EPL Transfer window report card.

[Cooldude]

Surprised City hasn't gone after him as he'd be a fair upgrade on Hart.

 

[pantskyle]

Surprised City hasn't gone after him as he'd be a fair upgrade on Hart.

Pretty much.

 

[This Is Anfield]

As for Liverpool's window, we obviously lost Suarez early on but I've been extremely happy with the way we've gone about restructuring the squad and setting ourselves up for the future. You look at our depth chart now and for the first time I can remember there are no glaring weaknesses anywhere. Fullback in particular was a massive problem for us last season and in my opinion the cause of many of our problems in defence, and we appear to have rectified that issue with the signings of Manquillo and Moreno in particular who from what I've seen look like quality players. Lovren and Sakho have the makings of a very good CB partnership but they've only played together once so far, and it's obvious that they probably need to work on their communication a little bit! That would be just about my only concern with this squad.

We've gambled on a few youngsters who have the potential to become exceptional players, and the key for us this season will be how many of those guys step up from being precocious talents to top shelf, consistent performers. We know what we're going to get from the existing senior players and the more experienced new signings like Lovren, Lallana and Lambert; but if a few of Moreno (22), Can (20), Coutinho (21), Suso (20), Sterling (19), Markovic (20), Balotelli (24) can break out and start to fulfil their obvious potential with consistently good performances then we could see Liverpool going from a team that should finish 3rd/4th to one that might challenge for the title.

In:
Moreno £12m
Manquillo (Loan)
Lovren £20m
Can £10m
Lallana £25m
Markovic £20m
Origi £10m
Balotelli £16m
Lambert £4m
Suso (Recalled)
+ Valdes to sign on a free in the next week or so

Out:
Reina £2m, Agger £3m, Robinson £1.5m, Kelly £1.5m, Coady £0.5m, Adorjan (Undisclosed), Peterson (Undisclosed), Suarez £75m

Loan:
Wisdom (West Brom), Coates (Sunderland), Ilori (Bordeaux), Paez (Bologna), B. Smith (Swindon Town), Joao Texeira (Brighton), Luis Alberto (Malaga), Assaidi (Stoke), Ibe (Derby), Aspas (Sevilla), Origi (Lille)

Depth Chart:
I thought it would be interesting to see what each club looked like before and after the window to make it easier to judge where each squad has improved/regressed.

2013/14:
GK: Mignolet, Jones
CB: Sakho, Skrtel, Toure, Agger
FB: Johnson, Enrique, Cissokho, Flanagan, Kelly
CM: Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Lucas
AM: Coutinho, Sterling, Alberto, Moses
FW: Sturridge, Suarez, Aspas

2014/15:
GK: Mignolet, Valdes, Jones
CB: Lovren, Sakho, Skrtel, Toure
FB: Moreno, Manquillo, Johnson, Enrique, Flanagan
CM: Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Can, Lucas, Suso
AM: Coutinho, Sterling, Lallana, Markovic
FW: Sturridge, Balotelli, Lambert, Borini

Can't improve on this summation, or even get close, awesome stuff ADL.
Very happy with our window and net spend, voted us but no doubt Chelsea have done brilliantly.

 

[Northalives]

Of the so called "top sides", Chelsea got Fabregas, Costa and Luis and significantly, got rid of the embarrassingly bad Luiz. Their's was the best business.

Manchester United have now got a squad that makes them very dangerous indeed. They have rid themselves of their ageing and pedestrian defence and have brought in Shaw, Rojo and Blind although a genuine center half would have really been the icing on the cake. Di Maria, Falcao and Herrera go OK () as well and Man U will start climbing up the table: don't underestimate that mob.

Liverpool are an excitement machine and Balotelli is a hugely important signing. With two new excellent fullbacks and a classy, ball playing center half to go with the flair and skill of Coutinho, Sturridge and Stirling, Liverpool are set for a top season not to mention they've now also got Lallana to bamboozle oppositions.

