We’re opportunist buyers. If we can get Marma for £25m then that’s gk sorted for ten years (assuming all goes well) Just like with Tino and Hall
This is why we bought Barnes I think they simply had the opportunity. I think Roland was right though we didn't require him. Barnes is probably the only fail at this point but he is probably going to get a run of games at some point.
Too early games wise to say Barnes is a fail. Trouble is I can't see how he fits in. For me I would be aiming at 1. CB a la Botman. Young, promising etc. 2. CDM. 3. RW. 4. Striker. Order may change depending upon who is sold.
I reckon it will be CB, RW, GK. ST if Wilson goes. I reckon they'll look at CM and think they have options with Bruno, Sandro, Big Joe, Wee Joe, Anderson, Miley and Longstaff.
I’m not sure why Barnes is being classed as a possible fail. Other than his injury I don’t see what he’s done wrong. Saved us against West Ham, literally gave us 3 points and saved us against Luton aswell. The lad knows where the net is. And if anyone says it’s cause we could have bought elsewhere with the money, we need depth. I’m glad we got him.
We could have bought a right sided attacking player or a cb instead. That would have improved depth aswel as the 1st 11. Barnes hasn't lived upto his price tag yet that's all I'm saying... not ruling it out.
I’m not convinced GK is an immediate need. You can see the difference when Pope is in goal to Dubs. Dubs is okay but Pope clearly the better all round keeper. Think other areas are in greater need to upgrade on current first choice players.
I suspect Pope will be buckled quite easily again following a really bad shoulder injury. It's unlike the other positions he's going to land on this area regularly.
Barnes was a waste of money. We desperately needed RW, CB, LB, GK above a sub left winger. But what’s done is done. Still need players in those positions.
That was mostly me last summer - was frustrated at spending money there when we have FFP constraints. Though I think I did qualify that Barnes does have some quality, so at the price we paid was kind of understandable... Roland was, at the time of the signing, more of the opinion that it was an upgrade on Saint-Maximin (not an incorrect point), so ok... Though I don't think he was wildly excited about it.
45 million spent two on those areas instead might have got Newcastle back in the top 4. It's all done now though as you say. I guess the right players just weren't available and they bought Barnes through opportunity.
If we can get Marmadishvili for a decent price I say we bite the bullet and do it this summer, lock that position down for years
We didn’t need him. But he is a good player and I think the plan was maybe to move Gordon more centrally over time?
Marmadishvili £25M Kelly and Tosin "Free" Ndidi "Free" Nico Williams £42M release Sesko £42M release Don't know if £109M is too much for FFP or whatever is going to be in place but sod it
