As usual I’m just looking at how many points each player has contributed to, and comparing that to the average.
So far we have used a smallish pool of players. Only 19 players have started games and several have only got a few starts.
In goal Tim Krul has started all bar one game where Rob Elliot stood in. No real surprises there then. Quickly moving on to central defence, both Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson have started 14 games, with Mapou Yanga-M’biwa starting 10, Steven Taylor four and Paul Dummett just one. When Coloccini has started we have gained 23 points with 16 goals conceded, whereas with Williamson it has also been 23 points but with only 14 goal conceded. M’biwa helped us to 14 points from his 10 games with 12 goals conceded. Neither Steven Taylor (three points from four games with nine goals conceded) nor Dummett have really contributed enough to be analysed. Even looking at combinations shows that whichever combination of the three central defender starting has little difference. Each gaining about 1.5 points per game and conceding one goal per game.
Our Fullbacks have been equally consistent. Mathieu Debuchy with 29 points from 19 starts and Davide Santon with 36 points from 21 starts. Neither M’biwa nor Haidara have been as effective or had a large amount of playing time in these positions.
In midfield Yohan Cabaye has been our stand out performer with 31 points accrued from 16 starts and one substitute appearance including six goals. Next up Moussa Sissoko who has started every game and has amassed 36 points from 22 appearances with one goal. Vurnon Anita just edges Cheik Tiote with 19 points from 13 starts against 26 points from 19 starts with neither having had a goal allowed. Other than that Hatem Ben Aarfa has started 10 and gained 11 points. He has also scored three goals – one when coming on a sub which seems to be his main role now. Sylvain Marveaux has started two and Jonas Gutierrez, now with Norwich, just the one.
Up front we have tried two strikers, normally Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy or three with Shola Ameobi. Strangely, even though he has not found the net, when Shola has started we have gained 14 points from eight games, whilst without him we’ve racked up 22 points from 14 games – ratio of 1.75 points per game with him and 1.57 points per game without. This tends to suggest that we are better playing 4-3-3. If so a goal scoring target man would maybe improve things. Unsurprisingly Remy with 32 points from 19 games and 11 goals is our best striker with Yoan Gouffran (29 points from 19 starts and one sub appearance with six goals scored) is also not to be sneezed at. Papiss Cisse, who is way off form, has only started seven games scoring only twice, one a penalty and the other as a substitute. His points per game is also below par.
So where does that leave us? Well first off it tells us that pretty much all of our core players are all contributing. In theory our best XI would be Krul; Debuchy, Colo, Willo, Santon; Cabaye; Sissoko, Anita; Remy, Shola, Gouffran, playing in a 4-3-3 formation.
How Cheik Tiote fails to get in defeats me, but Anita edges him out. Never mind. M’biwa and Ben Arfa deserve a mention as well.
Outside of those 14 players others have been peripheral to our cause this year and either need replacing or bringing on. Colo is still our best central defender and Cabaye our standout player. Yet both are potentially moving on in the summer. Colo would need replacing although Yanga-M’biwa and Williamson make a decent pairing. Cabaye whilst not irreplaceable is vital to our team. We need cover for right-back, a replacement for Shola and a far stronger bench would not go amiss.
Lets sort it now so that we can get players adapted for next season.
Bris maybe its got something to do with it being the transfer window 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
But if you don’t expect anything to happen, what difference does it make?
Brisvegas(Quote)
Bris maybe thats why they talk about the lack of any transfers, but sure what difference does it make to you what people talk about ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
?
Just an observation, mate, not a criticism. Keep cool.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Bris I am cool as a cucumber 😉 I just wondered why you felt the need to ask why some talk about transfers or the lack off, as without a match at the weekend and it being the transfer window I thought it would have been an obvious topic.
