Ayoze Perez – A fan’s observation on the NUFC attacker following his return to the team

Newcastle have had a good week on the pitch with wins over Stoke and Luton; even if off the pitch headlines continue to occupy our thoughts. With the takeover dragging on it is becoming clear this is going to be a sticky January for us, with talk of Rafa now even having to sell before he can buy.

We all know we need a striker, so until one arrives, it may be worth persisting with Perez in the striking role up front. He scored the vital winner at Stoke and followed up with a brace against Luton, even if his overall play was quite poor. Here is why he could be the best stopgap we have…

He’s not a number 10..

On paper, Perez should be better suited to playing as a number 10 rather than a lone striker. He isn’t slow, has *some* skill and with good work rate should be a nice link between attack and defence. However, after lots of game time in that role he simply isn’t up to it. Far too often the game passes him by and when he receives the ball from the midfield he too often gives it away or is bullied from opposing players.

Despite his small frame, he is far more effective playing up front. He does make intelligent runs and is in the right areas to get chances. He also needs the play behind him; he struggles to run with the ball. He is an instinct player, like his goal last week, he prefers running on the shoulder of the last defender and his best finishing comes when he doesn’t have time to think about it. If you watch his goals for NUFC, the majority of them are instinct finishes.

Premier League experience

He’s still young at 24 but the Spaniard has the most Premier League experience of all of attacking options. He has not developed as well as we all hoped on Tyneside after showing such initial promise, but he has experience of both successful and unsuccessful seasons of avoiding the drop. He does have an excellent attitude and enables us to put pressure on opposing defences with a great work rate.

He isn’t the deadly attacker we need but that experience could be vital in the crucial fixtures coming up where we need points, like we did at Stoke. The real issue is that at 24 he shouldn’t be the most experienced Premier League we have. This is Joselu’s first season playing regularly in England, Gayle never got a run at Palace from the start and Mitrovic is way out of favour.

Scorer of important goals and on form

Perez has 7 and then 6 goals in his other two full top flight campaigns. Not enough granted but when he scores they tend to be big goals that result in points. I remember winners against Liverpool, West Brom home and away and the one at the Britannia last week was huge. His other goal at Southampton this season also helped us get a point. Another one against Swansea would do nicely indeed.

He got himself in the right areas to score two against Luton and seems to come alive in the box:

Team looks more solid with him in the side?

When he plays up front, whether it is a 4-5-1 or 4-4-2, as a team we look more solid. Gayle and Joselu have played together and we look disjointed and overrun in midfield. There doesn’t appear any relationship at all between the two of them. Perez formed a good partnership with Mitrovic when paired together with some nice link up play between the pair.

But more likely if he is to play up front it will be a 4-5-1 which we used to good effect at the start of the season when we were harder to beat. We returned to this for the win at Stoke and hopefully Rafa persists with it. Perez isn’t an excellent striker but when he plays up there the team looks better.

It is frustrating we have so little, if any, proven attacking options. Until we get new options in, what formation would you play and who makes you team up front?

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

111 thoughts on “Ayoze Perez – A fan’s observation on the NUFC attacker following his return to the team

  1. cheers Olly,hes a stop gap at best mate but we will see no great change unless the club gets sold,even now jabba has told Rafa that he cannot bring in new players unless he moves some out,what a joke the man is

      (Quote)

  2. if we beat Swansea and Hoots beats pardew Stoke gets beat at m/u we could be 10 points clear of bottom 2

      (Quote)

  3. icedog:
    if we beat Swansea and Hoots beats pardew Stoke gets beat at m/u we could be 10 points clear of bottom 2

    better get praying then ice the way this window is panning out .
    Agree , Perez is a stop gap only, do agree he’s better as out and out striker though Simon, he’s no number 10, not mobile enough or clever enough for that role. As you say his goals are instinct goals.

