Of course it’s early days so far, but performances have improved and results have followed along with renewed hope amongst the fan base.
One thing that is spurring on this upturn is undoubtedly competition for places which is one thing the new guys have given in pretty much every department. From defence to attack the whole squad has been strengthened, and with players returning from international duty and injury that competition for places can only get better.
Cheik Tiote will return from the African Cup of Nations having seen his international side eliminated by Nigeria which gives Alan Pardew a problem he probably hasn’t faced during his time at United. Granted the inclusion of Tiote is probably less of a headache for the Tottenham match as I dare say he will be rested and have to make do with a spot on the bench, but beyond that there is a selection dilemma.
It would be unfair to drop James Perch. Like him or loathe him he’s performed well in our back-to-back victories so why should he pay the price? If it’s not broken don’t fix it. It’s similar to the situation Vurnon Anita found himself in when replaced by Perch. The Dutchman didn’t do a lot wrong and probably lost his place unfairly but that’s just the way it goes I guess. Rightly or wrongly.
A fully fit and performing Cheik Tiote will take James Perch’s spot in the side of that there is little doubt, but this isn’t a “who should play” kind of article and this is where I’ll stop that kind of thinking. The point is, we have a hell of a lot of options when it comes to getting into the side now.
It’s not just in midfield either. Look at our defence. Mike Williamson has gone from enforced first choice to fourth choice within the blink of an eye. We have depth at centre-back for the first time in a long time and all it took was the addition of one player and the return to fitness of another.
At full-back we also have plenty of options and can cover most eventualities through either the numbers or versatility of options, and up front the addition of Yoan Gouffran has given us more options. When you add Hatem Ben Arfa in there it boosts us further although I still think we need another striker.
It’s a glorious problem to have. Right throughout the team we have competition for places which is a good thing. It spurs players on to keep their place and they don’t become comfortable. They know if they hit a bad patch they are out of the side and the new player coming in knows he has to play at the top of his game to keep the shirt.
What a problem to have!
Dave@72-What makes you say that?
Suarez had 4 goals then 17 “feeding off Carroll”
This season he has 22, without Carroll.
Newkie(Quote)
As seems to be the norm on here – I agree with JJ!
I think Carroll is a class player (though his stats over the last two years are comparable to Shola’s), but he just isn’t worth the fee or wages. And starting XI wise it’s either him OR Cisse, and I don’t think the board will have someone on 60k a week sat on the bench.
We need someone young, that won’t mind biding his time, bu be able to provide a decent option.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Ice – I think we probably share the same opinion on Carroll by the sounds of it. If he comes, fair enough, if he doesn’t, fair enough. I do think he’d provide a different option and give us something else against the more physical teams like Stoke.
He’d probably be 3rd in the list of CFs we’ve been linked with from RVW, PEA, Carroll and Bony.
What about one of those 4 and then someone like Scott Sinclair or Tom Ince who’d play right or left of the midfield 3 and allow Gouffran to play upfront?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Newkie – Big Dave and Ice like telling each other that they right…. coz no one else does 🙂 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
GROUCHO i think krul has that flaw in his game hoofball even if you go back to sat he hoofed it all the time needs work on that imo.
SHARPY i hope we do not go for douglas i dont rate him,if he is that good why have other PL clubs even bid for him,i have only watched him on tv i admit but didnt like what i saw
icedog(Quote)
Carroll would have to accept his pre liverpool wages to play for us again I reckon. There is no way Dekka will pay big money for his wages.. I think it will mean he won’t be back…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I think the board should be congratulated for their vision. But judged for their stubbornness.
Sissoko for less than 2 Mill! That is just genius. And it can’t be claimed to be a panic buy as we are actually well stocked in that area.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
AMF are you saying footballers only play for money like 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Aussie 😆
Ice is a good lad, always has something well reasoned to say. Then Dave comes along and puts words in his mouth, he doesn’t like being the only clown… 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Ice 🙂 I am starting to see a disturbing pattern forming regarding players and their desire for the money they can earn 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Agree Newkie, Ice is a good bloke 🙂 But people tend to get judged by the company they keep and he does hang around Big Dave 🙂 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
NEWKIE dont you dare pick on my mate dave,he knows his footy which is more than i can say for a few on here,dont think you have a big enough wall to hide behind if the bullets fly 😉
icedog(Quote)
SSN APP has Big Sam saying that they would probably want Carroll to stay but doesn’t seem confident that Andy would will want to and that it will be the end of the season that they discuss it.
