Despite another day full of fanciful transfer links, the Chronicle have confirmed that Newcastle are STILL yet to bid for a single player this summer – with Lee Ryder admitting that the club are ‘not close to making a permanent signing’ as things stand.
It’s been reported recently that Rafa has been given a budget of around £40m (plus money from player sales), however the vast majority of the summer so far (aside from Dubravka’s arrival) has seen players linked with moves away, with little genuine activity with regards to incomings.
Elsewhere, there’s now signs that our Premier League rivals are picking up the pace and getting deals done. June is usually a slow month for transfers (and the market’s slowed even further by the World Cup), but potential rivals Wolves, West Ham and Huddersfield have all been making waves in the last few days – a sign that we need to get our skates on or risk being left behind yet again.
Wolves have signed Portugal’s number one stopper Rui Patricio. He may have arrived on a ‘free’ after cancelling his contract with Sporting, but there’ll have been big competition for his signature, and to sign a player of his pedigree is a real sign of their intentions (and spending power!).
Then to West Ham. Not only have they just announced the signing of highly rated French defender Issa Diop for a club record £22m fee, they look likely to break that record again with a £25m move for Lazio star Felipe Anderson.
They now have a top manager in Pellegrini, just as we do with Rafa, but there’s only one club between the two showing some sort of ambition. It may still go badly wrong at West Ham given the unpredictable nature of their owners, but Rafa could only dream of being given the license to spend this sort of money on these sort of players. Instead we’re yet to make a single bid for a player and the words ‘bargain basement’ are being used already.
Then finally, little old Huddersfield. I say ‘little old’ but they’re also threatening to leave us behind in the market the way they/we are going. They’ve recently confirmed the signing of Dutch international defender Terence Kongolo for an alleged £18m.
Like Kenedy, he arrived on loan in January and impressed, but they appear to have acted much quicker than us in a bid to get their man. Yes Kenedy is a difficult deal to do given interest from elsewhere and the uncertainty at Stamford Bridge, but do you think we’d have signed the Brazilian by now if we’d been told ‘he’s yours for £18m’ after the final day of the season? History suggests no.
We move too slowly, we’re reluctant to pay the going rates and we’re in serious danger of not only losing ground on our Premier League rivals, but Rafa himself.
Let’s hope things get better from here on in. There’s plenty time left to do business, but if reports are true that Rafa wanted ‘four or five’ in by the start of pre-season (less than two weeks time), then it looks like being another frustrating summer for Benitez.
If Ashley really is keen to see him commit to a new long-term contract, he’s got a funny way of showing it.
Perfect this. We don’t want to win this group.
Stuart79(Quote)
Oh well, the 2nd half wasn’t much chop, but I guess if you’re 5 up at half time you don’t have to try too hard in the second half, do you? All in all it was won by superior tactics against a very naive defence, and a benign VAR team watching on. What more could you ask for?
Great to see the Panama celebration of their goal.
Brisvegas(Quote)
I said before the tournament that a player can take a team a long way. Is Kane that player for us?
Stuart79(Quote)
BrisV: I don’t understand your reference to VAR. They had no decisions to really make. The penalties were obvious and called by the Ref.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You must have had different commentators who saw something the ones in the US didn’t. It was a Scot and and Yank commentating so I don’t think they were biased in their assessment.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Apparently Tony Blair, Nick Clegg, Alistair Campbell and Lord Adonis have demanded a rematch. The result want what they expected or wanted…
Stuart79(Quote)
Well, the first penalty could have been ruled out because there may have been a touch on the ball first, and maybe even a hand ball.
The guy marking Stones for the first goal was impeded, so Stones had plenty of room.
Kane’s 3rd was possibly offside.
I’ve seen all these things (and more – so much more – so so much more that you wouldn’t believe) given by VAR that have led to ref’s decisions being reversed. We had a whole season of VAR in the A-league and it made me very negative towards it.
Don’t get me wrong, though, I think they were all the correct decisions by the on-field officials. In fact, I’ve been narrowly favourable of the way VAR has worked at this tournament. They obviously learned a lot from Australia’s and other’s experimental use of it. The more it stays out of the game, the better.
I’m glad VAR stayed out of this game. It was a much better watch without it.
Brisvegas(Quote)
I recorded the game and will have a look. The commentators over here never brought up any of your points. It doesn’t mean they are not valid, it was they really didn’t think the decisions were even in question. I was just happy that England didn’t freeze at a tournament.
