Newcastle started pre-season off with a win in Dublin tonight, seeing off Irish Premier League side St Patrick’s Athletic 2-0 thanks to goals from Sean Longstaff and Christian Atsu.
As always with any pre-season opener, it was a run out for the purposes of fitness more than anything, however the game was still played at a half decent intensity, with both sides pressing and getting stuck in.
The highlight was Longstaff for me. Not only did he take his goal well – a nicely time volley in off the post – he did things quickly, with a lot of first team passes, and played with his head up. Always showed for the ball and made plenty forward runs into good areas when we were in possession.
Victor Fernandez and Callum Roberts – who played a half each – both looked bright considering they were being played out of position at right-back and left-back and ex-Everton youngster Yarney looked solid enough at the back. Armstrong also grew into it late on and showed good pace.
Aarons didn’t really take his opportunity to impress – and you get the feeling he’s running out of time to do that. Ran a little aimlessly with the ball and was quite cheap in possession.
In terms of the more senior players, Diame looked in good knick and pressed well early on, Kenedy was bright and smashed the bar with a cracking effort from range and Atsu looked very bright – with him taking men, playing a big part in us winning the penalty and converting from the spot.
Highlights: St. Pats 0-2 #NUFC pic.twitter.com/AT77AxA0IJ
— Newcastle Fans TV (@NewcastleFansTV) July 18, 2018
Gayle and Joselu frustrated a little. Plenty effort but I’m not sure they hit the target once despite having about 4/5 shots between them.
Darlow and Sels didn’t have a single save to make but neither looked all that convincing, with the former almost missing his kick and the latter’s only contribution being to flap at a cross.
NUFC XI – (4-2-3-1): Darlow, – Fernandez, Lejeune, Yarney, Manquillo – Diamé, Longstaff – Ritchie, Pérez, Aarons – Joselu.
Subs: Sels, Dúbravka, Yedlin, Clark, Shelvey, Atsu, Kenedy, Roberts, Armstrong, Gayle. (Everyone but Dubravka played the entire second half)
A decent little run out for the lads. Hull City away next up in a weeks’ time.
(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)
Thanks Olly, so it seems Gayle and Joselu still missing chances just like last season and against easier opposition too.
We simply have to get a quality forward in, nothing but negligence if we don’t.
On the plus side good to hear that youngsters doing well though I think Aarons may well of blown his golden opportunity as little progress seems to be happening sadly.
kimtoon(Quote)
It’s a bit disappointing the likes of Armstrong and Roberts weren’t given a chance ahead of Gayle and Joselu imo, but it sounds as though young Longstaff has turned up and that’s pleasing. Feel a bit for Fernandez as well though coz he’s not a LB at all so was never likely to shine tonight. I think they have a few more games out in Ireland though so time for the young uns to impress yet.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Even if we only get the money from sales, we will have some money to spend. It is a massive gamble though. I doubt Ashley’s brinkmanship will cause Rafa to leave but it does nothing to encourage him to stay. And where does that leave us? It is RafaNUFC. It is Rafa’s coaches, Rafa’s scouting team, Rafa as Director of Football, Rafa’s database of prospects and players.
Rafa has everything he wants except money. He has control and power. He could do with some help for Charnley but I doubt he wants a DoF to oversee what he does. Certainly not a Joe Kinnear type.
I wish someone would explain to Ashley that the club setup is all Rafa now. Carr has gone and Ashley doesn’t even have any of his lackeys there anymore except maybe Bishop but he is PR, not football. So it is even different to when Keegan came back because he had Jiminez and Wise interfering.
If Rafa goes, the whole infrastructure goes with him. Even the scouts are newly appointed on Rafa’s sayso and will only have a year or so’s experience at this level/at NUFC when Rafa’s current contract is up.
There are many reasons on both sides for these two to get together and stop this Mexican standoff.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think in the end Rafa will get a bit more than comes in from sales. Our net spend last year was about 20 million so I don’t see why he would not at least get that unless it is just fat Mike playing hardball negotiating. That will backfire bigtime if Rafa leaves at the end of his current deal.
