213 thoughts on “Did we really underachieve last season?

  1. As usual missed a trick again. West Ham have reached agreement to buy Zarate. 18 goals in 28 apps for Velez and he’s still just 27. Probably peanuts too. Would have loved him at the Toon. 👿

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  2. Sharpy – interesting what Tommy Craig had to say about young Campbell. Has all the qualities to be a top striker but lacks the desire to go for it.

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  3. Prem I think we did well up until the Stoke game. I was dreaming of being in Europe next season and then as always results turn from bad to worse. I personally think we should have done better in the second half of the season. Losing Cabaye was a big loss and Remy being injured didn’t help matters. Nothing against Shola, Luke De Jong there emergency players if someone’s injured but there not proven goal scorer’s and it’s not there fault. Ashley should have invested. Not mega bucks either but given that he received 20 of Cabaye then why was there no offer for a permanent striker or midfielder ? I don’t care about nationality as long as they get results and try there best till the final whistle. Pardew’s head **** should of been his final game for the club. I don’t mind money being spent sensibly as long as the board prove what there speaking of. Good article

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  4. Georgio-Did he actually say that? So he’s obviously been dropped for a lack of effort then rather than just not being fancied. That is a real shame 😕

    That’s the one thing you can say about Carroll, he was a right donkey (And still is) but when he got his chance he took it and he kept working hard – he’d all but perfected his aerial game with us, though he doesn’t seem to have gotten any better since leaving. Ranger arguably looked better at a younger age but it was clear he was never interesting at putting the graft in to be a top player.

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  5. To many times with been linked with good players and it always ends up they wanted to much money. It’s got so boring that everyone know’s we never had any real attention of signing the player. Remy Carbella, Darren Bent etc. The list is almost endless. News papers making up **** and players wanting to leave the club! The fan’s get there hopes up and then everyones pissed off. I expect the same next year to be honest. If we sign someone really talented it’s a bonus.

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  6. MDS – I’m not sold on Lassoga to be honest. I like Finnbogason, but have reservations about how well he’ll adjust to the PL from Holland.
    I think Gomis is the big target man we desperately need, and I’d like to see us go for a forward with experience playing English footy – either PL or Championship – I’m thinking either Ings or Rhodes – I defo don’t mean Bent!.

    Georgio – I wonder if Campbell has been training with Benny?.
    I think if the kid has the ability then it’s down to Pardew and his staff to find a way of getting that into the first team squad, coz he’s definately a player we could use.

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  7. Georgio@77, That is so disappointing to hear about young Campbell if true. It’s hard to understand how when a young lad is gifted the chance to play for a big club he lacks the motivation for it. My nephew was an excellent footballer and I’m certain could of really made a name for himself but Bristol City ended up hooking him because of his lifestyle choices. I remember giving him a right gob full . My brothers house was full of his trophies and motm awards it is such a waste of talent . At the end of the day if the commitment isn’t total you fall by the way side.

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  8. Also Ashley needs to wake up and find a director of football that’s capable of doing the job. Give him the trust and money to do a sensible job and judge him on his signing’s. Clearing out dead wood players and freeing up wages. Nothing against Kinnear his not up to it. Wise on the other hand was a complete idiot. I recommend Ashley sticks to sports direct and let the director of football do his job with no interference. Someone proven and well qualified ?

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  9. Sharpy, I read a post on another blog that said Lassogo is similar in style to Big Al, the poster had watched him quite a lot. 😉

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  10. Terry, this is when I wish Sir Bob was still alive, he’d of been a brilliant DOF for us, but would Jabba of employed him I wonder 😕

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  11. Not sure why anyone would want Zarate. He hasn’t exactly proven himself as a top performer in a top league. I don’t think he’s good enough for a top 10 PL club.

