Article: The less depressing view on this transfer window | Football, Newcastle

I don't often start topics, but felt I had to today. Yes, we missed out on signing Plan D in Bryan Ruiz tonight, but all in all (and certainly compared to our competitors) we've had a pretty good summer window.

Nolan went and we replaced him (Cabaye), Barton went and we replaced him (Marveaux, Obertan if we're talking right wing), and Enrique went and we replaced him (Santon). The only thing we were crying out for is the 'replacement' for Carroll, which unfortunately didn't happen, though we do have Demba Ba who hasn't fired on all cylinders yet, but looked much better against Fulham. On top of that we've got Abeid plus Gosling and Best back fit, and hopefully Ben Arfa to follow.

Obviously the sticking point is the lack of a striker, but when the likes of Cameron Jerome are costing £8m clearly the club did not want to throw money at someone for the sake of it just to say they'd spent the £35m. Players were lined up but didn't come due to not signing replacements, a situation that most teams remedy by paying more but as we know we no longer pay over the odds for players. Its not the best position to be in, but its not the nightmare we're making out. Ruiz was clearly down the list of possibilities, and time will tell if he would've been the solution (I certainly don't think he'd be number 9) or even better than Ba will be.

I'm not great at these, but my point is that our squad is stronger than it was last season (certainly when you consider Carrolls injury record/current form), we're 7 from 9, still in the cup, we didn't sell Tiote, Coloccini or Gutierrez and we've got 2 strikers ahead of Shola in the pecking order which we didn't have last year. I'm looking forward to QPR and the rest of the season with what I see as a talented squad that once the new boys settle in could make a decent impact on the league. I'm just not super depressed that we didn't sign someone I'd never heard of until 4 hours ago...

Ridgewell might have been nice though!

 

When does Loan window close

Forgot the find we have in Sammy

 

I think had Ridgewell or Situ signed I'd have viewed this summer as a successful window. We're still a CB and/or LB and a striker away from having a very good side. Hopefully MA keeps the squad together in Jan and things will still look up this season. In terms of strikers, there were few available at reasonable prices this summer. Very disappointing but lets always look on the bright side, eh

 

I think had Ridgewell or Situ signed I'd have viewed this summer as a successful window. We're still a CB and/or LB and a striker away from having a very good side. Hopefully MA keeps the squad together in Jan and things will still look up this season. In terms of strikers, there were few available at reasonable prices this summer. Very disappointing but lets always look on the bright side, eh

 

Agreed! Pretty disappointed watching SSN tonight that we've missed out on Ruiz. When i heard we'd met Fulhams bid i honestly thought we had pulled a good coup out of the bag. However I remember thinking the other day that i was looking forward to the window shutting with us still having the likes of Colo, Tiote, Krul and Guti. It's just closed and nobody left. This to me, should be seen as a good window.

 

I think had Ridgewell or Situ signed I'd have viewed this summer as a successful window. We're still a CB and/or LB and a striker away from having a very good side. Hopefully MA keeps the squad together in Jan and things will still look up this season. In terms of strikers, there were few available at reasonable prices this summer. Very disappointing but lets always look on the bright side, eh

 

Agreed! Pretty disappointed watching SSN tonight that we've missed out on Ruiz. When i heard we'd met Fulhams bid i honestly thought we had pulled a good coup out of the bag. However I remember thinking the other day that i was looking forward to the window shutting with us still having the likes of Colo, Tiote, Krul and Guti. It's just closed and nobody left. This to me, should be seen as a good window.

 

The plain fact is that Barton has been got rid of and not properly replaced. To suggest otherwise is not being that honest with yourself.

Our two top scoring players from last season have been sold, and replaced with one player, who was a free transfer from a relegated team.

I would say that we're not willing to pay the going rates for top players. Whether these are over the odds is the only question that is settled if you can understand what the word 'ambition' actually means.

I'm not surprised that none of the Carroll was invested - Kevin Keegan predicted that outcome back in February.

 

I think had Ridgewell or Situ signed I'd have viewed this summer as a successful window. We're still a CB and/or LB and a striker away from having a very good side. Hopefully MA keeps the squad together in Jan and things will still look up this season. In terms of strikers, there were few available at reasonable prices this summer. Very disappointing but lets always look on the bright side, eh

 

Best, Ba, Ameobi are all players that would be great as second choice strikers, but as has been mentioned above there were really no obvious names jumping out. Andersson, Guivarc'h etc were all "big " names that flopped having a feeling that Ruiz would have fallen into that column. Maybe he'll be Fulham's new Marlet!

What i would like to see is a real playmaker to play off one of our big front players, (I assume Ben Arfa will occupy this position when fit, but as he's been out for almost a year it's asking a lot to assume he can bounce back to top from straight away) or a pacy forward (Bellamy, Owen, Keane in their prime or even a younger Lovenkrands) to give us an alternative style of play.

 

We have a solid defence and awesome midfield, loads of options there.

Everyone raved about signing Ba then get pissed when we don't sign another striker.

We have Best and Ba up top, Ben Arfa can also play in an advanced attacking midfield.

Not to concerned to be honest

Spurs & Everton both look weaker to me for this transfer window.

 

I am glad we did not get Ruiz. Watched him play for Costa Rica in the Gold Cup and he was crap. He was knocked off the ball too easily and dove more than Suarez (but was not as skilled at it as Suarez). He seemed a bit petulant as well when he didn't get the ball to his feet. Pacy, but so was Martins. I think we'll be fine until January, then we can start this all over again.

 

think i need to go to bed sleep on this and digest what has happened or i'll say something ****ing stupid i might regret

night all could have been worse i guess we could have settled for bendtner

 

didnt want ruiz we had 3 top targets and had bids accepted for them all, none wanted to come though (gervinho, gameiro and erdnic).

 

The confidence that the club have in our current forwards is definately admirable like!! Come on Sammy step up to the plate son!!

 

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Although relatively pleased with the deals we have done so far I still think that we haven't strengthened in the area most needed, and although it may not be catastrophic, it may cost us. We have one of the weakest forward lines in the league and there is bound to be a time when we concede a few, and we won't be able to dig ourselves out of trouble with a moment of quality striking. What we had before was average at best (strikers), and all we've added is a free transfer who had half a season in the prem with a relegated team. I agree our midfield looks solid, we've added pace and some more creativity, but what's the point in that when Shola starts?

 

Not really. Simmo has been poor, Raylor has done OK but with a lot of help from Jonas, and no one knows how Santon will adapt. Plus we only have Willo, Perch, Raylor (assuming Santon slots into LB) and then Ferguson and Gosling, who are wasted in defence, as cover.

 

So Barton hasnt been replaced? do we not have two new signings that can play on the right in obertan and marveaux? players who are actually right wingers...
Nolan, a player who could only play effectively off Carroll, who's goals dried up once he left, and was a passenger in midfield (you also seem to be saying that we got Ba as a replacement for Nolan?). I'd much Rather see Cabaye/Ben Arfa there, who can score goals, and actually do the job of a midfielder at the same time.

I'm still furious that we havent gotten another striker, but a lot of your points are wide of the mark.

At least we can pick up Welliton on the cheap in january, right? right?

 

Good article. I'm disappointed but not seriously worried. The squad has done great so far. I was fuming earlier but I've calmed down now

People are writing of Ba already which is frustrating - think he'll hit 10+ goals this year, once match sharp.

My main concern is lack of different types of striker but once Benny is back, he can play off the striker and that should make up for that, as well as the other midfielders we have that can play attacking.

It's not an ideal situation but one we will cope with okay.