The Newcastle United Blog

100 responses so far ↓

• 1 Ben3arfa // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:34 AM

  ok cool, now where is Yanga-Mbiwa ?

• 2 nightfa11 // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:36 AM

  rererere

  we must get mbiwa..even if that means colo leaving.. just hope taylor can stay fit till the end of the season..& then we ditch wili for douglas & were good to go.. i just hope we stay up..

  if mbiwa comes for colo..just imagine how young our squad will be=) only shola, jonas & wili are 29+…& non of them are good enough to play in first team.. with the right manager we could really fight for top places in the near future..

• 3 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:38 AM

  If this lad plays as a left back does that mean we will see Santon moved up into a midfield role with Jonas being benched???

• 4 BigKirky // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:38 AM

  Using Santon further forward now and then is an option with this lad coming in, which is where Carver said on the radio that Santon will more than likely end up.

• 5 ajcrawfs // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:39 AM

  so anxious for mbwia transfer! he is quality!

• 6 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:39 AM

  JB…I don’t know the lad, but I get the feeling he will be there as competition for Santon mainly. Does give options though to move Santon up the field if needed.

• 7 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:40 AM

  I should have said I don’t know much about the lad, obviously I don’t know him…

• 8 toonarmydownsouth // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:40 AM

  Good to see some signings through the door hopefully we’ll get him mbwia sorted improve our bid for goufrann and get sissoko!!
  Cant help but feel this shoud of all been done at the start of the window them we might of got a valuable six points instead of 1 over the last couple of games!

  On colo
  Regarding that statement from colo’s dad
  If theres one thing they have been it certainly isnt elegant in fact they’ve been down right disrepectful
  Am actually starting to lose respect for colo tbh your our club captain ffs the least he could of done is give a statement by now
  Personally i’d strip him of the armband and instead of pandering/bargaining/begging him just tell him straight, im sorry you were caught with your strides down but your under contract, a long one, so lorenzo or you find the £10 mil your easily worth or tell your dad to shut the fcuk up cos your not going anywhere

• 9 colwell // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:41 AM

  A left footed LB at last!

• 10 ajcrawfs // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:41 AM

  guys how good does this team look!

  Krul
  Debuchy Saylor Mbwia Hadiera
  Sissoko Anita
  HBA Cabaye Santon/Marv
  Cisse

• 11 Dannyo // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:42 AM

  @JB
  It’s not impossible mate. Jonas continues to play below par, but there aren’t many other options waiting in the wings.
  I expect Santon to be played in both roles. That’s only my assumption though.
  AP has said he’s not happy that Santon has played this ammount of games. Bloody ever present, it’s tiring, and especially given current circumstances.
  He was great at the start of the season, but as the teams form and confidence has dropped, so has he.

• 12 Mister Tuff // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:44 AM

  Just checked the Paris (CDG) departures. The Newcastle flight this morning Air France AF2258 left Paris at 9.55am.
  So that looks good.

• 13 Mister Tuff // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:46 AM

  note re previous post -1 hour time difference in France to UK.
  Link to CDG departures:-

  http://www.charlesdegaulleairport.co.uk/flights/departures/

• 14 tweaked // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:47 AM

  @aj, i really think thats what pardew wants todo is rather play santon as a LW, just hope he concetrates his on his crossing in training so that he has the accuracy like that of fergie into the box

• 15 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:47 AM

  Don’t know how reliable this is but I was told that both players were in Newcastle as of last night, medicals to happen early on today???
  And that Sissohko’s agent is meeting with the club either today or tomorrow and that we are his preferred destination

• 16 WesJameson // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:48 AM

  How long does it take people to realise that Santon is more in the mold of a Gareth Bale…maybe not quite as good….but if he turns out to be anywhere near as influential as that….some player we will have…

  Please Get the Mbiwa deal DONE NOW FFS!!!

  On another note, how well do Southampton play football, my word, i thought they were amazing last night….that Lambert is some player

• 17 yorkymag // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:51 AM

  Tweaked
  At least he won’t have ad to run so far before he has the chance to cross ,he always looks like he has run out of steam coming from fullback
  The on thing for certain he has no future in premier league as a defender ,unless he gets some re high quality coaching.i reckon he has been at fault for at least 6 key goals this season
  Let’s hope turnips plan works

• 18 LooneyToon41 // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:51 AM

  Don’t know much about Haidara to be honest… in GC we trust. Anxious about Mbiwa deal (aren’t we all!), though no real belief from North London that Arsenal are about to hijack the deal. John Cross from the Mirror seemed to start it all… a big Arsenal fan!

