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Newcastle Signings Not Up To Standard Of Players Sold

10 years ago
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I think a fair few United fans are getting a bit carried away with the Newcastle signings made so far.

Even if you include Janmaat who is expected to sign any time now, the signings made so far by United are only enough to give you room for optimism, but nowhere near what is needed to compete in any realistic way in the Premier League next season.

Last season Newcastle suffered due to far too small a squad and a massive over reliance on a small group of quality players, the three best players were Cabaye, Remy and Debuchy, none of whom will be available when the season kicks off on 17 August.

That second half of last season was horrendous and half a dozen less points (losses instead of wins at White Hart Lane and Old Trafford?) before Christmas and we’d have been relegation candidates such was the dismal efforts of the team/squad as a whole after Boxing Day.

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While Newcastle have also signed Ayoze Perez and Jack Colback, I think clearly most optimism surrounds the roles of Siem De Jong, Remy Cabella and Daryl Janmaat.

Remy v De Jong

Loic Remy has played 27 times for France and has shown he can score goals in the Premier League for two poor/average teams in QPR and Newcastle. Siem De Jong has played 4 minutes of competitive football for Holland (last four minutes of a World Cup qualifier in March 2013 with the Dutch already 3-0 up) and is unproven outside the Dutch domestic league, though has performed well for Ajax in the Champions League. We only have to look at his brother to see you can’t take for granted the form transferring over to the Premier League.

Cabaye v Cabella

Yohan Cabaye has proved himself a class act in the Premier League as well as in Ligue 1, plus he was first choice in centre midfield for a very strong France team in Brazil. Remy Cabella turns 25 (so is no kid) in the coming season and has only played ten minutes in a friendly for his national team (only making the World Cup squad due to injuries) and is untried outside of his domestic league.

Debuchy v Janmaat

Mathieu Debuchy took a little while to find his feet on Tyneside but showed outstanding form last season in the Premier League, ensuring he was automatic first choice at right back for France this summer. Daryl Janmaat was left out after playing in the first three matches for Holland in Brazil but looked a very decent player, in club football he is another who has not played outside his own weaker domestic league.

The point of this is not to say Newcastle have made bad signings because I think they are the exact opposite, they are players who have every chance of doing well in England BUT they are not as good as the three players who United will be missing from last season.

To be in decent shape for next season I think Newcastle need to sign at least three players who are of a higher standard than those (including Janmaat) already recruited, I would say a real quality centre-back and two strikers are the very minimum needed. That would still leave the squad short on numbers considering how many of the present players Newcastle are trying to get rid of, plus taking into account just how weak many squad players proved to be last season.

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