I Wish I Was A Geordie - The Blog of Newcastle United in the US

Lineups Vs. Everton: Don't Change A Thing

Obviously, Newcastle's loss to Hull City last weekend was a massive disappointment. It continued a string of frustrating and inexplicable home defeats dating back to last season. But as we talked about in this week's podcast, the problem wasn't with the team selection or tactics. Instead, individual errors (and one great finish from Sone Aluko) marred what was a perfectly decent performance otherwise.

Now is not the time to panic, for Alan Pardew to mess with a formula that seems like it can bring some measure of success. So it should be back to the 4-3-3 once more tomorrow. A change of system would be an extremely distressing development. Thankfully, I think Pardew will see it my way and put out the same starting XI against Everton that I've chosen here.

Back five: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon

As has frequently been the case, Debuchy will be the key to Newcastle's back four. A poor performance from him can totally unravel the defense. He'll have quite a test ahead of him tomorrow night in the form of Everton left back Leighton Baines. Baines loves to race forward at every opportunity, can put in gorgeous crosses with his left foot, and if he gets fouled outside the box, he's also a free kick specialist. If Debuchy can't control Baines, it could be a very long night.

Midfield: Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux

Last season, this fixture was maybe the low point of Marveaux's career at the club. Given a rare opportunity to start, he made absolutely no impression on the match and was mercifully replaced at halftime by Demba Ba. But in the year since, he's vastly improved his performances, even while mostly playing out of position on the wing. With Yohan Cabaye possibly out because of a groin injury, it's time for Marveaux to demonstrate his progress with a strong return to Goodison Park. He has the ability to be a creative force from the number 10 role in this formation. 

Forwards: Loïc Rémy, Papiss Cissé, Hatem Ben Arfa

Based on the reports of Cissé's performance against Leeds on Wednesday, I don't think he's truly fixed his problems. Outside of his goal, it sounded like another struggle for Newcastle's number nine. But the goal itself featured a well-timed run and composed header, and maybe seeing the ball hit the net will spark something in Cissé going forward.

Meanwhile, my personal hero, Yoan Gouffran, kept up his string of strong performances, capping it off with the sort of goal his detractors claim he can't score. The arguments against Gouffran as a Premier League striker seem to be falling by the wayside at every turn. Depending on the match situation, I'd bring him on very early - even before the hour mark - if  Cissé is not performing tomorrow. His understanding with Rémy and Ben Arfa could be vital if Newcastle needs a second-half push.

On The Air: A Blip Or A Warning Sign?

After two weeks off, Tom, Matt and Phil return to the airwaves and draft in Toon Army Philly's Rob Moyer to dissect Newcastle United's latest crisis. How did Hull breach the black-and-white backline? And is this a sign of disappointments to come? Has Debuchy drawn the blueprint for his team's defensive downfall?

We also talk formation and lineup ahead of Newcastle's Capital One Cup tilt against sleeping giant Leeds United, before asking the eternal question: Why, oh why, does Matt love Yoan Gouffran so much?

Click here to listen or visit our iTunes page to download a copy. We apologize for the continued technical problems on iPhones.

Three Points: Hull Collapse

A three-part breakdown (so to speak) of Newcastle United's disillusioning 3-2 loss to Hull City on Saturday at St. James' Park:

The build-up. Coming on the heels of two victories that had pushed Newcastle level on points with fourth place in the league, the opening quarter-hour against Hull raised hopes cruelly given what was to come. The attack was sprightly and relentless, with crisp passing and dedicated movement off the ball - after only 10 minutes Loic Remy's goal felt overdue. After the goal the defense shifted down to what Alan Pardew later would charitably call third gear, as Hull generated a passel of chances and a too-easy equalizer at the 26th. But the run of play and possession were still decidedly in Newcastle's favor when Remy got his brace just before the half. Five games is historically the point at which the Premier League table begins to resemble the eventual final table in a statistically signficant way. It felt for all the world like the start of Newcastle's run to Europe two seasons ago.

The reversal. Three minutes into the second half, Ahmed Elmohamady got just enough scalp on a Robbie Brady free kick to deflect it off the far post and into the net - a feat any soccer fan might admire, except that Elmohamady was somehow left completely unmarked to achieve it. The sudden stroke of U-10 defense appeared to shake the Newcastle squad. The next 15 minutes were relatively even, but Newcastle took another chin-punch when Yohan Cabaye, amid a solid performance, was chopped down by Curtis Davies and left in favor of Yoan Gouffran. Hull seized the momentum.

