Routledge: Key man since his arrival.Now the job of promotion has been achieved we can pick start to pick through it and have a look at what we have done right and wrong throughout the season.
The very fact we have won the title would indicate that the right outweighs the wrong through the course of the season, but it’s January that held the key to promotion for me. In the first half of the season we tended to wear opposition down and never really looked like a balanced team, with most of our play coming down the left side with Jonas Gutierrez and Jose Enrique whilst virtually nothing coming down right through Danny Guthrie. That sounds harsh on Danny G, but it wasn’t meant to be. What I was trying to say is that Danny Guthrie is not a winger, although he did get his fair share of assists from crosses and free-kicks out wide. Guthrie is a central midfielder, that is his favoured position which meant he tended to be drawn into the middle of the pitch, forcing us to look more lopsided as a team. Anyway, he was just doing as he was told and it was a case of needs must, so credit must go to him for giving it a go and playing where he is needed, Kieron Dyer should take note! (more…)
(L to R): Hall, Routledge, Williamson, Best, SimpsonJanuary came and went for Newcastle United fans but not with the usual disappointment following zero investment. No, the 2010 January transfer window proved to be an opportunity when even Mike Ashley realised some financial speculation was the right thing to do, not least because it might see a return on his money. But this isn’t a debate about the owner or his intentions. This is a first glance review of the lads we brought in during the January transfer window and what I think of them so far.
It was clear to a lot of us that we needed recruitment in various areas and while some of the gaps were filled, we also got the surprise package of Wayne Routledge. Not all of the players met with universal glee and obviously the jury is out for all of them still. Each were signed for an ‘undisclosed fee’ which seems to be the order of the day in many modern transfers. So it’s difficult to conclude whether they’re value for money or not, but here goes anyway: (more…)
Another masked crusader?There was an official announcement today that Newcastle United have signed Queens Park Rangers defender Fitz Hall on loan until the end of the season. Having been courted by a handful of clubs, he’s decided to join the promotion race and will help plug the gaps left by our defenders who have started to fall like flies to various injuries.
Creatively nicknamed “One Size”, Hall nearly didn’t make the grade after being told he wasn’t good enough by West Ham. Having been given a chance at Barnet and then moving to Chesham, a ‘Dowie connection’ meant that Bob of Barnet allowed Hall to go to Oldham to join brother Iain. He impressed enough there, so that when Dowie took over at Crystal Palace, the former Toon assistant forked out £1.5m for him after Hall had failed to break into the Saints team following a move to Southampton.
A further move to Wigan Athletic saw him back in the Premiership but he was soon on the move again to QPR, where he has stayed since. Hall can play at full back and centre half and will provide Championship experience that may prove vital with current absences. (more…)
