Steve McClaren has reiterated that he doesn’t expect any new players to come through the door, and that it would be a surprise if we signed somebody before Tuesday night.
And Steve added – you cannot discount surprises happening in football.
Steve McClaren looks bemused on Saturday
With the defense so far looking a lot better than last season – it’s been our weakness for three years – the urgency of signing a defender before the window closes tomorrow night, has lessened a little bit.
The doubt seems to be with Papiss Cisse, and if the Senegal striker is allowed to leave in the next day, we must bring in a good replacement for the 30 year-old.
We expect Steve McClaren to be talking to Cisse today after what his agent and the player himself have said over the weekend, about possibly wanting away from Newcastle, because he has lost his first team starting position.
Steve was asked if Newcastle were finished in the transfer window this summer, and this is what he said:
“I think so, unless there is a surprise, which we cannot discount in football.”“We are happy with what we have now.”
Newcastle have a decent squad, and wants the smoke clears on Tuesday night, it will probably be a relief for Steve and his coaching staff – and he will know what the squad is – at least through the end of this year.
Newcastle say they will be active in the transfer window in January, although it’s always difficult to get good players in half way through the season.
But maybe there will be a free agent or two we want to bring in before their contract runs out next summer?
If there are no surprises and we don’t loose any good players before tomorrow night, we should be in decent shape for the first half of the season, and the goal will be to get some wins on the board – quickly.
Last year at this time we lost Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa to Roma and Ben Arfa to Hull City – both being loans for the season.
Comments welcome.
20 comments so far
sparky55
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:12 AM
Comment #1Still think we’ll lose a couple….just cant see Ashley spending that much money without getting something back and reducing the wage bill.
Cisse toite and Sissoko have to be those at greatest risk…anyone else going like Gouffy or Vukic or Kemens is inconsequential anyway.
Blofal
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:14 AM
Comment #2I’m very happy so far this season. McClaren seems to have improved our defence ten fold. Coloccini and Mbemba have looked very solid at the back. Especially considering 2 out of 4 games so far we have played the majority with 10 men.
We are yet to see how good we are going forward because of this. We were never going to attack Man U. Southampton was the first game of the season with our CB pairing playing their first game together. Swansea was a write-off once Janmaat got sent off. And Arsenal was a write off once Mitrovic got sent off.
The showing against Northampton was promising however. Under Pardew we were limping over the line against league 1 & 2 opposition. The next 2 games against West Ham and Watford will be a good indicator of where we are at.
beermonkey
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:14 AM
Comment #3sparky
kemens gone hasn’t he
there are some we can lose but most of them are on small wages so it really makes no diff
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:18 AM
Comment #4You have give Ashley some credit for spending decent money this window, but if that’s it, it’s a long way short of “making your own luck” isn’t it? I interpreted his statement to mean he would buy the players to effectively put us beyond any reasonable chance of relegation. I don’t know how else you’d do it apart from bribing referees, and that obviously hasn’t happened. Second bottom we sit. Mike, if that’s making your own luck, don’t give up business to become a professional gambler old son.
one fine day
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:18 AM
Comment #5Bit confused lads,
If Olivier Kemen. Is so wanted by Lyon , Tottenham and ac Milan then why isn’t he being given a chance in our midfield ?
Clealy the Anita colback combo is hardly pulling up trees so far so why not give him a chance from the bench instead of tiote who has been less than ordinary .
If he is that good and we can’t find him a spot then get him out on loan to spurs and let them pay his wages and give him some premier experience nothing to loose .
And selling a player like him for less than a million ???
Either there is something we arn’t being told about or we value willo higher than the current French u23 captain .
Anyone remember the screamer he banged in at the end of last season for the kids.?
Yes sell gouff and if a decent offer came in for tiote it wouldn’t be the end of the world
SUTTY1978
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:18 AM
Comment #6Toonbrother, time will tell. I have no particular agenda against Colo but your premonition about not winning with him in the team seems to be coming to fruition.
