In the last few games of the season we thought Vurnon Anita played very well for Newcastle, and in that last game he was almost Newcastle’s best player, although that fantastic performance by Jonas Gutierrez in his final game for the club won him our Man of the Match award.
Good players play well when it matters, so it will be interesting to see how Vurnon plays under new head coach Steve McClaren.
Vurnon Anita – had excellent game against West Ham
Vurnon is an excellent professional, but has been on the fringes of the side since he was signed from Ajax for €8.5M, which was around £6.7M back in the summer of 2012.
McClaren knows how to handle Dutch players from his two stints at FC Twente, and apparently thinks highly of Vurnon, because he knew of him when he was at Ajax, where he even played left back for one full season.
The lads are all safely back from the US tour now, and Vurnon has been interviewed in the Chronicle today and had this to say:
“We have to start the new season the way we ended last year with the win over West Ham. We have to start again in the same way.”
“From the beginning we have to start just like that. We saw that day that we had everybody behind us, which is going to make a big difference.”
“That last game was important for myself and the team because we wanted to stay up. We gave everything. We want it like that in every game.”
With the experienced players like Vurnon, Jack Colback, Gini Wijnaldum, Siem de Jong, Moussa Sissoko and Cheick Tiote in the squad we seem well off for central midfielders.
But we will probably sell one of either Sissoko and Tiote, and if we do we would need to bring in another top central midfielder to replace whoever goes.
Maybe 25 year-old Dutch International Leroy Fer of QPR would be a candidate if that happens?
Steve McClaren and his coaching team are top-notch, and we look forward to some of our fringe players – like Vurnon Anita as one good example – coming through for the team next season.
Vurnon has played 95 times for Newcastle with a couple of goals over the last three seasons.
Comments welcome.
87 comments so far
LewSpi v2.0
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:39 AM
Comment #41Magscar
Walcott is my favourite player, in the world.
Boy we can dream.
WWSBRD
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:41 AM
Comment #42Walcott won’t come to NUFC
Offkey
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:41 AM
Comment #43The thing with Sissoko is that we all know how good he can be with his bursting runs, he was consistently our best player. However, he has got lost along the way, imo his heads been turned like Cabaye. Whilst he may not go out on strike like Cabaye, he seems to be somewhat absent recently.
Slank
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:41 AM
Comment #44magscar @ 38
I think the problem most of us have with Sissoko is that because of his size we initially thought, not unreasonably, that he was another Viera or Yaya Toure.
He clearly hasn’t got the bottle of Viera and Toure and as such isn’t really suited to a central midfield role. Playing on the wing is probably his best position.
magscar
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:42 AM
Comment #45Agree with the positive comments re Anita and feel he was never settled in the Pardew and Carver playing style. Another example of the disconnect between Pardew and Carr on what the team required?
Given the growing Dutch influence and the apparent style McClaren wants us to play and with his Dutch experience then Anita won’t get a better platform to show whether or not he can become an influential player in PL for us.
croftus5678
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:43 AM
Comment #46well we almost got mitrovic and mbemba for the price of a sissoko i’d say thats a great deal !
we also have wijnaldum/siem/colback/tiote then anita/abied/bigi/vukic so i really dont think we will miss him…..at all.
also on the right wing obertan who replaced sissoko did a hell of a lot more effective job than sissoko ! and that was obertan !!!! shows how much we need a proper rw
Offkey
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:43 AM
Comment #47However, saying that, there have been many players of ours who have not seemed to be performing correctly for a long time.
Offkey
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:45 AM
Comment #48Anita chasing down an opposition corner always pleases me……again, he has more to show I think.
LewSpi v2.0
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:47 AM
Comment #49Don’t know if anyone has posted this?
@FrenchFtWeekly: L’Equipe report Aymen Abdennour’s entourage are in Barcelona to discuss a possible Barca switch. Transfer & loan back to ASM most likely.
ToonAndy
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:49 AM
Comment #50I disagree with you all about Anita. I don’t think he’s as good of a player as you are making out. He plays it too simple for me, he’s fast and can close people down but never strong in the tackle, his vision for spreading the ball to wingers is terrible and when he does find a winger in space a lot of the time his passes go astray. He can’t shoot. Obviously can win an air duel. He had a good season or two for Ajax, where in that league it’s very difficult to make a CM/DM look poor, as the whole team is finding space and moving the ball around well. Cabbage was 10x the player and we’re still very much missing our cabaye style player. Can score goals, works very hard, excellent vision, excellent range of passing, can win a challenge, very intelligent footballing brain and brings a boost to the team…. Hence the links with Moutinhio/Banega. We are DESPERATELY missing this kind of play maker.
