Well I awoke this morning, quickly made myself a coffee and switched on my tablet and headed straight to the Newsnow link to catch up on all the last minute deals we were working on in the dying hours of the transfer window. I must admit as the page on the tablet was populating, I felt a little trepidation based on our recent performances on deadline day.
From there it only took but a moment to realise that most of the headlines were centred around the loan departure of Yanga Mbiwa to Roma and a last minute loan deal for Ben Arfa to go to Hull. I then doubled check all the headlines looking for a small glimmer of hope that we had replaced these players but there was none to be found. Even now I am struggling to see the sense of letting these players go without replacing them. I can understand it if they are wanting to clear some space in the squad for new signings but you think the next logical step would be to fill those space with new signings. Both of the players we have let go have not figured prominently in the first team in the second half of last season and the start of this one. But what they do offer is options should we need them. We have now removed any chance of utilising these players and we are probably going to look at some of our younger guys to fill the void. To be honest I am all for giving the younger lads a go but we tried this the season after we finished 5th and look how that played out. We now have a high number of inexperienced premier league players and the board are playing a dangerous game going into this season proper.
Maybe there is some greater master plan that the board has in mind. Come January we will fill the gaps in the squad and the master plan will be complete. It is one hell of a gamble if this is indeed the thought process behind these two players been loaned out. Sure there is a financial benefit but it is hardly break the bank stuff if you ask me. So once again Toon fans have been left wondering “what if” (or what the f*ck) at the end of another transfer window. We have seemingly fallen one or two steps short of doing a really good job once again. Even as I am typing this up, I can barely muster any positive thoughts as I contemplate the aftermath of another deadline day.
What are your thoughts?
Well no surprises for me when the window closed, I already said we wouldnt get a top striker or CB in.
I also find it strange that 90% of the fans anger is directed at Pards, he is only trying to do the job he is paid for and yeah I think we deserve better but its Jabba that keeps him in the job because he does what Jabba wants him to do, so in my opinion the anger should be directed at Jabba but then I think that is also a reason why Jabba keeps him in the job , as Pards takes the anger from the fans meaning Jabba has a smooth ride
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave ,My anger is at the pair of them, both **** me off tbh.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Troy – you said relegation unless we got a top forward then you thought higher.
I thought mid table with the squad we had – now we’ve lost Benny (who was probably good for 7pts at the start of last season) I think we’ll finish lower. What’s the difference?.
I believed that the squad we had at the time was capable of equalling what we achieved last season – but we weakened the squad on the last day with the loss of Benny and MYM.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I suppose that will be Martin Hardy banned for SJP then… 🙄
No way will Ashley sack Pardew. He just will never pay him off as that would seem like a complete waste from Ashley, and who would take this job now?
As for Southanpton away – dear god, it could be a cricket score.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sorry just seen this comment.. 😆 😆
I’m not positive about Pardew. I think he’s an average prem manager. As good as most of the other managers.
He’s reached his targets every season. 😯 😯 😯
So 2 or 3 points above the relegation places is a season target is it? 😛 😆 😆 Comedy gold from Stavers 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I have a funny feeling that Saints away might not be all that bad – I’m sure that we’ll play a very tight game, and it’ll be a test of Saints’ new players –
on the wider debate, it all depends on levels of frenzy. If the club gets caught up in regular ‘is this Pardew’s last game?’ scrutiny, I can see our new squad going tits up. A calmer situation and there is the ability there to stay mid-table, with some decent periods, some poor ones, especially if we get defensive injuries. The squad is left light, but in itself isn’t relegation material. The League Table after 8-10 games is more meaningful. If it hasn’t got a couple of wins by then, then it will be a concern.
GTE(Quote)
Dave – like Kim I’m pissed off with both. But you’re right, Pardew takes the brunt coz Ashley keeps his head down and shields himself with Pards.
But as you say, Pardew is paid to do a job. Firstly, he isn’t fulfilling his primary role for me which is to win games of football – 5 wins in 22. Secondly, the football we play is horrible to watch. Thirdly, Pardew continues to defend Ashley. Last season he was dedicating wins to his leader, and this window he had a pop at the fans that were saying the club doesn’t spend the money – he said this window proves the club do spend and shows the level of ambition of the club – we have a net spend of around £2m. The mans a gobshite Dave, and that coupled with the lack of wins is my reasoning mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mark-douglas-alan-pardew-finds-7711366
kIMTOON(Quote)
I have stated that Pardew will be gone by xmas and I stand by that statement.. 😯 😎
He will be gone….. watch this space! 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Maybe Pardew can mix things up a bit for our next game….. nothing extravagant…. maybe just a different set piece.. The players should be able to remember the play. We can call all of our current set pieces – Play A and our new one Plan B.
