Never mind. I’ve had a nice couple of weeks in Turkey enjoying the culture (Efes, Raki, Quad Bikes etc) so don’t mind starting again.
Anyway the subject of the planned article was that basically that during all the time I’ve been away stationed in some mountains somewhere not too far from Syria, in a land forgotten by the internet, that nothing has changed.
Less than 12 hours after my return, and no more than five minutes before publishing a fresh article which you’ve no doubt been waiting for, there has been a change and we’ve managed to sign former Ajax captain Siem de Jong.
The 25-year-old has signed a six-year contract with the club for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £6m-£7.5m – a reduction on the £15 million Ajax were looking for last summer, presumably as the Dutch club fear losing him for nothing when his contract expires in the summer.
Born in Switzerland to Dutch parents, de Jong has represented Holland at every level and currently has six full international caps with two goals to his name. During is time at Ajax he racked up 244 appearances in all competitions over seven seasons, scoring 78 goals operating mainly as an attacking midfielder with occasional stints as a striker when required. Here is a video of him in action.
The lad has shown class in the Dutch league but only time will tell if he can replicate that in what is a much tougher league. Maybe I’m just being overly cautious after the failed loan spell his brother Luuk had with us last season? I don’t know. I’d be ecstatic if it worked out though.
This is now our third summer signing following the arrivals of Jack Colback and Ayoze Perez earlier on the summer, but more still needs to be done if we are to have a squad anywhere near ready for the new season which is now approximately seven weeks away.
Maybe this is just the start of that process?
TDS i agree the time has past for him to be sacked. Need to get behind him and the team now. Depending what we do on the transfer front should be the factor on how long he gets if things aren’t going well.
Considering how bad we got last year we still managed our “minimum” expectations of top 10. He is not as bad as he is made out to be. Though there is better (i think we can get).
Santii(Quote)
Re Pards, I don’t really rate him, wasn’t happy to see him come in from day 1 but since we are stuck with him he’ll get my backing for the new season since there is little point getting on his back from the start. I hope he proves me and others wrong and gets us playing entertaining football, I also hope he gets a few good players in as I don’t want to hear he gets no backing anymore, if that’s the case he needs to walk away and let Jabba get someone else to do his dirty work.
kIMTOON(Quote)
My last post is depressing just thinking about it…
City, Man Utd, Chelski, Arsenal and Liverpool will all be targeting the CL with realistic hopes…Everton and Spurs know they have a chance too and will at least be going for Europa League…Burnley, Palace, Hull, Leicester, QPR, Stoke, Swansea and West Brom are virtually on a hiding to nothing as they are relatively small clubs and there are bigger clubs in the championship. West Ham fans seem to be a smaller version of what we used to be (keep buying expensive players but constantly yoyo in the league), Southampton are in a transitional phase but will have a lot of new players to get excited about, Villa know they’re **** but have some young players to follow…actually probably the closest club to us is the mackems…they should really be an established PL club considering the number of chances they’ve had to be so and the size of club. But they’re a yoyo team between divisions…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SANTII
Problem with better is that it’s a matter of perception…I can’t think of a single manager in the PL that I would want and we could get, and the managers abroad and in the CL are a risk. We’re not going to get a truly top manager from a CL club in a big league so whoever we get it’s a risk.
Both Liverpool and Everton took smallish risks with Rodgers and Martinez and they paid off. But they both had time to prove themselves in the PL first and succeeded. Any PL managers with the style and success you’d want? Sadly, the closest I can think of is Poyet but he hasn’t had enough time and I can’t imagine that happening…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Do you envisage Everton being as good this coming season ??
The Europa league was used as an excuse too readily by Pardew but it can have an effect if youre ill prepared. Everton have even less depth than we did approaching it, Older players and a smaller budget.
Im hoping to jump them, Certainly Southampton and Stoke
CC(Quote)
Aye the ones i would like, would definitely fall into the risk category.
No realistic ones in the premier league could do a better job than Pardew is atm i think. David Moyes i think could do well. Completely scapegoated at Man United and i think he would be an upgrade of a similar type of manager. Though i think his wages could be a problem for Ashley
Santii(Quote)
SANTII
Agree on Moyes. But just Pardew Mk II. Can’t see the fans taking to him too much and there’s always a cost associated with a new manager due to the obvious compensation paid to existing and new staff plus a certain amount of turnover for the playing staff too.
