Newcastle shopping for bargain defenders in the summer
In recent years Newcastle have spent big money in the transfer market but not very often on defensive reinforcements. When they have splashed out on defenders some of these have become catastrophic buys (Jean-Alain Boumsong for $8.5M from Rangers is just one example).
Certainly the results – not only this season – but for several seasons – have shown that the defense is the weakest part of Newcastle’s team.
If Newcastle is to emerge from the mediocrity of the last few seasons – and aim to be a top four side - they must spend wisely in the summer to shore up their woeful defense.
Make no mistake we have to aim to be a top four team to continue to match the top teams in the Premiership.
As Liverpool’s great Bill Shankly once said “Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you’ll stay on the floor.”
The point is Newcastle must aim for the top four and maybe, just maybe, we will make the top six.
First of all it we need to have a clear out of some of the current defenders at Newcastle.
A whole back four seems certain to leave in the summer.
Three of these are out of contract; Craig Moore (center back), who is probably off to his home country Australia, Titus Bramble (center back), whose five year stay is up at Newcastle and shouldn’t be retained because of his inconsistency, and Olivier Bernard (left back), whose one year contract is up and strangely has never played for the first team this season.
The other player we need to move on is Stephen Carr (right back), who is injured most of the time, but whose play is now mediocre at best.
With these four players unloaded and off the salary roll we can then import a new back four and it certainly looks like good players will be available.
I will assume we pick up the option on Oguchi Onyewu (Gooch), currently on loan from Standard Leige. He has looked a solid center back when he has played and offers height, heading ability and discipline at the back. I assume he would cost about $4M.
At right back there is American Jonathon Spector, of West Ham, who has just turned 21 and was on Manchester United’s books a couple of years back. $1M should secure his services. He is young and possesses good ability and excellent promise for the future to challenge Nobby Solano for the right back position.
Since we are short of experience at the back Sylvain Distin of Manchester City, who has lots of premiership experience, is a free agent and could be captured for nothing to shore up the center of defense.
He can certainly help our youngsters in defense (Taylor, Huntington, Ramage, Edgar) learn the ropes and would be an excellent acquisition. Distin played at Newcastle under Sir Bobby Robson in the 2001-2002 season before choosing Manchester City (and Kevin Keegan) over Newcastle.
Anton Ferdinand will most likely be made available by West Ham, assuming they get relegated, and could be captured for a reasonable fee in the range of $5M. Curtis Davis may also be available but my hunch is that West Brom will want silly money for him.
At left back I still hold out hope that we can entice Wayne Bridge from Chelsea and offer him regular premiership football, which he certainly will not get at Chelsea. Wayne Bridge would be great for Newcastle. Something in the range of $5M should secure his services and he would be first choice with Babayaro as back-up.
If Bridge is not available then Leighton Baines of Wigan would be another good choice for the club and he has only just turned 22.
If we don’t buy one midfielder or attacker in the summer we will still be well stocked with Dyer, Parker, Emre, Butt, Duff, Milner, N’Zogbia, Pattison, Owen, Martins, Ameobi and Sibierski .
However, I do expect some other players to come in during the summer and Steve Sidwell from Reading, on a free transfer, would be good business and he is still only 24.
But defense is where we need to strengthen as the highest priority and then Newcastle may eventually start to deliver what they keep promising their supporters – a winning team - and we can erase the memories of no trophies for 38 years.
What do you think – which players may be available and not included here?
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- Klose for Manchester United?
- Coloccini headed for Newcastle United?
- Who should Roeder kick out of Newcastle this summer?
Discussion - 16 Responses
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A disappointing result let me feel the season was over.The performence on last week was totally unacceptable especially the match at Holland.We got the same experience while we were knocked by Chelsea.We should think to get a one goal more than defensive one goal.The left back is the main mistake to let us all over in the game .Don’t we think we don’t hv a left foot player on this position?I don’t wanna see like Carr,Huntington,Taylor to be this position again.I don’t believe there are no one can be replaced from Young Acamdmey.Anyway,Roeder is not the choice take over the big club like Newcastle,PLz~Just leave as soon as possible!!!
