Our Player of the season for our promotion season was Matt Ritchie who brought skill, speed and enthusiasm to the Newcastle side for last season. as well as scoring
Matt was very productive in scoring 16 good goals and having 10 assists so he really had a terrific season.as well as scoring
And when out top goalscorer Dwight Gayle was injured early in the year he started to score the goals to keep the points coming in as eventually, we won the Championship from Brighton when Aston Villa equalized in the last minute of the game.
You couldn’t make this stuff up.
🙂
27 year-old Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie scoring one of his 16 goals last season
Matt has been missing from the preseason games since he has a calf injury at the moment, but he had this to say to the Chronicle this morning:
“You have to be focused.” “Everyone knows the task in hand.” “A little bit of the job was done last season when getting back to the Premier League.”
“By no means do we want to stand still and toy with relegation.” “We need to kick on and keep building as a club and as a team.”
“The lads obviously want to take on the information the gaffer puts across.” “I think we need to realise we haven’t done anything yet just because we got promoted.”
“It’s an important season and we need to get better and keep striving for more.” “The Premier League is ruthless and we need to be at our best to take anything from games.”
“Focus on the training pitch is the start of that.” “It’s been so far, so good.” “Obviously I haven’t be involved through my calf.”
“But the lads are happy, and it’s been a good week so far.” “It’s always good to come away and spend a lot of time together.”
“It makes a big difference leading up to the season with us being a tight group.” “We need to continue to improve and get better.”
“This season is going to be a different challenge.” “Hopefully we can keep building on what we’ve got, there are a couple of new arrivals so it will be good to add to the group to produce more competition.
“It’s exciting.”
Matt will again be a top player for Newcastle this coming season but his previous season in the Premier League with Bournemouth two years ago will help him adjust quickly.
Comments welcome.
85 comments so far
Tsunki
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:00 PM
Comment #41Jail @27 good point about Carl, we call him Ian still because he’s most easily identifiable from the forum history. And it’s that persona which probably handled the most sickeningly odious tripe. No offence, Ian. 🙂
Ron Knee
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:01 PM
Comment #42Thanks, Tsunki. So the ‘ll’ is silent, then?
And Saylor off to Doncaster Rovers, apparently.
jazzyp
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:01 PM
Comment #43Shirebrook
Hey mate I have my usual 2 seats saved as a precaution for today in block 12 of the platinum.
All the Gallowgate is about gone already cos tickets went on sale this morning at ten. I totally forgot as I was in a meeting with the Building inspector for some wind posts we are fitting. Got home about an hr ago and everything is nearly gone already
Tsunki
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:03 PM
Comment #44Aye Ron, double L’s are pronounced as y. And an I in that position would be ‘ee’
Bobbybee
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:06 PM
Comment #45Budge, but you’re taking their word on it mate. Shelvey was asked about it recently. He was asked if he’d learned anything from it and he simply replied ‘No, because I didn’t say those things in the first place, so how can I learn from something that didn’t happen’? He gains nothing from denying it after the punishment has been served. Why don’t you believe him, but believe them?
Ron Knee
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:06 PM
Comment #46Muchas gracias!
ShirebrookToon
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:09 PM
Comment #47Jazzy,
Least you didn’t lose out altogether mate which is good.
Building inspector. Hope you got a decent one because some can be proper anal about anything and everything 😀
Toonces
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:13 PM
Comment #48North East Linc Toon…
You must be on the booze if you are reading Paul Merson quotes! 🙂
He makes a living off winding up Toon fans.
He’ll never have anything positive, let alone constructive, to say about Newcastle when he can get a bigger reaction from being a WUM.
Kind of like a few on this blog.
HWTL!
jazzyp
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:13 PM
Comment #49Shirebrook
They are complaining about the resin that has been used for the Anchor bolts in to the floor. Even tho they have been drilled and doweled in with 75x20mm bolts.Over kill or what lol
Any way I have just booked my normal seats so ready to rumble. Will have to look earlier next time.
Budge123
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:16 PM
Comment #50Bobby – not believing them but the system that found him guilty as charged. Which given its the FA might well be an error!
