There’s no doubt that Loic Remy has had a fantastic season on Tyneside, and when he arrived in August, he had that rape charge hanging over him, but he was completely cleared of that last month, and he has also shown he is an excellent Premier League striker with 13 goals in just 24 appearances for the Tyneside club, and now he has a number of top clubs – like Arsenal and Manchester City – wanting his services in the summer.
Loic Remy – secret sign – Newcastle are number one?
Shola Ameobi is also to finally leave Newcastle in the summer when his contract runs out, and he’s played for 14 years in the first team, but Graham Carr is busy out there looking for strikers and we may need as many as three new strikers brought in over the summer months.
This is what Alan Pardew has said today in the Chronicle:
“That comes down to your scouting team of Graham Carr and his crew and myself making sure we get the right player who will get the goals for us.”
On loan Luuk de Jong is struggling for goals, and it could be that he doesn’t make it, and Newcastle could allow him to return to Borussia Monchengladbach this summer.
Former top target 28 year-old Lyon striker Bafe Gomis is a free agent this summer, and we’ve been also linked with 23 year-old Danny Welbeck of the Red Devils and 24 year-old Senegal striker Diafra Sakho, who is at second division Metz in France.
And Newcastle have been linked with 25 year-old Iceland international striker Alfred Finnbogason for about a year now, and he’s at Heerenveen.
Finnbogason has scored an amazing 54 goals in just 64 appearances for the Dutch club over the last two seasons, since arriving from Helsingborgs IF in August of 2012.
But we need a number of strikers lined up for possible signing by Newcastle in the summer, and we’re hoping for some early signings, as the target seems to be to bring in six or seven new players before September rolls around.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
Note: Andrew Todd is a passionate Geordie first, and a final year student at De Montfort University second, and he’s busy working on his dissertation. His questionnaire is only for people in the UK Retail Sector, and takes only a few minutes to complete here it is.
68 comments so far
wolfshead@toon
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:11 PM
Comment #1i wish i had a pound for every time mag types the word pardew or rotonda types dinosaur 🙂
Rotonda heights
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:19 PM
Comment #2Wolf
My anger management is working so knock yourself out!
Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur
Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur
Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur
Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur
I’m bored now
Actually I prefer Laurent Robert’s ”slime ball dinosaur” or was it ”dinosaur slime ball” ? I know dinosaur was in there somewhere. Here a dinosaur, there a dinosaur, everywhere a dinosaur. Dinosaurs are us, dinosaurs 2014.
Alright my meds are wearing off now.
SuperShearer
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:19 PM
Comment #3No way we could get Wellbeck. Full England international who Moyes clearly rates above Hernandez, he’d cost a small fortune because he’s English. Move on.
Graeme
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:23 PM
Comment #4I wish I had a tenner for every player we are linked with in the run up to a transfer window opening. There must be several hundred of them, each window that we are allegedly buying, let alone those we are merely said to be “Interested In”!!
Until a player is on the steps of SJP with his new Black & White shirt on – its nothing more than complete and utter Bovine Excrement!!!
Spoof
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:23 PM
Comment #5Rotonda
you can’t judge by individual games, losing to bottom of the table Fulham doesn’t mean we have a worse squad than them, just like beating top of the table Chelsea doesn’t mean we have a better squad than them.
You site certain games and put it down to poor management, so how do you explain beating Chelsea, Man U, Spurs and how do you explain how our ten 10 men were as good as Liverpool’s 11, luck ?, if so then how can you say that the poor result’s were not bad luck, it’s a totally stupid argument m8, you have to look at the overall picture, and as you say yourself Ashley is a massive problem for us.
You claim that we should do better than what we are doing, look at the table m8 and look at the teams who are above us, with the exception of Everton all of those clubs have much bigger squads have have much more power in the transfer market than what Ashley allows us, yet for us to do better we would have to be competing with them, do you seriously feel that with what we have and with what we can get we should be challenging for the Champions league, because if we do better than what we are as you beleave we should then that is what we would be doing.
Dislike the man by all mean’s, but lets be fair about, if you suggest that with a new more supportive owner a new manager would be required as you feel that Pardew wouldn’t be up to it, then fine, then you would be being reasonable, but as it stands now, sorry m8, but you are being totally unfair on him, out of interest, as it is under Ashley with what we have, where would you expect us to be ?
Rotonda heights
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:25 PM
Comment #6Spoof
You’re kind of contradicting yourself there. You say we have a poor squad if we lose and it’s still poor if we win? Hmmm….