Man City strengthened the defensively in midfield and at the back and they will be around the mark.

Arsenal saved their bacon by getting a center forward late on and have given themselves a chance for the top four but I reckon they are outsiders to make it. Sanchez is a ripper but.

 

[Magma]

Surprised City hasn't gone after him as he'd be a fair upgrade on Hart.

if valdes didn't get injured he would've been number 1

 

[Hamez]

Anyone follow the Fox Sport football page on Facebook? I swear majority of their content comes from this forum! Generally a few hrs/day late ha.

 

[Cruyff14]

That page is rubbish when it comes to transfers. They have no idea.

 

[SM]

The amount of inaccuracies they come out with about my club just shows they do research for the Top 7 then throw random s**t together about the rest.

I called Peacock out on some of the s**t he was peddling on their podcast, and he had the decency to respond, but not the decency to actually admit he was wrong, even when I categorically proved it.

 

[Cooldude]

Yeah not sure why people would get football news from Fox, it's like getting your normal news from Fox... oh wait

 

[Flameboy]

 

[NUFC Tiger]

In typical Toon fashion, nothing is ever simple and easy.

Going from 1 or 2 signings off a perfect window to a window where there are serious questions being raised over the depth of the squad and whether a relegation battle could be on the cards.

What we needed:
Crying out for a quality striker after the departure of Remy (the only Newcastle player to reach double figures last season) as well as a quality CB to shore up a leaky defence. Creativity in midfield - Cabaye's long awaited replacement needed sorely to help out in the final third.

In:

• Cabella (Undisclosed - $8m~)
• De Jong (Und. - $6.5m~)
• Riviere (Und. - $5m~)
• Janmaat (Und. - $5m~)
• Colback (free)
• Ferreyra (loan)
• Perez (Und. $1.5m~)
• Lascelles (Und. $3.5m~)
• Darlow (Und. $3.5m~)

Out:

• Dan Gosling (Free)
• Shola Ameobi (Free)
• Steven Logan (Free)
• Brandon Miele (Free)
• Jonathan Mitchell (Free)
• Conor Newton (Free)
• Michael Richardson (Free)
• James Tavernier (Und. $500k~)
• Romain Amalfitano (loan)
• Mathieu Debuchy (Und. $11m~)
• Sylvain Marveaux (Loan)
• Adam Campbell (Loan)
• Karl Darlow (Loan)
• Jamaal Lascelles (Loan)
• Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Loan)
• Hatem Ben Arfa (Loan)

Depth chart:
2013/14:
GK: Krul, Elliott
CB: Colocinni, Williamson, Steven Taylor, Yanga Mbiwa (Roma).
FB: Debuchy (Arsenal), Santon, Haidara, Dummett, Ryan Taylor (injured for season).
CM: Cabaye (sold in January), Tiote, Anita, Gosling, Abeid (on loan at Panathinaikos)
AM: Sissoko, Ben Arfa (Hull), Marveaux (Guingamp), Obertan, Sammy Ameobi
FW: Remy (Chelsea), Cisse, Shola Ameobi (Gaziantep BB), Gouffran, Armstrong.

2014/15:
GK: Krul, Elliott, (Darlow on loan).
CB: Colocinni, Williamson, Steven Taylor, (Lascelles on loan).
FB: Janmaat, Santon, Haidara, Dummett, Ryan Taylor.
CM: Tiote, Colback, Anita, Abeid.
AM: Cabella, De Jong, Aarons, Obertan, Sissoko.
FW: Riviere, Perez, Cisse, Gouffran, Ferreyra, Armstrong.