He’s got plenty to lose by admitting it now
ShirebrookToon
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:19 PM
Comment #51Jazzy
Ah so you did get a tw@t then lol.
That’s it mate now. Spuds game will soon be upon us. Be nice to see us break our transfer record with Carvalho or Batshuayi in the mean time lol
Bobbybee
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:21 PM
Comment #52Budge, all he had to say to the question was ‘yes, I won’t do it again’. Any any system that believes one party over the other without any other evidence is flawed imo. The best liar wins! 🙂
jazzyp
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:28 PM
Comment #53Shirebrook
I’m unsure what to make of our current transfer business really if I am honest. Its hard to comment on a player I know nothing about regarding the Spanish defender we have all about signed. Is he a squad player to be used as back up??, Comments seem to be 50/50 regarding the quality of the player.
And as for spending big on a Carvalho or Batshuayi…Then I’m afraid optimism is wavering a bit mate
Markaccus
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:33 PM
Comment #54A player who was guilty, after serving the ban, would simply remain quiet on it. There is nothing for Shelvey to gain by continually denying it now if he had said it. I certainly wouldnt take the wolves players word over any one of ours (unless there was blinding evidence, which there isn’t)
Budge123
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:38 PM
Comment #55Fair enough Bobby mate.
Let’s agree to hope he gets a full season this year playing at his full potential cos he has glimpses of being a proper quality player when he reigns in the Hollywood passing a bit
jazzyp
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:44 PM
Comment #56An interesting nugget of information has been revealed by The Chronicle’s Mark Douglas following the £12m arrival of Jacob Murphy yesterday, with the NUFC editor suggesting that Newcastle’s ‘biggest deals are yet to come’ this summer.
Newcastle’s summer re-build had been moving at a snails pace over the past few months, with the seemingly straight forward signings of Christian Atsu and Florian Lejeune being all we had been able to muster this time last week.
Since then however, we appear to have picked up the pace, with Jacob Murphy’s £12m signing being finalised yesterday and Javier Manquillo expected to complete his move today.
Whilst the above additions have been much needed, we all believe that the quality of our signings must pick up, and The Chronicle’s Mark Douglas has suggested they will do exactly that, with the NUFC editor predicting that the big signings are still to come:
Essex Geordie Bill
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:49 PM
Comment #57Always find the term back up player a bit annoying, if a player is in the main squad then he is a player, even if he is not always first choice.
I suppose you could call every member of the playing staff a back up player. Whether they are first choice or otherwise.
Just thought I’d chuck that thought into the blog think tank.
Jib
Jul 20, 2017 at 4:51 PM
Comment #58Allegedly we are sniffing around Sheff Wed’s young striker George Hirst (Davids son) a 6’3″ young’un who has knocked doors out of windows for all England levels up to U20.
toon kk
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:05 PM
Comment #59I still think MA regime is strongly in place, a Rafa condition maybe for a percentage of incoming players (Who knows) of buying potential with resale in mind.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:08 PM
Comment #60Our Toon…thanks mate…I went and did something constructive instead.
I don’t get bothered by Jib anymore…there’s a few other loud mouths on here that crank up the place
Our Toon
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:08 PM
Comment #61Jail
I haven’t conceded the debate, i’m using your measuring stick to see what’s classed as a success and what isn’t, Sels is a failure unfortunately as is Lazaar and they all played roughly the same amount of games. If you don’t think Gamez is a failure then surely you think the other 2 weren’t
jazzyp
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:13 PM
Comment #62Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in talks with Stoke. Remember him !
ShirebrookToon
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:19 PM
Comment #63Jazzy
Can’t remember him mate. Was he any good? 😛
So our bigger signings are still to come according to Mark Douglas.
ShirebrookToon
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:21 PM
Comment #64Jazzy
I’m same as you with regards to Manquillo mate. Don’t know nothing about him and not sure what part he will play in the squad next season
magspuggy
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:24 PM
Comment #65I think rafas happy to buy young players
But he can break the rule if he wants too
Theres good young talent available without the extra cost and value will increase when they are prem proven
Its a good way to earn the extra cash to splash on the odd superstar.
If he can keep the balance correct it makes perfect sence.
