End of Season Report

[peasepud 59]

Who has signed like?

Dont you realise random rumours from people count as definites if theyre backing CTs view.

[Guest Your Name Here]

Who has signed like?

Lee Ryder?

[Monkeys Fist 39248]

Who has signed like?

Dont you realise random rumours from people count as definites if theyre backing CTs view.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Who has signed like?

 

End of next week

[Guest alex]

Jesus man, what a wanker

[Monkeys Fist 39248]

Gengis Khan, King of the Mongs.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Newcastle finally accept basics are better than bluster

 

Alan Pardew's side are making changes across board to secure a more stable future after years of volatility

 

Newcastle United have drilled a bore hole at their training ground and believe it will save £40,000 a year in water bills. When, on the last day of the January transfer window, news broke that Andy Carroll had been sold to Liverpool for £35m, cynics suggested the club's hopes of Premier League survival had effectively disappeared down that well.

 

Three months on perceptions have altered appreciably, the gentle sunshine of an unexpectedly glorious Geordie spring reflecting Mike Ashley's high-risk decision in a more flattering light. Newcastle will renew acquaintances with Carroll at Liverpool on Sunday with relegation fears already banished and their owner's calculated gamble in refusing to be rushed into replacing the centre-forward looking sensible.

 

Yet if a televised transfer deadline day image of a disgruntled fan persistently trying and failing to set fire to a replica shirt emblazoned with "Carroll" symbolised a generally muted level of dissent among supporters, Ashley has several individuals to thank for ensuring local anger never ignited. While Alan Pardew has reminded everyone of the significant managerial promise he displayed at Reading and West Ham before success went, temporarily, to his head, Shola Ameobi has been renascent and, until injury intervened, Leon Best had scored six goals in 10 appearances.

 

"Selling Andy was a watershed moment," Pardew says. "You couldn't tell what would happen. It was a bit like Kenny Dalglish going back to Liverpool – that could have been a disaster but proved the opposite.

 

"Fortunately we stepped up to the challenge and it's definitely been good for some of our players. Our fans might be looking at strikers like Shola and Peter [Lovenrkands] in a different light now."

 

With Joey Barton, Cheik Tioté, Kevin Nolan, Fabricio Coloccini and José Enrique all also impressing in the first XI Carroll had not exactly been carrying Newcastle but, even so, Pardew has been struck at how hitherto unsung journeymen have relished emerging from his shadow. "Danny Simpson and Mike Williamson have done marvellously," he says. "There's a loyalty to those players now. Only to a degree though because I'm not a sentimentalist and I'm looking at next season. We've got a very good understanding of the European market and we're talking to clubs, agents and players."

 

Pardew has been promised £20m of the Carroll money to invest in transfer fees but he will need to divide it between at least four players, almost certainly including two strikers, a left-back and a midfield playmaker. Much also hinges on whether the much-coveted Barton, José Enrique and Nolan can be persuaded to sign contract extensions. "I haven't put a figure on how many players I want yet," Pardew says. "It partly depends on the contract negotiations, there's a lot of work to be done."

 

Newcastle's manager succeeded in winning over a squad upset by Chris Hughton's harsh mid-season sacking largely because he quickly devised assorted strategies to paper over some glaring flaws including the team's chronic lack of natural left-footers and cover in various positions.

 

Yet all the dossiers and DVDs in the world – Newcastle players routinely receive personalised print-outs on forthcoming opponents along with individual film edits – will not ultimately compensate for a lack of personnel.

 

Some fans feel Pardew should be offered the entire £35m Carroll booty but considering Ashley has invested a total of £286m in buying and then keeping Newcastle afloat since 2007 his insistence that £15m of that fee be diverted towards meeting the wage bill is understandable. Nonetheless Pardew's fear must be that Ashley who, according to city analysts, has now placed the club on such a firm financial footing that potential Indian buyers could yet test his resolve to stay put, may decline to speculate to accumulate.