Best formation:
2013/14:
----------------Krul---------------
Debuchy Williamson Colocinni Santon
--------Anita Tiote Cabaye---------
Sissoko--------------------Gouffran
-------------Remy-----------------


2014/15:
-----------------Krul--------------
Janmaat Williamson Colocinni Haidara
----------Tiote-----Colback--------
Cabella-------De Jong-------Sissoko
--------------Riviere*---------------
*potentially Cisse when he returns

Summary:
Take out deadline day and this window probably would have been considered a very good window for the club. Debuchy was adequately replaced with a tidy profit also made. The creativity issue was addressed with the signings of Cabella and De Jong (French and Dutch internationals respectively) and Riviere, Perez and Ferreyra helped bolster the attack (though a big name striker would have been the icing on the cake. A CB was also needed but going into the season with Colocinni, Williamson, Yanga Mbiwa and Taylor would probably suffice for another year (when we would then get the highly rated Lascelles back from loan).

Fast forward to deadline day. Pardew claims the club will not be very active but promises fans that if anyone leaves, someone will come in (one out, one in).

Fast forward to September 1: Fan favourite and arguably most talented player Hatem Ben Arfa is loaned out to Hull with no recall clause despite the team struggling in the league with creating chances. A few days later, new signing De Jong is ruled out for 4 months with injury.

A leaky defence is further weakened when arguably our best CB (though deemed not good enough by Pardew who in his immense tactical nous thinks he is behind an ailing and aging Colocinni, injury plagued (and s**t) Steven Taylor and honest battler (Williamson). This being a guy who captained his team to the Ligue 1 title, has played in the Champions League (and will do so while on loan at Roma) and is a French international. When injuries inevitably hit our CB stocks, expecting to see Cabella lining up back there

2 important players loaned out, neither replaced. Madness but unsurprising as a Toon fan.

Overall Grade:

• Pre deadline day: 8/10
• Post deadline day: 5/10 (being generous)

#PardewOut

 

[Mejekdraw]

In typical Toon fashion, nothing is ever simple and easy.

Going from 1 or 2 signings off a perfect window to a window where there are serious questions being raised over the depth of the squad and whether a relegation battle could be on the cards.

What we needed:
Crying out for a quality striker after the departure of Remy (the only Newcastle player to reach double figures last season) as well as a quality CB to shore up a leaky defence. Creativity in midfield - Cabaye's long awaited replacement needed sorely to help out in the final third.

In:

• Cabella (Undisclosed - $8m~)
• De Jong (Und. - $6.5m~)
• Riviere (Und. - $5m~)
• Janmaat (Und. - $5m~)
• Colback (free)
• Ferreyra (loan)
• Perez (Und. $1.5m~)
• Lascelles (Und. $3.5m~)
• Darlow (Und. $3.5m~)

Out:

• Dan Gosling (Free)
• Shola Ameobi (Free)
• Steven Logan (Free)
• Brandon Miele (Free)
• Jonathan Mitchell (Free)
• Conor Newton (Free)
• Michael Richardson (Free)
• James Tavernier (Und. $500k~)
• Romain Amalfitano (loan)
• Mathieu Debuchy (Und. $11m~)
• Sylvain Marveaux (Loan)
• Adam Campbell (Loan)
• Karl Darlow (Loan)
• Jamaal Lascelles (Loan)
• Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Loan)
• Hatem Ben Arfa (Loan)

Depth chart:
2013/14:
GK: Krul, Elliott
CB: Colocinni, Williamson, Steven Taylor, Yanga Mbiwa (Roma).
FB: Debuchy (Arsenal), Santon, Haidara, Dummett, Ryan Taylor (injured for season).
CM: Cabaye (sold in January), Tiote, Anita, Gosling, Abeid (on loan at Panathinaikos)
AM: Sissoko, Ben Arfa (Hull), Marveaux (Guingamp), Obertan, Sammy Ameobi
FW: Remy (Chelsea), Cisse, Shola Ameobi (Gaziantep BB), Gouffran, Armstrong.

2014/15:
GK: Krul, Elliott, (Darlow on loan).
CB: Colocinni, Williamson, Steven Taylor, (Lascelles on loan).
FB: Janmaat, Santon, Haidara, Dummett, Ryan Taylor.
CM: Tiote, Colback, Anita, Abeid.
AM: Cabella, De Jong, Aarons, Obertan, Sissoko.
FW: Riviere, Perez, Cisse, Gouffran, Ferreyra, Armstrong.

