ohmelads

Was always hard to take our bid seriously. Liverpool were never going to strengthen a rival unless there was serious money it in to strengthen their own squad.

If the club doesn't consider Debuchy worth the money, and doesn't consider Simpson worth the contract he wants, then what is the solution? He will walk away for nowt next summer, and then what? Replace him with one on the cheap, or Raylor or Perch? Or spend proper money on a quality replacement. If it's the latter, why not do that now, and flog Simpson for a million or two? All this talk of keeping the books balanced and yet hanging onto Simpson til he's on a bosman is not economically sensible. Both from a football and economic sense we are losing out. I reckon we have probably thrown cheeky bids on a number of tables in the hope we get a deadline day bargain when someone caves in. If we do, great, and if we don't, we deal with it next summer. I think that is the approach but it basically leaves everything to chance.

Strange that he is inviting big offers by regularly touting our top players. If you were worried about it you wouldn't advertise them via the press. Perhaps he has been told to sell to buy?

Two 12th place finishes, relegation (!), promotion and a 5th place and now people are saying we are one of the best run clubs in the country? Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves a bit? Last season was one of my favourite as a toon fan, but it is ridiculous to take the attitude that it is "job done" and we can sit back and watch it all unfold again just like last season. That for me is more arrogant than recognising we need to strengthen just to achieve the same. We tried standing still once and it marked the start of years of decline. Players can smell a lack of ambition and start to look elsewhere. It's not about chasing 4th place. To finish 5th again or even close we have to strengthen. It is complacent to think the same players will do it all again and play an extra 10 games or whatever into the bargain. Wouldn't that be great? Fact is we had to play Cisse and Anita in 40c heat in Greece and then fly them straight to London for another game at Stamford Bridge - that's one week into the season and we've seen the effects it's going to have. Get past Atromitos on Thursday and you're looking at the group stage, which could mean swapping the heat of Greece for freezing winter games in Russia and then trips to place like Stoke only a couple days later. It's going to put pressure on the squad that we didn't see last season. Fatigue, injuries, rotation. Do we have the squad for it? We still have a good starting XI, and if forced to go on it won't be a catastrophe but it's the squad that concerns me at this stage. I predict more injuries this season owing to more midweek games. Beyond our good first XI you are looking at a lot of untested kids and players who have never shown anything in a toon shirt like Obertan, Marveaux and Gosling or mediocre backup like Ameobi and Williamson. We have to hope some of them can step up like Raylor and Perch did last season.

Think it's about options. Continuity is good, but if you play the same XI and tactics week in and week out, eventually teams figure out how to stop you from playing and counter your threats. That's why even the best teams make changes at the end of a successful season. It's good to keep opposition teams guessing, and to be able to switch it up when things aren't working, when you go behind, protecting a lead, or when you're lining up against stronger or weaker opposition. We can study opposition teams and pick a team designed to expose their weaker players. You look at the squad and the bench we had against Chelsea and there was little Pardew could do. That's against Chelsea, but if we go behind against anybody we don't have any game changer on the bench and I think that's why he would like to add Carroll. Not saying he would be my first choice but you can see why Pardew wants another option.

I said a few weeks ago (so it's not a knee-jerk reaction) that we could do with a quality winger despite the holes in our squad in defence and up front. Gutierrez looks more effective in the centre these days, and while I rate him as a key player for us, assists and goals are not his forte. Marveaux has not been injury-free for years, and we know all about Obertan's limitations. It means all the pressure rests on Ben Arfa's shoulders. We had a problem creating chances for much of last season despite finishing 5th, we were fortunate to have two strikers who had excellent spells where they were very clinical and we won a lot of even games because of better finishing. Tottenham last week was not so different. We rarely opened teams up and put them to the sword, even the weaker teams in the league. In Jonas, Ben Arfa, Marveaux and Obertan we have 4 wingers which numerically is enough, so you could argue there is no justification to invest here. But I would say there are huge question marks over Marveaux and Obertan, and Jonas has looked very good central in a midfield three as he showed against Spurs. I would move on one of Marveaux or Obertan and replace them with a winger of first team quality, or at least a player who can change a game from the bench. Adam Johnson would have been an excellent signing in my view and I was disappointed to see him end up at the mackems. Looking across our bench on Saturday against Chelsea, you could see we had nobody who could change the game or the way we play. Raylor for Simpson, Perch for Cabaye, Marveaux for Santon. I realise it almost certainly won't happen because we need to replace Simpson or sign him up to a new deal, and we desperately need another forward. Seeing as we tend to play 4-3-3 and seeing as we need a striker, then a forward comfortable in that wide left (or wide right) role could fit the bill perfectly and allow us to play different systems, keep teams guessing and also keep Ba and Cisse on their toes (which Ameobi will never do). It is good that Pardew knows what his best XI is as not all managers do, but with the players he has he doesn't really have much scope to change the system if it is not working or when teams figure out how to stop us which in time they will unless we have options. There are some arguing that we finished 5th last season and therefore we don't need to change but I disagree, it's an unforgiving league for teams who stand still. I am not suggesting Freddy Shepherd transfers but there is a medium between that and giving your manager next to nothing.

