duo

Sounds like it was all down to money.

Usual service resumed.

..now Pardew is available.

Consummate Professional - he'd never let on if something was wrong.

Callback ...

Newcastle not strengthening is a gamble - people say we have the strongest squad but i disagree. Strongest 1st 11 yes but when players like Sammi are on the bench it's clear we lack strength in depth. We need to get promoted this season or Rafa is off - he'll not do another season in the Championship.

The fact Collback is back up to Shelvey worries me.

You say that but he's always made money be it TV money, free advertising, players sold. He always wins - club come a distant second.

Do you actually think we're gambling on promotion like? We've got more than enough to see us win it, in my opinion. Apart from a couple of games at the end of December, start of January, it's been plain sailing. Did you see the games when Shelvey was banned?

Penny-wise, pound-foolish - Ashley has always been the same the cheap t***. It's like a cruel joke - he gets a World Class manager and then cuts the funds forcing him to walk. Keegan all over again.

this

Its like we never learn. Why gamble with promotion? - considering the money at state £20 mil on a couple of decent players to gives us that push is money well spent.

You said that at the end of last January too. This time I'm right though yes? If we're panicking now, with the best manager and squad in the league and an excellent position in the table then it just seems like it's a permanent state of affairs. Of course fans always want more players but logicially it's always going to be hard to sign the right people for the reasons we all know about. Getting top-half PL players to join a championship team (in January) has to be one of the toughest transfer tasks around. We're never going to have two Gayles or two Shelveys. It's brilliant we've got one. Striker wise I am not too worried and I still have hope for Mitro and Murphy has shown he's up for the fight. It's midfield that I am concerned about - I am not expecting someone of the calibre of Shelvey just someone more capable than Collback. If Shelvey's ban taught us anything it's that we need cover.

He won't walk now - but come end of season - promotion or not if Ashley isn't backing him he's going to walk. Rafa would have had plenty of potential targets and to not even get one player in is a poor sign of intent from Ashley. I can't believe some of you aren't worried.

This. Can't believe Rafa would have signed up to manager us in the Championship if he wasn't promised he'd be given money for players. He clearly has had players in mind but the club haven't delivered. Long term this isn't good - promotion or not he'll walk.

Totally agree. It's ridiculous.

Can't blame Mitro for us conceding 3.....

Rafa is smart he'll just choose his words carefully - seem to remember him referencing 'till end of the season' quite a lot.

..or gets injured.

I am not so sure. Rafa is the most meticulous manager we've ever had - our Summer transfer activity was proof of that - there was no messing around. Rafa would have identified his Jan transfer targets months is advance. He always mentions how he's in constant comms with Lee Charnley so it would have been with a budget in mind. Something has definitely occurred. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/20/newcastle-andros-townsend-crystal-palace Strongly placed to win promotion from the Championship, Newcastle have ample cash reserves but Mike Ashley, their owner, has provided Benítez with a rather less generous budget this month than had originally been envisaged

I think you're right. He's too honourable to walk away now. Ashley will never change. All he cares about is just being in the premier league.

Pleased Ritchie is getting back on the score sheet.

We've lost. Guaranteed to give a stupid foul away which will lead to a goal. Birminghams' 12th man. You'd think he'd replaced Xavi, not an utterly s*** obsolete excuse for a midfielder. I'm not defending Tiote but why risk it with Collback when Hayden is on the bench.

We've lost. Guaranteed to give a stupid foul away which will lead to a goal. Birminghams' 12th man.