Newcastle 2017-18: Regurgitating into the Fireplace

Infield Infidel

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Held off on starting this thread until NUFC signed someone new and silly season's silliest sons saps sanguine. There's so much talk I find it best to avoid anything unconfirmed.

Anywho, here's who's in and who's out

IN:
Christian Atsu (£6.2 option to buy from Chelsea triggered)
CB Florian Lejeune, £8.8m from Eibar

OUT:
Florian Thauvin, to Marseille £9,500,000 (he was on loan to Marseille last season
Kevin Mbabu (world's second faster player!) undisclosed amount to Young Boys
Sammy Ameobi, free
Vurnon Anita, free
Haris Vukic, free

Nice to keep Atsu, who scored this peach of a free kick against Cardiff in the penultimate match last year


LeJeune should compete with Lascelles and Clark to start at CB. He's bounced around some of a guy who's only 26, including a gameless run at Man C. Reportedly he thought it was a prank when Rafa called him. Our defending was solid last season but we'll obviously need to step up.

The thread title is in reference to this testimony by Mike Ashley, who had a drinking business meeting at a pub and vommmed into the pub's fireplace
 
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Mayday Malone

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Typical Newcastle. The bargain shopping that seems to be going on is stressing me out. Since the new TV deal kicked in the prices of transfers has gone up. I keep seeing 2015 prices on the transfer targets. I'm hoping for the best, but I definitely feel like Mike Ashley's fireplace.


On a plus note. I love the black away uniforms.
 

Infield Infidel

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Honestly the graphic would be fine if it were a darker color like dark blue or red. Light blue is garish. It pops too much. And there should be negative space within the U and the 8s. I was thinking about getting a Yedlin jersey but may have to wait
 

Infield Infidel

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Typical Newcastle. The bargain shopping that seems to be going on is stressing me out. Since the new TV deal kicked in the prices of transfers has gone up. I keep seeing 2015 prices on the transfer targets. I'm hoping for the best, but I definitely feel like Mike Ashley's fireplace.


On a plus note. I love the black away uniforms.
Urban Outfitters is apparently selling black out third jersey online sans sponsor logo. I just ordered one, XL is sold out and L seem to be selling fast

https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/puma-newcastle-united-fc-black-out-jersey?color=001&quantity=1&size=XL&type=REGULAR
 

Seven Costanza

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Urban Outfitters? Are they some sort of Sports Direct subsidiary? How odd.

Shirt looks fresh af though.
 

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Infield Infidel

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Positives:
- The defending was good in the first half, well organized and only gave up a few shots from outside the box. This despite two players leaving injured
- Clark did well moving from CB to LB after Dummett went off injured. He held down that side and linked up well with Atsu
- Atsu was a threat throughout the first half
-Manquillo seemed unflustered in his debut.
-Rafa didn't quit after the match
-Lescelles was pressed into action at less than 100% and didn't get injured

Negatives:
- Shelvey, our most important player, is an unmitigated headcase. I'm hoping that the three games or whatever he's out we can find someone or a combo of players who can do 90% of what he does because that would be more reliable. He should never wear the captain's armband again (probably should have been Ritchie this match anyway)
- Lejeune and Dummett both left injured. Kane's scissor tackle on Lejeune was ridiculous and could have warranted a red. Anyway, we'll probably have to buy another defender when there were needs elsewhere.

In brighter news there's a lot of transfer talk today
 
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Infield Infidel

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Have Newcastle ever used Red shirt numbers before?
Yes http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/red-numbers-new-newcastle-united-13050145

tl:dr Yes, in the 1940s and most recently in the 80s. This is the 125th anniversary season so they are using red numbers as a callback to previous sides.

I think they botched both the front and the back. The white outline on the front logo is weird, and they should have had a white box for the number on the back, like in the first picture in the link above from the 1970s. The numbers are hard to see otherwise. The blue away kit and the black third kit are both more cleanly designed
 

swiftaw

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Thanks. Yeah, they need a white back, I noticed it was very hard to see the names and numbers yesterday.
 

