Newcastle today arranged a friendly with Glasgow Rangers on Tuesday, 6th August, with a 7.45 pm kcik-off time, and that should fill out our pre-season schedule, and it’s probably been arranged because of Mike Ashley’s almost 10% ownership of the top Glasgow club.
Here is now the updated Newcastle schedule for pre-season.
And it still leaves open a possible game on Saturday 3rd August, and maybe that’s the date we are trying to arrange a friendly game with Lille for, although the Rangers game may have been in place of the possible Lille game.
Newcastle will likely field a strong side against Rangers, and manager McCoist said this on the Rangers web-site:
“We have enjoyed a positive pre-season so far and we are all looking forward to our final warm-up match against Newcastle before the league campaign begins.” “Newcastle have a strong squad, packed with international players and they will provide a great test for our players.”
“I am sure both sets of supporters will be keen to fill Ibrox and take in such a high profile game before the serious league business gets underway.”
And some slightly updated news from last night on the transfer front – Newcastle’s top striker target now seems to be 27 year-old striker Bafetimbi Gomis of Lyon, and it’s over five years ago that Kevin Keegan was interested in signing the striker, who was then at St. Etienne.
And it if reports are to believed we bid £9M for him in March of 2008.
Bafetimbi Gomis – top target for Newcastle?
Gomis has just one year left on his five-year contract at Lyon, so it wouldn’t surprise us if the fee Newcastle are trying to agree for the striker is even less than the £7M quoted.
But we need to sign a striker soon, and hopefully over the weekend, and maybe after we’ve hammered Rio Ave 5-0 tomorrow night? 😀
That will help to raise the spirits on Tyneside.
Comments welcome.
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and +1 us on Google+:
You can also reach Ed at admin@nufcblog.com
=============================================
253 comments so far
viv
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:07 PM
Comment #41Jelavic, is a decent player and so is Bent.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:08 PM
Comment #42Viv
I don’t see it, I think he’s a flash in the pan in a team that had confidence. When asked to do it week in week out from the get go, he couldn’t deliver. His stats last season were horrendous.
Sazzer
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Comment #43OFFICIAL: Manchester City confirm the signing of Stevan Joveti?.
https://twitter.com/SerieATransfers/status/358269842471661569/photo/1
Jail for Ashley
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Comment #44We shouldn’t bloody be talking about cats on a Friday in the middle of a transfer window we should be discussing the new players we should have signed in the last three weeks.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:12 PM
Comment #45Ruddy
I’d be shocked if anyone doesn’t agree that it would be a massive disappointment if we don’t get cat one. We simply can’t afford to fail there when our 2 nearest rivals have already had it granted.
I’m waiting to see what Pardew does tactically this year…maybe if he can keep his key players in better shape then he can play the way he wants to play. He didn’t have much success last year with plan B or C…
WWYCD
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:12 PM
Comment #46JfA
Haha ok mate Kemen (that’s his name isn’t it?) erm he’s young isn’t he
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:14 PM
Comment #47cpt kremmen
very funny man
viv
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:14 PM
Comment #48Gignac and Gomis stats are no better and they are playing inferior football and their the same age as Jelavic.
ToonMauritius
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Comment #49Hi Fans
Getting the presentiment that we will sign Gomis shortly & that Cisse will leave by the end of the transfer window & bwe won’t have enough time to find a replacement and you already guess what will be the scenario
Dannyo
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Comment #50Since Benteke has signed on, it’ll be even easier for them to get rid of Bent. Hopefully we’ll punce now.
Gomis has an excellent scoring record in France, a goal every 2.04 game from the start. A steal at £7M imo.
Get them both in and be done with it, if Cisse leaves, we’ll have at least two proven strikers.
lukes26
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:22 PM
Comment #51so signing Gomis would effectively end any interest in Bent (who I suspect we were never interested in)
He’s not horrible. His hold up play is pretty good. I don’t think it’s as good as AC or Ameobi, but he does much much better than Cisse, to be sure.
I don’t think his goal scoring record of the past two seasons in France will translate to the Premier league.
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:23 PM
Comment #52hope we don’t punce it make a hell of a mess
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:24 PM
Comment #53Viv
I agree. We shouldn’t sign Gomis, we shouldn’t sign Gignac and we shouldn’t sign Jelavic.
Just because one poor striker is slightly better than another poor striker, doesn’t mean he would be a good signing.
Jail
Unfortunately you’re right. Sad state of affairs but did you expect anything else?
TDS
His plan A wasn’t exactly top dollar either was it? I’m expecting no surprises from him next season other than the mediocre dross that was served up to us last season. That way, I won’t be overly upset when we see cr@p football, and I’ll be pleasantly surprised from any glimpses of quality.
