With Aleksandar Mitrovic signing for us this past week, and with Newcastle now having three midfielders who can also score goals – Gini Wijnaldum, Siem de Jong and Rolando Aarons – maybe we don’t need another striker brought in this summer?
That’s essentially four goalscorers we didn’t have last season, because Siem and Rolando made only 11 appearance between them in all of last season, with a string of injuries keeping them on the sidelines.
Aleksandar Mitrovic can get us some goals
We’ve also got Papiss Cisse, who should have a good season coming up if only because he’s going to be 100% fit after his knee problems, and we also have Ayoze Perez and Manu Riviere.
Ayoze needs plenty of playing time next season, so he can continue his rapid progress on Tyneside, and we still think Riviere can come through after a poor first season at the club.
The Frenchman needs to rebuild his confidence and have a little bit of luck to get some goals.
We’re sure Steve McClaren and the new coaching staff will help him a lot.
So there’s four strikers we have on board, plus three midfielders who can get us goals.
Maybe we don’t need another striker brought in but concentrate on strengthening the defense with a top center-back coming in to join Chancel Mbemba.
And McClaren can get the best out of some of the center-backs we already have at the club – and with those two new arrivals, plus Jamaal Lascelles – we should be a lot less porous at the back than we’ve been over the last three seasons.
190 goals that we’ve conceded in the last three seasons is about 63 goals average for each season – and remember we only conceded 59 goals when we were relegated back in 2009.
We must have had the worst defensive record in the PL over the last three seasons, so that’s an area that Steve McClaren and company can improve a lot.
In addition to being able to score some goals this season – who knows – we may also be able to stop conceding them next season.
😀
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
64 comments so far
WWSBRD
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:18 PM
Comment #41Colo is the best CB we have moving him to CDM where we have players already would be a mistake for me
Altamullan
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:19 PM
Comment #42Saw that firebug, but assuming he was just being polite yesterday. Do we have an exact time for it? I will be incredibly relieved if hear confirmation of his signing today. If medical ok, as suggested earlier, and delay due to visa, only technical difference between Mbemba and Mitrovic I can think of is ranking of their respective countries, assuming Serbia are top 50. Which (I think?) matters with new rules on visas. I’m inclined to think they are awaiting some test results, which weren’t necessary for others (see timings in previous post). However, just speculating/worrying.
Shadow_Shearer
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:19 PM
Comment #43Will die
U seen him play there ONCE, & you are sayin he is the worst defensive mid you seen!!
firebug666
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:20 PM
Comment #44Ian Toon
Well I agree, sports psychology has a big part to play in modern sports. Managers, or Head coaches always have their favourites and will praise them at every opportunity, it’s human nature.
A sports psychologist will work his magic and lift all the players. The way these players need to be pampered makes me sick sometimes, but if you need them to perform, it what you have to do.
Give them a pat on the head, let them lick your hand and they will run out onto the pitch happy and show master what they can do.
But in seriousness when coming back from an injury, of after a bad game they need to be able to talk to someone, get things off their chests and receive some much needed good advice.
Lets hope it all works out this season, over to you Mr Black.
Craig_NuFc
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:23 PM
Comment #45Man Utd seem to be handing their players out for nominal fees, RVP and Nani at about 4 million each. Rafael was really out of favour last year, how would people feel about picking him up for a couple million as Jan back up? now they’ve got Darmian I can’t see him playing at all.
Craig_NuFc
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:27 PM
Comment #46I’d be more than happy if our remaining dealings are
Enrique- 2mill
Rafael-2-3 mill
Adbennour-15 mill
I think that’ll give us a real competitive top half squad to build on with the lads we’ve already got and 20 mill on top of what we’ve already spent sounds about right, not sure we can afford a winger until we offload some crap.
WWSBRD
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:35 PM
Comment #47Craig
I don’t the El toro would come back been blighted by injuries since he left and how Jonas was treated by the club I think there will be some bad blood
And without Jonas covering him not too sure how good he would be again
JDdubai
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:37 PM
Comment #48Craig
You really think Rafael will leave Man U because he is 2nd choice and move to Newcastle to be 2nd choice?
