41% thought Andy Carroll was Newcastle’s best player at Manchester United on Monday night in our poll after the game, with center-back Mike Williamson coming in second on 21%
Mike Williamson – good first game in Premier League
That was Mike’s very first game in the Premier League and he played very well indeed, in what was a very tough game for Newcastle first match back.
Williamson talked about how the lads are regrouping, after the walloping they took at Old Trafford, and he told the Evening Chronicle today:
“We’ll recover, regroup and go again.” “That’s what the boys are about – that’s what the team spirit’s there for.” “We know we’re going to drop points, but it’s about regrouping and going again.”
“It’s going to be a very tough season, but Man United aren’t going to knock our confidence.” “Every game’s going to be different and bring its own tests.”
“It’s an obvious thing to say, but week-in, week-out, there won’t be an easy game in this league.”
James Milner has finally wrapped up his move to mancsheter City so he will not be playing, but new boy Stephen Ireland could well make his debut on Sunday for Aston Villa.
James sold for £26M, which is a cool £14 M more than we sold him to Aston Villa for a short two years ago.
But it was to Manchester City, who are paying way over the odds for the players they are bringing in, and making a complete travesty of the transfer market, having already paid out over £1B in transfers since the new owners came in a couple of year back.
When is somebody going to stop this madness?
It’s a real pity Newcastle didn’t have a sell-on clause in that contact with Villa – because the Tyneside club could have netted £3M to £ 4M on the deal – but hopefully the club will live and learn with those past mistakes.
But Aston Villa are hardly a team in turmoil as Williamson continued:
“The quality throughout their team and squad is clear to see – you can talk about things off the field, but when the boys cross the white line, there’s a job to do.” “Politics doesn’t come into it.”
“It’ll be an almighty task – we’re at St James’ Park, and there’s an onus on us to go out and play football, dominate, and impose our own game rather than looking at them too much.”
“It’ll be another great game, and another chance for us to get three points.”
Sol Campbell is slowly and surely getting closer to his full fitness and a comeback date , but Williamson will want to put in another solid display like at Old Trafford and he continued:
“I’ve got the shirt at the minute, and all I can do is keep working hard every day in training, and try to improve.” “That’s all I can do. I’ve got to learn from the players around me, and put in 100% every day.”
“We need to pick up a lot of points at home, and get what we can on the road.”
It may be a little short-sighted just to replace Williamson with Sol, when Campbell is fit, as we seem to have some problems at right back, with James Perch not having a good start in the Premier league on Monday night.
Maybe one of the center-backs can give it a go at right back and see how they do. We’re sure that thinking is already in the mind of Chris Hughton, although we all have to hope that James can come into his own soon.
After all, it was the very first game of the season, and he’ll learn a lot from the experience.
Comments welcome.
31 comments so far
NUFC_Richyg01
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:35 PM
Comment #1I think we are being a little unfair on Perch
1. Most players would have struggled vs. Nani and Giggs.
2. He received poor support from Routledge.
3. First Game nerves for the lad too.
JerseyGeordie
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:40 PM
Comment #2i think perch did ok in the 2nd half and i believe his 1st half performance was due more to nerves than lack of skill. Whilst at this point i perfer him as a squad player vs a regular starter, i believe he’ll get better. I seriously doubt that CH signed him with plans of starting him vs manure. He was more of a stop gap signing with his versatility. Think we’ll see raylor at rb sunday if he’s fit. I’m sure andy will like to see that.
Shocker that the season just started and we have players already filling up the injury list. Welcome back to the epl :/
alan shearer
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:40 PM
Comment #3i hav got a few things to mention and highlight.:
dont criticise perch.yet.give him more chances.
ship out some of our strikers.we only have quantity no quality.keep only peter, andy and ranger. add more pacey strikers.
we need 3 more additions at least.
cover for lb,creative attackin midfielder, pacey striker.
anything more than 3 additions will be 1 more defensive midfielder or left/right winger.
Milzzy Rascal
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:41 PM
Comment #4Man City have spent over a Billion??? Is that statistically correct Ed? I get confused is 100million classed as a billion is the states because in the UK it’s a thousand million and I’m pretty sure they haven’t spent that yet!! Or if they have they look apalling for it!!!
ginkoh
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:41 PM
Comment #5It’s their First game in PRM against ManU at Old Trafford. Can’t imagine how they feel but Good job for Williamson. let’s build from it.