To be honest (I know most will disagree) I would sell Anita and sissoko. Players like bigi and Abeid Much more potential.
I’d sell, willo, goufran, Anita, sissoko, Ferguson, rivière etc and bring in 1CB (after Mbemba) (Rudiger/Abdennour/Matip/Van Dijk), a LB, creative Mid , winger (can play either flank just as good) (Shaquiri/Mertens) and another Forward (Austin/Berinhio) … Then my friends, we would have something to become excited about.
WWSBRD
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:50 AM
Comment #51I don’t agree Sissoko has been our best player most touted in the papers but on the pitch he has been average to poor for me
magscar
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:51 AM
Comment #52Slank
Agreed. Never seen such a powerful athlete become as lightweight on the ball. Did come through challenges at times but usually seemed to be more luck than skill.
Still not certain whether its is simply a combination of one to one coaching and some of Black’s renowned psychology that is required to unleash the player he ought to be?
Very disappointing.
BandB
Jul 24, 2015 at 10:55 AM
Comment #53What happened to that extended deadline for renewing season tickets?
Wasn’t it was July 19?
They’ve been on full general sale in all areas of the ground now for some little time.
lesh
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:03 AM
Comment #54What chance of a biggish bid for Austin and Fer?
Qpr’ll probably need the money and maybe £20m might secure them both.
BandB
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:05 AM
Comment #55An actual authenticated bid of £18m might well “test our resolve” on Sissoko.
magscar
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:08 AM
Comment #56ToonAndy
I see what you are saying but I don’t think he is a Cabaye type player and plays a DM role differently to Tiote.
We now need to have DCM to complement DeJong and Gini style and I think he deserves a chance to demonstrate what he can do in a set up more conducive to his abilities. He is best at breaking up midfield play terrier like (rather than a bulldog/alsatian style of Tiote ) and giving short passes. He now has players around him to carry the ball and make key passes so could blossom.
Tiote did initially keep his game simple but increasingly tried to play a bit and hit stray passes and was caught in possession too often.
I suspect key to McClaren’s style will be quick passing and not dwelling on the ball but still keeping possession and Colback and Anita can each bring something to that alongside Gini .
This is another reason why I can’t see Williamson fitting in as whilst he can make short passes reasonably well his one touch and speed of thought just isn’t there.
Sav
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:12 AM
Comment #57Moussa has got something special. If MacLaren can find a solid role for him it could be worth more than any new signing.
geordie157
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:12 AM
Comment #58If Spurs are serious about Sissoko, i wouldn’t mind us trying to get Ben Davies as part of the deal.
Haidara is likely to get injured at some point this season, Davies has picked up injuries too but he’s a better all round player. Then Dummett can be 3rd choice and focus more on being cb cover.
To be honest i’d do a straight swap for Davies and Townsend. Even though there are a lot of Townsend haters on here!!
ted
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:12 AM
Comment #59Sissoko,will be sold and Newcastle will sign Austin, Fer, Matip Thauvin or Draxler. Dani Koks, who’s on trial from Ajax, is going to be a star player for Newcastle United, in the future.
Rotonda heights
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:18 AM
Comment #60157
would rather have the money for a top cb. townsend’s stats for actual end product are shocking.
Slank
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:18 AM
Comment #61magscar @ 55
I too suspect that the key to McClaren’s style will be quick passing and not dwelling on the ball which is precisely what Tiote doesn’t do. He is forever dwelling on the ball and pirouetting around in circles. Perhaps this is why he wasn’t a favourite with McClaren in Holland ?
ToonAndy
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:19 AM
Comment #62Sell Sissoko and Anita, bring in Motinhio and Pjanic…. That may not be too realistic lol
JDdubai
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:19 AM
Comment #63Lesh 53
Think QPR will be harder to deal with now they have 20% of Sterling’s transfer fee.
Can we not send Willo out on loan to Rangers or will that be more insulting than the commercial deal Ashley made for himself there?