I would say:-
1) who doesn’t beat Manu these days, especially at home
2) Krul beat Spurs.
3) Chelsea we played well.
noofc
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:25 PM
Comment #7I’m surprised Mr. Ings and Mr. Rhodes names haven’t cropped up yet. Highly doubt anything would come about but they fit the quota. Young and English
Rotonda heights
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:29 PM
Comment #8Spoof
I think I was Citing.
As I’ve explained numerous times it’s more than just results. i want to see great attacking play with flair. I’ve long since accepted we will win nothing . I would be quite happy being in Soto’s position.
No they won’t win anything either but they don’t set out to play ”containing” mind numbing functional no thrills football.
toon kk
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:37 PM
Comment #9Most of our squad should be playing their football in the championship, we have a handful of decent premier league player’s that wouldn’t make the bench at a top club apart from Remy and he’s not ours.
So without Mash opening his wallet in the summer we’ll be relegated come the end of next season.
I’m sure MA will get 3or 4 in but I can’t see him spending over 14mill, so I can’t see any improvement.
MA knows he needn’t over spend because people are still happy to part with their money, flock in there thousands and watch us get beat.
mindshaft
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:40 PM
Comment #10Think Southampton will have to much movement for us
By the way my son is at Uni in Sheffield and is trying to raise some cash for charity by doing a sponsored hitchhike across Europe, anyone who would like to donate even a pound will realise that helping those less fortunate than ourselves not only helps raise them from the depths of despair but also raises your own personal mojo; this in turn makes you more likely to be successful in life and extremely attractive to the opposite sex…. (honest).
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=NiallPatrick1
Every little helps
Thanks in advance
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:42 PM
Comment #11I read an interesting piece on Liverpool the other day, I believe it was a SS article. It was basically saying how they’re flourishing under Rogers and put a lot of this down to the confidence he gives his players.
This however got me thinking. I completely agree that in most walks in life, in particular perhaps sport, confidence and belief are huge factors.
It’s all well and good pointing to Pardew for shackling the team, which to be fair, he probably does to a large extent, but surely we have to look to his manager and realise the shackles that are placed on him.
Whilst the fans would accept the dodgy results if it was in an attempt to play better football, is this within Pardews remit? Does he feel comfortable / confident that he has the correct backing from Ashley in order to succeed? I would imagine not.
This is where this debate always ends up for me. It’s a nice idea getting in a better manager to improve the style of football we see, but I just don’t see how anyone expects it to actually work or the team to flourish.
There is no ambition, no desire, no real attempt or want to move forward on any levels.
Southampton have prided themselves as a team that likes to play good football and to bring through youth and that is at the front of their minds when they make decisions for the club.
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:46 PM
Comment #12mindshaft…Love it. A great new angle for charities.
Are you alone?
Does the opposite sex (or same sex for that matter…we like to be PC around here) hurl when they look at you?
Then donate now and get your mojo back!
Joking aside, fair play to your son. That’s going to be some experience.
Graeme
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:47 PM
Comment #13Ibiza – trust you to bring in alien concepts to simple life at NUFC.
You start quoting things like that at SJP and total confusion will break out!!!
Spoof
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Comment #14Rotonda
what I believe is that though Cabaye and Tiote who are 2 great players we did manage to win a lot of midfield battles which gave us some great wins, Remy took full advantage of Cabaye and Tiote, Debuchy is another who is a class act imo, but for me the rest are either workmanlike/average or poor, so all in all I would say we have a poor squad with 4 (now 3, which due to injury is down to 1) great players, I don’t believe there is a contradiction there.
I can understand your wish for improved performance, there have been some good games, usually when we have had all four in at the same time, but not enough of them, but again in fairness to Pardew, if the replacements aren’t good enough the performance will suffer.
I know its easy to rubbish Pardew, but we should be careful of what we wish for, the Wolves fans felt that McCarthy took them as far as he could, the Charlton fans said the same about Curbishley, would you like to play like Wigan and get relegated, for me it’s all about balance, and when Pardew has had a strong hand we have played some decent stuff, but I honestly feel that we don’t have enough quality to constantly play like that, even with the 4 that I mentioned, if 1 or 2 of them have an off day then we struggle because 4 is not enough to have good football week in and week out.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that he is a World class manager, but what I am saying is that he is doing better than what you are saying, and I do feel that he does deserve to be given a better and deeper squad than what he has been given.