      (Quote)

  4. I believe Ashley put the club up for sale for £400m.
    If I was lucky enough to be in his shoes I would not accept a penny less than the full asking price.
    So if Mrs Staveley and her partners want the club they should simply pay the asking price or walk away.
    People are saying that if we do not buy in this window Rafa will walk and we will be relegated.
    I very much doubt Ashley will be bothered if that scenario unfolded.
    He would be looking at figures around £110m for ending the season in a relegation position with a further £50m in a parachute payment.
    He could then have a nice Summer sale of Darlow, Lascelles ,Mbemba, Lejeune, Colback, Shelvey, Merino, Atsu , Perez and Mitrovich.
    That , along with the £18m we will get from Spurs if they sell Sissoko, will put another £110m in his pocket – a total amount of £270m.!!
    For next season we buy nobody and start the Championship with what we have left of the current squad and add to that the players we currently have out on loan along with the under 23 players capped by their Country and the under 20’s from the academy who have been capped at various age levels.
    That would leave us with;
    Goalkeepers – Elliott ,Woodman, Sels , and Woolston.
    Defenders -Clark, Dummett, Manquillo, Findlay, Yedlin, Haidara, Sterry, Lazarr, Cameron and Newberry.
    Midfield – Murphy , Richie, Aarons, Ben el-Mhani, Roberts , Diame, Hayden, Saivet, Barlaser, Heaney and Gallagher.
    Forwards- Gayle ,Joselu, Armstrong, Toney, Fernandez and Bartlett.
    Plenty talent there to keep us in the top half of the Championship for a few seasons no matter who the manager is.
    If you are reading this Mr Ashley – It’s definitely the way to go.
    Let’s be honest, trying to stay competitive in the Premiership will likely bankrupt a few teams- we do not want to be one of them.

      (Quote)

  5. sidekick:
    I believe Ashley put the club up for sale for £400m.
    If I was lucky enough to be in his shoes I would not accept a penny less than the full asking price.
    So if Mrs Staveley and her partners want the club they should simply pay the asking price or walk away.
    People are saying that if we do not buy in this window Rafa will walk and we will be relegated.
    I very much doubt Ashley will be bothered if that scenario unfolded.
    He would be looking at figures around £110m for ending the season in a relegation position with a further £50m in a parachute payment.
    He could then have a nice Summer sale of Darlow, Lascelles ,Mbemba, Lejeune, Colback, Shelvey, Merino, Atsu , Perez and Mitrovich.
    That , along with the £18m we will get from Spurs if they sell Sissoko, will put another £110m in his pocket – a total amount of £270m.!!
    For next season we buy nobody and start the Championship with what we have left of the current squad and add to that the players we currently have out on loan alongwith the under 23 players capped by their Country and the under 20’s from the academy who have been capped at various age levels.
    That would leave us with;
    Goalkeepers – Elliott ,Woodman, Sels , and Woolston.
    Defenders -Clark, Dummett, Manquillo, Findlay, Yedlin, Haidara, Sterry,Lazarr, Cameron and Newberry.
    Midfield – Murphy , Richie, Aarons, Ben el-Mhani, Roberts , Diame, Hayden, Saivet, Barlaser, Heaney and Gallagher.
    Forwards- Gayle ,Joselu, Armstrong, Toney, Fernandez and Bartlett.
    Plenty talent there to keep us in the top half of the Championship for a few seasons no matter who the manager is.
    If you are reading this Mr Ashley – It’s definitely the way to go.
    Let’s be honest, trying to stay competitive in the Premiership willlikely bankrupt a few teams- we do not want to be one of them.

    ? well that’s a new angle sidekick ? I’m not sure if that’s reverse psychology or what but it’s definitely not an option we’ve heard yet mate ?

      (Quote)

  6. It’s an option that may just have crossed Ashley’s mind! My opinion is he’s just sick of being NUFC owner. He wants out.

    On Perez – that’s a good insight Simon. I agree. We looked a lot better with him up front and Ritchie, Murphy and Atsu just off.

