Pardew gives an insight as to why no new defenders were signed this summer...

I like Pardew but he does seem a bit soft.

AP abandons a proven formation to please 1 striker and on top of that he makes excuses for difficult situations we are left in.

All because of the negligence displayed in the summer transfer window.

If he is serious about building at Newcastle then he needs to show a bit of fortitude and stop acting as a yes man.

 

Tavernier has only looked 'promising' against lower league opposition. No one is writing him (or any other youth player) off, he may turn out good or he may not, we'll have to wait and see, but he hasn't shown enough quality yet to seriously be relied on as back up. He's not ready to be a PL fullback, and certainly not a centre back, which is where Pardew has said he wanted him to play. The guy's well below 6 foot and currently doesn't have anywhere near the defensive skill needed to make up for the lack of height. I agree it's good to have the youth pushing through, but only if the youth has the quality. At the moment they're pushing through because the squad is short on numbers, and that's just a result of a lack of ambition to improve the squad during the summer.

We've been awful so far. All the players except for HBA look absolutely clueless out there. The results haven't been too bad, although we should have won against Villa, but we're looking a long, long way off being able to compete for 5th again.

 

He doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds him. MA gave him a job when he was in a bit of financial difficulty (a gambling debt I believe) and I suppose he feels he owes him a debt of gratitude.

 

With Perch looking good at CB I don't think that area is much of a problem now as it seemed at the start of the window. However there still remains a problem at RB. Hopefully, Anita can do a good job there until Simmo returns

 

The most annoying thing about the lack of summer transfer activity was that everyone knew that we were on the verge of something special and sensational with the team we have, a few more additions in the right areas could have seen us finish in the top 4 this season I have absolutely no doubt in my mind about that.

It is fantastic that we've kept our best players from last season and its also fantastic that we seem to have some decent up and coming youth players. However, here and now we needed to build on what we had last season because most teams around us and above us have strengthened also, if you stand still for too long in this league you fall back, and that's exactly what I think will happen this time around, not hugely, but we will struggle to finish in the top 6 IMO.

We really were on the cusp of something wonderful here and unfortunately we've managed to blow it, all it would have taken is a fullback who is confident on the ball to replace Simpson, a decent back up centre back and cover for the strikers, whether it be a promising young lad or an established guy who doesn't mind being in squad rotation. We wouldn't have even had to break the bank too much. Not getting these important areas sorted could ultimately be our downfall this season.

 

Absolutely this. We had the chance to build on what we achieved and I don't see how that can happen now. I think this is especially the case if the players feel as some of us do and that is showing itself in some of the underwhelming performances we have seen so far this season (although injuries are not helping either).

 

Exactly, I just can't see the logic in it from Ashley's side of things, surely it would benefit him more in the long run if were to invest in some players, kick on and reach the champions league? Money wise its the only way to go and judging by Pardew's talk in comments its our number 1 priority yet we quite obviously have absolutely no chance of attaining it any time soon.