For me it was the biggest reason and had more of a detrimental effect than many people think. You can throw blame at Alan Pardew, the players, the coaching and so on but the simple fact is that the whole squad and management structure were left short by a lack of strengthening last summer.
Lessons were learned in time for the January transfer window but by then it was too late and the rot had started to set in. It’s easier to pick yourself up from a blip, but when things are continually going against you then confidence and belief will start to drain and as we saw last season, players who previously had no issue with performing well became unable to even do the simple things right out on the football pitch.
Fast forward a year and here we are, with pre-season training under way and with no new additions to the squad, so just what is going on at United?
Not a lot it seems. There are plenty of rumours of course but then that is no different to us or any club at this moment in time. The problem I’m having is that all of this has a sense of déjà vu about it. We’ve been here and seen it all before and I’m starting to believe that we’re going to end up in the same kind of situation as we found ourselves in last term. In fact it could be argued that we’re worse off as last term we had the chance to build from a position of strength whereas we don’t have that luxury this season.
Rumour has it that Joe Kinnear – the “dynamo” now behind our transfers – is to jet off on holiday for a couple of weeks which is handy considering that this and January should be the busiest times of his year. I don’t know how true it is and perhaps there is more than a hint of stirring by the press but it honestly wouldn’t surprise me.
It seems as though everyone is cracking on with business whilst we dither about and stand still whilst reported target after reported target fall by the wayside. Angst is building amongst NUFC and I can completely see why. I just hope it ends up being misplaced and that, despite my own particular gut feeling, Kinnear can actually get something right.
I won’t be holding my breath…
I can’t remember the wisdom of the crowds aspect, can you? Was it about having a scouting team rather than one dude?
On Jozy: he’s the right age and an undervalued nationality, who was a cheap center forward… part of my drum beating to get him in came from this.
Okay, off to bed to avoid a sore head.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Wisdom of the crowds means don’t let your manager decide all transfers, get a team to decide between them . In our case Carr & Joe, old heads stopping Pards being a one man band.
Premandup(Quote)
We have been following those principles since we went down. Doing a good job. Once again our starting 11 is stronger at the start of this season than it was at the start of last season. Which is what you are trying to achieve.
Premandup(Quote)
I read the book and wisdom of the crowds means, listen to the maniac standing in the crowd berating the manager & team as they probably know best. :-/
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Premandup
You say; our starting 11 is now stronger than the starting 11 at the start of last season.
Yip. But we were woeful at the start of last season. We’ve since lost Ba and now have 1 recognised striker. Our squad after the first 11 is dire.
We still haven’t bought anyone. Our DoF is still on his holidays and we are not connected to any top players.
It’s absolutely pathetic and the start of the season is nearly upon us.
We never saw one bit of entertaining football with the squad we finished with last season yet we have lost Perch who played a big chunk of the season.
We just survived relegation with the same squad of players and have lost players from that squad and have not been replaced yet.
This is not a time to try and put spin on the situation. It’s time to talk bluntly about the facts and truth. 🙂
Troy Stavers(Quote)
canny read that Troy, Id defo say I have a bit of (desperate) blind faith and you and BDave are miserable twa** 😛
I’d also agree strongly with NorCal in we only need to make the right buys to do well next season, a lot of purchases made by other clubs are squad fillers that we’ve got enough of..
wheres al the authors on this blog?
mark(Quote)
@Troy
“we are not connected to any top players.”
how do u know this mate. most of our signing by Ashley have been stealth buys, no Journo, Chron or twitter tends to get a sniff before its actually happened.
Im sure we’re in talks (blind faith again) 😆
mark(Quote)
@Mark
I find you never learn from anything no matter how many times your smacked square in the face by Ashley’s baseball bat. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Do not question the future visions of Nostrastavers, Mark. 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
😆 thats called blind faith mate, i’m forever optimistic
mark(Quote)
troys way or the highway. 🙄 😛
I dont really subscribe to Ashely wanting to destroy our club as we have some wonderful players, I would say he enjoys being a tight fisted knob-heed 😛
mark(Quote)
Mark , that is true, it infuriates Troy when people disagree with him and he can’t rail road them into submission 😉
I stated about 300 posts back that Ashley isn’t doing all this to **** us fans off.. We have the basis of a good team and all we need is a couple of good players to cap it all off…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@aussie 🙄
Troy just doesnt get it does he. 😛 I think BDave is a bad influence
mark(Quote)
Wow! I’ve said it time & time again I don’t go along with that motive either regarding Ashley. I just believe he wants to ensure we finish above relegation and below Europe. Simples. 😉
I’m not happy with that like you two are. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Oh dear 😯 deary me 😯
Please tell me or show me where i have stated that i would be happy with that Troy?
