We will sink or swim together

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Losing is bad enough, but losing 5 - 0 is very bad. It was though an accident waiting to happen. With three strikers and three centrebacks all injured, what did we really expect? Against a very good Arsenal team and in London? The best we could have hoped for was a draw. Yesterdays result ranks with me as the third worst result of the season. Going out of the Worthington cup to a team that we should have beaten being the worst , and losing at home to the maKems was a close second.

We are at the stage now where we have to win and keep on winning if we are to achieve anything this season, and with the players at his disposal can we beat the likes of Man U , Leeds, or even Bradford City next week?

Before the 5 - 0 capital punishment, I thought we would probably need another striker and another central defender. After yesterdays performance I think we need Two Strikers, Two central defenders, a left winger and a left back.

Obviously Newcastle can't go out and buy half a team, just like that, but between now and the start of next season we need some quality additions. Bobby Robson has hinted that there are no new funds available and that he will not be entering the transfer market " Not unless the board change es their minds" He insists that "We will have to sort it with what we've got and we will sink or swim together"

After the game against Arsenal, it looks like we'll be sinking faster than the titanic. The board have to be persuaded to change their minds.

If we want to be amongst the elite clubs, challenging for the top spot we will eventually need 22 GOOD players, two in each position of a 4 - 4 - 2 system that are capable of playing and performing well in the Premier League. At the moment we are well short.

We have only 2 strikers, (Shearer and Cort). The best teams have four , so we need four . We have two centrebacks(Hughes and Dabizas ), we need 4, the best teams have four. We also need two left wingers, we barely have have one, and finally two left backs, again we have one (and he probably wants to leave).

We are probably looking at seven new faces if we want to compete with the best teams in the country. Obviously we can't go out and buy seven top quality players, so what's the minimum that we could get away with until the end of the season? I reckon three, A centre back , a striker and left winger. Then in the summer after we can cash in on some of the other players Robson could try to bring in the other four.

Starting with centrebacks Goma and Marcelino both will leave soon , and Dabizas is out for another 2 months, leaving Hughes who would fall into my decent centreback category and Caldwell who would not. The lad needs another season or two being used sparingly . If Hughes and Caldwell continue to be in a team that lets in so many goals, the fans will start to get on their backs. Another centreback must be brought in now. Money is tight so why not go for Colin Hendry, he would do the job for a few seasons by which time Caldwell would be ready for first team action.

As for the left back, yes we need a better player than Domi, But money is tight, why not stick with him till the end of the season , then try to get TWO.

As for Stephen Glass, I think he adds balance to the team, but I am sure we can get a better player on the left , to me the jury is still out on him, but I would like to see him used rather than another right footed midfielder, of which we have many, filling in on that side. Money needs to be made available for a GOOD right winger.

We have two strikers in Shearer and Cort that are good enough for the PL, unfortunately neither of them will be fit until January at the earliest. Gallacher is getting too old, I can't see him being granted another contract at the end of the season. As for Cordone, I can't see him being with us next season either. The youngsters are not ready yet , they may be by the time Shearer starts to fade but if they are thrown in and fail too often then it could ruin them. We need ONE decent striker NOW and another at the end of the season, OK so we are skint, but if we don't get atleast ONE top striker in soon then the season will grind to a halt, we'll end up finishing in thirteen place and then what. The board need to find funds for a decent player. I'm sure West Brom would take, £5 million for Lee Hughes, Or how about a similar bid for Matt Jansen? There's also Darren Huckerby and Titi Camara, surely they are better than Cordone or our youngsters?

If we don't act soon things will go from bad to worse. If we finish in the lower half of the table many thousands of fans on the top tiers will not cough up the £500 to renew their season tickets. They'll simply pick the best games next season, knowing that there will be thousands of empty seats. Many more will not be enthusiastic enough to buy the new shirts when they arrive on the shelves in the summer. Not being in Europe will also greatly effect the finances of the club which will mean more of the same for next season. Same players, same performances and same mid table mediocrity.

The reverse could happen though . With only nine points separating 3rd from 15th spot, any 4 from 12 teams could gain a European spot next season. If the current board can find the funds to give to the manager NOW, things could be completely reversed. We could still finish in he top six, which would mean, a European place, renewed season ticket sales due to optimism for the future, the extra revenue and Euro status would bring in the kind of players needed to take the team to the next level. Three new players are needed and needed now, but there is little new money available. So what do you do?. Eventually Newcastle will get £10 million from Goma, Domi and Marcelino, but it's needed now. Can't the board get a loan on the understanding that these 3 players will be sold to repay the loan? If not then the only other option would be to raise £15 million from selling Keiron Dyer . Would he be missed that much? We do have an awful lot of right footed midfielders, in Lee, Acuna, Solano, Gavilan, Bassedas and Speed , who can't seem to play on the left. If Newcastle were to get £15 million for Dyer to strengthen other parts of the team, would it not be worth the sacrifice?

There are two paths Newcastle can take . At the moment they are going down the wrong one. Things have to change, the board have to find the funds to strengthen the team.

-- Anonymous, December 10, 2000

Answers

How much would we get for Shearer?

-- Anonymous, December 10, 2000

Well written thread Rik. I wish the board could read it, maybe they would come up with ideas.

We must buy a decent striker and a central midfielde now! Why not go for Camara? He is pretty experienced and not too old. As far as a central defender concerned, i have no ideas. They seems to be hard to find. I think we should wait with the left- winger. Give Glass a go and give him some time. Domi isn't a bad player, but his attitude speaks for it's self. Robson should talk with him and find out what he wants. As for Dyer; we can afford to loose him, but he's such a fine lad that it will hurt badly. He loves the club and he gives everything. I don't think Robson will let him go easily to put i that way.

-- Anonymous, December 10, 2000


i meant central defender in the beginning of course!

-- Anonymous, December 10, 2000

If YBR doesn't think that Glass is the answer on the left why doesn't he offer Leicester a few bob for Guppy. The lad never had a chance under KK and is IMHO the best left footed crosser of a ball in the prem. Taylor doesn't want him and he'd jump at the chance of a move I'm sure. We'd probably get him for a million or even less.

-- Anonymous, December 10, 2000

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