It looks like Florian Thauvin doesn´t think he´s cut out for Newcastle and the Frenchman has tried to call time on his career on Tyneside after just five months, but we understand that Steve McClaren wants the talented youngster to stay.
It wouldn´t be surprising if Florian is homesick and a bunch of other things, because we´re sure he didn´t expect to be playing for a side struggling with relegation when he signed for us for £13M in August.
Florian Thauvin – finding it hard to settle at Newcastle
Graham Carr had been wanting to get him for a while and it´s just a pity in retrospect that we didn´t spend that money on a striker – like Charlie Austin as one example.
It looks like Newcastle will not let the 22 year-old leave unless we get another winger in this month – and it may be difficult to get Andros Townsend from Tottenham, unless Chairman Daniel Levy lowers his asking price of £14M.
But with Newcastle 3 points from safety and Swansea winning their second game in succession at Everton by a score of 2-1 this afternoon, then Newcastle must bring in reinforcements this month or risk becoming a Championship club again in May.
We would expect if we do get a winger through the door this month then Florian will be allowed to leave, but what happens after his six month loan spell at Marseille is anybody´s guess.
If we manage to survive relegation then we may see him return in the summer and the assumption would be we can build a team that for once will not be fighting against relegation.
But on the other hand if we are relegated, Florian will not come back and our best players like Wijnaldum, Sissoko, Janmaat and others will have to be sold.
And with teams around us starting to win games, it may be some time before we pull out of the bottom four, since we are now five points off 5th bottom AFC Bournemouth.
Things are not looking too good for Newcastle right now and what we need are wins to get us out of trouble – and a number of them too.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
138 comments so far
Jib
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:14 PM
Comment #81angelswithdirtyfaces
I accuse McLaren of nothing.
I surmised from his selection that he was being pragmatic.
We have 7 home matches and 8 away matches left , with the home advantage this team seems to need it seems the right thing to do to target the home games.
There were several excuses SM could have used and chose not to , NUFC.com said in their report that the pitch which was re-laid on Tuesday looked as if it was made up of carpet remnants , McClaren never mentioned it .
I think he has his strategy , and I’m sure he wishes he didn’t have to give a post match interview more than the fans do.
Jack Root
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:15 PM
Comment #82Tequila
You should post more often. Brilliantly and side splittingly funny. I will keep the minutes of the meeting. Do we have a quorum?
Shot Bru
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:21 PM
Comment #83With 15 games to go, sitting in the bottom 3, 70 million spent, 4 fit defenders do people think Cashley will have faith in Wally till the end of the season?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:21 PM
Comment #84Tequila…it seems you didn’t understand the use of the phrase “in plenum” to begin with. I have tried to explain it to you, but that just ended up in static…
…you are a bit like a child in so many ways; an answer just leads to another question. And that’s me phrasing it polite to you.
angelswithdirtyfaces
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:23 PM
Comment #85Jeff
Aha wild conjecture then 🙂
When you are in 18th place and 3pts might get you above the drop zone, how is it pragmatic to play for 1pt ?
If the pitch is naff then it is so for both sides. I doubt whether the home side will have practised hard on their new pitch to gain a dubious advantage. Colo gets turned on every pitch anyway.
tequilamag
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:29 PM
Comment #86Jesp I understand the definition. That is not my point, as you know, It`s your usage of the term when describing the blog that has me puzzled.
Of course you could just be a pompous windbag in which case it makes perfect sense.
Yeah I think I will go with that.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:30 PM
Comment #87I will definitely savor this moment…
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:31 PM
Comment #88with everyone here (right now) in plenum!
tequilamag
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:31 PM
Comment #89JR , I don`t mind Jesp he just needs the wind taken out of his sails every now and then.
tequilamag
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:35 PM
Comment #90I see so not everyone. Just those who have nowt better to do on a Sunday. Jesp indeed you should savour the moment. Victory is sweet.
Can we have the refreshments now?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:37 PM
Comment #91This one is a good one. A guy walks in to a pharmacy with a sore eye and the the pharmacist says out loud in plenum for everyone there to hear, that he has an eye infection 😉
…that was the sound of the wind being taken out of my sails for tonight!
Jack…are you up to your dirty tricks again.
Jack Root
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:40 PM
Comment #92tequila
I even broke off from War and Peace. Class act even without the refreshments.
Jib
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:41 PM
Comment #93Angels
I’ve had this debate with Jesper before .
We know the pitch is the same for everyone but a bad pitch is a leveller.
Their last home game was the cup against us on 9th January yet they wait until the last moment under FA rules to re-lay it – gimme a break.
Don’t get me wrong I don’t blame them , good on them , the money that’s sloshing around footy these days you have to try and get every advantage you can.
Belfast
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:42 PM
Comment #94Milk, no sugar for me.
tequilamag
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:43 PM
Comment #95Jesper stop digging son.
I never realised that the last time I was in a pharmacy I was a member of the pharmacy. I thought I was just a customer.
tequilamag
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:51 PM
Comment #96Belfast , a man could do of thirst before you get a drink round here. Ed can yo send me a formal invite next time the blog is in Plenum. I feel hurt nobody told me.
Jib
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:51 PM
Comment #97The cocktail sausages and pineapple chunks with cheese on skewers are on their way.