Big Dave(Quote)
Why does anybody comment about anything? I felt the urge to say something and I was having breakfast. 😆
brisvegas(Quote)
Bris why do people comment about the lack of transfer 😆 because they dont think we’ll sign anyone, but the fact your only up maybe explains that your not woken up yet 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
right im outta here before Aussie comes on and starts 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Can’t believe we haven’t bought anybody yet. 🙁
brisvegas(Quote)
Vegas, wind your neck in mate, this place is for fans that like agreeing with each other in regards to how bad it is being a fan of Newcastle Utd 😆
Tsunki at 210.. good points but I reckon that if you ask fans from most other teams, they would say the same thing. Liverpool and Spurs fans would no doubt be saying they should/could be doing better!
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Oz, I know. I keep forgetting not to make comments that might be construed as questioning the perceived wisdom.
Tsunki: There’s always cracks to paper over (@210). The only way we’ll ever be crack free and win every game we play is if we sack Pardew and bring in JJ or KK.
brisvegas(Quote)
… Presuming they don’t disappear up their own crack in the meantime. 😆
brisvegas(Quote)
I just thought I’d better explain that that was a pun on the word crack (as in banter), just in case anybody took offence.
I’m just feeling a little cheeky ( 😀 another pun on the word) buoyed by the Roar’s 8 point gap at the top of the A-league).
It’d be a bummer (heh heh) if people took it seriously.
brisvegas(Quote)
Must go do something else. Couldn’t be arsed hanging around here. 😉
brisvegas(Quote)
Must be a full moon tonight **** I’m not sure. They mentals are out in force…. 😆 😆
Santti(Quote)
Vegas, nice puns but I can’t be arsed commenting any further on them 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
**** you used the arsed pun at 239 😈 ****! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Rennes, Sochaux and Palace being linked to Marveaux.
All the managers in the world are bloody thick. The guys stats show that he is the most creative player in the world 👿
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Tsunki @ 210
Similar to Mourinho ❓
It’s not thrilling but organising a well-drilled team deserves just as much respect as organising a side that plays good football.
I’ve actually enjoyed watching us for the most part this season so don’t understand the complaints tbh.
We’ve only scored 3 goals less than Everton.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Solano @244, talking of Everton, they look to have a beast of a forward line now with the signing of Traore, the guys massive, him and Lukaku will be a bloody handful.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this 😕
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/exclusive-mike-ashley-finds-way-make-money-cups/
KIMTOON(Quote)
Any signings yet?
JFK got off the big yet to actually do something or is he just here to make sure the tea lady cooks the bacon ok???
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim
Yeah they look to have done well there.
Usually like the underdogs doing well – but as someone commented the other day – we ideally need the standard top 4 to finish in their places 😡
If Spurs/Liverpool/Everton get CL they will be propelled even further away from us.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Solano@244, agree with you there.
Regarding getting rid of the supposed dead wood, at the end of the day the players need to agree to the loan moves, how can we be sure
that the toon aren’t trying hard to offload these players ? We have had more than enough players sitting tight at the too earning big money and being no too bothered about playing…then the motivation of the player needs to come into question…
Munich Mag(Quote)
I’ve seen on the SSN and BBC apps this morning that 25yr old Yohan Cabaye is a target of PSG.
I wonder what flattered Cabs more, being linked with PSG or it being written that he’s 25 when infact he’s 28.
Stupid lazy journos!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy@250, Sshh!, don’t let on he’s actually 28 it might knock a couple of Mil off his value 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Lee Ryder @lee_ryder · 3 hrs
Nobby Solano advises Remy Cabella to make move to football mad city in Newcastle http://bit.ly/1ePUib5 #NUFC
Expand
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – do you think Ashley would let them knock a couple of mill off like?! 😆
Regarding Cabella, he’s supposed to be mad keen to come to us with all the French lads and he’s good pals with MYM apparantly. Still think it won’t be til the summer if at all though.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, No not a chance of knocking any off I agree. As for Remy ,I agree I think summer if at all, which I still doubt.
KIMTOON(Quote)
It’s blatantly obvious we don’t buy unless we sell.
We haven’t moved anyone on this window so nobody will be coming in.
