kingxlnc

Murphy for Bowen swap deal would be good - even paying 10m on top. Murphy is not ready and after two seasons, should be further along than he is. One right back is definitely needed - what happened to that Sidibe link from a few weeks ago? Or that Swedish guy even though he does seem no better than Yedlin. In terms of using loans properly, getting Bakayoko from Chelsea to cover centre mid would be good. Or that Man U youngster that was on loan to Villa to cover the right side. Think that would do the job tbh. I'd rather get Carroll in as a free transfer (over Austin) for one season or two - a) to get it out of the way and at least now when he's still only 30. Not a bad option and different to the other options. Otherwise he'll still be linked every summer until he's 35 ('to do a job' for us) or retired. I'm not too fussed about that young Argentine from Inter - too many raw players is also not good - some experience is definitely needed. Out - Murphy, Colback, Lazaar, Saivet, Elliot, Clark,

I was going through old posts looking for something and came across this old post, written when Ben Arfa was forced out. How relevant is it today?! You can add Rafa out and Bruce in and multiple takeover fakeries to the list of crimes committed against the club formerly known as NUFC. When will the penny drop for fans and when will the nightmare end?

Depressingly, Shearer was on 40k and that was 23 years ago. How on Earth is 50k an acceptable top bracket, even as an average wage across the squad it is mediocre.

The ideal summer would have been this: BZG announce purchase to go through 1 September. Keep Rafa. New 4 year deal offered. Sign Rondon - 16.5m - ST Reject Perez bid - unless they offered 45M Reject Longstaff bid - at all costs Sign Joelinton - CF Sign Bowen / Saint Maxim - RW Sign Max / N'Soki - LB Sign Scott - CM Sign Sidibe - RB BZG then announce huge statement CM signing they will be funding on deadline day Mike Ashley dies just minutes after signing the deal to sell to BZG Charnely is fired spectacularly and is chased out of Newcastle What a pointless post lol

At the current rate of spend and considering the new players being linked, I much prefer the signings made in 2015/6 under McClaren - the likes of Wijnaldum and Mitrovic in particular were extremely highly rated (Mitrovic in fact was considered one of the best 20 or 30 young players in the world due to his CL exploits), then you had Thauvin who was extremely exciting and even Mbemba who although not a big name, filled a role that was much needed at the time. Not to mention all of them were very well priced - so it felt that the 80M spent was genuinely of good value - and topped up a squad that already had Sissoko and some remnants of the decent Carr players left. Is Bruce better than McClaren? Not that I'm bothered by any of this by the way - just saying.

This is the first time however I feel that Newcastle genuinely are one of the three weakest teams. Under Keegan they were the proverbial too good to go down team full of big names. It was off the pitch nonsense which caused it. They should never have gone down all being normal. Second time, again bad management from McClaren of course but again the as t team still had decent players and had a lot of investment that summer and players of the ilk of Sissoko, Thauvin, wijnaldum and Mitrovic. This time, it honestly feels like Newcastle are a also ran, favourite for relegation plodder team which in my 25 years of supporting NUFC I can't say I've ever seen. Even poor trams under Roeder and Carver it still felt that NUFC were a PL team who are just underperforming. Now they seem like PL wannabes, pretenders. Why would any owner oversee such a loss of prestige and position, God only knows, especially given it has happened essentially through negligence and sabotage.

