Vote: Are you satisifed with the progress so far?

Are these two doing OK with the football side of things?
I think it’s safe to say that there have been some great articles on here over the last few days – articles that have created a debate and response in one form or another. Isn’t that the goal?

The one thing that has struck me since, well all summer long actually, has been the divide between fans of NUFC. This isn’t a divide about loyalty to the club as even someone with an outlandish view that is the complete polar opposite of your own still wants the club to do well. Instead it’s more focussed on the transfer front with, I feel, a lot of different things thrown in on top.

So what happens if you strip it all down and just look at the footballing side of things? How do you think the board have done in that respect? Forget the lies, deceit, the tales of £35 million and expensive free signings. Forget what could have been, what might have been and what might happen in the future. Think of it purely from the point of a fan paying your hard earned to go and watch eleven men kick a ball about and ask yourself if you’re satisfied with the football side of things.

Now of course much of this debate is going to be about transfer dealings. Personally I feel that what we’ve brought in so far has been excellent and the fact that we’ve done it on a shoestring is even better. I think we have some real class in our side, on paper of course, and that we are in a better shape than what we were last season.

Much will be made of the decision to sell Kevin Nolan, although let’s be honest he didn’t take much persuasion did he? Losing him is a blow in my opinion, but he is hardly the irreplaceable player that is being made out by some. People will bemoan the fact that we’ve sold our top scorer, but at the end of the day he scored 75% of his goals when we actually had a goalscorer. Where was he when we needed him?

Our midfield is probably the best that I’ve seen in a long time at Newcastle. Granted a lot of this is ‘on paper’ as it’s still early days, but from where I’m sitting we have genuine class, pace, creativity and steel throughout the midfield.

Yohan Cabaye is the player that excited me the most. He has the ability to be able to pick a pass from deep. Think Barton but, well, younger and cheaper and with less history…

Sylvain Marveaux is that wide man we have been screaming out for. People will say he hasn’t played since November, but at the end of the day he’s passed two medicals at two different clubs over the summer. Is it really that much of a concern?

Demba Ba is the one player I have questions about, but only about his fitness. Strange really considering he hasn’t missed that many games throughout his career and was a virtual ever present for West Ham last season. One to watch for sure, but if he can steer clear of his injury problems he could well be a twenty goal a season striker, especially with the ammo that will be coming his way from said creative, pacey, and dare I say it, flair midfield.

Yes there is still work to be done in the transfer market. Alan Pardew and John Carver have even said that there is still work to do and they still have the time and resources with which to do it apparently. Wait and see.

We’ve managed to get some genuine quality through the door and people turn round and say “well what if they don’t work out”. Fair point, but I would hope our scouting network would have looked at the players in question and judged their ability to perform in the Premier League – something which if we’d done under Shepherd I’m convinced would have made us potent.

Football is great as we all have an opinion on the way things should be done, but I sometimes think that people tend to snowball everything into one and use that massive snowball to cloud opinions on other things. Let it all go and think about the football for a moment.

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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.

145 thoughts on “Vote: Are you satisifed with the progress so far?

  1. evening lads

    im excited to hear the rumours in the sunday sun 2mora lol , probz in for ronaldo on a free on a 8 year contract

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  2. i would be so happy if we got barnetta and a striker in for arsenal!! just cant see the fecker happening tho!!! i build my hopes up so much then always end up dissapointed so **** it 😆

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  3. breaking news…..breaking news…..its going 2 blow your mind….smith playing against leeds

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  4. lua lua scored a great goal and was great 2day..this is the 1 guy i think will make it…and we will lose out big time…he is in his last year of contract…

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  5. I bet he could still score plenty of goals for us and people couldnt say we have a thin squad anymore 😆

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  6. dave haway then mate … answer my questions thats constantly goin round my head ….

    will we get a striker in before arsenal?

    will enrique be playing against us 13th august?

    is ashley going to splash some cash? ( stupid question)

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  7. I’m still amazed alot of you believe that we actually intend to buy a striker.
    It’s season ticket talk that’s all . It’s not going to happen unless Best is shipped out.

    As for better than last season. We have lost our top 2 scorers and replaced with Ba and HBA. Unknown whether they can score enough.
    HBA is not prolific and BA had a half decent spell at WHam but not someone who consistently scores a large amount per season.