Don’t really blame Ashley for that though. Pardew barely uses the squad players we have now.
JJ(Quote)
Don’t hold your breath lads, all this about deal being close 🙄
Lee Ryder @lee_ryder · 56 mins
Luuk De Jong: “There’s no offer for me yet” #nufc
Collapse
KIMTOON(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-fc-yet-make-6593702
KIMTOON(Quote)
KIM,same **** from toon all smoke and mirrors,imo we will sign no one,sell yes buy no
icedog(Quote)
Is the club preparing yet another club statement with regards to Jan Transfer window? 😳 😳
Kinda disappointed if we do not get at least a few in now…. Imagine how many we need to get in Summer if none comes in Jan.. 🙄 🙄
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
I don’t think Ashley does long term planning at NUFC, (yes there are long term targets but that is like me looking at something in a shop window on the way to work everyday, doesn’t mean I’m prepared to pay for it) we are set up nicely to finish 8th or 7th if one of the clubs above us struggle, which is likely IMO. Why should Ashley spend money when we have a good enough team to get us to the end of the season and Remy and Cabaye until then backed up by a decent supporting cast? He doesn’t need to spend, it was a different story last January. He is a businessman who has resources in reserve, if and when things start to go wrong, same goes for Sports Direct I’d have thought, but the difference is he probably spends 90% on that and 10% on us at the weekend.
DJG(Quote)
It’s no surprise that Brisvegas is constantly thinking about cracks & arses with all of the pooh that he posts on here.
@solanostrumpet
Juan Mata was probably Chelsea’s most creative player last season but now he can’t start a game. Has he suddenly become rubbish? Are Man Utd wasting £37m because Mourinho knows Mata is rubbish??
Or perhaps Benitez is a better attacking manager whilst Mourinho is a better defensive manager?
Marveuax was our most creative player last season (& this season everytime he has played).
In terms of creativity he is up there with Mata. What he lacks is the ability or confidence to score 20 goals in a season.
I made the Mourinho/Pardew comparison a while ago. Perhaps in some way it’s a complement but both managers are negative.
Neither of them fit in with the club ethos built under Keegan’s first reign & under SBR of fast attacking football. Less worry about conceding & containing the opposition & more emphasis on outscoring them. It’s definitely not Pardew’s style.
Chelsea would have been better off with Benitez than Mourinho. The Chelsea fans know it & they also played much better football under Benitez.
Benitez is perfect for a club like Chelsea. He likes big squads because he knows how to rotate players & keep them fresh. He also likes to build & then break teams hat he builds.
TSUNKI makes some very good points at 210
KK(Quote)
KIM just to rub salt in the wound Marv won’t go back to France as clubs cannot match his wages he gets at toon 🙄
icedog(Quote)
I think Rennes would be a good club for Marveaux.
Phillipe Montanier seems like a progressive coach, the club is smaller in a weaker league.
His best option is to stay in the Premier League or head over to LaLiga. I’ve no doubt he can be successfull if given the chance. He has been so far woth us.
Players like Marveaux & Anita are valued less than players like Sissoko or Ameobi. Typical old school mentality. Size matters more than technique. That’s why Spain have been struggling these last few years.
KK(Quote)
Any good offers for Cisse Offside yet
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
ICE@262, that would be right, Typical of us to pay not enough to compete with big boys but too much to tempt a player Pards won’t play to move 🙄 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
KIM aye Rennes etc want to take him but won’t match wage so he has said no,thought maybe toon would make up diff but looks like they won’t as its loan subject to permanent deal,must be a fair diff me thinks
icedog(Quote)
Norwich want Taylor for 5.5mil,I would take it the lad is fitness prone imo
icedog(Quote)
Everton showing what a decent Prem side can do with ease in the cup, beat Stevenage. I seem to recall we had a different kind of result against them? Of course we have the fa cup specialist Pardew as our manager. That must explain it.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Wow, £5.5m for STaylor!
That’s more than we pay for most of our players so i would accept the offer.