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  12. For what it’s worth, Munich posted the other day that he doesn’t rate Lassoga either. I’d be curious to know why (I haven’t seen him play but his goal scoring record is good, right age, size, etc)

    As for Campbell, Craig’s actual quote was: “Adam has two great feet, lightning pace, and is a good finisher. However, it’s his passion for the game that he needs to step up.”

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  13. Re, Perez,

    Mark Douglas @MsiDouglas · 7h

    Spoke to an ex-pat journalist who watches him every week for a piece up later. Says £2m is “no lose” for #nufc. Rates him highly.

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  14. Kim – wow, not much to live up to then! 😆
    If that toon fan is expecting the next Alan Shearer from a little know German lad then I think we’re gonna have another disappointed toon fan in the ranks 😆

    With Cisses injury and lack of form last season, we need a CF to hit the ground running and scoring from the off. It’s alot of pressure to place on a young inexperienced set of shoulders.

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  15. Ranger, Chopra, Carroll and now Campbell…what is it with us and misfit strikers coming through our youth system?

    Good to see that Shola seems to be an upstanding individual. 🙂

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  16. I fink it must be coz we don av propa educasion lk wot dey hv n Soufampton

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  17. Mark Douglas @MsiDouglas · May 20

    Further on the Ayoze Perez move. My understanding Charnley met two Spanish agents last month. Perez might not be last from Spain. #nufc

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    😉

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  18. Kim – I hope so, but wasnt the same said about Bigi?.
    I’d rather they were signing first team players first coz that’s our greatest need at the moment – especially loosing Remy and Cabaye.

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  19. Sharps, It may be that the younger (for the future) guys are easier/quicker to get over that piggin line like 😉 least I bloody hope that’s what it is.

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  20. KIMTOON

    Maybe if Pardew was from Southampton he wouldn’t headbutt people because they gave him a little nudge trying to get their ball back…educasion… 🙂

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  21. I didn’t take the Campbell thing in too negative a light. I took more as he needs to work harder which is probably true of a lot of young players when they play first team professional footy for the first time

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  22. Sharps@89, Only saying what I read like, I think he was really saying their playing style was similar not that he’s the new Shearer. Well if he thinks that, then as you say he’s setting himself up for disappointment.

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  23. TDS,aye, very true, I also hear they do really good anger management courses in Southampton, maybe he should consider relocating 😀

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  24. MDS@97, I think with a lot of younger lads they get too much adoration and money far too quickly. It’s ok if you are a level headed lad and gets on with the football and don’t get caught up in the trappings of it all. But if you are the slightest lazy or thinking the hard work is done then, you are scuppered frankly. Then you have folk who should never be allowed, no matter how good to go near a professional football club like Ranger. 👿

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  25. Aye Kim. I think it can be a real eye opener for lads about how hard they have to work when they reach a certain level and can no longer get by on natural talent alone. True in every sport

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  26. Did we underachieve last season? Certainly for the second half of it we did. Horrific performances. Boring footy. Players completely out of form. A manager who looked lost when he wasn’t busy head butting someone and being fined and suspended. A lost soul as DoF. An even more out of it owner who let Joe run us into the ground for 2 windows.

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  27. Please say it isn’t so! Our 2 goal striker Shola is leaving us? Nooooo! But we’re going to bring in a 20 year old Spaniard to replace Remy mates so have no fear for next season. It looks like Sissoko would like to leave as well. And he was nearly a purple! I would rate him as light blue already! Who else will leave? Surely not Pard’s best mate Benny? And what about the beloved Marveaux? We are certainly looking like an exciting club going forward.

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  28. Kim – I have ever faith in Graham Carr personally so I’m sure these lads are well scouted and have the potential.
    But they aren’t gonna replace Remy.
    As for quicker to sort out – Gomis could have been signed up on pre contract 6 months ago!. Deals get agreed outside transfer windows – havent Chelsea sorted the Costa deal already?.
    It’s the typical approach to our transfer windows – well we made signings, we just couldn’t get our main targets over the line! – nor are you likely to with £6.5m bids for Cabella!.

