From a footballing perspective, this all feels like one unbearably long international break, only there’s absolutely zero games and a growing feeling the 2019/20 Premier League may be deemed null and void as this coronavirus crisis continues.
As a result, it feels like a good time to look back on the season, from player of the year to unsung hero and goal of the season to performance to biggest disappointment.
If it was announced that the season was officially ending tomorrow, here’s my picks..
Player of the season:
- Martin Dubravka
- Allan Saint-Maximin
- Federico Fernandez.
The Slovakian has been absolutely outstanding, keeping us in several games, making more saves than any other Premier League and being a constant calming influence at the back. I think it’s safe to say we’d be in the bottom three without him.
Honourable mentions must also go to Allan Saint-Maximin – a player we’ve barely ever won without and an explosive attacker who’s regularly been our biggest threat – and Federico Fernandez (closely followed by Ciaran Clark), who’s been immense in the centre of defence and chipped in with a few big goals too.
Young player of the season:
- Allan Saint-Maximin
- Matty Longstaff
- Tom Allan
It has to be ASM. His numbers in terms of goals and assists are far from spectacular, but his influence on the team has been huge, with us winning more, losing less, scoring more and conceding less when he starts.
Matty Longstaff comes in a close second after a brilliant breakthrough year, while Tom Allan also deserves a mention, having bagged an assist on his senior debut vs Rochdale after getting into double figures at U-23 level.
Unsung hero:
- Ciaran Clark
- Jonjo Shelvey
- Javier Manquillo
Clark started the season our SIXTH choice centre-back, yet he’s quickly become arguably Steve Bruce’s most reliable option this season, putting in several heroic displays; putting his body on the line at one end and scoring a few key goals at the other end.
Manquillo also deserves a mention for several assured displays, as does Jonjo Shelvey – the club’s second top scorer on five.
Most improved player:
- Miguel Almiron
- Matty Longstaff
- Javier Manquillo
Matty may be the obvious player given he’s gone from U-23 prospect to securing a place in Bruce’s Premier League squad, but I feel it has to go to Miguel Almiron, with the Paraguayan our current top scorer after adding goals to his game following a difficult start to the season.
As for Javier Manquillo, the Spaniard is arguably our best right-back as things stand and deserves a new deal after several assured displays.
Disappointment of the season:
- Joelinton
- Sean Longstaff
- Andy Carroll
It has to be Joelinton. He was never prolific in Germany and signed as a young prospect, not a proven scorer, but we all expected much more from our £40m man.
Sean Longstaff comes in at second after struggling to fully recover from last year’s serious knee injury and Andy Carroll third given he’s managed to make just 4 starts and hasn’t scored yet.
Moment of the season:
- Matty Longstaff’s debut goal vs Man Utd
- Miguel Almiron breaking his duck at the Gallowgate
- Saint-Maximin’s winner at Oxford / Andy Carroll’s second debut
Goal of the season:
- Saint-Maximin’s FA Cup winner at Oxford
- Jetro Willems’ thunderbolt at Anfield
- Matty Longstaff’s debut goal vs Man Utd
Best team performances of the season:
- Tottenham 0-1 Newcastle
- Newcastle 2-2 Man City
- West Ham 2-3 Newcastle / West Brom 2-3 Newcastle
My winner may surprise a few, but I thought we were outstanding in every area of the pitch that day, executing Bruce’s clear game plan to perfection.
The 2-2 draw against Man City was another superb display, while 3-2 wins at West Ham and West Brom (FA Cup) were the only two occasions we’ve played with swagger and genuinely outplayed the opposition (the scoreline flatters the hosts massively in both!).
Worst team performances of the season:
- Norwich 3-1 Newcastle
- Leicester 5-0 Newcastle
- Newcastle 0-0 Oxford
Our first away game of the season against newly promoted Norwich was a low point. We got absolutely battered without putting up a fight, looking all at sea defensively, anonymous in midfield and like a team of strangers in attack, with Almiron and Joelinton worryingly isolated.
The collapse at Leicester was worrying, while the 0-0 draw at home to Oxford was tough to watch considering the level of opposition and occasion.
Best signings of the season:
- Allan Saint-Maximin
- Jetro Willems
- N/A..
ASM is a clear winner here, but a big shoutout must go to Jetro Willems, who’s been impressive at both ends of the pitch, scoring some stunning goals and defending better than most expected too. As for number 3, I think we might be saying Valentino Lazaro if he gets a run in the side out wide.
