Elliottman

Ben Arfa number 9 clearly!

Eh? 'will one be a striker?' 'Yes'

Striker coming in.

Going to be our most important player

Anyone know when the squad numbers are out? Gagging to get my King Arfa top.

Well no, not quite, i also mentioned the return of Ben Arfa and Gosling. And that we now have someone with legs to partner Tiote. Look, we are going round in circles. Only time will tell. I for one, am looking forward to the new season and dont get all the pessimism. Yes we need a few more, and there is plently of time for that to happen. As it stands, our first 11 looks decent and should cause some problems. We looks like weve got a bit more pace and players that can do things with the ball. I agree, if we lose the players you mentioned we are going to be seriously lacking - if they arent replaced. We'll see.

And Carroll sorry.

The squad Elliott, the squad... Out of the squad, we have lost Nolan and Campbell. So yes, we are.

Vs Man Utd Harper, Perch, Colo, Willi, Jose, Routledge, Smith, Jonas, Barton, Nolan Carroll. Yes, we are. Its not rocket science.

Whether we are currently stronger than we started last season is very debatable.. How exactly? We have lost Carroll and have replaced him with Ba. I don't think that constitutes progress, do you? We have lost Nolan, our club captain and goal scorer and replaced him with Cabaye, who looks promising but is a bit of an unknown quantity. Let's call it evens. We have lost Campbell (essential cover at centre back) and got Marveaux (cover for wings with first team potential but also massive crock potential). All in all we haven't done too badly, but we've gone backwards in attack and defense, and (hopefully) improved in midfield. We have also not spent any major transfer funds. As I have argued before, I am relatively happy so far, but don't come and tell me you are happy if this is how the window closes..? Well, Ba For Carroll. Yes, Carroll was unstoppable for us first half of last season. Got to remember he missed a lot of the 2nd half through injury. How many games would we have got out of him? Ba's record was/is very good. So we've lost a good player, but replaced him with one. Campbell - essential? Come on. He was shocking all but 1 game for us. He's finished. As for Nolan, from a playing perspective, i didnt shed any tears to see him go. If Cabaye is the footballer he is made out to be, we will be a lot more mobile in the middle next year and hopefull Tiote wont have to do the running of to men. Add to that the return of Ben Arfa, Meaveux, Gosling and potentially Vuckic, i'd say (on paper) we looking stronger. Just lack a little depth. Again, there is still two months to go before the window ends too. I just dont get all the doom and gloom. I for one, cant wait for the new season. How much Carroll played second half of last season is irrelevant to whether we have become stronger in the striker department since the start of last season. Surely you understand that? Campbell was essential cover, not because he was an excellent option, but because by letting him go we now have no cover if anything happens to Colo, Williamson or Taylor. It does not take John Terry to replace him but since he's gone and we've not got anybody else in to step up when injuries hit us in central defense, we've gone backwards in this area. Surely this is no too complicated? Ben Arfa and Vuckic were here last season and both were fit to play, so they are irrelevant in a comparison. I will give you Gosling, even though it is entirely unsure after nearly 2 years on the sidelines he will ever fulfill his potential with us. Anyway, I already conceded so far we look slightly stronger in midfield than at the start of last season, but we have gone backwards in defense and attack. The two months we still have are irrelevant to the argument as you yourself stated: Which I demonstrated to you is very debatable. Even then, if you are happy to be optimistic about the possible incomings in the next two months, surely you will permit me to be cautious with respect to possible outgoings. After all, we all know what is likely to happen if decent bids come in for Barton, Enrique and even the likes of Colo, Jonas and Tiote. We clearly have different opinions, however, Ben Arfa and Vuckic were fit to play??? If we are talking about 'as it stands' Then Barton, Enrique etc havent been sold. We managed half a season without Carroll, so maybe we are weaker up top than we were the first half of last season, however we are stronger than the second. Again, as it stands, imo, we are stronger than we ended last season. Ben Arfa and Vuckic were more or less fit to play at the start of last season, weren't they? I haven't excluded Barton, Enrique, etc in my comparison to the start of last season, have I? So you conceed we are currently weaker up top than at the start of last season? Good. Now show me how we aren't weaker in defense and it might give your optimism a semblance of credibility. Ok, before we go any further. Are we simply discussing if we are stronger than when we faced Man United on the first game of last season or are we going to take the other 37 games into consideration?? If you can clarify before we continue that would be great. Because saying we are not stronger because Ben Arfa was fit for 3 whole games of last season is bat shit crazy.