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  29. What about getting rid of some of our watery yellows? Amalfitano, Obertan. I admit they have been great successes like Ranger and Xisco but surely it is time for them to ply their trade elsewhere? Or are they going to be hidden gems brought out by wor Alan when we don’t sign enough players in the summer? Only time will tell. Alan is excited looking at our squad already!

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  30. Sharpy , Nail on the head mate, low ball offers will get us nowt in the end .
    I refuse to get my hopes up again, I will continue to post links saying who we are meant to be after but refuse to believe it until I see them holding the shirt. I reserve the right to be mighty pissed off come deadline day 🙄

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  31. I admit every team needs a few watery yellows in the squad. Too much purple can spoil the picture. Still I believe we have more than our share. Poor Mike has a lot to deal with. People demanding he spend money, the anxiety of a summer moob job, the charges pending for molesting budgies. It’s horrible. It’s getting so a man can’t plan his summer pissup on the yacht in peace. 🙁

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  32. According to SSN there hasn’t been an offer for Cabella from NUFC. Looks like this is just the media trying to stir things up around our club again…

    Can’t believe this young kid would be signed to replace Remy anyway, that wouldn’t make sense.

    We need to sign a playmaker (to replace Cabaye), a forward/striker (to replace Remy) and a big strong striker to replace LDJ. We need all 3 of those don’t we? The rest would be a bonus.

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  33. Which 2 Kimtoon lass? Ranger and Xisco or Amalitano and Obertan? And how did we manage to sign the wrong Amalfitano? Was it just because he was younger than his brother? Doesn’t skill count as well? I would love to see our “depth chart” going forward for next season at this point. How many players will we have to replace? Actually I suppose Mike doesn’t have to replace anyone as he has already shown us with Cabaye. And we didn’t get relegated! See how clever he is?

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  34. No, we don’t need any of those TDS mate. They sound far too expensive. According to Mike we need: 1. a young inexperienced striker who may or may not be good enough for the Prem. 2. a free transfer for a couple of cheap seasons and 3. a fairly decent loan player to replace De Jong. See how easy that was?

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  35. So do I Kim. Sir Bobby Robson would have been a very good director of football. Sad really 🙁 He managed F.C Porto, P.S.V, Barcelona and won even won trophy’s with Ipswitch. Managed England to the SF but the players would probably think more of him than Pardew. It would do his head in watching Pardew cocking things up on a regular basis. The fan’s might get annoyed saying his not good enough. Pardew’s an okay manager but a Bobby Robson he will never be ?

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  36. TDS I agree we our crying out for a descent striker to replace Remy and a strong link up player to replace LDJ. Remy Carbella would need a period of adjustment and even then might not ever cut the mustard.

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  37. G2 Mike is scouting India to find our next striker. The pounds worth more over there mate.

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  38. Excellent idea Terry. That’s much better than the Burundi rate of exchange. 😆

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  39. SHARPY17

    I don’t work for the club mate 😉

    But these days transfers take ages to sort out. Who knows if we’re seriously interested or he’s seriously interested, if either’s interest is just a smokescreen or if it’s blown out of proportion by the media…

    We’re fed all these little titbits but 99% of it is complete rubbish.

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  40. TERRY

    It would be nice to get more surely but last summer we were crying out for a big strong striker who can also score goals to replace Shola and another attack minded player. That was when most of us thought Cisse would come good too.

    Now we’ve got one misfiring striker and then inexperienced kids upfront…not the best position for bargaining for Mr. Ashley either…

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  41. Sharpy…Aye but that’s assuming Gomis wants that and isn’t waiting to see what other interest there is in them.
    Also and assuming the reports are true, they want €10m and we offered €8m which is a perfectly decent first offer.
    A club sets an asking price that is higher than they actually want, the buying club goes in with a low(ish) offer and they meet somewhere in the middle, job done. Our problem has been the meeting in the middle part, we make the low offer then that’s generally it, this window we really can’t afford to **** about like that though…let’s see if we do 🙄

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  42. We have a very cunning plan going forward mates. Not to worry. Mike wants to know if Clive Allen is still playing football by the way?

