Rafa Benitez will give a chance to some of our fringe players on Saturday when League Two leaders Luton Town will be our opponents at St. James’ Park.
We are in a difficult fight to remain in the Premier League this season, and it’s by no means certain we can do it.
This month’s transfer window will be very important, but there seems to be no leadership or decisions coming from the Newcastle owner Mike Ashley who is still on vacation.
The local papers are reporting Rafa still doesn’t know how much he will have available to spend this month – and if that’s true it’s completely ridiculous and unacceptable.
Nathan Jones – Luton Town’s successful manager
We have some good fringe players available and maybe Henri Saivet will get a start.
The two starts he has made this season he has played extremely well – in the League Cup against Nottingham Forst and at West Ham when he scored that cracking goal direct from a free kick.
Young Freddie Woodman may also get his first competitive appearance for the club and players like Chancel Mbemba, Jonjo Shelvey, Rolando Aarons, Mo Diame and Ayoze Perez could also feature.
Comments welcome.
311 comments so far
ronaldo aarons
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:24 PM
Comment #1Longstaffs loan spell has been extended until end of season. A bit disappointed in that. Even though he’s done well he should have been loaned to a championship club the second half of the season. He’s got plenty of admirers and rightly so.
jazzyp
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:25 PM
Comment #24-0 whatever side we put out .Premiership fringe players should be beating Div 2 sides all day long
ronaldo aarons
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:26 PM
Comment #3Novo previous threads
I agree with you, can’t tell how good young players are until you give them the opportunity. We only seem to give chances because of injuries and it’s really disappointing.
ronaldo aarons
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:27 PM
Comment #4Lg previous threads
Thanks for taking the time for those striker goals per 90 mins stats. Not surprising to see mitrovic up there but no point discussing him anymore, he’s as good as gone.
SPRINGY
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:28 PM
Comment #5Jazzy
Thats what we’ve said for years…yet we still always get booted out of cup comps early,granted a few draws have been favourable for us,but we have been poor in cups.
Lindisfarne
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:29 PM
Comment #6Joselu
Perez
Aarons
Saviet
Hayden/Merino
Murphy
Haidara
Dummett
Mbemba
Sterry
Woodman
Is my guess to face Luton
Slank
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:32 PM
Comment #7Shot Bru
I would imagine that the sensible approach from both sides would be to agree on a strategy / course of action, irrespective of who the owner actually is at the time, to allow Benetez and Charnley to conduct the transfer business unhindered.
jazzyp
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:33 PM
Comment #8Springy
I live in Mansfield who are also a Div 2 side and we were hammering them for 80 minutes in August. They came back to draw 2-2 in the end.
Mansfield had 4 main players out that day and to be blunt are a poor football club.
Any Nufc fringe player would walk straight into the Mansfield first team, So there should be no excuses mate for losing to a lower league team
jazzyp
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:35 PM
Comment #9Slank
I wouldn’t let Penfold b
Near any transfer dealings again. How many times have we heard of him f@cking things up.
I was hoping Ashley takes his buffoon with him
NezzaNUFC
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:38 PM
Comment #10Shot Bru & Slank
Usually all transfers will be stopped when a takeover is in progress to allow the new owners to settle in.
Probably as to why nothing has been done so far and as to why nothing has been said.
I’m sense when nothing happens it could relate to good news but unfortunately deals can be dropped without sufficient time to get the players we need.
ronaldo aarons
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:40 PM
Comment #11Mark Douglas
@MsiDouglas
·
29m
It is a low-key FA Cup game – but Freddie Woodman’s debut would be a big moment for #nufc. Insiders talk about him as the most special talent NUFC have had since Carroll:
Slank
Jan 4, 2018 at 2:54 PM
Comment #12NezzaNUFC,
Given the teams lowly league position and to protect the future buyers investment I would have thought that arrangements would have been made between the buyer and seller to release funds for Charnley and Benetez.
It would be almost pointless in advancing any money after the window has closed if we were relegated as the quality of players available to play in the premier league would not necessarily see the championship as attractive.
Ron Knee
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:01 PM
Comment #13Lee Ryder
?
Bradford City have fought off intense competition to extend loan deal for Alex Gilliead. Armstrong recalled by #nufc but likely to sign for Blackburn until end of season. Sean Longstaff staying with Blackpool until May. Blackpool also want Jamie Sterry.
NezzaNUFC
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:02 PM
Comment #14Slank
This is why the takeover needs to be settled now if not settled already.
The new owners could pull out soon because they can’t invest into the squad and there’s a massive possibility we could get relegated again and if the new owners purchase Newcastle on full valuation they could lose out on massive investments.
NezzaNUFC
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:08 PM
Comment #15If nothing is done by this time next week the new owners will pull out until the season is ended and will look to purchase Newcastle at a cheaper sale if we get relegated.
If we survive they will probably meet the 300 million but if Mike takes the piss they could pull out which will stop other potential buyers from purchasing the club as they see Mike as a liability towards business.
People may seem Mike has the upper hand in this deal but if he doesn’t sell now it’s a lose lose situation for him.
Shot Bru
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:08 PM
Comment #16Nezza
I tend to agree with you mate.
If the takeover has gone through and it’s with the premier league.
It would make sense that transfers are on hold until the fit and proper person test is complete, which of course is a joke in itself, nevertheless it’s another legal hoop they have to jump through.