Rafa is not a Saint either. He has always played politics with Owners. He did it at Valencia and at Liverpool.
Can’t leave it until the last day and be stuck with Slimani and having Mitro in Beligium and doing the Fulham loan deal on WhatsApp at 11pm.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I still think that loan deal for Rondon was made up. The only way that that could happen is if WBA signed him to a new contract and then loaned him to us. Are there any direct quotes that they were “offended” by the offer?
We see so much made up **** in transfer speculation, why don’t people feel this is also made up, especially when it made no sense for all parties.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And we don’t have to pay the full relegation clause for Rondon. He only has 1 year left on his contract so WBA must sell now. He was bought for 12 million 3 years ago when he was 25 and has hardly pulled up trees since. He is 29 in 2 months so why not just offer 10 million. WBA will want his wages off the books and Rondon obviously doesn’t want to play in the Championship, hence the relegation clause.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I must have got the edited version of the interview with Rafa. I’ve been through it a few times now and can’t find any mention of this fact that Ashley is withholding funds.
Brisvegas(Quote)
How many Evening Chronicle hacks does it take to change a lightbulb? 3, if the lightbulb is in an Irish Country Estate with full bar and all expenses paid.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Some people are just blind or stupid.
Anyway, Brighton have just signed a midfielder for €20m.
The bizarre thing is that this stand off only hurts one person and that’s Jabba. If we go down Rafa walks away and Jabba is left holding the baby with a mutiny on his hands.
Stuart79(Quote)
The loan offer for Rondon was confirmed by media close to WBA and NUFC. It’s a very NUFC thing to do. I couldn’t timagine it not being true.
The ridiculousness of this situation is now that Jabba has lost. Even if Rafa signed a new contract the club aren’t capable of doing all the business that’s needed in the remaining 2/3 weeks. Jabba has made a stupid mistake in thinking that he’s negotiating with somebody who needs to stay in this job. Does he think he’s Alan Pardew?
Stuart79(Quote)
Another day supporting the madhouse that is the Toon, where nothing can touch us. We are the golden children and we will never be threatened with relegation, no sir not us, we can just sail through windows with freebies , cheap deals and loans. Let all those other numpty clubs strengthen, what do they know eh.
kimtoon(Quote)
You talking about The Birmingham Mail? Their website looks exactly like the Chronic’s so they are probably part of the same group. The rumour started with Teamtalk FFS so I am still talking it with a barrow load of salt.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It doesn’t matter, a loan deal for someone with 12 months on their contract was a dumb idea anyway. Who would go for that? Do they have a new Chairman yet? Darren Moore is 6 games into it. The owners are a Chinese investment group. Who is making the decisions there?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Its a bit like us. We have Rafa making all of the football decisions but he is not on the Board. We have the lowest paid (by far) MD in the PL doing the negotiating as well as everything else. Then, as far as we know, there is Justin Barnes but was supposedly brought in to manage the sale of NUFC. And Bishop is a spin Dr.
So that leaves Fat Mike who has nothing to do the football side or the day to day of the club. No wonder we are in a mess.
I mean, if Ashley has to sign off on all major deals what does he know of a good value if he is totally disinterested?
Imagine us and WBA trying to make a deal? Get Villa and the Mackems on the phone and we would have the 4 most dysfunctional clubs in the country.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It was reported in the Telegraph yesterday by their midlands reporter.
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric, Rafa clearly isn’t making all the football decisions. Unless you mean by that he tells the board who he wants and they tell him he can’t have them.