      (Quote)

  7. icedog:
    cheers Olly,hes a stop gap at best mate but we will see no great change unless the club gets sold,even now jabba has told Rafa that he cannot bring in new players unless he moves some out,what a joke the man is

    Cheers mate, but this is Simon’s work 😉

      (Quote)

  8. I read the following conversation from https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/01/newcastle-takeover-amanda-staveley-mike-ashley-sports-direct-red-herring-newcastle-united/

    Codeghost • 5 hours ago

    From a purely financial perspective, MASH could quite easily buy a non-listed form of stock or make a pure loan (very much like MA himself does to NUFC) which Sports Direct could use to fund a share buy back of the common stock.

    Wiz > Codeghost • 2 hours ago

    I didn’t want to get too technical, but publicly quoted companies that give themselves permission to buy their own shares have to do it from distributable reserves and not from capital advances.

    What Wiz mentioned could be true. If that is the case, I think the 300M Ashley used to buyback SD shares is very likely from the sale of Toon.

    If they don’t want the takeover affects the player purchasing price, they probably won’t say a thing until the window is closed.

    Anyway, I am tired of playing the guessing game. I will just wait and see.

      (Quote)

  9. Read The Chronic “live feed” and it is a bit of a joke. There is no NUFC news to speak of so they go with:

    * Several clubs interested in Mitro, MBemba, Shelvey but they can’t afford them. So, pretty much a non-story then.

    * Rafa needs to sell to buy. You have said this every day for a month.

    * here is what is happening with Sanchez at Arsenal. Do we care? Here is what is happening at other clubs that really doesn’t affect us either. Do we care?

    * Fulham fans want Dwight Gayle. Do we care what Fulham FANS want.

    * 3 stories on Adam Armstrong. After scoring 1 goal so far this season is he still the next big thing? So, do we care?

    It is so slow they are just churning out rubbish. The more things change, the more things stay the same. BUT, I do not think this will change at the club or Chronic until the Fatman sings.

      (Quote)

  10. In other Chronic news, their columnist, and definitely not a NUFC Legend, Mick Quinn has apologized for being a big fat oaf. Specifically, he regrets a premature “tweet-jaculation” that the NUFC takeover was to be announced last Saturday.

    Must be that scouse sense of humour that made him come up with a phrase like “premature tweet-jaculation”. Seems a very strange way to put it to me.

      (Quote)

  11. On an unrelated to anything topic – it is weird to see Conte and Mourinho acting like two schoolgirls on the playground in a hairpulling fight.

      (Quote)

  12. Eric Sykes:
    On an unrelated to anything topic – it is weird to see Conte and Mourinho acting like two schoolgirls on the playground in a hairpulling fight.

    Yeah I thought so. I get it if it is trying to derail a managers league title bid – but neither of them are anywhere near winning the title. So – whats the point?

      (Quote)

  13. I think Perez is more important to the team than it appears. When he didn’t play as often it coincided with him not playing.

    As for the transfer window. We’re linked with Sturridge but apparently wages are a problem. ???

      (Quote)

  14. Fer had his red card overturned so will play on Sat.
    Cannot work things out sometimes,Darlo offered a five yr contract? thought he was on his way out

      (Quote)

  15. Simon:
    Soon as they got the pen, thought of you Kim

    If they can come away with the draw it’s all to play for back at ashton gate, would love them to be the ones who end their run of wins though.

      (Quote)

  16. Watching Valencia and Luciano Vallieto scored a hattrick. 24 year old Argentine on loan from Athletico Madrid. We should sign him. Valued at only 10 mil Euros but if he continues to play like this that will double at least.

      (Quote)

  17. 3rd of the way through the window and Rafa still doesn’t know his budget, although I think he might have an idea given we’ve signed nobody and aren’t close to anybody. Especially since he had a deadline of 20th Jan.

    If it wasn’t so brutal it would be funny.

