I could go on for hours about Deadline Day, and the £35million, and lots of things. But I won't. I'll keep it very straight forward and just look at NUFC's Priority's since the Window opened from July 1st and how we did at achieving them.
Priority No.1:- One World Class/Potentially World Class Striker or 2/3 Good Strikers.
Actions:- Demba Ba on a free transfer. That is all.
Result:- FAILED. Rating: 1 out of 5.
Conclusion: The fact we had at least a £12 million cheque burning our pockets, given the 'transfer offers' we apparently made, makes our No.1 priority a BIG FAT F*CKING FAILURE. Not to mention the fact we sold a striker for £35million and replaced him with a Free. Not to mention the fact the striker we have brought in looks a total f*cking donkey with a lame leg. So we now go into the next 4 months with Best, Ba, Shola and Lovenkrands as NUFC's Fab Four up front. F*cking Farcical. Pardew my French.
Priority No.2:- Keep hold of key players.
Actions:- Lost/Sold Captain Kevin Nolan, Jose Enrique and Joey Barton. Kept Tiote and Coloccini.
Result:- Have to say FAILED, but could have been worse! Rating:- 2 out of 5.
Conclusion:- Losing Capt Nolan and Joey Barton will hit the team harder as the season goes along. You need these types of characters to keep the spirits up if things start to go pair shaped. They were instrumental in our season last year. Enrique was also a key player who will be missed in our defensive line. At least Tiote and Coloccini are still here for now...they cannot be aloud to leave!
Priority No.3:- Improve the squad's quality.
Actions:- Signed Ba, Marveaux, Cabaye, Obertan, Elliot and Santon. Sold Nolan, Barton, Enrique, Routledge, Campbell and Forster (loan with option to buy).
Result:- Neither Failure or Success. Rating:- 3 out of 5.
Conclusion:- If we had brought in these players I mention and ADDED to the squad we had than it would have been a Success. They all look quality/good additions to the team. However, we have REPLACED the players that have left. Who also had quality. We will have to wait and see if we improve on last season's 12th place finish.
Priority No.4:- Improve the squad's quantity.
Actions:- Signed Ba, Marveaux, Cabaye, Obertan, Elliot and Santon. Sold Nolan, Barton, Enrique, Routledge, Campbell and Forster (loan with option to buy).
Result:- FAILURE. Rating:- 1 out of 5
Conclusion:- As I have already said, we have replaced like for like, not improved. Which when you consider we didn't have a big enough squad to begin with is very worrying long term. Centre of defensive looks total bare with Williamson injured. We lack bite up front still. The fact we don't have a NETT Spend in the transfer window is an absolute disgrace considering the astronomical fee Carroll went for, on top of the sales we have made and including the transfer budget we would have had anyway! Total disgrace!
Priority No.5:- Get rid of Deadwood off the wage bill.
Actions:- Xisco (loan), Routledge sold, Campbell released. Ranger, Smith, Perch are still here picking up wages.
Result:- Neither Success nor Failure again. Rating:- 2.5 out 5.
Conclusion:- Details of the Xisco loan are obviously kept quiet, but it's hard to see Deportivo paying anything more than 50% of his wage maximum considering they are in the Spanish second division now. The lad is still on our books raking in £50 - £60k a week. Just get rid! The same for Alan Smith. Except he isn't even out on loan, he is still here! Just get rid! If we can afford to get rid of Joey Barton for a free transfer.....why not these 2?! Someone has to explain that one to me. Xisco has 2 years left so compensation may be that stumbling block, but Alan Smith's contract is up at the same time as Barton's was! Ridiculous. Getting rid of Sol Campbell a year before his contract was due to end was a good move, although to not retain his services in some kind of coaching role does seem a total waste. Routledge has gladly gone. Birmingham and Blackpool have been chasing Ranger all summer but yet he is still here?! Showing off fake guns, getting arrested for breaking people's jaw's and not looking like getting even a minute in a NUFC shirt this season. Again, ridiculous. And if James Perch gets any playing time this season it will only be due to a crippling injury list to every player who has ever played full back in his life/youth...!!!!
After all 5 priorities are taking into account:-
Overall Result:- FAILURE. Overall Rating:- 2 out of 5
Overall Conclusion:- We dont have one striker of any real quality, even though we needed at least 2. We dont have enough strength in centre defence if god for bid Saylor or Coloccini get injured or suspended. We have lost key men in the dressing room, training ground and on the pitch in Nolan, Barton and Enrique. They will be missed. We have brought in some good talent in midfield and at full back with Marveaux, Cabaye, Obertan and unbelievably Davide Santon. Its a shame this Davide Santon transfer is pretty much short lived given our EPIC failure to bring in key players in other areas, but he should come good. For Ashley to sell on for a tidy profit at some stage in the next few years....cynical but blatantly true.
Basically I cant see us finishing higher in the league then last year or going that much further in the cup competitions. We will have up and down games a plenty given the unknown nature of the players we have acquired. We wont go down, that I am sure of. But the fact we had a genuine chance to improve the squad's quality with quantity given the financial clout we suddenly acquired, and chose to use it to pay for bills basically instead of the squad is angering, frustrating, disappointing and unfortunately unsurprising seeing who is STILL running things NUFC at the end of a phone from somewhere down south.
We will all be looking to the January transfer window to see what the mastermind's decide to do or not do after we go through the next 4 months with the team we have.
Howay the lads!
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