Well we signed someone.... Ayoze Perez - dubbed "one for the future" I think, and into the abyss that is Newcastle United's development squad. This kid may actually turn out to be good but I can't help but file him under the same heading as Mehdi Abeid and Romain Amalfitano. Also worth noting that is the first permanent signing since January 2013, and I'm sure must be some kind of record for a PL team.
He scored 16 goals in the Segunda as a winger/playmaker type (ie, not target forward). That probably doesn't mean anything, but it might. Also: Colback is official. And the SMBs are sad. Also also: apparently Vuckic and Tavernier are on their way to Rotherham permanently. Score another one for our amazing youth system.
A young striker is welcome, but along with Haidara, Good, Bigi, Abeid etc. will he get a proper chance? Have my doubts. Would love us to sign Kyriakos Papadopoulos (easier to say than type), was out last year with injury and lost his place in Schalke's team so could be cheap. He's a rock. The new Dabizas.
My one defining memory of Dabizas was his playing a 20 yard offside Owen clean through for Liverpool, despite playing for us - perhaps that was some sort of flashforward he had, or perhaps he was just prone to some appalling mistakes. Do like Papadopoulos though, looks good. Do think we are in desperate need of a midfield first. Game's won and lost there and we have no creativity whatsoever. Saying that we look dramatically short in most positions unless we can bring some young players through.
There weren't really any good defenders in that era, Hughes and Bernard probably the pick of the two. Yes, Grenier (or the other guy we were linked to, Duricic?) are a must along with at least one striker, hopefully tied up soon. Can wait till the end of the transfer window for another.
The Cabaye replacement has arrived, a few months too late, but let the rebuilding commence. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...complete-deal-for-Siem-De-Jong-from-Ajax.html
Pardew is quoted as calling him a striker hopefully we play 4-3-3 and he's in the midfield or 4-2-3-1 and he's in the hole. Winger and 2 strikers please and we can call it a day. Oh and sell Squidward.
Pardon't wouldn't know a "True 10" if it walked up and tickles him on the ass. I actually allowed myself to get excited for a moment but then read about Debuchy taking down all references to Newcastle off his twitter and Facebook pages......nice knowing ya. I have to admit I am a little intrigued about some of the players being linked with us, Lacazette, Granier, Coulibaly. The only problem is I have no confidence in CAshley's ambition or Pardon'ts ability to properly use them. And don't get me started on their ability to introduce youth, unless it is to buy it to sell in the future for the SPL or L2 clubs. This club is so frustrating, why are we not giving Abied a chance? I have a friend who is a PAO fan and all he could do was rave about him? Let's see what Good and Sbitka (sp?) can do, or even give Campbell a chance to sink or swim? Every time I see Roberto Martinez on ESPN's WC coverage I lement about what might have been if only we could have gotten him? Even with CAshley's restraints I think Carr and Martinez would have been an incredible combo.
Newcastle sign Remy Cabella for 12 million pounds from Montpellier. http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/323373.html
Just talked to my guy that always gives us our scouting report on our French Imports. Here was what he had to say about Cabella. I asked about the HBA comparisons and this was what he thought:
Looks like Janmaat could be made official tomorrow night or wednesday morning. We're apparently holding back the Debuchy deal until he's signed. Sensible for a change, wish all our deals were done like that.
You could also argue that Cabella has been brought in as a replacement for HBA in advance of him leaving the club, which is again an unusually sensible and well reasoned approach.
You could also argue they've already signed replacements for Obertan and Marveaux - given that they didn't play anyway. Heard a rumour we were looking at a 22yo Czech left winger I'd never heard of today, apparently already capped though?
Wouldn't mind if we sold a few, Gouffran/Sissoko and Cabella probably first choice on the wings, that leaves Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Jonas, Squidward, Sammy and Ferguson still kicking around
Sounds like a certain Obafemi Martins... With these latest two signings I looked at the squad and it is now 25-man with 9 homegrown players (not so sure about whether we still have Jonas or not) so i'd imagine only one more signing might come in.
HBA and Marveaux could be on their way out as well. Heard HBA rejected the opportunity to sign for a Ukrainian team, which is hardly surprising - and yet says something about the regime that they were willing to take money for him and sell him into a war zone.
The team has told HBA that he will not be issued a number for the preseason/season. At this point just let the guy go. This could get toxic so easily. The easiest thing to do, but Old CAshley never will because he'll have to give up money, is just to release him. If I were the club I would let his agent know if he/she finds him a club not in England to play at, he can leave for £1. That way there was a transfer, he is gone, and he won't be a toxic pressance around Benton. I just don't believe this little pissing match HBA & AP are having should prevent a guy from having a career. And if the club doesn't even give him a number and doesn't plan on playing him if he doesn't leave, I can't see how it is not killing his career.
Cabella is MUCH MUCH more efficient and better than Ben Arfa. Less talented. Rather comparable to an Hazard in terms of consistency, but at a smaller scale. A very good football player. Rivière... I don't really like him. He's got a reputation of only scoring "useless goals": goals of 2-0, 3-0... I don't know if you'll have this player or a new one. But I won't miss him.