In the week leading to the start of the World Cup, there was a report from The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards that Newcastle’s sudden surge up the Premier League table would not alter their approach to the winter window.
The report maintained that Newcastle would focus on adding strength in depth and only pursue a marquee signing should one of their top targets become available; generally a remote prospect in January.
However, Edwards did state that one position remains a priority to solidify. Eddie Howe and company will look to add a young right-back in the winter window to provide add cover for Kieran Trippier, who is currently getting plenty of action in this World Cup.
There are two clear favorites to end up at St. James’ Park as Trippier’s heir apparent – Leeds’ Cody Drameh and West Ham’s Harrison Ashby. Both are enduring difficult times at their current clubs and are expected to be jettisoned in January.
Ashby was a summer target with a deadline day move blocked by Hammers boss David Moyes. The right-back has made just three appearances this term and with his contract running out next month, has firmly rejected extending his West Ham stay.
The Scotland U21 international is almost certain to be available for a modest fee as West Ham will want something for their academy product rather than allowing him to leave for nothing in the summer. Newcastle’s interest appears likely to transcend to the winter.
Drameh’s situation at Elland Road has been similarly frustrating with first-team opportunities hard to come by. After a superb loan spell with Cardiff, the soon-to-be 21-year-old entered the summer with hopes of increased chances under Jesse Marsch.
However, his situation has deteriorated and he’s not made a matchday squad since making his lone start in the 5-2 defeat at Brentford in early September. He has since been demoted to playing with the U21s.
The Yorkshire Evening Post is reporting that Leeds will entertain offers for Drameh with Newcastle reportedly in contact with his representatives. His contract will have just 18 months left to run when the winter window opens.
It appears that Newcastle could have their pick of Ashby or Drameh, who’ll both be 21 when the window opens. With Howe short at right-back due to Emil Krafth’s knee injury and only Javier Manquillo in reserve, either would be a welcome addition to the ranks.
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240 comments so far
dazzler
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:26 PM
Comment #41Munster,
I wouldn’t put it past our idiotic government to press the fabled red button to teach you Irish lot a lesson, only to realise much too late that we’ve also wiped out the entire west coast of our island too (at an absolute minimum).
Sounds like a black mirror episode waiting to be written.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:27 PM
Comment #42Mort – scary shit but non of this stuff is surprising.
China is like 1930s Russia. And we do plenty of business with them. Russia is almost tame in comparison. Who knows what the future holds. But i think we have peaked as a species a fair few years back.
1990s i reckon was the golden era. Pre big tech.
Money is all that matters.
Mister Tuff
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:29 PM
Comment #43I hope that Southgate does not play Rice and Kane they’ve done nowt.
Kane is supposed to be our main attacker but he continually drops short to around the centre circle when we go forward.
I’d start Foden.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:30 PM
Comment #44cleveleysbob – there’s a contradiction between 5 and some of your other points though mate. Sometimes a team has to play boring, negative football if they want to win. Brazil were generally pretty dull in their last game and they’ve played many dull games but they’re still probably favourites to win the World Cup. Would you prefer the Toon grind out a 1-0 win to lift the FA Cup or go down to a 4-3 defeat?
Colin Montgomery was a VERY successful golfer. He was unlucky not to win a major but he still had a hugely successful career.
Wales should consider this World Cup a success just by qualifying! So should countries like Senegal, Australia, Saudi Arabia and others.
This kind of thinking is the same kind of thinking that fans of other clubs have when they say Newcastle are not a big club just because we haven’t won anything for decades.
Mort
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:31 PM
Comment #45Check the toast. They give us tech we need and become dependent on then use it against us.
SirRhosis
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:31 PM
Comment #46And here’s me thinking all along that it was a Kipper.
Well, certainly smells like one š
Mort
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:33 PM
Comment #47It’s not a problem for me as I have nothing to hide and keep my finances basic. Don’t use apple pay only use one bank etc. Best that way.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:34 PM
Comment #48Kane is still top quality and no way should they drop him unless he’s genuinely tired or carrying a bit of a knock. Remember how many games Shearer went without scoring (for England and Newcastle) and they kept playing him? He did alright in the end…12 games without scoring for England prior to Euro 96!!!