arpeco19
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Comment #15In 14 league games this season we haven’t scored within 90 mins… 2 games in that 14 we have scored in the 92nd & 94th min…. Pardew was on the radio before the Everton game saying Newcastle fans will be happy that we have 46 points with 8 games to play….. Eeeerrrgghhh excuse me for this…. But Alan, this club isn’t a Wigan or Hull City or a Brighton… We are a massive club and should and do have massive ambitions/expectations not just say we’re glad we’ve escaped relegation…. With 8 games to spare… what is the point of entering a competition/cups if your not bothered about ever finishing anywhere near the top???? At the start of the season Ashley wanted top 10 for money reasons… What does pardew want? Is he just accepting that?? He doesn’t want to be in Europe, as stated last year. So he’ll accept 8th-10th. Players and managers are only in the game for a short period of time. Does this ensemble of heirachy/manager/assistants not want to win anything for their own personal pride etc. To me it sadly looks that way. PARDEW OUT…
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:49 PM
Comment #16Graeme…Sorry, now I’m confused. Simple and NUFC in the same sentence? Surely not?
toon kk
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:52 PM
Comment #17All we get is a negative off Pardew saying Europe was too demanding and any team would struggle, which has some truth in it but he’s more or less saying he doesn’t want us to qualify again.
I suppose he knows Mash won’t strengthen if we ever do.
Ciaran
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:55 PM
Comment #18Ibiza
Glad to see you have well and truly come off your fence. It is the stark reality at NUFC.
People calling for a better manager to instil a better style of play are only looking short term. While this may succeed to a degree from transfer window to transfer window, the same crippling lack of ambition and lack of support for the manager will be evident.
It is not about how the game is played with Ashley, so long as the results keep NUFC in the league so he can cash in the TV money.
People looking at Pardew are missing the bigger picture. That is not arrogance on my part, merely short sightedness on theirs.
Spoof
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:57 PM
Comment #19arpeco
of course Pardew is accepting that, what else is he supposed to do, sack Ashley ?
and if he quit who would then take over and do better, the organ grinder is the problem, not the monkey ?
Graeme
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:58 PM
Comment #20There you go chaps, you non believers you. Straight from the horses mouth, all our worries are over!!!!!!!
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alan-pardew-mike-ashley-wants-6889720
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 1:58 PM
Comment #21Does anybody know if there is a site that you can generate league standings based on a particular section of the season only?
For instance, I’d be interested to see where we sit in the table based on games since Cabaye was sold.
Any ideas?
arpeco19…I think you will find Pardew said he was relieved it was over and that we didn’t have EL this season. Not that he didn’t want EL. I think this was mainly due to not having, what he and many others feel, wasn’t a strong enough or good enough squad to cope. Not an unreasonable assessment when you consider we finished 5th the season before and are presently comfortably top 10 with the same manager.
Hence my point at 11. It’s great to point to Pardew for shackling the players, but the same point surely applies that Ashley shackles Pardew? A bit like after overachieving the players morale would have taken a right kicking to see that the owner of the club had no desire to reward them and push on.
Everyone under Ashley must be at the stage of what is the point? Where’s the motivation, other than personal pride as you say.
Spoof
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:00 PM
Comment #22Graeme
it must be season ticket renewal time !
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:02 PM
Comment #23Ciaran…I see no real reason, given the complete situation, other than pure frustration to get rid of Pardew.
It’s actually a bit bizarre as I can quite easily convince myself that surely it’s in Ashleys interest to get the best out of his players as surely there valuations would increase? But I have given up trying to understand the man, it’s clear from his other business activities that he is the discount bin king and doesn’t have the desire to move up a level…it just doesn’t offer the same financial security it seems.
mindshaft
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:04 PM
Comment #24Ibiza – haha, worked for me 🙂
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:05 PM
Comment #25Graeme…Thanks for that, needed a good laugh 🙂
As I mentioned earlier, it’s going to take a lot more than words or one good window to turn around this lack of trust between the club and its fans.
Always happy to be proved wrong, but I shall not be getting my hopes up.
Ciaran
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:08 PM
Comment #26Ibiza
Ashley needs a manager who is willing to spin his lies to the fans. Who is willing to be the media puppet for Ashley. Someone so lacking in principles that he will make himself look like an idiot in front of the public just to protect his boss.
Not too many of those around.
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:09 PM
Comment #27mindshaft…An addition could be…
“It’s cheaper than prostitution!” Although I may be taking this a little too far.
