Hatem Ben Arfa

[midds]

Bellamy's pace and movement created the extra bit of space and time which benefitted Shearer. Quality service and delivery from right AND LEFT once Robert signed meant crosses coming in from both wings which balanced the side up and stretched the field for the defenders.

 

Robson went out and signed those 2 and everything just clicked from there.

 

We'll not mention how he went for Zenden and Jeffers first though.

[MidfieldGeneral]

 

We'll not mention how he went for Zenden and Jeffers first though.

 

I can remeber how gutted I was at the time that we'd never got either lol.

[Disco]

Bellamy's pace and movement created the extra bit of space and time which benefitted Shearer. Quality service and delivery from right AND LEFT once Robert signed meant crosses coming in from both wings which balanced the side up and stretched the field for the defenders.

 

Robson went out and signed those 2 and everything just clicked from there.

 

We'll not mention how he went for Zenden and Jeffers first though.

 

Zenden would've been alreet but it shows he knew where we were lacking.

[midds]

Bellamy's pace and movement created the extra bit of space and time which benefitted Shearer. Quality service and delivery from right AND LEFT once Robert signed meant crosses coming in from both wings which balanced the side up and stretched the field for the defenders.

 

Robson went out and signed those 2 and everything just clicked from there.

 

We'll not mention how he went for Zenden and Jeffers first though.

 

Zenden would've been alreet but it shows he knew where we were lacking.

 

Exactly.

[Hughesy]

I think everyone knows that the team became better with the additions of Bellamy and Robert - but surely all that proves is that with a more balanced team we achieved more? 

 

I think my point still stands that without Shearer in that team, Bellamy (and Newcastle) wouldn't have been half as successful as he was because Bellamy's goalscoring record was average.  So yes - Bellamy and Robert helped Shearer score goals - but so did Speed, Solano, Lee, Dyer etc.  And Shearer's ability to finish helped the rest of the team.

[Ronaldo]

You've only got to look at how abysmal Shearer became when Bellamy was fucked off and Robert hit his decline.

[BottledDog]

It's Veloso and Michael Johnson all over again, make a bid that's never going to be accepted and they walk away claiming we tried our best and then sign either a free transfer or no one at all.

 

I'm sure we did the same thing with Victor Moses and Giles Barnes as well.

 

When the club suggested there was little money to spend in the first place, have not confirmed an offer, and have yet to even discuss the player other than to dismiss suggestions that any contact had been made? That's a hell of an angry imagination you have there Chubby.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Still nobody's managed to convince me why the club would be interested in making people think they were making signings and then not doing.

 

We judge everything on sigings, don't we? We're not going to say, "we got relegated but fair play to Ashley for trying and failing to get Ben Arfa".

[Hughesy]

I suppose it helps your argument if you ignore the fact that the team we had at the end of Shearer's career was worse and Shearer was 2-3 years older?

[Guest Chubby Jason]

It's Veloso and Michael Johnson all over again, make a bid that's never going to be accepted and they walk away claiming we tried our best and then sign either a free transfer or no one at all.

 

I'm sure we did the same thing with Victor Moses and Giles Barnes as well.

 

When the club suggested there was little money to spend in the first place, have not confirmed an offer, and have yet to even discuss the player other than to dismiss suggestions that any contact had been made? That's a hell of an angry imagination you have there Chubby.

I was not imagining the previous examples I mentioned, along with the fact that the truth about these things usually comes out eventually. I have very little doubt that come September we won't have signed anyone and Ashley or one of his cronies will cite a bid for Ben Arfa that never came off despite the club's best efforts.

 

It's the same every time, I hate to be a cynic but every transfer window under Ashley has been an utter embarrassment and Ashley's spin does nothing but insult the fans' intelligence, I'd love this one to come off but I imagine it almost certainly will not, and it will be the same old story again.

[midds]

I guess we can scrap the poll too.

 

Ben Arfa or bust. 

[BottledDog]

It's Veloso and Michael Johnson all over again, make a bid that's never going to be accepted and they walk away claiming we tried our best and then sign either a free transfer or no one at all.

 

I'm sure we did the same thing with Victor Moses and Giles Barnes as well.

 

When the club suggested there was little money to spend in the first place, have not confirmed an offer, and have yet to even discuss the player other than to dismiss suggestions that any contact had been made? That's a hell of an angry imagination you have there Chubby.

 

Deschamps has confirmed we are in discussions with them though.

 

Cool, got a link?

[BottledDog]

It's Veloso and Michael Johnson all over again, make a bid that's never going to be accepted and they walk away claiming we tried our best and then sign either a free transfer or no one at all.

 

I'm sure we did the same thing with Victor Moses and Giles Barnes as well.

 

When the club suggested there was little money to spend in the first place, have not confirmed an offer, and have yet to even discuss the player other than to dismiss suggestions that any contact had been made? That's a hell of an angry imagination you have there Chubby.

I was not imagining the previous examples I mentioned, along with the fact that the truth about these things usually comes out eventually. I have very little doubt that come September we won't have signed anyone and Ashley or one of his cronies will cite a bid for Ben Arfa that never came off despite the club's best efforts.

