In the region of £50 million was spent on incoming transfers with NUFC recouping very little by not cashing in on any of their supposed ‘big hitters’ within the squad. Whether it is enough was a different question.
So with 12 games, or just under a third of the season gone, I’m going to have a look at what our new signings have done for us and if they’ve made the impact that we’d hoped. For the purposes of clarity I’m not going to include Ivan Toney who has impressed at reserve and U21 level and will instead focus purely on the four main acquisitions – Aleksandar Mitrovic, Georginio Wijnaldum, Florian Thauvin and Chancel Mbemba.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has made a solid start to life at Newcastle and appears to have settled down somewhat from his baptism of fire. In terms of goalscoring it’s just two goals in ten Premier League appearances (eights starts – one of which he was sent off after 16 minutes – and two as a sub) and it’s also worth noting that hes sat out three games through suspension, which was his own fault in fairness.
But it’s his contribution to the team that is most promising. He has given us a focal point, someone to hold play up and bring others into play, a presence in the box and he unsettles defenders creating space and therefore opportunities for others. I think there is still more to come too from a player who at just 21 still has a lot to learn.
My rating: 7/10
Next up is Georginio Wijnaldum who will no doubt be courting some interest from some big clubs should he continue. He is our top goalscorer although a four goal haul against Norwich has bolstered that tally and he’s also laid on another two goals for his teammates.
This is not a bad return for just 12 Premier League appearances in a new league. He’s also hit the target with more attempts than anyone else in the team with 66% of his shots either resulting in a goal or forcing a save from the opposition goalkeeper.
My rating: 8/10
Chancel Mbemba has been an effective addition to the defence and I like him a lot. He very nearly gifted Bournemouth a goal on Saturday after slipping up but even the greats have done that on occasion. Just ask Steve Gerrard.
If you look at the stats from WhoScored.com (whom are really good to be fair) you’ll see that Mbemba pretty much walks all over Coloccini in terms of tackles, interceptions and clearances – which is basically what a defender needs to do. And at just 21 (allegedly) he’ll get better.
My rating: 7/10
Finally we move on to Florian Thauvin – or the scapegoat as he has become. Seemingly written off by a swathe of fans the 23-year-old has already drawn criticism from some quarters despite only playing 305 minutes of Premier League football from three starts and four sub appearances.
I’m not writing the lad off. It’s a big ask to come to the Premier League and perform immediately however I do see why people have issues with his game. I just don’t think we’re playing to his strengths at the moment, in the same way we didn’t for Remy Cabella or Hatem Ben Arfa. To play in front of Daryl Janmaat (aka AWOL) you have to have a notion of defending as it’s likely you’re going to need to cover while Janmaat is up field and I think that is part of his problem. Time will tell of course but there is definitely room for improvement.
My rating: 5/10
So those are my thoughts on the main chunk of our summer transfers. Do you agree or disagree? Have I missed something obvious, remembering this is just my take on things? Do you feel that you could put your money where your mouth is and use this Bet 365 code to have a flutter towards where you now think we may finish the season?
Feel free to discuss and debate below.
GTE we should be so lucky,but I still think Perez is a 30mil plus player in the making going by what it costs for PL players
icedog(Quote)
Agree Ice – I would hope that they wouldn’t even consider £12m. Now if Liverpool were to offer £35m for Sissoko? Seriously, we need to add a couple to the first XI, not be selling.
GTE(Quote)
GTE looking at the way things are going in the PL we really lack wing play,now L/pool and M/utd are saying they are looking to buy wingers a step back in time there with most clubs playing four at the back packing m/f and one up top I smell a change in style coming,so as you said Townsend might be a canny move
icedog(Quote)
You could be on to smth with the change of style, Ice – not least because there arent enough play-makers to go around for the current fad. The way we are set-up, a Cabaye sitting deep and dictating play could again have us challenging the top-7, but in his absence a attacking more wing-based approach would be better (we just need to get rid of our many French ‘whinger-wingers’. I’m not all that convinced by Townsend, tbh, I think a decent full-back who nails him hard early on too easily gets him out of the game. I quite like the look of Redmond.
GTE(Quote)
Redmond is a good shout imo just a kid too
icedog(Quote)
Georgio @147: That was interesting information. Everybody wants the Barcelona academy or the Man U “class of ’92” but unfortunately it doesn’t happen very often. I wasn’t trying to pick a fight with Cholo (whatever that guy FAVE thinks) I was pointing out there might be a reason some of the players he named are gone.
