January Transfer Window

ASLEFshrugged

Woods has scored 3 in 17 this season
Maxwel Cornet 6 in 10

Hmmmmmmmm

steve

Really want Newcastle to go down now ,Even more then before

Bazshuayi

Yes, Woods been less than impressive this season and has regularly been taken off early. So they dont have to replace much currently

IronHerb

steve said:

Really want Newcastle to go down now ,Even more then before

I'd like to see both Burnley and Newcastle go down.

Hamstew

Bit of a weird signing. Are they just weakening the other teams around them rather than strengthening themselves?

thornburyiron

If he’s not strengthening them then his absence is probably not weakening the others.

Hamstew

Not necessarily. I know he's not been scoring much but he's their main outlet and suits their style of play. Not really followed Burnley this season but that's what I thought.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Hamstew said:

Bit of a weird signing. Are they just weakening the other teams around them rather than strengthening themselves?

I think this is it, and I think it’s quite sinister.

claretandbluesky

I doubt it's sinister as he is hardly been firing them in and Burnley could spend the money and find a bargain. I doubt a replacement would do worse than 3 in the next 17, so if it is tactical it could backfire big time in that Newcastle are playing a 3-17 striker whilst Burnley get to roll the dice.

Slacker

buffybegood said:

Hamstew said:

Even our striker is saying we need a striker lol

Even Margeret Thatcher (were she alive) would say we need a striker.

I thought swearing was barred?

claretandbluesky

As we have still so much to play for this season I cannot see Moyes not bringing in a striker at least. We all recognised our reaction when Antonio went down injured against Leeds and I feel sure Moyes had the same reaction, hopefully that would have just clarified things a little. In many ways compared to previous seasons we have ridden our luck getting Antonio this far in without an injury.

Lukerz

Ridden our luck or better player management? Antonio has credited a new fitness diet for strengthening his muscles & allowing him to stay fit.

Pearces_Left_Foot

A good striker is really hard to get look at how much dross we have signed down the years. Our best options are probably a championship striker used to the speed of English football or loan to buy a player from an overseas league. Lingard was great wh3n he first joined but faded afte4 the initial run of form I’m indifferent to him joining think more important positions need looking at

OldCastleSwift

Lukerz said:

Ridden our luck or better player management? Antonio has credited a new fitness diet for strengthening his muscles & allowing him to stay fit.

Probably a bit of both, to be fair. No doubt he and club have worked hard to make him more durable, but by having one striker you're trusting to luck that he doesn't suffer an injury. No amount of dietary change or strengthening exercises can prevent a tackle or collision that results in a broken leg or dislocated shoulder.

Hamstew

Its not just injuries with Antonio. We struggled when he dipped in form, we have no plan B, we have to take one of our best players (Bowen) out of his natural position and play him up top if he's not about, he has zero competition and we can't ever seem to rest the guy.

For example imo he'll be perfect for our game against Kidderminster. But I can't see him being risked and we'll end up with Yarmo playing.

OldCastleSwift

This is it Ham. It's never been about fitness alone. Every player, IMO, should have direct competition that doesn't compromise the team elsewhere. Yarmolenko is touted as an option to cover both Antonio centrally, and Bowen out wide if Bowen plays centrally. Bottom line is Yarmo isn't good enough in either position, and Bowen is less effective through the middle as he is on the wing. So to lose Antonio is also to lose the best of Bowen.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

ASLEFshrugged said:

claretandbluesky said:

Chelsea has always been the obvious one, due to it being where he came from, and his personal connections there, but as you mention yourself City and Liverpool could afford him also and fulfil his aims of competing for each major trophy each season. I think City would be his safest bet but I still think it will be Chelsea.

For me the question is not if but when? This summer or next. I suspect this.

Thankfully City, Liverpool and Chelsea don't seem to be lacking in the DM/CM department so even given Rice's quality I don't think they'll be desperate to part with £100m or more to add another player in a position where there's plenty of competition already.

On the other hand Man U, Spurs and Arsenal could certain benefit from a bit of quality in the middle of the pitch but at the moment they don't really offer any better prospect of silverware than West Ham.

See you reasoning but don't really agree that neither need him. Fabinho is 28, plenty of years left but Henderson 32 (and injury prone), Thiago is 30 (and injury prone), Milner and while a great athletes he's naturally slowing down

Given how Rice thrives is much more than a DM, can't see why he can't partner Fabinho

And Chelsea it's a similar situation, Jorginho and Kante are both 30 and in Kantes case he's picks up a lot of injuries, Kovacic is 27 but he's a different player to Rice, and honestly I think Rice is already better than him

I think Rice improves any team on the planet whether coming in as the mai nman or to partner the main man and the only team where I genuinely dont think they'd buy him is Man City as they have Rodri in the prime of his career and he's become a big member of the way the play....plus after Grealish not quite panning out I think theyll go back to their normal policy of buying relative unknowns (from a UK perspective) like Diaz, Rodri, Torres, Bernardo, Sane etc. For big but not record breaking money

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Hamstew said:

Bit of a weird signing. Are they just weakening the other teams around them rather than strengthening themselves?

I feel like I'm the only one who thinks it's actually a smart deal

Don't think Wood is great, especially this year, but he's been hitting double figures for goals for the last 4 years

He's a bit of a lump but he's effective at what he does. Think he's a good character as well, always gives 100% and won't drop his head as he's used to play for a team flirting with relegation

When I've seen Newcastle they lack an out ball, they don't keep the ball well so someone like Wood who can hold it up and battle CB by himself should help then get up the pitch

Plus Trippier has great set piece delivery that he'll become a asset for them

And the fact they weaken Burnley is another plus

MrsGrey

Apparently (via BBC quoting 'Football insider' website) we have 'registered an interest' in Traore.

Not sure what that means in practice - presumably means we can talk to him without falling foul of tapping up?

Fortuneseeker

MrsG, My understanding of registering an interest is "If you are thinking of selling him please keep us informed as we may wish to make an offer"

IronHerb

Well we have now made a ‘concrete move’ for him according to the same source.

Whatever that means.

Pearces_Left_Foot

IronHerb said:

Well we have now made a ‘concrete move’ for him according to the same source.

Whatever that means.

We have offered 5 bags of cement and one of sand plus some Hula Hoops

BubblesNeverDies

PLF, don't forget the ballast.

PrestonHammer

The ballast just slows him down.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

There's something about Traore and I would be excited about him, against my better judgement.

alderz

Apparently Jim White has said on talkSPORT that our position on Rice is that he's not for sale this window or in the summer, and for us even to entertain talking about selling him we would need bids of £200m

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

Apparently Jim White has said on talkSPORT that our position on Rice is that he's not for sale this window or in the summer, and for us even to entertain talking about selling him we would need bids of £200m

Or ten Chris Woods'

claretandbluesky

Now I was telling everyone he was a £100m player when most I know were saying no chance, but even I think 200m is cloud cuckoo land. If we sell this summer 120-130 tops, most likely designed as 100m with add ons, if we sell next a bit of a lump less.

Hamstew

What he is worth and what we'd sell him for are two different things. That's what most fans of the entitled six seem to fail to understand

Expat_Hammer

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes said:

There's something about Traore and I would be excited about him, against my better judgement.

Him playing for someone other than us would excite me more 😁👹😁