The one priority Newcastle had in this transfer market was to get a center-back in.
Adrian Mariappa – fee couldn’t be agreed with Watford
And Newcastle failed to do that, although it seems they came fairly close to signing Adrian Mariappa of Watford, as cover for Coloccini and Williamson, but we are no better off in defense than we were when the transfer window opened on January 1st.
In our book this is poor planning by Newcastle, because we are now at the mercy of suspensions or injuries to either of the two first choice center-backs, with no real specialist center-back to come in – with James Perch being the preferred replacement.
If both Fab and Williamson are both out, we suppose Danny Simpson could switch to center-back, although there’s also Tamas Kadar, who will likely leave Newcastle when his contact runs out at the end of June.
Injuries to Colo or Williamson could now seriously affect how high we can end up in the Premier League table, and it didn’t have to be that way.
These are the deals Newcastle made in the January transfer window:
In:
Papiss Cisse – £9M – SC Freiburg
Out:
Alan Smith – loan – MK Dons
James Tavernier – loan – MK Dons
And very late in the window, Glasgow Celtic came in to try to take Leon Best on loan to the SPL, but it wasn’t successful, and we were half expecting Fraser Forster to be transferred to Celtic, but that didn’t happen either.
Newcastle are in the driver’s seat with Fraser, because there’s no real need to sell the goalkeeper until they get a better offer than the £2M Celtic are offering, and we even think Norwich City could be interested in Fraser in the summer.
Late news that Ryan Nelson’s contract at Blackburn has been canceled so he is now a free agent, but it looks like he will be joining Spurs, and he can be signed at any time as a free agent. Late news that Ryan has signed for Tottenham.
It’s almost like we were last year at this time with strikers, when we couldn’t get a replacement in for Andy Carroll, who scored the first goal for Liverpool tonight at Wolves, in the 3-0 win that takes them above Newcastle in the league.
We wonder if Alan Pardew will now look at free agents to get some central defensive cover in – but probably not.
The good news is that we kept all our good players, and there were sufficient rumors about both Cheick Tiote and Demba Ba, that a lot of supporters were concerned the same thing could have happened this time around, as happened so dramatically a year ago.
That’s when we lost Andy Carroll to Liverpool, who came in with a late daft bid of £35M – cash up front – which Newcastle just couldn’t turn down.
So in that sense it’s been a good window, and there’s no doubt about it – the acquisition of Papiss Cisse for around £9M was a tremendous deal for the club – and we should see the benefits of that through the end of the season, in Newcastle’s enhanced ability to score goals.
However, it’s the defense that now may be the weakness, with very thin cover if any of the starters are injured or suspended.
How do you think this window has been for Newcastle?
Comments welcome.
270 comments so far
NUFC STEVE
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:55 PM
Comment #81Does nobody here think WILLIAMSON us poor anyway.
Jail For Ashley 2
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:56 PM
Comment #82We have not only risked our defense, not only risked our goal difference, not only risked our leauge position, not only risked our European challenge, not only risked our potentional for larger income, we have also risked the future hapiness of our stars.
Cabaye and Tiote gave up Champions Leauge football for us and to what ends?
This is a blatant attempt at not allowing us to rise above our station and keep us in mediocrity so that we can not once again be considered a ‘BIG’ team.
Goodnight
Jail For Ashley 2
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:56 PM
Comment #83Williamson is shit
Jail for Ashley
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:57 PM
Comment #84JFA 2
You will never have to steal my thunder my son,you have plenty of your own so use it well.
pbNcl
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:58 PM
Comment #85Trying to read into business at newcastle is like trying to second guess mi5 at the minute. Just a steady stream of smoke and mirror’s, works well I suppose. I think its been an exceptionally positive season so far, not only demba ba but now the other demba an all and we’ve still got all our top players. So far so good. Chin up
bye bye Shola
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:59 PM
Comment #86In my opinion in the summer we don’t just need 1-2 defenders we need more. At least 3 cb, 1 lb and 2rb. Can’t see this happening but i can dream
Jail for Ashley
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:59 PM
Comment #87GT89
Can you please state whether,its Jail 1 or 2 that you are in reference to.
Jail For Ashley 2
Jan 31, 2012 at 11:59 PM
Comment #88Thank you my lord. I hope to please you with my homage and do your great name justice.
I will attempt to be first on all new articles and continue to blast the name of Ashley
Jail For Ashley 2
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:00 AM
Comment #89@ edd 66
Ha ha ha
Do a barrell roll
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Comment #90The Sordell deal to Bolton hasnt even been confirmed yet
bye bye Shola
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:02 AM
Comment #91In the summer if we sell all our best players like Krul, Collo, Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Hafra and Demba Ba and also sell all the dead wood who would we have left in the squad. Maybe we could sign 15-20 freebies!
