Four MASSIVE months

[Guest BooBoo]

I know, I know. This is probably NWOAT. Sod it though, just putting the feelers out for what is a pretty big week for NUFC. Notwithstandng the European qualifier, I honestly think the next four days could relly shape how the club moves forward in the next few years. Last season was incredible and everyone from Pards down deserves massive credit. Pretty much everyone at the club pulled up trees to get us finishing fifth and frankly I think it's a lot to expect a repeat performance; we've set our own bar and it's very high. The coaching staff and playing staff deserved in my view to be supported, they needed help and needed reassurance to say to the players like Cisse, Colo and Cabaye that the club is on the up and going places, that last year wasn't just a plodding club who punched above their weight.

 

So far we've not seen that. I've certainly not seen any evidence that Ashley has got his passion back for the club. Pards talked about a goal scoring defender, nobody's come in. We let Lovenkrands and Best go, neither spectacular but would have done a job in the league cup or against the European featherweights; neither has been replaced. A group of promising youngsters have joined and with any luck, one or two might make the big step up to Premier League standard. Anita I found ever so slightly baffling. From the limited stuff I've seen so far, he looks very tidy on the ball but was he signed to combine with Tiote/ Cabaye or replace one of them? In all a net spend of what, roughly £2-3 million?

 

Of course all that may change in the next few days. It's alarming though that the club have seemingly narrowed our targets down to such a small pool of players- one RB Debuchy, one CB Douglas and Carroll. If we have other targets, we've done an amazing job of keeping them out of the press.

 

So I was just ending what's the consensus, which scenario is most likely:

 

1. We bring in one or more of the trinity leaving us with a decent squad capable of pushing on in Europe and in the league. I firmly believe 4th is up for grabs and strengthening the key areas could give us a real shot.

 

2. We bring in no-one leaving us with what we've got. Essentially for me, that's a good first choice XI but a thin pool of back up, certainly up front. Realistically a decent European run and top 8 finish would be acceptable.

 

3. The nightmare of bringing in no-one but selling a top name at the eleventh hour. For what it's worth, I don't think that will happen but if for one second it did and we ended another window in the black then we'd have a grasp once and for all on Ashley's ambition. We'd almost certainly slip back into the middle men of the Premier League.

 

I didn't think the importance of the next 4 days can be understated. Hopefully, for once, we'll be left pleasantly surprised.

 

 

[SEMTEX]

NWOAT

[The Prophet]

Was just saying this yesterday, potentially four season defining days coming up with Atrmoitos, Villa and the transfer window SLAMMING SHUT.

[Guest BooBoo]

NWOAT

 

It really is worthy though. Hugely worthy in fact

 

[SEMTEX]

Anyway, we won't be doing any business IMO.

[Cajun]

NWOAT

 

 

[Tooj]

This has 2003/04 season wrote all over it.

[SEMTEX]

NWOAT

 

It really is worthy though. Hugely worthy in fact

 

 

Aye, but you started the thread with "I know, I know. This is probably NWOAT.", so you deserved it. Approach the subject confidently and your peers will respect you.

 

ps tl;dr

 

 

[Guest BooBoo]

This has 2003/04 season wrote all over it.

 

All it takes is a penalty shoot out on Thursday night.....

[BONTEMPI]

I think 2 if i'm honest.

 

Hope i'm wrong and it's 1, otherwise it shows we are being run by cretins.

[Beren]

[Chicken Dancer]

This has 2003/04 season wrote all over it.

 

All it takes is a penalty shoot out on Thursday night.....

 

Don't even joke about that. I'd cry, that was up there with Lisbon as the most depressing moment I've experienced since following NUFC.

[Flartyblartclart]

Players with ambition won't stay at an ambitious less club.  We've had 3 months to strengthen and haven't.  Can't see us doing anything these last days of the window.

[binnsy]

I know, I know. This is probably NWOAT. Sod it though, just putting the feelers out for what is a pretty big week for NUFC. Notwithstandng the European qualifier, I honestly think the next four days could relly shape how the club moves forward in the next few years. Last season was incredible and everyone from Pards down deserves massive credit. Pretty much everyone at the club pulled up trees to get us finishing fifth and frankly I think it's a lot to expect a repeat performance; we've set our own bar and it's very high. The coaching staff and playing staff deserved in my view to be supported, they needed help and needed reassurance to say to the players like Cisse, Colo and Cabaye that the club is on the up and going places, that last year wasn't just a plodding club who punched above their weight.