It sounds revolutionary but I reckon a second set piece plan may actually surprise a few teams.. 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Actually… forget that Alan… sort the fecken defence out first! 👿
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Sharpy @ 232 I completely agree.
Jabba deserves huge criticism for keeping Pardew in his job, but Pardew deserves massive criticism for being a **** manager and a hugely unlikeable person.
We need to keep focused on the results for this year 2014 not just the first couple of games. His appalling record speaks for itself. Nowhere else would he be tolerated he would have been pedalled long time ago.
He needs to be put under sustained pressure by the crowd so if Jabba doesnt get rid, he is forced to walk himself. A man with an ego that unjustified and that big would not be able to cope with continued vocal criticism.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/sep/02/hull-steve-bruce-hatem-ben-arfa
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Deb – the think for me is that Benny is in his last year of his contract with us. Any decent manager could have come to an arrangement with Benny basically saying you’re playing for either a new contract with us – or if you don’t want to stay with us, you’re in the shop window. Either way, Benny had an incentive which you’d expect would mean he’d play we’ll given the opportunity – an opportunity he’ll probably now get at Hull.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy it’s true but he had to be moved on at all costs according to our illustrious leader. Hope it comes back to bite him on the ar*e big time and Benny gets a fantastic reception when we play Hull – albeit sat in the stands. It’s really hard to fathom we will ship a player who desperately wants to stay because fundamentally Pardew can’t handle him and he allagedly had a fall out with Colo – who would be out of the place asap if he could. Pathetic
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Oh and they are willing to sacrifice money to get rid.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Why did HBA and MYM go? I was looking into it (and stole details from an earlier article.
Here’s the squad of 25:
1 Tim Krul (HG)
2 Rob Elliot (HG)
3 Fabricio Coloccini
4 Mike Williamson (HG)
5 Steven Taylor (HG)
6 Daryl Janmaat
7 Davide Santon
8 Paul Dummett (HG)
9 Massadio Haidara
10 Ryan Taylor (HG)
11 Vurnon Anita
12 Mehdi Abeid
13 Jack Colback (HG)
14 Cheick Tiote
15 Moussa Sissoko
16 Remy Cabella
17 Siem De Jong
18 Yoan Gouffran
19 Papiss Cisse
20 Gabriel Obertan
21 Emmanuel Riviere
22 Facundo Ferreyra
That’s a pretty clear 22 for Pardew. Then we need 1 more HG player, so say:
23 Sammy Ameobi (HG)
We still have these 3 left:
Shane Ferguson (HG)
Jonas Gutierrez
Haris Vuckic (HG)
So one of these can’t be registered. Does he see a place for any of the others? Doubt it.
But I actually don’t see a problem with leaving a couple of spots in the squad. Especially when these players were likely to kick up a fuss when they were so far down the pecking order.
Of the 22 listed, the worst player of the lot is probably Obertan, and he’s done alright in pre-season. So how is this squad thin? I’m confused…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I should point out…I’m not saying this squad is great. I’m saying I don’t believe it’s thin. If anything, I’d say it’s pretty deep but lacking in quality. The departures of Cabaye, Remy and Debuchy from last season have meant that we’d be really hard pushed to select our best player. I reckon we’d get really broad opinions but last year, I reckon virtually all votes would have been for those 3.
Hopefully a few of the new boys will turn into stars as Cabaye, Tiote, Cisse did in seasons gone…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Good shout Sharpy! By the way I wasn’t getting at you when I asked about Siem. Just thought you might know more about fitness etc. There’s something not right as he was anonymous on Sat. I got the £3.75m from Niall and Biffa. They generally get things right.
