Anyway… The transfer window is due to close next Tuesday at 6pm UK time so I thought I’d take a quick look at what I expect from the remainder of open season and give my view on the business we’ve done so far.
And it’s a case of so far so good for me. When Mike Ashley appeared on television prior to the final game of the season and made his now infamous promise to invest many, including me, were left feeling rather suspicious. I mean we’d heard it all before right? And after years of zero investment in the playing squad and a steady stream of departures why else would we think any different?
Well to be fair, it has been and I have to say that if the window closed now I’d be pretty happy. Certainly more happy than I ever envisaged I’d be back in May. Whilst the job isn’t done and we’re still light in certain areas of the pitch we have gone for signings that are a level above what I was expecting.
Of course it’s early days in the NUFC careers of all the new guys, but certainly on reputation, stature and early performances the signs seem to be good. I’ve been impressed with Chancel M’Bemba and think he’ll be a fantastic acquisition while Georginio Wijnaldum will do well. Mitrovic up front has all the qualities to thrive in the Premier League and even Florian Thauvin is off the mark already, albeit against a League Two side.
In terms of what we’ve done in the window I’m happy so far. Can we expect any further changes in the final few days though? Well I personally don’t think so as the tone from Steve McClaren seems to have changed. In fact he’s effectively said we’re not looking for anymore but not to rule it out.
So my question, or questions I should say, to you lot are…
1 – How do you think we’ve done regarding transfers?
2 – How do you think our new signings will do this season?
3 – Do you think we’ll sign anyone else before the window closes?
And for a special bonus…
4 – Do you’ll think we’ll lose any first-team players in this transfer window?
Over to you.
@eric.. I meant with Perennial 😛
Colo isn’t great mate but his extension suggests he’ll be a permanent fixture, we could of taken a gamble and spent money on a decent centerhalf but he wouldn’t necessarily have colos experience…
Gashley(Quote)
TDS: I don’t want to look it up. I think I had a word or 2 with you about the meaning of “literal” and then did a bit of digging and found the dictionary meaning had changed. So many people were using “literally” incorrectly that The Oxford English DICKionary incorporated the new meaning (which was actually the same as figuratively or metaphorically, and not at all the same a literally) SO THERE 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Incredulous 😯 😛 🙄
Someone doesn’t understand the art of squad building. You don’t buy squad players if you have ambition. You buy players who are better or potentially better than what you have.
Forget it, TDS. We will go with Colo until he’s being bowled out in a wheel chair. We don’t want to upset him now or give him competition do we…
Stuart79(Quote)
Also TDS: Stuart usually makes a lot of sense even though Troysta has started up a fan club for him.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You know, if there is one thing to talk about apart from how UGLY Carver is on a NUFC blog it is how **** we are at CB. I mean, we have been so **** for so long whether because of Colo, Williamson, lack of options, Williamson. If someone complains that this is being discussed then they haven’t been watching for the last 5 years (at least). Did I mention Williamson?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Our centerhalves aren’t too bad when you compare them to our competitors (teams from 8th down) Palace, villa, Stoke etc aren’t fairing much better.
I think we have a decent balance of experience, potential and injured a lot 😆
Gashley(Quote)
ERIC
The misuse of words like “literally”, “genius”, “legend” and “unique” bothers me mate! Language evolves but also devolves it seems!
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
ERIC
I don’t deny he can occasionally make good points, but even a monkey will occasionally type a sentence if it plays with a keyboard…
The point of this forum is for people to discuss things. Everyone is entitled to their opinion without having that opinion twisted and then ridiculed.
The point I’ve made cannot be ignored. Several people have accepted the point and revised their point of view slightly without having to 100% agree with me. It doesn’t make sense to dig in with a stupid argument when confronted with another point of view that makes sense. That’s bad discussion…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Hey TDS: I hope you don’t think I was referring to you @230. I was referring to the general point that we have been so **** for so long at CB that I am not at all surprised we keep discussing it here and at the pub and on The Chronicle boards. Nevermind Uncle Eds? It is nonstop on there:)
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ERIC
Nah mate. I was in total agreement with 230! We’ve been talking about our defence ever since we first played in the PL!
