Newcastle Thread

Santon - Taylor - Yanga-Mbiwa - Haidara is today's defence.

Looks pretty decent but I guess we await to see it in practice. Today's team in general looks like it should win though.

L'Equippe linking Newcastle with Fofana (Lyon) and Cedric Bakambu (Sochaux) Good to be linked with someone who isn't Gomis.

Why do people listen to French Presidents regarding transfers? Bunch of charlatans


Also 'rumour' that Vince McMahon was one thinking about buying Newcastle. Would love it as long as he gave the players gimmicks and intro and goal music.

'The Bad Guy' Ranger Ramon. - MY GAWD he's going for the Ranger's Edge!

I already picture JFK as Bobby Heenan tbh.

Would be awesome if Vince McMahon bought Newcastle.

I was hoping that rumour was credible when it surfaced.

Imagine NUFC getting in on this, would be amazing;

"(We want) to recruit players whose futures are ahead of them, not behind."

jesus.

Mark Douglas in the Journal today suggesting that Kinnear has cost Newcastle the title this year. Douglas doesn't understand the concept of net transfer spend. Aiming his fury at programme notes, which Kinnear almost certainly doesn't write.

Nice to see Journal/Chronicle are still right up Pardew's arse.

Newcastle were in the running for the title?

I don't think any of our fans thought we would get Champions League, nevermind have a shot at the title.

Good win today though. Maybe a late shot at a Europe place is still a possibility.

I wonder if this is worth being kept an eye on: https://twitter.com/Anon_NUFC

Could just be anyone, but an interesting read nonetheless even for non Newcastle fans! Love how it's all facts/statements and then just randomly "Quite how the coaching staff have not realised Shola's legs went 10 years ago bemuses me #nufc" haha.

Aye, that one makes me think it's just a fan pretending to be in the know.

First tweet he pretty much says he's just a fan doesn't he? Which again, makes you question where he's getting all of this "information"

The revelations about Kinnear really wouldn't surprise me though.

I think he/she has said they are a fan getting info from a club source.

But who knows - could be true, could be bollocks. Some of those wouldn't surprise me given the fairly hideous nature of our transfer 'policy'.

The image of Kinnear meeting an agent while locked is amazing

Post-match transcript:
Q: It’s a tough question to ask you but is the club, as it stands, capable of making permanent signings?
Pardew: 'Well ...'
Press officer: 'I think that’s an unfair one to ask the manager.'

Q: But it’s two transfer windows without one now and Alan said...
Pardew: 'I’ve got no comment to make on that one.'

Q: You said at the start of last week that the club can’t not replace Yohan, but that’s exactly what happened.
Pardew: 'I didn’t particularly say in this window though. I said, you know, we’ve got to get players of that class, there’s no doubt about that. So don’t try and angle that for this window because I think that’s unfair on me.'

Q: You said ‘we need to bring someone in, for sure. We can’t lose someone of his quality and not replace him. That would leave us vulnerable’. Do you stand by that?
Pardew: 'Well, I’ve said it, ain’t I? But I’m meaning in the long-term as well as the short-term, that it’s the quality we need. And, you know, today has been a tough day for us and I don’t really want to add any more to it, to be honest.

Q: Part of the problem you’ve got is that if you don’t speak out against not getting a replacement it makes it look as though you’re going along with the decisions the board is making and therefore you get criticism heaped on your shoulders and take the blame for that.
Pardew: 'Yeah, I’m a professional manager. You know, if I was in charge, solely, of transfers, the answer might be different, but I’m not.'

Q: It does feel sometimes that you’re being asked to manage with your hands tied behind your back.
Press officer: 'These are all quite unfair questions.'

Q: Unfortunately the manager is the only person who will speak for the club.

Silence.

Q: Alan, is there a collective blame for today, from the top of the club, right down to on the pitch.
Pardew: 'The only way I can answer what has happened today is that it’s a disappointing day for the club.'

Q: What do you say to Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear when you’re having those discussions on Friday and it’s clear you’re not going to get a replacement (for Cabaye)? Do you make your opinions clear on that?
Pardew: 'I think I’ve made my opinion very clear this week and all the rest of it is confidentiality.'

Q: How do you lift yourself?
Pardew: 'I’ll be alright.'

Walks off.

Full article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2550585/Questions-Newcastles-transfer-policy-continue-mount-derby-defeat.html#ixzz2sDT0ZR5u

I don't get what the club PR means by 'unfair questions' - we obviously don't hear everything mentioned in a press-conference but if anything it feels like its taken too long for this sort of question to be asked to someeone in an official capacity. Such a shame we'll probably never hear from Ashley himself to justify what seems at best to be a haphazard and unhelpful transfer policy that hinders us.

For me "unfair questions" equates to "You know he's in trouble if he answers that honestly." Can't help but feel sorry for Pards when he gets the blame for transfers etc, however you can blame him tactically for his setup and the way he's motivated the players for the game.

Saturday was awful, they really did outplay us and clearly wanted it 100% more. Santon wants shooting for the second goal and I think Krul would have willingly done it. That was the worst I've seen Anita play, I'm a massive fan of his (even have his name on my shirt!) but for one, the tackle for the penalty was absolutely schoolboy and in all of his time at the club put together, I don't think he's never lost possession as much as he did Saturday.

Sissoko and HBA started the wrong way around in my opinion, HBA gets drowned out in the middle and Sissoko has proven this season that he isn't a winger. It only took 60 minutes for us to realise that and switch it around...

We seem a bit bereft of belief at the moment, I can't see us getting anything of Chelsea and I think this end to the season is just going to be a case of getting through it. It will be frustrating, but at least we're better off than last year, infact my only positive from Saturday was that it didn't feel as bad as last season's 0-3 as Sunderland aren't really a survival rival.

I feel sorry for Pardew.

It is an unfair question tbf - they're trying to force a soundbite out of him.

If he answers yes, Newcastle can make signings. - Media have a go - why didn't the club make signings?
If he answers no.

None of the media ever praise Moyes for his refreshing openness and candidness.

At least he took his chance not to openly back Kinnear, it's quite clear he must get annoyed by him.

Waiting for Ashley to appoint Dennis Wise or someone again.

Surely it begs the question of what on earth was the reason for him being appointed in the fucking first place. He never really seemed to do anything and there are all sorts of stories about the fact he seemed to be a repeatedly catastrophic fuck-up.

Although saying that, some fans seem already to be eyeing the bigger fish in the boardroom as the next out.

That's all fine and well, but I really think the term "owner" is lost on some of our fans. It isn't as easy as him walking out...then we're in a world of pain

As a fall guy. He's now fallen. Poor Alan, he would have won on Saturday if Kinnear let him sign Darren Bent and Downing.

By resigning, he probably will get paid the same money, to officially not do anything, then he got to unofficially do nothing.

Bizarrely, one of the Kinnear stories is that he turned up heavily drunk to a meeting with Bent and his agent, which managed to coerce them to Fulham instead.

Not sure if we dodged a bullet or not, although Bent probably would have at least scored one Premier League goal. More than can be said for Shola.

Tiote's picked up a hamstring injury and is out for three games, while a reserve coach has been reportedly suspended for punching Remie Streete after the U21 team was beaten by Sunderland earlier this week.

What next?

A 3-0 win over Chelsea, probably.

We can only hope. Be a feat if we won at Chelsea without Coloccini, Tiote, Cabaye, Gouffran and Remy.

Daily Express claiming Pardew will be fired if Villa win next weekend.

Though if I had a quid for every time I believed the Daily Express, I would have no pounds.