Was hoping we might go for Charlie Taylor from Leeds. He impressed me both times we played them. But he's signed for Burnley on near enough a free.
Off Lukaku trots to manure, this league is guna be ridiculous. Was never guna touch top 8 regardless of how good this summer went. Ready for the relegation battle
Taylor - that seems utterly insane to me. Looks like a really good left back, costs nothing, at least competition for Dummett (or clearly better than, some might say...). Off to Burnley. Something doesn't smell right about Newcastle right now.
I've been worried for weeks but people kept saying to me calm down it's early days. It's not early days now pre season has started and we have signed one player. Atsu does not count in my mind as we had him last year. It's a bit worrying.
And as I've said the one player we have signed took an entire month to get over the legendary line. These much vaunted surprises are unlikely in every sense. Sat waiting for Reina to make up his mind and which of Chelsea or Liverpools kids we can loan. It's a million miles from what we thought. Bear in mind Hudds have spent £30m and they have never had PL football, and didn't get to fleece £60m selling two players. As I say, something seems off. Really off. Contract offer for Gouffran, 5 year deal for Dummett? How much evidence is needed!!
I see Iheanacho is off to Leicester for £25m another one ticked off the list as the line makes a splendid and triumphant return!
I have heard 2 separate reports from different sources that Benitez was not happy with lack of movement. Doubt that has changed to be honest unless we have a few lined up.
Aye am starting to **** it a little again but everytime I see/read ewt from Benitez it isn't sounding anything but normal. This is the guy who will moan publicly and regularly about not getting transfers (like he did in January) Ok burnley, but their also buying John Walters and losing Andre Gray. By the way Stoke have signed **** all. Palace bought little of note, Southampton and west ham n all. Genuinely think Carr was the hold up and was vetoing or dragging moves out, it's set us back but there's still time to catch up, 7 teams confirmed more transfers than us so far
Difference is, they all had PL squads to start off with. Our squad is smaller than last season already and at best relegation favourites.
I said exactly this a couple of weeks ago aswell and I got a bit of a hammering on the forums because everyone was like Rafa has this. Rafa maybe does but hes probably done his part. But the others have not. We are so paper thin at the board level in terms of bodies that things are not getting done. Charnley (C*NT) with all the will in the world cannot do everything, he should be running the club and delegating more or less everything. He should be the fat controller pulling the strings telling other people to pull their finger out etc. We have proper ballsed up with the scouting disaster, what club sacks their chief scout when we did and hires a bloody local wannabe in arguably the most crucial season we have had for decades JUST BEFORE PRE SEASON STARTS. The players should have all been bought, and walking through the doors on the morning of pre season. I actually do think that Ashley has had his head turned a bit because of: a) the chinese interest. b) his pending court case (drink machine). c) NUFC court case. d) belief that because we where to good for the premier league we should be ok as a lower club in the premier league with minimal investment. e) wanting a return on his investment. The alarm bells are ringing for me. I hope to god sake that I am wrong but the history of Ashleys era suggests I am most likely correct. The biggest problem I think Ashley has is he is now DEFINATELY trying to run the club as sports direct. The prices for players and wages are clearly putting him off and we are therefore trying to strike deals in our favour. This is putting players and agents off which is why they are going to the Bournemouths, Swanseas etc.
I'll tell you something else I find odd; the amount of press release, interview and social media efforts on Florian Lejeune. It's been an astonishing amount for a player with this background: 2009/10 – French second division, started 14 league games for Istres (who?) 2010/11 – French second division, started 27 league games for Istres (who?) 2011/12 – Spanish second division, started 25 league games for Villarreal reserves. 2012/13 – Spanish second division, started 9 league games for Villarreal reserves, plus 2 starts in La Liga for the first team. hen went on loan to Brest, making 2 starts for their reserve team before 8 starts in Ligue 1. 2013/14 – French second division, started 4 league games for Brest when he stayed on loan after they were relegated, plus 8 starts for their reserves. 2014/15 – Spanish second division, started 40 league games for Girona. 2015/16 – Spanish second division, started 41 league games for Girona. 2016/17 – La Liga, started league 33 games for SD Eibar. Yep, this is the much vaunted, month-long protracted transfer legend we've picked up. One season of top flight football. Yeah, Citeh bought him at some point, but he didn't play. And if we gave out medals for every player joining a Citeh or Chelski "loan school", we'd run out of medals.
Can't believe the level of panic on this thread. Seriously everyone get a grip. There is a time to panic and there is a time not too. Now is not the time to panic. If we are in the same position players/transfers as we are now on the eve of the new season then please go ahead and start panicking. For myself I am prepared to wait until the transfer window shuts before I start to panic. This is not some misty eyed view of Rafa rather it is a view where certain targets may be waiting to see if someone from the top 6 - 8 come calling before committing themselves to "lower" teams if they don't get bought by one of the top 6-8 teams. Yes some teams not in the top 6-8 may be buying players now but not the player who would be waiting for a call from a top 6-8 team and/or the buying Club may have compensated by bigger salary etc. The season is 38 games long and if we don't have all the players in before the start of the season they are still only going to miss a relatively small fraction of the season. So, can we all agree to STOP PANICKING... please.
