Michael Owen has talked about the strikers Newcastle have at the club, and he’s right to say we are currently top heavy in the striker department.
Michael Owen – Newcastle top heavy in striker department
Michael Owen told the Shields Gazette today:
“It’s good that Dukes is back now,” “We did a good job last season, and scored some cracking goals when we had our own special formation.”
“In a way, we’re top-heavy in the striking department.” “We’ve seven people who can play there or do a job there. There’s me, Oba, Dukes, Shola (Ameobi), Andy Carroll, Xisco and Alan Smith. They can all do a job.”
“We’re well served, but we’ve had a lot of injuries over the years, and especially to the strikers.”
“Alan Smith is out at the minute, Shola has had injuries and so have I. It’s only Oba that has been consistently fit.”
We have lots of good strikers, which we’ve reported on this week, and that’s one reason we’ll cast a wary eye to any news that we are after even more strikers in January.
In fact if Joe wants to generate some additional transfer funds to bring in players in other areas of the team, he could sell one or two of our strikers next month.
Smith and Xisco seem to be the most obvious choices, although it’s probably too early to move young Xisco on, since he hasn’t even settled down on Tyneside yet, and he could turn into a more than decent player. He deserves an extended chance at the club, although he didn’t come cheap at £5.7M
It’s interesting that last September there would have been many fans who thought Shola Ameobi would be on his way out next month.
But that’s before he started to produce some good form for new manager Joe Kinnear, so he’ll not be on his way, although his contract runs out this summer.
Which reminds us that Joe still has plenty of work to do on players’ contracts at the club, including those of Michael Owen, Nicky Butt, Shay Given, Steve Harper, Shola Ameobi and Mark Viduka.
Get busy Joe, and the best of luck. 😀
Comments welcome.
27 comments so far
beyethegreat
Dec 5, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Comment #1tom toon
what about arango hes good on fm 09
HeronMag
Dec 5, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Comment #2Sell Smith, loan out Carroll, keep Oba and the Duke (and Owen if possible), Shola can warm the bench and we can start giving Xisco and Ranger a chance in the first team coming off the bench and possibly in cup ties.
listie
Dec 5, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Comment #3He is right we are top heavy but they need to start scoring
Phillipe Alberrrrrrt!!!
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Comment #4Sell Smith, Sell Carroll, Loan Xisco to get him off the wage bill, Sell Geremi, Sell Cacapa bring in Benayoun, Bridge (if it’s true he has to be sold) and a couple of loan signings to bulk out the squad and get the contracts sorted – easy peasy and managers complain about pressure!!!
Partizan
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Comment #5HeronMag…..Cup ties??!!!….Please tell me you’re joking.
Ma man,we need the strongest of the strongest for the cup!!!
Tom_Toon
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:20 PM
Comment #6Owen – Probably leaving and slightly past it. (0)
Viduka – Injury prone, but great when fit. (0.5)
Carroll – Poor. Should be sold. (0)
Martins – Great player. Keep. (1)
Ameobi – Good suad player. Keep. (1)
Xisco – Good potential, good player, needs a chance. Keep (1)
Zamblera – A bit early but looks poor so far. (0)
Ranger – Great potential, maybe no ready yet, keep as 5th/6th choice. (1)
Donaldson – Good potential, just brhind Ranger (1)
So by my reckoning that makes it 5.5 strikers, 2 not ready, so yes, we need 1 more.
Tom_Toon
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Comment #7Oh and Smith, just crap. Sell (0)
wigaz
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Comment #8Two cracking buys they would be albert!I would love us to get rid of some of our star strikers like smith lol! would love to see dean ashton in but £18m! West ham are sniffing glue would give em £7-8m tops! we do seriously need Lb Bridge or Baines would happily do me although bridge would be first choice. Am take your pick there will be plenty out there but Yossi (cant spell for shit) would be a great buy & he’s after 1st team footy which he would get here. We need to buy proven Prem players as at this min we cant take a risk on championship players in case they cant step up in standard. Would love this team in Jan.
==========Given========
Beye==Colo===Bassong=Bridge=
Jonas==Barton=Yossi==Zogs===
====Ashton/Viduka=Owen/Oba==
Would def sort out trouble areas of our side.
micepie
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Comment #9I don’t believe this is true, Ed. I think we have about the right squadron of strikers. Remember we had the injury crisis a few months ago and we’re panicking that we didn’t have enough (and only added Xisco since then, who could bide his time for another year).