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I can almost hear the reversing beepers now as Troy tries to back out of answering my question 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
pardew says he doesnt know the best place to play sissoko no 10 or on the “wing” on the wing ffs,the man hasnt got a feeking clue same old pardew 👿
icedog(Quote)
Ice, i feel sorry for pardz mate. It can’t be easy having players that lose all ability as soon as they play 10 feet away from their preferred position 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Another day of tour De France and the pissin ashes it is then, still nee signings and still nee access to have a bit craic 😥
Sharpy17(Quote)
Aussie – it’s a simple theory. Play your players in the positions they do best in. Like Agar at No 11. Get it?
georgio(Quote)
Ice@842 ,I agree it infuriates me .Just put the guy in his best position and stop putting players on the wings when they don’t belong there.
FANS@803 LOL,good one .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Georgio @845 😀 Great minds
KIMTOON(Quote)
Harper in talks with Hull SSN
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ha! I love it when you get Aussie on the back foot against the ropes and goes into rope a dope mode. 😛 only Ali was capable of that. 😉
Please tell me where I said I believed Ashley wants
to destroy the club as Mark implies and you back him up. 😆
What a ridiculous theory that is. Why would he want to destroy his own club? 🙄
My theory is right. It’s the only way. It’s my way or the highway.
He wants to finish above relegation and below Europe.
He over achieved the season before last and scraped into his target position last season. He will be bang on target if we finish 10th this season and next and next. 😉
I love watching Mark & Aussie jumping round like two Tiggers. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy – What is interesting about that table is that teams like Norwich, Southampton, Fulham, West Ham, Swansea, Villa and Stoke all finished above us last season and therefore had a better season than us but they have all strengthened their squads. In Mike Ashley logic that means we should reverse last season final standings and finish above everyone who strengthens more than us…
Beggers belief.
Stuart79(Quote)
Troy 😯 what are you banging on about 😯
Please tell me where i stated or Mark for that matter that we are happy to finish just below Europe fans just above relegation ! Please provide proof and not nonsical ramblings … 😉
Georgio, i got it mate…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Stuart79
I find it difficult to understand why some also suggest we are only a couple of signings away from a good squad. 😯
What’s all that about? We scraped above relegation last season and we’ve lost a couple of players.
Am I missing something here? 😯
Every single player was slated last season for their performances by the same people who are now saying we are 2 players off a good team. 😕
Wow! 🙄
Keep hitting me with them boys! I’m loving the banter. It reminds me of the time I say in my wheelie bin full of Ice and I got the first symptoms of hyperthermia and I started going delirious. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
fans = and … bloody auto correct….
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Aussie
You haven’t said it. It was a joke to get you to bite. It worked 😆
It was said tongue in cheek because you threw the theory at me a few posts earlier implying I believed Ashley wanted to destroy the club. 😉
You really are easy to make you jump round. 😛
Do they have Tiggers near your neck of Oz?
Or just skippys? 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Oh dear 😯 deary me 😯 wow 😯 , you would think that our new French players will be better this season now that they have tasted the gravy of the PL . Also Benny will be fit, so he will add a lot to the team..nah , i can’t really see why we might be better..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Wooooooo hoooooooo, that question dodge is not biblical in proportion, it is B&B ical in proportion… 😆 😆 😆
True to form Troyster 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
How is your bro Troy, is he coming back anytime soon?
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Aussie
My bro? I don’t know. He hasn’t spoke to me since he wrote his 25 page letter explaining how I misrepresented him about the blog. 🙄
Oh dear! 😯 dear me how. 😯 deary me 😯 goodness grief 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I’m still trying to work out what his point is though to be fair I’m only onto page 24 as his prints minute and there’s 650k words to a page. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Actually where are the renowned wordsmiths Wolfie and B&B? Everything’s too short without them.