I’d love Southgate to find a role for Foden. Mount is solid but not exciting. If we’re playing a more defensively minded central midfielder, surely that allows a more attack minded player to play in the centre too? Either Foden or Maddison.
Mort
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:35 PM
Comment #49France are favourites with Spain. France have the best player Spain play the best football. Brazil have no Neymar he’s out. No coming back with that ankle.
Mort
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:38 PM
Comment #50Argentina have a bad team England have Southgate. Germany don’t have depth. Portugal have top players but no cohesion in their play. Belgium are all over the place. Holland could be dark horses.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:40 PM
Comment #51Belgium have a rubbish team compared to the top teams. Holland aren’t great either. But they both probably have fans who think they’re in with a chance too.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:45 PM
Comment #52Think yer right Mort.
France, Spain, and maybe us and Germany. Rest look pretty shit.
Brazil included. Have a boat load of average prem players and vini jnr misses too many chances.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:46 PM
Comment #53Teams give Brazil far too much respect. Would fancy USA to give em a good test
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:49 PM
Comment #54All chores done for the day, think we’ll watch the Netherlands vs Qatar for hopefully a goal fest
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:50 PM
Comment #55Leaked team
Prickford
Walker
Shaw
Maguire
Stones
Slice
Henderson
Bellingham
Rashford
Foden
Kane.
Miserable two holding midfielders. Typical Brucegate.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:51 PM
Comment #56Brazil are favourites in my opinion. Fantastic squad and they’ll deal with the conditions well. Argentina have a decent chance too. Along with us, Spain, France, and Germany I’d say those are the 6 best teams. Football doesn’t often work like that but on squad strength, I’d say those 6 should be in the quarters along with a couple of other teams (from several options).
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:51 PM
Comment #57The only way I could ever see the UK government nuking Ireland is if they have a zombie plague of apocolyptic proportions.
Otherwise I reckon they are safe from that happening!
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 2:53 PM
Comment #58Check – how much do you believe that leaked team? No Trippier? Maybe to give him a rest? Can’t be form related. That’s basically 3 defensively minded central midfielders too, albeit Bellingham and Rice do play box to box too. No Saka either? There’s more of a reason to rest Kane than Saka surely. Not sure how much I believe that leaked squad…could be right but could be total bollox.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:00 PM
Comment #59TDS – you have just states Rice is a box to box midfielder. You ever watched the crab. He makes Batty look attacking.
Munster Mag
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:03 PM
Comment #60Check,I was thinking same. Looking g at Brazil going…sure he only played for Leeds last year…and that bloke in mid is shit etc…I just love them though. And the samba beat , it’s brill
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:03 PM
Comment #61It could be either but have an insider in the camp. Good friend if mine is a data analyst for country.
cleveleysbob
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:03 PM
Comment #62I know a lot of people rate Spain, but they fall into my boring, dull classification.
They basically play possession football, that usually means theyāll have over 70% of the ball but largely in their own half.
Iād rather watch the grass grow than hours of that stuff. I agree Brazil can also look pretty uninspiring, but you always get a sense of āspringing the trapā at any moment when they are playing, it always looks like theyāre about try something attacking, with Spain they just want to play amongst themselves. š
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:06 PM
Comment #63Check – he’s been used as more of a box to box midfielder in the last year I think. Stats of 5 goals in 50 games last season show that he’s not exactly attacking that much though! But he’s certainly been used slightly further forward than in his first couple of seasons.
I think Rice is a decent player anyway. I just can’t think of a single defensively minded English midfielder who has ever been widely supported by England fans…they always get a bad rap.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:06 PM
Comment #64Munster – i know Neymar gets a few pelters but heās still massively important for them. Lose a bit of X Factor when heās out.
But Casamiro, Fred and Paqueta.
Would fancy Bruno, Joe and Willock to dominate em.
Isak, Wilson, Almiron over Raphinha, Richarlison and Vini Jnr?
Less said about our back five the better. Seen nobody better than Botman. Kid is the real deal
JohnJ
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:07 PM
Comment #65Thanks for all the well wishers with regard to the loss of my last link from the ātier aboveā. š
Very much appreciated.