Stuart79(Quote)
Rafa said months ago that this window would be like last summer’s. Seems like he knew what was coming.
georgio(Quote)
Flooding the squad with cheap deals just adds to the trouble. We’re stuck with players we don’t want on decent wages. Sels, Manquillo, Joselu, Saivet etc. Bad business.
georgio(Quote)
georgio – Ashleys transfer policy has always left us with cheap and average players that we have struggled to sell. It’s staggeringly incompetent for a man who’s been so successful. Instead of paying a extra £2/3m for a decent player we refuse and then spend £5m on a payer who’s isn’t good enough and who we lose money on. It’s laughable. It happens all the time.
Stuart79(Quote)
We should grab as many players over 20m in value as possible. Because they are the best.. Because they are big money signings.
We shouldn’t care if we have never heard of these players or if we have not seen them play. It’s about the money we pay. It shows ambition..
Aussie(Quote)
I dont care how much we spend. I do care about the holes in the squad being addressed and that the players that fill them are given the approval of Rafa. I appreciate we will need to offload prior to taking players on.
Origi for me is the only striker linked so far that I think fits our recruitment profile, would improve on what we already have and would be hungry for it.
Shamrock(Quote)
Aussie
Apart from Watford and West Ham no teams outside of the top six have done any transfer business to improve their squad on last season.
Of the other teams that finished from 7th to 17th;
Bournemouth have signed Brooks , midfielder , from Sheff Utd.
Burnley have signed nobody.
Crystal Palace have signed Guaiti , goalkeeper on a free. They have lost Cabaye on a free transfer.
Everton have signed nobody.
Leicester have brought in Pereira ,a full back , Evans – to replace Huth , and Maddison from Norwich – is he the replacement for Mahrez?
Southampton have signed four players I would not bother with . Huddersfield and Brighton have each signed a number of players but the only ones I rate are Kongolo, Durm and Bernardo – all full backs.
We have done much better business than most.
Hi Stuart 😆
sidekick(Quote)
Were all doomed I tell you, DOOMED
Private Frazer(Quote)
I’m not hung up on mega fees, but even the most rose tinted specs of us would have to admit you won’t likely get better than we already have up front for say 10- 12m . A quality forward will be much more than that . Honestly I would rather we kept Gayle and Joselu and Rafa try to work with Mitro than waste small sums on mediocre players or on loans.
Much more of concern is not the fees right now but the total lack of anything being done at all.
Forget Dubravka that would of been relatively straight forward and only £4m so small fry in todays market and that Swansea lad was a freebie other than signing on and agents fee.
Just don’t get why we are sooooooooooooooo slow.
kimtoon(Quote)
****, forgot about the Icon 😈 😆
Private Frazer(Quote)
Good Q & A underway here.
@lee_ryder says Rafa budget changed (plummeted is the word he uses) when he refused to sign contract due to not getting assurances on other stuff
What a way to treat the guy who fixed us and kept us up and protected his investment.
Petty, and vindictive are the kinder words I can think off for our owner.
kimtoon(Quote)
Several asking: Why did we report earlier in the summer that he had a “modest budget”? What changed?
‘
For a start, ask yourself what’s a modest budget? It means not extreme or not excessive and that’s true to form.
I was told Benitez had around £40million to spend before the contract extension talks. Newcastle are believed to have told Rafa he would not get money to spend unless he signed it but he didn’t sign because he didn’t get other assurances.
Since then that budget is believed to have plummeted further. Benitez is still negotiating hard with Charnley and Ashley but they are running out of time.
Newcastle’s board are stubborn and they are prepared to weather storms but if they realise they are going to be in a relegation fight they will put money forward. Sadly the window shuts before a ball is kicked so they are taking a massive gamble.
kimtoon(Quote)
I will take that as more sarcasm, Sidekick… It can only be that! 😕
As for the fees paid by clubs and Aussie having his little sarcastic moment. I would be delighted if we could get good players consistently for peanuts but unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. Only an Australian could think in a rising transfer market that the better players should cost the lowest amounts… You can get the odd bargain, that is for sure but good players cost good money and that won’t ever change. There really is no point having a load of money in the bank if we keep getting relegated.
