So far it doesn’t look like the £52M net spent in the summer has done much at all for the Newcastle side, with our defense still too weak and our attack not able to score enough goals.
Newcastle have the lowest number of points (3), the lowest number of goals scored (6) and the most goals conceded (17) and therefore the worst goal difference at -11, after only eight games played.
There’s nothing like the facts to concentrate the mind.
Lee Charnley Board must fix weaknesses – nothing else
According to Steve McClaren the Newcastle Board will shortly be reviewing the summer transfer window and figuring out what to do in January.
Newcastle didn’t really fully address our big problems in the summer when we should have brought in more defenders.
We are not only still too weak in defense, but too many of our defenders are injury prone – with Dummett, Haidara, Taylor and now Mbabu out injured again.
Three have hamstring injuries with Haidara having a knee problem.
To rely on Coloccini as one of the permanent center-backs looks like an error of judgment by McClaren although Fabricio can still come through for us and help steady the ship this season.
At the moment, it looks like a luxury that we let Remy Cabella go but brought in what looks like a very similar player in many ways in Florian Thauvin.
Why bring in Thauvin when a player of similar ability, temperament and physique had failed miserably in the Premier League last season?
We hope Thauvin comes through, but that’s always looked like a risky deal pushed through by Graham Carr.
Why didn’t we spend that money on a top center back or another striker to fix our weaknesses and balance the squad?
Two big problems we have had over the last 18 months or more are conceding too many goals and not being able to score goals.
So if we are to spend more big money in January the Newcastle Board have to be to fix the problems – they must address Newcastle weaknesses with the current squad.
It would also work if the players we bring in can go straight into the first team and start producing almost immediately.
Therefore signing British players or even players from the Bundesliga, where the football is as physical as in England, would seem to be a good ploy.
But the Newcastle Board of Directors – Lee Charnley, Steve McClaren, Graham Carr and Bob Moncur have to get real and start to fix the real problems we’ve had at the club now for far too long.
If they fail to do that in January there is a likelihood that we’ll be a Championship club come May – and it will have been our own fault.
Comments welcome.
Note: Hi, my name is Ben Rushton, I am 6 years old and want to raise money for the McMillan Cancer Support.
I am going to climb Mount Snowdon with my Mum, Dad and Auntie Nic and I will do my very best to get to the top while keeping everyone updated on my way up. I will be doing this on 18th October 2015 in 2 weeks time.
Please see if you can donate here to help me help other people – thanks.
70 comments so far
JackButler
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:06 AM
Comment #1Panic is setting in, but we’ve been here before and yet the system and those who push it through are still at the club.
How many times do we have to go round in circles until something changes?
Blofal
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:06 AM
Comment #2To be fair Haidara never had a knee problem until McManaman decided to fly kick it.
Munster Mag
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:06 AM
Comment #3Welsh, I agree with that. Short term , Ashley isnt the problem or the solution. Medium and long term is a different issue, but he gave us plenty of money and we bought some decent talent in the summer. Added to that, players like Janmaat and Krul are decent overall. But the manager and players need to up their game a lot. Carr needs to push for a change in the transfer policy, as does SMC, and start demanding the right to buy players over 26/27. I am concerne dthat many of our players are coming from the same agents but sometime wonder if Carr is on a small percentage bonus if a Tioe ( for example ) is sold for big bucks after a few years – ie it suits Carr to keep looking for kids. I am possibly being unfair, but I have no doubt that Ashley will spend good bucks again. SMC must surely only have 4-5 games to prove himself. He is beginning to look like a man who :
1. Cannot motivate or “get through” to his players
2. Cant decide on a formation that suits.
hibbit
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:06 AM
Comment #4are TWO flops better than ONE……….. cabella could be back in january they dont want him
Munster Mag
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:08 AM
Comment #5Blofa, , and Martinez said nothing just supported the scouse knacker. Never liked Martinez since.