• 19 Transfer Sage // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:53 AM

  wes

  I was impressed with them. Not really watched them much this year but Lambert has a very good touch, turn, nice bits of skill and a good shot, good in the air too…would be good player, shame he is too old for us to go for.

• 20 Rotonda heights // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:53 AM

  Wes

  I hope Pardew was taking notes off Pochettino!! Great to watch.

  It would be amazing if M’Biwa did come to us, given the following:.

  Wenger v Pardew
  CL v Relegation battle
  The beautiful game v hoofball

  Torq

  El sleeve may sound a bit negative but what he says is really impossible to argue against. We have a manager clearly out of his depth on all fronts, but we are all hoping some new players can cover his tactical shortcomings and inadequacies.

  Mind you this team would be awesone, not even Pardew could screw it up

  krul

  Debuchy Colo M’Biwa Santon / Haidara

  Anita Cabaye Tiote

  Benny Cisse Marveaux / Santon

  But as el sleeve says it’s always Jonas before Marv and Ameobi will still get his game.

• 21 Magpies-till-d3ath // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:57 AM

  Starting to feel a little worried about M’Biwa. We can’t compete with teams like Arsenal!

• 22 Conaldo (The Wizard...Also Bestest Friends With Paul Scharner) // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:57 AM

  If Southampton stay up I think they will do well. I wouldn’t be suprised to see them similar to us las season, if they buy some cheap players in from Europe.

  We have a very young team, and there’s not a lot of confidence right now. All we need is one or two wins to get momentum going and I’m confident we can still salvage a respectable finish.

  Win at villa, beat Southampton, and a point of Chelsea will be tough, but with 7 points, we will be clear of the relegation zone.

• 23 SpaceGhost // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:58 AM

  Is this too much too ask? Loan players will definite play at their best to put themselves in shop window for summer moves. Just pay their crazy wages for half a season. We’re still in the running for Europa League!
  Mbiwa
  Haidara
  Sissoko
  Gouffran
  Lescott (loan)
  Bent (loan)
  David Villa(loan)

• 24 Conaldo (The Wizard...Also Bestest Friends With Paul Scharner) // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:00 AM

  If we are optimistic, we could have the following players in in the next week:
  Haïdara, M’Biwa, Gouffran, Sissokho, and already Debuchy.
  On top of that maybe another striker/forward and that Thauvin lad.

  Surely that would be enough to keep us up?!

• 25 Lilongwe Geordie // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:00 AM

  Due to the Remy fiasco, several sources said that we had chartered a private flight to bring them over to Newcastle. I think we should all stop worrying, both will arrive when they arrive.

• 26 the1willy // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:00 AM

  All this waiting for announcements raelly isn’t very condusive to getting any work done.
  Today though I’m more positive about our situation. A quick look at the league table seems to show that despite our inexplicably terrible run of form, the teams immediately above us haven’t really pulled away.

  If only we can get a few points on the board I think some teams (Norwich for one) will start coming back to us.

• 27 jimmysmith // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:01 AM

  Yeah sure, that’s a good side, but when you suggest that “not even Pardew could screw it up”, you just go, too, too far.

  That’s just wild crazy talk, man!

• 28 Transfer Sage // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:01 AM

  does anyone think we will get 2 strikers in?

  we moved for de jong last summer…that was when we had ba, cisse and shola

  now we have lost ba do you think the club will acknowledge we need 2 more in upfront?

• 29 Conaldo (The Wizard...Also Bestest Friends With Paul Scharner) // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:02 AM

  There is absolutely no evidence arsenal are even interested in M’Biwa, it’s all paper talk.

  Relax, he’s on his way.

• 30 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:03 AM

  TS…I think the ST all depends on who we can get now. I would imagine our main target may not be available now, so the Ba replacement may well wait until the summer. Just a feeling.

• 31 yo-yo // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:03 AM

  Even if we had a manager who could take us on a 5-6 match winning run or get us on an unbeaten run of 10 matches or more some on here wouldn’t be happy.