He can be a very good centre half but he is too injury prone to keep.
KK(Quote)
Most of the time I see signs of decent defense and some kind of buildup in the midfield from us now. We still don’t create enough going forward and Remy is clearly finding it harder now as we have such a simple attack plan. Does Pardew have the smarts to change it up? It seems unlikely to me. We’ll end up with around 55 points this season which Ashley will be over the moon with as he’ll make lots of TV money and no Europa League to embarrass him.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Do we do badly in cups because our general football style is to not concede before trying a smash & grab?
Sometimes in the league both teams might be willing to accept a draw & both teams might play cautiously.
In the cup, somebody has to win the match to progress to the next round so teams are more likely to attack.
Perhaps it’s the teams that play on the front foot that win more often than teams that play cautiously?
I don’t know. I’m trying to think of an excuse for the ridiculous results we’ve had against some very beatable teams.
KK(Quote)
KK,its if Norwich board stump up the cash will they stick with hoots that’s the problem
icedog(Quote)
@G2
I agree, we seem decent defensively but we have too much attacking potential going to waste.
If the idea is to aim for mid table, then it’s working. Give me the job & I’ll get the club to mid table quite easily with this group of players.
What actually qualifies Pardew, Carver or Kinnear to have the jobs that they have?
Experience? They all have experience but none of it is any good or positive experience.
Intelligence? I don’t think any of them are smarter than your average fan. I’d probably guess that fans have a better grip on what needs to be done & how.
It’s definitely more of a case of who you know which is why i don’t understand why some people still think Pardew is good for us.
Pardew, Carver, Kinnear – they’re all anchors that are holding us back.
KK(Quote)
@icedog
If i was on the Norwich board i would say no.
I’d much rather give the chance to a youth player or look abroad.
I don’t think STaylor is available for enough games to justify £5.5m.
KK(Quote)
KK Agee mate
icedog(Quote)
I think we should all realize that Joe has very special qualities that only a football genius such as Ashley can recognize. Don’t forget Ashley was the man who led us to 16th place last season. Very special. Thanks Mike. And now we have Joe as well.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
In the last 12 years we have only got past the 4th round of domestic cups three times. It’s hardly a new phenomenon us being ***** in the cups.
This season was the most disappointed i’ve been for a while though.
Usually we have much bigger priorities and I don’t mind not focusing on the cups. Losing to Cardiff looks like it has ended our season tbh (unless we spend a bit) 👿
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I can just imagine Jackie Milburn saying “well we’re in 8th place in the league so there’s no need to make an effort in the cup.” Not. Bloody ridiculous how poor we’ve become in cup competitions.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Yeah it’s bad enough how poorly we have performed last couple of seasons in the cups but the fact the board ain’t bothered compounds it really for me., Even Shearer said on MOTD that being pretty much safe from relegation there was absolutely no reason not to take the cup seriously .
KIMTOON(Quote)
hope for the future at least. 😀
Lee Ryder @lee_ryder · 2 hrs
Another great result for Dave Watson’s #nufc young guns. This time at #mufc 2-1. Well done @AdamArma9 @RolandoAarons11 and rest of lads
Expand
KIMTOON(Quote)
And with Joe in there how likely is it that things will improve any time soon? We have a large number of crucial decisions to make and he’s the lump Mike has chosen to make them. Shaky CB situation. No in form striker of our own. Poor wingers. Benny and Cisse unsettled to say the least. Cabaye for sale in all likelihood. Loads of dead wood in the squad. What a mess unless they start to do something very quickly.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
It really does sound like we finally have a decent crop of young’uns. Can we trust Pardew and the coaches to develop them properly. Only time will tell but I worry about it based on some of the players who seem decent when they arrived and quickly faded.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
“Losing to Cardiff looks like it has ended our season tbh (unless we spend a bit)”
Not much chance of that happening.
The seasons aim of mid table mediocrity has been achieved early.
