I'm looking forward to watching the bigger team friendlies. I've noticed we are passing the ball much more quickly and more one touch in the friendlies so far. Now that could be because we have more time against the weaker opposition. It broke down slightly in the last game but we ended with a really ramshackle team. The test will be in the next two weeks to see how much he's imprinted on the squad. What are your thoughts on your buys so far? What do you think you still need?
Buys so far.. Mane.. quality Matip, looks the part Grujic could be some player I've always like Gini, well before Newcastle bought him! That defender from GoTs, he's alright for a backup I guess..
Tbh i always thought our team was underperforming and one of the problems i feel we have always had is that we are too slow at the back. We play deep and even when we had/have a pressing game, it is too easily bi-passed as our players arent the strongest or most athletic and also the numbers arent there. It only takes a few players not on it and that breaks down. Added to this, i think with the age of the team we aren't the hardest working either. I think we need a shift culturally in the club really. I'm really pleased we have Conte as i think he's totally underrated. He will make us play rigidly though but i think he will make sure we're a pretty intense team. As for our signings, I think Kante at 30m is a bargain as unless he goes really ****, his style of play will mean he should be effective in most games as he's basically a tackling machine with bags of energy which we need. He's pretty strong as well. I don't really know too much about the belgian up front just that hes got good french stats. Heard he's pretty greedy so i hope he isn't a lukaku who thinks he can do it all. Really, i would like a decent centre back. Cahill is solid but unspectacularly and needs a leader next to him as he isnt one. Ivanovic i've always thought is overrated at CB even when he was in his prime and i thought was a much better RB. Terrys not what he was anymore. Zouma was looking pretty good but is still pretty raw and is coming back from a bad injury. Dave is a brilliant RB/LB. Our left back spot has giant question marks even though we paid a small fortune for him. I'm looking forward to the new season though. I've even gone long on chelsea in my FF team!
So the basic question in all case is does the signing improve the team. Karius looks ok. Very hard to say an awful lot right now. He will compete with mingolet which bogdan was never going to so so yes ut should be an improved gk situation. Matip looks decent and is tall. That helps our defence on set piece etc. He adds an option to play the ball a bit and is better than skertl. Whether its lovern and matip or lovern and sahko remains ro be seen. Mane hugely inproves our right side. Ive never rated lallana and certainly not at rw. Ibe hadnt kicked on so its expensive but it inproves us for sure. Klavan... like.. nah... dont see it as anything but adding a body. Toure went so this guy cones in cheap and gives us 4 cbs. Its not an improvement reallym who knows til he plays. Now Wijnaldum. I still dont know whete he plays. Is he just replacing allen? Is he a starter? I just don't know where he will fit in an 11 so u til that i couldnt say.
As for Karius and Mingolet one is number one and the other is number two. I am sure Klopp have an idea. As for Lallana, Klopp seems to have faith in him: if to be sold not this window I would say I think Wijanaldum is going to be playing regular football. Klavan is only a back up and we need to sell a defender. Who I don't know Matip is a good buy. Mane is a good buy, but we paid over the odds for him. Our team is improving whether top four material another case
Id agree I improvement we think. Top 4 not so much. Impatience for top 4 is no good. It took spurs how many goes and next year they on the balance of probability wont reamin in it.
I would guess Klopp is aiming towards a midfield two of Grujic and Can. Wijnaldum strikes me as more of an attacking mid, but with Mane likely being a certainty to start, who loses out with Couts and Firmino?
Not massively sure on this one. He was the best Newcastle player last season, but thats not saying much since they were utter bollocks for 3/4 of the season. Saying that he has always been said to be a player with potential when he was playing in Holland. Where does he actually play, is he a winger, CM or ACM?
He wasn't our best player by any stretch of the imagination. He scored in 6 games, none away from home. He was a virtual passenger away. He has potential, he'll certainly be a better player for you than he was for us. £25m, he's not worth that. I wish him well though, never twisted on about a move like Sissoko.
I'll trust you on that since its your lot, but it is hard to think of any Newcastle players who came out of last season with any credit. So those 6 games do stand out. Where does he actually play?
I reckon his best place is just behind the attackers. McClaren wasted him playing him anywhere but there. I have a soft spot for LFC. My favourite away game was the FA cup 3rd round there on a Friday night. Even half an hour before the game, the atmosphere from both fans was electric! Special night for Keegan on his return then you sods spoils it winning 4-0. Marvellous night!
I reckon so. He was decent in patches, plenty of promise. Probably will be a good player in a decent side. Rafa will sort it though, the place is buzzing. No-one has looked forward to a season so much.