• 32 Lilongwe Geordie // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:03 AM

  Rotunda – Pardew taking notes of Pochettino? Why? Southampton have played great passing football for over 2 years now, it has nothing to do with a man who arrived 3 days ago!

• 33 LooneyToon41 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:05 AM

  @26the1willy. Well put mate, and exactly how i feel too. I also think that Fulham are beginning to fall…

• 34 Transfer Sage // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:05 AM

  ibiza

  I could live with that.

  I’d take danny graham now, an improvement on best who was moved out in the summer. Providing we can get gourffan too now.

  Then take a player like PEA in the summer.

• 35 Conaldo (The Wizard...Also Bestest Friends With Paul Scharner) // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:05 AM

  Wonder if a 4132 formation would work?

  Debuchy M’Biwa Colo Santon/Haïdara
  Tiote
  Ben Arfa Cabaye Marveaux
  Cisse Gouffran

• 36 sirtoongospel // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:06 AM

  Hoofball!! Oh f*** off! Only Willo does it in the whole team. And we are blatantly trying to replace him. And when Cabaye plays he wants the ball constantly, we DO NOT play “hoofball” as people put it.

  Williamson does it because he panics. But soon he will be on the bench. But we have some good players, none more so than Cabaye, and we won’t be playing long ball. Willo is being replaced with a ball carrying, technical CB. So for f***s sakes give Pardew some credit for trying to address our weaknesses.

• 37 LooneyToon41 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  @30 Ibiza. I agree with you on the Ba replacement. Plus, who’s really available with the right ability and realistically would join us right now?

• 38 yo-yo // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  TS

  I’d be happy with an upgrade on Shola just now as he is no way good enough to deputise as ST no2.
  A third choice striker for £4-5m isn’t unreasonable.
  Mind they say Hooper is valued at £8m – shows how much UK strikers are overvalued Jelavic was only £4.5m similar kind of record in SPL

• 39 Conaldo (The Wizard...Also Bestest Friends With Paul Scharner) // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  We could get Gouffran and Graham for the money we received for Ba, I say go for it.

• 40 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  TS…That is my thinking. Whilst Ashley is seemingly willing to spend this month, I do have reservations about a marquee signing in case we do that thing that I wont mention at this point.

• 41 ayecanny // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  Krul
  Debuchy Mbwia Colo Santon
  Tiote Anita
  Sissoko Cabaye
  HBA
  Cisse

• 42 RooneyToons // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  Transfer Sage

  I think the club won’t take any risks being short now and the fact we’ve
  Trying to get Gouffran on the cheap tells a story.

  He can’t be Bas replacement surely.

  I’d say we still have about 10 Million for a main striker

  HOPEFULLY

• 43 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:07 AM

  If we could get these two defenders in along with Sissohko and a winger/striker we should be in good shap (where we should have been in August) until Pardew messes it up that is

• 44 croftus5678 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:08 AM

  o.k. guys i need someone to tell me the mbiwa not tuning up is the tabliods trying to sell papers and that its all false please !!!!!
  really wanted this lad more than anyone else even before the transfer window opened so if arsenal do pinch him it would send me over the edge cosidering how many decent players they have allready.

• 45 Lilongwe Geordie // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:08 AM

  TS – Yes I think the club will acknowledge that we need 2/3 strikers in, No I doubt we will get 2 in January. I think we will get Gouffran, or a similar level of player to see us through to the summer, and then move for a higher calibre when more are available without having to pay exorbitant costs. I would also expect a young striker to arrive probably in the summer, but maybe now if other deals are concluded.

  I could see us moving for both De Jongs if Luuk is still unhappy in Germany come the summer. Failing that I’m sure good old GC will have a list. I hear Remy has a release clause for the summer!

• 46 jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:09 AM

  …BUT what if we are not in the PL next summer?

  …(not that I am counting on that to happen) but surely we need that forward now?

  *for me there is no excuse – the club should be prepared for January (we knew Ba could leave).

• 47 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:09 AM

  I still think they’re holding our for Paul Sch….oh okay, I wont go there.

• 48 Transfer Sage // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:10 AM

  sirtoon

  I would say w do play hoofball…not sure who, but somebody posted stats of a game a few weeks ago which showed colo played 3x more long balls than willo.

  you are right though that pardew is addressing this. You can tell by the way we were after debuchy to replace simmo (finally have him), then mbiwa to replace willo…even looking at butand (just rumours mind) so krul has to improve his distribution and keep on his toes.

