With our lead at the top of the table only getting wider, it seems as though the good times are returning to Tyneside. There’s a feel-good factor in Rafa Benitez’s first full season in charge.
But could it get better with some judicious work in the transfer market in January? With us now 1/3 to win the title according to the Championship betting, many would make the rather pertinent argument of, ‘if it aint broke, don’t fix it.’
On the back of a ten-match unbeaten run – including nine wins – there doesn’t seem good reason to invest any further. The squad which Rafa built is beginning to gel well with replacements for the first choice players slotting in, if not quite seamlessly, then fitting well in the XI.
With eleven new signings last summer and nine departures, the revolving door nearly spun off its hinges. There’s a strong argument for letting it settle before inevitably strengthening the squad in the summer ahead of (hopefully) finding Premier League safety in 2017/18.
However, if Benitez is to continue his ‘Rafalution’, where might he be tempted to spend and who may be heading out of the door to make space in the squad?
Goalkeeper
A well-stocked position but one where the options could be better. Having begun the season well enough, Matz Sels blotted his copybook with Rafa and Karl Darlow took over. Change a winning team? Not likely; Rafa’s philosophy is quite clear: do a decent job and you keep your place. Sels had one blunder too many against Villa to be quickly forgiven.
Rob Elliot could steady the ship if needed but one of the three players is likely to leave this winter than anyone arriving. Elliot may feel that to regain his place in the Republic of Ireland squad, he has to move on.
Defence
Not only is the back four well-stocked, there’s also quality in there. Each position has two players – mostly more – to create competition for places. Both full backs have the quality, there are four good centre backs which begs the question whether Massadio Haidara will leave in the winter.
Midfield
It’s the one area of the pitch where Rafa may be tempted to spend, particularly if he can offload Chieck Tiote. Whilst the defensive midfield role can be filled by Vurnon Anita or Isaac Hayden, he wants more competition for the pair if Tiote goes.
With Colback, Diame and Shelvey, there are plenty of options for the attacking midfield role but he may look more to the flanks for the squad. The outstanding Ritchie – a strong contender for the club’s Player of the Season award based on his performances so far – and Atsu are providing good service, ably supported by Gouffran and Aarons, injuries permitting.
The deal Benitez might be tempted to make is for Atsu with Chelsea, converting the season-long loan into a permanent move.
Forwards
The strikers is an interesting area. Golden boot contender Dwight Gayle is proving to be an outstanding buy with eleven goals in his twelve Championship appearances, his best since moving to the professional game in 2012.
Considering their use as substitutes, Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic have chipped in with six and five goals respectively. However, the Serb is a player who, despite this record, is one I wouldn’t be sad to see depart. Whilst I wouldn’t force him out, if he wanted to leave, I wouldn’t stop him either.
In January though, it’s tough to find a replacement so holding onto him might well be the best option.
Not a Mitro fan then Andy? I really like the guy. He’s great at holding the ball up, quick feet and clever. Scores goals. I’d like better in the PL but can’t think of who at this time.
I don’t think we’ll spend at all in January but that small space in Rafa’s mind earmarked PL must be growing daily and I expect soundings will be taken and arrangements made. He likes South Americans . . .
georgio(Quote)
Probably worded that a bit incorrectly. Yeah I like him but with the way Gayle is playing I just don’t see him fitting in the side. Rafa’s never going to try and shoehorn them both in the starting 11 for the sake of it so if at the end of the season (assuming we’re up) if he wanted to leave for more playing time i wouldn’t bemoan him for it.
A Palace mate of mine has just told me he’s heard Big Sam’s been lined up as Pardew’s replacement in jan.
Andy Magpie(Quote)
Time to talk about the transfer window with 6 weeks left and us top of this league by 197 points. Hmmm….
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Andy Magpie: that was last week, when you should have been talking about the transfer window during the International Break !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
For the first time I can remember we are in this unique position of not needing to sell and also not needing to buy. If we continued with this squad we would still get promoted.