I feel sorry for Perch but he can still improve to be good player. 37 games to go, Howay the lads !
alan shearer
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:43 PM
Comment #6i hav got a few things to mention and highlight.:
dont criticise perch.yet.give him more chances.
ship out some of our strikers.we only have quantity no quality.keep only peter, andy and ranger. add more pacey strikers.
we need 3 more additions at least.
cover for lb,creative attackin midfielder, pacey striker.
anything more than 3 additions will be 1 more defensive midfielder or left/right winger.
.
.
.
.
calm down your nerves..and analyse if what i say is appropriate.
JerseyGeordie
Aug 19, 2010 at 1:49 PM
Comment #7i don’t know why people are complaining about waynes support. He showed a lot of willingness in the defensive 3rd to me winning the ball a couple of times and even overlapping perch while he was chasing evra. I was really surprised actually how well he tracked evra considering how much evra loves to run down the wing. I thought wayne was gonna be much more of a defensive liability going into that game, but maybe i was watching a different game…
RichK
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:00 PM
Comment #8Man City haven’t spent £1b on transfers but they have spent over that amount in total, including purchasing the club and paying debts etc. Even so, the prices that they’re paying are ridiculous but if you have the money why worry over £5/6m here or there it’s nothing to these rich foreign owners. Lets face it every club would like this sort of money but in reality it’s not feasable.
I also think people on here are being overly criticle of perch. I thought he was steady on Monday, he was certainly no worse than anyone else. Ryan Taylore certainly offers a lot more going forward than any of the other options but defensively he is poor.
Lastly, I’d like to see CH go out with a 4-4-2 on Sunday with Loven (if fit) and Carroll up top, Jonas and Routs wide, Barton and Guthrie in the middle. I think Nolan is a good leader but DG and JB offer a lot more as central midfield players. However, we all know CH will start Nolan anyway.
NUFC_Richyg01
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:04 PM
Comment #9@ RichK // Aug 19, 2010 at 2:00 PM
Yep, there is no way he will drop Nolan,
I wouldnt be suprised if its the same starting XI.
Taylor_Toon
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:18 PM
Comment #10Just heard from a friend in France that as soon as Loic Remy has passed his medical L’OM will allow Hatem Ben Arfa to come to Newcastle on a season long loan deal of £780,00 with a clause in the deal that if Newcastle stay in the Premier League they have to pay between £4.5- £6.5 million for him depending on appearences. It is expected that Loic Remy will sign today and be announced at 7.00PM which is when Ben Arfa will come over. Also it has been touted that he already has agreed personal terms with Newcastle when he came over last weekend and the figure is £28,000 per week rising to £35,000 a week if he signs on a permanent basis.
Watch this space and trust me this is from a very very trustworthy source (my friend is studying sport science and going through his second phase at clairefontaine).
He has also added that we have very serious interest in the availability of Andre-Pierre Gignac and Fode Mansare.
alan shearer
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:24 PM
Comment #11taylor_toon: how many % are you sure of it?…is ac milan and werder bremen keeping close tabs on him?
geordielad880
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:38 PM
Comment #12alan shearer he is a mackem, its a load of rubbish, he is on 52k a week now at OM, and how would his FRIEND who is studying sport science at clairefontaine have a clue, you have to laugh at these stories people make up, on ben arfa, his reps and OM know whats happening, the werder and ac milan stories are also paper talk, leaked from OM to drum up interest, to try and get someone to pay cash not loan, they will keep dragging it out, french clubs always do, newcastle have submitted their final offer, they wont up the offer now
alan shearer
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:40 PM
Comment #13geordielad880: u sound as if you are the one handling the transfers.LOL.
geordielad880
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:42 PM
Comment #14hows that mate?
alan shearer
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:45 PM
Comment #15idk.cos u seems to know everythig..but duno are u talking crap or not..LOl
hongkong_magpies
Aug 19, 2010 at 2:58 PM
Comment #16OM confirmed the Remy deal on his official site!
Taylor_Toon, I certainly will keep watching this space from now on!
Sgt. Heagerty
Aug 19, 2010 at 3:03 PM
Comment #17just seen on the transfer clock live that marseille have agreed officially on a deal with remy, which adds weight to that lad’s report that marseille are waiting to sign remy before we got arfa…bremen said yesterday they dont want him and milan got boatang so there out…seems we are the only ones left….hwtl
geordielad880
Aug 19, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Comment #18im just posting, based on all the stuff from the french press, l’equipe is rarely wrong, and on past knowledge of french transfers, they are twa*s
Sgt. Heagerty
Aug 19, 2010 at 3:33 PM
Comment #19Aug 19, 2010 3:03:00 PM
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Ligue 1 : Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille) – (Panoramic)
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Hatem Ben Arfa
Werder Bremen sporting director Klaus Allofs has denied rumours linking Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa to his club as a replacement for departed playmaker Mesut Oezil.
