Best Starting to Show What He's Made Of

When Leon Best signed last January from Coventry I was probably only one of a few Newcastle fans who backed the signing and I still believe Besty can prove to be a good asset for us in the Premiership. Leon had a tough time in a black and white shirt towards the end of last season as he struggled in front of goal and failed to find the net in 13 games. Earlier in the season he had scored 10 goals in 26 games for Coventry, a decent return in a struggling side. He showed a glimpse of his quality when he lashed a shot from outside the box against Plymouth that rattled the crossbar.

This pre-season however, Leon has found his scoring touch scoring against both Carlisle and PSV Eindhoven. His goal against Carlisle was a very well taken goal as he rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home, while against PSV he scored a predatory header from a very good whipped free kick. It had been rumoured that he was to be loaned out as we have a few striking options but today Leon has come out and said that he just wants to play for Newcastle and start scoring goals.

I believe that Leon could be a surprise package for us this season and could bag a few important goals. He also showed he can assist others when he crossed for Andy Carroll late on in the Swansea City game for the equaliser. Best has been a huge topic of debate between me and my friends ever since we signed him, and I hope and believe that he can repay my faith in his abilities. Come on Leon!

Comments welcome.

Sol Campbell Signs

Experienced centre-half Sol Campbell has signed for Newcastle United on a one-year contract from Arsenal. Sol is 35 years old and has years of international and champions league experience to draw on. Campbell played 11 times for Arsenal last season, and performed very well, the only question mark over him being his pace, or lack of it in his advancing age. However, he is still a quality defender who has top-notch positioning and will be there to block and clear crosses. You don't need to have pace, as Birmingham centre-halfs Roger Johnson and Neil Dann showed last season as they performed very well.

For me Sol should be 3/4 choice centre half. Now that Steven Taylor is out for 3 months the signing of Campbell eases defensive worries slightly. He will battle it out with Mike Williamson for a starting berth alongside Coloccini for the first game at Old Trafford. He will probably get the nod due to his higher experience at the top level. Another reason he has been brought in is to help the youngsters come along, he is a perfect role model for players like Tamas Kadar. All in all I am very happy with the signing of Campbell.

Comments welcome

Transfer Update

After a disappointing defeat at Norwich, the week has started off with plenty of transfer rumours about Newcastle United. Hughton has said he is on the lookout for defender as Steven Taylor is out until possibly October and James Perch has picked up a knock. I also think we are in need of a winger to challenge Routledge and Jonas for a starting berth and a striker that can complement Andy Carroll.

Defence - Rumours today that Bolton Wanderers full-back Jlloyd Samuel is top of Hughton's wishlist. He is 29 years of age and stands at 6 ft 11. He has played 71 times for Bolton since joining them from Aston Villa in 2007, where he played 169 times over a nine year period. £1.5 million has been the quoted offer for the player, and I believe this would represent a good deal for the club. Samuel could provide good steady back-up for Jose Enrique, who towards the end of last season did get injured on several occasions.
Andy O'Brien also of Bolton Wanderers has constantly been linked with a return to St James Park, but this move could only happen if a replacement was signed by Owen Coyle.

Midfield - I have been excited over recent days to hear of our reported interest in Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa. He is valued at £5 million but could be purchased on a years loan deal. He is 23 years of age and still hasn't reached his peak and for £5 million he could prove to be a snip in future years. He has represented France at all levels and has 7 full caps and just missed out on a place in the World Cup squad. He has played 62 times for Marseille and scored 9 goals, a decent return for a winger and certainly better than what we have.
Another player who has been linked with a move is Manchester United youngster Tom Cleverley. Cleverley proved his talents on loan at Watford last season scoring 11 goals in 33 appearance, a very good return. However this was in the Championship and he is yet to be proved in the top division. Manchester United will only let him leave on loan if he can be guaranteed first team action but with an array of choices in central midfield already, it is to be seen whether Alex Ferguson will allow him to move to Newcastle. 

Strikers - Today I have heard that we have targeted David N'Gog on loan from Liverpool. He joined them in 2008 and has scored 11 goals in 56 appearances, most of which have been from the bench as he only starts when Torres is injured. He has shown signs of quality and at 21 can only improve but for me a loan deal would not be a good thing for us. His wage demands are quite high and he, in my opinion is no better than what we already have. Also instead of loaning him and setting Nile Ranger further back in the pecking order, we should give youngsters like Ranger and Vuckic more of a chance in the first team.

I would be happy if before the start of the season we have Jlloyd Samuel and Hatem Ben Arfa in our squad. Samuel would provide good cover for Enrique and Ben Arfa will bring the X-Factor and flair to the side which is needed in the Premiership. I feel as if Cleverley and N'Gog aren't needed, especially when we can blood our own youngsters, and we already have an array of options in both midfield and up front. Saying this I still think we need to acquire a striker to play alongside Andy Carroll.

Comments welcome.

Dan Gosling signs

Dan Gosling has become Chris Hughton's 2nd signing of the summer after ariving on a free transfer from Everton, Dan has penned a 4 year deal and takes the number 15 shirt. He was allowed to move for free and a contract wrangle with Everton, as they missed the date set to offer him a contract in writing he was allowed to move on for free and Newcastle pounced.

Gosling is 20 years old and started his career at Plymouth before moving to Everton. He has played 61 games in total for the two clubs, scoring 8 goals in the process, and most notably against Sunderland and Liverpool in a FA Cup replay in extra time. Dan has also appeared at all youth levels for England, and in future years will hope to make the step up to the senior squad.

