Jonás Gutiérrez (now managing Club Almagro)

[Shak]

Excellent squad player.

 

Would like to see someone more creative brought in to play alongside Cabaye and Tiote in the 4-3-3, ideally next year Jonas won't be a part of our strongest eleven. Works his arse off though and can play a few different spots, just what you want in a squad player.

[Yorkie]

He's done OK at times. Not my type of player at all, but each to their own.

 

'Okay at times' is a bit harsh like. He blew hot and cold in the first half of the season, but since the turn of the year - and particularly when we switched formations, he's been good. He was an integral part of the midfield that helped us win six on the bounce. Ben Arfa certainly wouldn't have had the same impact if it weren't for Jonas. The whole "it's Ben Arfa's world" whilst in possession was made possible because Jonas was always there when HBA couldn't get past a defender(s).

 

Aye, you can say that for anyone - "player X wouldn't have been as good if it weren't for player Y" - but Jonas' work ethic and possession play was one of the main reasons why we took the piss against so many midfields during that little spell.

 

But aye, not trying to argue for the sake of him. I can see why he wouldn't be someone's cup of tea.

[Tiresias]

Like him in the central role doing the leg walk for a Cabaye further forward. On wing can be frustrating sometimes, but helps us maintain consistency throughout a match.

 

 

[Ronaldo]

I think he's blown hot and cold all season, tbh.

 

I love him as a bloke and as an athlete but he's an average, average footballer on his best day.

[Tiresias]

He had a poor period this season, but he's ended it strongly, i meant consistency within a game :/

[Sifu]

I reckon he's just knackered.

Me too, he's played pretty much every second of every game and has always put in 100%. Amazing he's still got anything left in the tank.

 

Aye, same here. For the first half of the season, he was essentially a second LB so he has done a lot of tracking back/running. Jonas never gives up and just keeps running and running (into the ground pretty much).

 

He's a key player for me.

[joeyt]

Don't know where he was going for their 2nd today like

[TRC]

He's not a full back to be fair. I like Jonas and will be key next season, although I'd like to see someone with a bit more end product.

[Darth Crooks]

I think he's blown hot and cold all season, tbh.

 

I love him as a bloke and as an athlete but he's an average, average footballer on his best day.

 

He's not Iniesta, no. But average on his best day? That's harsh. On his day he can get past a man and cause problems. If thats average it'll do for me.

[BONTEMPI]

Love him to bits but we should really be looking at upgrading on him next season and keep him as a squad player if at all possible.

 

 

What we need next season to push on

 

Top Class

 

RB

CB

LW

 

Squad Players

 

Holding Mid for cover for Tiote

Creative Mid

Striker/s to replace Loven or Best or both

 

 

Just hope we hold onto our current stars

 

 

[Dr.Spaceman]

It depends what you mean by upgrade. I don't think there are many better wide men in the league who are willing to do what he does for the team.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

On his best day he's essential to our team, on his off days he's still good enough. Don't think today was an off day for him really, going forward he was limited but so was the team in general.

 

I think he's ideal for his current role, if we replaced him with someone more creative we'd need to make sure they could cover enough ground.

[eliassenfredrik]

He's a pretty average player tbh. He has his moments and works hard for the team, but we can definitely bring in someone with more skill. My main hold up with him is his tendency to rarely release the ball when he should. The "replacement" doesn't need to be a winger. I'm hoping for a Sigurdsson-esque signing, a box to box midfielder.

[Guest ThievingMagpie]

Jonas is needed in big games imo, he's a bit like Park Ji-Sung, he is great defensively but doesn't give too much in terms of attack, just enough mind, but he's an important cog in the machine. I think if we can bring in a player better than him, I'm happy for him to be relegated to super-sub status so that he is fresh when he comes on and can harry the ball for a half hour at full speed and just cause a mess of things for other teams.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Replacing Jonas would feel like replacing a relative tbh.

[MyPalAl]

Replacing Jonas would feel like replacing a relative tbh.

 

[David Icke - Son of God]

He's my player of the season. Play everywhere but in goal and done so with a smile and some style. Fucking love it if he scored the goal at Goodison which took us to the CL.

[SteveMc]

We'd be nowt like the same team without him.  The lad must be knackered

[Jayson]

Hm. You look at our current attacking players...Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Jonas, Ba & Cisse.

 

I think if you want to make another step up in attacking ability, Jonas is the one you look at im afraid as hes to inconsistant going forwards. I suspect Marveaux might give him a push for his position next season. Hopefully thatll push him a level higher also, as hes shown he can do it on occasion.

[Elliottman]

Newcastle United have gone from sterile to style council in the space of a year. Chief sports writer Mark Douglas talked to Jonás Gutiérrez about a season of rebirth at St James’ Park

 

IT started with a Tweet, so it is only appropriate that it ended with one too.

 

Newcastle United’s home campaign was ushered in on the back of a social networking storm courtesy of José Enríque and black and white agent provocateur Joey Barton. With that brattish pair long gone, it concluded with Manchester City’s warrior captain Vincent Kompany posting a ringing endorsement of the team Alan Pardew has built.

