With some top players like Kevin Nolan, Jose Enrique, and potentially Joey Barton being moved out of Newcastle this summer, the Magpies will look a lot different side next season.
Yohan Cabaye – on a well-earned vacation
On the positive side, Newcastle should have a lot more skill in the side with Cabaye, Ba, Marveaux, Ben Arfa and Gosling all adding skill to the side for next season.
There’s five almost all new players for a start, with Gosling making one short sub appearance last year and Ben Arfa making only four.
And Newcastle’s signings this summer have hardly started, with Neil Taylor expected to be signed this week from Swansea, and Newcastle will also bring in at least one more top striker, and have also been linked with St Etienne midfielder Blaise Matuidi.
They will also bring in an experienced left-back too, if Jose Enrique leaves, as is very likely.
Newcastle’s first signing is a quality player – former Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye – who is now on vacation before returning for Newcastle’s pre-season training in two weeks time.
Alan Pardew will play a basic 4-4-2 formation with the second striker being Ben Arfa, who will play slightly behind Senegal International Demba Ba, who has shown with West Ham, he can score lots of goals in the Premier League.
Indeed, the amount of change going on in the Newcastle squad is a lot more than a lot if us were expecting, and there’s both good and bad in that level of change.
Yohan Cabaye talked to the Newcastle local press today:
“It’s important to stay in the Premier League, and the club’s ambition is to compete in the top half of the division.”
“I’m confident the club can climb the league in the coming years. The club has some very good players, we’re bringing in some exciting players and I think I can add something to the squad and the team.”
“I enjoy being on the ball and having possession, and that is what the manager wants from me. I’m looking forward to the new season.”
“I’m excited to meet the staff and the players, and looking forward to integrating myself into the team. I’m also looking forward to living in England,”
“But I have had a long season, and first I am looking forward to having a break before the challenge of playing in the Premier League for Newcastle.”
“I’m very happy to have signed for Newcastle, but I must first rest and prepare myself for pre-season training.” “Next season is very important for me and the club, and I want to be ready to play my part.”
One major thing that`Alan Pardew will need to do this pre-season is choose a new captain, with Kevin Nolan having surprisingly left for Championship football with the Hammers.
If Joey Barton is moved on, he cannot become captain, and may not even assume to that position, if he sees out the final year of his contract on Tyneside.
It could be that Yohan is a candidate for the Newcastle captaincy, although local lad Steven Taylor may also be a candidate, and there’s always Fab Coloccini, who just loves things at Newcastle.
And then of course it could be true that the new captain has not even joined Newcastle yet.
Of the players remaining at the club – who do you think would make a decent captain for next season?
Comments welcome.
61 comments so far
ilovetoon8788
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:38 PM
Comment #1based on the rate we are shipping players out.. finishing in the top is definately our main target. finish 10th and ill be delighted.
ilovetoon8788
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:38 PM
Comment #2top 10*
~Raylor Naylor Saylor~
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Comment #3Thats kinda obvious…
ilovetoon8788
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:41 PM
Comment #4europe aim is premature.. and we dont have that capability yet..
blissna
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:42 PM
Comment #5I’d have to say colo
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:42 PM
Comment #6To be fair, Top 10 would be a decent target for a team only in their second season back from relegation.
Most newly promoted teams have the following aims for the coming seasons:
Season 1 – Survive
Season 2 – Survive & Consolodate
Season 3 – Consolodate & Mid-Table
Season 4 ….
You heard the expression too much too soon?
WWJBD
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Comment #7We dont have anywhere near the squad depth to get into European football top 12 with a cup run (if not a cup win) and I am a happy lad
gorgonzola
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Comment #8Top 10 a must to keep players intereted and to get the likes of Gervingho etc…. to come to our club…. we need to really push next season we could have EASILY made the top 10… with just 2 games that come to my mind that we should have easily won..
Scumderland away, and last game of the season.
Cheick and Bake
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Comment #9i say give the armband to ben arfa .. or barton if he stays
cowbrown
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:49 PM
Comment #10Steven Taylor would seem the obvious choice, if he can stay fit. Or Colo as one or 2 have already suggested.
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:52 PM
Comment #11@ 9
How has HBA earned the armband?
I say Collo all the way with Saylor as deputy
Tommyy
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Comment #12I’m sure we can push for Europe if last season was anything to go by. We’ve added strength technically to the midfield, and added quality already to the attack in Ba. all we need to hit Europe now is to retain our steely leadership in Barton/Saylor/Tiote and if possible keep Jose or get a suitable replacement and a number 9. Then I would expect Europe to be a target.
belfastmagpie87
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Comment #13heard sholas leaving aswell, any truth in it???
cabayeclass7
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Comment #14Give the armband to Steven taylor!!
arfa chance
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Comment #15Collo did well when he had the armband last yr. I say give it to Collo all the way
connor_nufc
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Comment #16No shola is staying, hes not allowed to leave the club!!
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Comment #17@ Tommyy (11)
Sure we have added, but we have lost a lot mate.
