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Shola
Poe
Don't think he was able to partner Coloccini well enough due to being too similar.
Pardew didn't rate him either as he got bullied by Lukaku once - was never trusted after that.
Shola
He's massively benefited from being seen as anti-Pardew. He was terrible in the air, wasn't physical enough, was error prone, prone to dribbling the ball and losing it, poor at marking. He flopped here and has flopped at Roma. That Everton game he failed to deal with a goal kick. Also got bullied off Frazier Campbell leading to Newcastle getting knocked out of the FA Cup. And he doesn't seem to have any sort of fight in him whatsoever.
I'm not surprised any of Europe's big clubs didn't sign him.
Somehow MYM is viewed as above blame for any of this.
Poe
He's streets ahead of Williamson and Taylor, too.
He did look shaky I admit - but it didn't help that he was constantly being played left back and right back whilst trying to settle in.
He hasn't flopped at Roma, either.
He flopped here due to poor management - why wasn't he given the time Coloccini/Enrique had? They were given a full season of playing week in week out to settle in and they turned into great players despite being everything you said above there about Mbiwa. Were plenty reports round before January that he was one of their stars - and the admittedly only time I've watched him was the 1-1 with City and he was absolutely remarkable. Roma in general have been in poor form though - not sure how much Mbiwa has to do with it.
He's better than every centre back at our club bar maybe Coloccini - and should have been given time to prove it.
Not so long ago he had the highest interceptions and passing success rates for a centre back in Europe, btw.
Poe
http://www.whoscored.com/statistics
played 21 times in 29 games of a 2nd place Italian team isn't bad either.
Poe
If you want to blame PASSION and FIGHT then that's fair enough.
Shola
I've never seen the reports that he was one of the stars, more that he played in the Champions League and therefore was a world class player. Despite Roma flopping in Europe this year. I haven't seen him very much but he again looked really poor against Fiorentina in the Europa League.
And all I've read when I looked into it is that pretty much all of Roma's new signings have flopped, MYM included.
The reason Colo and Enrique got more time is because Newcastle got relegated - And couldn't get better deals elsewhere.
Can't comment on his form at Montpellier because I never saw one second of it. He got a good write up. But Koscielny, Zouma, Varanne, Sakho, all got moves to big clubs, MYM moved to Newcastle which is a bit of a hint he wasn't particularly highly rated.
Poe
What I'm asking is why Mbiwa wasn't given the same time, especially when our centre back situation is beyond awful. Williamson and Taylor are not good enough.
And all his games have came at CB, according to whoscored.
Number 1
It's fairly clear Yanga-Mbiwa was not a full back, so why exactly Pardew kept playing him there remains a baffling one. But in any case I'd take him over Coloccini if offered right now. But a replacement for Williamson and/or Taylor (preferably both) is a must. Although the Nottingham Forest fans on Twitter seem to think we're mad for thinking Lascelles is that person. Which is assuring.
Shola
Everything I've saw about Lascellas/Darlow is Forest aren't too upset about losing them.
And yeah appears he hasn't played fullback.
Number 1
Anyone else finding Leicester and Aston Villa winning a bit uncomfortable for thought, even if Hull and Sunderland both lost badly?
Shola
I never really thought Darlow looked particularly good and was surprised by the reaction when we signed him.
Poe
Wonder when Ashley/Charnley will realise dicing this close to relegation every year will eventually put us in trouble.
And yeah, I haven't heard great things about Lascelles/Darlow.
On this season form though, I'd start Lascelles as soon as he comes here though and see what happens.
Obtuse
Poe
Bottled a tackle with Coutinho last night too, puff.
Number 1
Seeing as the current players clearly don't look like they care, this is hardly conductive.
Poe
Genuinely clueless about why we're not playing well.
Number 1
You can probably guess that didn't go down so well.
Shola
So it literally has been spent mostly on strengthening the team? Newcastle as far as I'm aware still deal in cash - And Newcastle spent net roughly £18m last summer. Add in the Yanga + Santon sales and should be about £28m in the bank before the TV money arrives. So should be around £50m net available in the summer.
Not sure why they have done it though.
Poe
Even if we do it still probably won't be good enough.
The only players that we have that'd be capable of playing top half football are Krul (maybe), Janmaat, Colback, Perez and Cisse.
Sissoko and Cabella are good but too inconsistent atm, they need to show more.
Players like Gouffran, Obertan, Jonas and Steven Taylor should be kept for squad players, nothing more.
Williamson, Ameobi, Ryan Taylor and Riviera should be sold. Not good enough.
Number 1
Even so, its hardly the greatest thing to put out when its clear that large numbers of Newcastle fans are not impressed with the conduct and behaviour of those presiding over the whole enterprise. Although those in the sports media linking it with the boycott are reporting erroneously given that the call for it pre-dates the bank announcement.
