Little Vurn: NUFC's "marquee" signing in this window.As you no doubt know only too well, the Summer transfer window ended at 11pm on Friday evening. But are you happy, or not, overall, with the comings and goings at the club?
Reviewing the ingoings and outgoings at Newcastle United during this particular window (see table below), nine players have left the club and four have come in. I have included Ryan Donaldson and Phil Airey in the nine outgoings as they both enjoyed at least one or two outings for the first team in the past, though I have omitted several other Academy players who were released by the club in the infamous “night of the long knives” at the Benton Academy, when at least seven young prospects were axed in one go, plus the slightly older Kadar.
Though the figures are approximate, the overall spend for the club seems to be a figure of around +£2.64 million to +£3.14 million. Looking at the individuals involved will always be something of a subjective thing, but having a bash at some kind of assesment, I would say that the club has lost three squad members who had been very handy for the club when the inevitable injuries occured, or when more regular choices were fulfilling international commitments in major competitions such as the Africa Cup of Nations. We also lost the all but redundant Alan Smith (and his huge wages), the talented but constantly on loan Fraser Forster, the once regarded as highly promising defender, Tamas Kadar, who never quite failed to live up to earlier expectations, as well the two bairns mentioned above. (more…)
The night of the long knives at SJP.Newcastle United announced their list of retained players (players who’s contracts have expired but are being renewed) earlier this evening.
Of course though, these lists are usually at least as notable for the players are being released as much as those who are being returned.
Firstly, the once seemingly never ending saga which was Alan Smith at Newcastle United is finally over. The player who admitted that he would “never be the same player again” even before he signed a £50,000+ per week 5 year contract for Newcastle after (not quite) recovering from a horrific leg break is finally an ex-Newcastle United player.
However, he isn’t the only notable squad member to be given the push. As has been widely speculated in the football gossip columns for some time, Danny Guthrie and Peter Lovenkrands will also be leaving, along with the once much hyped Hungarian hog harrier, Tamas Kadar, who never quite lived up to expectations in a black and white shirt. (more…)
Haris Vuckic - Edging closer to the first team?Well here we are, a third of the way through our season, sitting in eighth place. Arguably we could be even higher, but eighth place isn’t bad at all, and is more than I expected anyway.
Of course, being a third of the way through the season also has it pitfalls. It’s a well used cliche, but it is a long, hard season, and injuries and suspensions soon mount up.
Newcastle are going through a little spell of injuries and suspensions themselves at the moment. The suspensions to Joey Barton and Chieck Tiote have added to what seems to be a growing injury list, with Andy Carroll being the latest player to encounter some form of injury problem after he picked up a groin problem in the 0-0 draw against Fulham at the weekend – An injury that could hamper bigger lad making his England debut on Wednesday night.
Few can deny that losing Carroll will be a massive blow to the team, if we do end up losing him to injury of course. The Gatsehead lad has established himself as a key figure in th Newcastle side, and losing what he brings to the team is far from ideal. The exact same thing can be said for Cheick Tiote who has been largely excellent since his he made his debut against Everton back in September. (more…)
James Linnington before the game?I only caught this on Radio Newcastle so whatever follows is partly second-hand but…
Amidst some baffling officiating, Newcastle’s ‘Wembley Dream’ was shattered by a strong West Brom team who went two better than their plundering at St James’ last Monday, to take them through to the next round of the FA Cup. But the matchday officials can expect lifelong infamy round these parts, as they more than played their part in the fortunes of the victors.
Chris Hughton made expected changes from the 2-2 draw earlier in the week, which saw Tim Krul replace Harper between the sticks, Ryan Taylor come in at right back for the newly-acquired Danny Simpson and Tamas Kadar slot in for Steven Taylor, who appears to have suffered a serious knee injury following a shoddy challenge from Bednar in the previous game. Fabrice Pancrate and Andy Carroll also started, with Lovenkrands understandably being given time away to spend with his family and Ameobi dropping to the bench. The shape of the team changed as we elected for the 4-4-1-1 approach with Pancrate allowing Guthrie to move into the middle with Smith, Gutierrez in his usual wide left role and Nolan pushing in behind Carroll.
West Brom manager, Roberto Di Matteo, had suggested he would also make changes to protect his squad for the priority of promotion, but it was a very familiar starting eleven which ultimately trotted out. And yet despite that, it seems like they lacked the quality and drive on display in the league game. However, in a first half where Newcastle players were again found wanting for some creativity and where a number barely applied themselves, it was West Brom who took a deserved 2-0 lead into the break. (more…)
A cup...We’re still on course for some silverware this season after the reserves came through a tough test against their non-league foes, to reach the semi-finals of thecup. Newcastle Reserves lined up at home to Newcastle Benfield of the Northern League, in the quarter final stage of their defence of the Northumberland Senior Cup.
Last season saw the second string side beat Benfield 2-1, at the semi-final stage of the competition and at the same ground with goals from Mark Doninger and Wesley Baheng. Newcastle Benfield sit in 8th place in the Northern League and have a spattering of former YTs of various professional clubs (including United) on the books, including one who’s a physio at the town.
At a blustery Whitley Park, Benfield took an early lead, when a speculative shot from Shaun Bell was carried over the fingers of Robinson and went in off the underside of the crossbar, to put the Northern League side 1-0 up. The wind did it’s best to spoil the game but the youngsters of Newcastle tried to combat it with good interplay, though Benfield largely kept them at bay initially. (more…)