Worst signing of the season:
- Joelinton
- Emil Krafth
- Nabil Bentaleb
At £40m, Joelinton’s return of 3 goals and 4 assists in all competitions hasn’t been nearly enough, while Krafth has been an utterly bizarre and almost pointless signing, with us now having THREE right wing-backs ahead of him in the pecking order.
Bentaleb’s inclusion may seem harsh, but he’s shown next to nothing since arriving – despite many having high hopes for the former Spurs talent.
Feel free to give us your answers to all the above in the comments section below!
Eric, they are a bit heavy handed at times but we still have a lot of folk who think they have this super power that means they are, A, immune from the virus and B, even if they get it won’t get ill or pass it on. 🙄
It’s not much to ask to stay indoors catch up on a few odd jobs, watch a box set or two and it’s not like you cannot chat via social media to mates and family.
Like someone wrote the other day, it could be worse, you could be sheltering in an underground tube, come out later to find your home is gone.
What’s left of the war generation must think we are all a bunch of wimps.
KIMTOON(Quote)
RIP Sterling Moss
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stirling
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kimtoon: as I said I think I am acting responsibly. Only been out twice and since there is a hardly anybody around it is easy to keep a distance. As easy as crossing the road, and there is no traffic 🙂
What they are out of with store deliveries is a bit odd – onions, tomatoes. I can understand that. But ziplock bags? Why would there be hoarding of ziplock bags?
Anyway, if people want to spread it they will suffer most but we will also suffer by being stuck inside for longer. So far I have no qualms with anybody I have seen here as it is usually families, joggers and dog walkers.
I really do hope this ends soon though as it is extending the Chicago cabin fever by a month. The winters are so bad that you hardly go out for fun and I can do without this. It is pretty much Uber to a bar or restaurant and Uber back so you are really not outside much except for work. Luckily I was in Mexico for a week and got back the day before the lockdown.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
They also had plenty of booze. At least I can self-medicate whilst I self-isolate and it might stop me from self-harming 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The Chronicle have rolled out Keiran McGuire again, a so called expert on club values. He did a valuation a couple of years ago when we were safe from relegation and came up with 225 million. He totally failed to take into account the scarcity factor of PL clubs. But now he is saying Ashley would be lucky to get 250 million. This time I agree with him because he actually uses the correct yardstick of Man U’s share price going down by 25%. He mentions that the economy will shrink by 20%. That would have to be temporary because otherwise we are in for another Great Depression. I think there will be a massive Keynesian stimulus package from all developed countries to avert this.
It has already started in the US.
Anyway, I agree with his valuation but not his other conclusions. That’s why they call economics the “dismal science”. He says NUFC are stuck with long term contracts that will drag them down. To a point. But there are many players out of contract this summer and NUFC has one of the lowest wage bills in the PL both as a % of revenue and in absolute terms (I think we are 4th lowest and that will get less with contracts expiring, Ginger Jack etc).
He also says we would jump at the chance to get Joelinton off the wage bill. Fck off you moron. He has hardly been given a chance yet and I am sure he is not the highest earner. Even if he got the 70k a week that supposedly Shelvey is on that doesn’t mean we need to shift him. Currently we would probably take a 25 million loss if we sold him. Has this finance “expert” watched anything Ashley has done over the last 13 years.
I think NUFC are in a better position than most to weather this storm but I do believe the Man U share price drop gives Stavely and Co a good negotiating position.
And we don’t have an Alexis Sanchez on 400k a week or a Jack Wilshere on 150k.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Now Tim Brooke- Taylor has been taken by Covid 🙁 RIP
Loved the Goodies as a kid.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Let me be clear on Keiran McGuire. He said a couple of years ago when we were safe that we were worth 225 million. Now it is “up to” 250 million, even with us probably about to enter a global recession and with massive questions about football finances. The man is a clown and perfectly suited to be The Chronics go-to finance “expert”. The only thing he said that made sense was that if 25% of Man Us stock market value had been wiped out then NUFC should probably have the same wiped off their value. A 16 year old in the 1st week of Economics A Level could have told you the same thing.
He also thinks the Saudi’s are more interested in attracting sporting events to their state and not buying football clubs. Has he looked at Man City, PSG or even Chelsea? Does he know what sport washing is? Are the reports of submissions to the PL from both parties lies. Could be (or not), but that doesn’t fit with McGuire’s narrative.
