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.
On Paris, there was a war fatigue after the ill-conceived war in Iraq. Here in the US I think there will be a fresh impetus to eradicate the scourge of ISIS which is not a Sovereign State but rather a terrorist organisation. They are only 25k strong and the whole of Europe, the US, Russia and even Iran will want to control these lunatics. Even the Middle East states should be willing to get involved as if this goes on much longer then this militant group will be a threat to their own corrupt regimes. I think Paris will be the tipping point, to use an overused phrase.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – European politicians have blood on their hands over Paris. They wanted all the refugees from Syria, even though ISIS had warned they were going to send terrorists disguised as refugees. They were warned, yet people like Merkle still told them to come. Left wing lunatics like Corbyn told us we should open our doors to these people without knowing who or what they were. It’s a disgrace and they have failed the people of Europe in the most important job they have; keeping the citizens safe!
Get Arma to Middlesbrough if you don’t want him coming back with a West Midlands accent..
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: We can’t solve the refugee or middle east problems on here mate. FFS I can’t decide on 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yeah time to stop ***** footing around where IS are concerned, they are running riot and have nothing to do with true Islamic faith. There’s is a warped ideology and they are evil cowards who target civilians which could well include people of the Islamic faith anyway. What type of people bind a gay man to a chair and push him off the top of a building and let children stone him after he lands. 👿 This world of ours is going to hell in a handcart while the youth of the world film it on their smart phones 🙄
Rant over.
Back to Arma, yes he needs a season in the Championship imo.
kimtoon(Quote)
I don’t mean to make light of the Paris situation, but send in Liam Neeson. He has fixed about 300 terrorist on his own in them “Taken” films.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Pleased Mitro held his temper nearly punched someone in the gob,we need him on the pitch,still managed to get another yellow card like
icedog(Quote)
Ice, We haven’t seen much of Big Dave on , is he ok ?
kimtoon(Quote)
KIM as far as I know Dave is OK,I’ve had a email from him a while ago,seems a bit down in the mouth but otherwise he’s ok
icedog(Quote)
I hope we get some defenders in Jan and we are crying out for a decent winger as it looks like young Aarons is a bit of a sick note,(pity)
icedog(Quote)
Glad to see the club are going to offer Perez a new contract,I gather he’s on a poor wage
icedog(Quote)
ICE, I think his friends lads death really effected him. I haven’t been on much either as I have been playing detective. I learned two days before my fathers funeral that both me and my brother were adopted 😯 The whole family knew except us, it was my cousin who told me. Turns out my brother is my aunties son but she couldn’t cope with 4 children so her brother my Dad took him on as his. I came from a neighbours daughter who was a gymslip mum but although we think we may know who it is we can’t be sure as yet. I have to have counselling before they will allow me to see my original birth certificate which my gp is sorting out for me. No idea who my real dad is though, it’s a bloody mess tbh, my poor brother grew up with me as his sister and missed out on growing up with his 3 real sisters. Why mum & dad didn’t leave us a letter about it all I will never know. I couldn’t ask for better parents but they really let us down on this matter, the fall out is horrific. At least my brother is still part of the clan as I like to call it. As for me, god knows who I am.
kimtoon(Quote)
KIM that’s a shock mate,but mate you are who you are and be proud of it,yes your parents could maybe left some sort of note but looking at it from their point view they always thought you were theirs so to a point you can understand that they thought you were all theirs rightly or wrongly,your still the same good person you are no matter what you have found out
icedog(Quote)
Ice, Yeah, like I said, couldn’t ask for better parents but I feel a little lost as to who I really am. When I saw people who found out late they were adopted and want to know who their birth parents are I never understood it until now. It’s funny as I often said to Hazel that I didn’t think I looked like my family and sometimes felt like a square peg in a round hole, seems my gut feeling was spot on. The saddest part though is not being able to thank my adoptive parents for all they did and undoubtedly saving me from a life of the care system.
kimtoon(Quote)
Good on Cisse for wanting to fight for his place, A player that’s scored 42 goals in 110 is a more than useful option.