Ice – personally I would prefer us not to get Douglas but again he’s one that Pardew has tracked for a while. As it stands he would only knock Willo off 4th choice for me like and I have to be honest and say I’m not sure he’s THAT much better, but would probs want a bigger wage.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Aussie 😆
Ice-Pick on Dave!? Wouldn’t dream of it. After all he’s big enough to look after himself. I’m just honestly interested to find out why Cisse would be a top scorer in the league if big Mandy was aboot 😉
Newkie(Quote)
i think the term panic buy is a bit off
Haidara isn’t a panic buy, he’s been brought in longterm not for short term impact, mbabu is one for the future, debuchy was bid for in the summer
toulouse are midtable rather than challanging for honours so were probably more likely to cash in on sissoko than they would of in the summer
lille are tenth, debuchy hadn’t had his best season so that probably help us secure him
bordeaux are still challenging in the league but with gouffran already able to sign a pre contract it is understable they let him go
alanthedog(Quote)
maybe it’s not as much the case of the club not bidding for players as other teams not wanting to sell
or a bit of both
alanthedog(Quote)
Ice
Here in South Africa we have a keeper, Ithumuleng Khune!
I have never seen a goalkeeper with such immaculate distriubtion in my life. He’s got create reflexes and agility but is very suspect from high balls so would struggle in the Premier League.
It does make a massive difference to have a goalkeeper that can pass the ball though.
If Krul could add that to his game he would be one of the best in the world because he has everything else.
JJ(Quote)
SHARPY aye imo another bramble waiting to happen imo,he is very good in the air like but thats it,but if carr sees something i dont all well and good,but i dont think hes the one we go for
icedog(Quote)
From my original post:
These were ‘panick’ buys. We have been tracking Sissoko, Gouffran and Debuchy for a while and personally I think it was a calculated gamble to make do with what we had, then get these lads at a knockdown price in Jan, or free in the summer for Sissoko.
I obviously meant these WEREN’T panick buys. 😳
Blackie is right, we should really proof read our posts 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
JJ aye mate its a long time since i saw a keeper as good as that big danish git at m/u at turning defence to attack in a flash
icedog(Quote)
I would like to see Krul rolling the ball out more. Both our wide back men can dribble the ball well so we should be using them as an outlet more often. Kruls kicking is equal parts nerve wracking and cringe worthy.. His only flaw but it can be fixed wth some hard work on the training ground.
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Aussie
It was only last week you were leading the anti Ashley campaign. Short memories. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I think now with a backline comfortable with the ball at their feet we’ll see more short stuff from Krul-worked a treat with Santon on saturday
Newkie(Quote)
Troy 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Ice spot on with your comment on Krul’s distribution. Noticed on Saturday Cech threw the ball out quite a lot but when he kicked it he usually found a Chelsea player. Surprised Pards or the coaches don’t do something about it. It puts us under unnecessary pressure when we give the ball to the opposition so easily. We now have the players to play it from the back in my opinion.
Groucho(Quote)
I have been saying this for ages now, Krul’s kicks are as bad as the crosses Jonas puts in 😀 Nearly the whole first half of the Villa game he done short passing and look what happened.
Santii(Quote)
I think krul is just used to having Simpson and Willo about. even if he rolls it out to them they will only kick it long anyway. Might as well just do it yourself. Now it’s a different story
MDS(Quote)
mind i do think some of the lads comments on here are right re coaching,when you think harper, and given were guilty of the same thing imo
icedog(Quote)
All good points about Krul especially MDS! Have to say it’s bloody great not having Simpson and Willo to worry about. We look so solid without them. Also surprised about Debuchy. I had him down as a swashbuckling attacker when actually he’s a proper full back. Him and Gouffran have been eye openers for me.
georgio(Quote)
Aussie – Good point @ 52. The usual suspects will never admit they were wrong. Ashley has done more than any owner in the whole history of this club to supply a manager with the necessary tools. Some fans just carp on that it should have been sooner. They’re always quick to give their counsel of perfection when they’re taking risks with other people’s hard earned millions.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Aye Georgio- it’s amazing to see how fast Gouffron and Debuchy have settled. I remeber an interview from Carr awhile back where he said part of their scouting is identify players that they think can adapt to the english game quickly. Job well done on that count
MDS(Quote)
GEORGIO on simpson had to smile he done the same as the west brom lad and traveled down to wigan to try and push a deal through,but had to turn back 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Santii – You missed a cracking occasion if you didn’t get to the game to give your SUPPORT, fella. 😉 I tried to give Pards a kiss from you, but he reckoned he’d had enough kisses from you to last him until the end of the season. 😆
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
ICE I heard that he traveled to Wigan with a deal agreed and at the last minute Ashley upped the price to stitch up DW. 😈
premandup(Quote)
Prem – some of these guys have sawdust between their ears. Hope I never see him in the shirt again.