This man decides his opinion and then fits the facts to support it.
Again, he thinks economies will sink by 20%. That is a DEPRESSION. You better start hoarding everything if that happens.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The Chronic just get on my t!ts whenever they talk finances. This McGuire guy needs to be put in a room far away from anybody who actually understands anything about finance. And they used to have Little Chrissy Waugh dissect the Toon accounts when he obviously had no clue and swallowed the PR pushed by Charnley and Bishop. When they released the accounts after we returned to the PL I wrote quite a bit on here that they were fishy and being manipulated. Little Chrissy just accepted them as they were and went on pushing the myths for about 3 weeks until they admitted they had brought wages forward to make losses look worse than they were, as well as other manipulations.
Do not trust The Chronic or any of their “experts” on anything to do with finances.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gary Neville now saying Newcastle should be banned from buying anyone in the transfer window because Jabba furloughed staff.
Quick, someone let Jabba know he can call off the next fakeover distraction for the next window whilst we but no one.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kimtoon: Neville is talking out of his ****. There is no precedent for a transfer ban for laying off staff. Imagine the legal consequences if they tried to do it. Another one pontificating to stay relevant when there is no football.
We would be in good financial shape anyway with the expiring contracts. Hope we keep Matty and Manquillo.
We also have some we can sell like Gayle and Atsu.
I expect very little incoming if Fatty is still here. It would be a massive risk as without a goalscorer I think we will be relegated next year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Not sure what they are playing at with Matty and Manquillo. You don’t let them become free agents and have to pay transfer fees for replacements. Even if you pay slightly over the odd in wages, it is worth it in terms of total cost.
I would also pick up the option on Willems if he recovers. The delay to the start of next season will let us better see how he is doing. That would leave us with him, Dummett and Ritchie at LB, so no need for Rose.
Of course it all hinges on a takeover as you would think there would be upgrades in many positions if that happens.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, nothing the club do re players ever makes much sense to me.
KIMTOON(Quote)
All i know is Matty should not be allowed to slip through our fingers or Manquillo whom i have as you know always rated.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kimtoon: The Matty Longstaff situation is baffling. Who else do we have coming through from the Academy? You have to keep him to show the rest there is a pathway. You would hope his brother was not a 12 game wonder but I am beginning to have my doubts. Maybe it is fear after a bad injury and he just needs time.
What would they have to pay Matty? 20k a week tops? Probably the same as Darlow and less than Atsu. Gayle is supposedly on 60k a week as his wages were raised to get him to go to West Brom. He is always injured so why not take that into account when paying Matty?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, I think Matty will be a really good player and we really do need to keep hold if at all possible. Hopefully we get taken over and the info we are hearing is not BS again, then Matty can at least have faith that we may be going somewhere.
If Jabba fails to sell this time then i fear Matty is gone and as you say it sends a poor message to future academy prospects.
We’ll also have little chance of hanging onto players like Saint Max and Miggy long term under his ownership as well .
KIMTOON(Quote)
It’s ridiculous that we won’t give Matty a decent contract but be prepared to pay £8.5m plus wages for Bentaleb. Matty’s already a better player and is still just 20.
georgio(Quote)
Quite mate
KIMTOON(Quote)
no good news anywhere such bad news everywhere,lets have a laugh
my lawnmoore broke down wife told me to fix it but i had other things to
came in today and saw wife sitting in the long grass with small sissors
so i went in and come out with a toothbrush told her to sweep the drive
when shes finished
thats when the fight broke out
the doc says i will walk again but will always have a limp 😆 😆
got to smile sometimes
icedog(Quote)
😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
This has to end at some point, right. Was getting stir crazy so started looking at flights on the internet. Have wanted to see the Oregon coast for a while. They have highway 101 which is like a longer version of the Northumberland coast road (stretches 300 miles if you want to drive it all) without the castles. So looked at flights to Seattle where I have very good friend. Was $162 return in October. I can’t not go for that cost. This has be over by then.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Spurs have caved on the furlough.
