NUFC Minor/Untrusted Transfer Rumours (January 2021)

[Valentino's fast feet]

Links to Nick Powell, supposedly made an enquiry. Having a decent season at Stoke from the sounds if it, attack minded midfielder that does play up front from time to time. Very highly rated when he was young, 26 and never really lived up to the hype. It's the right type of player we need, at least.

Pretty sure Matty Longstaff could play that attacking mid role for us instead if Bruce ever decided to play him.

That's valid. And I'm not saying we should sign Powell, or even if he would be any good. Just that we do need a bit more creativity/attacking intent in the midfield. As you say though, might not matter squat under this manager.

[gola]

powell is a class act wen he wants to be and i reckon deserves another shot at the prem. cud be spark we need but like said we need a new manager first

[Remember Colo]

Pretty sure Matty Longstaff could play that attacking mid role for us instead if Bruce ever decided to play him.

That's valid. And I'm not saying we should sign Powell, or even if he would be any good. Just that we do need a bit more creativity/attacking intent in the midfield. As you say though, might not matter squat under this manager.

Definitely need the kind of CM that can take over a match; that can gain and retain possession, control pace of play, move the ball through the middle of the pitch, and make an incisive pass. Cabaye seems so long ago now. For too long we've had 1 CM that can only tackle, and 1 that can only chuck long passes around and occassionally finish a goal. Longstaffs have hinted they can do a little bit of everything, but to date, never done enough of anything.

[gola]

yeah gd point

[Captain Obvious]

Sounds like we are in pole position for Hamza Choudhury. If he’s more mobile than Hendrick and Shelvey he’ll do for me. Leicester have some exceptional centre midfielders so a good club to be signing off in that regard. I’m not sure if he’s the most creative but I really think we just need some pace and power in the middle

[bodacious benny]

We need to get Hayden in to CM and stop playing him as part of a back five. He's our best DM and will close down, press and hassle the opposition. That's where our goal resulted from yesterday, Hayden pressing higher up the pitch. Having Shelvey and Hendrick in CM makes it far too easy for the opposition.

[Captain Obvious]

I totally agree with that. I think the thing last night was that we just didn't really seem to have a midfield. Hayden and Choudhury would give us options because they do like to sit - play 4-3-3 and you can suddenly afford to have Shelvey as you still have that cover, or play 4-2-3-1 with Fraser, Almiron and ASM behind Wilson as you have that screen. Similarly you can play 5-2-3 as your 2 are disciplined and can cover a bit of ground. Shelvey and Hendrick are painfully slow. That said I don't think 5-2-3 suits ASM as your width really needs to come from you full backs and the 3 need to be a bit narrower. 4-2-3-1 should be the play with a flat back 4 and 2 DMs - Chodhury and Hayden.

[Don Sholeone]

Linked with Omar Colley, Sampdoria center back.

[bodacious benny]

Linked with Omar Colley, Sampdoria center back.

It would be very Newcastle to sign a defender when a) we're crying out for creativity and b) we have a perfectly good CB on loan at Alaves at the moment...

[ALF]

I totally agree with that. I think the thing last night was that we just didn't really seem to have a midfield. Hayden and Choudhury would give us options because they do like to sit - play 4-3-3 and you can suddenly afford to have Shelvey as you still have that cover, or play 4-2-3-1 with Fraser, Almiron and ASM behind Wilson as you have that screen. Similarly you can play 5-2-3 as your 2 are disciplined and can cover a bit of ground. Shelvey and Hendrick are painfully slow. That said I don't think 5-2-3 suits ASM as your width really needs to come from you full backs and the 3 need to be a bit narrower. 4-2-3-1 should be the play with a flat back 4 and 2 DMs - Chodhury and Hayden.

Great in theory apart from the fact he offers absolutely nothing. Needs getting rid of at the earliest possible opportunity.

It's an awkward one. Choudhury isn't a bad player but it's just using minutes that Longstaff or Longstaff could be getting.

[Remember Colo]

I totally agree with that. I think the thing last night was that we just didn't really seem to have a midfield. Hayden and Choudhury would give us options because they do like to sit - play 4-3-3 and you can suddenly afford to have Shelvey as you still have that cover, or play 4-2-3-1 with Fraser, Almiron and ASM behind Wilson as you have that screen. Similarly you can play 5-2-3 as your 2 are disciplined and can cover a bit of ground. Shelvey and Hendrick are painfully slow. That said I don't think 5-2-3 suits ASM as your width really needs to come from you full backs and the 3 need to be a bit narrower. 4-2-3-1 should be the play with a flat back 4 and 2 DMs - Chodhury and Hayden.