      (Quote)

  18. We bought Perez for an absolute bargain so I’m not sure anyone can be too surprised he’s not a world beater. Good squad player. He has a good attitude and he’s better at linking up play further up front than Gayle is now or Cisse was for us – he’s just nowhere as clinical or a scorer of total worldies. Maybe that would change if we play him as a poacher. We were spoiled for a while with how consistent Ba and Remy were for us, both at scoring goals and generally being able to make chances for themselves, and Carroll was guaranteed goals with the right kind of service. We’ve gone a few years now without an established, proficient goal scorer who can also make their own chances, and our results this year (the fact that even the wins are grinding 1-0, 2-1s) reflect that. We have a lot more creativity down the wings, and we can expose teams on the counter attack, we just rarely seem to convert as often as we once did.

      (Quote)

  19. Stuart79:
    3rd of the way through the window and Rafa still doesn’t know his budget, although I think he might have an idea given we’ve signed nobody and aren’t close to anybody. Especially since he had a deadline of 20th Jan.

    If it wasn’t so brutal it would be funny.

    Stu Rafa must know more than hes letting on over this takeover,no manager worth his salt would put up with jabba the way he treating Rafa is nothing short of a disgustingPardew put up with his **** but not a manager of his standing

      (Quote)

  20. Ice – I’m not sure he knows anything but I think he’s probably waiting until the end of the season to see what’s happening. I can’t see him resigning as he won’t want us to go down. He genuinely likes the club imo.

      (Quote)

  21. Stuart79:
    Ice – I’m not sure he knows anything but I think he’s probably waiting until the end of the season to see what’s happening. I can’t see him resigning as he won’t want us to go down. He genuinely likes the club imo.

    agree mate your right

      (Quote)

  22. Huddersfield have bid £11m for Alex Pritchard from Norwich. Have I missed something about our finances and everyone else’s in the super rich PL?

      (Quote)

  23. I’m sort of numb to all of this now. Nothing surprises me when it comes to lack of transfers and incompetence. If I let it get to me I would be destroyed.

    As a lifelong toon born, Toon fan living abroad, NUFC are so much more than just a football club to me and I guess to many others too. It’s my link to home and sort of part of me. I have to become numb…. or go crazy… ☹️☹️☹️☹️

      (Quote)

  24. I am as frustrated as anybody but things could be worse, I could support the England cricket team. Oh ****, I do. Apart from Root and Bairstow who do they have after this coming summer?

    And then there is Le ****. After so many years of not spending enough they have let their 2 best players contracts run down and also Wilshere’s just when it looks like he might finally be over his injuries. To compound the error Wenger doesn’t know what to do with Lacazette and Giroud, both of whom we would kill for. And he plays a tree at centre half (Mertesacker). And they still beat us…

      (Quote)

  25. So, the big news today is that Ashley has returned from holiday. Even “Reliable Journalist” really had nowt to say except that talks had not broken down. We already knew there wasn’t a budget agreed, that Rafa had to sell to buy, that wages would be a problem and that Charnley had to get the Fatman’s say so to do anything. I do like that George Caulkin now has a prefix to his name on every website and twitter feed. Answers on a postcard for what others’ should be. Give me a few minutes …

    Lee Ryder
    Mick Quinn
    Jon Gibson
    Jon Anderson
    Louise Taylor

      (Quote)

  26. Well I’m about as pissed off as I could be right now. At Christmas I was excited at the prospect of a new much needed bungalow in an area I have been looking to get one in for 6 years and the prospect of the Toon being taken over. Now it seems one is dead and the other looks like following.

    Agents rang today to say the bungalow owners have taken it off the market as they have been gazumped on the property they were buying and it’s the third time it’s happened to them ( all three houses they had bids accepted on they were later gazumped on ) this time was the final straw and they are off to their place in spain for 6 months as totally pissed off.
    So I am left high and dry with yet another lot of legal bills like this time last year. 👿
    worst of all I am still struggling with a 6’3 13 and a half stone lad in a house that’s not suitable for adaption.

