In this article we have looked at our squad as it currently stands, and have assessed the squad to see which positions need strengthening in January and in the summer. We most definitely need your help on this so please leave us your opinions and comments, after you have read through the article.
Newcastle United’s official squad for this season
We will prioritize who we need to bring in, hopefully in January, as long as the right players are available.
Here’s our current squad including our three on-loan players – Tim Krul (Falkirk), Andrew Carroll (Preston), and Matty Pattison (Norwich), in their playing positions.
G: – Given Harper Krul Forster
RB: – Beye Carr
CB: – Taylor Cacapa Rozehnal Faye Edgar Ramage
LB: – Enrique
RM: – Milner Troisi
CM Defend : – Geremi Butt
CM Attack: – Barton Emre Pattison
LM: – N’Zogbia Duff
S small: – Martins Owen Smith(?)
S big: – Viduka Carroll Ameobi
That’s 28 players including 4 goalkeepers. Babayaro has already left the Newcastle United building, so Celestine is not listed above.
Those we have shown in red – Carr, Ramage, Ameobi – we believe are probably not good enough for where Newcastle United are going in the next season or two (to the top hopefully – or at least near the top).
We’ll just assume they can leave Newcastle in the summer. We should be able to get fees for Ameobi ($2M) and Ramage ($2m) and it looks like we could sell both to Norwich City and Glenn Roeder, without much trouble. Carr’s contract runs out next June, and he’ll probabay want to move on in any case.
The new players we will identify, will not include any of the youngsters, like Ben Tozer and others, who the club will be bringing in during January and the summer. These are players for the future and shouldn’t be considered first teamers – say for the next year – that’s an assumption – and it will be great if some of them can come through enough over the next year to break into the first team. That would be a big plus for the team.
We are talking about experienced and older players who are bought in specifically to start in the first team – and they should be better than players we already have. We expect the youngsters to initially play youth and reserve team games – and get a spot on the first team squad now and again to get experience – over at least the next year.
Who we need to bring in? Well – it looks fairly easy if we look at who’s missing above and the players in red who we assume will leave Newcastle in the summer. There are at the very least four players we need to bring into the club – and they are in priority order
LB:
RB:
CM: Attack
S: big
It’s in priority order because we only have one left back right now – not including Charles N’Zogbia, who we think is best on the left wing. Also, Carr will be moving on so we’ll need a RB soon too.
Before we start discussing who exactly we should bring in, we really need your help. Is this a good assessment of where we are at? Let us know what you think. We’ll try to get some agreement on the positions we need to strengthen, and then we’ll look at who may be available and good enough for Newcastle United to bring in during January – or even the summer. And remember we want this to be enjoyable – let’s not get too serious – and please respect other readers’ opinions – and even ours 😀
This is all meant to be for the good of the club, who we all want to be successful again and the sooner the better. You never know, perhaps Chris and Sam will read some of the comments on here.
As always, your comments and opinions are most welcome.
89 comments so far
lebanese Magpie
Dec 18, 2007 at 11:56 PM
Comment #81keep Sam for now i think he’ll know who to buy although he has not impressed so far with the team selection . I think this is sam being sam (quite conservative) by playing the kinds of geremi on a regular basis and not giving Enrique a run, the jan transfer window is crucial and Sam should make important signings in the AM and RB positons (cover and competition for Beye).
lebanese Magpie
Dec 19, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Comment #82one more thing SELL OWEN !!!!!
jamster
Dec 19, 2007 at 12:24 AM
Comment #83hi, regards to CB, WOODGATE or WES BROWN would do, as far as attacking mid , RIQUELME sitting at boca juniors , when his talents should be on a bigger stage and big sam knows how to get the best out of players like that. upfront peter crouch is the best option going in jan window
Aussie dave
Dec 19, 2007 at 12:32 AM
Comment #84I agree with Halliday, i wouldnt spend money on a new RB in jan. If we get Wes Brown he has basically played his whole Man U career in that position. He would fight to be 1st choice CB but would provide cover for Beye at RB, who has been brilliant in the last two games. His pace stops so many half chances from even developing and he reads the game quite well.
Long term we need to add another LB, Tozer?? although Enrique looked quite good to me. I can see him playing even less once Duff is back. Sam will love Duff in his 433 system, meaning Zog will stay at LB.
In order for the team to improve immediately i beleive we need an RM, ACM and a tall striker to cover Dukes.
Gudjonsen, Crouch, Wes Brown and Wright Phillips can all add something new to the squad and hopefully some creativity.
I would like to see Emre fit into Sams 433 system as he is the passer we need in the centre of the park. I believe the midfield will be quite well balanced if Emre takes Geremi’s spot.
Bob
Dec 19, 2007 at 12:33 AM
Comment #85I don’t think January is the best time to buy anybody as prices are inflated and usually only poor players are avaialble. I think there ae 2 exceptions, as already mentioned.
Taylor for LB as Pompey said he can leave and Arshavin because Russia season has finished so Zenit should be more willing to listen to offers, and we must snap him up before somebody else does. It may take him time to settle, but not too long as he tore England apart in Moscow.
Aussie dave
Dec 19, 2007 at 12:43 AM
Comment #86Is Riise available?
I cant imagine Liverpool letting him leave. How long left on his contract?
Apostol
Dec 19, 2007 at 3:27 AM
Comment #87Why dont Big Sam take a shot with young LYON midfielder HATEM BEN ARFA – we need creativity in the center of the midfield
Joe Weber
Dec 19, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Comment #88Dig the blog a LOT!
Nice style and I like the way you discuss the problems . I’m going to book mark it.
😉
Bigz
Dec 19, 2007 at 4:48 PM
Comment #89If we were to compete top5 next season, we need the following players.
1.Quaresma
2.Diego or Van der vaart
3.Berbatov
4.Mertesacker
Given
Beye Mertesacker Cacapa Enrique
Quaresma Barton Diego Duff
Berbatov Martins