The Boy
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:02 AM
Comment #92Remie Street came off with an injury in the game
with Bedlington today
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:03 AM
Comment #93Ehh a didnt even realise there was a 2 on the end haha… my comment was aimed at Jail 2 then… I’ll call the real Jail For Ashley – Jail and the copier Jail2, sorted
jimmyxavi
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:03 AM
Comment #94Blah blah blah.. Im a typical toon fan.. im never going to be happy and will always whinge about everything.. Lets sack Pardew.. Sell Cabaye because our strikers didnt score against brighton.. say that our seasons over because we dodnt sign mariappa
kalon
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:05 AM
Comment #95how is it not possible to bring in 2 players during a month, with the cisse deal done relatively early, i thought it was likely a cb would be brought in. However im glad we havnt rushed a buy and could perhaps get a loan signing or a free agent on st contract. It is noted that newcastle buy best in the summer.
Jail for Ashley
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:06 AM
Comment #96Jimmy xavi
I’m glad you have gotten over your Capital rant,its not about whinging mate,I dont know how closely you have followed this blog but a lot of people on here were pointing the fact that a CB and LB had to be brought in even over a striker back in the summer,hence the mention of Erik Pieters name about ten thousand times or more mentioned in posts,without going on an abusive tirade can you give me a good footballing reason why another defender hasn’t been brought in this window.
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:07 AM
Comment #97bye bye Shola –
Colo Douglas
Tiote Diame
Cabaye Kranjcar
Ben Arfa Hoilett
Dont know any free replacements for Ba and Krul haha
NUFC STEVE
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:08 AM
Comment #98Bye bye Shola
I said that earlier, totally agree our better players will leave now as we have no hope of competing with the power of six!
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:08 AM
Comment #99kalon – we cant get anyone on loan.. the deadline closes for premier league clubs the same time as the transfer deadline.. as for free agents were left with Gypes,Weir or Campbell
masterp1983
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:09 AM
Comment #100Surely Bassong on loan would have been worth a punt at least. they should have had a backup loan plan if Mariappa failed. This is just v poor!
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:10 AM
Comment #101How can yous say we have no hope of competing because we aint signed a sub CB… what happens if for instance Colo and Wilo dont get injured from now till the end of the season then that new sub CB wont even make an appearance :s so hardly makes our chances any less or anymore
Mancgeordie
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:10 AM
Comment #102Apparently were goin to follow down the manure root n phillippe albert is readying his boots for action so what other o.a.ps are available on free transfers?
The Boy
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:10 AM
Comment #103Am going to the game tomorrow is there any chance either of the demba’s will be playing ?
Jail For Ashley 2
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:11 AM
Comment #104Richarrrrrrrrrrrddddddddddddddd Bransooooonnnnnnnnnnnnn
Jail For Ashley 2
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:12 AM
Comment #105from nufc.com:
With absences due to suspension and injury seemingly inevitable, to embark on our final sixteen games of the season, knowing that our cover consists of just two players boasting top-flight experience (James Perch & Ryan Taylor) seems to be an unnecessary gamble, with each place in the league table worth an extra £800K+.
bye bye Shola
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:12 AM
Comment #106Hopefully Collo and Williamson stays fit for the rest of the season but this is NEWCASTLE so we can expect bad news with injuries.
bye bye Shola
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:13 AM
Comment #107Each place worth 800k?
That sort of money would be handy when signing all our freebies in the summer
thevoiceofreason
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:13 AM
Comment #108The most mistifying thing this transfer window is wtf would Ravel Morrison want to go to West Ham rather than us and more importantly why did Man U refuse to sell him to us… My thought on this is that they wanted Tiote in part exchange and were probably told rather bluntly to go …,
Mancgeordie
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:14 AM
Comment #109Whats the betting we sign weir til the end of the season
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:14 AM
Comment #110So Still waiting on confirmation of Sordell and R.Nelsen
spitfire_
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:14 AM
Comment #111Who wanna bet – Colo or Willo will be injured against Blackburn and will not be some light injury.
GeordieToon89
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:15 AM
Comment #112The Boy – Seemingly none what so ever mate
Mancgeordie
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:16 AM
Comment #113Same route a kuqi last season
bye bye Shola
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:17 AM
Comment #114Screw are weak defence just go out tomorrow and attack attack attack and win… oh wait we got shola and best up front maybe we could win via a couple of own goals.
spitfire_
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:18 AM
Comment #115Wait a second… uncle Sol is available.
MagPieMan
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:20 AM
Comment #116Is there only 3 free centre backs available?
bye bye Shola
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:20 AM
Comment #117Maybe Ashley didn’t buy a defender because he’s planning to unveil himself as our new centre half tomorrow
Jail For Ashley 2
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Comment #118One does not simply walk into defence
bye bye Shola
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Comment #119As Shola is ineffective as a striker maybe he could be converted into a cb like Dublin was.
The Boy
Feb 1, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Comment #120Geordietoon89 – thanks mate am looking forward to it anyway would have liked to see what cisse could do but will have to wait till the weekend.