I suppose it will depend on the state of the league as to the players we go for. If we are 15 points clear of 3rd then it could be argued we should try and buy PL ready players.
Stuart79(Quote)
And we have 27 fit players to fit in a 24 man squad.
If we buy more than 1 player in the transfer window I will eat Troy’s and Pardew’s hat.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Errrmm… what? it is not even click bait.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You will get like 5 hits about the transfer window!!!! And those 5 will probably be me 😯
Eric Sykes(Quote)
THE TRANSFER WINDOW!!!!!
Errrrrrmmm… Tiote might leave and will not be missed?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And you want my Mystic Meg prediction? The DJIA will go to 23,000 next year. I would have said earlier but nobody wants to talk money on here.
The reason is that Trump will pump money into the economy for his friends and it will be like a massive stimulus for a while.
Keep your money in stocks for 2 years…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If you doubt me then come back and talk about Pardew. It is only like a 20% increase in the DJIA. Seriously. I am not Pardew.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
****> the NASDAQ will go up 30% from here. The Donald will juice the economy.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Talk to me later hinny.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average will be 21.000 in June of next year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I talked to me Mam and she said I should take money out of stocks. I ALWAYS DO THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT SHE SAYS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
SHE READS THE PAPERS AND THE SKY IS ALWAYS FALLING> I do the opposite.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We might be fairly comfortable right now, but our lead isn’t unassailable. While I don’t think we need a lot, I do think a true attacking mid would be nice to add. Someone with creativity and the ability to play the final pass. Diame isn’t that kind of player, and I wonder if he might be better suited to more of a box-to-box role.
I think we’re well stocked in central/defensive midfield, even if Tiote goes. When’s the last time Tiote actually played? To me Colback is much more of a defensive midfielder, and Rafa seems to view him as competition for Hayden, since one or the other generally plays next to Shelvey. And even though Shelvey has been our best midfielder in attack, he likes to sit deeper, leaving space for a No. 10.
If we do buy, it needs to be PL-quality players or, at the very least, someone we could be confident of offloading to another Championship squad in the summer (someone like Ross McCormack, for example).
Charlie Prince(Quote)
Diame is suited to a box to box role and I think that’s where he’ll be if Jonjo gets a ban. A No10 would be my priority but yet again I have no idea who.
georgio(Quote)
i always knew you had no idea its nothing new (told you i had a good memory) 😆
icedog(Quote)
what a miss 🙄 🙄
http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/10667512/the-worse-miss-ever
icedog(Quote)
@Sham on previous thread… thanks for replying on my Satka question mate. Still puzzling what has happened to him as he was close to the first team last year.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Eric I can’t see Toite leaving the club in january because of his ridiculous wage demands. The only way he’ll get a club is on a free transfer. Why would any club pay money for him when his contract run’s out in 6 months. Maybe some stupid Chinese or American team might be interested but highly unlikely.
TERRY(Quote)
i agree mate,the greedy git mind he has a few wifes to keep like
icedog(Quote)
Thanks Andy, I actually do think Tiote will go in January. Not totally convinced by Diame tbh. Wondering if we should keep the purse closed and save it for PL level players in the summer if we go up, we probs won’t attract any at the moment. Of course we have the wretched ACON around the corner too so will lose players for that.
kimtoon(Quote)
Good point, Kim, the ACON is something else to think about. Between that and not having a solid backup for Shelvey, I do think we could use a player or two. A midfield of Hayden and Colback would be pretty limited in attack.
And who knows – if we’re looking like a lock to go up, there may be a few players willing to drop down from some of the lower-level PL teams, especially with Rafa at the helm.
Charlie Prince(Quote)
No worries Dubai. Yeah strange one, but I think Rafa has opted for experience this year.
