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We're trying to emulate them.

 

No we aren't, and I don't think anyone with any intelligence truly believes that either.

 

The ONLY similarity is that we're the only 2 teams that regularly make money in the transfer market. In Arsenal's case, it's because Wenger (and his staff) are one-offs (in this country) at spotting potential and developing players so the players he sells who are fully developed and often beyond their peak command bigger fees than the one's with potential he brings in. Often there's no need to go out and buy a direct replacement as there's a younger player already in the squad ready to step into their shoes. In our case, it's simply down to a desire to make a profit. The players we are bringing in are not being signed because they are players the scouts believe are the most likely to develop into some of the best players in the world, they are just the ones who through contractual or other reasons the scouts believe are undervalued in the market. The players we've sold for the largest fees are precisely the one's with the potential to develop which we should be trying our hardest to keep if we want to improve as a football team. They are 2 completely different models based on 2 completely different sets of aims.

 

If we're trying to emulate anyone, a better example would be Alan Sugar's Spurs.

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And that would actually be one of the only few times that Wenger's spent big to replace a player he lost for big money.

 

He didn't replace Vieira after getting £12m for him. He spent £8m to replace the £17m Kolo Toure. He didn't spend much of the £26m for Adebayor. He hasn't and doesn't look like he's going to spend the £7m he got for Clichy. Henry went for £16m and they didn't spend big to replace him.

 

They run on a unique model. We're trying to emulate them. It's hard, but when a player is overvalued by another you club, you let him go. I think Carroll fits into this situation. If we're able to sign a decent striker then I would say our team is much stronger than it was last season, and this whole transfer window would have been a productive one.

 

We will have two wingers who - on paper, at least - will be as good as Jonas is. We will have a new offensive CM - Cabaye - who - on paper, again - will be better than anyone who played for us in that position last year. We will have two good strikers instead of one - Ba and the new guy. There are a couple of kids who look like they're better than the old guys we played last year - Abeid and Vukcic.

 

All in all, I think our squad has improved. Whether that's by promoting from within or spending big or searching for value, the improvement and the degree - substantial, imo - is what I'm concerned about. I think a good window sets us up for a good season.

 

We would be better off if we spent more of the Carroll money, but that ain't happening. To focus on that, I feel, is to miss the picture of us improving. If Pardew's able to implement his vision then we'd be a top 10 team pretty easily, and for a team two seasons from the Championship, that's pretty decent. I'm not a non-believer like Pardew is. I think we can challenge the top teams, and we can do so in the short-term (2-3 years). But it won't happen in one window.

 

Don't know if we're genuinely trying to emulate Arsenal or not, jury out on that one, but otherwise I enjoyed reading your post.

 

Full of optimism, not a drop of 'doom & gloom' in sight. :thup: from me.

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Guest dogbeak

aye, its slow, frustrating and hard, but i have hopes we'll close the window in fair better shape than we went into it.

 

very good post, that man.

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http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2011/08/11/carroll-departure-pardew-s-biggest-test-61634-29215839/

Carroll departure Pardew’s biggest test

 

    by Steve Brown, The Journal

    Aug 11 2011

 

While various issues such as Twitter rants and injuries have been vexing, the loss of Andy Carroll still ranks as the toughest test of Alan Pardew’s career, writes Steve Brown

 

BETWEEN Twitter and transfers, insults and injury, Alan Pardew admits to having encountered “some disruption” this summer.

 

But the biggest test of his managerial career? No, that came and went with Andy Carroll.

 

So while he confesses Newcastle United remain “vulnerable” as they prepare to kick off the new Premier League season at home to Arsenal on Saturday, and predicts further “upset” in future transfer windows, the Magpies boss is content enough to take it all in his stride.

 

Goodness, he’s even looking forward to it.

 

Pre-season has been no more “abnormal” than any other, an “interesting” spell of the usual upheaval to be negotiated before things “settle down” for the action proper.

 

And when it does? “I think we’ll do well,” Pardew says.

 

Players and squad are, he believes, in good shape, with the half a dozen or so additions to personnel – many unseen but all well-scouted – set to make a positive contribution.

 

And though he knows Newcastle must overcome the difficulty of “second-season syndrome”, achievement will be measured in any tangible improvement on last year.

 

After all, following the controversial sale of Carroll, times can hardly come any trickier. Can they?

 

“No,” he said, when asked if the summer had constituted his most challenging period in management.

 

“Losing Andy Carroll mid-season, I think. I’d only just been at the club, and it was very, very damaging and difficult for me.

 

“So this has been not too abnormal to any other pre-season as far as I’m concerned.

 

“Pre-season’s always interesting, with the transfer market open and people manoeuvring. Now it’s all about to settle down.