I think the net spend for this season overall was something like £10-15million at most (although this is factoring in Santon, which is yet to be paid for, and Pardew, which most people haven't counted), and even with agent fees, I doubt we have lost the majority of the £34million banked and the £18million registered profit. Plus as said its before prize/TV money, even if we're looking at a shortfall this year for not being good enough for a top 10.
Shola
Anyway 90% back the boycott - Going to be weird in a stadium of less than 5'000 on Sunday. Although Spurs made 4 times the amount of profit Newcastle did last year - Shouldn't they be the ones boycotting?
Shola
It hasn't been 'put out' it's been filed with club accounts in accordance with company law. - They also included a note saying they spent £30m after that date.
And yeah it seems possible to estimate the amount of cash that should be available for new players and manager. They spent the majority of it but another £13m? for MYM/Santon/Pardew - Means there should be a lot available. And no excuse* for not spending quite big this summer.
*Apart from FFP. No one has a fucking club about that though.
Poe
Sissoko is going to leave too, for around 15m - so that's 65m we should be spending.
We need (by my estimations)
2 starting centre backs (coloccini has no interest anymore, should be let go in the summer) (20m?)
A backup left back (2m or less)
A starting DM (If Tiote leaves) (8-10m)
A starting MC (box to box/more attacking) to play alongside DM/Tiote and Colback. (10m)
A starting LW (Sammy Ameobi is awful) (10m)
2 good centre forwards. (allow Perez to play AMC where he's better suited.) (15-20m)
That's around 70m needed, albeit open to interpretation and if Carr can pull out some bargains in the Cabaye/Tiote/Perez mould rather expensive flops like Anita and Riviere hopefully we should be able to trim that to around 65m - which we should be able to spend if we sell Sissoko.
However none of this matters - as we'll spend around 20m on 5-6 players.
Need to get rid of Anita too I think - under better management I don't think he'd be a bad little player but he's useless under the last two goons we've had in charge.
Shola
Read the other week that from TV rights clubs can only increase their wage budget by £4m per season or roughly £80kpw - Which isn't a lot. - Although on further reading it's increased to £8m this year and £12m for next. So should be alright.
Krul/Darlow/Elliot/Woodman - Fine imo.
Janmaat/New young RB
Dummett/Haidara - Fine
Colo/Williamson/Taylor/Lascellas - Need one CB - two would be nice. Or if they're going with Dummett at CB a new starting LB.
Tiote/Abeid - Get rid of Tiote, bring in new DM please
Colback/De Jong/Sissoko/Anita - Get rid of Sissoko, bring in new two new CM's, can't see anyone wanting Anita.
Cabella/Ameobi/Obertan/Gouffran/Aarons - Two new Wingers
Cisse/Perez/Riviere/Ferrerya - Need an alternative to Cisse as Perez still looks too lightweight
Would like to see Tom Cleverly brought in as the first signing. Andre Ayew is supposedly good but I imagine he'll get somewhere better. Did like the look of Krohn-Dehli when I saw him play but that link seems to have died, apparently away to Sevilla.
No idea how good the likes of Mitrovic, Schar etc are. But I hope that whoever does the scouting actually looks at their suitability for the PL and Newcastle. Linked with Demarai Gray again and I do like him though.
Poe
Dummett isn't a left back and I think he's too lightweight to be a starting CB - he's a strange one. I think him and Taylor should be our backup CB's, Williamson shipped out and a new CB and LB brought in.
Think Janmaat will be sold in the summer too, if somebody comes in for him.
Gouffran and Obertan only useful as backup, too.
Not sure Cleverley has the required talent to be a key player for us, tbh - could be a useful squad option though.
Shola
Poe
Number 1
Shola
tbh the revenue brought in from selling that space probably isn't that much. Man City are getting £40m a year for everything - And that's probably on the higher end of the value. And it is probably less than the finance costs involved if Ashley did charge interest. People always accuse Ashley of being ruthless I'm sure if Newcastle were offered a large sum of money he would take it. ie if he wanted he could have donated the shirt and kit sponsorship deals if he wanted to - but I'm guessing he would rather have the Wonga/Puma cash.
On a related note - Pardew was talking about the NE being a depressed area and indicated that was a major stumbling block. There is no investment in the region and that extends to football.
But I digress - the point I was making is no one can mention Newcastle without Spots Direct being mentioned. They've probably increased their public visibility a lot. They can't resist showing a picture of the Sports Direct logos next to the Newcastle sign. More national attention tomorrow in the press and on television.
When y'know the more effective way to deal with it is to never mention it. Ignore it.'Just don't look'.