Pardew out!!!
georgio(Quote)
GEORGIO
I guess me questioning the SDJ transfer fee passed you by too then! 🙂
It’s funny that when it suits some people, they’ll say that he only cost £3.75M so he can’t be that good…but if he flopped, he’d be a waste of £7.5M all of a sudden…
The truth is we don’t know the transfer fees or agents’ fees or signing on fees or wages…because they’re all undisclosed from our club…
That’s why I prefer to focus on the actual players than the money.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS – the squad isn’t that bad IMO, we just don’t have a manager & coaching staff that would get the most from it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
No mate I noticed it.
georgio(Quote)
SHARPY
For once…I happen to agree with Troy…I think we have an average PL manager. And when your target is to stabilise as a top half PL club and you already have an average PL manager who is capable of doing that, you don’t rock the boat. The likes of Pulis, Lambert, Poyet and Mackay certainly haven’t proven themselves to be any better than Pardew.
No…we’re not going to get the most out of the squad, because we don’t have a manager like SBR at the helm (screw FFS for sacking him btw). But at least we don’t have a Gullitt or Souness to totally screw things up.
It’s dull but I really think what we need is at least 3 seasons in a row in the top 10 and then we can look to push on. We really need that stability, just like Spurs and Everton got first.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SHARPY
And if Pardew can’t get top 10 with this squad, or doesn’t look like getting it, he absolutely has to go in my opinion. But he’s been given a fair target and he’s earned the right (by just achieving it last year) to have a crack at it this year.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Georgio – I watch a thing on Ajax and how they operate. They were talking about the players that have came through their academy then moved on – Siem De Jong being the most recent. The fee mentioned was around £6.5m. Ajax basically allow SDJ to leave because he felt that he had achieved all he could there. They also had a natural replace in the ranks in a 20yr old called Klassen. Their history is about player development and bringing players through. The £6.5m will not be spent on a replacement, it will be invested into the academy – and that’s the difference. His fee will go towards developing loads of players coming through rather than on 1 replacement player. Yes he’s had his injuries, but by his own admission we’ve been tracking him for 2 years, so I don’t imagine there are any serious issues – but there again Ba had a gammy knee and Lpool knocked Remy back so maybe we like damaged goods. But if SDJ has an impact similar to Ba or Remy – I could live with that.
The difference with Blind is that they don’t have a player of equal quality in the system that could naturally alot in. So they will likely have to buy a replacement with some of it and reinvest the rest.
It’s possibly the best ran football club in the world IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
TDS – and that is yours and Troys right to that opinion. I personally think that everything has gone flat under Pardew.
I’m not suggesting that a new manager would have this squad knocking on the top 4. But the quality of football that we are subjected to week in week out could improve. I personally don’t want to sit by and watch Pardew just scrap the achievement of a target set – just incase a different guy comes in and does worse. It’s my opinion that there is more room for improvement than failure – so the odds would be in our favour.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY
Good post there. And it certainly helps when it’s the most famous and successful club in the country with a famed academy going back decades. Just like the best youngsters in Spain will want to go to Barca, I reckon many of the best youngsters will want to go to Ajax.
They’ve sold loads of players relatively cheaply who went on to have fantastic careers and be worth considerably more. Like you say, they rely on their academy to replace them most of the time.
Ajax will almost certainly not be a Champions League winning club again but they are a great club.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SHARPY
But he achieved the target last season (just!), kept his job over the summer and then we’ve signed loads of players. This is absolutely not the time to consider changing the manager! It’s all well and good back in July saying that you think he should have gone (and I was one of those), but once that decision was made, I think we just need to move on, get behind the team and have them all focussed on their targets for this season.
There aren’t many managers out there who don’t represent a significant risk and who would be significantly better…there’s also the cost of replacing a manager and then having a significant player turnover. Really Ashley isn’t going to do it unless he can see the clear benefit.
And with all of these new attacking players, I think we need to give them time to gel and maybe we’ll get a better style of football. Surely it’s early days?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
https://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=x_sGVIWfFcG50QXsoIHQCg&url=http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/506389/Dry-your-eyes-mate-Hatem-Ben-Arfa-nearly-sheds-a-tear-as-he-leaves-Newcastle&cd=4&ved=0CCgQqQIoADAD&usg=AFQjCNFMwOEvper-MFUtJSZZKOcqwD2EBg
God bless u ben arfa and bigbig lots of thanks for fabulous skills and fantastics absolute goals legends with white and black shirt !!!!!!!
Much player come to SJP goes in anonymous …but u make us some big big greatest moments or mure class (when u can…) and
We cannot forget that !!!!!