I’d happily take him if we’re floundering after 2 or 3 months though.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
CC
Agreed. And no Lukaku or that Barca winger. Will be interesting to compare squads at the end of the transfer window though. There’s going to be a lot of changes at Saints, Everton and us.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
@MsiDouglas: Via the reliable @LaurensJulien. Laurent Nicollin says “We have a deal” between #nufc and Montpellier for Cabella. At last…
3hourswasted(Quote)
CC
They also lost two of their big players (Lukaku & Deulofeu). Barkley looks like he is staying so far though still plenty of time for that to change.
I don’t think they have much financial power either. I think this could be the year they start to drop off a little. Though with Martinez style i will still expect a total **** fest from the media over them.
Santii(Quote)
@GFN_France: Newcastle and Montpellier agree Remy Cabella deal.
Full story: http://t.co/9nRDUsPSMe #NUFC #MHSC
3hourswasted(Quote)
Yes, too early to say on teams around us, because so much squad change to come. Top-6 looks set. I can’t see Everton and Saints having such good seasons, but I think that one or two out of Stoke, Swansea, Palace, WHam and mackems will have a much better season, and ine or teo of them will be down with Hull, Burnley, QPR, Leicester, West Brom, Villla as the tail. For me, success this season is 8th, but with a bit more hope – a couple of the younger players coming through, clearer team shape, coping with injuries better …
Gallowgate Terrace West(Quote)
@NUFCTheMag: Montpellier Boss Confirms Remy Cabella To Newcastle Transfer ‘We Have A Deal’ http://t.co/gqN2R306Cr
3hourswasted(Quote)
@F8Piraux: Rémy #Cabella : Very technical player, fast and he scores many goals for a midfielder (14 last season). More complete than Ben Arfa. #NUFC
3hourswasted(Quote)
Fee being reported is £12M….
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/323373.html?CMP=OTC-RSS
MDS(Quote)
Have you seen the people Villa are signing? Much needed experience to go with their young squad.
Or total has beens that are looking for one last pay check. I wouldn’t want any of their signings anywhere near the Newcastle team.
I think they will struggle.
Santii(Quote)
Villa signed Cole, Richardson and Senderos?
Wow…that’s dreadful…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
well its still too be completed but if Cabella signs then things really are on an upward curve at SJP. First DeJong now Cabella the icing on the cake would be Demba Ba but surly those rumors cant be true …….or can they ❓
AXEL(Quote)
Well I’m going to pretend their true Axel just so I can see this versus Man City
Ba
Cabella De Jong
Colbeck Tiote Sissoko
Hediera Collo Willo Janmaat
MDS(Quote)
Cabella is the 2nd piece of the jigsaw…then a Ba like striker (I’m not so sure it will be him) and then we need to replace Debuchy. I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised that the delay in Debuchy leaving would seem to be waiting for NUFC to get a replacement. Learned their lessons from Cabaye leaving I hope!
If we can just get those, we’ll be where I felt we should be last season. Then maybe we can finally look to push on and get some exciting young players in rather than constantly plugging holes.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
—————— Krul ——————-
Janmaat – Willo – Colo – Santon
Sissoko — Tiote — Anita — Cabella
——— De Jong — ??? ———
I think that is the way we will line up next season. Not sure on Anita & Colback though. Could be either.
I have no idea who the striker may be none of the rumours so far have no substance at all.
Santii(Quote)
A deal at last then, just personal terms and the medical then, hopefully plain sailing from here on in. Right now for a quality striker and RB please mike.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Santii-re Villa ,I think/hope this is the year they go down, god knows they been flirting with it enough last couple of seasons.
kIMTOON(Quote)
SANTII
Starting to look better! Nice when we’ve got debates over Anita/Colback, MYM/Willo, Haidara/Santon and what to do with the likes of HBA and some of our youth/fringe players. We need some depth!
Nope, no substance whatsoever with a striker link, just have to hope…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I still Ben Rfa goes even if it’s on a free jut to get the wages off the books. Don’t really see him and Pards reconciling.
Realistically I think they sign a striker, Janmaat, and then take Joel Campbell or Luuk De Jong on loan.
I’d still add a winger to that lot and be well satisfied
MDS(Quote)
MDS – It really does look like, after Cabella it’ll be at least one striker and a Debuchy replacement. to me, that starts to look as strong at a first 11 level, and with Colback and Perez, stronger squad. Still not near challenging the top-6, unless one of them really crashes, but pretty competitive beyond that. So now, no excuses for Pards.
GTE(Quote)
Kim i dont really mind Villa that much and think there will be at least 3 other teams worse than them. Still early days in the transfer market though so there is still time for them to get Heskey in on a free and secure their bottom spot… 😆 😆
TDS
Janmaat aswell though i put him in with hope 😀
I think my personal choice would be Anita > Colback. MYM > Williamson. Santon > Haidara. Really want to see rotation this season.