Chelsea have 26 players out on loan. They are buying what they perceive as the cream of the crop and still not many make to the elite level.
My opinion is that as soon as a player has persistent injuries you sell him (unless he is Alan Shearer of course, who was special case).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I also think Adam Armstrong might turn out to be a good player. We are due someone who lives up to the hype. From Georgio’s stats though, if you haven’t made it by your early 20’s there is not much hope. Of course there will be exceptions like Vardy but they are few and far between.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Would not be happy at all if we let Perez go for £12m, especially when you consider wet spam value perma crock Carroll at £15m still and the price touted for Austin too for that matter. If fat ash took £12m he’d deserve a smack in the gob.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, I agree about Arma, give him a season in the championship and see if he’s prolific then bring him back to us.
kimtoon(Quote)
I’d bring Arma back now. He’ll be 19 soon. If you haven’t made it by the time you’re nearly 21 (if he has a year in the CC “proving” himself) then you probably won’t. Some kids are ready at 17 – a year ago Arma played 70 mins at Man City up front on his own.
georgio(Quote)
What about moving Perez to the Beardsley position? I don’t think him and Mitrovic will get 25 goals between them which is what we need. Have either Charlie Austin or Armstrong play up front and we solve the problem of a midfield playmaker with Perez.
I remember Keegan saying he would get a player to supply Andrew Cole and it was Saint Peter.
It is time that we give the opposition something to think about and not the other way around.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Since it is the international break I will rant on…
I think our problem is not so much that we don’t have the players but we don’t know where to play them. Of course a class addition would be welcome, but decide if Sissoko and Wignaldum are on the wing and if Perez is a forward or attacking midfielder. And get rid of the whole medical staff 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I also think that loaning de Jong for 6 months is best at this point. He obviously needs to regain his fitness and he wont do it on the bench. I have changed my mind a bit on this because I am not sure he will ever be the same player after the collapsed lung and we should find out or cut him loose.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I remember Keegan saying he would get a player to supply Andrew Cole and it was Saint Peter. That IS the role Perez is playing, just behind Mitro. Really like him but he’s no Pedro.
georgio(Quote)
De Jong is fit. Just not fit for purpose in the PL.
georgio(Quote)
Obertan as the pacey counter to Mitrovic is still something I think we should try.
If we won’t sell or loan him, make use of him at least when we take Perez off as we seem to do.
Same logic applies to most players, we store away and never use and rarely loan. Seems a waste of players and money.
funkyjesus(Quote)
FJ: Obertan is injured and most don’t think he is up to it anyway. He is out of contract in the summer so a loan wouldn’t work.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t see why we couldn’t try. I’d also have thought a free transfer in the summer would inspire teams to loan to see if he works out.
If he is hurt then I guess it is irrelevant though.
funkyjesus(Quote)
FJ: because Obertan is **** most of the time, and when he has a good 5 minutes (1 game in 10) he gets injured.
Teams sign players on pre-contracts in January. I am not sure if there is some restriction on loans but they tend to go the pre-contract route.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Also FJ: you would have a hard time convincing anyone on here that Obertan could be employed as a Saggar Maker’s Bottom Knocker never mind a PL footballer.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This is a rather hilarious defense of why NUFC have so many injuries. Uses every excuse in the book and a few more. The funniest bit is when Mark Douglass says that you can’t blame coaches because “Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool” are top of the injury table. Klopp has been at Liverpool for a month FFS. Yep, Mark Douglass went to the Lee Ryder school of Journalism:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-uniteds-injury-record-top-10429892?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The reasoning that NUFC have not REALLY been top of the injury table for years because some of the injured players would not be used anyway is just hilarious. That is true of every other club FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What this “expert” fails to see is that some players’ bodies are just not made for the rigours of PL football. They might have the skill and the determination, but their bodies break down with all of the training involved. Not everyone can win the London Marathon and it doesn’t matter how many fitness gurus are employed, but Dawn French would just never win it, even after she lost the weight.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This “expert” is saying it is too simplistic to look at the injury table and say we have **** doctors, physios and coaches. No it is not when it happens with different players year after year. A statistic becomes a pattern.
One thing we could do is not buy injured players. Another is to sell sicknotes like Taylor, Vuckic and Obertan. They are taking up space in the squad.
You should all read that article because it says we don’t have that many injuries because they wouldn’t play anyway. They totally forget that they should have been providing cover and competition for the likes of Willo.
