sempuki

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Newcastle-suit-sissoko/333418 Trying to sign Sissoko from Toulouse in January according to L'equipe.

Getting worried now. Almost a full-strength team and we lose again with some horror fixtures coming up. If we don't make some signings in January we will be in big trouble.

Not going to be our night...

Shola for Ben Arfa?

Free header....

Benny is back!

Are we really that much better than the Mackems? Pains me to write that.

Williamson saves the day!

The only way we will get anything will be if one of our players - Ba or Ben Arfa come up with something brilliant. Otherwise we are stuffed.

We haven't come from behind to win in 2 years so this isn't looking very good!

Almost 2-0...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/9733186/Alan-Pardew-told-he-can-strengthen-Newcastles-squad-in-the-transfer-window-after-poor-start-to-the-season.html Alan Pardew has been given assurances he will be able to strengthen his Newcastle United squad in the January transfer window after the gamble not to sign more players in the summer backfired. Reinforcements: Newcastle may need to sign a new striker to replace Demba Ba if he leaves during the January transfer window and could also bring in a right back, centre back and a winger By Luke Edwards 10:00PM GMT 09 Dec 2012 He is now likely to renew his interest in France right-back Mathieu Debuchy, but a striker also remains a priority. Pardew did not complain when a string of transfer targets failed to arrive in the summer, backing the club’s policy of developing their own players, but their parsimonious approach has not paid off. With injuries hitting them hard, Newcastle - who play Fulham on Monday - have not looked like the team that finished fifth last season and sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table. They won for only for the fourth time this season in the league against 10-man Wigan last week and also failed to top their group in the Europa League following a 2-0 defeat in Bordeaux. Newcastle stubbornly refused to pay more than their own valuations for players in the summer and missed out on a string of targets, including Debuchy, Dutch striker Luke De Jong and their former centre-forward Andy Carroll. But Pardew believes the poor start and the criticism it has sparked has not only been a reality check, it has also persuaded managing director Derek Llambias to release funds for new players. Debuchy is the most likely new arrival, although the Magpies have also been watching Blackpool’s Thomas Ince and are looking at buying a new centre-forward, in case Demba Ba’s £7 million release clause is activated, and a centre back. “This spell certainly made me question a few things that we have done,” said Pardew. “Whenever you get a blip like that, it makes you get on your mettle and change a few things. “We have had a look at things and I think it is also time for the board to have a little look at things as well, about what has gone on. They have done that. All of us have had to re-adjust a little bit. “I think it gave us a shake that we needed to do a little bit more work in the summer on recruitment and I don’t think we’re going to fall short again. We’ll be stronger in February.” Pardew can still remember how miserable everybody at the club felt when they played at Craven Cottage two seasons ago, just two days after agreeing to sell Carroll to Liverpool for £35 million. And, while his side have disappointed this season, he knows the club is still in a far stronger position than it was back in Feb 2011. “We are miles away from that now,” he said. “In terms of the quality we have, we have dramatically improved. Unfortunately, in the last six or seven weeks, a lot of that quality has been in the treatment room.”

I am glad he is saying what he thinks rather than towing the line. Not sure how far he will get mind.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/demba-ba-buyers-scared-off-by-his-30m-price-package-8393692.html Demba Ba buyers scared off by his £30m price package Newcastle have not had a single enquiry for the forward because buyout fee is fraction of the cost Martin Hardy Friday 07 December 2012 The full cost of buying the Newcastle United striker Demba Ba could total a staggering £30m. So far Newcastle have yet to receive a single phone call enquiring about the Senegalese forward. That was also the case during the summer transfer window, when the player was available for a fee of £7.5m because of a clause that was in his contract when he moved from West Ham to St James' Park. Speculation then centred on the Turkish giants of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, but neither club tabled an offer for the 27-year-old. The clause then expired on 31 July, but it has since been revealed that it can be activated in January. That has led to renewed talk of interest, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Galatasaray again linked with the forward. Newcastle have been unable to agree terms on an improved deal for Ba, following the 26 goals he has scored since his move to the North-east. When he moved from Upton Park as a free agent in the summer of 2011, Ba signed a three-year deal that was worth £40,000 a week. There has been a desire from his representatives to double that contract, a wage which is way above the ceiling set at St James' Park, and significantly above that of the top earner at the club, Fabricio Coloccini. The relatively low cost of the initial deal for Ba has been seen as a reason for concern by those inside St James' Park. There remains a determined desire to extend his deal but the figures being asked for will have to drop considerably. The hidden costs that would come with any move away from Newcastle would change the financial landscape dramatically. It is believed the fees required to pay those representing Ba would be around £5m. A four-year deal at £80,000 a week, the figures his representatives are asking for, would mean any buying club would have to put together a £16m wage package. The entire package would cost more than £30m – and Ba would be entitled to half of the £7.5m transfer fee. There is also the problem of insuring his knee. That was the reason why Stoke City pulled the plug on signing him in 2011 when he first moved from Hoffenheim. Ba's record since then has been outstanding, both in terms of goals and appearances, but the knee remains a long-term concern. The Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, remains understandably keen to keep Ba at St James' Park and admitted this week that the player has expressed no desire to him to move. "He's never done anything other than look me in the eye and show me he wants to stay here," Pardew said. "He loves it here, and he understands it's a football city." There is similarly no suggestion from inside the club that Ba, an influential member of the home dressing room, is pushing to move away.

Les Ferdinand laughing at his lack of pace on ITV4

Yes!

Surely can't mess this up now!

So lucky!

We need at least a centre half and a creative attacker. Hopefully Ashley can be persuaded getting the players we need in January will make him more money in the long run...

He will be struggling to keep the crowd on his side if we lose again. I don't want him to go yet as it is better the Devil you know with Ashley. He really needs to back him in January if he is still here though. Definitely need at least a centre half and a creative outlet and probably two more on top of that. We have really cocked up what we had last season and players will inevitably want to leave.

I really doubt he will sack Pardew just 2 months into an 8 year contract.

With the TV money being so big next season Ashley will want to protect his investment and I have no doubt he will sack Pardew if this run continues and we are in genuine relegation danger. I don't think he will act yet though.

Only 2 points off 18th as it stands with some horror fixtures coming up.

And that is that. Very worried now. Highly likely we will be in or around the relegation zone at the end of the year.

Four losses on the spin with the December we have got coming up...