Gosling is a versitile player who can play in several postitions. He can play right back, right midfield and centre midfield. He has been used as a box-to-box midfielder on occasions for Everton and plays with aloit of energy and vibrancy, which is expected as he is a young lad. He also does possess quality, his goal against Liverpool as already mentioned is evidence of that. However, he is set to be out until around January time due to a knee injury he picked up last season.

I believe that this is a great signing for the club, he is young and possesses quality and can only get better. Signing him for free as well, is a great thing for the club, and a terrible bit of work by Everton as they should be tying there best youngsters down. Gosling will provide good cover in plenty of positions and as he gets older he will become a main fixture of the Newcastle United team. Chris Hughton and the club have to be given credit for getting Gosling to opt for United as he did have other options. All in all a very good signing, just a shame he is currently injured.

New Number 9!!!!

Today Andy Carroll, a born and bred Geordie, has been given the most coveted shirt for Newcastle United. Which is of course the number 9 shirt! Previously worn by legends such as Alan Shearer, Jackie Milburn and Malcolm McDonald. The last time the number 9 shirt was worn was on the infamous day when United were relegated, Obafemi Martins donned the shirt on that occasion, and it was to be his last appearance for the club.

Carroll, 21, performed magnificently last season in the Championship scoring 19 goals and leading the line very well. He is the typical number 9, big, strong, exceptional in the air and battles non stop for 90 minutes. His left peg isn't too shabby either.

"I'm immensely proud. It's an unbelievable feeling," Carroll told the club's website."Alan Shearer was my idol as a young lad and who would have thought I'd be following in his footsteps?" "It's every young Geordie lad's dream to be a Newcastle United number nine and I'm so lucky to be given that chance," he added. " It's an opportunity I relish and intent doing my utmost to do the shirt proud. When you look at the fantastic players down the years who have worn the shirt, it sends shivers down your spine. It's amazing. "Having grown up following and watching the team I'm obviously aware of the great tradition the number nine shirt holds. It's probably unique in football in that sense and to be wearing it is incredible."

I think it is a good decision to give Carroll the number nine shirt. Hopefully it will give him the confidence to go out and score plenty of goals in the top division, as he now knows he is the top striker at the club. He is also a Geordie boy so he will know what the shirt means to the fans. I'm glad it has been given back to a local lad because, even though i adored Oba Martins, he can relate better to the fans having been a life-long fan himself. I just hope Andy can keep his feet on the ground, keep on improving, and lead the line brilliantly for years to come. Good luck Andy fella!

Comment welcome.

Carlisle United 0-3 Newcastle United

So a 3-0 victory to start off Newcastle's preparations for their return to the Premiership. Goals for Leon Best, Nile Ranger and Haris Vuckic in the second half secured a comfortable victory for the Magpies.

Hughton named a strong side mixed with a few younger players. Starting XI: Harper, Tavernier, Coloccini, Williamson, Enrique, Inman, Smith (c), Nolan, LuaLua, Carroll, Lovenkrands.

Even with the experienced names in the starting line-up it was the home side that started better, creating the better and the majority of the early chances. Newcastle failed to test Carlisle goalkeeper Adam Colin at all in the first period.


The second half saw wholesale changes as the whole team was changed! 2nd half team: Krul, R.Taylor, S.Taylor, Perch, Ferguson, Routledge, Barton (c), Guthrie, Vuckic, Ranger, Best.

The changes paid dividends straight away as Best latched onto a through ball by Wayne Routledge, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net. This was his first goal for the club and can hopefully boost the lads confidence which was unfortunately lacking towards the back end of last season. The second goal came 15 minutes later and it was again assisted by Wayne Routledge. He drove to the byline and pulled it back to Nile Ranger, who back-healed the ball home. The final goal came from Slovakian Haris Vuckic, his first goal for the first team. Leon Best found space down the right, played it into the youngster who swiveled and sent a left foot shot into the bottom corner of the net. It could have been even more in the second half, which showed a huge improvement from the first half.

The only downside was that Steven Taylor, just back from injury, walked off the pitch with 10 minutes remaining with a shoulder injury. Hopefully this is a very minor injury but we will see in the next few days. Tamas Kadar and Shola Ameobi were absent due to minor knocks while Danny Simpson is still out after an operation in the summer. Jonas Guttierez is also away having performed in the World Cup.

All in all a good outing for Newcastle with 2 people grabbing there first goals for United. Hopefully Leon Best can draw confidence from that goal and carry it into the Premiership season. The only disappointment is S.Taylor's injury, but lets hope that it isn't too bad. Onto Norwich next!

Comments welcome.

Carlisle United away!

Finally the waiting is over and the kick off to the new season begins for all Newcastle United fans. A trip to Brunton Park to play Carlisle United is where it all starts for the Magpies. Kick off is at 1pm and the away section for United fans has been sold out. Carlisle have already played 2 friendly games to prepare for the new season overcoming both Kendal Town and Workington.

As much as I would like us to win this game, it doesn't really matter what the result is as the aim is to get the players match fit and ready for the game at Old Trafford. It would be nice to win though to keep the momentum going from the end of last season where we didn't lose in the last 17 games.

Only two players will be unavailable for the game tomorrow and they are Jonas Guttierez, who is on leave after the World Cup, and Danny Simpson who has an ankle injury and is set to miss the first few games of the season. James Perch is set to make is debut for the club, while Tim Krul returns to Carlisle where he played 9 games on loan, so he should get a warm welcome from the home faithful.

Tomorrow is an exercise to get the players back up to fitness and back playing again. Lets hope we can get a positive result and hopefully nobody gets injured!

Comments welcome.