Unbelievable

Main difference is not the quality of player, but the fact we were in a position last year to benefit from some contract clauses (Cabaye, Ba), took a gamble on some unwanted youngsters at bigger clubs (Santon, Obertan) and a player carrying a long term injury available on a free (Marveaux). This year we seem to be targeting first team players of big clubs in "smaller" leagues that are wanted by their clubs and where the selling club will only let go in case an offer to good to refuse comes in (like we do with our first team players). Unfortunately it seems we haven't managed to find many top quality targets for priority positions with suspect clauses or who are washed up at their current club this time around, hence why it's proving more difficult to get real value for money signings.

To be fair, Amalfitano will be 23 by the end of this month, so he's hardly a youngster. Best and Guthrie were only 25 and were the same age or younger than Amalfitano when they first joined. I guess the good thing is we are continuously (?) moving on squad players and replacing them with new, younger squad players with the potential to maybe break into the first team. Even if they don't work out, we often manage to sell them at a profit too.

Whilst that may be true it doesn't detract from the fact his goals kept us up that year. He was a 1 in 3 striker in his time with us, often our only real outlet and we more or less got our money back for him in the end. As far as I know he's never spoken badly about the club or the fans, so I don't understand the hatred personally, but each to their own.

Good post oldtype. Mostly agree, although I would prefer us not to take the gambles of going without squad players in certain positions just because we cannot get a deal done for our preferred targets on our terms. It scares the shit out of me going into the season with 3 recognised centre backs and 3 recognised forwards.

The screamers are the memorable bits though and they form the majority of the memories for some people about his time here. The mis-placed passes, the needless dribbles, the shots landing in the upper tier, being caught in possession umpteen times, running into blind alleys, taking important pens with his wrong foot, lack of intelligent movements all blend into the bigger, less remarkable, picture. Terrible footballer. This makes for some interesting reading: http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,29402.300.html

4 from January onwards Scored 17 goals for us that season, 11 in the league, more than double anybody else in our squad. We'd have gone done without him that season (unless we'd have brought in another striker of similar ability) regardless of when he scored the goals that kept us up. could be argued that his general overall play was one of the major reasons we were down there. You are free to argue anything you want. Fact remains his goals kept us up that season and at the time he was one of our most liked players. His stock may have fallen since then, but let's not rewrite history.

4 from January onwards Scored 17 goals for us that season, 11 in the league, more than double anybody else in our squad. We'd have gone done without him that season (unless we'd have brought in another striker of similar ability) regardless of when he scored the goals that kept us up.

Sorry, meant 2006-7

Indeed - the exact type of player you can't carry in a relegation battle. Up there with Duff and Geremi, just behind Owen in the arsehole stakes. This the same Obafemi Martins whose goals kept us up the season before?

He wasn't the most intelligent on the pitch, I'll give you that, but I don't remember him ever being particularly lazy for us on the pitch, quite the contrary.

I wouldn't. I'd have to burn my Martins 9 shirt.. You should burn it anyway, the useless pile of dogshite that he was I loved wor Oba when he was here.

Also I genuinely believe we don't operate based on a budget set beforehand, but we try to make a killing at every individual deal we make, be it incoming or outgoing. That's where Mike gets his kicks.

I wouldn't. I'd have to burn my Martins 9 shirt..

Ashley would rather miss out on a filling a priority position than pay over the odds, as we've seen with the striker search last summer and the centre back search last January. He will not change his MO now, especially as he's gambled and came out trumps before.

Where's this being played? Edit: Gotheborg apparently

http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=720457

Douglas has publicly stated time and time again he was ready with playing in Holland. He's just biding his time before he's qualified to play for Holland and he will move based on terms already agreed. Don't know if it's with us though, but would be very surprised if he was still at FC Twente come September 3rd (or whatever the day past deadline day is).

Plus Perch and Raylor who've both played there last season. Marveaux can play there too, and then there's some that say Amalfitano looks a CM. I'd say we're rather well stocked in central midfield personally, especially compared to central defense. I can't see our interest in Anita being anything other than as a Tiote replacement in case we receive a big bid for him.

Currently on a holiday in France - the number of PSG shirts is amazing compared to a few years ago.. Edit: agree other oil rich clubs are just as bad. Coincidentally, so are we compared to big clubs in smaller competitions considering our debt position and the Premiership TV money deals.

Fingers crossed.

Incredibly grim? Are you for fucking real? We haven't sold any of our first team players, which I was certainly bracing myself for, and we've added a few youngsters to the squad. Yes, we could do with a better full back and some more bodies in central defense and centre forward, but if we go into the season as it is I wouldn't be unhappy about this summer's business for once and be confident we have a squad more than capable of challenging for Europe again and stronger than this time last season.

I find it very hard to believe we would prioritise defensive midfield above central defense or centre forward, considering the lack of cover in these two positions.

Oh well..

He's ours!

If you re-read that exact statement you will understand that's not what he meant though. Said something like wages and fee agreed at Debuchy's end, by which he probably meant signing on fee.