Will the Fat Man take any notice?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
nope, he’s a greedy %&£*
KIMTOON(Quote)
x 10!
georgio(Quote)
Pete Graves
@PeteGravesTV
Patience has always been the key. No #cans yet. But documents doing the rounds are genuine legal documents. Takeover is closer than ever. Ashley feels time is right to sell. Full update on
@SkySportsNews
in due course. PS Happy Birthday to
@SkySports_Keith
Face with tears of joyFace with tears of joyClinking beer mugs #nufc
Mark Douglas
@MsiDouglas
Significant Companies House activity this morning indicates #nufc takeover closer than ever. Clarifying exact meaning but big money exchanging hands & all legal framework being set up.
Blimey, could it really be happening ?
KIMTOON(Quote)
So takeover is afoot. Forms lodged with companies House confirm something is happening…
Stuart79(Quote)
https://twitter.com/sportingminute/status/1250014583785508866/photo/1
WTF 😕
KIMTOON(Quote)
Looks like it’s finally happening . . . can it be true?
georgio(Quote)
Kim, there’s really no way just from the papers to know what’s happening. Could be many things. Could be taking advantage of Preferential payment terms and Jabba is taking a charge on PCP as a guarantee if PCP don’t pay the final amount. The unlikeliest scenario is Jabba lending Amanda Staveley money to buy the club.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu, don’t know what to make of it mate. Nothing ever straight forward with Jabba .
Could the £150 m be to do with his loan maybe ? He lends his loan to her and she pays it back with interest once she’s won her court case v Barclays in june ?
Doesn’t look like the Saudi’s are involved anyway at the moment, else there would be no need for loans you would think.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Also worth pointing out the info coming out now was all done about one week ago. So things may even have progressed further since then. Don’t be surprised if we just get a statement out of the blue in the next week or so.
Stuart79(Quote)
PCP could be the principled buyers and once done transfer 80% of shares to the Saudi’s. Ashley might want security that he will get the money once they’ve paid PCP for the shares.
It could be so many things. What is clear is that something is happening and it’s very close.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu, so long as he is totally out the picture, no Ads or having SD involved with merchandising.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Pete Graves
@PeteGravesTV
Seems as though the main remaining hurdle before a complete takeover of Newcastle United can take place is the Premier League’s checks. Turning into a hugely significant day for #nufc. Updates to come on
Stuart79(Quote)
SNN also now breaking news that Jabba has agreed to sell NUFC for £300m
Stuart79(Quote)
Just like Jabba to sell when no one can go out to celebrate 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
#TFFT
#Thank fck for that.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, it’s not done yet, but it does feel more likely .
KIMTOON(Quote)
This should be interesting.
Newcastle is not a big city but it is a city like no other. If the football team does well it will consume the city and then some. Fck London, Fck Liverpool. They are of no consequence if Newcastle have a good team. Fck Milan as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I started going to watch NUFC at SJP when I was 8. The school janitor and his wife would drop me off and pick me up because my Dad worked away. Had some hard times and not that may good times – the Keegan years were not on TV here “)
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I will let this sit for a couple of hours. And then give my opinion. I am pretty good with finances.
I have a “A” at A level economics. Studied for a year at University Economics but gave up because there was too much maths and I got bored. I am a Certified Financial Planner and have had a stock broker license in the US for 20 years.
I think I can figure out if this is good and for real.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have also worked in finance for 30 years. So I might have a clue about this 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bye Bye Fat Man. Bye Bye.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
He’s got isolated out in Florida – I just can’t see a deal being finalised when he’s not even in the Country.
Until there is a camel in a toon top in front of the Gallowgate, I will remain sceptical.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – if it’s with the PL it’s only them than can stop this now. Although I suppose Jabba could theoretically pull out but given its £300m I doubt he will.
My HP Source seems like he was right last week…
Stuart79(Quote)
Bye Bye Fat Man, Bye bye…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Awaiting formal announcement along the lines of “Mike Ashley has agreed to sell the football club to a consortium led by Amanda Staveley and the process is now with the PL. NUFC won’t be making anymore comment at this time”. # Cans
Stuart79(Quote)
Just watch us get relegated now when we can’t pick up any points playing behind closed doors!
Stuart79(Quote)
Stewie: we need like 2 points from 9 games FFS. Even Ugly John Carver couldn’t fck that up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Poor Brucie… We are a bit closer to fantasy realms now. My choice is Pochettino.
Stuart79(Quote)
I wonder if we have to put big portraits up at the club of the king and crown prince of Saudi Arabia… ?