There are so many things wrong with that article it would take a week to explain them. Suffice to say that it is from the Lee Ryder School of Journalism and the NUFC cover-your-**** School of Medicine.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a fkin duck. We have more injuries than every other team and have done for a few years. You cannot cover that up by saying it was all due to Steven Taylor and Curtis Good. They both would have played ahead of Willo so how do their injuries not matter as the “expert” said to Mark Douglass of The Chronic?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Quack quack
Stuart79(Quote)
How can you tell when there’s a international break? Quack quack?
See we’ve been linked with a 6 foot 7in centre half who’s too expensive and doesn’t want to come. There’s also a cheapy down at Sheff Wed. Wonder who Charmless will choose?
georgio(Quote)
Really sad news about ex Scum keeper Martin Fulop – dies at 32.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I notice the sadness didn’t extend to any respect given to Sunderland…
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – why would it 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bloody dam shame for anyone to pass away at only 32 from something as nasty as that
icedog(Quote)
Since it is so quiet I will get back to The Chronic. I find myself feeling more willing to listen to John Gibson although he was probably as big a **** as Ryder in his day. I have this vision of him sitting on a bar stool around the corner from The Chronicle offices typing his next story while regaling his fellow alcoholics of when Olly Burton dragged him into the communal bath tub when fully clothed, or when Gazza mooned his mam at her 80th birthday party. Chain smoking Embassy Regals as they stained his ever greying hair yellow and his face became more and more Keith Richards like as he abused the tabs and beer. I also have a feeling he went to one of those old time barbers where they kept his hair cut in a time warp from 1973. “Ya want one of those new fancy razor cuts like the lads are getting now Gibbo”? Nah, keep it 1973 like always.
I am sure that some on here know him and that my impressions are totally wrong. He obviously has a love for the club, I am just saying what he evokes in me when I see him interviewed now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Would Joe Allen be a good shout gor a central midfield spot for ourselves??
Alanthedog363(Quote)
I see Wolves are now showing an interest in loaning Armstrong in January.
That is a good move up for him if it comes off.
Also good to see Maca taking an interest in his career. He will only let him go to a club that gives him 1st team football.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I think we should let him continue at coventry then maybe loan him in the fizzy next year, it would be great if he could get top scorer for the season, especially with him missing matches with england youth
Alanthedog363(Quote)
Newcastle United are interested in signing 23-year-old Werder Bremen centre-back Jannik Vestergaard.
Apparently
BBC Gossip via Chronicle
Is he any Good?
Premandup(Quote)
Speaking of Good, what happened to Curtis?
Newkie(Quote)
Hodgson is right, he is lucky. Hopefully that luck will run out after the Euros and he will be shown the door. A bang average manager who lied about giving entertaining football with youngplayers a go.
Pardew for England
Newkie(Quote)
Prem@186 – apparently it isn’t true. No interest.
georgio(Quote)
I think we should review the Ashley plan for football success:
1. Hire a famous player/manager from the club’s past, then sack him after lying to him about how the club will be run.
2. Hire a deeply disturbed idiot to manage and then oversea the club. Let him rant to the press and do little else, then sack him.
3. Hire a man who knows even less than Ashley about football (I think his name was Llambeezee?), watch him build an extremely poor side, then sack him.
4. Hire a mediocre manager who loved to hear his own voice then watch him leave in disgust when not backed in the transfer windows.
5. Hire an executive who has been with the club for many years in meaningless positions and who no other club would want and put him in charge of incoming, outgoing etc. then watch the club bounce around the bottom of the Prem.
Now, honestly mates how can you be unhappy with that record? Harrumph
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Is everyone clear on how we’ve been so successful under Ashley now? Well I certainly hope so. The Five Steps for Ultimate Football Success are world famous now. Every football club executive follows them.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 you posted all that on Ed’s site too you attention *****!
BTW when Ed refers to ; ‘We think this’ and ‘we think that’ – is he referring to an actual team of writers that he discusses all these topics with or is he referring to himself and the voices in his head? 😯
Shamrock(Quote)
Shamrock: I think Ed bounces some stories off his son and mentions him sometimes. Having a dig @ Ed 🙂 🙂 You don’t want to turn into me with my rants at The Chronic. They have actually written some decent stuff this week. Mark Douglass has anyway, I think Ryder is on his hols.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My problem is that I have such fond memories of The Chronicle from when I was a kid. I had a paper round when I was 12 to pay for match tickets and used to read the sports section as soon as I got off school. I also could never figure out how they got The Pink out so soon after the match. I was probably naive and stupid and they probably sucked up to Lord Westwood but I don’t remember it that way.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Harmless fun Eric. I think Ed churns out a lot of rubbish, but I respect his relentless dedication and public service to Toon fans. He deserves respect for that. The Chronicle is gash more often than not. It could be worse though. It cod be the star, or the Daily Mail…. 😕
Shamrock(Quote)
Well England have proved yet again that as soon as they face a decent team, they fold. Spain have walked all over them. Massive gap in technical ability and Joe Hart is not world class.