DubaiMicky
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:12 PM
Comment #17Would the FA DARE to say that a high ranking member of a Middle Eastern Royal Family is not fit and proper? I don’t think so.
Armstrong is available for Luton – will he play? Could do before he’s loaned out to Blackburn – a player can play for 3 clubs in a season can’t he?
posada
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:14 PM
Comment #18An offer of 15M for Shelvey would be a great opportunity for the club to move forward.
With or without a replacement. You have a full month to get one.
Shelvey trusted. Mitro not. Why. On 70K a week Shelvey is in the too big to fail bracket.
A talent. However, I don’t think he has a position the way the modern game sets up.
Can’t defend well enough for 4/2/3/1. Not quick enough to play out wide.
Other problems with discipline etc, although unlucky with last sending off.
Shot Bru
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:15 PM
Comment #19Of course they wouldn’t Dubai mickey
Slank
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:16 PM
Comment #20NezzaNUFC,
The risk of relegation (with the potential of the manager walking) and subsequent reduction in the value of the club and reduced future revenues must be high on the agenda of both the buyer and seller and to that end surely some financial jiggery pokery wouldn’t be too difficult to agree so that it enables Rafa to buy and sell players.
NezzaNUFC
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:17 PM
Comment #21DubaiMicky
Since Amanda registered for company house and if it’s for Newcastle United account holdings simply means it’s been comfirmed by the FA.
FA can’t just turn around and say no to a takeover of a football club since it’s a source of business HMRC will be involved if the FA turned down the new owners.
Slank
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:23 PM
Comment #22DubaiMicky,
It would be the Premier League and they would block a bid of any person, irrespective of their nationality, if they found major misdemeanours here in the UK or elsewhere.
The Premier League wants to protect its image and its money making ability as does the owners of all the Premier League clubs.
beefman13
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:28 PM
Comment #23The FA cup, wow, what a crying shame it has been degraded to this, the greatest club competition in the world is now just a hinderence.
jazzyp
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:32 PM
Comment #24If we are left under the Tenure of Ashley with nothing still agreed with a Takeover, I would be amazed if Rafa stayed to be honest.
He’s fighting a losing battle with Ashley at the helm, And no investment in yet another window might just tip Benitez over the edge
Jib
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:33 PM
Comment #25beef
You been living in a cave ?
It’s been a hindrance for years
Before Ferguson spat on it
to play in the Supercup
Jib
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:35 PM
Comment #26The FA cup will never fade for some.
Mr Tuff still has a foto of Bob Stokoe
hugging Jim Montgomery at Wembley
hanging over his bed.
Slank
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:38 PM
Comment #27beefman13,
As each year passes the FA cup becomes less attractive to Premiership clubs especially those at the top and the bottom of the league. Many of them, if not all of them, fear serious injuries to key players impacting their ability to avoid relegation or qualification to European tournaments.
Also, the money involved in the Premier League dwarfs the money from competing in the FA cup.
I guess the games will not be streamed again.
Munster Mag
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:49 PM
Comment #28Dubai and Co, is your best guess that Amanda and Co won’t be able to get feet under the desk for two weeks, or that we might have to wait until end of season?
RUNAWAY777
Jan 4, 2018 at 3:50 PM
Comment #29Personally i think it will be streamed somewhere as they love a upset which i cant see happening to be honest what this about Kenney of to Russia.
Jib
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:12 PM
Comment #30Is Adam Armstrong cup tied with his
time at Bolton ?
If not
I can imagine Rafa having a look at him on Saturday
jazzyp
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:16 PM
Comment #31Mike Ashley is supposed to be a smart business and yet he bought #NUFC without doing due diligence. Now he fails to recognise that £30 million spent on buying players will avoid the risk of a £100 million devaluation from relegation. But, hey, the man’s a gambler .. and a miser.
Was we the 20th richest club in the world??
Now we are 36th richest club.
How the hell this guy is a successful business man is beyond me
DubaiMicky
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:18 PM
Comment #32Re streams, batman stream dot net usually has them
DubaiMicky
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:19 PM
Comment #33It’ll show on this link
https://www.batmanstream.net/football-live-streaming-video-2016-18.html
Nearer the time
Tsunki
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:20 PM
Comment #34Unless i missed something obvious, I believe Mr Ashley’s sights were never really fixed on keeping us climbing up the Richest Club table any more than the Premier League table.
I think the revenue generated by the club and it’s various offshoots & outsources was always meant to go elsewhere.
Tsunki
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:22 PM
Comment #35Dubai – unless that is a mirror image on his forehead, Mike must be wondering what “TAWT” means as he prepares to shave on a morning.
DubaiMicky
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:23 PM
Comment #36Munster, I’ve given up thinking timescales, really I have, as far as I’m aware it was “signed” or “agreed” or “done” on NYE.
Anyone know where Mystic Meg is?
Ron Knee
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:24 PM
Comment #37NUFC Goal of the Month:
https://twitter.com/ToonArmyForum/status/948951102644465672
Markaccus
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:24 PM
Comment #38He probably wonders what reknaw means too.
SColl
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:29 PM
Comment #39Further proof that Ashley has ran this club with the mindset of saving costs wherever possible (probably to line his own pockets). Looking at the historic stats shared by Dubai, when he took over there was 1259 member of staff for commercial/administration within the club. In 2016, it was down to 75, in business terms that is one heck of a saving.
DubaiMicky
Jan 4, 2018 at 4:31 PM
Comment #40I thought he took a selfie in the mirror?