My main worry now is Pickford. I think he has a mistake in him and I would rather see Butland. Supposedly Pickford’s distribution is so much better but so far I have only seen him hoof it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
A good win and I thought the ref did well. However I do think the defence looked fragile at times and someone like Hazard will not be as obliging as the Panama attack.
Groucho(Quote)
spot on mate, we scored for fun but we can tend to switch off at the back at times during games . I know he scored 2 goals today but I still don’t rate Stones as a defender either, seems a nice enough lad but I just think he’s over rated.
Good win though and onwards we go.
kimtoon(Quote)
i saw the hand ball ERIC
icedog(Quote)
Well a cracking result that. I predicted 4-0 and i thought I was being optimistic ??. A bit pissed off that we conceded one. Means we need to beat the Belgians to win the group rather than just a draw. My boss is a Belgian so really wanted to win the group. ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Regardless of what happened for the first penalty, we xould hsve hasld a penalty for the rugby tackle on Stones anyway.
Great win, neck and neck with Belgium, set pieces a real bonus but defensively still looking a bit naive. Either way, nice to see an england with no great exoectatuin placed on them looking like a team with bite. Looking forward to the rest of the tournament
Shamrock(Quote)
Aleks Jakovljević @AlJakovljevic
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Hey @MsiDouglas , I just wanted to tell you that Mitrovic is the only player that didn’t blame the ref for Serbia’s defeat. He gave the most mature post-match interview of all Serbian players. I know, I can’t believe it to. Benitez/Jokanovic treatment is doing some great stuff.
kimtoon(Quote)
the hand ball was nowt really
icedog(Quote)
Great goal Japan
Shamrock(Quote)
David SchneiderVerified account @davidschneider · 2h2 hours ago
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HATS! TAX HAVENS! CANALS! YOUR BOYS TOOK ONE HELLUVA BEATING! #ENGPAN
😆
kimtoon(Quote)
all these Senagal players are ten foot tall against Japan ladsffs
icedog(Quote)
I like that Niang for Senegal like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
yep, he scored for them the other day v Poland mate
kimtoon(Quote)
sorry not my cup of tea,we have plenty forwards ourselves that miss open goals
icedog(Quote)
Well, whoever we play from this group, be it Japan, Senegal or even Colombia or Poland, I think we have a very good chance to proceed to the quarterfinals. Bring it on…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
The Japanese cost me a bucket of beer… ? I had forecast 2-1 to Senegal to win a bucket of beer in our local club, bastards equalised… grrrr
Dubai Toon(Quote)
look on the bright side it saves from a hangover mate 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
I suppose I will have to admit defeat on Loftus Cheek and say that it looks like Rafa is interested. It makes no sense considering how Chelsea have messed up with sales of promising players in the past and also that one of the other suiters – Hodgson – has said he thinks he will stay at Chelsea. It makes even less sense when you consider some of Chelsea’s other midfielders have underachieved – Bakayoko, Drinkwater and Barkley. Even Fabragas doesn’t look the same player that he was. If I was their Manager I would tell him he would get his chance. He is under contract to Chelsea and they can do what they want.
It is Chelsea though so who knows and The Chronic have run with this so much that they must think there is something in it or they will end up looking stupid.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
t is Chelsea though so who knows and The Chronic have run with this so much that they must think there is something in it or they will end up looking stupid.
they do most of the time anyway
icedog(Quote)
Correct me if I am wrong but it is NUFC who decide if they will sell Mitro and who they sell him to. Mitro can whine all he likes but he has a contract with NUFC and if Palace, say, outbid Fulham then we could sell him to them. Mr. Roy has already said he is an admirer.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
When did the whistling when the opposition have the ball become a thing?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Michy Batshuayi is a player i would really like,but think we have nee chance mores the pity 🙁
icedog(Quote)
??? I guess so… but there’s more than one way to skin a cat as they say…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Just watching Colombia here, does anyone remember when they played in the 94 WC and Andres Escobar scored an own goal against the US, knocking them out the tournament and got shot dead when he got back to Colombia… ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
somehow i dont thik i want to play for them 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Icedog: I read Waugh’s article on RLC and he is totally hedging saying Rafa was interested 2 years ago but now faces stiff competition, not least from the club that has him under contract. I could say I am interested in a Rolls Royce or a date with Angelena Jolie, it doesn’t mean I am going to get one.
These papers all quote each other as well so stories take on a life of their own. If we were to get all of the players we are linked with we’d have to start 10 new teams.