He gets criticism for being caught offside but that’s part and parcel of being a striker. In fact he’s had more goals chalked off wrongly for non existent offsides than any player I can remember
P.S the 3 most offside players last season Benteke, Lukaku & one Charles Austin…Should be fun on here if he rocks up
CC(Quote)
CC, I agree he is no more offside than most other forwards. I actually posted some stats last season that showed he was way down the list of the most frequently offside forwards. In fact most of the press and fans darlings were way ahead of him.
kimtoon(Quote)
The worse player at toon for being offside was that piece of useless twit was Shola
icedog(Quote)
Icedog but Shola needed to be offside to score a goal. He didn’t have the pace to keep up with lower premiership level team’s. You cant expect a turtle to out run a lion do you. Shola was good at time waisting which really help the team out at times.
Stem(Quote)
STEM 😆
icedog(Quote)
Icedog I was happy when he left but if I had known Riviere I would have saved the 6 million pounds and just offered a very below par Shola a two year contract.
Stem(Quote)
STEM we could have had Ayew for five mil but jabba would not stump up another waste of money on second raters
icedog(Quote)
I would have liked Ayew but Jabba just doesn’t have any common sense. I mean 12 million on Thauvin which cost the club 6 million more. I know his probably on twice the wages but still.
Stem(Quote)
Sorry to hear about your troubles Kimtoon lass. It’s hard to say why your parents didn’t leave a letter explaining everything. Possibly they meant to early on but couldn’t face up to it later? They loved you and raised you though and clearly it must have been very difficult for them to find a way to tell you.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Have we now officially given up on Bigi? He played quite a bit in that season we had in Europe but apparently hasn’t pushed on. Could he be any worse as a defensive mid than Gouffran? I am not getting this one at all. There has to be more to this story.
Also, since it is the international break. I see Jesse Lindgard has been called up for the England squad. Is the qualification now that you have a hanger for your kit at Man U or Liverpool and you are automatically an England player. I don’t know if he is any good or not because he’s hardly had a kick for the Man U first team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, I thought Bigi was injured.
kimtoon(Quote)
My mistake, Coventry have resigned him
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-re-sign-midfielder-10453964
kimtoon(Quote)
It would seem Bigi coming to NUFC could well have ruined his career. Had he stayed on at Coventry, and continued his development playing proper football, instead of rotting in our joke of an academy, he could well have been snapped up by a more worthy premier league team.
Good luck to him on his return, I hope it works out for him.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
So it seems SM thinks Aarons isn’t a PL player yet strange he seemed up for it the odd game he did play that’s after he had said he didn’t think Perez was up for it but “he”found him while training I don’t bloody think so
he was our bect young player last year has he had his eyes closed,Ime beginning to wonder about SM more so when he was playing the like of goofy and now Anti a,he was also going to send that young left back out on loan until injury hit and had to play him against Chelsea where he was one of the best on the field Ime starting to think is SM good enough to bring our young players through his record so far is no he isnt
icedog(Quote)
Icedog: I think Aarons is the only one I would argue should stay and even then these emergency loans are only for a month. If it was a 6 month loan I would be very critical of McClaren as Aarons has shown he can play in the short time in the PL and pre-season. MBabu is different as he hadn’t played until he was drafted in in an emergency. The plan to loan him was probably correct but he did well and that may have changed.
We still need cover for the fullbacks and what is the likelihood that Aarons will be fit? They have said that they have developed specific fitness plans for our sicknotes and it makes no sense to loan Aarons where they could not monitor his progress.
Loaning the young ‘uns and deadwood makes sense, but only if the crocks recover and we spend in January. We saw last year that our squad was threadbare for Ugly John as we approached the most important part of the season.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
How the hell can Tiote only be a yellow away from a suspension?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
rERIC I really think more work should have been done on the medical side of things after all they brought guys to sort it out these soft tissue injury and hamstring injury and the heavy grounds is just round the corner,I don’t think the whole set up is making any improvment
icedog(Quote)
For me, where we are at the moment the likes of Aarons & Mbabu should be the last of Mcs worries. These are young players with potential – we are currently battling to stay in the PL. Mc should be more focused on bringing in top players in Jan that will hopefully secure PL footy – then he can worry about the kids.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Seems to me we need to get at least 9 points from the next 7 games. Any less and we’ll have real trouble convincing any good players to come in Jan. We have trouble with that anyway.