 

“Once we kick off, the serious business begins and all of the pre-season stuff has just been a preparation. That’s what it is.

 

“We’re looking forward to it. We’ve got a huge game to start with. It’ll be a packed St James’ and I think we’ll do well.

 

“Physically we’re in the right place.

 

“By the time we get to Saturday hopefully we’ll be right mentally too.

 

“We’ve had some disruption but Arsenal have had just as much, if not more, with squad players and Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas in particular. This is what happens, absolutely.

 

“When you’re vulnerable to the big clubs, sovereign clubs run by sovereign states, then I’m afraid your players are going to be slightly unsettled. That’s where we are and until such time as being in the Champions League and having other revenue incomes from that, we’re going to be vulnerable to this upset.

 

“And it’ll happen in the next window too. I wouldn’t be surprised, the next window opens and we’ll have an upsetting period again.

 

“But I think we’re in a good position. We’ve now brought in five or six players who will add to the group and they’ll all contribute to the first team. Whenever you buy players from abroad, of course they’ve not been seen. When (Cristiano) Ronaldo came from abroad, and Nani, no one had heard of them.

 

“We’re just hoping that the players that we bring in are a success, and sometimes you can cut out the chance of them not being a success by good scouting, which I think we’ve got in place. It’s about making sure you do your homework and I think we’ve done that.” Now, after the revision, comes the examination, and Pardew feels confident his pupils can pass their next test.

 

“A good season would be to improve on last season, and that’s our immediate aim,” he said.

 

“The second year’s always difficult and we’ve got a lot of new players. We’ll just have to see, and we’ll probably know more after 10 games what sort of season we’ll have. Mike (Ashley) has made it clear that he wants the club on a sound financial footing, with stability. I think we have that and now it’s about getting the best football team within that.

 

“We have to understand that we can’t compete against Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea. We can’t until such time as we build ourselves, build our financial base, build ourselves as a team, start to get players coming through and threatening those top teams.” And speaking of “players coming through”... One bright spot amid this troubled summer has been the emergence of a number of the club’s younger players.

 

So while fully aware of the importance Newcastle fans place on a connecting empathy with their heroes, and local prospects such as James Tavernier, Sammy Ameobi and Michael Richardson especially, the United boss has predicted a bright future on Tyneside for those mentioned, and others.

 

“Sammy will feature in the first team and I think Haris will too,” he said.

 

“I think Mehdi (Abeid), who we signed in the summer but really as a development player, has done very well. He could feature in the first team this year. James Tavernier as well.

 

“So that bodes really well. From the off? I don’t know about that but it bodes really well for the future.”

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Shearer-tastic comments about Ronaldo and Nani there. ;)

 

What doesn't stack up is the stuff about building up with young players coming through. If they're any good, we will sell them. Back to square one.

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Shearer-tastic comments about Ronaldo and Nani there. ;)

 

What doesn't stack up is the stuff about building up with young players coming through. If they're any good, we will sell them. Back to square one.

 

But the money will all be put back into the club?

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“Sammy will feature in the first team and I think Haris will too,” he said.

 

“I think Mehdi (Abeid), who we signed in the summer but really as a development player, has done very well. He could feature in the first team this year. James Tavernier as well.

 

Pleased to see that. Surely there must be a contract in the offing for Shola junior and the one that Dave knows his aunt?

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Shearer-tastic comments about Ronaldo and Nani there. ;)

 

What doesn't stack up is the stuff about building up with young players coming through. If they're any good, we will sell them. Back to square one.

 

That has happened once? It was a ridiculous figure, the same price as Fabregas, and nearly the same as Aguero.

 

I suppose you can count N'Zogbia too, but at the time he was out of the team.

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I'm sure it'll be a ridiculous figure next time as well. Because they're good. That's the whole point.

 

I don't really see much of a problem with that approach, providing you replace them. We replaced Carroll with Ba so far, time will tell if it was a good move.

 

I remember when Shepherd said Abramovic didn't have enough Roubles (sp?) to buy Jenas, I was happy with that, but in 12 months later I was well fucked off.

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I'm sure it'll be a ridiculous figure next time as well. Because they're good. That's the whole point.

 

I don't really see much of a problem with that approach, providing you replace them. We replaced Carroll with Ba so far, time will tell if it was a good move.

 

I remember when Shepherd said Abramovic didn't have enough Roubles (sp?) to buy Jenas, I was happy with that, but in 12 months later I was well f***ed off.

 

That was Dyer, not Jenas. Why on earth would Chelsea want Jenas? :lol:

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Don't like all this talk he's doing at the moment about being upset in the next window as well because we "can't compete" sounds very much like Tiote, Coloccini Ben Arfa, anyone decent could go in january if they play well and bids come in. Sad times :(

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