Newcastle have done well over the last two years in the transfer market, but one player who has yet to come through at the club is former Everton midfielder Dan Gosling, who arrived at Newcastle as a free agent in the summer of 2010.
Dan Gosling – in action against Atromitos in August
Dan will likely be on the bench tonight for the important game at Everton, and of course the England U21 International arrived at Newcastle suffering from a serious ACL knee injury – the same injury Ryan Taylor picked up against Atromitos at St. James’ Park last month, and an injury that used to end football careers not all that long ago.
And Dan made only one substitute appearances at Sunderland in his first season on Tyneside, but with with only a couple of years left on his four year contract, it’s time for Dan to show through this season, otherwise he may be sold next summer.
Dan’s exit from Everton was rather an ignominious one, after he had been given a verbal offer for a new contract from Everton in 2010 but not a written offer.
And the PFCC (Professional Football Compensation Committee) decided that Everton were therefore due no compensation for the player they signed from Plymouth Argyle in 2008, who at the time was said to be worth around £4M.
It’s unlikely that Dan will get a good reception if he comes on for Newcastle tonight, and this is what Newcastle manager Alan Pardew had to say about the 22 year-old today in the local press:
“I think whenever you go back to your old club you want to do well, and I’m sure Dan will too.” “I think it’s a big season for a lot of our players.” “I’m giving them plenty of chances and opportunities, and they need to take them.”
”Some are, and some really haven’t been given the opportunity yet.” ”But they will do, and hopefully they’ll take it.”
Dan appeared 14 times for Newcastle last season with one goal, and he has made two appearances this season so far in the Europa League, but we think he’ll have to come through this season, if he is to remain at Newcastle for next season, because if he continues to be a fringe player it’s likely Newcastle will sell him next summer, and not allow his four year contract to run out in two years time.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
48 comments so far
BarcelonaMag
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Comment #1You never really notice Gosling when he comes on. He doesn’t seem to have much of a range of skills, apart from the very basic ones.
Nufc-83
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Comment #2Doesn’t even have some of the basic ones imo.
Markaccus
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Comment #3I can’t say I’ve ever seen him play well for us. He just seems to come on and ‘average’ all over the pitch
GeordieRealist
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Comment #4I don’t think he’ll get an opportunity tonight – for me it has to be Perch or Anita in the middle of the park with the other playing right-back and Williamson in at centre-half.
Playing 3 in the middle would definitely help contain Fellaini…
http://whatculture.com/sport/newcastle-united-6-key-questions-ahead-of-everton-away.php
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Comment #5no overreactions when we lose tonight, lads. Save those for when we finish 10th and the’ll be justified.
Pardew Out! Ashley out!
Munster Mag
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Comment #6I thought this guy was rubbish from the first time i saw him and was castigated for being unfair. So is it ok to say to people now that so far I have been correct and didnt deserve the opprobrium?? 😉
Markaccus
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Comment #7I wonder, if pardew wants to play 4231, could ba be the player to play behind cisse, with hba and jonas as the wide players, both coming in on their stronger foot. I think this would give jonas more scoring chances, and might allow him to add an important new dimension to his already accomplished all round game.
Bucks mag
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Comment #8Bought for free and he’ll be sold for a fee, so if he doesn’t make it then we’ll at least make a profit on him. Low risk signing
AMEOBI
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Comment #9Wow hating on Gosling, he’s a good player.. Pre season said it all. He’ll shine.
Some proper clueless freaks on this site mind..
Markaccus
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Comment #10@munster, its ok to do that against the ones who really cut you down, but not to the ones who would merely have said ‘give him a chance’, as they are correct, he deserved a chance. However, He’s had a chance, and has so far proved you correct! I think his a bag of arse too.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 17, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Comment #11I am quite sure we are going to see Gosling on tonite 🙂
Some of you just seem to use the rhetoric as with Perch and Raylor back a year ago…
bollance
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Comment #12Firstly, the negativity on the blog has spilled over recently going against Ed and the blog though some in jest.
Ed is one of our own and in my opinion one of the best! Keep up the good work!!
The reason Gosling has been given so many chances is because he is young and English. If he comes good then he will be worth a lot. Still gutted we have not seen more of Amalfitano instead of Gosling.