“We do not need a replacement for Mesut,” Allofs told Sat.1. “While we always look for players to improve ourselves, Ben Arfa is not one of them.”
Allofs’ words come just a day after France Football claimed that Ben Arfa was on the verge of moving to the Weserstadion.
Ben Arfa, 23, has long been considered a top prospect in French football, but has yet to fully realise his potential. This summer he has been linked with a number of clubs, but a concrete offer for his services has yet to be reported.
Sgt. Heagerty
Aug 19, 2010 at 3:36 PM
Comment #20Marseille have confirmed they have reached an agreement in principle with Nice for France striker Loic Remy.
The 23-year-old is currently en route to the Stade Velodrome to undergo a medical after Nice accepted Marseille’s offer which, according to reports, was in the region of 15million euros (around £12.4million).
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Remy has been courted by several clubs this summer, including Stoke, Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham, but is delighted to be closing in on a move to the defending Ligue 1 champions.
“I am very pleased and proud that Marseille are interested in me,” Remy said in L’Equipe.
“After waiting so long for a transfer, everything has accelerated very quickly. I’m surprised.
“I need time to think but I am committed (to moving).”
Remy has emerged as the hottest prospect in France after impressing at Nice following a switch from Lyon in 2008.
He has scored 26 goals in 68 games for the club and played a key part in establishing them as a Ligue 1 outfit.
Marseille are also interested in Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac but his current club have denied receiving an offer for the France international.
A Toulouse statement on Thursday morning read: “Contrary to reports in the media last night, Toulouse have not received an offer from Marseille for Andre-Pierre Gignac
Sgt. Heagerty
Aug 19, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Comment #21remy is transfered so maybe that lad talking about remy to marseille then ben arfa to the toon wasnt lying
moonraker
Aug 19, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Comment #22geordielad880 don’t know whether ben Arfa is coming to us or not but where did you hear he’s on 52k a week cos they don’t pay that well in France and we certainly wouldn’t be paying him that much!!!
geordielad880
Aug 19, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Comment #23moonraker it was mentioned the other day when there was talk about him buying his contract out, they said he was on 240,000 euros per month, but some say 186,000, so its just guess work really
Taylor_Toon
Aug 19, 2010 at 4:48 PM
Comment #24I can assure you im not one of the unwashed!! Its up to all cof you if you want to beleive me or not im just passing on any information that i get from my mate thats all. @ Alan Shearer- there has been interest from AC Milan but it was only for a loan deal similar to ours and he does genuinly want to play in the Premier League with us. Apparently the Gignac deal is the least likely one of the three but at least this shows that there is work going on.
Taylor_Toon
Aug 19, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Comment #25Also at Geordielad880 my mate can speak fluent french so whilst hes there with all the academy players and staff he is talking to people involved in the french league, why would i make a story like that up when im clearly wanting this to be resolved one way or the other just like you! It also seems to be quite common knowlege that Marseille play theese tactics everytime a high profile transfer comes about.
Sgt. Heagerty
Aug 19, 2010 at 5:35 PM
Comment #26taylor_toon,
you were spot on on the remy deal mate, that has been confirmed, so that means we should be getting ben arfa today correct? making sure i understood what you heard. I dont believe you are a mackem, cuz mackems cant read or wrie let alone operate a computer…..lol
Taylor_Toon
Aug 19, 2010 at 7:41 PM
Comment #27Betting has just been suspended for ben arfa joining Newcastle it fell from 4/1 to 1/10 and has now been suspended!!!woohoooo!!
cally8793
Aug 19, 2010 at 7:59 PM
Comment #28Taylor_Toon, which site/company is this?
Taylor_Toon
Aug 19, 2010 at 8:57 PM
Comment #29WILLIAM HILL have completely suspended it. There are rumours in France the Ben Arfa is still in Newcastle and actually never went back to France after last weekend although I am told that this is more than likely people putting 2 and 2 together and getting 9!
baro
Aug 19, 2010 at 9:35 PM
Comment #30Taylor_Toon
Hopefully your saying the truth. Will we see him at SJP at Sunday vs Aston Villa. 🙂
nicolnj
Aug 20, 2010 at 12:54 AM
Comment #31good news