Requirements to sustain a top 5-7 finish?

What do we really need to improve to keep us in the higher positions?

I know most people would say that Arsenal and Liverpool are stronger than us, but Arsenal have their weaknesses and if, heaven forbid, RVP should get injured, they'd be ****ed. Also Liverpool aren't getting the right results to really put themselves up there.

So IMO if things go our way, we get all our players back from ACN quickly enough and they hit some decent form, we can't rule out the possibility of finishing IMO anywhere below the top 4.

Anyway, my question is, what do we need to need to secure a top 5-7 finish long term?

We have quality but how much investment would it take until we could call ourselves a top side again?

Here's our squad when fully fit

-------Ba-------Cisse---------

Jonas--------------------Hatem Ben Arfa

-------Tiote-----Cabaye-------

Santon----Colo---Saylor----Simpson

------------Krul-------------------

Subs -

Harper/Elliot
Williamson
Marveaux
Guthrie
Raylor
Best
Vuckic/Abeid.

Here's some slight problems we have with this though

Injury prone players -

Saylor - We can't expect him to last more than 20 games a season. I know it's harsh on the lad but it's been going on for too long now to say it will one day just stop happening.

Marveaux - A history of injuries, a quality player but perhaps we need to buy another winger seeing as he seems to be a bit injury prone.

Goal keepers - If Krul got injured... then jesus christ. We don't know how Harper will play, he looked woeful when out on loan. Elliot, well I was less than impressed with him vs Notts Forest. Harper is really getting on now, and there has been talk of him leaving as I would imagine he wants to end his career playing first team football.

Do we hope that Elliot and Sodeburg turn out to be amazing?

Wingers - Cover - Here is who's up for covering Jonas and HBA

Marveaux - See Above

Ober - A confusing one, potentially he could be great, but being potentially great means he needs time that I don't think we can give him if we really want to push up the top. I don't see him getting many starts in the PL now.

Raylor - Good crosser, but not going to beat players on the wing.

I don't know about you, but I'm not over the moon with our cover on the wings, if we were pushing simply for the top 10 then yes, but if we have ambition surely we need another quality winger?

If we got into Europe then in the earlier stages these guys could definitely play a part, and also in our cup runs and as impact/sub players.

Fullbacks - I'm happy with Simmo and Santon for the moment, but after them two we have Raylor, and as long as he's in the team Jonas needs to drop back a lot and I'm not so sure Raylor what we need for the fullback position.

We really need a fullback in the summer. Santon, Simmo and a new fullback playing most of our games would do me very well.

How much investment would it take and would we get it from Ashley?

Here's what we need IMO

A CB
A Left back
Another winger
And possibly another goal keeper. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not so sure I'd be able to get a wink of sleep without having nightmares about Elliot in goal.

 

We do not need another Goalkeeper, otherwise that undermines the logic of the purchase of Elliot. Elliot must have some quality at least, plus Forster is still our player.

CB, Left Back & (maybe) a winger.

Mairappa/Samba, Pieters & Kranjcar maybe?

If we bought these players I think we'd have a team worthy of a top 7 finish on a regular basis. However if we bought the above players, our strength in depth in terms of quality will still be weak in comparison to teams like Arsenal, Tottenham and Bin Dippers.

For now we should aim for consistency, lets get 7th-5th this season and lets get the same position the next, then we should look at pushing on for exceedingly good strength in depth throughout the entire squad, for now though, i personally think we're okay providing we get ourselves another CB as cover.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves!

 

Obviously i think the first team is very solid. So do not neccesarily think we need to add to much to it, the only exception is maybe as you mentioned a full back. Swap Santon to Rb and maybe buy another LB, possibly from abroad as i feel the fullbacks in the Premier Leauge are overpriced and overrated.

Clearly we need a new Center back as cover for Saylor as he is quite injury prone, and even if he wasn't i don't think there is enough Centre backs at the club anyways. I don't have to many suggestions, but should go for someone similar to Colocini, as i feel the perfect Centre back pairing is the big strong centre back who throws himself at everything, and the one who can play a pass and is confortable on the ball ( Saylor and Colo ). Williamson is very much like Saylor, therefore Newcastle need a new Centre back to come in the place of Colo when he's injured, and he's not getting any younger either.

A new winger im not to sure. If Pardew decides to send Obertan on loan to get some first team action for a season then yes deffinately, but if not then i think obertan is a suitable back up. But the point you make on marveux is very true, he is incrediably injury prone, so maybe it would be best to invest in a new winger, however CB and LB are deffinatly the priorties.

 

You don't agree with me 100%?

**** you sir, **** you!

Fat ****!

Seriously though good points.

 

I see what you done there .

Good thread.

 

I agree except the keeper situation and a winger.

Weve got ****loads of keepers, if its just back up we wont get anyone decent anyway, also injuries to goalkeepers are alot less common than outfield players.

We need a good fullback and a young cb who will be good in future and if somebody awesome pops up for a great price then maybe another.

I think Ferguson is a class winger in the making dont count him out, we have enough players that can play out wide.

 

i didnt like the quote from pardew "we only need a cb as cover not replacement" if we were to buy a cb that was good enough to replace 1 of our 2 first choice center backs id be over the moon, proper competition for places makes the person in the team play that bit better due to the fact he knows if he messes up he may lose his place,allso players dont drop out if they have a niggling injury as they may not get back in

 

centre back capable of replacing colo in 2 years time
striker capable of competing with ba and cisse
left back

 

tash i never saw shola above ????

 

I think we need a CB to cover Saylor and Collo, about the same quality as Willo, a top quality LB (Cissokho/Pieters) as I think Simmo is probably the weak link in our team.

If there were funds available, then a young striker as 3/4th choice (Rhodes would be my choice, but I'm sure Carr may find someone else, like Luuk De Jong), and possibly An Abeid-esque defensive midfielder.we're fine on the wing, we have: Jonas, HBA, Marv, Ober, Raylor, Ba, Fergie, Vuckic etc. We don't need another winger (although if a top quality winger like Barnetta became available for a decent price then I wouldn't say no.

 

No ****, Sherlock.

 

[video=youtube;eBPqksG9nbA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBPqksG9nbA[/video]

 

Very funny

 

Do you mean what do we need to finish 5-7th this season or finish 5-7th for the next three years?
Because the Liverpool/Arsenal scenario's won't carry for the next two seasons.

 

hahaha

 

What's funny?

 

Now i see what you meant on that baines thread.
this thread was very solid and detaild and yet people pik up on the part that was obiously a mistake and that you meant a finish from top 5-7th.

 

Yeah but what can you do.

I personally believe 7th is where we'll finish, but think of how possible it is that we could finish higher. If RVP's form drops or he gets injured, then they could slide down the table. Liverpool aren't getting the results they need to really push up above us.

IMO 5th is possible, unlikely maybe but it is possible.

 

Bump, does anyone else think that giving recent events and the fact that Williamson was on and off last season also, that we do need another CB?

We can't rely on Willo long term if we want to push on. He's good if we're pushing for mid table, but not the top 7.

Saylor can't be relied on for a full season due to being injury prone.

We need a new quality CB, and Saylor will just have to understand that despite his quality, he's just been injured far too often.

I'm not happy just settling for another Williamson quality covering defender, we need another quality defender, one that will be hot on Saylor's heels for a first team spot.

 

No chance of anything above 7th! If we finish 7th it will be a miracle in my opinion so that wil do. If we manage it you can guarantee 7th won't be enough for europe almost already.