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Tds- I see your point and i didnt consider de Jong, but de Jong fully should be key figure. With de Jong fit, this is my strongest line up at the moment:
————————-Krul———————-
-Janmaat-Taylor-Coloccini-Mbemba
———————-Colback———————
—————dJong——-Wijnaldum——-
——Thauvin————————Ayoze—–
———————–Mitrovic———————-
de Jong as offensive CM(false n10), similar to Rakitic, Mbemba as LB inorther to play hard defense. And the TMA (Thauvin/Mitrovic/Ayoze) is someting real!
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
CHOLO
Not bad. And your team has Haidara, Tiote, Anita, Sissoko, Aarons and Cisse on the bench. 🙂 means Dummett, Goofy, Obertan, Rivière and the rest can go or fight harder…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
You have to realize that when you are debating with Stuart, you have to talk about the points he is making and nothing else! He advised me of this a week or so back when I foolishly started talking about some points I wanted to make! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
It’s like banging my head against a brick wall AMF…I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with me but it’s amazing to think you’ve articulated your point well only for all the best points to be ignored and for someone to pick on one tiny point in isolation and try to make out that you’re a complete ***** for even suggesting it…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TAE… yep sums it up well…. this is what I was referring to earlier, when Stuart was losing a debate with me…
Stuart79
August 18, 2015 at 11:36
It would be a fairer fight, Troy if he was discussing the point I was making and not his own.
😆 😆 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Cholo: that’s a good team. I doubt if it will be what we play though. Using my Baba O’Reilly/Ganoush super special clairvoyant skills, I predict:
Krul
Janmaat Taylor Coloccini Haidara
Anita Colback
Sissoko Wig Ayoze
Mitrovic
It would be nice to have MBemba and Thauvin, but I think Steve will go with players that have PL experience (apart from Mit as he knows we need an outlet for Timmy and his hoofs).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
no way Mbemba will be on the bench….
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
AMF: really? But you agree with the rest of the team. I don’t really see how we sit Taylor, but then again MBemba played well also. It starts at 6.45 here but I feel sorry for Norcaltoon as it starts at 4.45 am there 🙂
The lot that meet for the match in Chicago have had their picture on NBC and also NUFC.com in the past few days. They are famous!!! Even got a mention on this blog from me a couple of weeks ago.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, I reckon if Sissoko is coming back from an injury(part groin, part heart) then he should be used as a sub late in the game. He won’t be ready for 90 minutes of football… bring Thauvin on from the start and keep the back 4 as it was against man u…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I can never figure out Sissoko but Steve said he wanted to build the team around him.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
me too…. Sissoko looked like he couldn’t get off the ground quick enough against Swansea.. i was quite suspicious of his injury and was fully expecting to play against man u..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie – You’re opinion doesn’t really count as you very rarely have one.
As for TDS. I’m not sure he can read. I haven’t twisted anything. You don’t think we should be another centre half that could be good enough for the first team because it will ‘demoralise’ Colo after signing his new deal. YOU WROTE THAT!
Now I am not discussing this anymore as you’re obviously some kind of intelligence anorexic.
Stuart79(Quote)
😆 nice one Stuart…. there is no point having an opinion around you mate, yours is the only one that counts in your Stuart centric universe! 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Finally
Stuart79(Quote)
get lescott in on a free,would be good cover at the back.
hitman(Quote)
we aint signing any expensive CBs, no way
That ship sailed once we decided to re-sign Mr. Coloccini
be surprised if Willo goes, he’s cheap and we need the cover (dude’s not as hopeless as people make out and is a much better option than lascelles)
I’d like us to sign a proper centre mid, and love the idea of bringing Carrick home – Sissoko and Gini are impressive athletes but are inconsistent technically, Anita n Colback are somewhat limited and conservative
1st team players who might move on (in order of probability)… Gouffran, Cisse, Sissoko
M(Quote)
Why is that every time I try to work out my best team I end up with 12 players on the pitch
Premandup(Quote)
Oh Come on. Williamson is scared of the ball and that is not a good thing if you are a footballer. His first instinct is to point to Krul for where Coloccini needs to pass it, his second instinct is to pass it straight back to colo like it is bouncing off a wall, his third is to hoof it.