 

It will certainly be intriguing to see whether Newcastle deviate from their policy of signing reasonably priced players aged under 25 with high potential resale value. The indications suggest not. Considerable faith has been placed in Graham Carr, the highly rated chief scout – who like Pardew is on a five-year contract – and the man responsible for identifying Tioté and Hatem Ben Arfa.

 

While Carr spent last weekend scouting in South Korea, Pardew celebrated the installation of undersoil heating at Newcastle's practice ground pitches which, due to ice, were unusable for two months of the winter. "We're working hard making improvements at the training ground," he says. "We're ensuring we're up to date."

 

Long noted for making extravagant trophy signings in the Michael Owen mould while arguably neglecting sports science basics, Newcastle used to be a bit of a "fur coat and no knickers" club. These days the emphasis is far less on presenting the world with a blingy facade than laying firm, if unshowy, foundations for what could yet prove an unexpectedly bright future.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/ap...ted-alan-pardew

[snakehips 0]

I'm struggling to work out what the fucking point of that article actually was. Waffle.

 

 

 

Oh, btw, reading that I get the impression Mike Williamson/Danny W's places are looking insecure iyam. i.e. the manager praising the weak links before replacing them? Just at thought.

[Monkeys Fist 39248]

Pardew has been promised £20m of the Carroll money to invest in transfer fees but he will need to divide it between at least four players,

 

and the other £15 million ???

 

So it begins.

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

Pardew has been promised £20m of the Carroll money to invest in transfer fees but he will need to divide it between at least four players,

 

and the other £15 million ???

 

So it begins.

Wages it says

[Kitman 2188]

Our fans might be looking at strikers like Shola and Peter [Lovenrkands] in a different light now."

 

 

Fuck me

[Guest Your Name Here]

I'm struggling to work out what the fucking point of that article actually was. Waffle.

 

 

 

Oh, btw, reading that I get the impression Mike Williamson/Danny W's places are looking insecure iyam. i.e. the manager praising the weak links before replacing them? Just at thought.

Monkey Face has spent years getting all het up about how NUFC have ideas above what she perceives as our station. Now we’ve pulled into the no ambition platform she’s thinks we have a bright future and wants to share her joy with the world.

[LeazesMag 0]

I'll be very surprised if we ever do better than this season while Mike Ashley owns the club.

 

CT will be surprised next season, along with the other Ashley apologists, very surprised, starting from September 1st - having said that they may attempt to gloss over the average signings we will make, but once the results start rolling in, they will need their rose tinted specs.

[LeazesMag 0]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/ap...ted-alan-pardew[/url]

 

fuck me, not the Guardian and Louise Taylor again.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

I honestly cant see how anyone thinks we could possible be a worse side next year than this.

 

We will have a bigger squad, decent players like Ben Arfa, Gosling and Lua Lua back from injury. Which ever strikers we buy it is hard to imagine them being worse than Shola, Lovenkrands and Best.

 

Im pretty confident a decent left back will be found.

 

Not going to be challenging for the top four, bur its very hard to take seriously views that we will be worse off than this season, overall.

 

And before you start your usual rant LM, thats not a pro ashley gloss, thats just being realistic as far as I can see.

[snakehips 0]

I honestly cant see how anyone thinks we could possible be a worse side next year than this.

 

We will have a bigger squad, decent players like Ben Arfa, Gosling and Lua Lua back from injury. Which ever strikers we buy it is hard to imagine them being worse than Shola, Lovenkrands and Best.

 

Im pretty confident a decent left back will be found.

 

Not going to be challenging for the top four, bur its very hard to take seriously views that we will be worse off than this season, overall.

 

And before you start your usual rant LM, thats not a pro ashley gloss, thats just being realistic as far as I can see.

 

Tiote will have been 'found out' and Ben Arfa will be a one in three or four matches guy. Hey, just thinking out loud.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

I think you are simply painting a bleak picture to suit your viewpoint. For all the teams who "had a bad day" against us, there were equally shit teams who took points off us because we had a bad day.