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  43. TDS I don’t what to expect anything from Mike. I’m slowly learning that if he can get away with not spending anything he will or he will bargain buy in january to make sure he protects his investment. I would like to see three striker’s in and a midfielder and a centre back if possible. I’ll just wait and see because I haven’t got a clue what our team will look like next season.

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  44. Is there an underground slave trade in footballers from third world countries? If so does anyone have their toll free number for Mike to call?

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  45. You know, a lot of you are showing a disappointing lack of enthusiasm for the summer window. I don’t understand it. Here we have a magnificent opportunity to get out and gather all the hidden gems available. Other clubs will be going after expensive players while we troll around in the underworld. I’m very saddened by your lack of support for Mike.
    G2
    OBH
    SOCJ

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  46. TERRY

    I think every investment from Ashley is calculated based on the financial return. That’s sensible business policy but it cuts the fun out of the football sometimes. There seems to be little thought to simply providing entertainment or because it would make the fans feel good, and therefore make Ashley feel good because we’ll like him for it.

    So I think Ashley wants a solid top 10 PL team because that will increase the valuation of the club and he likes increasing the value of his asset…

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  47. G2 Clive Allen ? His to expensive mate. Stop getting everyone’s hopes up. Nile Ranger ( Free) Bellamy (Free) Campbell ( 400k) so there’s our strike force next season, possibly.

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  48. No, that’s not it TDS mate. Mike wants top 10 results with bottom 5 spending. Quite simple really. Hidden gems are the key. And third world football slaves. 😀

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  49. Ok, Terry mate. I’m disappointed about Clive. What about Gary Lineker then? Surely he still kicks a ball around a bit?

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  50. So that’s it then. Perez to sign. Summer transfer window sorted. And I was worried for a while there. What was I thinking?

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  51. I think we’ll have a very pacey 1 pronged attack next season with Perez. Is he familiar with hoofball?

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  52. TDS I couldn’t agree more. I have read Ashley has taken 11 million back from his intrest free loan. 18 million has been rolled on to future years whatever that means. He gets even more money this year so he might just settle for top 10 till the loans paid in full. After that he might sale or show some ambition. It’s not very exciting from a fan’s point of view but in the long run it could be the best thing his ever done. If he wants his loan back quicker I can see him signing freebies and settling and searching for bargains.

    G2 those three players our free so Mike might be tempted.
    Campbell 800k and Bellamy (Free) they might manage to keep us in the top 10 goal wise ?

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  53. TERRY

    Whatever Ashley does he can’t risk getting relegated and even if we finish in the bottom 10 I think that significantly devalues the club which will negatively affect attracting sponsors and top young players.

    The issue is that making that push into the top 6 places will require significant investment in terms of time, effort and money. So the safe place for us to reside is 7th to 10th and I think we’ll sit there for a few years.

    Like you say, not much fun for us fans but hopefully in a few years he’ll either sell up or push on. Hopefully we can get some derby wins and cup runs to keep the fans from bashing the gates down in the meantime! 🙂

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  54. G2 Gary Lineker, Ashley won’t pay match of the day rates for him. Sadly it’s another no.