Regards Jabba witholding funds because Rafa won’t sign a new contract. Just have a think about that. It is utter madness. This is Jabba playing his power game. He is effectively putting the clubs PL future on the line to prove a point. However, remember this, he gave McClaren £80m to spend and then sacked him in March. Doesn’t that make a mockery of his current position…
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart
No intended sarcasm in my post, just pointing out that most of last seasons ‘also rans’ have not been spending big to improve their squads.
I only put the end onto the post as I expected you to come straight back with a criticism.
sidekick(Quote)
Given that we are being kept informed by reliable media sources in football journalism. We can only assume that their sources are close to people in NUFC. Obviously that isn’t Ashley or Charnley, as there is nothing positive. Therefore is it all coming from Rafa’s camp? If we discount the ‘to me, to you, to me’ stuff about transfer targets, then what is left. Is Rafa telling the media about his targets? Doubt it. So that just leaves the stuff about contracts and budgets. Hmm. It’s only coming from Rafa. Rafa is known to be a control freak and very political with playing the media at the clubs he has managed. Is there a chance that Rafa is spinning the media to get the fans on his side and influence Ashley. Heaven forbid. I wonder how much reality seeps through these spin doctors.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem , I think that would be a valid argument if not for the fact that pretty much every window under this owner has seen us penny pinch and generally be underwhelming. Only steve actually got decent funds really.
Ashley is playing a really silly game here, this could turn out to be a very dangerous move by him. If we are relegated again we will likely be stuck down there a fair while . Rafa is gone come may and there are not many managers of his calibre lined up to manage us.
kimtoon(Quote)
I agree with Stu the whole: ‘we wont give you a competitive budget until you sign am extension’ argument, if true, is utter madness and counter productive.
Shamrock(Quote)
So the only conclusion is that we are owned by a successful billionaire businessman who is implementing policies that are utter madness and employing incompetents to implement them purely to **** off his manager. Well that passes Occum’s razor.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Strange that you think a player bought that isn’t a striker doesn’t seem to be improvement.
Stuart79(Quote)
To be fair though Prem. We know Ashley has deliberately undermined managers in thepast. Look at the Keegan case.
We also knkw that whilst Ashley is a successful billionaire, he has not made NUFC a successful club. In fact, he has relegated it twice in 10 years, due to poor recruitment policies, poor transfer negotiation both incoming and outgoing _ and poor choices in directors etc. Kinner, Wise, Llambias.
We also know he will do things just to be spiteful. He even had Llambias confirm as much in a fans forum.
I am staying fairly neutral in judgement of this window until it actually closed. However, I completely understand why people are cynical.
Shamrock(Quote)
It is all Rafa’s own fault. He found the most unambitious boss in PL and he was thinking to change him to an ambitious one? How stupid is that! So just suck it up until he walks away.
He should not have come into this mess in the first place. Ashely may have already sold the club if Rafa did not pull it back to PL right away. Thanks to Rafa, Ashley can not be happier doing what he has been doing and not afraid of relegation at all. Rafa Benitez, I really hope you can see this message. You think you are helping Toon Army? No, the only one you are helping here is Ashley.
funrafa(Quote)
Time to hop on the reality train everyone. This weeks special, a trip to nowhere .
kimtoon(Quote)
Shamrock. I’m not saying that there are not elements to support the case, but using the current press journalism does not prove the case. Much of what is happening can be dismissed as incompetence and pettiness, but I just can’t see the black and white arguments.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Yeah fair r enough Prem. I think I am pretty much in the grey camp. I dont expect an earth shattering transfer window, but do expect ect key positions to be filled by men Rafa signs off as his own. Time will tell.