    As for the Toon , there doesn’t appear to be any agreement reached and you have to say it looks doomed, same goes for signings.
    Beyond ****** off . 🙁

      (Quote)

  27. I got stuck at The Chronic’s Chief Sports Writer (can you believe that!). How do you describe him in only a couple of words? I know he is an incompetent freeloader who trots out the same formulaic guff he learned from his mentors Gibson and Oliver in the ’70s, but how to sum him up? “Unreliable Journalist”?

      (Quote)

  28. kimtoon:
    Well I’m about as pissed off as I could be right now. At Christmas I was excited at the prospect of a new much needed bungalow in an area I have been looking to get one in for 6 years and the prospect of the Toon being taken over. Now it seems one is dead and the other looks like following.

    Agents rang today to say the bungalow owners have taken it off the market as they have been gazumped on the property they were buying and it’s the third time it’s happened to them ( all three houses they had bids accepted on they were later gazumped on ) this time was the final straw and they are off to their place in spain for 6 months as totally pissed off.
    So I am left high and dry with yet another lot of legal bills like this time last year.
    worst of all I am still struggling with a 6’3 13 and a half stone lad in a house that’s not suitable for adaption.

    As for the Toon , there doesn’t appear to be any agreement reached and you have to say it looks doomed, same goes for signings.
    Beyond ****** off .

    ime so so sorry for you Kim,pity me amd mrs didnt live closer as we would be happy to help you 😥

      (Quote)

  29. Rafa is caught in a classic Catch 22 situation. He can’t buy anyone because he has to sell first, but fears that if he sells that the hierarchy will not sanction a suitable replacement. If anyone has read the book you will know that faced with a similar situation Yosarian ends up naked in a tree. Not sure if I want to see Rafa naked in a tree for quite a number of reasons. If this transfer window turns out the same as the last 2 it is probably best if Rafa leaves for his own sanity.

    Maybe if he shows some interest in the Stoke job it would force the Fatman’s hand? We are probably evens for relegation if Rafa leaves and then Stevely and Co would not be interested. Stoke are a decent club with passionate fans and their owner is loyal and has backed his managers. A sort of anti-Ashley. Probably a bit below Rafa’s real worth, but better than NUFC under current ownership.

    HOW LONG CAN WE KEEP LIVING ON HOPE AND POTENTIAL, AND FAN LOYALTY. WE ARE NOT A SLEEPING GIANT, WE ARE IN A COMA.

      (Quote)

  30. If I was Stavely I would do a deal with the Stoke owner. Offer what she has to the Fatman and pay Rafa’s supposed 5 million buyout. Stoke have a better squad than us and Rafa would keep them up. Not like the last time when Charnley waited until it was too late and backed Carr’s man Schteve.

      (Quote)

  31. Kimtoon: I am sure you agree with my last comment. I mean, you are going through it yourself. There comes a time when you get sick of pi$$ing about with idiots. Especially when it is costing you money in legal and due diligence.

    Isn’t there “earnest money” in the UK? Over here, once the price is agreed the buyer puts down a % of the price and if the seller backs out there is a severe penalty. I am not an Estate Agent but have bought and sold 3 houses and you sign a binding contract over here.

      (Quote)

  32. Correction on previous comment – Huddersfield have agreed a fee of £14m for Pritchard.

    This transfer window is one reason why I am very pessimistic about us staying up. I’m convinced we will do less business than anybody else down there and we will go backwards. 👿

      (Quote)

  33. Eric Sykes:
    Kimtoon: I am sure you agree with my lastcomment. I mean, you are going through it yourself. There comes a time when you get sick of pi$$ing about with idiots. Especially when it is costing you money in legal and due diligence.

    Isn’t there “earnest money” in the UK? Over here, once the price is agreed the buyer puts down a % of the price and if the seller backs out there is a severe penalty. I am not an Estate Agent but have bought and sold 3 houses and you sign a binding contract over here.

    Only when you exchange contracts Eric which is a week or so before completion. Once you exchange you are committed, I hadn’t got that far yet. All the same I have solicitor fees to pay for an aborted purchase and an aborted sale as I have to pull out because there is no other suitable property for me to go to . Took me 6 years to get that property and even then it needed adapting. I even had the disabilities team out with their surveyor to measure up prior to drawing up adaption plans, I pulled massive favours for this purchase and now it’s gone.