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  55. Bellamy has no re-sale value 🙂

    Not sure who we’ll end up getting but the likes of Cabaye and Tiote came from left-field before so maybe these will too…

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  56. Ahhh. I see Terry. Very disappointing there @138. And Gary will be hurt as well. I hope Mike knows what he’s doing. Here’s an interesting post from another blog as well (sorry for the length).
    FROM MAVIENTES (Newcastle United):
    Well I guess Pardew it is, but don’t expect me or fans to back him or the club. The club have made their bed and decided that mid table mediocrity and no trophies is as far as they want to go.
    Pardew indeed is the perfect manager for that, as to go any further you need a manager who can actually manage.
    Whether the players feel the same is different, i wonder what Krul, Sissoko, Debuchy (all internationals off to the world cup) etc think about it. Would they want to stay, hell no, and who could blame them.
    However Pardew fits the job description, that will please some, you know the ones, the ones who say what is is and we will just go with it because we don’t care, but I am sure the Majority of fans want ambition, passion and trophies (or at least a **** good attempt).
    So you have the choice, be like those passionless sheep who will back Pardew and co to the hilt because, ‘thats what we’ve got’, or show your dissent at the clubs lack of passion and stay away.
    I mean seriously would you want to pay money, which is very tight these days, to go into a club that doesn’t give a **** about entertaining you or giving you a product that you’ve paid for.
    And as for the war chest we have been hearing about for summer recruitments, seriously to those who believe this PR spin do you really think ‘We do not see cups and Europe as a priority’ and ‘Transfer war chest to strengthen the squad’ in the same sentence.
    Transfer War chest is for clubs and managers who want to win things and progress, so therefore the only players brought in will be just about good enough to keep the ambition of staying 4th from bottom.
    Who wants that apart from Ashley and Pardew. Well I could name a few, but the real and true fans want whats best for the club and not just go with the flow. But hey Pardew it is, so your choice to pay and display or walk away and wait till ALL the parasites are gone.

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  57. You know as Official Blog Hobbit I have to deal with a lot of provocative posts. People who, believe it or not, don’t like Mike. People with an axe to grind apparently. People who like decent football. Trouble makers in other words. Well, watch yourselves on here. We have high standards! Harrumph!

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  58. I bet a lot of you are sorry you criticized Jonas for being overweight while he was with us. He was just carrying on a proud tradition. Sign for us and gain weight. Relax. Enjoy yourself. Eat meat pies. Like Mark Viduka.

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  59. G2 that was a good read. I know the fan’s deserve more that go to the games. It’s heartbreaking really but I don’t see any easy solution with Pardew and Ashley here. This is a question for you, If and this is a very bid if, got to a cup final would we TRY or GIVE UP encase we qualified for europe ? Most fan’s deserve to be unhappy watching us get owned by Sunderland etc. Pardew’s doing everything Ashley wants off him and it doesn’t matter what the fans think but 50000 will still turn up. It’s pride and loyalty and nothing more.

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  60. I’m off for a bit catch you later. I have been sent to India to scout 11 players for Newcastle next season. Mike has given me 72 million rupees and I hope there good enough next season. If not blame Mike not me.

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  61. Ta Terry mate. I already have Faty Papy sewn up for us. Nothing but good times ahead! Huzzah!

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  62. Richie – you hit the nail on the head mate. We can’t afford to **** about this window or risk loosing our main targets. If the asking price is €10m then you’re right, €8m isn’t a **** take. But if €10m is the asking price then that’s not a **** take either – in fact it’s very reasonable and if meeting that means we land him quickly and don’t loose him to another club, then for the main targets I would rather they just met the price than **** about for the sake of saving €1-2m …. which actually turns out to be €10m coz we don’t sign the player.

    TDS – these days our transfers generally take about 18 mth longer than everyone else’s mate. I think we’ve created that many smoke screens that we’ve forgotten ourselves who our targets are.

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  63. Don’t worry Sharpy mate. I still remember who our targets are. I can’t divulge that information yet but you will be incredibly shocked and aroused when you find out. Oh dear I’ve let the cat out of the bag a bit there. I wasn’t supposed to mention our signing of Gary Lineker’s wife yet. Best tea lady in the Prem.

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  64. Geordie – not even if Mike Ashley masqueraded as Kelly Brook with a war chest full of Viagra would that fat **** ever arouse me mate!.

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