Great in theory apart from the fact he offers absolutely nothing. Needs getting rid of at the earliest possible opportunity.

It's an awkward one. Choudhury isn't a bad player but it's just using minutes that Longstaff or Longstaff could be getting.

I'd add, playing two CDMs when our issue consistently is we keep too little possession and concede too much of the pitch - doesn't seem like a way to reverse our fortune.

[Captain Obvious]

I totally agree with that. I think the thing last night was that we just didn't really seem to have a midfield. Hayden and Choudhury would give us options because they do like to sit - play 4-3-3 and you can suddenly afford to have Shelvey as you still have that cover, or play 4-2-3-1 with Fraser, Almiron and ASM behind Wilson as you have that screen. Similarly you can play 5-2-3 as your 2 are disciplined and can cover a bit of ground. Shelvey and Hendrick are painfully slow. That said I don't think 5-2-3 suits ASM as your width really needs to come from you full backs and the 3 need to be a bit narrower. 4-2-3-1 should be the play with a flat back 4 and 2 DMs - Chodhury and Hayden.

Great in theory apart from the fact he offers absolutely nothing. Needs getting rid of at the earliest possible opportunity.

It's an awkward one. Choudhury isn't a bad player but it's just using minutes that Longstaff or Longstaff could be getting.

I'm not going to disagree with that. Appreciate the points about minutes etc but we're in a relegation battle and I do think Choudhury is better than the options we have, perhaps with the exception of Hayden who I do think is an accomplished DM.

Playing two DMs might seem strange but it's more about having to midfielders who have the speed and stamina (and appetite) to cover ground (ie get forward and back) and also it could allow us to leave not just Wilson further forward but also Fraser ASM and Miggy. Those are the 4 we need further up the pitch, and midfielders with legs and stamina and who can be arsed can make late runs and join in.

[bodacious benny]

Shelvey is definitely a luxury player that we can't afford in the team, we'll succeed by everyone doing their bit for 90 mins, he rarely ever tracks back and frequently loses his man. That means we end up with someone constantly having to try and cover for him which leaves space elsewhere for the opposition. M Longstaff brings far more energy to the team, would start him any day of the week over Shelvey.

Hayden and S Longstaff formed a good partnership in CM early last year but we rarely see that either, though I know S Longstaff has been in poor form.

[Colly]

Don't luxury players usually have something good about them to justify the luxury? We've got a setpiece specialist who can't avoid a wall...

[Toondes]

Don't luxury players usually have something good about them to justify the luxury? We've got a setpiece specialist who can't avoid a wall...

Or the first man

[Remember Colo]

Don't luxury players usually have something good about them to justify the luxury? We've got a setpiece specialist who can't avoid a wall...

In his defense, he was literally our highest goal scorer last season. He hasn't offered that this year, and I've been advocating for new CMs for years, but still, he's sadly been important to the team for stretches of his time with us.

[originallad]

We're not gonna sign anyone are we

[Speedo]

We're not gonna sign anyone are we

Chronicle reporting we might go for Jetro Willems if Matt Ritchie leaves. That would be decent business IMO, although not addressing our fundamental weakness at CM.

[Colly]

Don't luxury players usually have something good about them to justify the luxury? We've got a setpiece specialist who can't avoid a wall...

In his defense, he was literally our highest goal scorer last season. He hasn't offered that this year, and I've been advocating for new CMs for years, but still, he's sadly been important to the team for stretches of his time with us.

He only scored 6 though so "top scorer" is essentially damning with faint praise. Regardless, even if he could get 6 a season his negative impact on how the team plays and how little possession we have isn't worth it. Maybe if he played in the Ben Arfa position so even if he couldn't be arsed the rest of the team could work around him we could get away with it, but he demands possession in our own half and knackers us.

[beatski]

Willems, a competent CM (on loan I assume) and playing 4231 and I'll be happy enough (with everything but the manager anyway). Been saying we should be playing it since the summer, it gets all our best players on the pitch at the same time, and we looked loads better when we switched to it last game, shockingly. Can't wait to start 5 at the back again