Last season was very much thanks to goals from AC & KN. Big question now is, will we find them goals from elsewhere?
connor_nufc
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Comment #18Gorgonzola
Dont forget about spurs at home aswell
belfastmagpie87
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Comment #19@ connor nufc
shola for captain.haha
sephir0
Jun 20, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Comment #20NUFC-Richyg01
totally agree with ya pal. id rather take our time and build on each season than go for it all and f*** it all up!! if we make progress even if its by an extra place, one more goal, one more clean sheet….it’s progress.
Eyeball81
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Comment #21Give colo the armband, also why are people saying that Europe is out of our reach…is it because teams have suffered from second season syndrome in the past?
Europe is not out of reach and dare i say it we were almost there this year, if we hadnt have thrown away leads against the likes of west brom and committed suicide against stoke bolton etc we wouldve been there
WWJBD
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Comment #22belfast
I heard that too from Taylor and Besty but they admitted it could of been wide of the mark however it came from a person who had spoken to Shola apparently
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Comment #23Ed, can we have a captaincy poll please!?
belfastmagpie87
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Comment #24barton or steven taylor for captain.
barton will be sold,so taylor will get it.
WWJBD
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Comment #25We dont have a squad big enough to deal with cup runs how are we going to be able to deal with European football?
MattCastle90
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Comment #26Based on whos gone and whos come in we are already a much stronger side..let Jonas go, hes ineffectual..Nolan…. would not have scored 12 goals next season and everyone would have said “i wish we sold him” Barton is a class player but more trouble than hes worth and although he did have some great games his passing was fairly inconsistent… we have a striker now who can actually score goals, ben arfa fit (hopefully) I dont think people realise the potential of this boy. Cabaye is a replacement for barton except better… Enrique was great but again tried to much at the back sometimes and his positional play can be poor…
Possible Line-up
Krul
Simmo (crap) Naylor
Saylor Colo
Matuidi Tiote
Ben Arfa Marveux
Cabaye
Ba/ Sturridge
Sorry guys but i dont care what anyone of you say if we sign Matuidi/ sturridge that team is far stronger than the one we had last season and we should have been top 10 comfortably then so Europe is a realistic push…or at least a cup run
belfastmagpie87
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Comment #27@wwjbd
i seen somebody saying it on twatter.
hes only got 1 year left on his contract.
so he will probly be sold.
Nick 69
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Comment #28Ben Arfa captain??????? are you having a laugh? played 4 games for us, and hardly seems the loud mouth organising type
WWJBD
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Comment #29belfast
From the lads I read it from it was Shola wanting the move because he doesnt feel he will get first team football and he feels its time for him to move on
connor_nufc
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:09 PM
Comment #30Shola will stay, he loves the club too much
nufc_ back to glory day
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:09 PM
Comment #31why no one is saying about jeremy menez.he has got great pace…cheaper than nzogbia as well…he can play in a variety of positions as well…get in matuidi as well
lastly, one striker and one full back…
4 more players in and we will have enough squad.
arfa chance
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Comment #32Just messaged craigcoozy on twatter. He said he hasn’t heard anything yet the players not arrived
gorskino10
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Comment #33Problem with STaylor is he isnt a starter or on the brinks of being one, atm the 2 defenders seem to be Willo and Colo.
If he was a starter he would be the captain over anyone but as he isnt i think he would be Vice captain nothing more.
Only players that play as a Captains are either
Barton – May be leaving and may not suit him being Captain,
Tiote – Tackles and commands like one but then again new at the club and thus i wouldnt give it to him.
Colo – Commands and is always the savior in our defence, he would be the most likely to be Captain BUT his lack of English may harm this.
Jan Stavik
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Comment #34Coloccini is capt material. Taylor is in and out of the side. Barton is my pick anyway, he’s a great character.
Why the h… ship Leon Best out and keep Shola?! Amazing if this is true. Shola is 30, has a much higher salary and is cr@p. Best got 6 out of 9 starts, he’s not a bad striker. He’s strong and battles well, the irishman.
Tom_Toon
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Comment #35As I said since almost the day he arrived, Enrique should be captain, would also act as an incentive for him to stay.
JP...from The Rock
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Comment #36Taylor for Captain.
He speaks English and is very vocal.
Is a Geordie (or 99% Geordie for all you technical smart asses)
Loves the place and the team and has been through most of the ups and downs of the past.
Plays with his heart on his sleeve every time.
Is situated at the heart of the defense which is a good position for a Captain.
Colo / Harper – Vice Captain. Both have been here for a long time and always do their best. Harper would be a good shout for Captain as he’s our longest serving player but he can’t organize much being in the GK position.
Colo would be my preferred Vice Captain. Plays in the heart of the defense just like Saylor although he’s a quite lad just like Harper.All the others don’t have what it takes, just arrived or could be off soon.
HAMBO
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #37Tiote to captain the side to a top 10 finish!
WWJBD
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:17 PM
Comment #38Taylor for captain….less than a year ago he wanted away from the club because he wanted more money or am I incorrect?
arfa chance
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:17 PM
Comment #39This time last yr the rags said the same about Best I reckon its BS, or could be cos his ankle is always gonna be a problem
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 20, 2011 at 1:20 PM
Comment #40Tiote cant really be captain, he spends too long suspended!
Barton I dont think is captain material, also it may go to his head a bit!