Wish him luck from us at nufcblog. I’ll see what I can do to contribute, but it’s a little tight as I already have signed up for the MASH charity fund. Poor guy isn’t quite the richest tw@ in England yet.
Ibizatoon
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:11 PM
Comment #28Ciaran…Not sure mate, I bet he could find a few kicking around on here.
toon kk
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:15 PM
Comment #29Its got to the stage now when we play, its not I hope we’ll win or we will give them a .good game. Its a case of what we’ll get beat by. We don’t even seem to try when Remy’s not in the squad.
mag
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:27 PM
Comment #30Ashleys propaganda machine is operating at full tilt, all these players linked to hoodwink the gullible and the idiotic into believing things will change under Pardew a manager who is a national joke figure.
croftus5678
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:28 PM
Comment #31i hate to say this as i dont think the lad is that great but gomis looks like a realistic no brainer type of signing and one hat suits every party.
he’s free (apart from signing on fee’s / agent fee’s ect) either way a lot less costly than the 9mil we rated him at and would come way under the wage cap but also has the physical side to his game that is well suited to the prem and he’s pretty much odds on to get 1 in 2 or 3 games where we only have 1 scoring striker atm and he’s not ours.
mag
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:34 PM
Comment #32Flirting around the relegation zone is all Pardew is good for anything else is a bonus. Pardews whole career is a disaster no cups no titles just controversial incidents.
Mike's Iron Curtain
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:40 PM
Comment #33My Lolatron9000 meter I have linked to this site just went crazy, alerting me to another preposterous dose of wishful thinking.
Luuk De Jong
Shola on a rolling contract
Cisse staying
An unsuccessful bid for Carroll
Carlton Cole the back-up plan to Carroll
Remy – won’t see him for dust after the final game
That’s your lot, folks. Keep being doormats to the rotund one.
Mike's Iron Curtain
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:42 PM
Comment #34Oh, yeah, Gomis, how could I forget that beacon of striking talent. Him instead of Cole.
mag
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:43 PM
Comment #35How can Pardew command any respect off the players when he’s a joke figure in the game?
toonluvva
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:46 PM
Comment #36I used to think that Llambias and later our beloved Kinnear were working hard behind the scenes trying to snap up quality players without attracting the attention of the media.
Now I realise that even if they were, which is highly unlikely, Mr Ashley would simply veto either the fee or the wages.
We will be linked with many many players between now and September, but few, if any, will actually arrive.
The exception of course being those on loan, as Mr Ashley views the system as being the closest to zero hour contracts he uses at Sports Direct.
mag
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:49 PM
Comment #37Maybe Mr Ashley should put his zero hours contract to good use starting with Pardew and Carr, then work down to some of the alleged players that infest the squad.
cyprus
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:54 PM
Comment #38Mindshaft, didn’t realise that along with Ciaran you too have your own NUFC site. The more the merrier, do point us that way when you have a new article out or whatever. Same with you Ciaran, although I do realise the difficulty to sustain more than one blog per team…
Now other matters: how will we do in our upcoming one and only six pointer? I have a good feeling about this, or, at least, we won’t get spanked. I think it will be a close one, a 3-2, 2-3 kind of game.
I’m in two minds regarding Remy… is he definitely off then? If so, should we not be playing our own players?
I’m not in two minds regarding HBA. If he’s fit enough for 90′ (don’t know), play him in ALL the remaining fixtures. He’s our most creative player, after all. And, controversially, I’m going to trust poster Kets who considers Marveaux a top player,so play the guy; giving him 2 and a half minute cameos is plain unfair. In any case, Goofy, a fan of his though I am, is running out of steam of late. Bench him and give him 2 and a half minutes at the end 🙂
guvnor
Mar 28, 2014 at 2:56 PM
Comment #39Yeah zero old Coloccini willimson dummet Shola Sammy Gosling Obertan Marveuax Amilfatano vuckic Elliott De Jong Saylor Anita. A few hours in that lot and wages!
Online Guy
Mar 28, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Comment #40Pardew Saying that Mike wants an attacking team next season and he dislikes teams that sit back ..
Pardew saying that’s encouraging !
Who’s the Manager here ..and what is it that Pardew want’s? for the team, and Tactic’s ? !
What does Mike Ashley know about Managing a Football team, and what does Ashley know about tactics and Football ! Fo*k All !
Pardew is patronising Ashley . Its come out on the Interview in that link above supplied by Graeme
It should not be about what the owners Tactical ideas are .
If ever there was doubt’s about a manager covered in brown stuff ..this Pardew statement and comment dispel’s them.