5 new Frenchies in Jan. Add in Willo, Jonas, Perch, Elliot. Take out Colo, HBA and Krul. No wonder Alan thinks we were good for the last 15 games.
georgio(Quote)
Wow 😯 my goodness 😯 dear me 😯 blow me down 😯 suck me dry and call me dusty 😯
Sorry to see you are not yet reunited with B&B, it’s a tragedy that so many small typed words have gone to waste! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Aussie
They haven’t gone to waste fella. I’ve wiped my **** on the first 24 pages.
😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
😆 fair call….
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Looks like Kevin Gamiero is heading to spain. Reports from Spain and France say the player has an agreement with sevilla and just the fee to be agreed now. There is another one that we will miss out on while Kinnear pisses about on holiday. And I was hopeful we would go for him. 😥
Albert’sTash(Quote)
According to reports in Italy, Norwich are closing in on the signing of Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella 😯 . This is on skysports transfer updates. Norwich will have a good team next year and most clubs are strengthening by using this extra TV revenue apart from us.
Albert’sTash(Quote)
I see we are still inactive in the transfer market then ,oh dear .JFK just needs to stay away a little longer until all the known good players have been snapped up then he can come back and buy some up and coming frenchies who may or may not do well in the PL ,HAPPY DAYS. 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Tom Ince has apparently knocked back Cardiff could David Craig actually be right and he joins us????????????????
Albert’sTash(Quote)
Anyone got an iPhone? You can download the toon fixtures to your calendar if you go on this link and press download next to NUFC.
If you’ve got an iPhone, download the toon fixtures to your calendar
http://subscriptions.thismonkey.com/fixtures/football/calendars/eng/2013/index.html#1
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Albert’stash, Not at £8m I wouldn’t think, it’s a bit much imo.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim there was a rumour that Paul Ince was annoyed with Blackpool as they did not accept our lower bid. Could be he is forcing them to accept a lower bid by refusing Cardiff. Also has Delia got a new world wide selling cook book out or something. More Norwich transfer news on Sky Sports Ajax’s Toby Alderweireld mulling over move to Norwich 😯 . There fans must be loving this, instead we are looking for scraps of transfer news about Newcastle
Albert’sTash(Quote)
still no news on transfer’s ? not looking good for next season
stem(Quote)
Albert’stash , I agree mate it’s gutting isn’t it. How can it be that we have sunk so low in regards competing for good players. Norwich ARE looking good I got to agree ,good luck to them and Hoots I say ,just wish we had the same feel good factor . On the Tom Ince issue ,Did we actually bid then ? I didn’t know that 😯 I thought we was just linked like. Maybe that’s what he’s doing then ,£8M is a bit much though I would of said £5.5/6m more realistic figure for him myself ,good player though it has to be said. Trouble is Jabba knows he can get 2 frenchies on the up for £8m 😆 buy one get one free almost. 🙄 😳
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stem @871 C’mon now ,you didn’t really expect a signing did you ,this Toon ya know. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
@873 * This is Toon ,meant to say. 🙄 **** it too hot
KIMTOON(Quote)
So Ince has just the one year left on contract is that right 😕
KIMTOON(Quote)
kim no i didn’t but it would be nice to be wrong for a change
stem(Quote)
Thanks for the fixtures link Troy that is cracking. Saved a load of typing 😀
3hourswasted(Quote)
http://www.givemesport.com/359183-arsenal-target-toon-stopper
£6m 😯 They are having a laugh with that figure . 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
That link was pretty groovy, Troy. Cheers.
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Kim @878…they have obviously not read rule 6 of FSOTC’s soccernomic rules @ 824 🙂
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Kim it’s the Daily Star. Ashley may have his faults but there is no way Krul would go for that…laughable really.
3hourswasted(Quote)
Norcal @880 Aye couldn’t agree more 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
nice to see the FA have changed the rules on bad tackles even if the ref saw it after that pig nearly chopped a toon player in half they can now act 😀
icedog(Quote)
One of the keys that determines how a full season goes is cover for the starting 11. It should be fairly obvious and most teams get it but not us. If we get injuries to any or all of the following players what happens to our season: Ben Arfa (we know his injury record), Saylor (same as previous), Colo (getting older and has back problems now), and even Cisse (our only decent striker)? What happens is that we collapse in the second half of the season because our owner won’t let us carry a decent squad. A huge problem for us.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, we have so many players with dodgy fitness records, HBA, Marveaux, Staylor, Collo… even Krul has had two quite serious injuries. There again we don’t have that dastardly Europa League to contend with this year. Plus we know we don’t take those pesky cups too seriously either.