Whether we are currently stronger than we started last season is very debatable.. How exactly? We have lost Carroll and have replaced him with Ba. I don't think that constitutes progress, do you? We have lost Nolan, our club captain and goal scorer and replaced him with Cabaye, who looks promising but is a bit of an unknown quantity. Let's call it evens. We have lost Campbell (essential cover at centre back) and got Marveaux (cover for wings with first team potential but also massive crock potential). All in all we haven't done too badly, but we've gone backwards in attack and defense, and (hopefully) improved in midfield. We have also not spent any major transfer funds. As I have argued before, I am relatively happy so far, but don't come and tell me you are happy if this is how the window closes..? Well, Ba For Carroll. Yes, Carroll was unstoppable for us first half of last season. Got to remember he missed a lot of the 2nd half through injury. How many games would we have got out of him? Ba's record was/is very good. So we've lost a good player, but replaced him with one. Campbell - essential? Come on. He was shocking all but 1 game for us. He's finished. As for Nolan, from a playing perspective, i didnt shed any tears to see him go. If Cabaye is the footballer he is made out to be, we will be a lot more mobile in the middle next year and hopefull Tiote wont have to do the running of to men. Add to that the return of Ben Arfa, Meaveux, Gosling and potentially Vuckic, i'd say (on paper) we looking stronger. Just lack a little depth. Again, there is still two months to go before the window ends too. I just dont get all the doom and gloom. I for one, cant wait for the new season. How much Carroll played second half of last season is irrelevant to whether we have become stronger in the striker department since the start of last season. Surely you understand that? Campbell was essential cover, not because he was an excellent option, but because by letting him go we now have no cover if anything happens to Colo, Williamson or Taylor. It does not take John Terry to replace him but since he's gone and we've not got anybody else in to step up when injuries hit us in central defense, we've gone backwards in this area. Surely this is no too complicated? Ben Arfa and Vuckic were here last season and both were fit to play, so they are irrelevant in a comparison. I will give you Gosling, even though it is entirely unsure after nearly 2 years on the sidelines he will ever fulfill his potential with us. Anyway, I already conceded so far we look slightly stronger in midfield than at the start of last season, but we have gone backwards in defense and attack. The two months we still have are irrelevant to the argument as you yourself stated: Which I demonstrated to you is very debatable. Even then, if you are happy to be optimistic about the possible incomings in the next two months, surely you will permit me to be cautious with respect to possible outgoings. After all, we all know what is likely to happen if decent bids come in for Barton, Enrique and even the likes of Colo, Jonas and Tiote. We clearly have different opinions, however, Ben Arfa and Vuckic were fit to play??? If we are talking about 'as it stands' Then Barton, Enrique etc havent been sold. We managed half a season without Carroll, so maybe we are weaker up top than we were the first half of last season, however we are stronger than the second. Again, as it stands, imo, we are stronger than we ended last season.

Whether we are currently stronger than we started last season is very debatable.. How exactly? We have lost Carroll and have replaced him with Ba. I don't think that constitutes progress, do you? We have lost Nolan, our club captain and goal scorer and replaced him with Cabaye, who looks promising but is a bit of an unknown quantity. Let's call it evens. We have lost Campbell (essential cover at centre back) and got Marveaux (cover for wings with first team potential but also massive crock potential). All in all we haven't done too badly, but we've gone backwards in attack and defense, and (hopefully) improved in midfield. We have also not spent any major transfer funds. As I have argued before, I am relatively happy so far, but don't come and tell me you are happy if this is how the window closes..? Well, Ba For Carroll. Yes, Carroll was unstoppable for us first half of last season. Got to remember he missed a lot of the 2nd half through injury. How many games would we have got out of him? Ba's record was/is very good. So we've lost a good player, but replaced him with one. Campbell - essential? Come on. He was shocking all but 1 game for us. He's finished. As for Nolan, from a playing perspective, i didnt shed any tears to see him go. If Cabaye is the footballer he is made out to be, we will be a lot more mobile in the middle next year and hopefull Tiote wont have to do the running of to men. Add to that the return of Ben Arfa, Meaveux, Gosling and potentially Vuckic, i'd say (on paper) we looking stronger. Just lack a little depth. Again, there is still two months to go before the window ends too. I just dont get all the doom and gloom. I for one, cant wait for the new season.

Whether we are currently stronger than we started last season is very debatable.. How exactly? i'll give you a start. the team hasnt played since last season, debate is all we have Shouldve added on paper.

Whether we are currently stronger than we started last season is very debatable.. How exactly?

we will. Cant believe its actually made the papers.

Its such a shame that, instead of looking forward to looking forward to the new season, there is so much doom and gloom. We are clearly in a stronger position than we ended last. Yes, there is a lack of quaility outside the first 11, but lets be excited about what we do have. Our first 11 looks VERY exciting. Really tiring reading so many depressing posts based on the back of a couple of Padrew quotes.

Im fairly sure Pardew is just playing it cool. He wont want to give too much away, im fairly sure there will be another 3 or 4.

Who have Sturridge & N'Zogbia signed for?

To be fair, I've thought Wearside was a *edit* Rape Hole *Edit* since the moment he started posting, ive been proved correct.

July 15 away to Darlington. That a Friday? It is. Where are the fixtures mate, ive tried .co.uk, .com, bbc and sky and cant still cant find them!! http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,76078.0.html

July 15 away to Darlington. That a Friday? It is. Where are the fixtures mate, ive tried .co.uk, .com, bbc and sky and cant still cant find them!!

July 15 away to Darlington. That a Friday?

If we got the others in that we need and got Ireland on the cheap without needing to rely on him, i'd be happy with that.

King Arfa When is our first pre season game??

Pardew gave an interview a while back where he talked about Vuckic and said he was looking forward to seeing him tbf . Interview will no doubt be in the Vucic thread,.