Thank u benny boy and good luck. Mate !!!!!!!! 😎
djebs(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/exclusive-newcastle-uniteds-hatem-ben-7711689
**** off pardew!!!!!
djebs(Quote)
http://www.hullcitytigers.com/news/article/1415-ben-arfa-signing-interview-1893918.aspx
Double **** off alan !!!!!!
djebs(Quote)
TDS – not me mate. I think nows a good time change the manager and coaches. I think while the players are still new and not get intergrated – why not do it with a new manager.
I’ll accept that loosing Cabaye and Remy being our made Pardews job harder, but lets be honest – the football was never great then either like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
1 plus it makes us fearful well boring by prohibiting hba play a SJP … HE IS AFRAID TO GET martyr LIKE A **** 👿 👿 👿
djebs(Quote)
God bless you ben arfa and big big thanks a lot for magik skils and legend s goals for newcastle united !!!!!!!
djebs(Quote)
TDS – I’ve followed Ajax for nearly 30 yrs now – since being absolutely blown away by one Marco Van Basten. I agree, they will never be a force in the CL while clubs like Barca, Madrid, City and PSG throw the kind of money round they do.
But Ajax have stayed true to their beliefs and I respect the club for that. If we could be a carbon copy of any club I’d love it to be them over a City or huge spending club.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY
The closest clubs to Ajax are West Ham, Southampton and Man Utd in the couple of decades or so. All 3 have focused on their youth teams but it’s cyclical. Ajax are the biggest draw in Holland (maybe like Man Utd are here) but for them it goes back decades. Not possible for Newcastle to do that here. Unless you have a time machine…
And I completely disagree that now is a good time for a new manager. What message does that send to the players? Creates uncertainty that the new manager might not like them. What message does that send to the new manager? That he might have a window signing a bunch of new players and be sacked after 3 games. 3 games! This is worse than the situation when SBR was sacked I think. FFS expected us to get into the CL but I think we finished 5th if memory serves me…then we had a poor start to the next season and he was on his bike.
No way. You make your decision and then you stick to it. Ashley made the decision to stick with Pardew, signed a bunch of players (which he no doubt approved) and he needs to give him that chance. It would take a dreadful start (or falling out with the dressing room) to sack him now.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Quotes from Cabella saying that Remy and Cabaye told him how much of a fantastic club Newcastle is to join.
Sad that the French seem to have a better perception on NUFC than some of our own fans…maybe we should have faith that the players really know what it feels like to be inside NUFC and things aren’t “toxic” or “a shambles” as some people like to claim.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS – it depends what you take by “the squad’s thin”
Not in numbers, and reasonably reliable numbers – I think that, in most areas of the pitch (exception being CB) we are stronger as a squad than last season, in terms of having replacements for injuries, or more than one source of a specific skill or need.
Howver in absolute quality, compared to last season, we look light up front, simply beause at best Riv or any of the other forwards will take a good bit of time to get near the standard he played at last season (at worst, they won’t begin to approach that, but I actually think that the pieces are there to make a credible forward line, over time).
The reason I call the squad thin is that I think that we will lack goals in more matches than last season, especially this next month or so, and that any injury at CB leaves is relying on Saylor – I’d be delighted if he could prove not to be a busted flush, but I wouldn’t expact it.
Is this squad good enough for top-10 again? Yes, if we get the offensive side right relatively quickly and are lucky with defensive injuries. A decent reserve CB to replace MYM would have been enough for me. What do I expect now? – competing with the low mid-table clubs, for an 11th – 15th finish (I think that there are half a dozen real strugglers, think the top-6 is done already, and expect four out of Everton, Saints, Swansea, Hull, Stoke and us to finish in the 7th – 10th slots.
GTE(Quote)
TDS
Do you think it is a shambles that in 4 months we won’t have a single central defender with Premiership experience under the age of 29 ❓
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Agree with that re-the players seem happier than many fans, TDS, and also the general principle of sticking with a manager. Our manager will need to start winning games, however – would all be so much less fraught if we’d held on last Saturday.
GTE(Quote)
GTE
I don’t agree and that’s partially because that approach makes no sense to me. We’ll be targeting the same position as last year I think. 8th with minimum 10th and hope of pushing the top 7.
We might have apparent lack of quality but you could look at when the likes of Tiote, Cabaye and Debuchy joined us…people were concerned about them then too. It wasn’t possible to replace them with the same quality as those players go to CL clubs, so we’ve replaced them with players who have something to prove at this level.