 

So far we've not seen that. I've certainly not seen any evidence that Ashley has got his passion back for the club. Pards talked about a goal scoring defender, nobody's come in. We let Lovenkrands and Best go, neither spectacular but would have done a job in the league cup or against the European featherweights; neither has been replaced. A group of promising youngsters have joined and with any luck, one or two might make the big step up to Premier League standard. Anita I found ever so slightly baffling. From the limited stuff I've seen so far, he looks very tidy on the ball but was he signed to combine with Tiote/ Cabaye or replace one of them? In all a net spend of what, roughly £2-3 million?

 

Of course all that may change in the next few days. It's alarming though that the club have seemingly narrowed our targets down to such a small pool of players- one RB Debuchy, one CB Douglas and Carroll. If we have other targets, we've done an amazing job of keeping them out of the press.

 

So I was just ending what's the consensus, which scenario is most likely:

 

1. We bring in one or more of the trinity leaving us with a decent squad capable of pushing on in Europe and in the league. I firmly believe 4th is up for grabs and strengthening the key areas could give us a real shot.

 

2. We bring in no-one leaving us with what we've got. Essentially for me, that's a good first choice XI but a thin pool of back up, certainly up front. Realistically a decent European run and top 8 finish would be acceptable.

 

3. The nightmare of bringing in no-one but selling a top name at the eleventh hour. For what it's worth, I don't think that will happen but if for one second it did and we ended another window in the black then we'd have a grasp once and for all on Ashley's ambition. We'd almost certainly slip back into the middle men of the Premier League.

 

I didn't think the importance of the next 4 days can be understated. Hopefully, for once, we'll be left pleasantly surprised.

 

 

 

You talk about letting Lovenkrands and Best go but fail to mention Guthrie leaving the club but you are baffled by the signing of Anita?? Surely you weren't expecting the team to go through the whole season with just Cabaye and Tiote in central midfield?? 

[Fenham Mag]

NWOAT

 

 

[Shak]

Aye, massive few days.

 

If we sell a big player and bring nobody in it'll be a disaster, last season will essentially have been for nowt in the long term and I could see us regressing this year.

 

If we see no incomings and no outgoings I'll be disappointed, the squad looks a bit thin and we've got more games this year, we'll need to avoid injuries if we're going to push for Europe.

 

Sign a RB and a striker and we have a shot at pushing for fourth.

 

I expect nothing to happen.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

This has 2003/04 season wrote all over it.

 

All it takes is a penalty shoot out on Thursday night.....

 

Don't even joke about that. I'd cry, that was up there with Lisbon as the most depressing moment I've experienced since following NUFC.

 

Oh aye, getting spanked in Lisbon was far worse than getting Joe pissing Kinnear in as manager and getting relegated without much of a fight.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Nothing will happen and we will go backwards as a result.

 

Anita is the Bowyer of 2012.

[duo]

January will be interesting if we don't bring in a striker 

[Guest BooBoo]

I know, I know. This is probably NWOAT. Sod it though, just putting the feelers out for what is a pretty big week for NUFC. Notwithstandng the European qualifier, I honestly think the next four days could relly shape how the club moves forward in the next few years. Last season was incredible and everyone from Pards down deserves massive credit. Pretty much everyone at the club pulled up trees to get us finishing fifth and frankly I think it's a lot to expect a repeat performance; we've set our own bar and it's very high. The coaching staff and playing staff deserved in my view to be supported, they needed help and needed reassurance to say to the players like Cisse, Colo and Cabaye that the club is on the up and going places, that last year wasn't just a plodding club who punched above their weight.

 

So far we've not seen that. I've certainly not seen any evidence that Ashley has got his passion back for the club. Pards talked about a goal scoring defender, nobody's come in. We let Lovenkrands and Best go, neither spectacular but would have done a job in the league cup or against the European featherweights; neither has been replaced. A group of promising youngsters have joined and with any luck, one or two might make the big step up to Premier League standard. Anita I found ever so slightly baffling. From the limited stuff I've seen so far, he looks very tidy on the ball but was he signed to combine with Tiote/ Cabaye or replace one of them? In all a net spend of what, roughly £2-3 million?

 

Of course all that may change in the next few days. It's alarming though that the club have seemingly narrowed our targets down to such a small pool of players- one RB Debuchy, one CB Douglas and Carroll. If we have other targets, we've done an amazing job of keeping them out of the press.

 

So I was just ending what's the consensus, which scenario is most likely:

 

1. We bring in one or more of the trinity leaving us with a decent squad capable of pushing on in Europe and in the league. I firmly believe 4th is up for grabs and strengthening the key areas could give us a real shot.

 

2. We bring in no-one leaving us with what we've got. Essentially for me, that's a good first choice XI but a thin pool of back up, certainly up front. Realistically a decent European run and top 8 finish would be acceptable.

 

3. The nightmare of bringing in no-one but selling a top name at the eleventh hour. For what it's worth, I don't think that will happen but if for one second it did and we ended another window in the black then we'd have a grasp once and for all on Ashley's ambition. We'd almost certainly slip back into the middle men of the Premier League.