We all also know that the toons buying strategy is based on the “come to us as a stepping stone, prove yourself, and get sold on to a top club” concept. A win win situation for the player AND the club. … we’re a club going places…being made to look like paupers by Norwich, Swansea, Stoke, Sunderland…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Let’s look at some of our cover players:
Obertan: hopeless
Marveaux: is he cover or a starter? Either we he’s had injury problems
Elliot: decent backup, goal has never really been a problem recently
Haidara: very decent backup and should probably contend for a starting position
Anita: starter or bench? It’s up to Pardew but why bring him in if not to play?
Vuckic: horribly injury prone
Perch: gone
Gosling: probably gone
Ferguson: still not sure he will make it in the Prem
Sameobi: same as Fergie
Bigi: needs more playing time but where? A loan perhaps?
Jonas: starter or squaddie? For me not a starter anymore. He had better be in shape this coming season
Many of the other youngsters need another season at a lower level. What he have (and have lost) indicates we are woefully short in squad depth and quality. Wake up and get back to work Joe.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Poor Aussie is confused trying to work out what an eye phone is? 😀
You stick with your Nokia brick fella. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Have to agree Munich mate @885. What I’m worried about is where exactly are we going? A thin squad full of injury prone players, some youngsters who either aren’t ready for the Prem (and possibly never will be) and some who should move on or retire (Obertan and Shola are you listening?). What I see is 19 other teams in the Prem busy strengthening to the best of their ability while our DoF has a nice holiday. So do the other 19 teams have it wrong and we have it right or possibly the other way around?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
My priorities if I was Joe would be:
1. Bring in a top striker. Retire Shola and bring in a second young promising striker to compete with Campbell.
2. Sell Obertan and bring in a decent winger to replace him.
3. Bring in a young replacement for Perch or at least a defensive midfielder who can push Jonas out of the squad in a couple of seasons.
4. Try to sign a decent youngish CB. Saylor is injury prone, Colo will leave soon, and that leaves Mbiwa and Willo (shudder). Good may come along but we must start building some CB depth.
5. Have a look at all the youngish players (say 23 and under). Make decisions about all of them. Bigi, Tavernier, Alnwick, Streete, Dummett, Newton, Vuckic, Abeid, Sameobi, Campbell, Richardson, and Inman to name some of them. Assess their strengths and weaknesses and what to do with each of them to bring them along.
Come on Joe, you can do it (or can you)?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
My priorities if I were Joe would be:
1.Have a rant
2.Blow my own trumpet
3.Alienate the fans/Pards/media
4.Go on holiday.
Job done! 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Richie that sounds frighteningly accurate mate! 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
More heresay since we have nothing else to go on. A lad on another blog claims to work for Ashley and that funds are in place to bring in 4 players. Many of you have probably seen it. One of them is probably Remy, and we probably won’t bid for Ince since he’s out of our price range according to this fella. It makes sense but still show us the money Ashley. I can believe the Remy rumours so please God let him be innocent.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Geordie 2 like you job list.
Premandup(Quote)
Thanks Premand @893. It would be a start.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Didn’t like the pards interview about Sissoko where he is saying who is he going to displace. he should be in a 3 man midfield not an alternative in a 2 man midfield
Premandup(Quote)
I hope we see your article soon Premand. Any news on that?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
went in yesterday. up to Toonsy.
just a review of the stats of some strikers whose names may be familiar to readers of this blog.
I may do another on the combined goalscoring ability of our first 11 and whether it will be enough
Premandup(Quote)
So If Parsnip is having a problem with what position to play Sissoko in then I can only presume he didn’t ask for the lad. I mean you would identify what you need and get the player you need for that position wouldn’t you. 😕
KIMTOON(Quote)
I am bored out of my fckin mind with this football club!
Wake me up when we sign someone
Stuart79(Quote)
900th!
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)