I reckon Satka, Streete or Good must be deemed good enough to play PL football and must have overtaken MYM in the squad for him to be released. Or maybe he just kicked up a fuss and it wasn’t worth keeping an unhappy player.
I think it’s a bit unfair that some fans are writing off many of our new signings as average players just because they haven’t hit the ground running in the first 3 games…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SOLANO STRUMPET
No. No I don’t at all. 29 is the peak for a centre back I’d say and many are absolute quality up to 33 or even 34. I expect one of our youth team to be given a chance, but if they don’t make it then surely we must sign someone in Jan or next Summer.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS –
‘What message does that send to the new manager? That he might have a window signing a bunch of new players and be sacked after 3 games. 3 games! ‘
Pardew wouldn’t be sacked after 3 games, he’d be sacked after 3 years!.
I’m not trying to change your mind mate, if you are happy with him, then that’s your right. I’m not, and there is nothing you can tell me that will change my mind.
That includes producing quotes from 2 players who – Cabaye – couldn’t wait to get out, and went on strike because he couldn’t move from such a great club. As for Remy – I think he’s shown how highly he rates NUFC by firstly fucking us off for QPR, then opting for the Chelsea bench rather than first team football at such a great club. Actions speak louder than words for me mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
GTE
Totally agree with your last post. Pardew must be far from comfortable and does need to start winning some games soon for sure. I reckon we’d have held on if we’d had Tiote in the team. However we looked far too attacking at the time Haidara instead of Dummett, Colback instead of Tiote, even Janmaat is quite an attacking full back. In fact, much as Haidara offered in attack, I’d rather have seen the more experienced Santon there as he’d have offered more in defence for me.
We only really had the 2 centre backs with defensive mindsets and I think that didn’t help things. Not that they covered themselves in glory with their mad charge for the first goal…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS
In @242 you named a squad of 25. Only three CBs in a squad of 25 is irresponsible even if you wish to believe otherwise.
You have said 29 is average peak for a defender suggesting that at the ages of 31/32 the average defender will have started to decline.
Leaving one defender at his optimum: Steven Taylor.
It’s woeful management to only have three senior defenders – two that have only ever been mediocre – on your books.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
SHARPY
Champions League football speaks loudly to players though! They aren’t Geordies so why would you expect them to love the club as much as fans do? Several players have left CL clubs abroad to join NUFC in spite of us having no European football! That says a lot about how the club is perceived and its status all over the world.
My point still stands about the 3 games. If you back a manager in the summer and bring in new players, it’s stupid to then sack him before he’s even had the chance. The time to have sacked him was at the end of the season, but they didn’t. So I really think we need to move on. The pressure should be on to pick up some points, not to sack the manager.
As I said, I’d have sacked him in the summer…but I’ll get behind him now.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS – to clarify, I’m not at all one of those writing them off. Riv,who many want out of the squad altogether looks veryuseful to me, just isn’t a traditional goal scoring CF, and I can really see how we can get Riv, De Jong, Sissoko and Cabella playing lay-off and one-touch football aroundd the box, but we also saw in the Palace game how the team as a w hole needs time to work on a style of play, since the game plan for most of the first half seemed to involve full backs getting in the crosses that nien of our guys are set up to compete for. Given time, I think the new signings may well come very good, and I’m not complaining at all about no new CF, but it will take time and that will cost us points. Meanwhile, I’m just hoping that we do get a bit more luck on CB injuries this season. Yes, Tiote will absolitely help.
And I’m sure tha target remains top-10. I just think Pardew’sjob to reach that target has kjust been made a little harder.
GTE(Quote)
SOLANO
No. I still said that defenders can be excellent at 33/34. They don’t have to decline at 31 or 32. Maybe in terms of pace but they can compensate for that with experience and positioning.
Man Utd have been playing Blackett as one of their 3 centre backs this season, I’m assuming he’ll be 4th choice after Rojo(?) is available to play. What’s wrong with us having Streete/Good/Satka as our 3rd/4th choice if they’re deemed good enough? People complain our youth players don’t get a chance, well how else do we give it?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS
To highlight how irresponsible the sale of Mbiwa is, here are the minutes played by our young defenders who you reckon must be deemed good enough to feature in the PL:
Satka – 172
Streete – 79
Goode – 0
It’s fucking absurd.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
GTE
Agree with you. It’s not easy but I think we’ll get it and I think we have the squad to get it. If we don’t, then Pardew has to go in my opinion. If he feels he has the squad to get top 10 then he has to achieve it, if he feels he hasn’t, then he should have resigned as he wasn’t given the tools to do his job.