 

There's is no reason whatsoever than Nolan won't do equally as well next year and no reason to suggest that incomings won't be better than Shola or Best.

 

The left back position is not the be all and end all.

 

We will be starting next year with one of the strongest midfields we've had in years, probably a fairly decent defense and it seems apparent we are after pacy wingers.

 

All we are really missing is some decent strikers. They don't have to be world beaters, just decent which will be a vast improvement on what we have. I don't think that is such a tall order.

 

There are also lots of teams around us who are financially fucked so I expect other mid table teams to slip backwards.

 

You are right about the potential of Gosling and Lua Lua. but they will be squad fillers anyway.

 

With regard the 35 mill, it was expressed by Pardew months ago that the figure would be used for fees and wages. However with the club about to move into profit and sports direct doing well, Ashley may well start and loosen the purse strings if the right deals come along. By that I mean chucking money and decent deals like Tiote not mega millions on has Beens.

 

 

It amazes me anyone looking at this situation without bias sees next season as less attractive than this.

[LeazesMag 0]

I honestly cant see how anyone thinks we could possible be a worse side next year than this.

 

We will have a bigger squad, decent players like Ben Arfa, Gosling and Lua Lua back from injury. Which ever strikers we buy it is hard to imagine them being worse than Shola, Lovenkrands and Best.

 

Im pretty confident a decent left back will be found.

 

Not going to be challenging for the top four, bur its very hard to take seriously views that we will be worse off than this season, overall.

 

And before you start your usual rant LM, thats not a pro ashley gloss, thats just being realistic as far as I can see.

 

I'm not ranting about anything. Your use of the word "decent" subconciously betrays your lack of expectations and demands. What is "decent" ? The clubs aiming to win things and play at the top buy quality players, the also rans aim for "decent" and say things like "we will be fine".

 

Not good enough. That is the whole point here

[LeazesMag 0]

I think you are simply painting a bleak picture to suit your viewpoint. For all the teams who "had a bad day" against us, there were equally shit teams who took points off us because we had a bad day.

 

There's is no reason whatsoever than Nolan won't do equally as well next year and no reason to suggest that incomings won't be better than Shola or Best.

The left back position is not the be all and end all.

 

We will be starting next year with one of the strongest midfields we've had in years, probably a fairly decent defense and it seems apparent we are after pacy wingers.

 

All we are really missing is some decent strikers. They don't have to be world beaters, just decent which will be a vast improvement on what we have. I don't think that is such a tall order.

 

There are also lots of teams around us who are financially fucked so I expect other mid table teams to slip backwards.

 

You are right about the potential of Gosling and Lua Lua. but they will be squad fillers anyway.

 

With regard the 35 mill, it was expressed by Pardew months ago that the figure would be used for fees and wages. However with the club about to move into profit and sports direct doing well, Ashley may well start and loosen the purse strings if the right deals come along. By that I mean chucking money and decent deals like Tiote not mega millions on has Beens.

 

 

It amazes me anyone looking at this situation without bias sees next season as less attractive than this.

 

#1 There kind of is, this is the only season he's done it in ever (i'm not counting the championship), and that includes possibly the best season of his career that he had at Bolton. He's equalled that goal total (except in the bolton season the 12 was split over league and cups)

 

#2 Again history recently suggest they won't be better, name me a single striker we've brought in in recent years who was noteworthy, let alone if the 20m is for 4 players, what do you think we're going to get striker wise for £5-10m honestly name a competent consistent goalscorer like we need in that range.

 

#3 it's not the be end and end all no, but for teams like we currently are it's this calibre of player that keeps you standing out from the likes of wolves and co.

 

I wish to fuck people would stop going on about the Tiote transfer like its going to be repeated because our scouting team have somehow gained a clue, they haven't.

Asides from that if Tiote keeps playing like he does, what will happen? a decent offer from a club with ambition and players of simalar talent will come in and he'll leave.