georgio(Quote)
PREM you hear that many storys,i heard it was pardew pulled the plug as he didnt want to sell to a rival,maybe we will never find the real truth mate 😐
icedog(Quote)
To be fair, whatever happened, it is a good thing for Simmo as he will now be able to sign with whomever he wants in the summer. I’d rather have him around for depth than the 1M or so we would have gotten
MDS(Quote)
@B&B
Lol what a miserable git he is you can never have to many kisses 😀
Im surprised you are a fan of Ashley B&B. Totally agree with you on him aswell. He had a rocky start but learnt from his mistakes and since then has done wonders for the club. Best transfer policy in the league.
Santii(Quote)
i see cech broke a finger in match on sat,bet it was when sissoko left cole standing he had to dive across and tip the shot out he was at full stretch at that point 😆
icedog(Quote)
The photo of Simmo spark out on the front of the Sun today don’t make for good viewing. Bloodied face and out for the count ,must of been a hell of a blow like. Thought Door staff wern’t allowed to do that ,not very professional way of sorting a dispute out.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Santii – To be fair, he did say he was grateful for all your weekly post cards from N.I. with your big messages of SUPPORT. Trust him, he reads them out to the lads in the dressing room before the games. They mean so much to the lads, and play a big part in encouraging them. 😆
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Was also reading about Gazza on sunday ,he’s in a terrible state now ,such a shame .That lads life fell apart when he quit football and his own personal demons took over by the look of it. 🙁
KIMTOON(Quote)
Didn’t Wigan increase the fee for Nzogbia when we were interested? Get your own back time in that case with Simmo.
Groucho(Quote)
Looks like its chilly in here again. Toonsy close the window. 😛
Got to love the reality train. Ashley listened to us again. Kept Pardew for stability and bought in players like we demanded. 😛
Looks the cold draught has stopped predicting the sacking of Pardew. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Not sure I believe the price hike magij. Yes, Ashley is a proud/egotistical man. But he’s also a good business man. I reckon he’d have sold Wigan Simmo if it meant we at least made a profit, with Debby, Perch, Jonas, Santon (gosling) tavernier saylor raylor all capable that would be enough to see us through.
Unhless he just wants a higher chance of wigan relegated 😆
Newkie(Quote)
KIM@115,maybe he bumped batty and trying to push in lol
icedog(Quote)
Also Kim-I like Simmo, but if he’s anything like most footballers on a night out he probably earned it 😀
Newkie(Quote)
nine players called up from toon,never mind Simpson is there to. sweep up
icedog(Quote)
Kim – have you ever read Gazzas book?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Must be feeding time at the zoo is it? 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
Mike Ashley = Owner = employs and bankrolls the best squad NUFC has ever had in its history and then spends another £20M more to safeguard survival.
Graham Carr = Chief Scout = talent spots the best squad NUFC has ever had in its history.
Alan Pardew = Team Manager = confirms to Ashley at the start of the season he has the squad to cope on two fronts; takes the best squad NUFC has ever had in its history and flirts with relegation breaking all club records for worst runs. Comes within a whisker of losing his job and uses the new talent to catapult the club to two victories, coming close to nearly losing them both both.
B&B = pleads for patience for the owner and praises the club’s transfer strategy and aims of long term managerial stability; criticises the appointment of Alan Pardew as manager and the idea of an eight year contract; continues to predict Pardew’s sacking years before his contract expires, but thinks he should be given as much opportunity as the club can spare, short of relegation, to prove himself.
The Reality Train = called for Ashley to get out of the club and to make way for a new investor; spends Ashley’s money for him sooner than Ashley thinks is financially astute; is surprised that Ashley gets arsy; claims that no other manager would be attracted to NUFC whilst ashley is in charge because he treats managers, players and fans like dirt; passengers taking no risk with their own personal finances, not even offering to put their own money where their mouth are by offering to buy the club with their own pension pots, as proposed by NUST.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
“As well as Sissoko played, with Cabaye it was nice to have our intelligence in the team.