Shamrock(Quote)
This is just stupid policy from Ashley. Isn’t it in his own best interests to have the best team possible even if Rafa leaves? Then the new coach would get a running start. The other thing is that teams rarely do well with a “dead man walking” coach. I am sure that Rafa will be professional about it but there is something psychological where the players subconsciously give up. I think you saw it a bit this year with Chelsea and Conte even though they won the FA Cup. It happens with Mourinho all the time.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, you are right mate, how will Lascelles, Shelvey and the other key players be feeling I wonder. They are faced with the very real possibility of working under a totally different coach next august and you can bet it won’t be one of the calibre of Rafa. They will probably be wanting away after he’s gone, they will see that the club has zero ambition and unable to back a quality manager too.
We can hardly blame them either in that situation, remember players like Shelvey and Lascelles have hopes of an England call up and they need to be in a competitive team showing their best for that to happen, not be potentially fighting another relegation battle.
In the same respect, what hope of enticing decent players when they don’t know who the manager is next season.
kimtoon(Quote)
Ashley’s ability to throw cold water on a fine finish to a season knows no bounds, did the same to Pards after we lucked out with 5th finish.
Blokes a total ****, just sell up ffs.
kimtoon(Quote)
Time after time after time the club is run like this. Yet some people still don’t seem to be able accept that it’s the case. What more proof do you need that Jabba is killing this club? People talk about journalism and say things like “I’ll reservw judgment” or I doubt it’s as black and white as they say” but the fact are for all to see. The constant inaction from the club and when journalists say there are problems it’s abundantly clear that is the case.
Wake up!
Stuart79(Quote)
With the addition of a decent striker we probably have enough quality to stay up but there is no depth. It will also probably be like last year – how Shelvey goes is how NUFC go. What happens if Jonjo gets injured.
Then there is the elephant in the room. Our horrendous early fixtures. We could easily be bottom after 8 games. Even if we bought Ronaldo this could be the case. It could make a hell of a difference to the mentality of the crowd though if we make some good signings because a few losses may then not seem like the end of the world.
I don’t see the crowd turning on Rafa no matter what happens but it could turn generally toxic and that won’t be good for the players.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And what happens if we are bottom 3 at Christmas? Does Rafa leave for any decent team that triggers his buyout because he is fed up and doesn’t want another relegation on his CV.
Some other team might underachieve. There is no guarantee with Silva at Everton or with West Ham or Southampton.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Or Leicester who have a decent squad and an ambitious owner.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Man City play in Chicago on Saturday. I didn’t buy tickets because I knew most of their players would be at the World Cup. Looking at the squad in the article below there is not a single 1st team player available for Saturday. My guess is that there are going to be several thousand Yanks who feel duped after paying $100 and up for tickets.
There is also a thing called the Champions Cup that has been very successful. Last year Barca faced Madrid and the fans were able to see Messi and Ronaldo. This year teams like Man U and Real Madrid are in it. My guess is there will also be disappointment when they see the teams of reserves. Usually they would play the stars for a half each game.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5965381/Man-City-arrive-Chicago-Pep-Guardiolas-prepare-face-Borussia-Dortmund.html
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The cost of #NUFC’s home shirt has increased by almost SEVEN times the rate of inflation
kimtoon(Quote)
Luke EdwardsVerified account @LukeEdwardsTele · 5h5 hours ago
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#nufc are in a mess again aren’t they. Totally self made, self harming and self destructive. Well done Mike Ashley, another masterclass in getting things wrong at St James’ Park
kimtoon(Quote)
You forgot that he is deliberately pissing off Geordies because … because … well, just because he can.
Other than that, Prem, that just about sums it up.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Club have postponed Longstaffs loan. That’s clearly a good sign then… 😯
Stuart79(Quote)
He’s 20. Why can’t we keep a 20 year old and use him from the bench at least and have him train with the first team? We were willing to play a Chelsea 20-year old – Abraham. Wouldn’t it be better for him to train 5 days a week with a (currently 🙂 ) PL club than go back to League 1 with Pompey? Although he could twist a dagger in the Mackems.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Someone suggested a knock on him is he hasn’t played for England in the youth ranks. What bollocks. Here’s 2 that also didn’t. Lineker and Beardsley.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You can also have as many 21 year olds as you want, right? I don’t see what harm it would do Armstrong to stay at NUFC either. At least for 6 months.He’s had 2 loan seasons, let’s see what he does in training. We all know that if he “trains well” Rafa will give him a chance.