Sorted 😀
viv
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:28 PM
Comment #54Do not forget Bent in your list of below par strikers @53
Indian Magpie
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:28 PM
Comment #55Marquinhos To PSG Confirmed, Sakho Available, NUFC?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:29 PM
Comment #56Compare the goal scoring records of Bent and Jelavic in the PL. Bent is not a below par striker.
geordie157
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:29 PM
Comment #57Jelavic = no thanks
Gignac or Gomis, i’d said maybe but only for 5mill. I’ve seen Gignac quoted at 12mill. 12mill would buy us Rhodes
If we signed Remy and Gomis/Gignac/Bent that would be alright.
viv
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Comment #58Nice1 Indian!
swemag
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Comment #59Go for Jelavic. He would surely be available for 5 Million.
viv
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:31 PM
Comment #60He was last season!
Indian Magpie
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:31 PM
Comment #61Viv
Just a Hypothesis
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:32 PM
Comment #62Viv
How can he was below par when he only played 16 games in the league, most of which were from the bench?
~Joke-innear~
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:32 PM
Comment #63Gomis and Adam le Fondre.
If we are keeping Cisse and Gomis is coming in to challenge Cisse/Goofy, there is no point going after Bent as he would not get ahead of them in the pecking order, meaning he would be relegated to the bench. He hardly makes an impact comng off the bench, whereas Le Fondre does.
lukes26
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:34 PM
Comment #64Depends which Bent youre speaking of, Darren Bent of 2008 or Bent of 2013. Darren bent of 2013 is championship level at best
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:34 PM
Comment #65Joke
We had this discussion last night, Bent is better than Le Fondre, it’s less of an opinion, more of a factually based statement that is supported by statistics.
plana
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Comment #66Jelavic, would be a better bet than Bent. Villa were in the relagation fight most of last season and Bent could’nt get a game so he must be on the wane.
~Joke-innear~
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Comment #67@Luke, exactly.
2008 Bent was a monster in front of goal, would have been over the moon if we signed him back then.
2013 Bent imho is hardly worth the effort.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Comment #68I’m not saying Darren Bent is a world beater, but for 5m he’d be a steal. He hasn’t lost his ability, he’s simply fallen out with Lambert, which explains why he hasn’t played.
geordie157
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:36 PM
Comment #69So Cabaye to PSG for Sakho and Menez plus 10mill. Not too much to ask for is it. As much as I like Cabaye 20mill plus would be too good to turn down.
Or straight swap Cabaye for Sakho, Menez and Gameiro
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:36 PM
Comment #70I’m lost on you people.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:37 PM
Comment #71Sakho, Menez and Gameiro? And these players only amount to 20m?
geordie157
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:38 PM
Comment #72Watford closing on 7 udinese players. one of them is that Diego Fabbrini we’ve been linked with a few times.
Jonny
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:38 PM
Comment #73Gomis is a 12 goal a season man in the French league so probably a 7-8 goal a season man in the PL?
viv
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:38 PM
Comment #74Well said Plana old son using some lateral thinking.
~Joke-innear~
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:39 PM
Comment #75Ruddy, Im not telling you to stop fooling yourself with these delusions… I am entirely fine with you thinking that Bent is worth buying. Everyone has their opinion.
Like I said yesterday, I don’t take into consideration what a player has accomplished in the past. The past is the past. I only consider whats happened recently
And last season alone, Le Fondre was the better player.
Falling out with the manager? That just tells me that he is going to be trouble.
Only 16 games, most off the bench? That just tells me he wasn’t good enough to make it into the Villa squad.
Sazzer
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:39 PM
Comment #76http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoAp9sZsS94
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:40 PM
Comment #77Lateral thinking?! There’s nothing lateral about that! It’s putting 2+2 and coming up with 5.
Lambert and Bent fell out last season. Which is why he hardly played. What is so difficult to comprehend about that!?!
Sazzer
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:41 PM
Comment #78Messi to Newcastle =)
geordie157
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:41 PM
Comment #79Ruddy, I was joking! But if his destination is PSG, then we’d be mad not to try to at least get Menez if possible.
I agree with you on Bent, proven prem goalscorer, 5-6mill, get him signed!
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 19, 2013 at 6:42 PM
Comment #80Joke
Of course, because the manager couldn’t be the instigator of a falling out. Le Fondre made nearly all his apps from the bench, does that suggest he was not good enough for the Reading squad? Conveniently no, because it suits your argument.
He scored more goals last season than Bent, granted, but he also scored more PL goals than Cisse. Is he a better striker than Cisse?