It is to their credit that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and Managing Director Derek Llambias moved quickly in January to strengthen the squad, which was never big enough to withstand the additional games in the Europa League this season and with our many injuries too, things looked very gloomy after we had lost at home to Reading 2-1 on 19th January.
Moussa Sissoko – brought in for £1.8M – what a great acquisition!
But then some magic seemed to happen, and we quickly brought in four players ion four days after the Reading defeat, and in total Newcastle paid out £18M in transfer fees for five very good players, in order to rectify the mistake that was made last summer.
Mike Ashley and Derek LLambias deserve to be complimented for that, whether you love them or hate them.
And Alan Pardew was obviously thankful for those new players, and now he’s trying to do his utmost to save the season for Newcastle and their fans by getting as many wins as possible through the end of the season.
Alan was interviewed today in the Independent, and he was asked if he had ever thought of how things could have been, if no reinforcements had been brought in during January:
“No, I don’t really think like that. I don’t think there would have been any chance of signing Sissoko, for example, or Mapou in that summer window.” “Debuchy, we know, could have possibly got over the line, but it’s difficult to say. At the time, it seemed the right thing.”
“It’s that momentum, it changes the outlook of players as well as staff, directors and supporters.” “All our supporters will be looking closely at this game. It’s a key game and we have got to make sure we get something out of it, a positive result.”
“We are much more aggressive in our play. We have tried to be aggressive all year, even with teams that perhaps didn’t have the quality to play that way.” “We have always played on the front foot, as Manchester United and Arsenal proved, but ultimately, we didn’t have enough to win those two games.”
“I always enjoy it, but you don’t want to have defeats. I don’t like any time when we lose and we have had some tough weeks when I was looking at the squad and knew it wasn’t good enough, not strong enough.” “It’s difficult to go into games like that.”
“So it’s been nice this last few weeks to have a strong squad – strong enough – and not only that, but to get results on top of that as well, because it doesn’t always go hand-in-hand.” “Your squad comes together, but it takes a while for it all to click into gear. “Fortunately, we almost hit the ground running when the new guys arrived.”
Newcastle signed Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Massadio Haidara, Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran in January – and Newcastle have looked a very different and a much better side since that time.
And now we hope we can win as many games as possible through the end of the season, starting at Swansea tomorrow afternoon – and of course we’re still in the Europa League.
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132 comments so far
Mister Tuff
Mar 1, 2013 at 4:46 PM
Comment #81Kevymartins @73.
Il n’est pas appelé la souris ,vous êtes le fils d’un âne à trois pattes.
kevymartins
Mar 1, 2013 at 4:53 PM
Comment #82@mister tuff Arrêtez vous et votre big up Ballbag sueur: D
toonicle
Mar 1, 2013 at 5:12 PM
Comment #83Now would be a great time for Cisse to find his form again please! Goal a game or so for the rest of the season maybe?
kevymartins
Mar 1, 2013 at 5:16 PM
Comment #84@toonicle now is his time to prove himself. Last season there was no pressure on him with ba here but you can also blame the service even though he hasn’t been scoring most games he has barely had a sniff of a goal
robin
Mar 1, 2013 at 5:38 PM
Comment #85Now that the team has been relieved of Calamity Coloccini, NUFC, should bring the League Cup winners party to a halt. So its 3-0 to the Magpies, Gouffran and Cisse to spoil the Taffs, party!
DokToon
Mar 1, 2013 at 5:50 PM
Comment #86but robin will still chirp about how pards screwed something up during a clean sheet.. you alll heard it here first!!
Ketsbaia9
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:08 PM
Comment #87We have recruited very well. Alderweireld, Benteke and Remy/Bony/Zarate are must signings. If we get someone else like Belhanda for £8m it’s a bonus. We should go for Douglas as he’s free and also Sulejmani. Don’t forget about Baftimbi Gomis either. He’s available for free in the summer. Ideally, to have the perfect squad i’d go for these players:
Aldereweireld – £8M
Douglas – Free
Belhanda – £8m
Remy – £8m
Benteke – £12m
Total = £36m
If we can’t get Benteke in, I’d snap Gomis up on a free.
IITianToon
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:21 PM
Comment #88“Rotting away, the Mackems that make up a dull day”..
Time, Dark Side of the Toon
olivant
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:21 PM
Comment #89Hello Ketsbaia9. Looks like some nice quality players, for not that many Money. The question is, will Mike A. pay the doe ?
I think if we can ad 1-2 quality player/s each year we would get a concistency to the team´, and also try to avoid these windows where maybe 5 players need to be brought in.
89Norcal
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Comment #90Kets,
Gomis for free, that’s brilliant. Especially when he still has a year left on his contract 🙂
How will we swing it though? Maybe you could lend your copy of FIFA 13 to Ashley so him and Gomis can have a few kick off matches?
NUFC_LEAZES END
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:41 PM
Comment #91I can’t see us spending 36 million on those players.