Shamrock(Quote)
I’m just concerned that Ayoze will go to Salford/Tottenham/Othercrapof NLondon for £XXM. Adam Armstrong will be his replacement; we will be told. Because he has scored some goals, on loan in league 1, and captained the u19s. You read it here first. This is how Ashley thinks! Did anyone see the other ‘next big thing’ Adam Campbell, playing for Notts County against Salford City? He had the chance to get them back in it and scuffed it. He looked unfit and did nothing at non-league level. Truth is, he was nowhere near good enough. ❗
DJG(Quote)
Shamrock: I know you were just kidding Uncle Ed. I enjoy reading his stuff and he was even harder on Carver than I was (if that’s possible).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34816905
Don’t be surprised if they have airport style security in international games soon.
Wad’nt get me sittin’ next to some Jihadi John. He’d be ‘vaporised’, ‘dignified burial at sea’.
DJG(Quote)
DGJ I got a feeling Perez will leave in january. It will be hurting Mike spending 40 million pounds in the summer. He will want to reduce the deficit and make the books look good come the end of the season. He sold Mbiwa, Santon and Pardew last january and didn’t even care about the form book or even the fan’s. He just wanted an easy 10 million without the fan’s even noticing. Lee will do some robot speech at the fan’s forum and be ordered not to answer the difficult questions. If he does bring somebody in this january then expect nothing to happen in the summer. He will only spend enough to keep us up, nothing more.
Terry(Quote)
As for Mike’s speech, it was to get the fan’s to renew there season tickets and he was forced to do something. I do think he will try and get 20 million at least for Perez. Time will tale.
Terry(Quote)
DJG: England play France on Tuesday. I am not sure if that will take place now but that would be the first indication of how authorities will react.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
They would be mad to sell Perez. He is the only real success from Carr’s class of 2014. I think we would be in trouble if we sold him but his head might get turned if Man U or Arsenal are interested. I also think Perez would be mad to leave as he hasn’t really established himself yet. If it happens I would expect Charlie Austin to come in to placate fans. That might happen anyway.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Mikes’ speech was so forced. It was like the last roll of the dice, or a poker player ready to put his cards on the table. We won’t see him again for another eight years. Our club is just a toy to this billionaire. The fans are just an inconvenience.
DJG(Quote)
Eric if Perez joined a top 4 side would you feel sorry for Sissoko ? On the basis that it will **** him off even more.
Terry(Quote)
We’ve seen it all before, as soon as we get a half decent forward. BA, Remy, Carroll. Why should we think Ayoze will be any different? I’m maybe getting a bit cynical in my old age but I’ve good reason to! We are a selling club. Perez was cheap, the only thought in Ashley’s mind is sell for £10m, or hold out for £20m.
DJG(Quote)
Latest injury update from McClaren. Of course they were overly optimistic about Taylor’s return. Surprise, surprise. Also, Aarons looks worse. I can’t remember, did they say exactly what his injury is?
“Steven Taylor will be fighting to play any part in December, but we’re probably looking more at the start of next year with him. Emanuel Riviere keeps having little setbacks and niggles, but we’re hoping we might get him back into training in the next week or two.
“Jack Colback is progressing really well, and we’re delighted with him so far. Rolando Aarons is still on crutches so we’re not really sure how long that will take.”
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sissoko might be sold in Jan but I don’t see Perez going – mainly because I think Sissoko has reached his optimum value and Perez will still increase in value if we keep him.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I don’t think we have to sell in Jan at all. I think everyone’s eyes are on that massive increase of TV money next summer especially MA’s.
Hells bells – we could even buy some players.
georgio(Quote)
I think Aarons is a unique situation among the sicknotes. We have control of his contract for another 18 months and his wages are basically a 1st professional contract wages. We can wait and see if he can fix his hamstrings and this latest injury is a contact injury so is totally unrelated. He is also not taking up a squad place because of his age. We would be crazy to give up on him.