I know I have said this many times before but obviously I have to say it again for the benefit of M. He should never play for NUFC again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Also M, which Michael Carrick do you want to bring “home”? The one that is permanently injured or the one that is recovering from an injury and can only play 30 minutes because he is not match fit?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Prem – I know what you mean mate, I don’t know how to fit Sissoko, Gini, Perez, Thauvin and Mitrovic all in the same side 😕 👿
Sharpy17(Quote)
I want to put Tiote in front of the back 4 with Gini & Sissoko in front
Given a striker in front I want a playmaker and wingers. Think the playmaker goes and rely on Gini & Siss to do that. Not happy though.
Premandup(Quote)
STUART79
hes drunk bud 😯 like ive been the last 3 years watching collos pityfull efforts 😳
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Sharpy @255: simples, you drop Anita.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – M’s partially right – we could do with a Carrick type. A proper holding mid not the old DM like Tiote. Someone who gets the ball and sprays it around. The Shelvey/Carrick type. Colback’s looking very restrained/limited this season so far.
georgio(Quote)
@253/4 – Williamson is a sub-standard footballer, but a passable defender who’s had far more decent games than shockers. I stand by my comment – he is a better option than Lascelles
You know that Carrick’s hometown club is NUFC, right? hence ‘home’. Also, how many Michael Carricks do you think there are? 😀
Doesn’t necessarily have to be Carrick – someone with a similar skillset would do fine
M(Quote)
Georgio: but Carrick is always injured and is 34.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Prem I’d agree with you if it was the Tiote of 4 years ago but he’s been dreadful the last 2 seasons and slows our game down completely.
georgio(Quote)
You’re right Eric but I did say and mean TYPE.
georgio(Quote)
M/Georgio: Carrick will never play for NUFC. If you want Shelvey then say Shelvey. I disagree on Colback.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sign another central midfielder? When we have Colback, Sissoko, Wiji, Anita AND Tiote who can play in that area? And certainly not an injury prone player on his way down from the peak of his career. Who do you think we are? West Ham?? 🙂
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TOONDARNSARF 121
hes had 1 good game out of 3 against a team lacking any height 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I think Colback had good games against S’ton and Man U, was all over the pitch. Nobody played well against Swans so I am giving him a pass on that one. We will need him against The ****.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Colo finished at 33, Carrick needs to be signed at 34, Colback needs to be replaced after 3 games…it really is silly season right now!
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TAE
Don’t you start! 🙂
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TOONDARNSARF 126
good teams have 2 players for every postion and if ya want to compete with them teams we have to follow suit 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Saying we need a “Carrick Type” player means absolutely nothing. You have to say who we want and who we can get. I would love a Keegan or Shearer type player but where are they and can we get them????
Eric Sykes(Quote)
TAE
And we need a 20 goal a season man too right? They usually cost £25m+ but the fan man is tight for not signing one right?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
We’ve got a Carrick type player already! His name is Steven Taylor. Just ask the club doctor…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TOONDARNSARF
the only thing collos loyal to is his wage packet and them personal reasons were of his own making allowing his widget to jump out his pants 😯
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
ERIC
I agree with 271. These top top players are either absolute experts at one thing or multi-faceted and very good at several things. I think Carrick is the latter. If we had someone like that, they’d probably be demanding a move to a CL club…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Some rather silly comments flying about. What I was implying is that we need a good ball playing holding midfielder rather than the destroying defensive midfielder type. All of this was said in response to a casual remark M made about Michael Carrick. Is this clear enough?
The reality is that I’m pretty happy with the midfield we have but I do think Colback’s been very quiet attacking wise while he’s been running his socks off defensively.
georgio(Quote)
@271
Eric me old China, give u a few things to watch out for
– Colback has a habit of passing to his teammates’ trailing leg rather than hitting them in stride. This ensures retention of possession but is conservative and kills forward momentum. He also tends to wait a beat too long
– when pressed, Anita forces passes and gives the ball away often
based on our first 3 games, I really don’t like our centre mid. We’ll struggle to control games at home and see little of the ball away (the good moments we had in the 1st half at OT largely bypassed the centre mid area and came from long balls or combinations between Haidara-Perez or Mbemba-Obertan)
M(Quote)
GEORGIO
Firstly, we’re 3 games in so discussing replacing Colback is a little harsh considering he had a very good season last time.
Secondly, the problem with a good ball playing holding midfielder is that there aren’t many of them around! For us to get a player that is excellent at doing both, we’d need to spend a fortune and likely they would just go to a CL club anyway. And if we don’t spend a fortune, we get Anita.