 

“Don’t let the “big four” fool you,” he wrote. “Newcastle are comfortably amongst the best in the league. No leaving St James’ without bruises.”

 

From the class act who had done most to calm Tyneside’s raging appetite for victory, it was some compliment. Proof, too, that this has been a season of major advances in the North East.

 

With fourth place in the Premier League still up for grabs, it may yet have a fairytale conclusion – although a couple more hurdles have been added to the route into the Champions League for a club currently sitting in fifth.

 

Still, this has been an epic voyage that has captivated the city and region. Newcastle have shed their tag as a club in perma-crisis – an unfair millstone, even if there have been times when internal dissent has hampered the club – and gained credibility.

 

For Jonás Gutiérrez, it is time to mark United’s achievements and to celebrate the return of “respect” and pride to St James’ Park.

 

“When you think back to the start of the season, the press and a lot of other people were thinking that with two games to go, Manchester City would be playing to win the title and Newcastle would be playing a crucial game to try to avoid relegation,” he admits.

 

“Instead, it was a game where we talking about the Champions League. To me, that says it all. All season, this team has been really focused and together. It is a group of really good lads who all want the same thing.

 

“The players that are not involved are still with the team as well. The strong thing about Newcastle this season has been exactly that – the spirit and focus in the squad.”

 

Allied to that United front, Newcastle have also subtly shifted their style and adopted a more forward-thinking, creative approach.

 

At times in their first season back in the Premier League, there was little subtle about their play. They hit the channels early and with Andy Carroll at the fulcrum, made the most of dead balls and long passes.

 

Blessed with more options this term, Pardew has turned United into slicker unit that are altogether more pleasing on the eye. Gutiérrez speaks for the entire team when he says he “loves” the fact the team is more “stylish”.

 

“It did not take long to know that this would be a good season,” he said.

 

“I remember thinking after the first couple of games that the style of football we were playing was really good. It felt different to what had gone before. I like to play good football, and at the start of this season, it was the first real time since I have been here that I thought the football we would be playing would be exactly like the football that I like to play.

 

“I love the style of football that we have played. You can always still lose the game, but here at Newcastle now we always try to play good football. In every game during the season, we have tried to do that.

 

“Sometimes you can do it, sometimes not. But we try. Maybe last year, we got good results as well, but we played with a different style. That was okay.

 

“There were different players in the team then, so the style was always going to be different. We changed the players and that allowed us to change the style. I think the fans enjoy this style more.

 

“They like to see good football. You don’t say that the other way was wrong – it wasn’t like that. It was just that that was the way it was then, and this is the way it is now.”

 

United’s failure to beat Manchester City means they are the underdogs in the fight to clinch Champions League qualification heading into the final day.

 

But when the final whistle is blown at Goodison Park, there will be no sense of failure if United’s worst case scenario unfolds. Sixth place is the lowest they can finish now – even that, with its reward of European football, cannot be classified as a disappointment.

 

Newcastle United are back – and they have real impetus and belief once more.

 

“Whatever happens, we are talking about a great season for Newcastle,” Gutiérrez confirmed.

 

“In the last eight games, we have won six, so we have to be pleased with the way we have been playing.

 

“We want the same thing as the fans – to be as high in the league as we possibly can.

 

“That is normal, and I think we are doing a great job to try to finish the season strongly. We have one more game and we have to keep focused on that game.

 

“If we win, then God will decide what happens. But we just have to think about getting the three points and doing our best to win.”

 

[Adam]

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Hm. You look at our current attacking players...Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Jonas, Ba & Cisse.

 

I think if you want to make another step up in attacking ability, Jonas is the one you look at im afraid as hes to inconsistant going forwards. I suspect Marveaux might give him a push for his position next season. Hopefully thatll push him a level higher also, as hes shown he can do it on occasion.

 

Football isn't all about attacking ability though. The work that Jonas puts in has to be considered, especially in a narrow midfield that relies on people running their arses off.

[Ronaldo]

Hm. You look at our current attacking players...Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Jonas, Ba & Cisse.

 

I think if you want to make another step up in attacking ability, Jonas is the one you look at im afraid as hes to inconsistant going forwards. I suspect Marveaux might give him a push for his position next season. Hopefully thatll push him a level higher also, as hes shown he can do it on occasion.

 

Football isn't all about attacking ability though. The work that Jonas puts in has to be considered, especially in a narrow midfield that relies on people running their arses off.

 

Ian, man. Christ.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Hm. You look at our current attacking players...Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Jonas, Ba & Cisse.

 

I think if you want to make another step up in attacking ability, Jonas is the one you look at im afraid as hes to inconsistant going forwards. I suspect Marveaux might give him a push for his position next season. Hopefully thatll push him a level higher also, as hes shown he can do it on occasion.

 

Football isn't all about attacking ability though. The work that Jonas puts in has to be considered, especially in a narrow midfield that relies on people running their arses off.

 

Ian, man. Christ.

 

Eh?

[MW]

So dismissive