 

It's the same every time, I hate to be a cynic but every transfer window under Ashley has been an utter embarrassment and Ashley's spin does nothing but insult the fans' intelligence, I'd love this one to come off but I imagine it almost certainly will not, and it will be the same old story again.

 

I doubt it will come off also, but not because we haven't tried, but because he is either beyond our budget or other teams offered him more professionally or personally.

 

Those other name you mention. How much did WBA pay for Barnes and his 18 month contract? Was it more than West Hams £4m, or our £2m offer? I doubt it. Times change I guess, but we offered what he we felt he was worth, and I think our valuation was probably right.

 

Victor Moses, what did we offer? Not sure that anything was official but was it around £2m again? Seemed a fair offer for the risks involved considering we were still in the Championship. Once a Premiership team came in for him though, in my opinion we didn't stand a chance.

 

In either case, I don't see much evidence of the club trying to dupe its supporters (not that raising and then dashing expectations seems worthy of building a conspiracy around in the first place), just a club trying to be fairly prudent and missing out on some of the deals that make it into the papers.

[BottledDog]

http://www.lephoceen.fr/depeches-OM/mercato-ben-arfa-a-le-choix-20631

 

The coming days will be decisive for Hatem, whose main demands are from England and more specifically Newcastle ("contacts exist with Newcastle having been confirmed by the club," said Deschamps), Germany (Hoffenheim) and more recently in Portugal.

 

From yesterday's press conference I believe.

 

 

 

Can't see owt happening, but hope he's right.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

There's no way every transfer window under Ashley has been an "utter embarrassment" Jason, we haven't made big signings but we have usually addressed weaknesses and done fairly well.

 

Yes, some weaknesses remain, they will take time to solve with the right players at prices that are realistic for the current economy and state of the club.

[David Icke - Son of God]

It's Veloso and Michael Johnson all over again, make a bid that's never going to be accepted and they walk away claiming we tried our best and then sign either a free transfer or no one at all.

 

I'm sure we did the same thing with Victor Moses and Giles Barnes as well.

 

When the club suggested there was little money to spend in the first place, have not confirmed an offer, and have yet to even discuss the player other than to dismiss suggestions that any contact had been made? That's a hell of an angry imagination you have there Chubby.

I was not imagining the previous examples I mentioned, along with the fact that the truth about these things usually comes out eventually. I have very little doubt that come September we won't have signed anyone and Ashley or one of his cronies will cite a bid for Ben Arfa that never came off despite the club's best efforts.

 

It's the same every time, I hate to be a cynic but every transfer window under Ashley has been an utter embarrassment and Ashley's spin does nothing but insult the fans' intelligence, I'd love this one to come off but I imagine it almost certainly will not, and it will be the same old story again.

 

I doubt it will come off also, but not because we haven't tried, but because he is either beyond our budget or other teams offered him more professionally or personally.

 

Those other name you mention. How much did WBA pay for Barnes and his 18 month contract? Was it more than West Hams £4m, or our £2m offer? I doubt it. Times change I guess, but we offered what he we felt he was worth, and I think our valuation was probably right.

 

Victor Moses, what did we offer? Not sure that anything was official but was it around £2m again? Seemed a fair offer for the risks involved considering we were still in the Championship. Once a Premiership team came in for him though, in my opinion we didn't stand a chance.

 

In either case, I don't see much evidence of the club trying to dupe its supporters (not that raising and then dashing expectations seems worthy of building a conspiracy around in the first place), just a club trying to be fairly prudent and missing out on some of the deals that make it into the papers.

 

This tbh. I'm a huge critic of Ashley but the idea that almost every bid is smoke and mirrors to build supporters hopes is bollocks. In the past the club have gone about stuff in a less than professional way but a conceited attempt to mislead the fans and look busy? Nah.

[Dokko]

Can't really blame people being paranoid about the board movements in the transfer market and the prospect of them purposely misleading us after their previous form, but i can't really see any evidence of that so far this window.

 

There's not enough players coming through the door and there's certainly not enough money being spent, but I honestly expected worse after that statement.

 

 

[QBG]

Someone on twitter reckons he's off to Hoffenheim and we've given up. Don't really care anymore tbh.

[Weznufc]

same here mate

[David28]

Someone on twitter reckons he's off to Hoffenheim and we've given up. Don't really care anymore tbh.

 

He won't go to Hoffenheim.

 

I don't think he'll come here either, but I'm convinced he won't join Hoffenheim.

[Ikon]

damnit this is annoying, this saga!

[Weezertron]

At the end of the day he's probably too good for us.

[QBG]

Someone on twitter reckons he's off to Hoffenheim and we've given up. Don't really care anymore tbh.

 

Whose the someone?

 

No one reliable, just some fansite. Didn't really think they were noteworthy enough to mention, but thought I'd throw it out there.

[Guest neesy111]

I'm not believing anything until he's actually signed for a team, tbf marseille are not exactly doing well in this as they need to sell him to buy a new striker

[MidfieldGeneral]

http://www.footballfancast.com/2010/08/football-blogs/ben-afar-maybe-too-much-of-a-gamble-for-pl-clubs?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ffc_newcastle_united_blogs+%28FFC_Newcastle_United_Blogs%29

 

Write up about him on here.