Belfast
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:55 PM
Comment #98Good game that, our old friend Cabella scored
Belfast
Jan 24, 2016 at 9:57 PM
Comment #99Well if you’re ever stuck for a chairperson give me a call. (Please)
expatmag
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:00 PM
Comment #100Aahhhh TUFF, the blog bully and infiltrator from the land of the mackem, hero of the 73 cup final and uncle Charlies favourite nephew:
I see you are stirring up the demons on here again. Have you told them that you were at the Bournemouth game on saturday?
Ketsbaia9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:06 PM
Comment #101I’d recall Cabella
Belfast
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:08 PM
Comment #102Well kets apart from his goal (good finish) He didn’t really do a lot else.
angelswithdirtyfaces
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:12 PM
Comment #103Jeff
I take the point entirely that a passing side will suffer more than a long ball team with a naff pitch – but they had already beaten us twice, and if anything had more to lose, given their recent record.
I’m not a great believer in conspiracy theories. I’m sure at most other clubs, as well as at SJP, the cock-up theory is usually a better fit.
I do not believe we were beaten by the pitch either – there are a lot of excuses being trotted out for us being a relegation side and we must be running out of them by now.
I too thought their first goal was offside initially, but not on replay. Ighalo just knows how to spring that trap. He is having a great spell. We were beaten by the better team on the day, and out thought too.
We still have the dual dilemma of an abysmal defence and an attack that is misfiring, though I am sure Mitro will come good, we do not have the luxury of an extended bedding in period. Watford has 16 new players after their clear-out (17 with Pantilimon) and they are playing well as a unit, and certainly better than we are. Better management and coaching maybe ?
Belfast
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:14 PM
Comment #104Is that what Ian Toon meant about the neighbours cats Expat? Where they blackcats?
He seems to be getting a lot of stick lately Mister Tiff… Well from Ian let the cat out of the bag. 🙂
angelswithdirtyfaces
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Comment #105I keep hearing ” ‘arry where are you ?” bouncing off the SD adverts and echoing around SJP.
mindcompressor
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:20 PM
Comment #106What about Shefki Kuqi? 🙂 He has got PL experience 🙂 He is manager now, so we could have playing-manager even 😀
Ketsbaia9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Comment #107Team come the end of the month:
Elliot
Janmaat Mbemba Coloccini Guerriero
Sissoko Shelvey Marveaux Cabella
Gouffran Remy
lesh
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:22 PM
Comment #108Jesper
£70m was not wasted on McClaren. Were the players that came in this summer his buys? No they weren’t.
Have his wishes been even acknowledged in the form of a proven striker and CB? Shelvey looks like ti token sop to him.
Any money wasted’s down to Charnley and his loyal ally, Carr who’ll do their best to place the responsibility for yet another relegation looking season onto McClaren’s shoulders. McClaren’s been nothing more than a fall guy for their bad leadership.
lesh
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:24 PM
Comment #109Angels
You’ll likely be hearing the sound of tumbleweed at SJP next season.
Toon Tang
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:28 PM
Comment #110Would love to know what these 5 tools for brain enhancement are?
And how do we go about pushing them on the staff
angelswithdirtyfaces
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Comment #111Oh God Kets, there is a whole squadron of flying pigs heading north over the High Level Bridge right now !
Toon Tang
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Comment #112Ketsy, if you could find room for scharner in that team it would be unbeatable in my book.
Ketsbaia9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:37 PM
Comment #113Scharner would be a good signing as an emergancy striker.
Ketsbaia9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Comment #114emergency
Mister Tuff
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:41 PM
Comment #115tequila – plenty of folk on here that I do not agree with that I am not obseessed with and do not comment on their posts.
It is always interesting those folk of the pro Percy Brigade that I disagreed with several years ago, when I first came on the blog – naturally band together – to join the melee – against anyone who dared speak out – bit like you – first person to have a pop at me on this blog – and you still naturally return to your default position, along with those other scallies, to have a pop as someone who dared to challenge you.
Don’t hear you bigging up the King recently.
I can now add you to the blog list of hissy fitters and spiteys — jib/welsh/Jack Rot/Ian Toon/Tequilaeagle.
Why are you so obsessed with cleansing the blog of anyone who disagrees with you?
Toon Tang
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:49 PM
Comment #116Gotta love Ketsy eh, never a dull moment.
Would probably have to be an emergency of biblical proportions to play him as cf I reckon. Would slot in nice as dm or cb though. Get him on the morse code and take it from there eh
welshgeordie9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:50 PM
Comment #117I’ve just come to a conclusion, well I’ve been thinking it for a long time but Mister Tuff you are so grumpy sometimes that you make victor meldrew look happy.
Ha ha ha
welshgeordie9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:51 PM
Comment #11854321……………….
expatmag
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:54 PM
Comment #119Belfast
Aye mate…..he is one of them. Always has been and has a ST as well.
His uncle Charlie used to play for them too. He was a centre half and good old TUFF tried to model his own game on his uncle charlie but failed at a trial do he got an ST instead.
Old TUFF is very very close to his uncle.
Ketsbaia9
Jan 24, 2016 at 10:57 PM
Comment #120Lavezzi would be a good coup.