Abeid/Bigirimana/Ameobi/Campbell should all be getting game time if we want them to progress.
Santii(Quote)
If he signs all well and good,but its true English players are just daft,£7.5mil for lluo the Brighton striker un-real WHO?? ffs
icedog(Quote)
TDS – I said style of football because for me a DoF should oversee every level of football within the club, so from youth level to first team, ideally making sure that each side plays the same formation and same style.
I wouldn’t want Pardews style running through our club though, but I do think he would be good at getting players ‘over the line’.
That said, if these Cabella rumours are true, then Charnley is doing a pretty good job of things himself.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice it seems to me that the only way for most clubs to develop English players is to develop them yourself
MDS(Quote)
get
MDS(Quote)
MDS that’s very very true mate,when do the toon start to learn,Carroll and that’s it but £7.5 for a unknown seems very steep imo
icedog(Quote)
The old Christmas tree formation for me:
———————- Krul ——————-
Janmaat – MYM – Colo – Haidara
—- Sissoko – Tiote – Colback —–
——- De Jong —— Cabella ——–
————– new striker ————-
I have no idea who that new striker will be. I’d love Lukaku, would be happy with Ba or Remy and would go with Ings or Joel Campbell.
I don’t like Ba or Remy as people but their experience in that formation would be excellent.
Lukaku would be dreamland.
Ings and Campbell would be good signings but may take time.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, like that formation .
kIMTOON(Quote)
Sharpy
What do you think Pardew’s formation/lineup will be this season?
Santii(Quote)
Santii – I hope he goes with mine to be honest. He’s played 4-3-3 before with Jonas and Ba, but I’m not sure Pardew ever felt comfortable with it coz he prefers a more defensive approach. I think there’s a strong chance he’ll go 4-4-1-1 with De Jong off a lone CF.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY
What I meant is that I’ve never seen a club where the DoF dictates the style of play. I can’t believe any manager accepting the DoF telling them what style to play or what tactics to use. That’s what a manager does.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Just want to see if this works
Santii(Quote)
Nope 🙄 😥 😥
http://sharemytactics.com/15887/
Santii(Quote)
😆 Nice software to play around with, Santii.
At least it allows you to give some indication of transitional play – that the bog standard and to my mind very meaningless 433, 424, 442, etc, formations I see on here don’t, which is one reason I don’t go in for that stuff; they’re far too simplistic for a fluid game of football.
The only problem I have with the software is that it only gives two options for a player’s movement, but I suppose that’s enough to show attacking plans, transitioning and defending. It’s good. I enjoyed playing with it.
Just on formations, I tracked how Newcastle played last season by looking at the average position of players during a game, which I consider to be a good indication of the system a team played, although sometimes it’s not necessarily by design – force of opposition has an effect. It was all quite unscientific and very casual, but, averagely speaking, we played a kind of 2-4-3-1 formation (in both halves of the season I might add), although it’s a fairly arbitrary decision about where to draw the line between what is forward, back or in between.
brisvegas(Quote)
Well here we go are luck has started,Santon out of whole of preseason with knee injury
icedog(Quote)
Ice, Well that scuppers any chance of trying him at RB during pre-season then, so unless he’s going to put one of Anita, Mbiwa or even Raylor there we’ll have to buy one 😉 sooner rather than later.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Bris@790, Very interesting, wonder why it worked first half of season more than second, surely Cabs leaving couldn’t of made that much difference 😕
kIMTOON(Quote)
http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2014/remy-cabella-set-for-newcastle-medical-on-monday/
kIMTOON(Quote)
Interesting titbit from the Journal.
United have let it be known that they will not sanction the sale of Debuchy until a replacement is secured in an effort to assuage talk that they are solely a selling club.
That’s a first.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Kim: I think Cabaye made a huge difference. As did Pardew getting sent off, Remy getting injured and playing a whole lot of ***** uncoordinated football.
brisvegas(Quote)
Not looking forward to the FOOL turning Cabella into a defensive winger!!!!
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Delighted with Cabella, Janmmat next and then all out for the striker(s)
Shaping up nicely; A much needed injection of pace, creativity and apparantly a set piece specialist to boot. Should come in handy after three years of cack since Barton left…
CC(Quote)
Bris, Agree about the ***** uncoordinated football .
kIMTOON(Quote)
Santii
Kept an eye on Villa ever since their reaction to us going down; They have been swimming against the tide since we cuffed them under Hughton. It says a lot about the quality of the premier league that they havent been relegated in the last few seasons.