    Way weaker IMO .

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  8. Bobby no harm mate but Nolan was finished after he packed Carrolls bags, so imo he isn’t much of a loss as the players we have can offer the overall team.

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  9. @santii

    Get real about Enrique. He’ll be off to Liverpool. Done deal between player and club but just a waiting game for Liverpool to get the best price on the final day of the window.

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  10. @Big Dave

    Nolan & Carroll played a major part last season when playing together. That’s gone and I don’t think it’s been replaced.

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  11. Bobby what im trying to say is that it wouldn’t make any difference if Nolan was still here anyway because he was finished when Carroll went the goals dried up and he offered nowt else 😉 but I get your drift

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  12. @ Bobby

    Ba has scored almost 1 every 2 games since 2007 hardly a guy who dosnt score much.

    We also have alot more creativity in Midfield means alot more chances which usually means more goals

    and we have had a bid accepted for Erding hardly season ticket talk

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  13. @santii

    We’ve made plenty of offers for strikers. The problem is not with the clubs it’s the players. We pay peanuts for strikers wages and hence no chance of getting a decent striker.

    Regarding Ba. Please tell me his record per season and not his ratio.

    You say we have a lot more creativity in midfield but the midfield need to contribute with goals as well and we’ve lost a 12 goal midfielder.

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  14. The key words are “satisfied” and “so far.” I am. In fact, I think the board, management and scouts etc have done very well “so far” and should be given credit.

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  15. Spot on Bigalspal (27)
    Forget Crouch, Defoe, Bridge & the likes we can’t afford their wages. That’s why MA is trying to hawk around Hose, Colo, Smith (that really good buy from MUFC) Joey & Jonas. Erdinc is just messing us about – unless it’s a wage problem perhaps.
    We must all accept we are a selling club with little ambition for the future. Fats MAY keep some money on one side for the January window to try & buy survival if needs be.
    If Swans are so keen on Routledge why don’t we insist on a straight swop for their fullback Taylor (Hose replacement sorted) & another £10M + in Fatso’s back pocket! Accept Club is now on a much better footing financially & therefore ripe for takeover again. So the fat cockney should do the decent thing & sellup especially as he seems incapable of being honest with the fans & just uses his Puppet to tell us all the fairy tales.
    Not happy unless a quality striker ( better than Kuqi hopefully) & Hose replacement can be found very soon.

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  16. Paul are you an. Actor? Sack your scriptwriter! Bad lines!

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  17. How do you know how much money we are offering these players?

    And going with your logic here.

    Cabaye is capable of scoring 15 goals a season
    Marveaux is capable of scoring 12
    Ba is capable of scoring 14

    So thats 41 goals against AC and KN’s 23

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  18. @santii

    It’s well known we don’t offer big wages. Strikers demand more than other players. I don’t know but I know we are struggling to attract a third choice striker in Erdinc. That’s enough evidence for me.

    Your predictions about the midfielders goal potential is typical of you. Get back on your cotton wool cloud. Not worthy of response.

    Cuckoo cuckoo

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  19. I voted NO because we started so well in the market and seemed to have stalled chasing a player who just does not want to play for us, let him stay in France we have now let some good players slip away to other clubs. We could use Johnston from Man City on loan for a season if they help with his wages. As far as saying sell Enrique ASAP you cannot sell a player when no bids have been made, Liverpool will come for him on the last day of the season with a low offer in the hope that Ashley will accept it to get rid of a disgruntled player, keep him for the rest of the season he is contracted to us until next year you could ask why as he can walk away for nothing but a year is a long time in football if we sign a good striker we may end up with more than a good effort next season and Enrique may decide that a new contract may be worth it, he has to perform at his best to remain in the shop window. So perhaps we should turn down (our right) any offer made for him and make him play out his contract. But the gambler at our head will motre than likely close the transfer chest and keep what we have signed let Enrique go and as long as we stay in the PL he will be happy. It is the fans who crave for more not him or his side-kick.

