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What should this squad be capable of?


Dave
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Guest Howaythetoon

We have the players and now squad to be competing with the likes of Spurs for an outside CL place and that is where we should be aiming for but sadly we have an idiot for a manager so relegation scare/mid-table as long as he's in charge.

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  • 3 weeks later...

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/europa-league-alan-pardew-predicts-english-winner-8533448.html

"Outside Manchester United, the Premier League has not been of the standard of last year," Pardew said. "The group that's below the top four is getting stronger, with Everton, Spurs and ourselves. Although our league place doesn't justify that, I think next year we'll be competing in that [group].
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In terms of strength of squad I would put us right up there, my strength of squad table would like something like this:

 

1. Man City

2. ManUre

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5. Spuds

6. Liverpool

7. NUFC

8. Everton

 

There's a big gap between 3rd and 4th and a small one between 5th and 6th. I do believe we have a stronger squad than what we've shown in league position this season.

Europa leage challenge should be the level we are looking for, in a good season like last year we should be target that final CL spot.

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Guest Dontooner

1. Man City

2. ManUre

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5. Spuds

6. Liverpool

7. NUFC

8. Everton

 

On the worst season at least for the top 8 positions, since the rest of the clubs below us do not have the players and resources like we do.

On an average season fighting for the top 6 positions

and if we had a manager that were better in terms of the top eights clubs mention above, On a good season we might fight for the top 4 positions.

 

Martin Jol would be a good manager and falls in line with the Philosophy of the players that we are bringing in. Not that his results are great atm , but with the players like duff he has under his disposal also given their performances under him think he would suit us very well.

 

Just to add , getting Jol in is also a good possibility rather than asking for the sky like Mourihno.

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Debuchy

Azpilicueta

Sagna

Zabaleta

Ivanovic

Players I'd say were better Rb's than Glen Johnson in the PL

 

Debuchy

Azpilicueta unproven at Prem.

 

Sagna - no.

 

So he's at least 3rd. He's now solid defensively. Can cut inside and strike on his left. Still pretty quick. Good overall technical skills imo. He's a top player imo.

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  • 8 months later...

We currently have players like Anita, Marveaux, MYM, Cisse, Haidara and Ben Arfa sitting on the bench/not even getting on the bench. The Taylors would be useful options if fit as well, a real shame for Ryan as I reckon he would have thrived in the current set up.

 

I know we won't but if we could add another wide player, a real CF and a dominant centre back we would have a hell of a squad.

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CL push.

 

Still think this. Not necessarily getting there, but being within a tangible distance. We're a third of the way through the season and a point off 4th. That is fantastic going and is reflective of the talent within the squad, imo. I'll be astonished if the gap is that small come May, but we were 4 points off CL back in 2012. I believe the squad is good enough to achieve something similar.

 

If Pardew keeps making sensible decisions and the board doesn't interfere, then I also believe we have a manager who is good enough to achieve something similar, too.

 

It's very sweet to be able to say that after 12 of the most dismal months I've ever experienced as a Newcastle fan. Things are unpredictable too, which is better than us being predictably shit. Things are looking pretty good atm, I think. :aww:

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My honest answer is: more than this (yes, even after four wins on the spin) but I also know it's capable of a lot worse than this, so I'm not going to grumble too much :lol:

 

Agree with Yorkie mostly.

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If we manage to go through the rest of the season without major injuries then I'd say Europa League is a sensible aim. If all of our players maintain the form they are in for the majority of the season then who knows if the other big teams don't get their shit together.

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I'd say, on the current squad strength, our position should in theory be competing with Everton and possibly Southampton for 7th place.

 

Above that, Arsenal have already got their act together, and Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd are too good not to get their act together at some stage. So CL should be beyond us.

 

With Liverpool and Spurs, there's more quality in their squads. On the other hand, there's pressure to succeed but not a recent track record of success to give them real confidence. They could wobble under pressure, so 5th place again isn't out of the question.

 

I don't want the sodding Europa League though, with its midweek trips to Azerbaijan.

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I'd say, on the current squad strength, our position should in theory be competing with Everton and possibly Southampton for 7th place.

 

Above that, Arsenal have already got their act together, and Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd are too good not to get their act together at some stage. So CL should be beyond us.

 

With Liverpool and Spurs, there's more quality in their squads. On the other hand, there's pressure to succeed but not a recent track record of success to give them real confidence. They could wobble under pressure, so 5th place again isn't out of the question.

 

I don't want the sodding Europa League though, with its midweek trips to Azerbaijan.

 

This attitude really baffles me.... we were in touching distance of the semi finals, we are not in the situation where we can throw the opportunity of a trophy away.

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it would be interesting to find out how the club would feel about another europa adventure. would we feel happier having had the experience from the other year, basically it was a new thing for the club (management both in the dugout and boardroom aswell as many of the players) and would that give us a better footing for another season both in europe and domestically ?

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I'd say, on the current squad strength, our position should in theory be competing with Everton and possibly Southampton for 7th place.

 

Above that, Arsenal have already got their act together, and Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd are too good not to get their act together at some stage. So CL should be beyond us.

 

With Liverpool and Spurs, there's more quality in their squads. On the other hand, there's pressure to succeed but not a recent track record of success to give them real confidence. They could wobble under pressure, so 5th place again isn't out of the question.

 

I don't want the sodding Europa League though, with its midweek trips to Azerbaijan.

 

This attitude really baffles me.... we were in touching distance of the semi finals, we are not in the situation where we can throw the opportunity of a trophy away.

 

I'm pretty sure we all like seeing us playing in this. But the trouble with Europa is it doesn't pay enough to allow the clubs that qualify to strengthen their squads to go at it properly. Plus (and its been mentioned elsewhere) the CL rejects, who do have the squads to do it, arrive in the latter stages and screw the whole  tournament. Its a bollox of a tournament. 

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What a lot of people seem to ignore or just forget is that the team that season was decidedly weaker than the one that begun this one.

 

Debuchy, Sissoko, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara, Remy, Gouffran etc etc all not there till January and in Remy's case this summer.

 

I'd be quite confident that if we qualified for Europe again we would be much better prepared for it this time.

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I'd say, on the current squad strength, our position should in theory be competing with Everton and possibly Southampton for 7th place.

 

Above that, Arsenal have already got their act together, and Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd are too good not to get their act together at some stage. So CL should be beyond us.

 

With Liverpool and Spurs, there's more quality in their squads. On the other hand, there's pressure to succeed but not a recent track record of success to give them real confidence. They could wobble under pressure, so 5th place again isn't out of the question.

 

I don't want the sodding Europa League though, with its midweek trips to Azerbaijan.

 

This attitude really baffles me.... we were in touching distance of the semi finals, we are not in the situation where we can throw the opportunity of a trophy away.

 

We were also in touching distance of getting relegated.

 

It's the slog of those group games against inferior opposition from the far corners of Europe that get me fed up, and which I think are a real drain on a club of our strength. They should make it a straight knockout competition, and dispense with the idea of 8 CL teams joining in half way through.

 

 

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