Utter disgrace.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
G2, I hope they do some business now as come the summer it will be too many to get in and most likely too expensive as well. We will probs see Cabs, Colo, Shola, and it wouldn’t surprise me if his form continues Debs all go. That’s 4 and it could be more, how will they replace all them with equal quality in such a short time ,and it is short, given the complex nature of each transfer theses days.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Also wholesale changes in the summer gives no real bedding in time, if they got at least two now ,they have up to may and pre season with out any pressure on them as we are relatively safe in the league unlike when the crop arrived last jan.
KIMTOON(Quote)
So this Luuk chap is up for sale at a lower price than we allegedly offered 2 years ago, yet we aren’t interested unless we can have him on loan.
Fortunately no other club wants to buy him, because he is gash and lightweight.
So if we hang on long enough we may just get our wish. Another Cisse.
You couldn’t make it up.
Another Ashley gamble hoping a piece of tripe can magically turn into a diamond and earn him a few bob. Marvellous 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Yep, I’m quite worried unless we sack Joe Kimtoon. There’s just too much to do to leave it to him. We just carry too much dead weight all the time.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
In the near future I expect the following news item to come to light:
“Scandal grows as lead actor in porn movie for seniors revealed to be JFK.” Will this affect his career with us? Probably not. In fact Mike may think a pay raise is in order.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
What do you bet Martinez wins a domestic cup with Everton in the next few seasons? That would just grind my gears after watching him win one with Wigan already.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Well I’m off for a bit mates as discussing all our new signings has exhausted me. 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
@273….
“Give me the job & I’ll get the club to mid table quite easily with this group of players.”…..
Has to be my favourite this weekend 😆 😆 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
G2@290, don’t you realise that if we hang onto all of our “purples” that can be perceived as a succesfull transfer window ? 😳
De Jong….you can keep him for me…forget about it…
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM@292,Yes ,I’m worried that we are pre-occupied with his performance from when he was back at Twente. Maclaren made a point of saying at the time that he felt he wasn’t ready for the Bundesliga and said he needed another year there to prove he was consistent . MM , do you see similarities between the PL and Bundesliga , and is that what puts you off or do you just think he ain’t all that like. I’m not too itk when it comes to German teams /players so can’t really say one way or the other. 😕
KIMTOON(Quote)
Hi Kimtoon, I watched De Jong when he first arrived at Borussia, he just doesn’t seem to have any particular strngths about him. He isn’t fast, isn’t good in the air, and in my opinion isn’t strong enough to make it in the Premier League. The lad is still young, but I feel he just doesn’t have it about him, a bit like Huntelaar or a John Dahl Thomassen. I don’t think he and Newcastle would be a good match up at all…
I don’t see many similarities between the PL and Bundeliga to be honest..the Bundesliga teams all seem to go hell for leather at high tempo, whereas the majority of Premier league clubs prefer a more laboured and cautious slower build up.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Well only another 6 days of **** to go then we can get back to normal footie talk
Big Dave(Quote)
MM, cheers, funny I always assumed both leagues would be similar 😉 don’t know why really. Funny you mentioning John Dahl Tomasson as he was in my mind this morning as I was thinking, god please, if we get him don’t let him be another JDT like 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Dave ,it’s so ***** mate innit, I’m well fed up. This De Jong protracted effort is getting on my tits as well. I’m not so sure he’s worth it and certainly wouldn’t swap him for Papiss like. Thing is it gets to the stage fans will take anyone just so long as it’s someone 🙄 . Hopefully if he does come it’s only a loan ,that way if he does produce a big fat fail we can sling him back. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
really enjoyed reading this article, but it made me sad too as a reminder of what we were and still could be.
http://www.true-faith.co.uk/clueless-gutless-cupless/
KIMTOON(Quote)
is the window shut yet?? oh I forgot its the toon,that window closed the minute it opened for in-comeings 👿 🙄
icedog(Quote)
anyway if this de jong is right I would let him rot in Germany he knocked us back the first time,I know Remy did but at least he proved himself in PL first,what’s this guy proved NOWT
icedog(Quote)