 

Players who have no "ties" to newcastle will not want to stay at a club where it's ok to aim for mid table and be surrounded by mediocre players that "do a job", if a team willing to have a go comes along and are keeping hold off or bringing in similar standard players to themselves they'll be off in a heartbeat and who could blame them.

 

The quicker this summer is over and we've signed someone like Carlton Cole the better, the repetitive positive shite and optimism about how we're run is beyond tedious, at least then we can all moan from the same hymn sheet about what we are and where we're not going.

 

 

"Ashley may well start and loosen the purse strings if the right deals come along"

If you truly honestly believe that you're beyond help, if we got offered Messi or Ronaldo for 50m quid Ashley wouldn't sign them.

edit > unless he knew he could sell them on for 70m 1year later of course.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

I wonder what they are all going to do when the truth, the unequivocal truth, is so obvious they can't ignore it anymore.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

I honestly cant see how anyone thinks we could possible be a worse side next year than this.

 

We will have a bigger squad, decent players like Ben Arfa, Gosling and Lua Lua back from injury. Which ever strikers we buy it is hard to imagine them being worse than Shola, Lovenkrands and Best.

 

Im pretty confident a decent left back will be found.

 

Not going to be challenging for the top four, bur its very hard to take seriously views that we will be worse off than this season, overall.

 

And before you start your usual rant LM, thats not a pro ashley gloss, thats just being realistic as far as I can see.

 

I'm not ranting about anything. Your use of the word "decent" subconciously betrays your lack of expectations and demands. What is "decent" ? The clubs aiming to win things and play at the top buy quality players, the also rans aim for "decent" and say things like "we will be fine".

 

Not good enough. That is the whole point here

 

No, thats your whole point, not mine. Im very aware of where we are and what we can / will realistically achieve this summer. You are banging your old drum about where we should be bla bla bla.

 

We've heard it all before and personally its nice to discuss whats going on now without going down your road everytime.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Pardew has been promised £20m of the Carroll money to invest in transfer fees but he will need to divide it between at least four players,

 

and the other £15 million ???

 

So it begins.

Wages it says

I don't see any quotes referring to £20m. Might well just be papertalk.

 

 

Fact is that in my opinion £35m should be the minimum spend on transfer fees and wages. Ashley should put in another £10m. This would allow us to really push on. If we hadn't sold Carroll then surely Ashley would have a sum of money put aside for the summer anyway. Or not, knowing him.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

1. Pointless argument.

 

2. My view is we'll start next season with better than Shola and Best, yours is we wont. Again pointless argument.

 

3. Sure we would be better with him, but its been done to death on here that good players will move on from time to time and you just have to get on with it. The point I made which remains correct, is that losing a left back is not as detrimental as losing your best forward, Goalie or creative midfielder.

 

The Tiote point is rediculous, we have signed a scout who has a good reputation in the game so our chances of finding more Tiotes has improved.

 

The top four cant buy everyone. There is still good players that we can have.

 

Regardless of the players that come in in the summer, the same people will be positive and the same people will be moaning, just as they were pre championship and pre this year.

 

Messi or Ronaldo? what have you been drinking? I said players like Tiote, IE It wont really matter if the 20 mill budget has gone, if GC finds another Tiote or similar Im sure Ashley wont hesitate in snapping them up and yes, part of that will be because there is a re-sale value .

[LeazesMag 0]

I honestly cant see how anyone thinks we could possible be a worse side next year than this.

 

We will have a bigger squad, decent players like Ben Arfa, Gosling and Lua Lua back from injury. Which ever strikers we buy it is hard to imagine them being worse than Shola, Lovenkrands and Best.

 

Im pretty confident a decent left back will be found.

 

Not going to be challenging for the top four, bur its very hard to take seriously views that we will be worse off than this season, overall.

 

And before you start your usual rant LM, thats not a pro ashley gloss, thats just being realistic as far as I can see.