I am going to give Rafa a call and tell him we should sign Robert Lewendowski. I have heard he wants to leave Bayern. Maybe Chris Waugh will lend Rafa the 100 million it will take to sign him?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yeah I remember that mate.
kimtoon(Quote)
ERIC a lot of so called reporters look for a storey from anywhere then they all dive in on it making people think oh it must be true they are all on about it when first storey is made up to start with,dont think they could do a job anywhere
icedog(Quote)
yeah sounds like Mitro could be on a collision course with the club if he gets too tetchy about a move away.
kimtoon(Quote)
I am not getting this Mitro story either. I am sure he wants to join Fulham but I doubt if he will leave on his own terms. He will go where NUFC want him to go, even if it means that Ashley pisses off Rafa. There is one thing I have learnt in 11 years of Ashley ownership and that he that he is a stubborn b-stard. There is no way he will be dictated to by a player.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am not that impressed by any of these Group H teams. All the pundits had England playing Poland in the last 16, now they are out. You have to be pulling for us to face Japan as they have no height in their team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Nobody getting shot tonight.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Indeed mate… unless there’s some Polish Mafia out there somewhere ??
Dubai Toon(Quote)
After watching these 4 teams, I really think we have a chance to progress further …
Dubai Toon(Quote)
I’m confused, were Columbia really good there or were Poland awful?.
Columbia made some very good passes for their goals, but did Poland defend them really badly?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The papers also linked us with Wilshere. You know, the Wilshere who was offered 110k a week with an additional 65k a week in incentives for playing time. Even on a free could anybody see Ashley paying that? Especially when we already have Shelvey who plays the same role that Wilshere does. We couldn’t have 2 slow central midfielders, we would be overrun.
And yet, some people still say where there is smoke there is fire instead of just saying it is made up nonsense by hacks looking for clicks.
It is just so obvious. You put a high profile player like slow-as-molasses-Jack in the same headline as NUFC and you get a few clicks. It is utter bollocks but that doesn’t matter because it is the clicks that matter. And people fall for it. It isn’t always true that where there is smoke there is fire, not when you are counting clicks.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Should we even think about players likely to earn 6 figures a week? They made such a song and dance about the wage bill, and they are always going on about getting players off the wage bill. A player wanting 100k plus a week would not accept a relegation clause so why even think about them as there is no way that Ashley would risk paying that money to a player in The Championship. Then if you pay Wilshere 100k Ashley will have Shelvey knocking on his door. It is happening at Spurs where Kane is now getting 200k a week after seeing Kyle Walker move to City and Rose, among others, is threatening to leave.
I just do not believe this “where there’s smoke there’s fire” argument when it comes to football journalism. I think they just make **** up a lot of the time and are not interested in if there is any truth to their speculation and links.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Don’t think Chelsea will make the same mistake again by getting rid of RLC. Lukaku, De Bryne, Salah, Matic – that’s some heavyweight mistakes to make and their so called replacements are poor.
Columbia looked good last night but was it just Poland so poor? Still, I’d like England to avoid them in last 16.
Seems like even the rumours of NUFC buys have dried up.
georgio(Quote)
What do people make of this Ritchie for Josh King swap deal?.
Talk on HTIC this morning is Rafa wants a front line of Kenedy, King and Townsend.
I like these 3 a lot, but I’m a big fan of Ritchie. I know he didn’t have his best season last season, but I like his work rate and he can deliver from a set piece.
Sharpy17(Quote)
pinch of salt with all rumours mate, when they are holding the shirt I will believe it.
kimtoon(Quote)
icedog(Quote)
agree 100% mate,you need grafters in th PL too and hes very good one
icedog(Quote)
Could do with drawing against Belgium and picking up two more bookings than them. Would be perfect and a easier path to the semi final.
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim – likewise, but I do think of all the rumours, these 3 are entirely possible.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Townsend will not be joining NUFC. He would require us to smash our transfer record and Jabba will not do that on a striker let alone for a player he sold for £13m two years ago.
Stuart79(Quote)
They had Cuadrado as well. I don’t think he is on the same level as the others but he an automatic pick for Juve and they have a better team than Chelsea. We might end up seeing him against England as him and James are Colombias main threats.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – am I right in thinking it’s the difference of drawing Brazil or Mexico in the Quarters?
But we’d have a game before that against Columbia or probably Senegal – neither would be easy, but I think I’d prefer Senegal
Sharpy17(Quote)
Or Japan, Sharpy. At the end of the day I suppose you’ve got to play the top teams if you want to win it.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – what would you do against Belgium based on the fact we’ve already got through?. Would you play the strongest side possible or give some others a run out?.
Trippier had his thigh strapped yesterday, so I’d give him a rest – play Arnold instead.