Infield Infidel

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This team is lost creatively without Shelvey. We honestly don't need more at the back, could maybe use another striker, but we either need Shelvey to get his head on straight or find another creative midfielder by the end of the transfer window. Merino is promising however he still very much needs find his footing in this league. The goal was a great strike but he gave up space leaving his man and chasing the 1 on a nice 1-2 move.

We are pretty solid at the back, despite the injuries. Yedlin's back in training. Mbemba was okay defending at LB but had nothing going forward, ideally Manquillo can slide to LB when Yedlin is back. Dummett and Lejeune are out till October at least.
 

CSteinhardt

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This team is lost creatively without Shelvey. We honestly don't need more at the back, could maybe use another striker, but we either need Shelvey to get his head on straight or find another creative midfielder by the end of the transfer window. Merino is promising however he still very much needs find his footing in this league. The goal was a great strike but he gave up space leaving his man and chasing the 1 on a nice 1-2 move.

We are pretty solid at the back, despite the injuries. Yedlin's back in training. Mbemba was okay defending at LB but had nothing going forward, ideally Manquillo can slide to LB when Yedlin is back. Dummett and Lejeune are out till October at least.
I thought both teams looked pretty bereft of ideas - basically one half chance for each side and our keeper made an excellent save. We had all of the possession we wanted...as long it was our center backs, and that was about it. I'm thrilled with the 6 points but I'm not confident either team gets to 40.
 

Dummy Hoy

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Shelvey was the best player in the Championship last season (maybe Mooy), but I don't think he can be the best player on a side in the premiership that desires much more than survival.

Also he's nuts. I think you have to upgrade, likely in January.
 

Joe D Reid

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Looks like nothing coming in at the deadline for this year. But cheer up: reports are that Alan Shearer has ejaculated into a cup and Newcastle has signed a pre-contract with the cup. Fee is 28 pounds fifty p, taking effect 2034.
 

soxfan121

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That's what makes rooting for this team so much... aw fuck it. Who am I kidding?
 

SoxFanInCali

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California. Duh.
And Owen was only 2 million more than Shearer was in 1995, when that 15 million GBP transfer was the world record.
 

Joe D Reid

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Smashed and grabbed. 10th through the first month is just lovely.
 

Apisith

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We're playing well, creating chances and not giving up clear chances. Excellent start to the season. Benitez's tactics are perfect for the Premier League.
 

Infield Infidel

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Only given up two full-strength goals in five matches, and both were well struck
I was really hoping a bigger club would have tried to steal him before last season. He's going to be a club legend if they play their cards right.
There are reports that he's close to signing a new deal

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/rafa-benitez-suggests-newcastle-united-13628025

He's developed so much in a year and a half under Rafa, after barely getting a sniff previously.
 

Joe D Reid

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The team is starting to come into shape. Good defensively, especially if everyone is healthy, nice speed down the flanks, pretty woeful strikers. Two goals from strikers in six games is not going to cut it. But "nice team that would be dangerous with a real striker" usually describes every team between 8 and 14 in the PL table every year. And I'll take that this year.
 

InstaFace

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Lascelles signed a five-year deal

Shelvey broke his finger breaking up a scuffle between Lascelles and Diame

Never a dull moment, even during an international break
Dumb question, but will that keep him out, if bandaged? I hear you're not supposed to use your fingers much in a football match...
 

Schnerres

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Mikel Merino signs a five year deal after Newcastle activated his release clause. He was previously on loan. He's played great and he's only 21. He scored for Spain U21 over the weekend.
He´s one of the few guys who never got smth going at Dortmund. I mean Emre Mor had trouble due to his selfishness, but he was given chances. Merino had about 300 Bundesliga minutes in 8 matches (2 full matches, 1 early subbed in, the rest was just some late subs) and had real trouble to convince as a physical senior player.
Nice to see the young guy find his football home in such a tough league.
 