This could be their year with **** signings on top of an already **** poor squad shed of Benteke and Kozak for large chunks of the season… 😈
CC(Quote)
CC – Ron Vlaar has been excellent over the WC and Man U have lost Ferdinand and Vidic at the back – so maybe LVG may see Vlaar as an option for them, with his PL experience already.
Either way, take Vlaar and Benteke out that side and they go down for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So I see we are heavily linked with Rivière of Monaco today with a fee of €6m being mentioned.
He wouldn’t be my first choice at all, but we need 2 CFs IMO and at that price (£4.7m) and being only 24, I think he’d be a good back up so long as we still bought a first choice CF as well.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – it’s being wrongly suggest by French journos that we increased the fee to land Cabella because we got the asking price for Debuchy. Expect us to stick to a right budget now on RB and striker, so not surprised we’ve gone for rivière as a cheaper option. it all looks like Charmley has had a clear budget, of around £20m in transfer fees, plus whatever he can raise through sales – £11m for Debs makes it a total budget of £30m or so. De Jong and Cabella and a RB sum to £24m of that, so I can”t see how there’s more than £6-7m left for a striker. If we spend more than that on two strikers I’ll be surprised, and delighted.
GTE(Quote)
Well if we get Riviere and one other CF in , then where does that leave both Amstrong and Campbell ? those 2 need too be loaned out but not too SPL clubs .They need Championship level too learn and improve and we would then have Riviere and the other new signing , Cisse ,Perez and even DeJong too battle for the striker position . For the no 10 position Dejong ,Cabella and HBA (no one is going too buy him so use him) all of a sudden we would have attacking options . How long ago was that ?
AXEL(Quote)
GTE – yeah I don’t expect us to she’ll out in the region of £20m for Bony or Lukaku – though I can always live in hope.
But I think Charnley reckons he could get Ba or Remy for around £8m, add the £4.7m for Rivière and that’s £13m for a new strike partnership.
If we can’t get Ba or more likely Remy, then I think they may look to loan possibly Ba or Joel Campbell.
Axel – the 2 Adams are still very young and may not be ready for the PL just yet. I agree that a season in the CH would be a good move. I’d be offering them to Birmingham (with our connection there), Boro, Leeds (with them loosing McCormack) or Derby coz I think Pardew gets on well with McClaren and he’d be a good coach them.
I’ve read that Ipswich fancy taking Fergie on loan next season, which would be a good move with us having Colback and Anita in his position now.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bris
Aye i’m happy i came across that wee site. Easier to explain with a clearer picture of a team.
CC
Benteke was ***** last season. Think he has a longer goal drought than Cisse 😆 Wonder how Roy Keane will get on there. Its a strange appointment. Is he Lambert’s replacement or what.
I don’t think we need another two strikers. I am starting to get the feeling that De Jong might be played there. Think Riviere would be a good buy at that price. Its almost risk free.
Sharpy
Think Ferguson should be sold. He isn’t good enough for our first team and we have better squad players than him. I think another loan would be a waste of time.
Think we will have a better picture of the team by the end of next week. Holland will be home so we will see if there is anything in the Janmaat claim.
Santii(Quote)
On the plus side, PSV have signed Luuk De Jong so there’s nee fear of us getting him back in.
GTE – it was said that we bid £9.5m for Cabella last week, now they reckon that’s been upped to £12m – but €12m converts to £9.5m. I think you’re probably right in that the bid has been accepted at £9.5m and some papers are using the Euro figure. So I would make that £6m for De Jong, £9.5m for Cabella, about £5m for Janmaat and £4.7m for Rivière – that’s would be £25.2m.
With Cabaye at £19m and Debuchy reported to be around £11m (£30m) we’re still in a plus balance – without spending a penny of the TV revenue yet. So there should be plenty left in the bank to add that first choice CF.
Add to that the fact that we haven’t moved any players on yet – as in Obertan, Marv, Benny, MYM (hope not) and Jonas – which should add another £5-10m to that kitty, I think we’re in a very good place at the moment.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m a little fed up with the Santon to RB talk I have to admit…every one of his managers and coaches has him as a LB, yet a few fans want him at RB just because he’s right footed.