Essex G Bill,
I can go back to c1675 on my Paternal line. My fore fathers were Blacksmithās at Chillingham Castle one of them was 7ā 2ā and his son would get on a barrel and look round to find him at Wooler Fair! š
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:08 PM
Comment #66Check – well, if someone has actually leaked the true England squad then that person is a footballing traitor. Disgusting if true and I hope that person gets sacked. Highly doubt it’s true though.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:10 PM
Comment #67TDS – its a while since we had any good uns.
Batty and Ince where brilliant footballers.
Batty got his critics but he moves the ball on so quick and smashed his passes at folk to speed the game up.
Riceās heatmap would be similar to the England centre halfās a reckon.
Its Brucegate playing 5 at the back by stealth. Stones offers more carrying the ball into space.
Gareth Bruce seeās Rice as the player he could have been for England. Confirmation bias on big noseās part.
cleveleysbob
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:12 PM
Comment #68TDS, you miss my main point. Obviously, if weāre in a final Iād prefer us to win 1-0 than lose 3-4, so long as weāve gone out to try and win as opposed to not losing.
I want to see positive football, attacking, exciting and yes ultimately winning, but winning positively not boring the pants off everyone.
Winning at all cost virtually removed the āentertainmentā from football and some WCās and CL finals have been torturous to watch in recent years.
Iām old enough to remember some great World cups, with probably 1970 being the stand out for me.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:13 PM
Comment #69People being negative about the Brazil squad? Seriously? 2 of the best goalkeepers in the world first of all, some serious quality defenders with good experience, Casemiro is amazing (no idea what he’s doing at Man Utd), Neymar is also amazing (although a complete prick) and Richarlison is in amazing form. Add to that some exiting young talent and solid players like Fred and they’ve got a very impressive squad with a nice mix of experience and young talent.
England have a decent squad but I still feel they’re missing a truly top centre half and also a top internationally experienced midfield creator. Really want it to be Foden but it’s not happened yet.
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:15 PM
Comment #70TDS – made that Data Analyst stuff up for a laugh.
Proper fishes you in like. Calm downā¦
Romford mag
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:16 PM
Comment #71The toon would beat them all !!
š
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:17 PM
Comment #72Check – Ince and Batty got plenty of pelters too, especially Batty who offered very little beyond breaking the play up. My point is that those players are just there to allow others to play. Provide a shield to the centre backs and move the ball on. They often seem to get criticism from fans but their team mates often love them. For example, Fred must be doing something right on the pitch that many fans don’t see.
I’d much rather see one of Maguire or Stones play alongside a John Terry type defender but we just don’t have one. Maguire and Stones are both good coming out of defence and Maguire is excellent in the opposition’s box but what we’re missing is a no nonsense defender who is truly top class. The way they both play means they will make mistakes and there’s no John Terry style player alongside them to clean up the mess.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:18 PM
Comment #73Check – like I said…highly doubted it was true…
Mort
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #74I see Raj is supporting Holland today
š
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #75cleveleysbob – well, if entertainment is seen as the primary goal then fans would have to ease up on the winning. A smart and organised team (think of the best Germany or Italy teams) would grind down a more attacking team and find a way to beat them. If two equally matched teams are playing each other and one care more about entertainment than the other, the latter will more often find a way to win even if it’s ugly.
With the amount of pressure on England at a World Cup, I think Southgate just has to find ways to win matches. I’d love to see more entertainment but most fans care more about results than performances whatever they say.
magicmac54
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #76Watching the Ecuador v Senegal game over here on RTE 2, i suspect it will be a mutch better game than Netherlands v Qatar game on ITV
check the toastie
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #77TDS – just like you think Man Utds squad is better than ours. You think Brazilās is better than ours.
I disagree. Our respective positions in the league table are evidence if the first.
The ineptitude of our manager is clearly holding back this group of players achieving what we could.
We could be playing Bellingham, Foden, Grealish, Saka, Kane and one of Phillips or Henderson.
All of which would start in any team in the world.
CLINT FLICK
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:22 PM
Comment #78Check, please!
š
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #79Check – there’s loads of stuff online about what Rice does well if you’re interested in looking. Loads of good stats.
CLINT FLICK
Nov 29, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Comment #80Drop kane or stick him in at cb.
He could ‘do a job’!
š