Best formation:
2013/14:
----------------Krul---------------
Debuchy Williamson Colocinni Santon
--------Anita Tiote Cabaye---------
Sissoko--------------------Gouffran
-------------Remy-----------------


2014/15:
-----------------Krul--------------
Janmaat Williamson Colocinni Haidara
----------Tiote-----Colback--------
Cabella-------De Jong-------Sissoko
--------------Riviere*---------------
*potentially Cisse when he returns

Summary:
Take out deadline day and this window probably would have been considered a very good window for the club. Debuchy was adequately replaced with a tidy profit also made. The creativity issue was addressed with the signings of Cabella and De Jong (French and Dutch internationals respectively) and Riviere, Perez and Ferreyra helped bolster the attack (though a big name striker would have been the icing on the cake. A CB was also needed but going into the season with Colocinni, Williamson, Yanga Mbiwa and Taylor would probably suffice for another year (when we would then get the highly rated Lascelles back from loan).

Fast forward to deadline day. Pardew claims the club will not be very active but promises fans that if anyone leaves, someone will come in (one out, one in).

Fast forward to September 1: Fan favourite and arguably most talented player Hatem Ben Arfa is loaned out to Hull with no recall clause despite the team struggling in the league with creating chances. A few days later, new signing De Jong is ruled out for 4 months with injury.

A leaky defence is further weakened when arguably our best CB (though deemed not good enough by Pardew who in his immense tactical nous thinks he is behind an ailing and aging Colocinni, injury plagued (and s**t) Steven Taylor and honest battler (Williamson). This being a guy who captained his team to the Ligue 1 title, has played in the Champions League (and will do so while on loan at Roma) and is a French international. When injuries inevitably hit our CB stocks, expecting to see Cabella lining up back there

2 important players loaned out, neither replaced. Madness but unsurprising as a Toon fan.

Overall Grade:

• Pre deadline day: 8/10
• Post deadline day: 5/10 (being generous)

#PardewOut

Ferreyra is a gun you guys did extremely well to pick him up on loan!

 

[BlueBen]

Admittedly, I have not seen a lot of Yanga-Mbiwa, but his situation seems strange - with respect to Newcastle, how can he be deemed good enough for Roma, but not Newcastle?

Adam Armstrong is supposed to be a gun, is he not? Hopefully, he gets a chance to break through.

 

[Bardo State]

@NUFC_Tiger Is Curtis Good going back on loan to Dundee Utd after he recovers from injury or will he hang around the first squad?

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Ferreyra is a gun you guys did extremely well to pick him up on loan!

Yeah, he seems like a decent pick up - only problem is he hasn't been sighted (not involved in any of our games to date!) Apparently was a bit behind with his fitness due to the situation in the Ukraine but hasn't even been playing for the reserves or U21 recently which is a bit of a concern, especially with Riviere and Perez yet to score for us and Cisse only just getting back to full training this week.

Quietly hoping he gets involved when we play Arsenal - has scored hat tircks against both the Argentine and Ukraine equivalents. Might be the first player to do a hat trick of hattricks against Arsenal

Admittedly, I have not seen a lot of Yanga-Mbiwa, but his situation seems strange - with respect to Newcastle, how can he be deemed good enough for Roma, but not Newcastle?

Adam Armstrong is supposed to be a gun, is he not? Hopefully, he gets a chance to break through.

Pardew doesn't rate him. Yanga struggled a bit when he first came to England as sometimes happens with new players trying to adjust to the pace and power of the PL. He was meant to be our replacement for Colocinni who wanted to head home to Argentina but when that fell through. He was actually partnering Williamson during our best run of games last season(where we picked up wins at Spurs and against Chelsea at home where we kept clean sheets on both occasions). When Colo got fit though, Yanga was only given games at RB (when Debuchy was out) which he didn't exactly thrive at.