Especially when we could get much cheaper options
WWYCD
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:42 PM
Comment #92Sulejmani has already agreed to go somewhere…Valencia I believe
WWYCD
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Comment #93Also Remy for 8 mill? Why would we drop that amount on him? Pretty sure last I read on big Toby he was rated at around 12 mill and Benteke was 20+mill rated by Villa…..but hey don’t let those issues ruin ur fantasies. Adult table is still waiting kets
giimps
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:49 PM
Comment #94Nile ranger leaves the club by mutual consent
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:50 PM
Comment #95twitter feed
Nile Rangers has left the Toon by/with Mutual consent
WWYCD
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:54 PM
Comment #96Ranger leaving us?! How long til kets says we should sign him for 4mill?
Seriously though good luck Nile hope u sort urself out and find a club that works for u am just glad ur not with us anymore
Markaccus
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:56 PM
Comment #97Never been happier to see a player leave. Good riddance to a useless player and a total tw@ of a man.
giimps
Mar 1, 2013 at 6:57 PM
Comment #98I think he would be worth getting for a Spanish club, get rid of the hangers on and gangsta mates (assuming he does not end up in jail before then)
Shame though as he had promise but no morals or fight.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Comment #99That deal for the last home games at £110 is a steal,shame Im only home for Arsenal an Lpool might sneak Wigan away if I behave between now and then.
Markaccus
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:01 PM
Comment #100I think he’d be better off playing Rugby as a fly-half. He can get the ball over the bar from almost anywhere.
Big Pappa Cissé
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:02 PM
Comment #101Ranger has left NUFC
Jail for Ashley
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Comment #102Not sure about the Anzhi attendance as tickets have gone upto 26 quid never been able to understand why a full house at half price isn’t better than half empty at full price .
Tinman
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:05 PM
Comment #103Barton taking the piss. Hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-IBcHJJZKU
IITianToon
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:06 PM
Comment #104Can anyone of you quickly give me a link where I can see the HD highlights of our last few wins.. lkooking for HD mind..
thanks a lot.. 🙂
Tinman
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:09 PM
Comment #105I see no reason why it shouldnt be full for Anzi, our biggest game of the season, but it wont be…sigh
Sheikh MagToon
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:12 PM
Comment #106Great to see we’ve sacked that waster Nile Ranger. Now he won’t have the benefit of free legal representation from the club, I bet he’s playing in behind closed doors football for HMP Durham within 12 months! Good riddance to one of the biggest Shi*sters to ever pull on a Toon shirt.
Tinman
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:16 PM
Comment #107IITianToon
Thats MoD, has Souphampton game on. Not sure where you can find any other games.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r0zw7/Match_of_the_Day_2_2012_13_24_02_2013/
IITianToon
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:23 PM
Comment #108@Tinman thanks buddy.
ok prediction time.
I think Swans 1-2 Toon
Routlege, Cisse(2)
Krul to be Kind
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:28 PM
Comment #109alreet guys
just seen a very interesting OPTA fact that Newcastle have used more players this season than any other side… 29 to be exact, madness considering we had probably one of the smallest first team squads at the start of the season!
Can’t wait for the swans game… I think it may be like a game of chess given both teams desire to play carpet football… a low scoring affair i think
FatmanJoe
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:32 PM
Comment #110Ranger has gone! Yippee!
noladonna
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:32 PM
Comment #111nile ranger has left the club happy days
Krul to be Kind
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:37 PM
Comment #112the nile ranger news is as good as it gets outside of a transfer window!
lower league player at best, barn door and banjo spring to mind, too cumbersome and mentally ill but hey, he was free! lol
I would say that the board have had a word with him and said – ‘here’s a few quid now beat it… if you don’t we will just sack you when you get charged!’
a custodial sentence is enivitable, be it this time or the next… seemingly he just didn’t want to be a footballer!
Jail for Ashley
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:39 PM
Comment #113Have the club made an official announcement or is it just Twitter stuff ?
Jail for Ashley
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Comment #114SSN !
WWYCD
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Comment #115JfA
Its offical mate club released the statement saying he’s gone
G
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Comment #116Am I alone in thinking that releasing Nile Ranger could be the best bit of transfer business Newcastle have done this year?
Jail for Ashley
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:51 PM
Comment #117WW…,
I wonder whats made him give up X amount of free money for the next few years, surely it’s not to try and pursue a career maybe Dirk Daley (Arfurs not so lovable rougue brother) sent Terry round to his house.
FatmanJoe
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Comment #118That clown should never have been allowed near the club and I was completely ashamed that we continued to endorse his behaviour by allowing him to play.
Best bit of business by a mile.
Sorry Sissoko. Don’t hurt me.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Comment #119G,
Its better than selling last nights bahjis to the Sultan himself.
WWYCD
Mar 1, 2013 at 7:56 PM
Comment #120JfA
I would imagine he got a pay off (handsome one am sure but not the full whack) and told if he didn’t take it he would be sacked when his criminal case reached its conclusion plus he could find himself a new club as a free agent if he left now I believe
Don’t worry though mate am sure he’ll be just fine without us…could get a job in nandos if all else fails 😉