      (Quote)

  34. kimtoon: Only when you exchange contracts Eric which is a week or so before completion. Once you exchange you are committed, I hadn’t got that far yet. All the same I have solicitor fees to pay for an aborted purchase and an aborted sale as I have to pull out because there is no other suitable property for me to go to . Took me 6 years to get that property and even then it needed adapting. Ieven had the disabilities team out with their surveyor to measure up prior to drawing up adaption plans, I pulled massive favours for this purchase and now it’s gone.

    Never bought property in the UK but that sounds like a stupid system. It puts you on the hook with no recourse. Here you sign off on the offer and that shuts down any other buyers until the deal is done or falls apart. You get a home inspector in and renegotiate if there are any small details to fix like some faulty wiring etc. You can pull out if there’s major stuff like rising damp or termites but it closes off any of this gazumping **** that you are talking about.

    We may have the stupisest President in history but at least you can buy a house in good faith.

      (Quote)

  35. Eric, Scotland do it better than us, hell everyone does it better than us.
    Stupid system and now I’m really nervous about going in for a third if one should come up. It’s crazy as my parents moved 17 times without issue and my previous two purchases albeit 25 years ago were relatively problem free but it’s like people have become feckless and without scruples since then.
    Really fed up at the mo and that **** Ashley isn’t helping my mood one bit.

      (Quote)

  36. kimtoon:
    Well I’m about as pissed off as I could be right now. At Christmas I was excited at the prospect of a new much needed bungalow in an area I have been looking to get one in for 6 years and the prospect of the Toon being taken over. Now it seems one is dead and the other looks like following.

    Agents rang today to say the bungalow owners have taken it off the market as they have been gazumped on the property they were buying and it’s the third time it’s happened to them ( all three houses they had bids accepted on they were later gazumped on ) this time was the final straw and they are off to their place in spain for 6 months as totally pissed off.
    So I am left high and dry with yet another lot of legal bills like this time last year. ?
    worst of all I am still struggling with a 6’3 13 and a half stone lad in a house that’s not suitable for adaption.

    As for the Toon , there doesn’t appear to be any agreement reached and you have to say it looks doomed, same goes for signings.
    Beyond ****** off . ?

    Kim keep your chin up. Not a lot of people have the grit and perseverence that you possess. It will all come together eventually 😀

      (Quote)

  37. **** that, Kim. The Scots have got it right in very little respects but in house buying they have. Sure you’ll find your dream home soon enough.

      (Quote)

  38. Sham, stu
    Cheers lads, still really upset tbh.
    If only that ****** would sell up to mandy , it would be something to smile about at least.
    Still no incomings I see 🙄

      (Quote)

  39. So West ham will listen to offers for Hernandez, well I would be all over that if I was Rafa. More of a better buy than any others we been linked with.

      (Quote)

  40. Was listening to 5Live the other night and the first item on the news was “Newcastle United have announced . . .” My heart jumped that it must be the takeover. Just for a second though, it was an item about Beardsley. By the way, whatever happens about these new allegations, it’s obvious the guy doesn’t run a happy ship with the kids and has been doing so for far too long!

      (Quote)

  41. kimtoon:
    So West ham will listen to offers for Hernandez, well I would be all over that if I was Rafa. More of a better buy than any others we been linked with.

    Kim – sorry to hear about the collapse of your house move missus – worst luck, but keep your spirits up ?.

    Regarding Hernandez – playing devils advocate – if WH want Shelvey, would you entertain the idea of some kind of swap deal?

      (Quote)

  42. I still keep seeing a lot of reports linking us with goalkeepers.

    I hope Rafa doesn’t see that as a priority. Whilst I accept our keepers aren’t the best in the league, I don’t think our defensive record is all that bad. I think a blind man in a dark room wearing a blindfold could see that it’s up front where our problems lie. We need to convert more of the chances we create if we are wanting to stay in this league.