We are going to have a very thin squad so keep a couple of the promising youngsters at SJP.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have no doubt at all that Ashley is a psychopath – most blokes in positions of wealth and power tend to show the signs – and I have no doubt at all that NUFC is run by incompetents – there’s plenty of evidence for that over the years – but without any evidence that the current perceived problem of lack of funds is based on two guys being spiteful to each other is a bit rich. And if that is the case, then Rafa is being as much of a ***** as Ashley.
I have no idea why Rafa says what he says – about anything, not just funds in the kitty – I can’t read minds and I’m not in any position to know the facts of the matter. I have no idea what Ashley is thinking – or anybody else for that matter.
I’m sure as hell not going to believe a newspaper reporter’s speculative thoughts on the matter, and I’m even less likely to believe anything I read on a blog. Why don’t these reporters ask why there is no money? Why don’t they try and find out things rather than just keep reporting more scandal and opinion?
Brisvegas(Quote)
One of the theories for the current impasse (from Journalists I know, BrisV) is that Rafa wants Ashley to commit to funds to build the Academy. Well, that will take years but as I said above why not promote a couple now and see how it goes. But there is something else we can do.
Chelsea had 38 players out on loan last year. They are stockpiling midfielders and forwards that cost 30 million+ and there seems to be no path to the first team from the academy, even perhaps for Loftus Cheek. Why don’t we buy one of their academy players? Same with Man City, There seems to be no path to the first team there either except for Phil Foden.
I would send scouts to their youth games and also to Vitesse Arnhem where Chelsea send a bunch of players and I think Man City have deals in Belgium, NY and even Aus. Why not use their academies if ours is shyte and their young players have no hope when Pep is buying 50 million pound players as backup and Chelsea switch managers every 2 years meaning the new manager needs immediate success and cannot risk youngsters.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You’re already seeing it with young English players going to the Bundesliga because they see no way to get to the first team at Chelsea, Man City and Man U when they just get their cheque books out when things aren’t going well. How about just moving to NUFC instead. Or get one or two later in development and spend a few million?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And what happened to the PURPLES strategy? It was have a core of 16-18 good senior pros and top it up with exciting young players, 20-22 not 18-20? It failed I know, but look who was running it – Liambas and Pardew.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That interview with Rafa is a perfect example of how bad journalists are (if you want them to be people who are interested in getting info – if you want them to create headlines that get people to click on the story, well, they are good journalists).
The journo is intent on getting Rafa to say something along the lines of we need to sell to buy or we can’t compete in the market. There is never even a hint that he wants to know why things are the way they are. There is no, how come you have to sell to buy? What about the TV money? No no no, he wants a sound bite that can go viral. Job done. Editor happy. Job secure. He doesn’t give a flying **** what the reason is.
The video is edited such that this is the main point of the report.
Brisvegas(Quote)
Is Allison really worth 67 million or does this show the true madness of the transfer market? He only has 44 appearance for Internacional in Brazil and 37 for Roma. He does have 31 for Brazil though.
I watched him a few times for Roma and he is good with his feet but not as good as Emerson.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Brisvegas
July 18, 2018 at 22:20
I have no doubt at all that Ashley is a psychopath – most blokes in positions of wealth and power tend to show the signs
Would argue he is more a sociopath than a psychopath Bris, he fits the DSM-5 diagnosis tool better for it.
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, it is one of life’s many mysteries why Jabba point blank refuses to invest in the academy. It really is bizarre when you consider his apparent unwillingness to invest in players and paying the going rate for players. It would save a fortune if we got the academy right. Yet he’s too busy putting water holes in the training ground to save on the water bill, energy saving light bulbs and stopping giving players free tickets.