I also don’t know about yellow cards?, are they scrapped after groups or if Walker for example picked one up against Belgium, would he miss the next game?.
Does Vardy and Rashford need game time?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – I could see it mate. Rafa has something like £40m plus player sales.
Townsend – £20m
Kenedy – £20m
King – Ritchie plus Merino money
A new midfielder and LB with the Mitrovic and any other player money.
Sharpy17(Quote)
In America they love an Allstar game. Usually the East plays the West in Basketball and Football and the 2 leagues play each other in baseball. Thursdays game is the Premier League Allstar game as long as they select the best players.
I think both teams have to be wary of injuries. Belgium have already said they will change their team. Do you go with a settled lineup and hopefully keep momentum going or do you save your best players? I don’t know the answer but I would lean towards playing your best team for 60 minutes.
You just know that if we play with the last 16 and quarters draw in mind that fate will conspire against us and we’ll get Brasil. It is England after all, nothing is ever easy.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy – I’d play Rashford, Alexander-Arnold, Dier, Rose and Delph. Players need a rest but also players who haven’t played need to play too. Still be a decent side too.
Stuart79(Quote)
You are assuming Rafa can spend his budget how he wants. He can’t. That’s one of the reasons he’s not signed a contract.
Stuart79(Quote)
Why would we sell Armstrong? He is under contract for 2 more years so why not take a wait and see approach. How much would we possibly get for him? 5 million?
Same with Merino. He is contacted for 4 years. He’s still a young man and might be homesick but one of Rafa’s coaches should take him under their wing and tell him to at least give it another 6 months. Rafa is not known for his warmth towards players but one of the Spanish speaking coaches could step up maybe. I just don’t get how we paid 8 million 6 months ago and now are looking to get only 10 million.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – yeah I agree. I’d even look at playing Cahill as well – not sure about Jones and Welbeck like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – I think he could spend the budget that way, but I do think they would block him spending £35-40m on one player. I think there may also be a restriction on the age of players he can sign too.
I don’t think that will bother Rafa too much, but the signing of his contract will be put on hold until at least 1st Feb – to see what is spent and who is brought in.
At this stage, I still think Rafa is unlikely to sign – but we spent big for McClaren so I live in hope.
Sharpy17(Quote)
so Mernio has a 12 mil euro release clause in his contract
icedog(Quote)
thought Rafa did not like release clauses in players contract???
icedog(Quote)
Mitro says if his deal does not go through with Fulham he will never play for toon again,very very bad to say that,jabba will be pleased i bet
icedog(Quote)
It seems like Rafa has little say in the actual transfer dealings although he does pick the players.
georgio(Quote)
I would defo rest Kane, keep him fresh for round of 16
kimtoon(Quote)
Rapidly going off the guy, does he not know what happened to Jack ?Anyway that’s breaking his contract isn’t it, I suspect the club could sue him.
kimtoon(Quote)
Ice – yeah it’s a stupid move really. Keep your trap shut son and let the deal get done.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The Kenedy, King, Townsend rumour seems much more possible than some of the stupidities out there. Some idiot wrote an article on another blog saying that Diame needs replacing with William Carvaleo if we are to avoid relegation.
Not that we will ever spend more than £15m on a player as long as Ashley is owner, apparently.
PremandUp(Quote)
I am getting sick of people/journos rewriting history about the appointment of Southgate saying that he was on some sort of career path to become senior Manager because he coached the U21s. Absolute bollocks. How many other U21 Managers went on to coach the seniors? And who was the FAs choice before Southgate – Big Fat Sam! And they didn’t even give him the job to start with, he was in temporary charge.
Now he is this articulate and cerebral coach, the antidote to old and old school Managers epitomized by Mr Roy and Big Fat Sam. I didn’t think he was qualified when he was appointed but has done a very good job riding the coattails of Pep, Poch and Klopp. A couple of wins and it is like the writers at the Sun and the Mirror knew all along. They didn’t.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ice – I don’t get this one anyway to be honest. We had him on loan til the end of this season anyway – and had an agreed fee to buy him, so why do it so soon.
Now he wants out and we’ll get back pretty much what we paid for him. All seems a bit of a waste of time really. Plus the money we spent on him then wasn’t there to spend in January.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So if England win the group it’s likely our games would be –
Last 16 – Colombia
QF – Brazil
SF – Portugal
Final – Ze Germans
If we are runners up then it would likely be –
Last 16 – Colombia
QF – Ze Germans
SF – Portugal
Final – Brazil
That’s according to SSN.
Sharpy17(Quote)