      (Quote)

  43. Sharpy , cheers and yes I would mate. He may not be pulling up trees at WH but we know it’s in his locker to bag goals. I have been a long time admirer of L Pea and would be made up if we can get him and I’m sure Rafa would get the best out of him. At 29 Jabba likely won’t entertain it though and wages could be an issue too.

      (Quote)

  44. Sharpy , I think Rafa may of wanted him in the summer but we couldn’t afford him and he went to the Hammers instead.

      (Quote)

  45. i see young Gibson a great prospect left because of Peter B,even his parents went to the club to complain in 2016 club said they would look into it but done nowt,no wonder there are no kids coming through there full of fear,they say 7 young kids have put a letter of complaint about him,something has got to be done here or we will never get any kids coming through

      (Quote)

  46. Kim – I think you’re spot on re the wages, I think that was the main sticking point in getting him in.

    I’m with you. I don’t think WH have played to his strengths at all, and the likes of Arnautovic & Antonio are more likely to go for goal themselves than create for Chico. Then he gets the hook for a long ball to Carroll. He must be getting frustrated there.

    I think we create numerous chances for Gayle and I think a player of Chico’s quality would have a better conversion rate personally.
    We have Mitrovic on £60k pw not being used, Colback on £35k pw doing nowt – that would be a canny chunk of Chico’s wages covered I reckon.

      (Quote)

  47. Sharpy , we simply must try to get him imo. I would give them Jonjo as you mentioned that would free up wages.
    Jonjo has one good game every 5 I reckon where as if given good service LPea would score, no doubt in my mind about that mate.

    Ice, Pedro hasn’t done anywhere near good enough with the kids and for that should go but I find it hard to believe he’s racist. He’s played alongside loads of Black players and if there was that element to his nature you would think it would of surfaced years back ?
    The bullying I can maybe believe, could it simply be old school coaching not going down so well with the young lads ? Dunno , sure it will soon all be revealed.

      (Quote)

  48. Reports last summer suggest Hernandez was demanding £140,000 per week ! Don’t know if WH are paying that, surely not, they said they are skint and that’s why they couldn’t put more towards that stadium so how could they pay that 😉

      (Quote)

  49. kimtoon:
    Sharpy , we simply must try to get him imo. I would give them Jonjo as you mentioned that would free up wages.
    Jonjo has one good game every 5 I reckon where as if given good service LPea would score, no doubt in my mind about that mate.

    Ice, Pedro hasn’t done anywhere near good enough with the kids and for that should go but I find it hard to believe he’s racist. He’s played alongside loads of Black players and if there was that element to his nature you would think it would of surfaced years back ?
    The bullying I can maybe believe, could it simply be old school coaching not going down so well with the young lads ? Dunno , sure it will soon all be revealed.

    Kim – yeah, Shelveys wages are around £70k pw so that’s a canny chunk too. I’ve been a fan of Shelvey, but I’m just a bit sick of all the excuses for his petulant stupid behaviour. He plays when he can be arsed and as you say 1 in 5 ain’t a great return.

      (Quote)

  50. I think we can forget buying players from relegation rivals. I wouldn’t rule out Jabba selling to one though. We can also forget about anyone who will cost money and anyone who will want more than £50k a week.

      (Quote)

  51. This Beardsley thing is breaking my heart a bit (dramatic I know).

    But him & Rob Lee were heroes of mine growing up & still are. I’ve been fortunate to meet both on numerous occasions & both never let me down – really decent blokes and very engaging.
    I took the boy to an U23s friendly with Gateshead at the international stadium in the summer & again Pedro was out meeting and greeting fans & spent a good bit time chatting to me, my mate & our boys – in fact someone had to come out and get him.