Either by design or because of limitations in his movement we have to play 10 yards deeper when Colo plays, this has 3 effects
1) it invites the opposition onto us
2) it restricts our attacking play
3) it exposes Anita & Colback to increased pressure
His actual play in the last couple of games has been decent, as i said earlier he cannot get exposed for pace when we sit deeper, additionally we have played against teams with CF’s <6 foot. Had either of these not been the case then he would have been beasted as usual.
Said about a week ago that our best combo would be Willo & Mbemba. Hopefully they will get to play together at some point, see it being much like our previous best partnership of Willo and Mbiwa.
geordiemark
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:19 AM
Comment #7id still like 2 defenders brought in and an attacking midfielder
Bobbybee
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:19 AM
Comment #8Very disappointed in Cisse throwing his toys out the pram. Did he seriously not expect competition for his place? He missed ten games last season through bad discipline which left us struggling at the end. He did get service when he played, but fluffed many good chances. He now has three games minimum to show why he should be first choice strikerand he should grasp that chance, not start crying for a move.
toon kk
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:19 AM
Comment #9We’re in for a long hard season our almost relegated squad hasn’t been strengthened enough, although we’re definitely working harder as a unit we struggle with possession and getting out of our own half is almost impossible at times. I’m not sure who’s going to get all of the goals to win games this season, relying on o hot headed 20 year old is a massive risk.
geordiemark
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:20 AM
Comment #10one fine day
I agree with you he should be given a chance and why isn’t he if other top clubs are after him
geordiemark
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:22 AM
Comment #11Bobbybee
I was told the other week by a mate that he wanted out, he doesn’t do a lot bar from score, aye hes a striker but these days strikers do a lot more in the game then they used to
toon kk
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:22 AM
Comment #12We need power and pace and even more pace, its the only way to succeed in the premier league.
geordiemark
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:27 AM
Comment #13toon kk
yes totally agree with you here, the toon over the past what 7 years really never seemed to be fit to me, not enough work rate, not enough gumption, not enough speed in there game at all, I listen to all the excuses the club make and I watch players how long they can keep the fitness going throughout the match and v arsenal sissoko was just about done in after 60minutes that’s not good enough for so called top players but he wasn’t the only one, they put it down to players aren’t up to speed yet that’s bollox these are pro footballers its there job to up to speed straight away
Jib
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:28 AM
Comment #14I don’t think anyone else is needed.
The defense midfield and attack all have more than adequate coverage .
On NUFCtv McClaren said – this window the next one and Summer 2016 – we will continue going for quality rather than quantity.
One certainly cannot complain about the quality of the signings this window.
geordiemark
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:31 AM
Comment #15Jib
yes I know what your saying and it be over at least this season and next and its a slow progress, but the need is still there to see we need the 2 defenders and a very good attacking midfielder in the Beardsley class
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 31, 2015 at 10:43 AM
Comment #16I don’t think anyone else is needed. I don’t think anyone else is needed. Just trying to equate that with being sat second bottom. If I keep saying it, I might get it. I don’t think anyone else is needed, I don’t think anyone else is needed…
kimbo
Aug 31, 2015 at 11:23 AM
Comment #17Anita is too slow , watch Arsenal game and you will see him outpaced by every Arsenal player. I cannot believe people believe he is ok.
nightfa11
Aug 31, 2015 at 11:47 AM
Comment #18Apparently we’re still after lassoga..
geniusofthelamps
Aug 31, 2015 at 1:19 PM
Comment #19anyone who thinks willo should start ahead of colo is jyst having a laugh. he is slower than colo, cant turn, cant kick a ball to a team mate and usnt very good in the air.
colo on his day is a classy silud defender as we have seen the kast 2 games
geniusofthelamps
Aug 31, 2015 at 1:22 PM
Comment #20and my spelling was awful there but you get the gist