We need a proper first team right back to replace Debuchy and it looks like the club is waiting to get one before he’s allowed to leave. That has to be better than making Santon shift permanently to his secondary position.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SHARPY
Gotta say that that’s pretty simplistic maths mate. You need to take other fees and wages into account so it’s tough to know how much we have. Gotta say that I worked a few sums too and I do agree that we have enough to get Cabella, a striker and RB. I’d be surprised if we get more than that though to be honest.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Santi
If theres truth Everton are trying to get Ba on loan we should be all over that; Pardews alleged friendship with JM and our ability to pay all of his wages in full would surely tip it in our favour
CC(Quote)
Santii – if we can get a club that want to buy him then yeah I think a fee of around £1m would be fair enough. Like I say, we have Anita and Colback and could even push Santon up to that 3 man midfield if needs be.
But if we can’t sell him then loan him coz I think a season in our reserves would be a huge step back.
Sharpy17(Quote)
TDS – it is simple mate – it’s those ******* that complicate it!! 😆
No I know what you’re saying, but the point is that the money coming in is significant, and of course we will have shifted Cabayes, Debuchys, Sholas, Goslings, Remys and Luuks wages – which I reckon would be about what we’ve added with those players I mention. I reckon we’ll be pretty much on balance in terms of money spent for incomings and money made through outgoings.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, TDS, yes, sadly, I reckon £30m for Cabaye and Debuchy, plus an unknown share of the TV cash, given that Ashley was on record of wanting to pay some of the loan back equals maybe £50m – but agents fees and wages will take up maybe £15-20m of that, leaving £30m, of which we’re counting spend of £25m already – I’m not hoping for too big a striker. If we spend significantly more, Ash will not have taken his loan back.
GTE(Quote)
Of course, what do any of us know about how much these deals really cost? Cabella, replace Debuchy and a proper striker, and that’s ok, whatever we’ve spent. If it’s Rivière, I’d hope there’s another experienced (loan?) striker to come, unless the lad’s the new Bellamy
GTE(Quote)
GTE – it cost around £5m to loan Remy last season – £2m fee and wages. So if we spend £25m on the players mentioned and used the remainer to loan a decent CF then that wouldn’t be a terrible thing either – we’d still have made good progress in strengthening our squad I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I seem to remember Ashley saying he had planned to take £18M back on the loan but changed his mind.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Well one thing i will say is , since the news broke that a fee has been agreed for Cabella everyone on here seems a hell of a lot more upbeat , now’t better than a happy blog like . 😀
AXEL(Quote)
Getting greedy now, but add a real first team ready CF, such as a Ba, or a Remy, to the squad depth we are now (belatedly) building up, and we could be properly competitive – up to 7th, at least. Now that will be a test of Pards.
GTE(Quote)
GTE – there’s still Gouffran as well to be fair. They may decide to play him through the middle as a CF – but for me that wouldn’t be a 15 goals a season CF with respect to the lad.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I like the Gouff – but I don’t want him as our main CF. He’ll get plenty of pitch time over the season, but with De Jong and Cabella, we have good options ( at least on paper, HBa and Marveaux looked similarly good on paper). Rivière, Perez perhaps, Cisse with better service, we look to be getting better options, but would still lack a reliable CF. I’m not expecting one, but would be delighted if we got one.
GTE(Quote)
Cabella would be great, a replacement RB is a must but I feel we need a striker in the style of LDJ or Shola. Only one who scores a few goals too.
Gomis would have been decent I think but Ashley will always want someone younger whose value will appreciate if possible. We’d be lightweight upfront with Cisse, Rivière and SDJ I think. Need a big lad as an alternative.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Sharpy – when de Jong was first announced it was at £3m – £6m.
.com reckon it’s actually £3.75m.
I know nothing on Riviere but he’s had remarkable competition for his place at Monaco and the stats suggest he’s still getting better. Fingers crossed.
For me – get Janmaat in, a top striker and a powerful CB and we’re done. I like Mbiwa but he just can’t bloody jump for headers. Depending on the cost of the striker the overall spend (minus incoming fees) would still be only around £10m over 3 windows.
georgio(Quote)
Given the mists of secrecy that surround everything at SJP my figures might be right, wrong, nowhere near or laughable
georgio(Quote)
Axel – about bloody time mate 😆
TDS – instead of mentioning the duckeggs LDJ and Shola as big strikers try Lambert or Giroud instead.
georgio(Quote)
TDS@808. It’s only natural fans will talk about Santon maybe going to RB considering he started out as a RW. Although I could see Pards trying him there it could also be Mbiwa ,Anita or Raylor if we don’t get a replacement for Debs that is.
CC@810, I agree but the question is would he want to return and how long would he want to stay if bought and if loaned I’m not sure he’d choose us over Everton tbh.
kIMTOON(Quote)