Re; January, I think we need a left winger and an AM. Can’t see many coming in unless they are PL standard and happy to make the drop in a temporary basis knowing that promotion is a dead cert. With no major International tournament in the summer of 2017 , we may well be able to convince a couple of high profilers to get in on the action. That would be good because it affords us longer to bed them in. Signing 5 ir 6 PL standard players in the aummer and bedding them in could be tricky…
Shamrock(Quote)
Good article Andy. I don’t think we need Sels when Elliot is healthy. I think he’ll go either in January or next summer. Tiote as well. He’s done with us by the look of it. I would save the money for the summer unless a striker who is too good to turn down is available. I have no idea who that would be. Why not bring Armstrong back in January and have him compete for a position as well? Is it the right thing to do with him and would he get enough minutes on the pitch with us?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Armstrong has played 13 Championship games this season, scoring and assisting 4 in total – which is ok but not great. He has a lot to learn still and if he comes back he won’t get another 13 games, so his development will stall. Leave him where he is.
Shamrock(Quote)
Last January we were a failing PL side with Stevie McClaren at the helm and still managed to sign Jonjo Shelvey & Andros Townsend.
This January we are flying high in the Championship with Rafa leading our charge back to the PL.
I think if there are quality players available, Rafa will look to strengthen the squad further – but they would have to be players that would hold their own in the PL.
We should have the Sissoko money in the kitty to spend & if players like Delph (for example) are available and could be signed, I think Rafa will spend.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think we’ve got a nice balance to the squad now. For years we were overstocked in midfield but now there is only really two players good enough in each position. Gouffran/ Perez, Diame/Shelvey, Hayden/Colback, Ritchie/Atsu. I can see a potential problem in January if Atsu & Diame go to the ACoN. Potentially Lazaar can cover LW and Anita DM but if I could only add one player in Jan, it would be a creative midfielder. I see little need to add even that. Unless there is a player in the last six months of their contract somewhere that Rafa wants and it makes sense to move now. I’d like to think Rafa is lining up players for the summer and many of the Gouffran/Sammyobi/Vuckic type players will be out of contract or be moved on to make room. With Rafa, I think we should be aspiring to sign some good players next summer and do better than just surviving.
DJG(Quote)
Rather than looking to France for our premium buys (which has been V hit and miss, players like Thauvin weren’t cheap either) I think Rafa could have Spanish/Italian/British & Irish markets covered and pulling power to top players looking for a better deal. It is exciting but mainly for next summer and not January.
DJG(Quote)
Delph? A Man City reserve?
Pep doesn’t rate him. Obviously.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: Get Blackie back. That’ll fix every thing. Is he a motivational speaker or does he live in a van down by the the river?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I agree with this. AM is what we need. Someone to help now and then at least be able to provide cover in the Prem
MDS(Quote)
Pretty much the whole CM will need re-done next year IMO
MDS(Quote)
I’m not happy to sign man City castoffs of the British variety. Hardly any of them have prospered when they left there.
I don’t want Judge either. Let’s face it nobody ever heard of him before the summer. He is not a proven Pl player and he’s a sicknote. We already have Aaron’s and De Jong filling our permanent sick note quota. We don’t need another one. I hope we are aiming a bit higher than these players come January, or just leave things as they are and do it properly in the summer.
Shamrock(Quote)
Shamrock getting rid of Siem De Jong is a priority for me. His was a very poor signing on Carr’s behalf. His french signing have been very poor as well mate. If I was Rafa I wouldn’t listen to anything he had to say on transfer’s.
TERRY(Quote)
Wasn’t Townsend a Spurs reserve or cast off?.
Wasnt Gayle a Palace reserve or cast off?.
Wasn’t Shelvey a Swansea reserve or cast off?.
Personally I think Delph would be an improvement on Colback & Tiote.