georgio(Quote)
Congratulations to Wayne Rooney who had some good things to say about tonight’s match. I usually don’t think of putting Rooney and articulate in the same sentence but he outdid himself. I think he should consider doing what Shearer did and retire from international football in order to be as effective for Man U. There is a lot of mileage in those legs and it shows for both club and country. I bet he plays a blinder tonight 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He was definitely Pardewed
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
12 minutes before an English football manager moaned about Ben Arfa not tracking back
Bizarrely coming from Hoddle who suffered the same tedious Stone Age bollocks during his playing days
CC(Quote)
The local rag talking **** again saying 15mil will be enough for M/U to get Perez
icedog(Quote)
Spurs players called up under Hodgson: Defoe, Parker, Dawson, Rose, Mason, Livermore, Caulker, Dier, Alli, Huddlestone, Kane, Walker, Townsend, Crouch, Lennon
CC(Quote)
Ice
Incredible they think Ashley doesn’t know his price, Twice the player Carroll was
No way he’ll leave for so much less than AC
CC(Quote)
Wonderful goal from Ali there
kimtoon(Quote)
CC@263, He better not. Don’t want him sold at all.
kimtoon(Quote)
Absolutely not, Just saying that he’s not going to part with him for the laughable figures bandied around in the press
CC(Quote)
There you are Eric, Rooney has his goal 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
Well, I stick by my prediction England will get to the final of the Euros.
People mocked when I suggested it weeks ago. The squad is young and developing. We are going to peak just at the right time.
Mark or mock my words. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Adam Lallana the poster boy for ridiculously overpriced wanky English players: £25m the same ammount we paid for Wijnaldum, Cabaye, Ben Arfa & Sissoko…
CC(Quote)
France are probably the team England match up against best as is really almost a Premier League All Star game. I hope the England players develop in the next 6 months but I don’t see a real gamechanger and Spain and Germany have many. I knew Rooney would have his best game of the season, I just knew 🙂 Euro ’16 should be his swansong. He does deserve it, as he has been a good player, just not the superstar he was built up to be and he probably suffered in comparison from playing in the Ronaldo and Messi era.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric. So how far do you see us getting in the euros?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Out on penalties in the quarter finals as usual.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I was happy to see Rooney look better as he will not be dropped.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think this is the best squad we’ve had since 96.
There’s loads of pace and youth. We’ll see
Troy Stavers(Quote)
You have to remember who we have to beat, the current World Cup holders, plus the winners of Euro, WC, Euro before that (Spain). Do you think our U21 squad + Wayne and Hart can compete with them? (That’s only a slight exaggeration).
Do you know we have only ever won one game in the knockout stages of the Euros? That’s ever, since the beginning.
I would really like us to do well and play good football but I can’t see us getting further than the quarters. Maybe the next Euro if the kids push on. We are number 9 in the World Rankings now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sorry that stat I gave about only winning one game in the knockout stages is wrong. I took it from Football365 and there was a proviso that said “unless on pens”.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Troy – I agree with you. I think Hodgson has the best group of English players to choose from in a long time. How we get on in the Euros will depend heavily on who’s fit & who he selects IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
There are some good looking English kids coming through, but that’s always said. Stones, Alli, Barclay in particular look the business but there’s some very strong teams in the Euros. Such is our failure over the years I’m not that interested anyway.
Is Vardy fit for Sat? Much more important!
georgio(Quote)
Does Sterling look a good £50m player? Not for me.
georgio(Quote)
I thought Sterling had a good game last night Georgio.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I’m still patriotic about the national team. I don’t understand how football fans aren’t.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy: you have to ask yourself how many in the England squad would get in the Spain or Germany teams? Unless you start messing with formations, I would suggest that maybe Cahill, and maybe Joe Hart would play in goal for Spain and that is it. It is not being unpatriotic to be a realist. I want England to do well but history and personnel are not on our side. We have improved since the World Cup though, but that wouldn’t take much.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We’ll be lucky to beat Wales let alone Germany or Spain 😆
Happy to start showing enthusiasm for the team once they start doing the same for the nation. Hopefully getting shot of some of the older heads and getting new blood in will help with that.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie – that’s what I mean by it depends on who Roy selects in the squad. I reckon if the likes of Henderson & Carroll are fit he’ll take them – with a little pressure from the English media as well like. What he should do is what the Germans did afew years back and go with a group of players that are showing signs now, but will be ready for 2020 as well.
