Excuse me for trying to be logical, but was I the only one who thought striker Xisco moving on loan to Deportivo on the very same day that Newcastle sold Andy Carroll to Liverpool in January, was a little silly.
James Tavernier – great young defensive prospect
Well would you believe it could happen again – it seems like deja vu all over again.
The news today is that young James Tavernier has moved on a month long loan to Carlisle United, and that’s the same day that first choice left-back Jose Enrique is expected to sign for Liverpool.
James has played very well in pre-season, and while he may not have filled in this Saturday for Jose against Arsenal, he is nevertheless a top young defender at the club, so why send him out on loan now?
The 19 year-old can play across the back four, and it looks like the youngster will go straight into Carlisle’s squad next Saturday for their trip to Bury.
Is there any real planning going on with Newcastle’s transfer and loan policies – it doesn’t look like it to us.
I stand corrected if Newcastle sign Erik Pieters before the Arsenal game – let’s hope that’s exactly what happens!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s good for young Tavernier to go out on loan to get games, Â but the timing couldn’t have been worse.
There is also news today that Hibernian are expected to complete the signing of 19 year-old Newcastle United striker Phil Airey, on a season-long loan deal, so Airey joins former Newcastle Assistant manager Colin Calderwood north of the border.
That will give Phil some first team games, where he can show Alan Pardew what he can do with regular playing time, and it looks like a great move for the Amble-born youngster.
Comments welcome.
Note: Here’s something I did for GOAL a couple of days ago, on the upcoming season for Newcastle.
408 comments so far
toonfan76
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Comment #81Right I’m asking everyone this question:
Apart from the current situation with Jose who on this blog doesn’t think that our squad is stronger than it was when the last season ended?
I think we have improved our squad but hope we are not finished yet!
Sav
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:20 PM
Comment #82John, he meant to say ‘a decent striker’.
Ashley is all about selling – players and the club.
Looking forward to another season flirting with relegation.
I almost hope we achieve it, too, just to see the 35 million (plus all other transfer profit) he promised to spend get wiped off the value of the club.
Well done, Mike.
Munster Mag
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:21 PM
Comment #83Irish Mag, good points, balanced, unlike some of the screaming children. My concern is that we should have signed a decent centre half and striker by now ….i think we will get a left back in very fast, deal proabably more or less done now ….as in Obertan and Routledge switch. My annoyance with Ashley, apart from blatantly lying about spending the Carroll money on the team, is that he doesnt seem willing to stump up more than about 5 mill on any one player. Sometimes if you want a decent player, u just have to stump up, and let the Sky money etc pay for the other expenses like wages etc. I think we will get two decent players in soon. I doubt we would have let Enrique go without someone lined up, and Fergie injured.
toonfan76
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:21 PM
Comment #84@FatmanJoe
I totally agree with your last sentence @79
Rotonda heights
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:22 PM
Comment #85Ah, the return of the millionaire with the trophy wife and karate kid.
You must be slumming it coming on here angry !!
Did you sue the charm school by the way?
t00ntime
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:23 PM
Comment #86no pieters has no release clause…
FatmanJoe
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:23 PM
Comment #8782.
Hard to say at the moment as I think the squad from the relegation season was pretty strong but players didn’t perform.
I think player for player we’re stronger than the last two seasons but we need a LB and a goalscorer to play alongside Ba. CB cover would be a luxury at this point but I think bidding for Bassong wouldn’t do any harm.
boater
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Comment #88Felipe – my own hunch is Liverpool have demonstrated the right idea but wrong execution this summer i.e. invested in a new look young, talented spine to the side- I just think they bought the wrong players.
We on the other hand have done the opposite – spent very little and wheeled and dealed on free contract, injured players stepping up to the grade- we have yet to see if that is the way to go.
It’s also worth noting that in the last 18 games of the season Liverpool had title chasing form, 2nd best in fact. We won 3 which is relegation form.
Sav
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Comment #89Dogleash gets Enrique exactly when and at what price suits him. Another great result for Llambias and Ashley.
2 AMEOBI'S
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:25 PM
Comment #90whoever sorts out the transfers needs shot with sh+t, shocking timing. From what i can tell we have 1 fit senior full back for arsenal game.
Also could people stop saying ferguson is a lb he is clearly a winger.
thud and blunder
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:25 PM
Comment #91Xisco has apparently signed for Deportivo. on twatter!
KillyMansGiro
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:25 PM
Comment #92Why the suprise? This has been the theme since Ashley took over!
Defence rb Simpson
lb Nofcuker
cb’s Taylor, Williamson, Coloccini
If I was a manager of a Sunday league team going into a season with 5 RECOGNISED defenders, I would be bricking it.
Yet these tw–s go into the world’s best league with 5!!!
You must have cover for every position, we are 3 short!!
KillyMansGiro
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:26 PM
Comment #93Sorry 4 I was counting No fcuker!
roblee7
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Comment #94Its hard to say if we are stronger or weaker, but here’s my beliefs…i suspect injuries could bugger us up as we’ve actually got a smaller squad now…skysports news info says 5 in 7 out….