Markaccus
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Comment #13That’s right, ameobi, we’re all ‘proper clueless freaks’ (probably said in that horrible chava voice). Thanks for your freindy input.
tequilamag
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Comment #14I think Gosling may find it hard to become a first 11 player at Newcastle. CM is one area where we have a lot of options.
bills-son
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Comment #15This game tonight will be a big test of our mental strength. Everton are a very confident side who believe in themselves and they’ll be brassed off at being beaten at West Brom. They also didn’t like Pards comment that we are “a league above them’ and they’ll come flying out of the blocks at us from the start. If we concede an early goal the lads will have to keep their heads and get stuck in.
My concern, and I know I’m not alone, is that 442 or 433 can leave us exposed in the centre of midfield and I believe that teams have sussed this. I just hope Pards plays one up front with a five man midfield. But I doubt he will.
Big game for us this one, win and the team and fans confidence will be sky high. A defeat, especially by three goals or more, and we’ll get swamped with negs.
I’m going for 2-1 to us with a late winner.
martoon
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Comment #16I think it would be suicide to play Anita at RB because I think Everton would target him with high balls out wide and he’d have no chance against Fellaini etc. I ‘d rather see Perch at RB and Anita in a 5 man midfield.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Comment #17Bollance…for me Gos and Alfi don’t play the same position…but I agree I would also like to see more of Alfi 😉
For me Gos should be used as either a classic #6 or classic #8, but Pardew seems to slot him in at the #10 spot; maybe it’s remnants from our Nolan days, but we don’t play like that anymore
oo aa demba ba
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Comment #18I feel sorry for Gosling, he was played at right back at Everton (and here on a couple of occasions) and not in his preferred role which i have read many a time (from him and I think an article on here which mentioned his agent) as an advanced midfield player.
Against Atromitos he was given a golden chance to play behind Ba and show us what he could do but then when Taylor got injured he was put back into the defensive midfield position when Vuckic came on.
This season could be make or break for him – but it is his perfect opportunity with the Europa league, league cup and fa cup (and possibly league even) when our squad is stretched
tequilamag
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Comment #19On the 442 433 debate I am on the fence. We had some great performances last year playing both. SAF uses both. so lets cut Pardew a bit of slack on this one. He is paid to make those decisions and on balance got it right more often than wrong last season.
bollance
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #20Bills-son
You are right we make it hard for teams to attack down our flanks as our wingers often defend deep when we dont have the ball.
We play as a team which is satisfying to watch.
Hope i am wrong but we may sit very deep and invite pressure for most of the game and try to use HBA on the counter attack. For me this will not work as we will be asking for trouble. Also look out for Everton putting two men on HBA from the beginning.
We need other players to take up the mantel today like Ba or Cisse rather then relying on HBA. But for Ba or Cisse to play they need the ball. Surely this means we need to win the midfield battle. As Bills-son says playing 5 in midfield may be the way forward so we can get balls into Cisse who will be upfront?
Where does that leave Ba? playing the number 10 role as an attacking midefielder? Not sure this plays to his strenghts?
bollance
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #21Jesper
We got decent money for Nolan as a goalscoring midfielder however he was really playing the number 10 role for most of the season off Carroll. Maybe we are trying to do the same with Gosling as he does know where the back of the net is.
magpie6699
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Comment #22It’s not Gosling “hate” to say that i have yet to to see anything that convinces me he deserves a place in the squad ahead of others. I would love to be proved wrong but there is a limit to my patience!
Btw, with our injuries I think we’ll get tonked – about 4-0.
Papi_Demba
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #23Pardew is just an Average Manager and will never be a CL club manager (so if we need CL we need to be ambitious e.g. Benitez) he lacks flair and uses too rigid tactics…
U jus have to look at managers like Wenger who can grind results regardless of quality of players to see Pardew is jus average…its there to see for everyone that 4-4-2 doesnt work and if HBA is our top player why not play him like Hazard (who btw i think is jus a younger version of HBA) but NO Pardew opts for tactics that fail us day in day out and hopes for luck to strike which i can see striking again unless he grows and matures as a Manager!
Ashton
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Comment #24He had a good preseason and he gives us something different in midfield. Give him a chance and I’m sure he will be good for us in the long run. He is young and has talent but lacks confidence and match fitness.
MUTINYbyLEMONS
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Comment #25Papis Demba
Tactics that fail day on day out? Please remind me how many games we won last season and tell me if tactics used on those days were a fail? You my friend are very ignorant. Are you saying a manager who got the highest position for us in recent times who was the manager of the season uses tactics that fail day in day out. LOL
Ashton
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Comment #26MUTINYbyLEMONS
To be fair his tactics this season and last couple of games last season have been quite questionable. If he opts to stick with 442 against Everton’s 451 we will get dominated and beat just like last season. And I’m going to be very mad at him but lets wait and see.