  The passing has improved in the last month or so and thats even with a weaker team out…so hopefully with cabaye back, marv getting a game, ben arfa back in a week or two…we will play some much better stuff.

• 49 Conaldo (The Wizard...Also Bestest Friends With Paul Scharner) // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:10 AM

  Exactly. Hoofball was a direct result of players being unconfident on the ball. A constantly changing back line etc meant players like Willo were even less confident on the ball. Pardew knows Willo isn’t first team, that’s why we have tried to sign a centre back for ages.

• 50 croftus5678 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:10 AM

  money doesnt matter i dont care if we spend £0 on a ba replacement aslong as the quality and ambition is there.
  but i dont want to get too ahead of myself here i refuse to look past the mbiwa deal as we desperatly need this tying up first.

• 51 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:11 AM

  croftus5678

  No one has actually said when he was supposed to arrive and the press have picked up on what happened with Remy and have seen an opportunity to print more fiction

• 52 Transfer Sage // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:12 AM

  yo-yo

  jelevic was 5mil which is a good amount seeing all the mess rangers were in, they needed the money.

  Hooper is a better play in my opinon and if going for 8mil would love to get him signed up….be better spending 2/3 extra on him than danny graham (although danny is a good player)

• 53 LooneyToon41 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:12 AM

  @39 Conaldo. We only received about £4.5m for Ba after the agents/his fees etc. Plus we all know now it’s not just about transfer fees, but ongoing wages too.

  As in the summer, none of us have a clue as to how much Ashley is willing to spend on transfers and wages. Lets just hope it’s enough to get us out of trouble!

• 54 RooneyToons // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:13 AM

  No to Graham

  He’s alright but there’s much much better out there..
  No one would even be mentioning him if he wasn’t Geordie it would be like everyone deciding we suddenly need Jonathon Walters

• 55 Markaccus // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:13 AM

  Pardew is no no-win with the fans. If he turns things around, he will get no credit, it’ll all be contrived comments about how our new players did it all and that pardew had nowt to do with it. You can’t argue with people like that, because they have practiced for years twisting situations so much that they can distort the facts. Like they have already written off the fact that, in a vote of his peers, he was awarded manager of the year last year. Clueless muppet? I must be one.

• 56 Transfer Sage // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM

  rooneytunes

  I think he is a good player, would be very good as a 3rd/4th choice striker…scores a lot more than shola so would be a step up.

• 57 croftus5678 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM

  think your confusing hoofball with a long pass directed to break a team down.

  willo and even krull kick the ball into the opposing half with no player to aim for.
  others who long pass see a player trying to run into space in the final third and try to pass it through (theres nothing wrong with the later but the former is pointless).

• 58 yo-yo // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM

  jesper

  Good point but we lost our top target and maybe no-one of equivalent GC rating is available. PEA and other hi standard forwards all seem to want to stay til the summer. We must get an upgrade on Strolla if we can’t get a Ba replacement.
  I’d take Graham and even risk the extra £2m for Charlie Austin. The Toon should have 2 x £10m strikers and 1 x £5-8m striker to be credible. Strolla and his bro can fill in as No 4 and 5 forwards.

• 59 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM

  Transfer

  Hooper is the type of player we need, and if you take away the fact that Graham is from Newcastle I don’t think many would want him tbh. he’s a good player but not what we need right now

• 60 the1willy // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM

  @33Loonytoon41 Hope I’m not breaking house rules by being slightly optimistic (only slightly mind you).

  A quick look back at the relegation season, it was from now when we really started to crumble, and poor teams that had been down in the cr@p started to pull themselves clear. So I’m hoping we’ll do exactly the contrary to 2008/2009

• 61 TorqToon // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:14 AM

  Croftus – It’s all rubbish mate!

  Yanga was always supposed to be arriving today and even his wife confirmed this last night.

  Relax and have another coffee, my friend. All is well!

• 62 rainrix // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:15 AM

  Im surprised no one mentioned those awesome marauding runs that willo did on saturday, they were pretty cool If Mbiwa did that he’d be hailed as the next messiah

• 63 croftus5678 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:15 AM

  @51

  cheers jack atleast my minds at rest a little from that.