Goalkeeper wise – the same
Defence – weaker – depending on signing of LB
Midefield – Unknown until we see it put into action, but i suspect stronger, depending on how Marveaux, Cabaye, Obertan, Gosling, Ben Arfa perform / get injured!!
Attacking – Weaker
So overall, I’d say much the same at present, but much will depend on how the new guys / those returning from injury perform…i think im most looking forward to seeing Gosling and Ben Arfa!! Seems like they’ve been here for ages and will be like new signings for us!
papscrunt
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Comment #95Whitley Bay U12’s would have cover for a player who got called up to East North’s. We really are run by a bunch of complete and utter donder heids.
Munster Mag
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Comment #96Bills-son and Felipe and others, out of interest do we know if Enriques’s new deal was as wonderful as the club made out – or was he lying on Twitter, saying it wasnt? Its an important point i think, given the lies told to is by Llambias about investing all the Carroll money in the team ( not that i wanted us to lash out 35 mill anyway ) . Any thoughts? Appreciate that Enrique wants to go, but how much more did we offer him?
FatmanJoe
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Comment #97@92 PLEASE let that be true.
Was just thinking there was no way we’d ever get rid of the f*cker!
So Xisco is gone – can we sign a striker now .. with a cherry on top?
KillyMansGiro
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Comment #98XISCO GONE!
BelfastMagpie87
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Comment #99Has Xisco left the club??
A Millionare who didn’t have to work for It……. 🙂
ilovetoon8788
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #100Though i support Ashley’s regime and i think selling Enrique was for the better for the club, not getting a good replacement for him and i will be royally pissed. Our fullbacks are championship standards.
terencelim
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #101Good bye the bull.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9NrJZJ7zZc
You always look better in black and white, much more than any other shirts.
the1willy
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #102Hey lads… hope is not lost.
Apparently we’re closing in on that midfielder we so desperately need (to fill the final places in the 25 man squad)
http://www.cleansheetsallround.co.uk/2011/08/chelsea-midfielder-attracting-interest-from-newcastle-united
thud and blunder
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #103pardews just said that Ben Arfa’s out for at least another 5/6 weeks. T-riffic!!
This is taking this piss now like!!
thai-mag
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #104toonfan76 nobody knows how strong the squad is nobody has seen them play together before, we will have better idea after saturdays game
liam_ds
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #105WTF is it with scousers nicking all our talent? IMO jose is without doubt THE best lb in the Prem and when you consider the stupid prices the supposed ‘top’ players have been swapping clubs for this summer, ÂŁ6m seems pathetic for someone of Jose’s talent and is quite insulting I feel!
However, they had us by the balls anyway coz it was either sell for ÂŁ6m or lose for nowt next season!
Inc Carroll, (and immenent barton departure) the toon will have lost 4 of our best players in the space of 8 months….bad times
toonfan76
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #106@roblee7
Why do you think our forward line is weaker than it was at the END of last season?
Unless you assumed I meant the start of last season, Then I woul agree with you because of Carrol leaving.
boater
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #107ToonFan76 – it’s a misleading question.
At the end of the season – we had bumbled over the finishing line, but had the promise of large funds to invest in restructuring a squad which had run out of steam, and won only 3 from it’s last 18.
KillyMansGiro
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #108That is 135,000 a week off the wage bill, I bet the fat twat is happy now, no excuses for players coming in now!!!
ginkoh
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Comment #109THE FACT is we should sign replacement before sell someone NOT sell someone before find replacement !!!
thud and blunder
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Comment #110they knew Enrique was going this week. WHY isnt a replacement just about signed up??
Its bloody bad management!!
thud and blunder
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Comment #111@108 I totally agree!!!
BelfastMagpie87
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Comment #112Im no Genius like,But surely we should of kept hold off Enrique until we had signed his replacement??
Eastander
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:34 PM
Comment #113How do we know a replacement isnt just about signed up… we had someone lined up to replace routledge who isnt even a starter! surely they have someone to replace our first choice left back
ilovetoon8788
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Comment #114So we don’t have any proper full backs for the Arsenal game. Fantastic.. sigh..
roblee7
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Comment #115toonfan76 – sorry, yeah meant when we had Carroll….
Ba – not overly confident about
Ameobi – just gets worse every season!!
Lovenkrands – just weaker with every game
Best – needs a good run of games, but no world beater
So unless Ba does well, then yeah, in terms of quality, I’d say even though we have pretty much the same front line we’re weaker, due to the increasingly dire performances of Lovenkrands and Ameobi, even without including Carrol. However, it all depends on how best and Ba perform me thinks
Ollieh51
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Comment #116Like they did Carroll Eastander…?
Hmmm… Hard to show faith from the past experiences.
roblee7
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Comment #117i could also see Obertan / Ben Arfa turned into strikers though if we dont get another onboard
ichrisho
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Comment #118Where has Xisco gone?
toonfan76
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Comment #119@thai-mag
I agree, think I probably should wait and see, I was just thinking it looks improved on paper, but on paper doesn’t win matches does it!
boater
Aug 11, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Comment #120Eastander … hopefully the reason Enrique deal took so long was because it’s taken all summer to get Pieters.. who is now about to be unveiled.