I like the players mentioned and you’re absolutley right, it’s about bloody time we really focused on the defense and start with a clean slate. Personally i really can’t see Bramble anywhere close to our first team- he HAS to go. Then there’s the fact that Carr has been in and out of the team due to injury more than Babayaro and has to go as I agree his perfomances are shit (way below Premiership Quality). Babayaro for me is just as woeful, but i believe he is slightly better than Carr and should be kept as back-up. I would LOVE to see Wayne Bridge at Newcastle as i firmly believe he is just as good as Ashley Cole. Gooch has been really impressive and is cool, calm and collective on the ball (how a defender should be!!). Gooch and Taylor could be the heart of our back four with Solano on the right (his best position in my eyes) and Bridge on the left. Then we have the likes of Ramage, Huntington an co for back-up but i still believe we need a couple more defenders just in-case.
The way I see it, Wayne Bridge is not moving, so you guys might want to push Huntington up to the first team pronto
Why would you want Anton Ferdinand in your team? :O
I would hesitate to buy any of West ham’s players, they’re not short of skill, it’s all in the head, they have a f***ked up attitude and yeah Anton Ferdinand is messed up too.
You want Newcastle to be in the top 4 then you need to aim big, look for some defenders overseas, you can get them cheap, but it’s always a gamble.
You can never get a good defender from the top leagues for cheap, nobody of the top 4 caliber.
Baines is a good bet though, but I fancy Tottenham picking him up.
The point is Newcastle must aim for the top four and maybe, just maybe, we will make the top six.
Something Spurs have done, or are doing…
I’m not a Spurs fan though, honest!
If you want to be really great as a club (ala ManU or Chelsea) you have to really go for it - not just to keep fans happy but have a vision - like
“This club will be the best club team in the world” - that gets things done just by having it as a goal.
Yes you need money etc - but the vision and the will has to be there first.
They should go for Docherty from Norwich, the ginger pele would be an improvement on their current crop of defenders, as would Anton ferdinand
Just saw Charlton’s second goal against Newcastle, bloody hell, they should change the rules if they start giving penalties for that….
The defence has needed a good experienced centre half for years now. I can’t believe people are actually serious about signing anton ferdinand, who is grossly overrated (if only he was as good as he thinks he is) and distin is as error prone as titus. There’s still something missing in midfield; we played more-or-less first choice midfields in holland and at charlton and were found wanting - we don’t seem to have someone who can deliver the ‘killer pass’ (we all thought that’s what duff was going to provide). I do like sidwell and agree wayne bridge would be an excellent buy. Results over the last week, though hard to take, may turn out to be a blessing in that they have perhaps made glen realise that the overhaul needs to be more massive than he had ever imagined. We need strengthening all over the park (except goalkeeper). Good luck to him.
let the fans buy the players , the fans should decide ,the rubbish we have bought for 40 yrs needs a radial change ,the management should be told who to purchase by us …the fans ….. in italy it works ….. stop the rott now ….. action to be taken now ……support my proposition with replies plse ……. otherwise another year of flops .
Like Shankly said “Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you’ll stay on the floor.â€? I’m sorry but you got to apply that for players too. If Newcastle want to reach the top four they have to invest money into the defensive. Not cheap untested players. Instead of looking to sign Spector and Gooch, they should be trying to sign the woodgates and Ferdinands (rio that is). Most of the players you mentioned are mid-table club level players and that is not something Newcastle should aspire to be. To be big, you got to sign big. Martins, Parker and Owen are two steps forward and players like Spector and Distin are one step back.
Sammi Hyppia may be available… still got a couple of good seasons in him
Or Lucas Neil… if you offer him £50 000 a week.
ANTON FERDINAND - YEAHHHHHHH HE’S TOTALLY AMAZING - not
As long as Bramble is not given a new contract, things will surely pick up…