I'm starting to think the personnel available are just not right for Rafa's favoured formation. There is only one left back, one right back. No real number 10. With our lopsided squad the only formation that makes sense, is 3 at the back, with 2 wing backs, 3 across the middle, 1 floating and 1 up front. GK - Dubravka We have an abundance of centre backs of decent, international quality. Therefore let's play three of them. My choice would be RCB: Fernandez CB: Lascelles LCB: Dummett Right Wing Back - Yedlin's pace is perfectly suited to the role. Left Wing Back - Kenedy is also perfectly suited to this role - I don't think he is attacking enough as an out and out left winger nor defensive enough as a decent left back. Across the middle: Perhaps Diame, Shelvey and Ritchie. Diame further back, as DM and Ritchie and Shelvey more central - Shelvey as the passer, Ritchie as the one making the runs forward. Then you would have Muto or Perez in that space in between midfield and up front. Rondon the big man up front. I think that literally is the best team we can put out from our first 11. Schar is the guy who can drop in to defence to replace any one the centrebacks. The wingbacks don't really have any replacements - perhaps I would retrain Murphy to take the right wing back role as back up. Ki would be cover for midfield. Muto/Perez for that role. Joselu for Rondon's role. It shows how paper thin the squad is that I couldn't even think of any other outfield players bar Atsu. Even though we've been horrid every time in that formation - we are bound to be if Dummett is considered a wing-back! This one above could get us through to Xmas I feel.

One thing I've noticed, is this renewed ability to conjure up chance after chance which hasn't be seen for a long, long time. Perhaps going back to the Championship season. Throughout the Pardew era, it was sneaking wins through clinical Ba or Cisse finishes, or a moment of magic from Ben Arfa or Cabaye. Rarely did we dominate and even in the games we won by 2 or 3 goals, it was rarely a total battering. Derby last few seasons were similar to the way we are starting to play, in that they would dominate possession and stamp their authority on a lot of games. So that in itself is pleasing to see. In a way, I'm thinking that Mitrovic and Perez, whilst they dovetail very well indeed, aren't the most clinical in the world. But Cisse actually is pretty clinical if you give him chances, he has scored in utter turgid teams that created very little from just one or two chances per game. The 5th season was probably best in terms of chance creation and confidence being high, and he filled his boots. Would anyone else be tempted to go 4-3-3 - like the Keegan inspired Owen, Viduka and Martins, but with Perez in the Owen role, Mitrovic as the Viduka and Cisse as Martins (albeit with more poaching, clinical prowess instead of pure speed or athleticism). Behind them, you could then play Wijnaldum, Sissoko and then Anita (or Tiote) as the defensive lynchpin. There would be a lot of pressure on the wing backs - Janmaat and in this case you would need to play Haidara. I think it would actually yield a real goal threat - more so than we have currently. As Cisse's movement not only will result in goals for him, but free up space for the likes of Mitrovic and Perez. Sissoko and Wijnaldum could cover one another with their drives up the field but would need to ensure Anita (or Tiote) stay back at all times to cover defensively. Thoughts?

In terms of calibre, history, class etc - you'd have to say Coloccini is up there too. A terrible season last year, same as everyone of course but it cannot be denied that he's probably been the best defender of the modern era for NUFC. If this poll was last year, it would be Hatem Ben Arfa without a doubt - and that's even including the new signings!