We all know that in mf we aren’t quite cutting it just now. We just need a bit more calmness and quality with the final ball too. Against Middlesboro both Martins and Zog had chances to play the vital pass to Owen in perfect positions, but shot instead (okay, Martins did hit the bar). We need either the better quality pass or a new player in mf. Or ideally both. Also, we need to be defending a little less so that Jonas can get back to playing on the offensive more often,
Partizan
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Comment #10Sell:
Smith…3,5 mill
Ameobi….3 mill
Cacapa…..500 000
Geremi…. 1mill
Butt………1mill
Buy
Pokrivac…..4 mill
Obradovic…4 mill
Elano………..6 mill
Onuoha……..Loan(for RB)
Park Chu-Young..5 mill(replacement for Zoggy in case he leaves)
…………………………….Given…………………………..
Beye………….Coloccini…Bassong……Obradovic
…………………………..Pokrivac………………………..
….Jonas…………………………………………Park……
……………………………Elano…………………………..
………………….Owen………….Martins……………….
Subs:Harper,Onuoha,Taylor,Viduka,Duff,
Viduka,Barton.
Ian
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Comment #11We could do with Cisse in next Summer to partner Martins, keep Nile Ranger, keep Ameobi as a last resort but one who scores, keep Viduka if it is on the right deal, get rid of Owen and Carroll, play Smith in the reserves if he starts scoring regularly try him in the first team if not sell him at almost any price, then concentrate on the rest of the team.
We cannot keep relying on Martins to be available, if he is out for a while we will not know what has hit us.
Nick 69
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Comment #12yeah we’re top heavy in stiker department, but we’re not top heavy in the QUALITY stiker department, we have 3 quality stikers, 1 of which will be gone by end of the season if not january
Who is Derek Llambias?
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Comment #13there will be no-one going in January, very little business is ever done at this time of the year. expect a couple loans and thats it.
so please, enough of the tedious video game banter its never going to happen
Ausgeordie
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Comment #14Sounds to me like he is clearing any guilty feelings he may have for leaving the club by saying we have plenty of strikers anyway.
Shanghaitoon
Dec 5, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Comment #15If big Sam goes to Sunderland, he may be happy to take Smith off our hands. 🙂
toonoot
Dec 5, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Comment #16Top heavy my Rs. We need two new strikers.
Keep Oba, Shola and the Duke.
Owen and Carroll can go (now!).
Xisco, Ranger and Donaldson – not sure.
sirjasontoon
Dec 5, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Comment #17How can amyone say buy Ashton he is as big a sick note as anyone.
We need a big hard man that wants to battle.
HeronMag
Dec 5, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Comment #18Partizan – Comment 5 – Good Point!
Teddy
Dec 5, 2008 at 3:01 PM
Comment #19hesky?
SwedEric
Dec 5, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Comment #20Dont understand why all the talk about Xisco to leave? He hasn´t got a true chance yet, and he is young. Then as people have already pointed out, we are not able to sell him in january anyway!
Don´t want to keep Ameobi. He did 3-4 good games, but what he has showed during the last cuple of seasons doesnt get forget that quick in my book!
Guinea Mag
Dec 5, 2008 at 3:23 PM
Comment #21If Owen and Ameobi do not sign new contracts, expect them to be released to fund incoming purchases.
Viduka is getting on and injury prone but terrific when fit; a contract extension based on performance would be a good incentive as I doubt we’ll be able to sell him for much. However, I’m betting his current weekly salary is rather large……
Then there’s Alan Smith, a forward without a goal. Hopefully some one will buy him!
Carroll needs to be sent out on loan as I’m confident he’ll come good….
BT9MAG
Dec 5, 2008 at 4:07 PM
Comment #22Tom_Toon, I don’t think you can write Owen off as being a 0 striker!
He’s had a couple of awful games, but in fairness, it was the same under Allardyce when he wasn’t getting the chances – we need a central playmaker!
Partizan
Dec 5, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Comment #23Enrique instead of Viduka which i wrote twice
Tom_Toon
Dec 5, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Comment #24BT9MAG – He is going to leave in jan, hence the ‘0’ as Im counting how many strikers we could actually use.
nightfall
Dec 5, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Comment #25sell:
owen
smith
shola
viduka
carroll
they cost this club 300.000/week…and get jo or adriano in on loan
oba, xisco, ranger, jo/adriano
Tom_Toon
Dec 5, 2008 at 8:41 PM
Comment #26..
Ganiyu
Dec 6, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Comment #27Smith and Owen of yesterday are not the same pls joe sell them both.we need energetic strikers like cisse and oba