For me Ali and Shelvey would get in ahead of Henderson & Milner, Redmond would get in ahead of Walcott or AOC, hell I’d even put Mark Noble ahead of Lallana. But if Roy went that way the press would slaughter him!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I wouldn’t get carried away with a performance against a team that were in shock. They stayed with the German team in the Stade de France overnight on Friday. They heard the bombs go off. Diarra lost a cousin and Greizemann’s sister was at the concert and survived.
France aren’t that great anyway, but probably a lot better than us and have a chance for the Euros because they will be at home.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy – Noble in 2020?
georgio(Quote)
I might give us a chance to sneak into the semis if we could get the perma-crocks back to give some options – Welbeck, Wilshere, Ox, Walcott and Carroll. But we only have Kane up front without them and have **** fullbacks. Sterling doesn’t score enough.
When you think about it, Roy has done a good job winning 10 out of 10 even against not that great opposition. With a step up in class we will see we are not really that good.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
and Sturridge! If he ever gets fit . . .
georgio(Quote)
So Bernard has said Pardew didn’t treat Benny right to get the best out of him when he was at toon and could have been a great player for us,as he said you would not treat Ginola or Robert that way so why treat Benny the way he did
icedog(Quote)
Eric – I’m not basing my opinion solely on the France game mate. If you look at the crop of young English players coming through then I think there is a strength in depth we haven’t had for many years.
That said, it very much depends on how they are managed at both club & Country level. We need a national manager brave enough to go against media pressure and select English players on merit rather than name or the club they play for. I know people will say Roy is doing that with the likes of Vardy, but that was when we had qualifier or against a weaker side. Will he do it when it comes to France, or will he buckle and go with the obvious players.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice – I’m a big benny fan by most fans standards these days and always thought he was a good player for us. I do think he needs to take some of the blame himself though, he’s fallen out with every manager he’s worked under at some point, things are going well for him at Nice and long may it continue because I do like the lad, but we’ll see what happens if things go sour.
Newkie(Quote)
NEWKIE aye your reet let’s wait and see
icedog(Quote)
The way Pardew treated Benny was an absolute disgrace. I’ll never forgive the ******* for that!
georgio(Quote)
GEORGIO, thing is mate some players need a toe up the hole others just need a arm round them it comes down to good manament,but at toon it was Pardew way or no way
icedog(Quote)
Growing up my grandma always used to say to me ‘hard work is better than talent if talent doesn’t work hard’. I’m dyslexic so I think she was being nice 😆
But when it comes to Benny granny was bang on. The lad has enough talent in his little toe to play top level football. But talent is wasted without application, and as Newkie says it’s no coincidence that every manager has failed with him. He could have been a real toon legend, instead he’s another ‘what could have been?’
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – there’s no doubt things are a little strange between Benny’s ears but managed properly he would have been a real legend for us. SBR would have done it. For me he was the most talented (I didn’t say best) player we’ve ever had.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – SBR was a one off when it came to player management though wasn’t he mate? – there’s the ultimate toon legend in my eyes.
It’s down to Benny for me though mate. I hate to say it but look at the way Pardew has the likes of Puncheon, Zaha and Bolasie playing at Palace. Zaha & Punch were on Soccer AM at the weekend and Zaha was saying that Pardew encourages them to express themselves on the pitch – providing they do the other stuff too, like closing down & tracking back when needed. I just think Benny is lazy and didn’t want to do the dirty work as well. I know SBR would have expected him to do that side of the game too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Looks like Pardew never put his arm round Benny. Hmm. Where do some people get it from? 🙄
YCMIU 🙄
Well you could and they do. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Benny did get overweight and sulky at the end with us. His meat pie intake was legendary.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Five points max from the next 7 games. That will give us 15 points by the end of the year. Hmmmm. Not a lot to go on for the second half of the season. Never fear though, Mike is the Man!
GeordieTwo(Quote)