What I don't understand about NUFC is for a supposed 'risk averse' and 'safe' and 'unambitious' club we don't half take some silly chances. - Carver will oversee more than half the season. That was a frightful decision. - Pardew an 8 year contract - to be honest no-one not even Arsene Wenger or Jose Mourinho should be on an 8 year contract. - Kinnear - nuff said - Kinnear again - ditto - Dennis Wise etc etc Now, even after everything, Patrick Vieira - as much potential as he has, is still unproven. In other years, yes take a punt - but this summer there are SO many good managers available. Tuchel they could have got, ditto Garde, Gourvannec, Jemez, Klopp (possibly), Emery, Bielsa even Ketsbaia etc. There are so many people available with fantastic EUROPEAN experience which suits the current model in place - and who have also got a track record of overachieving with modest clubs. There is simply no need to go for PV. It reminds me of the Ruud Gullit appointment - and even he had somewhat of a decent record at Chelsea at least. Ruud Gullit was one of the best players of his generation - but that doesn't make a good manager, which shows in his subsequent record. Keegan worked out simply because of his pure passion he GALVANISED the club. It helped that he had an attachment to the club - he did okay at Fulham and Man City but didn't have the same impact as here, as it was part of him. He was also an overachiever as a player, achieving much more than many expected. ALl that said, he was a one-off. Bobby Robson on the other hand, was the other end of the spectrum - been there and done it all. Huge contacts, and you could see that people would want to come to the club to sign for him, even in-demand players like Hugo Viana who could have gone anywhere. That's the kind of ilk and gravitas we need. Yes although SBR was local - his wide experience and wisdom was what we benefited from most. Those two and their character were what made NUFC attractive and gave us respect. Its the same reason why people love Klopp and would take an interest in whatever club he was at. My fear with Patrick Vieira is that whilst everyone says he was a great player - which he was, Graeme Souness was a great player. Roy Keane was. Stuart Pearce was. Didier Dechamps was. Laurent Blanc was. Great players very rarely make great managers. And even if they do, it is the more studious, unassuming ones like Guardiola (who was always the thinker and heartbeat of his sides - from day one) that make them. Other clubs go for ambitious appointments - Spurs went for Villas-Boas at the peak of his appeal - it didn't work out for them perhaps (I still think they let him go too early) - he has just won the Russian league with Zenit for only the 4th time in their history. Just for once, I'd like to see NUFC make a sensible choice, based on logic. No need to take risks with a 'new' exciting face like PV, nor is there need to go uber safe and boring with McClaren. Why is there no such thing as a middle ground that exists at NUFC? All this appointment requires is some balance. Garde, Bielsa, Gourvannec, Jemez etc would genuinely fit the bill, as they are fresh, new ideas but they also have a strong experience. Why oh why is it so simple for everyone but the buffoons at the top of the board, making the decisions?!!

Looking forward to a Feast of goals from this guy. Heard he's quite skilful, a good Twister and turner. Word has it he may move to Den Haag in Dec?* *Haagen-Dazs - ok it was weak I know!

I don't believe this rumour, what's the sauce?

Really sad about this. Criminally underused. I really hoped he would play a blinder for a forward thinking manager this next six months, get a years extension to his contract and we'd play entertaining, intelligent football using him, De Jong, Cabella and Perez - would have been so promising. This present NUFC, are the antithesis of the Keegan era - they really are destroyers of dreams. One of the only reasons why I bothered tuning into games over the past four years of dross was to watch this magician at work, even if it was just for a five minute cameo. He suited us, and we suited him. He provided us with that tiny smidgen of hope, in an era when it was lost for many. The player with the greatest 'potential' and natural ability certainly, in my 20 years supporting the club. Will miss him hugely.

We hadn't scored before the 37th minute once this whole season so far. The fraud leaves, and we score twice. Coincidence?

The worst thing about it is that we actually now have a semblance of appreciation for blob Elliot! Only a little bit, mind you. He's still awful. For 20 years we were spoiled with a plethora of riches in the GK department, first Srnicek and Hislop, then Given (who never got injured) and Harper (ditto), then Harper and Krul, and briefly Krul and Forster. We need to get back to a decent no. 1 and 2 pairing ASAP.

I actually recall that the season we signed Abeid, all the FM addicts around me were congratulating me on a top purchase by Newcastle... as he was one of those Henri Saivet, Cherno Samba type of wonderkids on the game! I remember when I used to play the game, back in the day, Ben Arfa was always the wonderkid I used to buy...

You'll get it back, you can't hurry love after all

Southampton's new players were eager to impress the new boss Our new players are loaned out or injured Tiote played twice for the Ivory Coast so wasn't fit for us to start The game after an international week is always difficult It was the Independent's fault, distracting us with talk of our beloved Mike Ashley selling Any one of these are possible

When I have a bit of spare time, I do a bit of blogging about business and leadership predominantly. I've started a short series of articles looking at lessons in leadership from my time supporting Newcastle - with the three part series looking at Keegan, Robson and Shearer. Here is Part 1, on Kevin Keegan: http://threefproject.com/2014/09/08/keegan-robson-shearer/

Given Beye Colo Woodgate Enrique Solano Cabaye Speed Robert Ben Arfa Shearer Subs: Krul Albert Dyer Beardsley Ginola Cole Ferdinand Bellamy Blimey this was tougher than I thought. SBR Director of Football, Keegan as manager I first started following NUFC in 1994, when I was 10 years old.