If Tiote was out today, I doubt Pardew would have given Anita and Bigi the whole 90 in Greece.

If we do no more deals in or out, I wouldn't say it is a bad window because it could have been a lot worse. But I wouldn't say it's a good one either because we are now dealing with added fixtures and we haven't increased the squad. Time will tell if we're a stronger squad. We've replaced mediocre squad players with untried promising youngsters, and effectively replaced Guthrie with Anita. We have more depth in midfield but we're shorter on numbers up front. I would say we look a bit stronger because the players have been together for another year, and the younger backup players are a year older. But I think our squad as it is will get found out over the season due to the Europa games. The fact we had no choice but to field Cisse last night, one week into the season speaks for itself. If Senegal make it to the ACN we're in big trouble. I still think we will get a right back. It would be unlike Ashley to let Simpson run his contract down and leave on a bosman. I also think it'd be unlike Ashley to cave in to Simpson's contract demands and give him the new deal he wants. If we don't sign a right back, we'll have to sign one in a year anyway, and lose the millions we could have got by selling him. Economically, we are better off selling and replacing him now, hopefully with a better player while we're at it. It all depends what faith you have in Ashley to increase his spending this year in accordance with the demands that Europa League football will put on our squad. There's a week left. I agree with what Memphis has said above, Ashley will just not see it as worth his while because to climb any higher than we did involves ever greater spending and the chances of success get ever smaller. I think we'll get a right back in because that will not be seen as a concession but a necessity. As fans the best we can hope for under this policy is that the squad punches above its weight and with some luck can grab 4th place. This would bring in a 1 year injection of extra cash which might loosen the purse strings enough to build on that success. Europa league football and a 5th place finish won't do that, but it may have been enough to help us keep our stars. I would say there are 3 teams that are out of reach and there are a small group of clubs who can realistically aim for 4th, but unless we add a striker we will struggle with all these fixtures IMO.

Anita played 90 minutes last night so I reckon Pardew may be fibbing again with the Tiote injury. If Tiote was missing the Chelsea game I think he'd have tried to bring off Anita early as he did with Cisse. I hope so because otherwise we're in trouble. He also hasn't got much choice but to play a tired Cisse. Even Marveaux, Raylor, Gosling and Obertan started yesterday meaning we can't even bring one in and reshuffle the midfield with Ba up top on his own.

We didn't have a choice to be fair. If these players can't get us through this round then we just don't have the squad for this tournament.

Hopefully that'll wake us up. Cisse isn't closing down their defenders at all, he's playing at walking pace and allowing them to play from the back. I think he's saving himself for Saturday. Obertan giving balls away. Bigi and Anita need to start looking for the forward pass. Whole team needs to wake up basically.

The fact Cisse has to start because we have no other fit strikers 1 game into the season is proof enough that we will struggle all season unless we get another forward. Other than that, good balance to the side.

My feelings this late in the window too. I think we're going to struggle with this squad so another one coming in and none going out would only be good news for fans. Knowing how frugal our club is with cash, it would surely come at the expense of players we should be getting elsewhere, such as a first team right back which we'll need in a year anyway when Simpson walks off for nothing. Or at the expense of a player leaving the club further down the line to balance it out. Not the player I would go for, but it's a player. This late in the window that's far, far better than nothing. We'll struggle to get through the season with the numbers we have, espescially if Ba and Cisse miss a big chunk of the season.

We need a striker who can work the channels. Ba and Cisse both like to stay central and rely on their movement in and around the box, Ameobi will hopefully be a 4th choice. I think the lesson learned from Spurs and much of last season is that 4-3-3 works better, but it's good to have options. A striker who can double up on the full back with the help of a winger can help us get balls into the box for his partner. When we play 4-4-2 with Ba and Cisse central that just doesn't happen and we see a total lack of service. Case in point being the first half against Spurs. As a target man, Carroll doesn't fit the profile of what we need. It is also silly money to spend on a 'rotation' player who spends most of his time on the bench. Having said all that, we do still play plenty of longer balls and I can't say I'd be disappointed at strengthening the squad, but if it's at the expense of a first team right back then it's a strange way to spend all of our budget.

Ivanovic looked like he was ahead of the ball as it was passed, with only one Reading player behind the ball, so he is offside. Torres looked just offside for his goal as well. Chelsea look very dangerous going forward but vulnerable at the back. I wonder if it might be one of those games where we're better off having a go and attacking them rather than simply trying to contain them.

It's hard to take the Carroll bid seriously. Firstly because I'm not sure Ashley would spend that much on a 3rd choice striker (look at how much we're prepared to spend on a first choice right back). Every major signing under Ashley has been a first team replacement, we simply don't spend that kind of money on bench players. Secondly, I don't think the player will be desperate to leave their bench only to wind up on our bench. He is not going to submit a transfer request for the second time in 2 years. An injury to Borini or Suarez and he'll get a run of games at Anfield - his situation will be no different here except he'll be earning much less money. And lastly, Liverpool will no doubt see us as a rival; they will not want to strengthen us. A bit of wounded pride comes into it, it would hurt for the same directors to sanction a 20M pound loss back to the club they bought him from. I'll be very surprised if he ends up here, but in football anything is possible. We do need a striker, but I think the club would more likely go for a cheap, young striker with potential, someone with a fraction of the fee and wages. This would be more of a Freddy Shepherd signing than a Mike Ashley signing.