Since he hasn’t resigned…he needs to hit the target.
I would like to see a statement from the club following the transfer window though, but no doubt it would just be Pardew coming out with the same out platitudes that none of us are interested in…someone with some gravitas to speak to the fans would be lovely.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SOLANO
Well, they have to get a chance at some point! You’re ruling them out before they’ve even had a chance! And we’re talking about 4th choice here, not a starting position.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS
Stop alluding to vague examples of defenders that go on to improve – the bottom line is that Taylor/WIlliamson/Coloccini are all declining and we have no system in place for a seamless transition to a new CB pairing.
A quick search shows that Blackett played in over 360 minutes in Man Utd preseason – starting and finishing 2 games and playing 1/2 game in four other fixtures.
➡ This is how a club acts when it thinks a player is ready to be called upon and is on the fringes of first team.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
@TDS
I’m not ruling them out! They didn’t feature in preseason meaning Pardew doesn’t think they are ready.
OK. Show me a club where the 4th choice CB is so woefully inexperienced.
I like giving players a chance – I think we should have spent the latter half of last season doing so, but I don’t believe it is fine to play with our PL safety the way Ashley has done.
(We haven’t even begun to discuss the fact that Williamson is a starter and Taylor is near the first XI. 😯 )
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Solano, Here here mate spot on.
kIMTOON(Quote)
SOLANO
Actually Satka and Streete both played in pre-season, along with the other 4 CBs. Satka even started one game. MYM played quite a bit too which makes me think that something must have gone seriously wrong in pre-season or in the last couple of weeks for him to be shipped out. Maybe it will come out in due course…
But the bottom line is, if (for whatever reason), MYM had dropped down to below 4th choice centre back, then Pardew was right to ship him out. If it’s true that we got just €1M for him and paying a large chunk of his wages, then maybe it was a team or disciplinary issue. But if he wasn’t going to play, that money is better than him rotting in the reserves…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SOLANO
Well, I already mentioned Blackett. He will be Man Utd’s 4th choice centre back I presume. John Stones was Everton’s 4th choice last season and he was signed from a lower league club last summer. Look what happened to him! Arsenal paid a load for Chambers and they’re playing him, yet this guy has played less than 20 games in the PL I believe.
At some point, you’ve got to give youth a chance, so why not now?
Hopefully one of those 3 can be integrated into the first team and will prove themselves in training and get some minutes.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Sharpy – lovely post on the Ajax thing. I’m an admirer too and have been to the Arena several times which is a fabulous stadium. Their development of young players is something to behold too. At SJP we’re 50 years behind them.
So what do you think of SDJ on Sat? Is he slow or what? Or was daft Pardew to blame for fielding him at all? It was all very strange. Looks like Pardew’s ready to roll with another season of the useless Willo. It will be the end of him, hopefully soon enough to allow a new manager to rescue the season.
georgio(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/neil-cameron-hate-strong-word-7713866
Wow, that headline is the phrase I used about Jabba on one of my post on last article, think they read our blogs lol
kIMTOON(Quote)
So who will partner Jamaal Lascelles at CB nect Season.Will it be one of the three old codgers who next summer will only have 1 yr on their contracts so the others can be shipped out. Will it be one of our young kids who may get some game time this season. Or will it be MYB under a new manager. Watch this space, and reflect on why a new CB this season was not deemed a massive priority.
Premandup(Quote)
Kim – it’s now so obvious that the majority of fans want Pardew gone, it’s hard to believe. He’ll have a lovely day at the next home match 😆
georgio(Quote)
Next season Prem? We don’t even know which division we’ll be in never mind who’ll be the manager. It’s hard to believe we didn’t sign a CB. Our total spend was only £2m. Staggering ineptitude.
georgio(Quote)
PREMANDUP
Very good question! And another one…who will be our number one keeper next season? Could be an interesting one like Krul v Forster v Harper…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
GEORGIO
Yet again…why do people do these amateur calculations…if we spent £2M, then try adding on signing on fees and agents’ fees for 9 players! I bet that easily takes the figure to £20M and most of us agree that we still had the money left for another signing…which sadly didn’t happen.