• 64 El Sleeve // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:16 AM

  what about someone like ricky lambert, a proven divisional goal scorer, would come v cheap

• 65 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:17 AM

  On people discussing future starting line-ups, am I sensing that people aren’t rating Anita that highly?

  I think he’s really showing some great promise and will work beautifully with Cabaye and Marv.

• 66 croftus5678 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:17 AM

  hehe ty torq

• 67 big bob // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:17 AM

  the name from the people that are supposedly in the no from saturdays game was rickie lambert for newcastle who would have him ?????
  played well yesterday and unlucky not to score a couple

• 68 Magpies-till-d3ath // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:18 AM

  NUFCfans.co.uk ?@nufcfans

  Seems there could be news coming out on Yoan Gouffran soon. Soon being fairly relative. #NUFC

  Also……Anyone else seen this?
  pic.twitter.com/ZlQgt4f0

• 69 AusMagpie // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:18 AM

  I wonder if this means Santon will be moved to LW.

• 70 GeordieDan // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:19 AM

  Repost (Ed’s too quick)
  Ibiza>

  Did you see the guy’s red mohawk hairstyle?

  It takes some balls (or missing marbles) for a pensioner to pull that off!

  He looks a right nutter. haha

• 71 Magpies-till-d3ath // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:19 AM

  http://t.co/ZlQgt4f0

• 72 colwell // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:19 AM

  Lee Ryder ?@lee_ryder
  Newcastle United close in on Moussa Sissoko deal http://dlvr.it/2qdgW5

• 73 GeordieDan // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:19 AM

  Bambams>

  Don’t see why he can;t play for Boca Junors or a team like that yeah.

  At least they could afford to pay for Colo’s plane fare!

  Maybe if its the new done thing for south american football players to move regardless of contract and on a free then we should demand Santos release Neymar to Newcastle on the next flight.

• 74 TorqToon // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:19 AM

  @YGouffran: Bientôt des news…:)

  Translated to – “News soon….”

  Possible signing? Who knows?

• 75 yo-yo // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:19 AM

  When we played Brighton, in the second half, Anita was constantly chipping passes over their defence into space for a forward or winger to run on to.
  This would show up as 30m pass and hence hoofball, but is nowhere near the speculative hoofing upfield our weaker players do. An elegant chip of a defender is NOT a hoof. Statistics don’t tell the whole truth.

• 76 AusMagpie // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:20 AM

  Krul
  Debuchy — Mbiwa — Colo — Haidara
  ———– Tiote ——– Sissoko ———–
  —————— Cabaye ——————–
  – Ben Arfa —————- Santon ——–
  ——————– Cisse ——————-

• 77 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:20 AM

  Why don’t we try to get that lad from Chelsea, the one thats unhappy at not getting a game.

  whats his name again……………………….oh yeah………….Ba

• 78 croftus5678 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:20 AM

  anita/cabaye/marv controlled that game perfectly and was imo the perfect midfield (as guti was pretty much non existant) never missed tiote in the slightest when arfa comes back and takes guti’s place we will be sorted

• 79 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:21 AM

  GeordieDan….I said yesterday if Ash sells up it has to be to him to take over. What a superstar.

  Also…

  yoan gouffran ?@YGouffran

  Bientôt des news…:)

  Has a blue symbol thing, so assuming it’s legit. News coming.

• 80 JackButler // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:21 AM

  NUFCfans.co.uk ?@nufcfans
  Seems there could be news coming out on Yoan Gouffran soon. Soon being fairly relative. #NUFC

• 81 Markaccus // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:22 AM

  Ausmagpie, krul as a very deep right back??

• 82 Rake // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:22 AM

  Anita isn’t getting the credit he deserves when we actually play a passing game he will be more influential as a deep lying playmaker. Something Tiote certainly is not.

• 83 rainrix // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:23 AM

  Dan… Ha when i first saw the photo i just thought it was some odd lighting but no his hair is actually like that 0_0

• 84 SuperShearer // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:24 AM

  If Colo goes surely the only logical captain is Cabaye? He is constantly selling the club to other players, first Debuchy and now rumours are Sissoko, and his defence of Pardew after the reading game was the sign of a model professional. He’s also one of a small handful of guaranteed starters.