JackButler
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:15 AM
Comment #6Munster
Short term, medium term, long term, Ashley is at fault no matter how you look at it. It’s obvious that Carr is pushing his own agenda on who we sign as this summers players were already coming in before SM took the job.
Ashley is the man that put Carr on the board with an eight year contract, he is the man that elevated Charnley from secretary to chairman and he is the man that continues to allow both Carr and Charnley to operate the club on a daily basis so the finger can be pointed nowhere else as both Carr and Charnley have shown they are simply not the right men to hold their positions time after time but both remain at the club
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:28 AM
Comment #7Squelch,
From previous, probably lost on you but I’ll try and explain, Mike Ashley is the man responsible for the strategy in which the way the club is being run and after a relegation and four relegation battles in eight years is proving to be an abject failure, every decision from unheard of bonus schemes, cancelling goal bonuses to this policy of buying young untested foreign imports has his stamp all over it, brilliant for a tacky cheap sports chain, not so in the PL. But again, Ashleys decision making, he has decided to hire fawning yes men, not for their ability on footballing nous but their unquavering loyalty and willingness to carry out his instructions. What did the proven liar Dirk Llambias say about Hughton “we wanted someone who would argue back” don’t make me laugh.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:30 AM
Comment #8Munster,
What bit don’t you get man. Carr and Mclaren have been hired because they won’t do that !
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:31 AM
Comment #9M’Babu out for 2 weeks – hamstring
http://www.letemps.ch/sport/2015/10/08/kevin-mbabu-pari-risque-exil
lochinvar
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:34 AM
Comment #10makes you cringe does it not – straight out the dark ages and from a club that’s being investigated for the financial arrangements surrounding the Olympic Stadium.
Only hope for them is that there’s a Boots nearby selling lots of bubbles….
West Ham chairman David Gold hopes moving to the Olympic Stadium will boost the club’s female fan base because it is based close to a shopping centre. (Daily Mail)
davetoon
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:44 AM
Comment #11The whole irony of the manager situation is that Ashley sacked a guaranteed 10-17 position manager in Allardyce when he bought the club and replaced him with Keagan!
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:47 AM
Comment #12Sissoko to Milan in January !!!
https://www.milanlive.it/2015/10/08/newcastle-in-crisi-il-milan-ripensa-a-sissoko/
Milan were quoted €18 million which they thought was too high , they think they’ll get him for €15 million in the Winter window which should be enough for us to prise Jannik Vestergaard away from Werder Bremen
Average_Contents
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:53 AM
Comment #13Hey lads n lasses
Don’t know if anyone’s noticed but at the bottom of ed’s article there’s a piece about my little lad who’s climbing Snowdon for macmillan and it’d be great if anyone could spare some cash and make a donation for a worthwhile cause. No amount is too small.
He decided to do it, off his own back because his school friends nan has just been diagnosed with cancer.
Not sure if anyone will remember but I did mention on here he wasn’t very well not so long ago (fluid on his hip and had to have an operation) so it’s going to be a struggle for him plus he’s only 6 so any extra motivation would be great 🙂
Thanks guys,
Danny.
davetoon
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:58 AM
Comment #14He sounds like a great lad AC.
lesh
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:59 AM
Comment #15Munster.
Will Carr have any interest in changing our transfer policy? I think not and wonder whether he’s on a percentage of profits derived from the sale of players he’s brought in?
If he is on a percentage, that would explain the purchase of players who do not strengthen the squad where we need it.
If, however he’s paid on the basis of bonus for league placing, that might just focus his mind on the squad and its needs rather than player sales.
My speculation, completely unfounded but…..
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Oct 8, 2015 at 10:59 AM
Comment #16Might be something in that Milan for Sissoko rumour I could see him dominating in the slower pace of the Italian league
Also I cant see any of our top 4 even considering Sissoko
lesh
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:03 AM
Comment #17Davetoon
The only reason he sacked Sam and hired Keegan was because the fans wanted that. He wanted popularity until well, Keegangate!