Hopefully we’ve just kept our powder dry for the right player in January, but you can’t say that we haven’t been busy in the transfer market at least.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
@Troy
can u show me where I scoffed at you for saying we would be in a relegation battle? I said we looked stronger on paper but we need to hit the ground running early??
I missed most of the Aug build-up as I was on my hols, so I don’t think I made a prediction..
mark(Quote)
Georgio – Siem will have better games without doubt. But we haven’t bought him for his pace mate!. He’s more about finding space and doing his damage that way. I would want Aarons and Cabella either side of him and play either Rivière or Chucky in front of him. He will find the passes for Aarons, Cabella and the forward to get in behind. That’s my hope anyway.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Big questions this season yet to be answered…
– can Satka/Good/Streete step up to the first team?
– who will be our left back our of attack-minded Haidara, defence-minded Dummett or more experienced Santon?
– can Janmaat replace Debuchy?
– can Raylor recover to be a backup right back?
– can Cabella handle the physical nature of the game?
– can Tiote balance aggression with control?
– can our creative players gel to create lots of chances?
– who is going to get the goals to win us games?
– can Cisse find some form?
And more of course…
All interesting questions though. Isn’t that what supporting NUFC is all about? Let’s just jump in the deep end…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SHARPY
Wasn’t SDJ compared to Sheringham? That seemed to be a fairly accurate comparison from what I’ve seen. And he was an awesome player in that role.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS
I’ve posted the number of minutes that each of them played. I don’t have time now but when I get a chance I’ll check how many minutes Stones played in preseason for Everton last season. I’m guessing it’s more than Satka/Streete combined and I assume you’re ignoring the fact he had a decent amount of Championship experience ❓
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
TDS – yeah I reckon that’s the closest comparison. Michu sprung to mind as well but he hit the ground running in the PL and if De Jong doesn’t then the wise cracks will come think and fast. He just needs a Shearer in front of him now mate 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
There is no opinion to be had here. Objectively it is irresponsible to go into a season with only 3 ageing centre-backs. Even more so because none of the kids expecting to step up when needed were even properly played in preseason.
Once again the board have shown themselves to be completely incompetent in their jobs.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
TDS – I suppose you didn’t find any other club similar to us with only 3 senior CB’s?
Sol Campbell anyone?
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
http://www.football365.com/faves/9454534/F365-Says
Geordie Deb(Quote)
SOLANO
Our centre backs can’t be considered to be “aging” in that sense! Only Colo could be considered to be past his best in terms of his age. Saylor just doesn’t seem to have improved and Willo is an average centre half for the PL at best.
MYM played in pre-season, so as I’ve already said, something must have changed drastically in Pardew’s mind for him to go out on loan.
Yes, Stones had some experience in the Championship. Just as Good had some experience in the Scottish Premiership last year too. Satka started at least one pre-season game too.
I haven’t got time to go through every PL team to look at their CBs. But I’ve already listed Blackett for Man Utd because that’s a high profile one.
Youngsters have to step up at some point! Time will tell whether it was wise or not but you’ve got no idea so I don’t understand why you are judging things before they’ve even happened.
Maybe MYM kicked off and we just couldn’t keep him around, maybe we just couldn’t get a suitable replacement in time (it’s not easy unless you are willing to overpay), maybe pre-season led to MYM dropping to 5th in the pecking order.
Hey, I’d have loved a commanding centre half to join and from what I’ve seen so far, it’s needed, but if MYM and HBA were not going to play, it’s better that we got some money for them rather than seeing them rot in the reserves on full pay.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
SHARPY
Michu had a freak season! Like the likes of Ricketts and Zaki before him. Oh…and Cisse perhaps…
To think people were talking about £20M+ bids for all of those players and they turned out to be one-season wonders in the PL.
I’d like Cisse to shed that tag but I can’t imagine he will hit the same heights. 13 or so goals a season would be contributing at least though…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS – I personally don’t mind MYM being loaned out – had he been replaced. My worry as things stand is that Saylor WILL get injured at some stage of the season – he always does!. Colo hasn’t been great and Willo has been Ok.
I would also like to see Satka in particular be given a chance to come through – but it’s in at the deep end stuff a bit isn’t it?!.
I also don’t think that has been the plan either – to loan MYM to make space for the young uns, coz as ST points out, the is no prior evidence that’s been Pardews intention – ie getting game time last season or pre season really.
Sharpy17(Quote)