I think he'll gamble with a team entirely of fringe/backup players. We don't really have a choice with Chelsea 2 days later. The likes of Williamson, Perch, Marveaux Obertan, Raylor, Gosling, and Ameobi (if fit) are all experienced players. Add in the likes of Bigi, Vuckic, Sammy, Abeid, Amalfitano, Ferguson, Tavernier and Good and we can certainly put an XI together which doesn't affect our starting team for Chelsea. Then put a few key players on the bench to come on and strengthen us if need be. We have no choice but to rely heavily on these fringe players this season. Hopefully they will step up, and if anything they will be much more motivated than stars who are saving themselves for Chelsea.

He was a key player in our win today. We were overrun in the middle first half with Jonas out wide, but he had a big impact in the second after he switched to centre mid. I consider him one of our key players, his workrate and ball retention is just class and I think these days he is more effective in the middle.

Game of two halves. Lucky to go in level at half time, but deserved to win the second half. We got at them after the equaliser and got our reward. Spurs will feel hard done by given they hit the woodwork twice like. A few players didn't look up to speed, espescially Cabaye. The change in formation at half time made all the difference. We were a bit over-run in midfield the first half but that all changed. Thought Gutierrez had an excellent game in centre mid, and Ben Arfa was the difference in the end. Really happy for Ba. Last day of ramadan today, too.

I know it's the Dutch league, but if it's true this Assaidi has 20 goals in 68 appearances from the wing that's a hell of a good ratio. Bit shocked people are having a laugh at Keegan, his comments are mostly accurate to be honest. I can't understand why people are looking for any excuse to mock a club legend. You look how close we came back then and we might never reach those heights again, ever.

Can't wait for this. The situation will be very different from the 5-0 defeat in February, but I hope Pardew has us fired up for revenge. That day in February, we had Williamson in defence and Perch, Guthrie and Obertan in midfield. Obertan made way for Ferguson at half time. Adebayor was a big difference between the sides that day. He scored 1 and assisted all the other 4 goals. Parker, Adebayor, Modric and King all started that game, none will play tomorrow. This time around, the list of our injury worries basically includes all our best players, but I wonder how much of it was an attempt to get players like Tiote and Cabaye out of international friendlies. They're all in training, so hopefully we have most of our big guns fit for this.

One good thing about a perceived lack of squad depth is that it gives the youngsters the chance to shine (or more accurately, to develop into fully fledged Premiership standard footballers) when a few first teamers are injured. I think it's often all too easy to moan about a lack of squad depth and overlook a supposedly limited youngster as a backup option, forgetting that sometimes an average youngster doing nothing noteworthy in the reserves can turn into a good player if put into the right team at the right time for a long enough period. Carroll (post relegation exodus + nil spending during the summer of 2009), Krul (departure of Given + lengthy injury to Harper), N'Zogbia (ousting of Robert + no replacement), S.Taylor (injuries to first team fullbacks + centrebacks iirc) are prime examples of players developing at a very fast rate primarily due to being thrown in at the deep end, as opposed to developing slowly and only being used regularly once they were "ready". Good post. My worry is we might not have such a player at centre back or up front ready to step in if needed. Know nothing about Good, but centre back is an area that generally favours experience. Saylor started off at right back. And Campbell is probably too young for this season. We have enough youngsters on the fringe now who are all a year older so hopefully a couple can seize their chance this season. I still think we need a forward and a defender in though.

When (not if) Taylor gets injured, we'll be down to the bare bones. He's missed loads of games every season and there's an extra workload this time which will stretch the squad. I hope Curtis is good enough.

That list of full back options says it all really. That is where teams will target us because it's where we're weakest. You're looking at players who are limited at this level or playing out of position. We can adjust the balance of the team to protect the back four, and to an extent I think that's what Pardew did last season. The problem is then you're less of a threat at the other end.

OR: Pardew recognize that we'll be very flexible and able to adapt several different systems and formations if we have different types of players. Maybe he realizes that this is something that this signing enables us to play Anita with both Cabaye and Tiote, either one of them etc. We now have three very capable CMs, that's just beautiful to me. We looked brilliant with Guthrie sitting next to Tioté behind Cabaye last season. We looked brilliant with Jonas next to Tioté behind Cabaye last season. We'll be brilliant with this lad next to Tioté this season. If Pardew is serious about a more possession based game, this signing is terrific. I hope you're right. But I don't remember anyone crying out for a DM a few weeks back. I thought Bigi/Amalfitano covered Guthrie's departure. Now this guy has come in and Tiote is injured, it makes you think. Any quality addition is welcome in my eyes, I just hope he's an addition is all I'm saying. If he relegates a first-teamer like Gutierrez then we'll have serious depth there, but that's never been Ashley's style. To my mind, every major signing has been a replacement. It is also strange we have stumped up the money for this guy but wouldn't do the same for a right back, a position that is weaker than DM for us.