Jib
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:26 PM
Comment #66Manquillo in the Shirt
Jib
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:28 PM
Comment #67He’s sporting number 22
Does that mean 3 more to come in ?
magspuggy
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:33 PM
Comment #68I want a new number 9
Gayle has a question mark over him same as sdj
GeordieTwo
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:37 PM
Comment #69I definitely could make this stuff up Ed….. Harrumph….
magspuggy
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:41 PM
Comment #70We took 27 to dublin then added 2 more so far.
With an expected 3 more players i wonder who we will sell
D murphy is on his way out but who else ??
Jib
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:41 PM
Comment #71Apropos nothing at all
I just had to post this cheeky French link
https://sport.sfr.fr/football/premier-league/shelvey-le-voldemort-de-newcastle.html
GeordieTwo
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:53 PM
Comment #72We want more midgets!!!
Boom, boom, boom boom boom!!!!
GeordieTwo
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:56 PM
Comment #73I would think we would be trying to sell Gamez, Hanley, Lazaar, Haidara, and quite possibly Krul magspuggy mate. Oh and probably Darlow if Rafa finds a keeper he likes.
magspuggy
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:56 PM
Comment #74Jib
Jacob murphy is wearing number 30
Does that mean he wont make the squad ?
I see a flaw in your logic fella.
GeordieTwo
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:57 PM
Comment #75Still a lot of strengthening to do then…..
Belfast
Jul 20, 2017 at 5:58 PM
Comment #76Markass and Bobby
Shelvey will never ever admit to making the racist remarks, no player would. You’d struggle to find anyone in the public eye who would own up to making racist remarks. Gulity or not.
voodoo85
Jul 20, 2017 at 6:03 PM
Comment #77gonufc @ #18
Keepers are all the same names but i’d say Darlow is better now for his run last season. Woodman will be more experienced too but unlikely to be our first choice. I’d say Krul and Elliott are not worth debating from 2 years ago.
Defenders:
I’d rather have Lascelles/Clark/Lejeune/Mbemba than Colo/Mbemba/Lascelles/STaylor. Again Lascelles will be a better player now and i’d also say Clark is an improvement over STaylor. Lejeune an unknown in PL but good chance of him being an improvement over Colo who was great 5 years ago but 2 years ago he wasn’t the player he once was imho and wanted away
Regarding RB and comparing Janmaat and Yedlin, its a hard one for me and maybe Janmaat just shades it based on experience at a higher level. Although Yedlin has potential to get there too
LB is Dummett for Dummett but again more experienced now so an improvement of sorts
Midfield:
New additions include Atsu, Ritchie, Hayden and Diame but we’ve lost Gini, Sissoko, Anita, Gouffy, Thauvin, Tiote (RIP), Townsend, Bigi
Out of the players we’ve lost i’d only take Gini and Townsend back. I’d have Townsend over Atsu and Gini over Diame but prefer Hayden over Anita and Ritchie over Sissoko for example
Strikers:
Pretty much Gayle over Cisse and Mitrovic over Doumbia are no brainers for me. Cisse had his crazy first 6 months but after that he was constantly offside. Not saying he didn’t try at times but would still rather have Gayle. Doumbia – less said about that the better really.
Overall i think our keepers are neither here nor there. Defenders i think we have better CB options now for sure. Midfield is improved now as a unit but i’d take GIni and Townsend back. Strikers are better now too.
The main thing now though is we have a bit of an upgrade in the managerial department lol
GeordieTwo
Jul 20, 2017 at 6:04 PM
Comment #78I don’t understand the value in waiting to sign a striker. Unless someone might come available when the club in question signs another top striker? Is this the plan? Do we have a plan? I can only see Batshuayi being available on loan. And not a loan with a buy clause. This is the most difficult position to fill as I see it.
GeordieTwo
Jul 20, 2017 at 6:06 PM
Comment #79How does Perez fit into your assessment voodoo? And Aarons?
Jib
Jul 20, 2017 at 6:08 PM
Comment #80magspuggy
Murphy doesn’t have a number in his pics fella
Nice try fella
But you’re wrong fella
My logic still applies fella