Archive for tag: Modibo Maiga.

Toon to get attacking boost amidst defensive woes?

December 14th, 2011 | 21 Comments |

Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson nears full fitness.
Nearing full fitness
Newcastle United centre-back Mike Williamson nears fitness and, whilst an alleged bid for a West Ham defender fails, it seems that Modibo Maiga is actually heading to Tyneside.

With our central defence currently emptier than a Mackem’s head, there’s some welcome news that Mike Williamson managed 45 minutes for the reserve team against Bolton yesterday and apparently feels okay after it. Williamson said:

I feel completely fine. That was the plan today – to play 45, to get myself back in and try and get the cobwebs out and then train on Thursday and Friday.

It reminded me of what I’ve been missing. It was good and I enjoyed it. It was great to get the boots back on and now that I’m back, hopefully I can just get fitter.

Injuries are frustrating but it’s just part and parcel of football. It has been really good to see the team doing so well and enjoying the plaudits that they deserve for working so hard.

I’ll accelerate it as quickly as possible, but not to the detriment of anything. But my knee and ankle are completely fine now, so it’s just about getting the minutes under my belt. And I’ll try to get as much fitness and running as I can.

I still doubt he’ll be fit enough to play in the Swansea game though.

(more…)


Toon interest in 4 strikers and a defender?

November 8th, 2011 | 27 Comments |

Newcastle United allegedly interested in Luuk de Jong.
Luuk de Jong on Toon's Christmas list to Santa?
The international break heralds a mini ‘silly season’ as Newcastle United are reported to be interested in no less than 5 new players.

With January fast approaching and no Premier League football for two weeks, it’s inevitable that the names of potential targets will be bandied about.

Our impressive start to the season and the recent spate of injuries to our squad may both, in their own way, raise questions about where we need to strengthen things in January if we’re to continue to push hard this season.

Mike Ashley may also be somewhat re-enthused by the way things have gone and perhaps support Alan Pardew by allowing him to buy a few more players than he would have done if we had not started so well. But who are those players likely to be? The press have a list of potential contenders for us.

The first such player is Modibo Maiga, Sochaux bad-boy and Toon transfer target from the last window. According to some press reports, the deal is all but done and a four and a half year contract awaits the player as soon as trading can commence next year. (more…)


John Carver reveals more on Newcastle United’s scouting techniques.

October 8th, 2011 | 55 Comments |

John Carver: Spilling the beans on talent quest.
John Carver: Spilling the beans on talent quest.
In a break from the usual reflections by our silver supremo, Alan Pardew, his assistant, John Carver has given an interesting and fairly extensive glimpse into Newcastle United’s quest for more talent during the current international break.

Whilst awaiting a call from agent Pardew on where his next scouting mission will take him (apparently), Carver spilled the beans on the kind of things the club will be looking at in it’s current current talent quest for players who may have the NUFC ‘X-Factor’.

He revealed:

“We’ve made a decision on the players we grade highly, we will put together the data on them,” said Carver. “We’ve got a couple of analysts beneath the backroom team who put that together.

“If he’s a centre-forward we’ll look at his movement, his scoring, his fitness stats. Then we’ll look at his value in the current market depending on age. We’re quite thorough and we compare them to players in the Premier League. (more…)


Carver: Having no superstars is one reason for our success

October 7th, 2011 | 36 Comments |

John Carver talks about the attitude of the Newcastle United squad.
Right attitude
Newcastle United Assistant Manager John Carver talks about the squad’s attitude and how it has helped us get off to a good start this season.

Team harmony, attitude and understanding is worth points. I’m not sure how many points it’s worth but sometimes teams that are ‘together’ and have the right attitude can get points against teams that might be ‘better’ on paper.

Attitude was something Chris Hughton was big on when he was Newcastle manager and it seems that Alan Pardew is following suit. Few players have any complaints – or at least none that they voice – and most are enthusiastic about competing for places and have only good things to say about their team-mates and the club in general.

Assistant manager John Carver has been talking about the bonds formed within the squad and says:

It helps that we’re winning, of course it does. When you lose, that is the first time your team spirit is really tested but there is a good atmosphere in the group.(more…)


Toon linked with three players

October 5th, 2011 | 33 Comments |

Moussa Sow allegedly linked to Newcastle United.
Sow: unlikely IMHO.
Newcastle United are allegedly ‘linked’ with three players at the moment if various press reports are to be believed, although it is perhaps our continued interest on Modibo Maiga that is the strongest rumour.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the transfer window is still open judging by the players the press have Newcastle United linked with.

The Daily Mail has a minimalist report about our interest in Leicester City’s Jeffrey Schlupp, who is an 18 year old German-Ghanaian striker/left winger/left back. Schlupp has been signed up to Leicester since his youth days and has only made 18 senior league appearances, 10 of which were while he was on loan to Brentford. But he has scored 11 goals in those 18 games, which is an impressive start.

The Mail reports this in it’s usual omniscient way so there’s no proof that we’re interested in Schlupp at all, although if we are I’d presume he’s one ‘for the future’ so to speak. (more…)