Attempting to End the Trophy Drought - A Newcastle United Story

[Klippybo]

Real Sociedad to win the Europa League this year!

Just so this year we can say the dandies pushed the Europa League winners to the limit in Scotland

Doubt it but it would be nice. I was at the game on Thursday as it happens.

Newcastle beat them 1-0 today

 

[Klippybo]

PRE-SEASON REPORT

This summer has been pretty difficult if I am honest. I was only given a budget of $15m which I managed to extend to $20m so I wasnt able to go out and splash the cash on a few big names. Instead I was looking for decent valued players who would progress (just like in real life lol).

Off the pitch the stadium is getting expanded so our capacity will be close to the 60,000 mark in the near future. I also appointed several new members of staff including ex-goal machine Andrew Cole. We also got Litex Lovech as a feeder side to help with work permits.

England lost to Argentina in the World Cup final.

On to the transfers..............

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PLAYERS IN

$6.5m was spent to secure the permanent signing of Facundo Ferreyra who you already know about. That fee was topped when I spent $6.75m on Dorin Rotariu from Dinamo Bucharest. He looks to be a terrific prospect and will provide excellent cover in the attacking midfield areas. My only other big money (in relative terms) signing was to bring back Fraser Forster to the club from Celtic for $5.5m. We actually got 25% of the fee back due to a clause and on arrival his value rocketed up above $10m - more than Tim Krul!!!
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Marco Verratti was brought in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain and will compete with Tiote and Sissoko in CM. He is a fantastic player and we can buy him outright for $22m if we ever get that kind of money to spend!!!
View attachment 346350

The last one (so far) for the first team was a regen striker I picked up from Notts County for $3.3m called Adrian Roberts. He looks as though he could turn into a top, top player and along with Gouffran, will be my backup striker this season.
View attachment 346348

These regens were all picked up for a total of $2.7m.
View attachment 346346View attachment 346344View attachment 346343View attachment 346342

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PLAYERS OUT

Papiss Cisse was the main departure as he left to join Celta Vigo for $3.2m. Mehdi Abeid joined Lorient for $2.3m while Jack Colback left to join West Brom for $1.8m. Shane Ferguson joined Stoke City for $1.2m while Kevin Mbabu joined Zurich for $300,000.

Amongst the several who went out on loan were Bigirimana, Campbell, Williamson, Streete and Dummett.

I rejected several big bids for the likes of Anita, Santon, Yanga-Mbiwa, Sissoko and de Jong.

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SUMMARY

Not much changes in the first team really. I will start with Krul in goal and maybe for the first time adopt the cup keeper approach so Fraser Forster gets games. As I said above - Verratti will have to do battle with Tiote to get a starting spot.

Krul/Forster

Santon - Alvarez Balanta - Yanga-Mbiwa - Janmaat

Tiote/Verratti - Sissoko

Cabella (LW) - de Jong - Ben Arfa (RW)

Ferreyra

I have trained Vurnon Anita to become a RB so he will be my backup in that position. I did that as he may not get as many games as he would like in central midfield.

There are 2 players that I am actively trying to sell - Sylvain Marveaux and Ronaldinho - but it doesnt look as though they will be going anywhere. I have $7m or so to spend on new recruits so we shall see what I can do.​

 

[saddworth]

Going well mate, some good results in there! can i ask what tactic you are using?

 

[Klippybo]

AUGUST

FA Community Shield
Newcastle United 5 (Sissoko 41, de Jong 42, Rotariu 45, Cabella 59, 87)
Manchester United 1 (Rooney 46)

An amazing victory!!!! To be honest Man Utd were all over us and had an early goal disallowed but Rafael got sent-off and after that it was us who dominated. Davide Santon had a goal disallowed late on.

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Newcastle United 2 (de Jong 46, Ferreyra 67)
West Bromwich Albion 0

A nice comfortable start to the season.

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Newcastle United 3 (Alvarez Balanta 59, Rotariu 71pen, 90)
Manchester City 1 (Aguero 29)

A great win as we beat the European champions. Daryl Janmaat even had a goal disallowed so it could have been even better.

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Chelsea 2 (Diego Costa 12, Oscar 85)
Newcastle United 2 (de Jong 36pen, Cabella 58)

I am very happy with this point although naturally I am disappointed that we couldnt hold on to the lead.

--

LINEUPS
[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]OPP[/TD]
[TD]RES[/TD]
[TD]GK[/TD]
[TD]RB[/TD]
[TD]CB[/TD]
[TD]CB[/TD]
[TD]LB[/TD]
[TD]CM[/TD]
[TD]CM[/TD]
[TD]AMR[/TD]
[TD]AML[/TD]
[TD]AMC[/TD]
[TD]ST[/TD]
[TD]SUBS[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Man Utd[/TD]
[TD]5-1[/TD]
[TD]Forster[/TD]
[TD]Janmaat[/TD]
[TD]Yanga-Mbiwa[/TD]
[TD]Alvarez Balanta[/TD]
[TD]Santon[/TD]
[TD]Sissoko[/TD]
[TD]Tiote[/TD]
[TD]Rotariu[/TD]
[TD]Cabella 2[/TD]
[TD]de Jong*[/TD]
[TD]Ferreyra[/TD]
[TD]Roberts, Verratti, Anita, Coloccini[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]WBA[/TD]
[TD]2-0[/TD]
[TD]Krul[/TD]
[TD]Janmaat[/TD]
[TD]Yanga-Mbiwa[/TD]
[TD]Alvarez Balanta[/TD]
[TD]Santon[/TD]
[TD]Sissoko[/TD]
[TD]Tiote[/TD]
[TD]Rotariu[/TD]
[TD]Cabella[/TD]
[TD]de Jong*[/TD]
[TD]Ferreyra[/TD]
[TD]Roberts, Gouffran, Hughes[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Man City[/TD]
[TD]3-1[/TD]
[TD]Krul[/TD]
[TD]Janmaat[/TD]
[TD]Yanga-Mbiwa[/TD]
[TD]Alvarez Balanta[/TD]
[TD]Santon[/TD]
[TD]Sissoko[/TD]
[TD]Tiote[/TD]
[TD]Rotariu* 2[/TD]
[TD]Cabella[/TD]
[TD]de Jong[/TD]
[TD]Ferreyra[/TD]
[TD]Hughes, Roberts, Anita[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chel[/TD]
[TD]2-2[/TD]
[TD]Krul[/TD]
[TD]Janmaat[/TD]
[TD]Yanga-Mbiwa*[/TD]
[TD]Alvarez Balanta[/TD]
[TD]Santon[/TD]
[TD]Sissoko[/TD]
[TD]Tiote[/TD]
[TD]Rotariu[/TD]
[TD]Cabella[/TD]
[TD]de Jong[/TD]
[TD]Ferreyra[/TD]
[TD]Roberts, Gouffran, Anita[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

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SUMMARY

We have started this season brilliantly as we thrash Man Utd to win the FA Community Shield and also beat their neighbours Man City in the league. Add to that a good draw away to Chelsea and a win at home over WBA and I am very happy.

In the Champions League we have been put in a group alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica and Villarreal and in the Capital One cup we have been drawn away to Arsenal.

It looked as though there would be no more transfer dealings but on deadline day I managed to sign wonderkid Lucas Ocampos from AS Monaco for a bargain $3.9m. He will provide cover on the wings and hopefully will develop into a great player.
View attachment 346298

Jak Alnwick has left the club to join Reading for $235,000.
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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
SIEM DE JONG
View attachment 346300

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LEAGUE TABLE AND TRANSFERS
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[the beast in carnate]

Glad to see the magpies finally winning some trophies