Infield Infidel

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Ashley's officially put the club up for sale, here's there statement from the club

"As a result of increasing press speculation regarding the future of Newcastle United, the owner of the club, St. James Holdings Limited, wishes to clarify its intentions.
As one of the Premier League’s oldest and best supported football clubs - and for the benefit of its many fans and supporters in the UK and across the world - Newcastle United requires a clear direction and a path to a bright and successful future.
To give the club the best possible opportunity of securing the positioning and investment necessary to take it to the next level, at what is an important time in its history, its present ownership has determined that it is in the best interests of Newcastle United and its fans for the club to be put up for sale.
To give an incoming owner the maximum possible flexibility to make meaningful investment in the club, including in its playing squad, the sale process will give interested parties the opportunity of deferring substantial payments.
A process will now commence of identifying new ownership for the club that will be capable of delivering the sustained investment in and dedication to the club that is necessary for it to achieve its ambitions"
Not counting on anything until it happens of course. He put them up for sale back in 2008 as well, and that didn't go anywhere. Also, they are flat out saying they'll accept deferred payments; maybe that means they are casting a wider net
 

InstaFace

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So how far along are the supporters' groups at raising a fund to make this another AFC Wimbledon?

Newcastle seems to be far and away at the top of the standings for "Greatest gap between general size of following and level of fan enthusiasm, vs level of ownership competence in making money and management acumen".

Like, they're way ahead of even Arsenal in that gap, because as much as Kroenke doesn't care about investing to win titles, he at least knows how to milk his cash cow and is light-years away from insolvency. How did Ashley let it get to this, with what is surely a top-10 English club in terms of following?
 

Joe D Reid

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Ashley has a whole raft of problems which can be summed up as a sort of congenital thickness of the mind, spirit, and midsection. But the problem driving the sale is that he's rich mostly because he owns two valuable but illiquid things (NUFC and SportsDirect). And one of those (NUFC) requires periodic injections of significant liquidity (which he does not have) in order to retain its value by staying in the EPL.

Also I think everyone northeast of Morpeth constantly shouts abuse at him. That's probably a motivator as well.
 

Infield Infidel

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Infield Infidel

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Sky reporting that a source close to Ashley says the deal with Stavely is off
The news has been met with major disappointment from United fans with a statement, broadcast by Sky Sports from a source close to Ashley, reading: “It is only right to let the fans know that there is no deal on the table - or even under discussion - with Amanda Staveley and PCP.

“Attempts to reach a deal with Amanda Staveley and PCP have proved exhausting, frustrating and a complete waste of time.”
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-talks-amanda-staveley-14164950

it says the club is still for sale but who on earth wants to deal with this guy?
 

PrestonBroadus Lives

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Joe D Reid

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To steal and slightly reframe a Douglas Adams line, we're not home and dry but we are definitely home and vigorously toweling ourselves off. Last league loss to a non-top-4 side was before Christmas against Arsenal. Imagine what Rafa could do with an actual striker.
 

Joe D Reid

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First win over Arsenal in forever means that we're just about ready to hang a "2018-19 Premier League Participant" banner to commemorate this season. Which on one level is sort of sad, yes. But seeing Sunderland about to vanish beneath the waves into the third tier puts things in some sort of perspective--that easily could have been NUFC but for Rafa.
 

Kliq

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Shelvey is a knucklehead but he is one of my favorite players in the EPL to watch; just a player with spectacular vision.
 

SoxFanInCali

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I have irrational love for Jonjo from his Liverpool days and beyond. The classic game was the first time he played against Liverpool for Swansea, when he essentially scored or assisted on all 4 goals in a 2-2 draw.
 

bosox4283

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For a Newcastle fan: did Javier Manquillo play a lot this year? And, if so, how did he play?

He was a former prospect for Atletico de Madrid but never seemed to fit in Simeone's system even though he was considered a talented young player.