“When to go long, when to go small, when to keep the ball, when to try and get at the opposition. I thought he was outstanding.”
That’s how I called it too. Well said Alan. There’s hope for you yet, if I’m honest. Definitely. 100%.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Cheeses wept. It’s bloody freezing in here. 😕
Troy Stavers(Quote)
NEWKIE
February 4, 2013 at 13:17 (Edit)
Dave@72-What makes you say that?
? because thats what I think 😀
Ice nice to see you were watching my back, as there is a few back stabbers on here 😉
Troy @ 119 funny you should say that a lot of ones on here were happy after the summer window and thought we had a big enough squad. but when a few of us said we needed more players we were told that we had enough and that we should stop moaning. well as you said it looks like the Regime agreed and by the sounds of it some of the same ones on here that were happy with the window agree as I don’t hear them complaining about the new players that seem to have gave the whole team a major boost 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Simmo not looking to fresh in this video from the other night. Most have been some hit.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a456029/tulisas-boyfriend-danny-simpson-knocked-out-in-attack-video.html
rossco(Quote)
Sharpy @124 ,Sorry for late reply ,busy with Lew . No I havn’t read his book is it any good ?
KIMTOON(Quote)
Rossco thats what drinking and not thinking can cause.
I wonder how our new CB Good from the summer is doing I thought someone was expecting him to be in the 1st team 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Kim – yeah it’s good but quite sad aswell. It’s not just since he packed in football. He’s had a tormented soul since childhood. It’s really funny in parts but I just felt sorry for him coz he
desperately needed help back then and all through his career really and never got it. Think his life may have been abit different had he joined Man U and Fergies influence. He was encouraged to be jack the lad and go out on the drink at Spurs under El Tel which obviously made things worse. It’s a good read if you get chance.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ha! You’ve got to love the Cold Draught.
Dave, watch out, he might astound us and name a manager who would walk over hot coals to manage us. 😆
That reminds me. I must put the bins out. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Dave, regarding Curtis Good. The Cold Draught stated he may well be the best CB at the club by Xmas. 😆
He must have meant Bradford in the 2nd division 😛
Bless him. Close the window Dave, its bloody freezing round here. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Sissoko is a major attacking force out there. Combined with Cabaye we have a brilliant midfield. Still worried about Cisse though. He was lucky not to have been sent off after that throat grabbing incident. Personally don’t want Carroll back. We need another creative attacking player to complement what we already have. Carroll has no pace to stay up with the play and is used to the big money now. Keep looking for someone pacy and intelligent Carr for our next striker option.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
BB- if the reality train had its way we’d be on the cusp of administration while watching Nolan and Barton hoof it to Carroll in an away fixture at Elland Road 😉
MDS(Quote)
Troy it shouldn’t be that hard to name one there’s hundreds after all.
Sharpy I know what you mean but as for needing help in his case as with my own and others I know you need to help yourself more than you need someone else to help you. It has to be within for it to work and if you don’t want it enough it will never work no matter how much help you get, and i’m sure in his case he got the best of help from the Priory and rehab places, but at the end of the day it didn’t work because the most important help was missing 🙁 self help 😥
Big Dave(Quote)
MDS @ 137 how do you work that one out ? please explain
Big Dave(Quote)
@139- spending without selling anyone, giving barton a new contract, keeping carroll, etc…would have meant the club was never remade the way it has been and i shudder to think of the results
MDS(Quote)
DAVE always watch your back,what do they say if they cannot win fair try dirty tactics,will still lose like lol
icedog(Quote)
I’d have thought it was time for the reality train to be shunted into the sidings in order to keep a low profile, but it obviously thinks it is better to hide by giving off a lot of steam and hot air. 😆 😆 😳
Ashley listened to Pards, who said he was happy with his squad and anyone else would be just the icing on the cake. Ashley employs a football man to make those sorts of footballing calls. Pards never had to say that. If he wasn’t entirely happy with the squad, he could have couched it differently without it embarrassing Ashley. I’m sure Ashley was as surprised as anyone when Pards turned around after the FA Cup exit to say that the players, whom Pards saw close up in training, were no longer good enough. 😳