As a 30 year old, I've supported NUFC since I was at school, which was the Keegan era. Obviously I've seen a lot of highs and lows in that time, but today, like many others I feel well and truly done and finally ready to wash my hands of it all. They have extinguished our one last hope. Literally the only feeling which compares to this is when SBR was sacked, and then replaced with Souness. We were riding high at the time with some really good players so I guess that sickly feeling was more to do with being incredulous at the silly logic by the people at the top, rather than fear and hopelessness for the future. Getting rid of literally both our best defender and best player when the club needs them more than ever... it really beggars belief. I have never felt this way in all my years. Not even relegation, not even Carroll, not even the Souness or Allardyce years, not even when Keegan left first or second time. I think this time, it is the biggest middle finger up to the fans that could have been done. And after so long me just grinning and bearing it, or just accepting our fate or wistfully hoping for the best, they've done it, they've finally broken me. The club feels like an Orwellian nightmare at the moment, a vindictive regime whos aim is to break the spirit of anyone who dares to dream or dares to defy. It reminds me of the film equilibrium, where 'feeling' is a thought crime and punishable. Hence we are reduced to becoming passionless, joyless robots who will accept or like what they have dished out for us or else. Although Keegan left in 1997 after Newcastle were floated on the stock exchange against his will, it has never felt like such a corporate machine. This is suppression. Don't dream. Don't you dare believe. Don't get too attached to your heroes. Keep turning up. Paying your money. Rinse and repeat. It is a hell of an achievement to literally take the most passionate supporters in England and to drive the passion out of them within 5-7 years. Honestly, a hell of an achievement. Do not get me started on Pardew. Here is a man with literally ZERO dignity and delusions of grandeur, who is woefully out of his depth. A car crash, a pure embarassment. I wince every day I realise he is associated with us. If he survives the season, he'll be our longest serving PL manager. Disgusting. People talk about Anfield and St James Park being 'electric' in their atmosphere. I'm not sure St James Park will be any time soon, given the apathy and state of many supporters. And they don't really deserve it anymore. This has freed my emotions at least - I can't really be bothered to get too attached to this shite anymore. I support Ben Arfa, just like Keegan and SBR and all the other martyrs, victims and fall guys of the system. All I say is - do not fall for the clubs propaganda. They lie over and over. They are indicative of a totalitarian, police state. HBA was the symbol of the revolution, the uprising. They've ripped the heart out of that. There are two responses - the revolution can die a death, without its figurehead. Or this can be the straw that breaks the camels back, and the level of vitriol or boycott should be so significant that it brings about change. There's not enough thinkers amongst the fans to make this likely, unfortunately. Sad times.

Yes this is exactly what I meant, spot on

We had this guy for his peak years. Again the question has to be - what would Robson or Keegan have done? Ben Arfa wasn't as badly behaved as Dyer or Bellamy yet it is more talented than the both of them. Both aforementioned managers would have built their teams around him. Made him feel like the best player in the world. That's all that was required with him, he showed for the first time, in that 2012 5th season end product, but more than that, a willingness to finally knuckle down and make something of himself. Pardew is a charlatan, and probably a worse manager than Souness. Anyone backing this clown over HBA really needs a reality check. That is the real sadness, it is over what could have been and the injustice. He is still only 27 - apart from that one injury he is not a has been or overly knackered like Owen was gettting to be at that age, nor demotivated like Kluivert (who again was one of my favourites on his day). A club that treats loyal staff like Gutierrez in such a shambolic fashion should never be backed - the club has lost its soul and class.

Sad He's so damn good.

It should be the managers own teams they built (so a season or two into the reign) rather than the team they inherited. E.g. Souness would be Emre / Parker (as opposed to Robert and Bellamy in the team) Dalglish would be Serrant and Des Hamilton and Barnes as opposed to Ginola and Ferdinand etc etc