He is not like Steven Taylor who injures different parts of his body just by running around. Hopefully Aarons will be able to get a programme to target his hamstrings – maybe do some Yoga or pilates like Giggs did. Simpson said as much yesterday so I think they are frustrated but know he is a real talent.
His agent will have lost a bargaining chip as well so cant be going in asking for silly money.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’d be gutted to see Perez go. Genuine class player with a lot more to come. Hopefully Sharpy is right regarding his not having reached optimum sell on value yet- just hope another team does not recognize his potential and pit in a bid which reflects that. His attitude is refreshing too. Sissoko can go as far as I’m concerned.
As for Armstrong, I’d say he has shown he is a class above League 1. What is he going to learn by staging there? Recall him for January but loan him out to a Cahmpionship side chasing promotikn and see how he gets on. If he does well, be goes into our squad for next season. If he struggles, he goes back to the Championship next season.
Shamrock(Quote)
Oh, and Aarons is homegrown and we will need one or two to replace Taylor and Willo soon.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sham – I agree that Armaz is better than the level he’s playing but for CFs it’s about confidence. Coventry are 4th at the mo, just 1 point off top spot. If he could gain promotion for them then I think that’s a big achievement for his personal development I think. Leave him there this season and I reckon most Championship sides will want him next season & he’ll get game time for them rather than just being a bench player.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just been watching some of the reports from Paris last night, god those poor people!! This IS are a bunch of vile cowards, I can see a global war on the cards here.
Sharpy17(Quote)
My wife only came back from Paris on Wednesday night. France has a big problem on it’s hands because of the demographics of the populous originating from those regions. These people are vile. Biting the hand that feeds them. Poor innocent people dying. Disgusting.
Shamrock(Quote)
Yes its now a bloody arwful world we live in,I might be knocking on a bit now and have had a great live,some say oh I would love to be young again not me thank you its a evil world now I would hate to be young in this world
icedog(Quote)
Ice – this lot don’t want to fight, they just want to turn up and murder as many innocent people as possible. They aren’t targeting military or government buildings, they are hitting commercial airports, theatres and cafes. What happened in Paris last night should unite the rest of the world against IS.
Sorry to talk politics on a footy blog 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY yes its a footy blog but its times like this imo there nothing wrong in showing your disgust at what’s going on,it affects everyone footy fan or not my fear is it could be a footy ground next so we should all be aware so footy blogs will help to make fans aware
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy@213 – if we do what you say the kid’ll be nearly 21 before he gets PL games. If he’s going to make it he’ll be ready in Jan. He’s a top talent who’ll likely have 20 goals by xmas. All kinds of goals – lobbing keepers from 40 yards, quick turns in the box and accurate shots. He has vision and real skill.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – I understand your point, but I disagree. I think it’s better for his long term success to allow him to develop and experience things – he’s been a huge part of Coventry this season, allow him to see that through coz I don’t want to pin our survival on his young shoulders.
As for being 21 by the time he hits the PL – Harry Kane was that age and he’s getting on just fine.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I say put him in the Championship for January. The Prem this season is too soon. He does not need to stay in League 1 for confidence – he has proved he can do it there and should already be confident of making the step up. He has come from a PL club and should have his eyes in much bigger prizes than promotion from League 1. If he is all that he’s made out to be, he won’t be sat on the Bench in the Championship, especially if Schteve does his job properly and sets him up with the right club under the right conditions.
Shamrock(Quote)
Firstly I think the goings on last night in Paris puts everything in perspective. We just need to ignore these half wits who think marching in London against action against these barbaric monsters and go bomb the **** out of them!
Anyway, onto football. We need to give Arma some time in the Championship I think. There’s just such a huge difference in class from Division 1 to the PL I think we need to gradually get him to the higher level. Get him to somewhere like Middlesbrough from January and see how he gets on.
Stuart79(Quote)
So Mitro didn’t play for Serbia,they say he’s overweight and sluggish,does not shock me he gets nothing played in the right way into the box so nowt to chase down and lacks a little work round the box
icedog(Quote)
My only problem with sending Armstrong on another short term loan to The Championship is he is just a kid, away from his family and friends, who would have to get used to a new City and players. Plus, if it is Wolves he might come back with a bloody Wolverhampton accent 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Icedog: we see Mitrovic on the pitch and he is not overweight. He might not have fancied another friendly after they failed miserably in qualification. Just excuses from Management who failed at their job. We should be able to recognise that as we have seen so much of it at SJP.
Eric Sykes(Quote)