Average_Contents
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:03 AM
Comment #18There’s a link to the go fund me page there too. We tried to set up a just giving one straight to macmillan but couldn’t do it so what we’re going to do is withdraw all the donations out of his auntie’s bank and any cash donations he’s got and go to the bank to deposit it and get one of those silly cheques and get his picture taken with it.
And yes, you all know my name 😉
Again, any help no matter how small will go a big way in helping him achieve the enormous task he’s set himself 🙂
Sav
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:05 AM
Comment #19Seems like the main reason for buying Thauvin was to be able to construct a deal to get shot of Cabella. There was an old woman who swallowed a fly….How Carr watched Thauvin and didn’t see the potential in Ayew beats all. And as for Cabaye, no-one needed to tell us what he could do,
Average_Contents
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:07 AM
Comment #20Oh and he’s a budding little nufc to boot.
Thanks davetoon and yeah he’s a lovely little lad
Average_Contents
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:09 AM
Comment #21*fan
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:19 AM
Comment #22Sav
André Ayew picked Swansea himself.
http://www.swansea.ac.uk/international/students/your-country/africa/ghana/#accept
This had something to do with it (2 of his family attend)
jimiley
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:23 AM
Comment #23The board must do this………….sack itself.
Until the upper echelons of management are gone at this club, including Ashley, the club will continue to go backwards. The players are not the real problem. Ronaldo and Messi would look rubbish at NUFC. The club’s soul is dead. The players know it and do not perform. Its an empty vessel .
toon kk
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:24 AM
Comment #24How come most can see can see where the problems lie but the club sticks with it’s policy’s.
Although players always seem to go back over when they join the mad house of NUFC.
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:27 AM
Comment #25jimiley
I never had you figured for a member of the hysterical , knee jerk responding , over exaggerating , moaning minnies set.
davetoon
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Comment #26@lesh seems like a world away now doesnt it
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Comment #27toon kk
Now you however I always had figured for a member of the………………..set
jimiley
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:29 AM
Comment #28Jib,
I was only joking. I am pretty pleased with the way things are going. I cannot understand what all the fuss is about. We should get behind Schteeve and judge him in May.
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:34 AM
Comment #29Jimiley
You shouldn’t joke on here they’ve all (with a few notable exceptions) had their sense of humour surgically removed .
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:37 AM
Comment #30Blatter Platini and Valcke suspended by FIFA !!!!
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:39 AM
Comment #31Jerome Valcke FIFA gen sec
jimiley
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:42 AM
Comment #32Jib,
Yeah you are right, this lot have no sense of humour at all. All they do is moan. Whats there to moan about? Even Ed is getting a pain in the butt sniping away at the owner and manager etc etc. God help us if he had something to real moan about, like a dysfunctional team or owner. Keep the faith.
Munster Mag
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:42 AM
Comment #33Danny, i will to sort a few bob for the wee man. Assume euros are ok? Jail, as Ashley is going nowehere ( until we have won sa’ink !! ) I dont see much point concerntrating on him. He has invested in some decent talent this summer and although belated, never was given credit for that. And in fairness Carr brought well but I think Ashley will cop on a bit now about the age limit, in the short term anyway.
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:47 AM
Comment #34JimIley
You are way too tricky for this site (too many Yanks and foreigners)
I get you , you sarky bastid but not many will.
Jib
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:49 AM
Comment #35Klitchko and Fury rescheduled for November.
I wonder what excuse Vladimir will come up with then ?
jimmysmith
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:56 AM
Comment #36Seep’s finally set off on his journey to the big house, I notice.
Munster Mag
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:56 AM
Comment #37Sav, what age is Ayew ?
jimmysmith
Oct 8, 2015 at 11:57 AM
Comment #38Sepp
John Tudor
Oct 8, 2015 at 12:11 PM
Comment #39no correct first time Seep
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Oct 8, 2015 at 12:31 PM
Comment #40Fire that board!
Tabula resa!