Stuart79(Quote)
We could be staring down the barrel of relegation after five games. Imagine if we haven’t won any of our first five games. We can’t sign anybody and we have a pathetic squad that hasn’t really been improved upon. It will come to January and depending on how bad our position is will determine what Ashley decides to spend. Sadly I think it will be too late by then.
I’ll put my head above the parapet and say we will get relegated this season unless our transfer business improves dramatically.
Sadly, I couldn’t give a ****.
Stuart79(Quote)
Come on Stuart – it’s obvious you do care. We don’t have a pathetic squad. It finished 10th in a highly competitive league. Will there be many complaints if we finish 10th again? Should there be?
Bris – your points about journos not asking the right people the right questions are fair but it’s obvious the people who know what’s going on won’t talk to them. Charnley generally does one short interview a year. Barnes and Bishop never. Ashley once a year makes some kind of statement. That’s where all the speculation and made up articles come from.
These new links to Muto are interesting . Far more interesting than Rondon.
georgio(Quote)
Linked with
preparing a bid
interested in
it’s all rubbish, nowts happening .
We might sell a few though, by the way if Mitro goes for £20m we been had.
kimtoon(Quote)
Talk that Rafa is holding back on Longstaff going out on loan again. I’d like to see him given a chance to replace the likes of Colback, Saivet or Merino in the squad. We currently have Shelvey, Diame and Yeung – with Hayden wanting away.
I’d be happy to replace Hayden so there was 4 senior midfielders and have Longstaff there as cover.
I’d love to see the likes of Fernandez, Roberts and Armstrong get a decent crack too.
I know we need to get quality in those key areas, but I want us to be a club that develops its players too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I genuinely don’t really bother if we’re relegated. Jabba deserves nothing else. Like I’m not annoyed at the lack of effort in the window as I fully expected it.
You think our squad is good enough to not be involved in a relegation battle? We’ve not improved one iota so far. Even Rafa has confirmed that. Teams that finished below us have improved their squad and the likes of Bournemouth have just launched two bids that would be worth £55m for two players. All whilst we’re trying for a loan deal with Rondon!
People who think we will be ok make me laugh. ?
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy / it’s ok wanting to develop our young players but what if they’re not good enough? These are the players who play for our U 23 and get beat off Div 2 teams. Longstaff scores 9 goals for Blackpool last year and Armstrong scores goals at that level but then struggles in the Championship. It’s pointless putting them in if they’re not up to it.
Stuart79(Quote)
Harry Kane didn’t do very well in several loan moves!
georgio(Quote)
great piece this and he’s not a Toon fan either.
https://www.football365.com/news/newcastle-the-club-where-tomorrow-never-comes
kimtoon(Quote)
We will be ok then if our young players turn out to be like Kane. What’s all the fuss about, just play them all.
Stuart79(Quote)
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/contradictions-heart-mike-ashleys-newcastle-14928479
that’s them banned then
kimtoon(Quote)
There’s some light relief in some of the left field links coming up. Vasic, Diaz, Almiron, Muto.
Wonder what the odds are of any of them signing? Makes a change from the endless Rondon story.
georgio(Quote)
So Bournemouth are looking at signing 2 midfield defenders for a combined fee of £57m.
Almost as daft as Liverpool paying over £60m for a goalkeeper.
Still if you want the best player in the World for a particular position you have to pay the going rate.
I hope Bournemouth succeed in signing both Lerma and Laxalt, they are good players but Lerma picked up 17 yellow cards in the 26 games he played in last season so he could be missing for a few games in the premiership.
sidekick(Quote)
I have got absolutely no idea who most of these players are that have been mentioned above. As a result I just dont get envious that other clubs are going in for them at 30 million a piece. The market has gone bat **** crazy.
Again, as long as the gaos in the squad get filled and as long as they are from Rafas hitlist – then I dont give a tiss hiw much they cost, where they come from or what their name is.
Shamrock(Quote)