another striker in the summer he’ll be well down the pecking order.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
So maybe Honda would come good in the Toon? Ha, here’s to hopin’ lol
OHurley(Quote)
I would rip your arm off for defoe.
Moreno(Quote)
I’d rip someones arm of for some food at the minute. Fooking starving but can’t arsed to make owt 😥
toonsy(Quote)
just-eat website is the way forward if your a lazy tw@
🙄 🙂
Moreno(Quote)
Wouldn’t say Duff let us down on the pitch.
Yes… he let us down as part of the relegation squad and when he buggered off and said Newcastle was a nightmare, but…
he wasn’t really a bad player when we signed him except that he could have perhaps scored a few more goals. He was and still is a decent enough winger, wouldn’t put him in the same category as Luque and Owen.
DJG(Quote)
Duff was **** for us from the day he signed til the day he left, he had very very few average games never mind goodWaste of oxygen 👿
richietoon(Quote)
RICHIE aye mate he was duff when he left chelsea 😀
icedog(Quote)