    During the game I got talking to a woman sat behind us in the stands. She was the mother of one of our young uns & was sat watching with one of his childhood mates. She was saying she’s never missed one of his games – but his dad was sat in the car in the car park. He and his son had a massive failing out because basically his son had let the hype go to his head. He fell in with a Geordie Shore type girlfriend (who was sat in a different section of the crowd & certainly fit that bill).
    I had a good bit chat with the mum who was on about him going on loan possibly to Charlton. I was asking about his opportunities at NUFC and she couldn’t speak highly enough of Pedro, but did say that there were problems with some of the other young players. She didn’t know detail, but did say that some of the lads were getting their heads turned by agents and advisors filling their heads. Getting paid big money for their age and failing into this Geordie Shore type culture.

    Probably vastly different to how it was in his day.

    Now, that’s one aspect. The other side of it is these suggested comments he’s made at ‘Go Ape’. I think this is a similar situation to Sampson & Aluko with the England ladies. I think it’s likely comments are made meant in humour, not meant to cause offence – but again, we live in a different world now & these comments are deemed inappropriate & unacceptable now.

    My personal views on it is that there is a difference between a racist & inappropriate comments.

      (Quote)

  52. Couldn’t agree more, Sharpy. The world we live in now, people are chomping at the bit to scream “racist” “Homophobe” or “Islamaphobe” which actually just shuts down debate. But the problem with things like this is that people now get offended at almost everything and people even get offended on other people’s behalf! A wise man once said “Nobody has a right not to be offended.” How true I was!

      (Quote)

  53. Stuart79:
    Couldn’t agree more, Sharpy. The world we live in now, people are chomping at the bit to scream “racist” “Homophobe” or “Islamaphobe” which actually just shuts down debate. But the problem with things like this is that people now get offended at almost everything and people even get offended on other people’s behalf! A wise man once said “Nobody has a right not to be offended.” How true I was!

    Stu – it annoys me because it then dilutes those who are actually racists or bullies. I’m sure if he was a racist, the likes of Andy Cole or Ruel Fox might have picked up on it.
    Trying to discipline over privileged kids doesn’t necessarily make you a bully either. All well and good Gibson & his parents coming out now, but get this – Liam Gibson – their other son is still in the U23 squad ??‍♂️??‍♂️.

    For me, if Pedro has made inappropriate comments he should definitely be sacked. He’s in a position where it would be totally unacceptable. What I’m saying is that the label of racist or bully is wrong.

      (Quote)

  54. Long and short of it is this;
    Beardsley is **** at his job. Results are ****. He is not producing enough talent fornthe 1stvteam and he has lostvthe support of his players. He has to go.

      (Quote)

  55. Kim/Sharpy – I’m not getting the Hernandez love in. He looks distinctly average to me, has lost a yard and looks no better than Gayle. He certainly doesn’t work as hard as Perez.

      (Quote)

  56. shamrock:
    Long and short of it is this;
    Beardsley is **** at his job. Results are ****. He is not producing enough talent fornthe 1stvteam and he has lostvthe support of his players. He has to go.

    Sham – don’t disagree mate, but **** sticks and what he’s being accused of will stay with him – which is unfair imo.

      (Quote)

  57. georgio:
    Kim/Sharpy – I’m not getting the Hernandez love in. He looks distinctly average to me, has lost a yard and looks no better than Gayle. He certainly doesn’t work as hard as Perez.

    Georgio – nee love in mate, just think he’s a more clinical finisher than those we have. However having further thought on it, I do think there could be a bit of the Michael Owens about him – we got him past his best too.

      (Quote)

  58. Icedog:
    Cameras outside Sjp??

    Ice – any news like?. I know fat lad was due back off his holidays so was hoping there might be news in the next few days.

      (Quote)

  59. Sharpy17: Ice – any news like?.I know fat lad was due back off his holidays so was hoping there might be news in the next few days.

    dont know mate,just have a mate lives beside SJP he told me they were there,he went over to ask them what are they there for (cheeky sod) they just smiled but said nowt,ive since heard jabba copter at Benton but i have never heard that just somebody adding that bit on i think imo

      (Quote)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *