Why Kenedy’s addition represents a forward step for Newcastle United

By Joe Donnohue 

 

Try before you buy. It’s a familiar concept and one which has most recently been adopted by Newcastle United. The loan signings of Martin Dúbravka and Kenedy in January of this year set the tone for the Magpies’ successful end-of-season charge into the top half of the Premier League table.

Competition for places was created in positions where Newcastle had lacked real Premier League quality. Consistent performances from the loanees were the bedrock to Newcastle’s upturn in form, something which had been missing from the likes of Christian Atsu, Jacob Murphy, Rob Elliot and Karl Darlow throughout the campaign.

The capture of Dúbravka earlier this summer was a signal that Newcastle’s intent was to strengthen, as is the case with every Premier League club, but familiar warning signs were afoot. The deal to bring the Slovakian international to St James’ Park on a permanent basis was a cheap one; a reported €2m loan fee followed by a €4m fee to sign the stopper outright.

Contrastingly, a deal to sign Kenedy would be altogether much more expensive. A 22-year-old Brazilian winger who had impressed during his short stint on Tyneside would not come cheap, if at all. Earlier rumours were purported to have said that some of Europe’s biggest clubs were monitoring Kenedy’s progress and situation with parent club Chelsea, leaving many Newcastle supporters resigned to the feeling that the silky Brazilian would not be returning to the North East any time soon.

Nevertheless, the left-sided winger – full name Robert Kenedy Nunes Nascimento, named after the famous U.S. President – has now rejoined the club, albeit on another loan deal. We are yet to find out concretely if an option-to-buy clause will be included or any obligatory future fees, but that would be crucial in securing a real talent and again show Newcastle’s intent to really compete, rather than idling by, securing safety from relegation but never threatening to challenge any further than 10th place.

Newcastle United are not known to have been particularly savvy in their loan dealings – the names Seydou Doumbia, Luuk de Jong and Facundo Ferreyra do little to set Black and White pulses racing – but the addition of Kenedy for the forthcoming season is one which certainly screams of intent. Newcastle, and most importantly Rafa Benítez, appear to not be content with rolling over and letting big clubs beat them to key targets, something which they could be accused of doing in the past.

There is no escaping the fact that United do not have the financial freedom to spend ridiculous sums of money in the transfer market. The now infamous, “I can not and will not” statement perhaps holds more weight than the publication of the club’s accounts when it comes to analysing how much will be spent in the transfer window.

Supporters of a realist disposition recognise that in the current climate, a deal to bring a promising young talent back to the club following an impressive few months is a step in the right direction. A small step, that much is true, but it is an indication that what goes on behind the scenes, despite a certain Spaniard having one hand tied behind his back, is shifting ever so slightly in favour of what is best for the club.

One thing must be made clear however, at no point does this suggest that a certain SportsDirect tycoon’s stance regarding the club’s spending has changed, nobody can know that apart from the notoriously tight-lipped man himself. What it does suggest though, is that by hook or by crook, Benítez is chipping away at the marble that is Newcastle United Football Club.

He may be armed with a rock-hammer rather than a chisel, but the permanent signing of Dúbravka, the re-signing of Kenedy and any other business – which looks likely with just one month remaining in the transfer window – indicates a step in the right direction towards Benítez’s vision for the club.

It may only be the club’s attitude towards loan signings, but beggars cannot be choosers and Newcastle United supporters know better than most, any forward step large or small is worth appreciating after a very sparse decade in that regard.

 

By Joe Donnohue 

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

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

361 thoughts on “Why Kenedy’s addition represents a forward step for Newcastle United

  1. Stuart79:
    You can’t surprised surely, Sharpy?

    Stu – I was surprised when we got Rafa in the middle of a relegation battle. I was surprised when he agreed to stay on. I was surprised we finished as high as we did last season.

    Now I’m disappointed and frustrated we aren’t building on last season – and I’m surprised Rafa seems to be putting up with it.

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  2. kimtoon:
    so if Croatia were to beat France does that make France as bad as us ?

    Kim – had we beat Uraguary and Brazil to get to the final then yeah.

    Croatia have started the better here though – could be an interesting game.

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  3. Sharpy it was more of a joke question really based on everyone saying how rubbish we are, should of put a wink up really.

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  4. Croatia are a team to like. Good technicians, hard working and organised with their high press and just the right amount of nasty. I like them and their fans are nuts too.

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  5. If the referees themselves don’t know the laws of the game then VAR can never work. How on Earth is that intentional hand ball? His hand was within a foot of the header FFS! Horrible to have a WC final decided on a ridiculous decision if it’s the deciding factor.

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  6. C’mon Croatia
    Be a real pity if they lose cause of a OG and a bloody non intentional handball.

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  7. Tough call. Trying to say he moved his hand down as ball came in but i cant seen how he had time to do that

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  8. kimtoon:
    Sharpy it was more of a joke question really based on everyone saying how rubbish we are, should of put a wink up really.

    Kim – I watched the build up to this game and they had an interview with Southgate after showing the highlights of our game. To be fair to Southgate he said we are still a long way off the top 4-5 teams in the World – he’s absolutely right.
    But I do see quality in some of our young English players if developed correctly.
    My only concern would be the CF situation behind Kane. Is Abraham good enough, is Solanke, Calvert Lewin, Lookman and dare I add Armstrong (who has a decent record as an England player, despite his club level).

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  9. Perisic hand definitely moves down – but can the ref say for certain it was with the intent to handle the ball. The length of time it took for them to suggest the ref look at it – then the time it took for the ref to decide, you’d have to say no.
    For me that wasn’t a penalty. But if that’s how the WC winner is decided then it would be a reflection on how the VAR has influenced this tournament.

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  10. No pen for me.. way to close to deliberatly handle the ball.. the french are going to fudge their way to a victory.. bullshit decision.

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  11. Harsh to give a penalty there. Ref was looking right at it at the time…. strange one, but I think there are more goals in this game.

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  12. Yup .. missed the last word off my previous post .. don’t see how he had time to moved his hand *intentionally* ?

    Not a penalty

    wasn’t var supposed to stop debate as opposed to generate it

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  13. I think Clattenberg on ITV has it right. His hand is in a natural position, is it a clear and obvious error from the Ref and can he be absolutely sure that the player did it deliberately…

    What chance do you have if the refs are giving decisions like that even after seeing it 10 times? He clearly wasn’t sure as he went back for another look!

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  14. Well this is some final… what was Loris thinking? ?

    Mbappe and Griezmann score, if either of them get 2 more then bye bye golden boot for Kane.

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  15. Bloody French running away with it now, well they’ve had a good head start thanks to two awful decisions today. once the third went in from Progba ( who’s done f all this WC until now ) Croatia were doomed.
    French arrogance will be insufferable now.

    Ha Lloris, ****

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  16. Do we really want VAR in the Premier League? The Refs seem to ignore this Clear and Obvious Mistake rule so maybe it could work if they were sat down and this was explained to them. I think it could help more on offsides and red cards but that has not been where it has been used this WC.

    It will spoil the game as we know it if there is a big increase in penalty awards.

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  17. Be interesting to see what French fans are saying about Dechamps now, he was getting pelters a week or so ago# ficklefrenchfans

    hugo‏Verified account @hugoguillemet

    Follow Follow @hugoguillemet

     More

    on reste derrière et on envoie des ballons aériens sur un grand devant, 6ans de deschamps pr mettre en place la tactique de Sunderland

    😆

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  18. Congrats to France. Croatia started well and could have made it very difficult for France – big chunk of luck thanks to a limelight hunting ref. But that goal aside, I do think France deserved to win.

    I’ve been a big critic of Pogba in the past, but have to say he’s been excellent this WC. Nee stupid haircuts and just played football – maybe Jose needs some tips from Deschamp.
    I believe they said that Frances squad is younger than ours – which I suppose ***** on our excuse.

    Good tournament overall though, and played in good spirit – despite the fears of it being held in Russia.

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  19. Why are we even bothering with Matt Phillips? Sharpy also mentioned Nathan Redmond as a too expensive option. If anything, Redmond went backwards last year. I don’t see these two as upgrades on Ritchie and Murphy.

    Wingers are an area we seem to be sorted out. If Rafa thought Townsend was an upgrade then fine. But if we can’t get him then it is nonsense to even talk about selling Ritchie to Stoke unless it is stupid money. But they are in The Championship now and that means danger. Newcastle are a blueprint for doing it right in The Championship by spending money but Villa are warning that it can backfire badly.

    There are no guarantees down there. Sunderland went cheap and failed. Villa went big and failed and they both have dug themselves a massive hole.

    So I wouldn’t be expecting stupid money for Ritchie from Stoke. So, we keep him and let him and Murphy fight it out unless Rafa has someone in mind from abroad because the price of PL players is just mad – even ours (Hayden).

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  20. Someone asked on Twitter if we’d be interested in any Owlrd cup players. Someone replied “if you’ve heard of them, were not in for him!” ?

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  21. Some really strange links in the stories Olly is passing on:

    1. Buying Abraham? It would make much more sense for Chelsea to loan him to another PL club. He is only 20. Chelsea have tons of players on loan so if we are going to buy one then there are other options from them.

    2. Loftus Cheek. Again! I bet there would be 10 PL clubs wiling to loan him. I know Chelsea have made crazy deals in the recent past but selling RLC would prove they have learnt nothing.

    3. Matt Phillips, really.

    4. Ayew, where are these rumours coming from?

    5. Ings I could believe but then that is a big risk.

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  22. Then there is Waugh’s story of the NET transfer spend matching the TV money. He mentions 46 million last year again and yet he had financial experts under his byline say it was less than 20. Sorry to repeat this but he is putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 327. I would love to know where he gets this net spend figure from because Transfermarkt also say it was about 20 million.

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  23. There is a common denominator in these links – they are all from the Tabloids and the Chronic. The serious papers are saying nothing for the most part. I think it is all just **** and perhaps maybe 20% for Ings because of Rafa’s contacts at Liverpool.

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  24. Eric, I really don’t want us blowing a huge sum on Ings and hope that’s one rumour that is tosh. Would be a huge risk imo. Nothing against the lad but it would be too risky .

    Would like us to show a little ambition, some real intent, the feel good factor is drifting away, just like every other window. Nothing changes, Jabba is still on vacation and no doubt has his mobile off 🙄

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  25. The truth is, (about Rafa, signings, Ashley, money) everyone believes what they want to believe. I haven’t seen one link yet that I thought was a good one apart from Kenedy.

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  26. I actually agree with Chris Waugh for once that NUFC have been waiting for the TV money to come in to make any big transfer moves. They have to run the club and pay wages even in the summer so if Ashley will not let them add significantly to an overdraft then they have to wait for cash. I think it is that simple.

    It is not like January either where there is usually no hope of sales and no hope of PL/TV cash coming in. Again Ashley was willing to gamble because he wasn’t prepared to put money in and that was the only source possible.

    We have seen movement out but obviously there will be more as several transfers are in the pipeline. Call me blindly optimistic but I think Rafa will get a significant portion of this and we will see some movement in the next week. I have no idea who on, although I think the Rondon link is genuine.

    Rafa’s spend may not match the headline numbers of 80 to 90 million that some hope for but it should be significant. I think there will be bookkeeping involved as they match salaries coming in and going out and money upfront against installment payments. It is highly likely that we will break our transfer record – we have to.

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  27. Two stories for the price of one!!!!! Sunday, Matt Phillips available. Monday, NUFC not interested in Matt Phillips.

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  28. I don’t think it will be simple though. We know what our transfer policy is, which is to have a valuation and to stick to it whatever the selling club wants. That causes us to waste time on lost causes.

    Then there is Charnley. He doesn’t seem to have the staff to be working on a lot of deals at the same time and there is doubt about his negotiation skills, especially if he is hamstrung by the fact that Ashley insists on signing off on any significant deal. I am not sure if I trust Charnley to be spinning several plates at once. I think he is a good accountant but accountants are naturally conservative and slow moving and that doesn’t work in modern day football transfers when you have to pull the trigger or lose out.

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  29. Our squad is extremely thin and we can only loan one more player from a PL team. I wouldn’t be wasting it on Divock Origi. He has been iffy at best on his recent loans and whenever I saw him for Liverpool he was usually terrible but might pull off a decent goal now and again. How the hell he has 23 caps for Belgium I will never know.

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  30. Origi was a bit like Cisse for us when some magical goal would mask his generally terrible play (and then he stopped scoring). When he wasn’t scoring he was next to useless, except in keeping the linesman busy raising his offside flag.

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  31. Eric – I agree with you this time! Not sure what to make of the Uruguay link. I watched his showreel and he looked impressive but the defences were mostly so slow and just watched him do his stuff. Tough little buggers the Uruguayans and Rafa like his south americans.

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  32. georgio: we don’t disagree that much. Try going on Ed’s if you want to see petty arguments 🙂 I don’t post on there or The Chron comments mainly for that reason.

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  33. georgio:
    Eric – I agree with you this time! Not sure what to make of the Uruguay link. I watched his showreel and he looked impressive but the defences were mostly so slow and just watched him do his stuff. Tough little buggers the Uruguayans and Rafa like his south americans.

    That Uruguayan hobbit (Torriera) that Arsenal signed will transform their team in the same way Kante transformed Chelsea.

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  34. Many of the transfer rumours centre on loan deals. I thought Ashley didn’t like loan deals. Does it point to something else being afoot? I take Eric’s point about waiting for the TV money to come in but surely a transfer could be agreed with a forward date for settlement.

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  35. West Ham United have broken their transfer record and splashed out more than £50m on Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko. Huddersfield have completed a permanent deal for Monaco defender Terence Kongolo, Leicester paid Norwich £22m for James Maddison and Southampton signed striker Mohamed Elyounoussi from Basel. Had any of those players joined Newcastle, they would have done so in a club-record deal. That should be a eye opener for those fans still believing Jabba will change.

    Three weeks left and we need to sell Mitro, Colback, Mbemba, Hayden and Ritchie (if we want Townsend) and we also need to replace the players we sell. If Mitro goes that leaves Gayle, Joselu and one new striker. What a shambles.

    I’m also seeing the fact that we haven’t sold these players yet as Rafa being seriously concerned that we don’t look like replacing them.

    Welcome to reality people. I’m not disappointed or angry. It’s exactly as I believed it would be.

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  36. georgio:
    Eric – I agree with you this time! Not sure what to make of the Uruguay link. I watched his showreel and he looked impressive but the defences were mostly so slow and just watched him do his stuff. Tough little buggers the Uruguayans and Rafa like his south americans.

    He’s has a release clause which makes me think there might be something there. It means Charnley doesn’t have to negotiate and it could be perceived as a deal by Ashley, even at 18 million. It is how we have got a lot of players in the past, even Lejeune and Merino last year.

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  37. It’s an area where we don’t have anybody, so we don’t have to wait until somebody is sold. It’s somebody we have never heard of. The money is in the bank from EPL. Must be happening.

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  38. If you go through our transfers it is amazing how many are from that Agency Mondial or realese clauses/frees. Even in The Championship we got Diame and Clark on release clauses. There was Demba Ba and so many others.

    This is Ashley’s MO. He loves a perceived deal which is why we might be serious about the Uruguayan (I am not learning his name unless we buy him) and Rondon, even at inflated prices.

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  39. Since Carr came on board there was only one year when we spent big on players without release clauses or perceived stepping stone players. That was when Carr and Charnley made their power grab and were handed the keys to the car by Ashley when there was quite a bit of money in the bank. They went high risk/reward with Mitro, Gini and MBemba. Unfortunately, they loaned the keys to McClaren who was on a suspended license for driving 20 miles an hour in the fast lane. Then we desperately tried to salvage it with buys of Townsend and Shelvey (and Saivet).

    In retrospect, we will make money on these players but we were also relegated so I think Fatty might be saying why bother? Let’s get back to the release clauses?

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  40. Even Darlow and Lascelles we got on a buy and loan back for a season. Probably because Forest needed the money and we could get a deal, which it turns out we did.

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  41. Jabba has been.infected with a really bad virus and there is no cure,it’s called the truth

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  42. I also agree with Stuart somewhat that we can’t be pissing about when all of the other teams are improving. I am not quite as cynical though and expect some additions but also probably a desperate scramble in the last couple of days. Hopefully not a Slimani in Mitro out on the last day again 🙂

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  43. I tend to take a bit of stick on here for being optimistic (nowt I can’t handle), but I’m pretty much done with it now. Rafa laid down the gauntlet to show how ambitious we are this summer and it’s been an epic fail.
    I expect us to bring a few more players in, but whether that is on a permanent basis or more loans – who knows. If we buy, I greatly doubt we will break the transfer record & if we do it will be 1 player and will only be by 1 or million.
    Basically I think we will only do ‘enough’ – by that I mean bodies in rather than real quality. But it won’t be ‘enough’ to convince Rafa to sign a new contract – and him not staying on will set the club back – regardless who we sign.

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  44. Groucho:
    Many of the transfer rumours centre on loan deals. I thought Ashley didn’t like loan deals. Does it pointto something else being afoot? I take Eric’s point about waiting for the TV money to come in but surely a transfer could be agreed with a forward date for settlement.

    Was wondering same mate, maybe he IS still trying to sell the club ?

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  45. Stuart79:
    I’ll remind you of this comment in January and this time next year, Sharpy.

    Stu – you won’t need to mate, not for as long as this **** owns our club anyway.

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  46. Let’s not forget either that our first 5 games of the season are a nightmare. We could quite easily be without any points after five games.

    I’m past caring to be honest. But it’s good fun still watching the car crash happen. Jabba gets everything he deserves.

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  47. We have signed Dubravka, Ki , and loaned Kenedy for the full season , for a total outlay of around £10m. The sale of Merino has probably covered this.
    That is three players with premiership experience and when you look outside of the top 6 we have so far done better business than most other clubs. Last time I looked ,Burnley and Everton had not signed anybody.
    It is likely that we will sell Hayden , Mbemba , Mitrovic and a goalkeeper. If they are sold the fees should not be far short of £40m.
    I would offer £15m for Slimani , he did a good job for us when he played , and he has 2 years premiership experience.
    I would then buy an attacking midfield player and possibly take a chance on someone like that lad from Uruguay for £18m , or someone else with or without premiership experience for the same price.
    I think that would be a good window and I am sure that Mr Ashley would be delighted with it.

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  48. sidekick:
    We have signed Dubravka, Ki , and loaned Kenedy for the full season , for a total outlay of around £10m.The sale of Merino has probably covered this.
    That is three players with premiership experience and when you look outside of the top 6 we have so far done better business than most other clubs. Last time I looked ,Burnley and Everton had not signed anybody.
    It is likely that we will sell Hayden , Mbemba , Mitrovic and a goalkeeper. If they are sold the fees should not be far short of £40m.
    I would offer £15m for Slimani, he did a good job for us when he played , and he has 2 years premiership experience.
    I would then buy an attacking midfield player and possibly take a chance on someone like that lad from Uruguay for £18m , or someone else with or without premiership experience for the same price.
    I think that would be a good window and I am sure that Mr Ashley would be delighted with it.

    Sidekick – Kenedy & Dubravka have half a seasons PL experience thanks to us loaning them last season – hardly proven. As for Ki he’s got experience being relegated with Swansea – hardly CL quality.
    They are decent enough signings but hardly **** hot. If you think we’ve done better business than WH, Leicester, Fulham or Wolves – I’d have to disagree mate.

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  49. Stuart
    It was all tongue in cheek with me showing Ashley how he could have another profitable window.
    I think you really knew that. 😀

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  50. I know there are 6 of the young lads away in Ireland at the mo, and as much as I want us to strengthen – I would love to see at least 1 promoted to the first team squad.

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  51. I reckon Callum Roberts can’t do worse than Joselu, but he’s only 20 and would be a lot richer for the experience of first team football. Victor Fernandez is another.

    I’m not saying they should be first teamers we depend on, but in the squad and making the bench through the season – sub appearances, many start some cup games. I’d love to add Armstrong to that too, but Rafa doesn’t seem to fancy him.

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  52. Sidekick: it is very difficult to tell when something is tongue in cheek on a blog mate. I thought you were serious.

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  53. Sharpy17:
    I reckon Callum Roberts can’t do worse than Joselu, but he’s only 20 and would be a lot richer for the experience of first team football.Victor Fernandez is another.

    I’m not saying they should be first teamers we depend on, but in the squad and making the bench through the season – sub appearances, many start some cup games.I’d love to add Armstrong to that too, but Rafa doesn’t seem to fancy him.

    Its about time we had someone, anyone, come through to the first team. Who was the last one, Dummett? Before that Taylor and Shola. Am I missing anyone? Nzogbia?

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  54. Sharpy
    I think it was Arthur Cox who was brave enough to put youngsters on the pitch , albeit in second tier football. Steve Watson was only 16 , and Lee Clarke , Robbie Elliott and Alan Thompson were 17 or so.
    I would like our new striker , Yannick Toure , to get some minutes off the bench in the new year. He could be our Marcus Rashford.

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  55. Eric Sykes: Its about time we had someone, anyone, come through to the first team. Who was the last one, Dummett? Before that Taylor and Shola. Am I missing anyone? Nzogbia?

    Eric – like I say, I don’t expect them to go straight in this season – that wouldn’t work. But Everton have brought theirs through. I just think the lack of money Ashley is making available, it’s worth bringing through and developing some of these young uns as squad players.

    I think Aarons has been the closest since Dummett, but I don’t think Aarons grabbed it with both hands. It felt a bit like Aarons saw it as ‘he’s made it’, rather than ‘right the hard work starts now’.

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