I ‘think’ the point Eric was trying to make is it’s a bit like saying we want a striker who can hold the ball up AND score 20+ goals a season (Shearer). We simply can’t sign the finished articles with abilities like these at the moment.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
M says:
“Colback has a habit of passing to his teammates’ trailing leg”
Well, if we have the sort of coaches that everybody seems to think we have the they should tell/show him not to do that then 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
TDS: the point I was trying to make was that if anyone wants to say we need a Carrick type then tell me specifically who it is and don’t say Carrick type who is 34 and injury prone.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
TDS – at no point did I suggest replacing Colback.
georgio(Quote)
ERIC
Well, I don’t think a Carrick type player exists that we could realistically sign. I assumed that’s what you meant?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS: yes, that is what I meant.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Some rather silly comments flying about. Is this clear enough? I assumed that’s what you meant? yes, that is what I meant.
georgio(Quote)
TDS: it would be great to assemble a time machine and sign Shearer when he was 22 and Beardsley at 25, but that isn’t going to happen. Bring Carrick “home” though and let him lie on the physio table 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
GEORGIO
I think we’re overloaded in midfield. I’d like to see Colback partnering Wiji there. But we also have options with Anita, Tiote and Sissoko. No idea where another player would fit in there.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
We need to hope Carr works a miracle and Mitrovic becomes the new Shearer, Thauvin the new Ginola, Wiji the new Lee and Mbemba the new Albert. All of them! So we get into the top 4 and they don’t leave.
It would be a bloody miracle though…especially with mega rich clubs sitting in the top 5. How the hell will any other club break into the top 4 for anything other than a freak season?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Georgio – We have a ball playing defensive midfielder already. I think Anita should be that player. He very rarely gives the ball away and has bags of energy.
If I was to look at the player most venerable in the midfield it be Colback.
Stuart79(Quote)
TOONDARNSARF
dont make me come over there and suplex city some sense into you about collo 😈
Brock Lesnar(Quote)
Ketsbaia back in club management! One day you’ll arrive back on Tyneside Temuri, one day 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Sunderland signed Toivonen then… 😆
Still, bet he gets a feckin hatrick against us! 🙄
Newkie(Quote)
Stuart – tough one that. I really like Anita and the role he plays but his passing is a bit limited and generally very short. I guess what I was suggesting is a top holding player there with a good range of passing that’s beyond our budget (and the others are right there) for now. If we’re aiming top 6 that’s where I’d start looking.
Vunerable?
georgio(Quote)
I always wanted Jonjo Shelvey in our midfield. I think he’s a very good passer of the ball. Tom Huddlestone is another good passer, but he has to be one of least mobile footballers I’ve ever seen. I think Jan Molby cover more ground 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – a year ago we could have got Shelvey for @10m and Pardspew wanted him too.
Spot on about Huddlestone. Got the passing range but no mobility and a tendency to switch off.
georgio(Quote)
with Chambers/Gabriel in central defence; Mitrovic, Thauvin, Wijnaldam & Sissoko, With the option of Cisse, Perez, De Jong & Aarons off the bench should cause plenty of problems.
If we can defend at a similar standard as last week I fancy us
CC(Quote)
Georgio – well worth £10m IMO. Trouble was we were so weak in most positions that midfield looked our strongest spot. I think the lad is a real good player & im amazed that he’s not in the England mix personally.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I will be watching the game from Amsterdam tomorrow so I hope one of our Dutchies score!
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy @293: have you seen Molby recently? Lay him down on the ground and he would cover most of the pitch
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I know, but he is without doubt one of my most favourite players of all time. The bloke was a genius with a football at his feet.
Sharpy17(Quote)
GEORGIO
You’ve hit the nail on the head. We’re not aiming for top 6 and neither should we right now. The chances are, we’d spend a fortune, get into a huge amount of debt and then have to sell half the squad in a couple of years because they want CL football…
Top 8 is going to be tricky enough! Assuming the top 6 is likely to be the usual suspects, we’ve then got to make sure that only one of the likes of Swansea, Saints, Everton, Stoke and West Ham finish above us!
I think targeting a younger version of Carrick to go for top 6 is a bit beyond us at the moment.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)