Stuart79(Quote)
Hi peeps, it definitely looks like this is finally happening… feeling quietly hopeful for a light in the black of this horrible lockdown…
I’m still stuck at my parents house, over 5 weeks now, and looking more and more like early May as the earliest we will get back…
Dubai (Toon) Toon(Quote)
Fingers crossed. It’s been terrible under Ashley. Surely can’t be any worse under new owners, right?
Shamrock(Quote)
I would take Poch but my preference would be Nagelsmann. I have watched his Leipzig team a few times and they are brilliant. Keegan-esque. We have the Bundesliga here and I watched them against Bayern and Shalke who they tore apart. Did the same against Spurs in the CL until they eased off.
Could we get him? With a 300 mil budget we probably could, especially since Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea are not what they were so we could get CL football. Bring Timo Werner with you Julian.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t really feel that sorry for Bruce. He had us playing awful football using the fact that the players knew Rafa’s system as an excuse for 9-0-1.
He seems like someone you would like to have a pint with and talk football, but not someone you would want to manage your team if you want to be successful.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The one thing I wouldn’t want them to do is bring back Rafa, thinking they’re pleasing the fans. It’s not that he wouldn’t necessarily do a good job but I don’t believe you should ever go back and there are more progressive coaches out there if you have a decent budget.
Personally I just want to enjoy the football again. Can’t remember the last time I did. Let’s see where it takes us.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I agree with you. We seem to be agreeing on a lot of things recently. Has the world tilted on its fckn axis or something recently Stewie Thatcher?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
1st half of West Ham game Stewie. 1st 10 minutes of Man U game in Chicago! Fulham away 4 nil but that probably doesn’t count as they were already relegated.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ryder is saying in The Chronic that somebody should pinch him as he cant believe a takeover is happening.
I thought you were supposed to be “in the know” Wor Lee? Does this mean you have been talking tripe for the last 3 months (30 years)?
He was deriding Caulkin the other day for not knowing what he was talikning about coz there was no money on the table.
FCK OFF Lee Ryder, you know nothing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sham, good to see you back on, hope all is well with you and yours .
KIMTOON(Quote)
good to see you on Sham
icedog(Quote)
Aye, Eric I’m a bit worried about the agreement on so many things.
Your list of enjoyments isn’t a great list is it…
Stuart79(Quote)
Welcome back, Sham. You fair weather fan ?
Stuart79(Quote)
Can you imagine this: We win the FA Cup when we can’t even see them do it and we get the richest sovereign wealth fund in the world buys us and we can’t get out to celebrate! Always looked forward to the next home game after Jabba sold up. Mmm not now!
Stuart79(Quote)
Right lads, for the first time ever i have two magpies on my bird feeder!
Has to be an omen . 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
?cheers Stu. It’s been dire and I’d enough.. the fecker has been on scene 13 years!
Even Rafa’s brand of footy was getting me down. We have been so dull for so long. Imagine a team that actually plays footy. We used to have one of those!
Kim it’s got to be a sign!
Shamrock(Quote)
Very good news Kim – very lucky too.
georgio(Quote)
It’s worth saying also that we haven’t heard anything from Saudi’s yet… Could it be that they aren’t actually involved?
Stuart79(Quote)
I echo everybody else’s feelings that it is good to see Shamrock again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Be good if Aussie came on as well. I was like a bit of d!ck to him ( yeah, what’s new) but realized I was wrong.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I do wish the press would stop linking us with these fantastic players. It really does look ridiculous. Well, until we know what kind of investment they’re going to make. It’s Mertens and Dennis today who’s linked…
Stuart79(Quote)
Bloody hell! Didn’t that once happen in 1973 too?
Stuart79(Quote)
The league should open the transfer window too. Just let it be open until one month after the start of the next season whenever that is.
Stuart79(Quote)
tell you what though. If we ever win anything it will be mental. I have lived in Chicago for 30 years and the Cubs baseball team had never won anything since 1909. When they (we) won the World Series the place went absolutely nuts. The fans had always stuck with the team like we do with NUFC. And not expecting anything to change. When it did it was amazing. I was in a bar at 1am and everybody was my best friend 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stewie: it was absolute madness man when the Cubs won the World Series.
Cubs fans are the only ones I can compare to NUFC fans. Passion with very little in return for so many years but still the belief and the passion. Sort of why I like living in Chicago. Genuine people who never give up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)