Jail for Ashley
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Comment #27Bills
You were right about the Villa game so Im going to go.with your prediction tonight.
Papi_Demba
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #28Mutiny,
If we cant give HBA the freedom he needs to operate at full throttle then thats under-utilising a great asset!
Games we won no doubt last season but truth be said in my opinion Pardew is too rigid and we will never finish higher than last season again with Pardew playing like this…
Last season we had a good finish but that was the most Pardew will ever do mark my words.
**I see Moyes doing us damage tonight i hope we can salvage something
Shane
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Comment #29Some of you need to get a grip. We seem to be guaranteed to lose tonight according to some of you, are you guys serious? We are playing Everton tonight not Barcelona. Injuries or not, we still match or are better than them player for player in every position. Afro man is our only worry but Saylor will silence him.
Markaccus
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #30Pardew wants both dembas to play, in a central position. Therefore he’s giving 442 a few games to see if they can click. They haven’t played that way for nufc until this season, and so far only in 3 league games (we were 4231 in the euro ties). Last years manager of the year can’t suddenly tactically inept. He has to try and get the best out of the 2 strikers, I’m sure if he doesn’t get results soon he’ll change it and try something else. Maybe one more home game.
Big Pappa Cissé
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #31Gosling is not even in my top 5 youngsters at the minute
1. Sammy
2. Fergusson
3. Bigirimana
4. Abeid
5. Tavernier
I would definitely start Bigi over Gosling if it came to that tonight even though he is only 18. And before anyone says “where is Vuckic” , I just think he is to slow for the pace of the premier league
Markaccus
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Comment #32Should have a ‘be’ in there somewhere 😀
rainrix
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Comment #33Markaccus… I dont think you’re too wide of the mark there. Pards is obviously trying to keep both dembas happy. The mans not an idiot he knows we play better as a 4-3-3 although eventually if 4-4-2 continues to fail he’ll either have to get some backbone and drop ba or cisse or just play ba on the left.
Brutooon
Sep 17, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Comment #341) play Jonas at RB and we play a Trio Centre Midfield of Anita-Bigi- Cabaye
2) Jonas is no longer a WINGER
3) Pressure to Everton to win, we got nothing to lose!
wynsleap
Sep 17, 2012 at 12:01 PM
Comment #35Have just seen your headline there Ed and wasn’t sure whether you were talking about Abeid, Gosling, Vuckic or maybe even Cabaye.
Not very good having to say that is it?
Papi_Demba
Sep 17, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Comment #36i maybe sounding harsh but if we want to challenge for CL we ought to hit the ground from word go and not be experiementing.
Pardew likes 4-4-2 and 4-4-2 doesnt like Pardew period! He keeps being stubborn hoping for flukes but we are suffering for that.
Player for player you can argue all day long that we are better than Everton but thats pointless without acute tactics. what im saying Pardew is useless at tactics..he can go to Man City and i guarantee he wont qualify for CL!!
I hope he proves me wrong but i echoe the views of Having BA play on the left. I think giving HBA #10 and have Cabaye push further up
coatesy17
Sep 17, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Comment #37Ameobi #9 if i could like your comment up i would, so sick of fans bemoaning players, i remember, most would ridicule James Perch, and then he has a few good games for us and suddenly becomes a cult hero, personally i support everyone involved at the club because they are here for a reason! Dan Gosling is a good player, doesnt get many opportunities but for me he does not do that bad, and shows plenty of effort and energy get behindthe lad not against him.
croftus5678
Sep 17, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Comment #38o….k…. erm gos is a really good player as we saw in pre season he has vision good passing and a decent tackle aswell as a good shot ! he’s a classic midfielder like a rob lee.
yes he’s been injured a lot but he was free and he still is young which is probably why he has not had many 1st team games for us in his career yet and given confidence i would put him on par with guthrie for sure.
but bigi is better at reading the game and tackling and amalf/sammy are better going forward and more creative so….he’s there if we change our formation i suppose
tequilamag
Sep 17, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Comment #39Papis Demba , you say Pardew is too stubborn in his tactics yet he played 442 and 443 last season. You also use Wenger as an example. This would be the same Wenger who has not won anything for 7 seasons.
bollance
Sep 17, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Comment #40Solution is simple for gosling. Get him out on loan to the championship. 1st team games is what he needs and for me right now he is not even good enough or our cup team.