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  20. Should win the premier league with santii’s goal stats. 😛 😛 😛 Cuckoo cuckoo

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  21. I hope your right Santll because if you are wer sorted. Just pack the midfield and the goals will come – hopefully ! Remember the Premiership is a different kettle o fish to the French League

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  22. Im just going by your logic Nolan and Carroll scored 23 goals for us last season therefore they would have done it again no problem.

    Everything you say is all based on speculation and rumour and so predictable

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  23. Off to bed howling at Santii’s fantasy predictions. Wooooo hoooo hoo hoo cuckoo cuckoo 😛 😛 😛 😛

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  24. 3 goals total from Nolan/Carroll in the second half of last season. Pretty sure Ba/Ben Arfa can handle that themselves

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  25. People keep going on about were the goals are going to come from its crazy. This is one of the most creative attacking teams we have had in recent years and we may still add to that.

    I highly dout the players i mentioned above will ever score that many but people just assume that Carroll and Nolan will score the same amount every year. So they must assume thats the same for everyone.

    And whoop whoop got my avatar 😀

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  26. “I was captain of a huge club and played with a smashing group of lads I had untold respect for.” “But ultimately I was forced out because I lost trust in key people at the club and when you lose trust in people it’s almost impossible to ­regain it.”

    Kevin Nolan has been reading my article the sneaky *****!

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  27. So Kevin Nolan adds further evidence upon how sneaky and snide this regime are. No doubt that’s the hot topic for tomorrow.

    Although no doubt loads will side with the board in what is clearly dishonesty towards the club captain. More lies, this time to a player rather than the fans.

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  28. where’s the guy with the condom name…..Rubber_Jonny at?

    You were right! He was forced out! 😆

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  29. Can’t help but feel Bolton will struggle next season. They have lost 3 of their best players for nothing and aren’t blessed with funds to replace them. Elmander – Left on a free, Sturridge -Returned to Chelsea, & Lee – Out for minimum 9 months.

    Feel a bit sorry for Coyle. Think they might get caught in a relegation battle if Gartside doesn’t dig deep into his pockets.

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  30. so how come Xisco and Smithcant be forced out like everyone else seems to be forced out?

    So glad I’m going to watch football tomorrow 🙂

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  31. ANYWAY, obviously you daft bunch of g@ys have been wziting for my magic.

    Watch closely………

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  32. I see more comments have surfaced. Now it’s Nolan who is exposing the board as liars and con men. These guys are scum and need to be forced out of our club. They are seriously dragging our name through the dirt with their unethical practises.Empty promises, lies and spin. It’s all they do. Regardless of whether Nolan was needed or not, he has clearly been treated exactly the same as Hughton. Lead on, and then dumped.

    Only good thing is that their actions aren’t that of people looking any further than the short term. Ashley is looking for his money back and a buyer ASAP me thinks.

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  33. I feel quite worried going into this season. Since the sacking of Hughton, the team which was reborn throughout The Championship and pleasantly surprised us in the first part of the Prem last season, has been dismantled too much. Talk of Enrique and Barton going too. I look at our new signings and honestly don’t know what to expect in terms them adequately replacing what were our top goalscorers. It all seems risky to me. Signing a renound striker would give me hope… yet even after sales totalling £39mil they still insist on raiding the French league for a bargain basement buy, which we might want to keep receipts for by the way, should they flop! I’ll be at the Arsenal game and I honestly couldn’t tell you what I expect to see in terms of the team performance. It’s up in the air at the mo. I’m excited and worried at the same time.

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  34. The same Nolan who couldn’t say what he said whilst at the club? Tge same one who talked our #9 into a move to Liverpool? The same one who ended up getting tge best deal for himself despite being touted for England not so long back? The same one who agreed with everything tge board were doing until it came round to him?

    Bitter and trying to redeem himself much??? 😕

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  35. Anyone who is going to the game tomorrow. I’ll be going down, on my tod (with a leeds fan) think i’ll be in dry salters before the game, will be wearing a grey hoody/couple of seasons ago 27 taylor shirt. If any of you spot me looking lonely(Again with a leeds fan) or just fancy a bit of patter come and say hello.

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  36. Toonsy

    Forget the specifics. Just look at the trends:

    – KK,
    – Barton,
    – Nolan,
    – Jose
    – Hughton

    …All claim to have either been lied to or lead on.

    Surely they can’t all be misinformed…?