 

I'm not ranting about anything. Your use of the word "decent" subconciously betrays your lack of expectations and demands. What is "decent" ? The clubs aiming to win things and play at the top buy quality players, the also rans aim for "decent" and say things like "we will be fine".

 

Not good enough. That is the whole point here

 

No, thats your whole point, not mine. Im very aware of where we are and what we can / will realistically achieve this summer. You are banging your old drum about where we should be bla bla bla.

 

We've heard it all before and personally its nice to discuss whats going on now without going down your road everytime.

 

my road, your road ? You want to go down your road ? I'm just laying out standards the club should be setting down, which are higher than yours.

 

I think you will have a shock, to be honest. We will see.

 

I don't know where you get the idea we have a "good scout" by the way, where has he been hiding all these years ? Is this the same Graham Carr who was a manager at Northampton and then Southampton [i'll look this up, its from memory] a long time ago ? What did he do there ? This isn't Bill Shankly or Peter Taylor you are talking about here.

[Guest alex]

Don't forget N'Zogbia, Ant.

[Dolly Potter MD 0]

I think you are simply painting a bleak picture to suit your viewpoint. For all the teams who "had a bad day" against us, there were equally shit teams who took points off us because we had a bad day.

 

There's is no reason whatsoever than Nolan won't do equally as well next year and no reason to suggest that incomings won't be better than Shola or Best.

 

The left back position is not the be all and end all.

 

We will be starting next year with one of the strongest midfields we've had in years, probably a fairly decent defense and it seems apparent we are after pacy wingers.

 

All we are really missing is some decent strikers. They don't have to be world beaters, just decent which will be a vast improvement on what we have. I don't think that is such a tall order.

 

There are also lots of teams around us who are financially fucked so I expect other mid table teams to slip backwards.

 

You are right about the potential of Gosling and Lua Lua. but they will be squad fillers anyway.

 

With regard the 35 mill, it was expressed by Pardew months ago that the figure would be used for fees and wages. However with the club about to move into profit and sports direct doing well, Ashley may well start and loosen the purse strings if the right deals come along. By that I mean chucking money and decent deals like Tiote not mega millions on has Beens.

 

 

It amazes me anyone looking at this situation without bias sees next season as less attractive than this.

I'll give you a football related reason as to why Nolan will be nowhere near as productive next season, in comparison to the first half of the current campaign. Carroll's physical presence in the box often made it difficult for opposition centrehalves to effectively clear their lines, especially when the artillery was supplied from the wide channels when the build-up play was more patient & controlled, especially when Barton was heavily involved. As well as being a tough one-on-one physical match-up AC was a great reader of the ball in flight - his adjustment to the delivery often made it better than a 50/50 contest in his favour. Shearer wasn't a huge targetman, in terms of size, but his reading of the delivery [and his adjustment for positioning in his direct one-on-one match-up for contested ball] was exceptional, and i think AC just shades Shearer in terms of offering 'nuisance value' inside the box. When you combine that attribute with a dogged workrate to match second chance opportunities arise inside the box. This sort of supply line is essential for somebody like Nolan who has predatory instincts inside the box but as an attacking midfielder doesn't have the legs & pace to be a counterattack threat in the mould of Scholes. Nolan needs alot of help in order to be productive, in the way goal production. He doesn't produce individual moments of magic [on the ball] in the so-called hole through the central corridor. Carroll's aforementioned presence played a big role in Nolan's one and a half season purple patch. It's been no surprise that his scoring record has pointed southward in the wake of AC's departure. And this is the yardstick which Nolan is judged on, because he offers very little in creative build-up play. More thought should've been given to Carroll's importance to the team's attacking structure, rather formulating a January transfer gameplan aimed at how to best profiteer [for the sake of an end-of-year operating profit] off the back of the impressive exploits of an academy produced youngster/gem. I can't see the club/Ashley being prepared cough up the sort of money required to replace the overall package which AC was fast becomming, to the continued detriment of Nolan.

Edited April 30, 2011 by Year Zero