• 85 TorqToon // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:24 AM

  I’ve just heard that Derek Lambias has just arrived at the training ground?

  Anybody able to confirm this?

• 86 nick_9 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:24 AM

  Only a good deal for haidara if santon stays and we sign the cb and st. Mbiwa is looking increasing likely so that would be the back four heavily strengthened. Hope colo can put his problems aside until the summer as I cannot take Williamson in the starting eleven and Taylor is injury prone.

  I said at the weekend the pressure was really on now and signings should be in for midweek, lets hope they come off. Four new faces could really lift the existing players

• 87 Ian Toon // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:24 AM

  Transfer- I would go for Hooper. We should have bought him when he was at Scunthorpe and excelled against us. I do not fancy Graham although he would give his all.

• 88 yo-yo // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:24 AM

  JB

  Yes Hooper style would fit in well with us and £8m is okay for ST no 3 imo for an ambitious team. He’d get 25+ matches a season and the current gap between ST no 2 and No 3 (Strolla) would not be very great at all.

• 89 yo-yo // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:25 AM

  Ibiza

  Anita is a class act and would grace any midfield in the EPL.

• 90 sirtoongospel // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:27 AM

  I think that we are going to see a different team from now on, with new additions and a red hot atmosphere at SJP. If we bring in 3 or 4 more and get a win at Villa, the atmosphere v Chelsea will be incredible.

  My gut feeling is that we will have these players in. I think Ashley is constantly learning about running a club. Unfortunately we are a bit of a guinea pig but his track record of success is formidable. Long term I honestly think that we will be a force, but for a while we are gonna get kicked in the tits repeatedly!!!

  They have admitted that they are learning and have/will make mistakes. As it stands we have a manager who is prepared to work with these frustrations but also insist that we compete at the level we should.

  Pards has made errors. Some serious ones. But surely he deswrves the chance to show he has learned from them, but with a full squad of Prem standard players? I can’t judge him fully until he has been supported by the board. Reservations are there with everyone, but he deserves to e backed in my opinion

• 91 TorqToon // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:27 AM

  El Sleeve – I’d take Ricky Lambert. If we can get good service to him, then he could do very well.

• 92 mickhall4 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:28 AM

  Haidara has boarded the flight to Newcastle, just a matter on hours before this deal is tied up. I’m hearing Mbiwa and this guy to be annouced in press-conference which they’ve called on wed afternoon at 2pm

• 93 TorqToon // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:31 AM

  Mick – Sounds good! Is Mbiwa on the same flight do you know!?

• 94 GeordieDan // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:34 AM

  rainrix>

  He looks like a retired wwe wrestler or something!

  I hope I’m as mad as a bag of cats when I’m bus pass age.

• 95 GeordieDan // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:35 AM

  mickhall>

  Not that I doubt your credentials mate but you announced a couple of minutes ago on Ed’s last blog that MBiwa had passed his medical and was officially a Toon player already.

  Where you getting your ITK info from?

• 96 mickhall4 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:40 AM

  I don’t often hear much about transfers but i do sometimes here from the guys that do that medicals in Jesmond. They have done Mbiwa already and have Haidara scheduled this afternoon.

  It’s not always the same people who do the medicals though so these are the only 2 I’ve heard about. This Sissoko story has come out of the blue aswell….

• 97 GeordieDan // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:43 AM

  mickhall4>

  Fair enough mate. If that’s your source then its a pretty decent one. Fingers crossed your right.

• 98 mickhall4 // Jan 22, 2013 at 10:55 AM

  Yeah mate – it’s not direct information as such but very good source who hasn’t let me down before. “The guy is an athlete, body chiseled from stone!!” That was the text I got about Mbiwa hahaha really looking forward to watching this guy.

  Called Anita last time, signed a few hours after the same guy had text me to tell me that he’d signed.

  Wendy Taylor, who is head of media at NUFC, is someone I keep in touch with from my days in football. Apparently press-conference penciled in for 2pm tomorrow afternoon but don’t hold your breath on that

• 99 BigKirky // Jan 22, 2013 at 11:02 AM

  Good stuff Mick! Thanks for sharing.

• 100 GeordieDan // Jan 22, 2013 at 11:09 AM

  Cheers for the info.

  Lets hope it all comes off.