I guess the frustration is Colo is getting on and not the same defender he was 2 seasons ago. Williamson is limited but no spring chicken and Taylor is terrible and injury prone. Yanga was at least young (24/25), had pace, was physically strong and probably the most cultured of the lot and yet we loaned him out. Pardew logic

Yep, high hopes for local lad 'Arma' - only 17 though. Actually scored twice for the England U18s during the week against Holland. Some talk he may be given a chance to play in De Jong's absence (as our CAM). Not sure if he's ready (did pretty well on our NZ tour). Another kid Rolando Aarons has burst onto the scene and so there is some talk Pardew might be forced to play the kids a bit.

@NUFC_Tiger Is Curtis Good going back on loan to Dundee Utd after he recovers from injury or will he hang around the first squad?

I haven't seen any talk of him going out on loan actually - I believe he's still recovering from his injury that forced him out of the WC. If he's fit though (and given our lack of options) he'd probably become our 4th choice CB (and with both Colo and Taylor having their injury troubles), you'd think Pardew would turn to Good to help cover any injuries. We may finally see him getting a few games in the first team which is probably the only silver lining from losing Yanga Mbiwa

 

[NUFC Tiger]

When you factor in the Cabaye money we didn't spend in January, our net spend for 2014 is probably something like $4.5m lol

Kind of sobering to think we can't even compete financially with clubs like Soton, Swansea, Hull and QPR these days

 

[Mejekdraw]

Not sure how is going to adapt, how many other Spanish speaking players does he have around him?
But im pretty sure he will play some part second half of the season!
I really want to see him play!

 

[SM]

Not sure how is going to adapt, how many other Spanish speaking players does he have around him?
But im pretty sure he will play some part second half of the season!
I really want to see him play!

I would think they hope he'll play before then haha.

 

[Mejekdraw]

I would think they hope he'll play before then haha.

But if his not fit??

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Not sure how is going to adapt, how many other Spanish speaking players does he have around him?
But im pretty sure he will play some part second half of the season!
I really want to see him play!

Off the top of my head, we have Colocinni (helps he's the captain too) as well as young striker Ayoze Perez (young Spanish kid we signed this summer). Gutierrez is also still on the books but being forced to train with the reserves in the same mould as Ben Arfa was.

I'm keen to see him as well, comes pretty highly rated.

 

[Mejekdraw]

Off the top of my head, we have Colocinni (helps he's the captain too) as well as young striker Ayoze Perez (young Spanish kid we signed this summer). Gutierrez is also still on the books but being forced to train with the reserves in the same mould as Ben Arfa was.

I'm keen to see him as well, comes pretty highly rated.

What was the go with Gutierrez's fallout with the club he was playing some decent games couple of season ago. He just never stopped running!!

 

[NUFC Tiger]

What was the go with Gutierrez's fallout with the club he was playing some decent games couple of season ago. He just never stopped running!!

Yeah, amazing runner - was a key reason we finished 5th playing a makeshift RB at LB for parts of the season - his tracking back and defensive work rate was incredible (part of why Maradonna started him at the WC in 2010). Sadly, had no crossing ability and couldn't dribble around his man.

Unfortunately for him, it's believed if he plays 1 more game for the club, it will trigger a clause in his contract for a wage rise hence the club are trying to not play him. Quite a sad way to treat a player who gave his all for the shirt but that's life under Ashley and Pardew

 

[Mejekdraw]

Wow that's horrible, how can they do that why didn't he just leave! I hope you guys do well this season!

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Wow that's horrible, how can they do that why didn't he just leave! I hope you guys do well this season!

He's under contract - club tried shopping him around but his wages were a stumbling block for interested clubs.

Also, regarding how they can do it - because they can!

 

[Mejekdraw]

He's under contract - club tried shopping him around but his wages were a stumbling block for interested clubs.

Also, regarding how they can do it - because they can!

When will Pardew be gone!!