Newcastle United players Steven Taylor and Joey Barton handed Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear some very rare good news this afternoon in today’s behind-closed-doors friendly with Carlisle United, which ended 1-1.
And the main news we can report, is that absolutely nobody was injured this afternoon – amazing. 😀
Stephen Taylor – scored in friendly game today
The Evening Chronicle is reporting this afternoon that Joey Barton played the full game while Steven Taylor played and scored against Carlisle United, after missing the last two matches with a calf injury, even though he was on the bench on Saturday.
Also in action was Danish international winger Peter Lovenkrands while Cameroon midfielder Geremi, seemingly fit again, also appeared for Newcastle.
Joe Anyinsah opened the scoring for Carlisle after just eight minutes before Taylor leveled it with a low shot on the turn into the bottom corner – the local lad would have liked that.
Taylor said:
“It was tremendous to get a good run out and I was delighted with the goal to be honest.”
“I stopped short of my usual celebration routine but it was nice to score.”
Well presumably that means that Barton, Geremi and Taylor are now fully fit again, and there’s no word whether Alan Smith got a run out, but there is also hope that Alan may be included in the squad for the Manchester City game.
At least some of our injuries seem to be clearing up – and that has to be good news, through the doom and gloom hanging over St. James’ Park at the moment.
We should also be hearing shortly whether Joe will take free agent Peter Lovenkrands for the rest of the season.
Comments welcome.
56 comments so far
RyanToon
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Comment #41so with shay look like his going and maybe johnson and onourha coming here, our team for the city game could be
harper
onourha coloccini bassong enrique
barton johnson guthrie jonas
owen carroll
and man citys poss team
given ( legend but i think hell leave)
zabaleta richards kompany bridge
wrightphillips ireland de jong elano
robinho bellamy
who wins, YOU DECIDE 🙂
Toon Sweden77
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Comment #42Heres the Newcastle team for the City game:
Harper
Onouha – Colocinni – Bassong – Enrique
Smith
Jonas Duff
Barton
Owen Caroll
We win it of course, Bellamy redcarded after a bustup with Smith or Barton. 🙂
Toon Sweden77
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:23 PM
Comment #43Eeerhh… dont know what happend to my midfield-diamond there but there should be Smith as a defensive and Barton offensive with Jonas and Duff on the flanks
Ross
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Comment #44ryan-johnson is a crock mate. He’s “injured” without a return date. Pretty sure he needs a double hip op it is i think. there’s also the theory that he’s not injured, he’s just a raging alcoholic. Either way he’s nowhere near the citeh first team.
Kevin Nichol
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Comment #45Does anyone know anything about the suppossed argentine and italian internationals who JK said he wanted to see in action????
Or was that just further fabrication of the truth?
What the F@ck is going on?
We need to stage another protest before the sunderland game!
NorthernPaul
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Comment #46I know what happened to the Argie and Italian internationals!!
It was actually just Joe talking absolute bollocks. Again.
The bloke cannot help but lie.
Danish_Magpie
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Comment #47Collecting my thoughts about transfers, I would do the following:
Sell Given for 9m plus Johnson and Onuoha.
Sell Geremi for 1m (give him the 500K extra from 1.5m fee to shut up about wages and move on)
Butt – Let him stay but do not extend contract
Viduka – Let him stay but do not extend contract
Cacapa – Offer to release him on free/ pay him 100-200K to leave
Smith – Sell for 3m+ if a buyer can be found. If not, sell him in the summer
Owen – Unfortunately not by choice. He will be leaving us. A shame, but clears up wage budget and he is injured often.
Edgar: Not quite good enough. Good luck to him somewhere else. Let his contract run out.
Sum OUT: 10-13m
I would then bring in:
Harper (extension): When Given is sold, make Harper first-choice, give him a decent 2-3 year contract. Good, steady keeper and will help Krul and Foster develop too.
Finnan (1.5m) – He played recently for Espanyol and should be fit enough. Give him a 2.5-year contract that can be terminated after 1.5 years if he has played less than 20 games.
Appiah (free) – Yes of course there is a fitness gamble, but give him a short-term deal that turns into a long-term one if he is fit from this summer etc. Cracking player.
Fred (free) – Has had some discipline problem, but worth the gamble. Get him signed up on a longer term deal pending decent behavior etc. the first six months.
McGeady – Sign him for 3-4m plus Damien Duff (Huge wages). Celtic and Duffy should both be interested in this.
Colin Kazim-Richards (Loan to buy for 4m) – Has been in and out of favour in Turkey. Knows the English game and can make things happen. Alternatively try to sign Pennant in the summer if Kazim does not impress.
Nick Shorey (3.5m) – Out of favour at Villa. They would be tempted with a bid of 3.5-4m.
Sum IN: 8-12m
Even though we allegedly have 8-10m to spend now, net spending for these transfers would be pretty much 0 disregarding signing on-fees etc. Our wages would also be slashed (certainly by summer) as Owen, Geremi, Butt, Viduka, Duff, Cacapa, Given are huge earners. Even with new signings, this would bring down the total wage expenses.
Squad would be:
GK: Harper, Krul, Foster
RB: Beye, Finnan
LB: Shorey, Enrique
CB: Coloccini, Bassong, Onuoha, Taylor
, (Edgar until summer)
RW: Colin Kazim-Richards/Pennant, LuaLua
LW: Jonas, McGeady
CM: Barton, Guthrie, Johnson, Appiah (Butt until summer)
ST: Martins, Fred, Carroll, Shola, Xisco, (Viduka and Smith until summer, if we cannot sell Smith this winter)
Which I think is a really strong squad both in quality and depth. The youngsters can provide backup in several positions.
Sorry for the long post, I just think we could assemble a hell of a squad with limited resources. I know it isn’t Football Manager, but these aren’t FM deals either.. Just shrewd business in my opinion.
What do you guys think?
RyanToon
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Comment #48ross, imo man city have just given up on him but its nought to do with an injury for me
RyanToon
Jan 20, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Comment #49danish magpie id agree with all of that but its gonna happen this month is it
bowburnmag
Jan 20, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Comment #50Danish, sounds good pal. See if you can find Dennis and Derek’s numbers and give them a nudge….
Born Again Geordie
Jan 20, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Comment #51GeordieJayne,
I thought you were from earlier posts but yeah sorry, I do take your point about the cost of the tickets – that is supply and demand for you I guess ! 🙂
Born Again Geordie
Jan 20, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Comment #52Danish,
I agree and a very well thought out post, can’t see it happening before the end of the month though, not unless someone has a rocket to stick up Ashley’s arse !!!! lol 🙂
Good post though fella
Born Again Geordie
Jan 20, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Comment #53NorthernPaul,
A bit harsh that mate. JFK only lies when his lips are moving !!! lol 🙂
Jan Stavik
Jan 20, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Comment #54Fred is a nice call, really classy striker even if he comes with a baggage… Moody guy this fella.
Fred and Martins up front sounds fine to me!
But a decent midfielder should be the main focus, as well as a full back of course.
NorthernPaul
Jan 20, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Comment #55BornAgainGeordie:
lol, too true mate!!!;)
MarkO
Jan 20, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Comment #56We should sell Given if the deal proposed is true then our team would be a lot more stable even without the best goalie in the world.
Our team hopefully at the end of Jan:
Krul
Onuoha Colo Bass Enrique
Joans M’Bia Perriera Barnetta
Oba Llorente
Also bring in another new forward.