 

I didn't think the importance of the next 4 days can be understated. Hopefully, for once, we'll be left pleasantly surprised.

 

 

 

You talk about letting Lovenkrands and Best go but fail to mention Guthrie leaving the club but you are baffled by the signing of Anita?? Surely you weren't expecting the team to go through the whole season with just Cabaye and Tiote in central midfield?? 

 

I'm just a bit puzzled about the clubs intentions for Anita. Pardew favours a 442 and in Cabaye/Tiote we have first choice solid pairing. This club doesn't spend £5-6million on squad players and the logic suggests to me that Anita was brought in to replace one of the current midfield two.

[Crumpy Gunt]

I wouldn't lose a single seconds sleep if we went out on Thursday.

[BeloEmre]

January will be interesting if we don't bring in a striker 

Why?

[Mick]

Nothing will happen and we will go backwards as a result.

 

Anita is the Bowyer of 2012.

 

Anita isn't the new Bowyer. 

[Revolution]

I know, I know. This is probably NWOAT. Sod it though, just putting the feelers out for what is a pretty big week for NUFC. Notwithstandng the European qualifier, I honestly think the next four days could relly shape how the club moves forward in the next few years. Last season was incredible and everyone from Pards down deserves massive credit. Pretty much everyone at the club pulled up trees to get us finishing fifth and frankly I think it's a lot to expect a repeat performance; we've set our own bar and it's very high. The coaching staff and playing staff deserved in my view to be supported, they needed help and needed reassurance to say to the players like Cisse, Colo and Cabaye that the club is on the up and going places, that last year wasn't just a plodding club who punched above their weight.

 

So far we've not seen that. I've certainly not seen any evidence that Ashley has got his passion back for the club. Pards talked about a goal scoring defender, nobody's come in. We let Lovenkrands and Best go, neither spectacular but would have done a job in the league cup or against the European featherweights; neither has been replaced. A group of promising youngsters have joined and with any luck, one or two might make the big step up to Premier League standard. Anita I found ever so slightly baffling. From the limited stuff I've seen so far, he looks very tidy on the ball but was he signed to combine with Tiote/ Cabaye or replace one of them? In all a net spend of what, roughly £2-3 million?

 

Of course all that may change in the next few days. It's alarming though that the club have seemingly narrowed our targets down to such a small pool of players- one RB Debuchy, one CB Douglas and Carroll. If we have other targets, we've done an amazing job of keeping them out of the press.

 

So I was just ending what's the consensus, which scenario is most likely:

 

1. We bring in one or more of the trinity leaving us with a decent squad capable of pushing on in Europe and in the league. I firmly believe 4th is up for grabs and strengthening the key areas could give us a real shot.

 

2. We bring in no-one leaving us with what we've got. Essentially for me, that's a good first choice XI but a thin pool of back up, certainly up front. Realistically a decent European run and top 8 finish would be acceptable.

 

3. The nightmare of bringing in no-one but selling a top name at the eleventh hour. For what it's worth, I don't think that will happen but if for one second it did and we ended another window in the black then we'd have a grasp once and for all on Ashley's ambition. We'd almost certainly slip back into the middle men of the Premier League.

 

I didn't think the importance of the next 4 days can be understated. Hopefully, for once, we'll be left pleasantly surprised.

 

 

 

You talk about letting Lovenkrands and Best go but fail to mention Guthrie leaving the club but you are baffled by the signing of Anita?? Surely you weren't expecting the team to go through the whole season with just Cabaye and Tiote in central midfield?? 

 

I'm just a bit puzzled about the clubs intentions for Anita. Pardew favours a 442 and in Cabaye/Tiote we have first choice solid pairing. This club doesn't spend £5-6million on squad players and the logic suggests to me that Anita was brought in to replace one of the current midfield two.

 

Me too. Originally I thought because of the £6m we paid for Anita, we had plans to move long term to a 4-2-3-1 system and Anita would be Jonas' successor alongside Tiote. The way Pardew speaks about 4-4-2 and Ba playing 90% centrally really makes me wonder our intentions though. I don't see how we can afford to pay £6m for a player who is not guaranteed to start. That's why I actually thought we might be bringing Anita in as a full back, but it seems that is not the case.

[Cajun]

Bowyer was pretty much useless though, expect far more from Anita.

 

Amalfitano seems to be overlooked a lot, I think he will have a far bigger impact than most expect.

 

Not as big an impact but I think Bigi will also be a surprise.

 

As for January, we could sign a striker in that window and from what I understand it's not all that likely Ba and Cisse will be off anyway.

 

As I said in the other thread, I still think we are 3 players short and it will be disappointing not to get them.