According to the reality train, Pards is just a yes man. Ashley doesn’t need a yes man to say he’s got the players when he hasn’t and, despite all my criticisms of Pards, “a yes man to ashley” has never been one of them. The players would have no respect for a yes man and neither do I think would Ashley. The best business men don’t surround themselves with yes men. Besides, if the club sells players ambition and can’t deliver, it will soon be found out. By the summer Ashley had steadily assembled the best collection of talent in NUFC’s history, and in this window he has gone on to add more. He doesn’t need a yes man, just someone who is prepared to buy into his vision. 😎
Pointing out where we can improve in due course is one thing, but criticising a bloke, who stands to lose a fortune if he gets it wrong, for not spending money as quickly the reality train would like is something else. It’s not two minutes since the passengers were carping on about what a bad owner he is and how he treats managers, players and fans like dirt and how he is too tight to spend on a top quality manager. It’s no surprise the way the reality train re-writes history, claims credit for pushing the club in the right direction, and then jumps on everyone who has asked for patience to let Ashley get on with the job. It serves as cover for their own embarrassment. 🙄
The questions for the reality train remain as unaswered now as they were when they were first posed. Who are the managers who are better than Pardew but who would never take the job whilst Ashley is here, but would come if he was gone? What is it about Ashley that puts top managers off. Who are the investors to whom Ashley should have sold at a price which the reality train deems to be fair? 🙄
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
MDS talking Barton I see
he was sent off again y/day in loss to nancy
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy@133 ,Might get it then ,ain’t read a book in ages ,no time .Always loved the Mark Billingham DI Thorne stories but missed the last 3 issues due to extra work with looking after mum and dad now.
Dave ,I agree he needs to really want to stop ,but he admits he likes a drink and that it will kill him .He’s gone from looking gaunt to really bloated ,so sad to see.
KIMTOON(Quote)
MDS I can’t think of anyone saying Barton should have got a new contract,? did he not already have a contract ? So whatt your really saying is that if it wasn’t for Carroll being sold then we would have been on the cusp of administration ❓ and that would have all been down to the reality train 😀
B+B you don’t half make some **** up “he is too tight to spend on a top quality manager.” who has said that because I can’t remember anyone on the reality train saying that, do you have any proof of that as I think you have just made that up ❓ ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
B+B your a cracker 😆 😆 you ask ” Who are the investors to whom Ashley should have sold at a price which the reality train deems to be fair? ”
and expect someone to answer 😯 yet you have continually called for Pards to be sacked but when asked you couldn’t even name 1 potential manager out of the hundreds that you stated would walk over hot coals for the job 😳 Im sure it would be a lot easier to name 1 out of hundreds than to name one out of only a handful of potential buyers of the club 🙂 but then you can’t really debate with someone that never answers a question straight but ends up answering it with a couple more questions, maybe you should take up politics 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Ice @ 143 what was he sent of for ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave – The Curtis Good one is aimed at me, but it aint a good call for you fella. 😳 It scrapes the barrell if you have to contort it to find something, anything, to milk. 😆
1. He came under Graham Carr, which suggests he could well be good. He came in under the radar with Bigi, who has made a good contribution before Christmas that those criticising Good certainly didn’t predict.
2. When the reality train said we hadn’t bought a centre back, I simply said we had, but I didn’t know how good he was. I simply made a throw away comment that, for all anyone knew, he could be the best centre back at the club by Christmas. I DID NOT PREDICT HE WOULD BE ANYMORE THAN PREDICTED PARDS WOULD BE GONE BEFORE FEBRUARY.
3. Mine was simply a plea to respect Pards’ call that he was more than happy with the squad and its capacity to fight on all fronts, and to allow Ashley time to put the club on the right footing; to buy when the time was right. Pards took us to fifth and deserved the chance to make a chalenge this season. I have consistently supported patience saying Rome wasn’t built in a day.
3. As we’ve seen, Pards over-estimated the readiness of many of the kids. 😳
4. As it turns out, even before Christmas, it was clear that Good might well be part of a successful cup winning team and picking up more cup winners medals this season than any of our centre backs. 😆 😆 😆
Good ole sidekick dave, keep em coming … 😆 😆 No wonder politicians are guarded about what they say when they are people like you about to quote out of context and misrepresent. 🙄
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
DAVE two bad tackles two yellows,he’s since said sorry like lol
icedog(Quote)
B+B 😳 😳 ” people like you about to quote out of context and misrepresent.”
B+B > “he is too tight to spend on a top quality manager.”
who has said that because I can’t remember anyone on the reality train saying that, do you have any proof of that as I think you have just made that up ❓ ❓
Big Dave(Quote)