    😕

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  37. so how come Xisco and Smith cant be forced out like everyone else seems to be forced out?
    ——————————
    Funny how all of our players that are “forced out” tend to go to places that pay them more money…

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  38. well money wise he claims to have sorted the nufc books out, but i personally think hes just used sports direct to bail us out and infact if he does sell up hell leave the club in a similar position to wat he bought it in. He seems to have llambias and pardew covering his lies almost daily. and i think if the bloke had any passion or any heart in watever it is hes trying to do hed get off his fat **** and explain it to the fans. let the fans see his plan. weather the fans like it or not at least we no were we stand. newcastle united cant be run from a board room in london. i think were going into the new season without any true cutting edge. our goals last season came from nolan and carroll, and a couple of french replacements aint going do the job in my opinion.

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  39. In football terms, do I think there’s been progress? That’s hard to answer because I’ve yet to see how we play. I doubt whether I’d be in a position to answer that question until about Xmas.

    On paper we look better. Only Nolan of any real note has left and 4 of real note have arrived. You’d have to say that, generally, we are better off than we were at the end of the season.

    Are we better off than we were at the beginning of last season? I think yes, now that everybody has had a season to progress as premier league players on the pitch. Attack was going to be a problem area for us at this time last season. It still is. Midfield looks a lot stronger. Defence is marginally better.

    Are we better than we were at the start of the year? Well, Carroll did far better than anybody expected him to do and we actually felt as if we had a striker again. Ba doesn’t replace him in my book, so I think we are weaker up front. In defence, there are question marks over Jose’s commitment now, though Saylor looks better and we have Tavernier and Ferguson coming through. And Krul has now had some experience to draw on.

    To sum up, then, I think our defence is slightly better due to a better midfield and with Krul having more experience. We are miles better in midfield, at least potentially.

    Sadly, I don’t think we have progressed up front.

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  40. @toonsy
    You say;

    so how come Xisco and Smithcant be forced out like everyone else seems to be forced out?

    Simple really. Nolan had something to offer for other teams. Basically he had somewhere to go.

    You miss his point, like you do with the Carroll situation and Jose. They don’t want to work with liars and cheats and people who break promises. If you want to twist the meaning of words then crack on with your hatred for any player who leaves this club.

    Let us not forget, Nolan was instrumental in keeping this club together following relegation, first season back in the premier and helping Pardew settle in quickly. He went on to be top scorer from midfield and felt assured he would be treat well. He thought he had a close bond with Lambias who talked of long deals and shook hands on it.

    Does it not strike you that this was all done in January. Halfway through the season. What better way to keep a player motivated until the end of the season. Once they got the best out of him they betrayed him and went back on their word.

    I ask Joey Barton to step forward to be a character witness and victim also.

    You have a distorted view on the subject .

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  41. @Brisvegas

    How on earth can you say that only Nolan left when talking about last season?!

    Does England’s number 9 and local talisman not count?

    We are weaker and can’t believe you can’t see it. 🙄

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  42. BS9 – you might want to read what I wrote more carefully before you comment next time.

    Typical of you, really: so intent on criticising that you don’t bother reading things properly. Anything to get your message across, eh?

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  43. @Brisvegas

    I apologise for not reading your full article but I put forward mitigating circumstances in my defence. I normally read your full articles and disagree with every point but on this occasion i thought your first paragraph was enough, but
    you made a valid point later on. Well done. 😛

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  44. How embarrassing. 😳 I’m not comfortable with you congratulating me. Please don’t do it 😉

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  45. Not a slight on you T, but I don’t know what measures we’re using? Are we talking since they took over? The progress this summer preparing for the season ahead?

    Overall, I’d have to say except for enjoying the football at times in the Championship and seeing some cracking games last year, I’m less than satisfied. I genuinely believe last year wasn’t a great barometer for how we will do this season, as it was a freakish one for results. Nonetheless, I saw some cracking games because of that.

    As for the preparations for this season, I think it’s difficult to judge on the ‘football’ side of things (how ironic that we need to do this in the first place…), simply because none of us has seen enough football yet. This season I’m restricting my attendance for a number of reasons, and while it will frustrate, I hope in a way it’s me that loses out because it will mean the club are doing well.

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