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:22 AM
Comment #64If Spurs were to give us Townsend as part of the Sissoko deal, I’d want around £30million in cash plus Townsend. If it is straight cash I’d take anything over £15million.
JDdubai
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:23 AM
Comment #65On a sepreate note
Just how long will Diaby’s medical take at West Brom?????????????
“So Mr Diaby, if you can just step on the treadmill and…SNAP….well there’s the cruciate gone again, ok just get back down and we’ll get you off to h….SNAP….yep there goes the ankle as well”
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:24 AM
Comment #66I think this window should be about upgrading the fringe players, moving on those who doesnt give us at least 30 games a season, evalueting contractual players (last season) and building on the quality we have.
Sissoko should be kept I think!
JamesToon
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:26 AM
Comment #67G157
Straight swap Davies and Townsend for Sissoko very good shout!
Then all we need is 1 centre half from Van Dijk/Matip/Rudiger/Abdennour
And 1 striker from:
Berahino/Austin
magscar
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Comment #68Slank
Oddly I believe it was McClaren that recommended Carr take a look at Tiote back then. Perhaps he thought perfect for PL and other clubs apparently did at first as he was linked with top 4. Think our style and ponderous play made him overplay a bit. till have a soft spot for him but think we are moving on. Not sure if Bigi and Abeid are cutting it yet although I did have high hopes for both.
On others mentioning Townsend I think he flatters to deceive but is more direct than say Obertan.
Toon-Prodigy
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:31 AM
Comment #69No bids in for Sissy according to the Chronny
Slank
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:32 AM
Comment #70magscar
Yes it was McClaren who alerted Carr and surely it doesn’t bode well for Tiote knowing that his new manager has already sold him once before.
magscar
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:38 AM
Comment #71Jesper
Problem with Sissoko playing 30 games a season might be that he can’t get in side if we can bring in a top rightsided player as some are suggesting. Just can’t see him getting a lot of time in CM as things stand.
Knowing when to move a player on to the overall benefit of a club is as important as transfers in.
Sissoko wants first team football next season especially and he may see his prospects increasingly diminishing. Ironically would that and the new coaching set up totally bring out the player in there at last 🙂
nut meg
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:39 AM
Comment #72Townsend & Obertan are pretty much the same only Townsend runs with the ball & Obertan runs without the ball.The end product is basically the same….absolute sh*te and neither can cross a ball so WHY would anybody want to spend good money on Townsend when people already give Obertan so much stick ??
YoungMagpieFromBurnley
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:40 AM
Comment #73To get De Jong and Wijnaldum in the same team, this is the only formation I can think of:
——————–Krul
Janmaat-Mbemba-Taylor-Haidara
——————-Anita
——-Wijnaldum—-De Jong
—–Perez—Mitrovic—Aarons
(4-3-3)
Young forward line too!!
2_goal_tino
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:41 AM
Comment #74@ 5 – Slank – Trialists aren’t named because usually they are free agents, clubs don’t want to alert other clubs that they are interested or if they have done really well in a game because someome may come in and steel them. Say a trialist is named and then scores a hat-trick…other clubs could be interested.
YoungMagpieFromBurnley
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:42 AM
Comment #75To be fair, Obertan was our second best player vs Portland 2. His crossing was fairly decent, a decent squad player.
YoungMagpieFromBurnley
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:46 AM
Comment #76Strong bench aswell as a strong line up:
Woodman
Lascelles
Williamson
Tiote
Cabella
Sissoko
Cisse
Terry
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:46 AM
Comment #77Love to be proved wrong about Anita because we need all the help we can get but I don’t share others enthusiasm about a player who had many chances last season and didn’t take most of them no matter what formation
cyprus
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:48 AM
Comment #78Steve,
Listen to me mate. Sissoko is CENTRAL to our CL drive. Think this way: if (if) a bid that size is put in, either they are fools and don’t know diddly about football, or they see what you, I, the French national team, etc. sees….
If you want to sell some players, I got a nice long list. My people can meet your people.
toon22
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:49 AM
Comment #79To be fair Messi would have struggled with us last season.
expatmag
Jul 24, 2015 at 11:52 AM
Comment #80Off topic, here in Melbourne, Real Madrid are giving Shitty an absolute shallacking…….3-0 just before half time at the MCG……..95,000 in attendance