Sharpy17(Quote)
When it comes to players being cast offs I’m not so sure it’s because they are poor players. I have always felt that a football team is all about chemistry. Certain players will perform out their skin at certain clubs under certain coaches and alongside certain players. Get the blend right and you are cooking on gas. It takes a good scouting system to spot the right player for the team and a coach who can inspire. If any player comes to NUFC and gives 100% they will feel the love, and god knows players need to feel the love. Shelvey and Townsend are classic examples of this as is Gayle, the fans of all threes former clubs can hardly recognise their former players. Townsend is an example of the right club for the right player, he positively thrived with us under Rafa, now look at him. After initially looking to of taken his form to Palace, he looks to be going off the boil again. Under Pardew I don’t expect him to be what he was for us.
kimtoon(Quote)
Good points Kim! That kid at Monaco looks the part for what we need re playmaker – Bruno Silva.
Ice, I’d rather have no idea than the kind of memories you must have! 🙂
georgio(Quote)
Fair point! 😛
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
Gave me a lol
https://twitter.com/haveigotnews/status/799640169066401793
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
you have the “the” back.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
thats a very poor answer,expected better from you 😐
icedog(Quote)
Kim. Good points. I was talking to a friend recently saying how poor the managers of England had been. He said it was all down to the players. My view was, “Really.”” Presumably he had not looked at the players you mentioned under Rafa or what happens to players under Pardew. Also look at Hazard at Chelsea under a new manager.
I cannot fully agree with Shamfock on Premiership ready players. If the players are really proven in the Premiership would we be able to afford them? There are lots of players in the Premiership who I would not regard as Premiership ready. On the other hand there are players in the lower leagues who could do a good job in the Premiership given the chance. Just look at Cole, Beardsley or more recently Vardy. Mind you, it does need good scouting.
Groucho(Quote)
Groucho i agree mate with your points, then there is players that do really really well at their clubs then move on and find they never find that form again a lot of the times its down to poor management (Pardew is a good example) some then say they are not PL quality i think i would go with what Rafa and his staff think
icedog(Quote)
The The is when I’m on my laptop
And I think without is when I’m on my phone. I’ll still talk nonsense no matter what device I’m on 😉
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
Graham Carr’s our chief scout. We have him to thank for Thauvin, Carbella, Marveaux, Gouffran, Siem De Jong. He really know’s how to get talented midfielder’s.
Carr’s also got a good eye for spotting talented striker’s to keep us in the league Mitrovic, Riviere, Doumbia or whatever his name is.
Carr’s also good at spotting world class managers like Steve McClaren.
Carr also knew Colocini would keep us up last season.
Why does he still have a job, his terrible. Yes Perez and Sissoko were ok signing’s. Nothing special and Cabaye was a fluke.
TERRY(Quote)
Rafa bang your head on a brick wall if you ever need scouting advise from Graham Carr.
TERRY(Quote)
Horrible business with all these ex pros being sexually abused as kids – what in the hell was going on in the world back then man?!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Crazy mate, horrible affair
kimtoon(Quote)
really annoying Hull saying they are not selling many tickets for the game but have refused to give any more tickets even though toon want more,toon have sold 5000 tickets up to now as the game is being shown back at SJP
icedog(Quote)
Spot on Kimtoon. Townsend should have stayed with us but the lure of the Prem was too much. Now he’s finding out what it’s like to be Pardewed. 😆 Sad for him though. I wonder if we could get him back if we get promoted? I would go in for him for a reasonable fee but Rafa may have other ideas.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 – do you not think he’s pissed on his chips a bit with us though mate?.
For me he showed his loyalty when he left – he made his bed when he decided to leave. As keen as I was for him to join, I’d be reluctant to take him back (despite how good he was for us).
Sharpy17(Quote)
I see the Chronicle are suggesting we are looking to go after Callum Wilson from Bmouth – papertalk I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hi all, there will be a new thread up tomorrow. It has been written by myself. Thanks very much, Jake!
Jake Swinburn(Quote)
so strange to be on 40 points at this stage of the season, if this was the PL we’d be in clover right now. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Here’s the link to the new thread guys: https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2016/11/25/newcastle-uniteds-season-statistics-make-for-interesting-reading/
Jake Swinburn(Quote)
I¡¦ve recently started a web site, the information you offer on this website has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
HHGregg discounts(Quote)