Big Steve
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:50 PM
Comment #49Bas Dost not in Wolfsburg squad at the Emirates stadium. Anyone know why?
Ian Toon
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:51 PM
Comment #504Tsunki // Jul 25, 2015 at 1:49 PM
Ashley Out!
Is this the same Tsunki who wrote of the overwhelming sense of relief when the final whistle went and we had survived in the Premier League. Aside from dusting off the Journey round the Championship and staying up until after midnight to see 3 minutes of the toon game; your above message often repeated is never accompanied by any argument. In short it makes a dispiriting and, in the end, a boring read. I have not previously viewed you remotely as an embittered nutter and predictable dullard. I am curious as to whether you will revert to the sublime and that the ridiculous is merely to ensure that your talents will not be taken for granted.
Anyway, each to his own. I personally plough through the comments sifting the wheat from chaff. At times the chaff is in danger of clogging the whole medium. I now have a “paywall” which keeps much of the riff – raff out.
Noel Worst
Jul 25, 2015 at 3:54 PM
Comment #51Colo – OUT!
Willo – OUT!
ToonFromLeeds
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:00 PM
Comment #52Hey guys and gals I’m home 🙂
Just seen a new name we are linked with:
Federico Mancuello
firebug666
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:05 PM
Comment #53TFL
Welcome back home mate, But just take it easy. Really glad your getting better.
Federico Mancuello? Aye just seen that myself earlier today. Is there a limit on work permits a season? And don’t we also have to retain at least 8 HG players?
Altamullan
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:07 PM
Comment #54Hope you’re feeling fine and dandy TFL; some things put intolerance and huffing and puffing about football into very sharp perspective.
ToonFromLeeds
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:09 PM
Comment #55Thank you Fire and Alta
I think you are right fire
Mr Magpie
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:10 PM
Comment #56TFL
Good to hear your back home, take it easy & nice to have you back on with us.
firebug666
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:13 PM
Comment #57Newcastle United’s double Belgian raid was a brilliant call, says ex-Genk boss Alex Mcleish
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-uniteds-double-belgian-raid-9726864
will die for the toon army
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:13 PM
Comment #58Craig_NuFc
I think they r jst getting rid of their wages.
toonicle
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:14 PM
Comment #59Totally agree Ed. Can’t forget about Armstrong though I’d really like to see him get some time this season and Pérez, Mitrovic and Cisse are all gonna want to be starting plenty as well.
Altamullan
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:21 PM
Comment #60Good read firebug, cheers. When is he going to sign, tick-tock, tick-tock…
ToonFromLeeds
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:24 PM
Comment #61thanks MR M
funkness
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:29 PM
Comment #62I continued to struggle understanding why so many continue shouting for Austin. The argument that it worked great with Shearer & Ferdinand doesn’t make much sense to me, as the game has changed so much since then. Playing two CFs together leaves the midfield short and outnumbered putting way to much pressure on the CMs and in turn the defence. We need providers and Shaqiri or Thauvin would be exiting, no doubt.
My dream addition though would be Adnan Januzaj. He is already brilliant at a very young age, has PL-experience, can play anywhere across the midfield and would assumably only get better. He was already becoming more of a bit part player last season than the season before, and with Van Gaal seemingly hell bent on buying world class players for every position, he might fall even further behind in the pecking order this coming season ..
With the Euros coming up we could provide him with the perfect platform to excell and get into a highly competitive Belgium team. Januzaj & Aarons on either side of Mitrovic – the prospect of that almost gives me the chills!
rozehnal
Jul 25, 2015 at 5:17 PM
Comment #63I think 2 more decent signings and we will be hopefully challenging top 8 if not top 6. Shaqiri would be a great signing. Siem De Jong will be one of our star players.
nufc 11
Jul 25, 2015 at 6:58 PM
Comment #64Can’t understand why we haven’t moved for Michael Dawson he reminds me so much of John Terry a prober defender a leader an organiser loves the tackle reads the game just having him around would develop lascelles leaps and bounds as well the faster Colo and willow are moved on the better.