Match Day Thread Toon v Hellas Verona

Think Murphy played the No10 role for Norwich a few times last season - did quite well apparently

 

We could experiment with everyone. Or we could buy a striker. It's a footballer, for chrissakes, how can it possibly be that hard?

 

What centre forward would you buy?

 

It doesn't matter what I want, and it's not my job! I don't have scouts, intel, etc. I just wanted someone through the door. I'm astonished we've not identified anyone at all.

 

Seen rafa interview and I thought it was fine in fact after watching it I'm convinced there will be at least 2 more bodies in and one will be a striker. Ktf

 

What makes you think they haven't identified any strikers they'd like to buy?

 

From the interview, I suspect Perez has been already

 

I must have missed the interview, what has been said?

 

“We are still working and trying to find solutions one way or the other. It is very clear we have to balance the squad.”
“We know what we need and will try to do it until the end of the transfer window.
“We are now trying to work in different directions at the time.
“More players will leave, and hopefully we can bring more in too.
“Rest assured we are working very hard to make additions. We still have much to improve on before we face Spurs next week.”

 

Benitez

“I like the player because I have good friends in Coruña.

“I know that he did really well. He’s come here and not played in many games, but I like the player.”

Which sort of looks like a indication that he's keen on the player and wants him (as well as checked him out) although no real evidence of a deal - and also

“We are still working and trying to find solutions one way or the other. It is very clear we have to balance the squad.”

“We know what we need and will try to do it until the end of the transfer window.

“We are now trying to work in different directions at the time.
“More players will leave, and hopefully we can bring more in too.
“Rest assured we are working very hard to make additions. We still have much to improve on before we face Spurs next week.”

 

Benitez words on that charity dinner was pretty much that if the media don't know who we're after the scouting team is doing their job.
That'll do for me, amazed these debates are still happening

 

Sadly that isn't good enough for a headline in a media where the Newcastle circus is as important as the likes of spurs

 

Yeah, I read that before. How does it mean they haven't identified people to buy?

Totally separate issue is having the money people are demanding, clubs being willing to sell, players turning us down, and not being able to sell players for the price we would like. It sounds like the MA 'showdown talks' are probably about cash flow and Rafa asking him to provide at least an overdraft and/or raise limits on what we are willing to spend and/or lower expectations on what we will sell the players we want to ship out for. That's if the showdown is happening at all.

The comment about Perez is what he would say whether he is interested or not. He never says anything other than that sort of thing about player transfers/targets.

 

By identified I mean the full kit & caboodle of getting bodies in.

I might be getting this wrong, but identification and sounding out of a player (or their agent) isn't restricted to the transfer window. We had an idea around Xmas that we were probably on our way up. We also knew, with Murphy 100% not a PL player, we'd need at least one striker. Or travails with the No. 10 also indicated we'd need someone there as well, and no support behind Dummett should also have been a concern. So in the subsequent 8 months I'd have expected us - and I'm not saying NUFC are an isolated case - to have done more to fill the gaps that needed filling well before we were due to play our first PL game.