The downfall. Pardew's lack of options/ideas (you pick) was laid bare in the final half-hour as Remy faded, the attack deflated, and Hull got its gorgeous, inevitable winner. I'm not a tactics genius, but Newcastle's players didn't seem much more sure of their formation than I was after Papiss Cissé was lifted for Sylvain Marveaux in the 73rd minute, which was about 73 minutes too late. Cissé brought nothing to the match except a pinpoint bounce-cross on Remy's first goal that may or may not have been on purpose. Nor had Cissé been given much, as usual, but that's becoming a moot point. By this time it's clear he's either hopelessly misplaced on this team or not up to this league. He needs rest, reinforcement or replacement, and he's not the only one. Maybe this result was disheartening enough to convince those who can actually do something about it.

Lineups Vs. Hull: Time To Get Gouffy

When I first suggested dropping Papiss Cissé to the bench and playing Yoan Gouffran as a central striker, people mocked me. After watching the two players operate in the 4-3-3 against Aston Villa, something tells me it's an idea more fans are willing to entertain.

In the long term, Cissé should thrive in this setup. But right now, what is the case for him over Gouffran? Even if he is the better player, he's much, much worse right now. From a man management perspective, it doesn't hurt to reward a strong performer. Being dropped could also help Cissé in two ways: it motivates him by showing that he has competition, and it allows him to take a breather and see how he can best contribute in the weeks to come.

As always, I'll start by giving the starting XI I would choose, then conclude the post by predicting the actual starters.

Back five: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon

It's basically a dream scenario for Alan Pardew, as he gets to keep rolling out a defense that has been stellar. Christian Benteke was exactly the sort of striker that Newcastle's center back partnership should struggle with, but Coloccini and Yanga-Mbiwa completely nullified him in open play. It would have been a flawless performance had there not been some serious confusion on the corner which led to Benteke's goal. Hull's Danny Graham is no Benteke, and a clean sheet should be the aim tomorrow.

Midfield: Vurnon Anita, Moussa Sissoko, Yohan Cabaye

Saturday may have been the best performance from Sissoko since his coming-out party against Chelsea in February. He burst past players with ease, completed 57 of his 66 passes (86%), and created four chances. His diagonal ball to Loïc Rémy will be a fantastic weapon this season, as defenses have to worry about the threat of Hatem Ben Arfa on the other flank and can't cover Rémy properly.

Forwards: Loïc Rémy, Yoan Gouffran, Hatem Ben Arfa

If the main knock against Gouffran is that he's not a natural finisher, Saturday's winning goal will do nothing to appease the critics. He's scored four goals in his Newcastle career, with three of those being less than convincing finishes. But do you know how many league goals Cissé has scored since Gouffran joined in January? It's also four!

And outside of finishing, it should be clear what Gouffran offers. He worries defenders more with the ball at his feet, he's better at holding it up (watch the last few minutes of the Villa match if you don't believe me), and his movement off the ball is excellent. There's a reason why, with the same teammates, Gouffran seems to get one golden opportunity per match, while Cissé doesn't. Movement and timing is it. Look at the goal on Saturday: simple finish, but when Brad Guzan palmed Ben Arfa's shot away from goal, Cissé was offside. Gouffran wasn't, and he scored. He deserves a chance to see what he can do with Rémy and Ben Arfa alongside him.

As far as managing Cissé, this is what I would tell the club's number nine: you're coming on for Rémy with 20-30 minutes to go. Make yourself one great chance in that time and bury it. Maybe a simplified assignment will spark something. Maybe he, like Demba Ba last year, will be enraged he was left on the bench and come on determined to never let it happen again. But rolling him out week after week, hoping something is going to click, clearly hasn't worked.

Who Pardew will pick: Krul; Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon; Anita, Sissoko, Cabaye; Rémy, Cissé, Ben Arfa.

A Pat On The Back For Pards

Alan Pardew has been a popular target for criticism from Newcastle United fans over the past 12 months.

We all know why: Newcastle crashed from Champions League contenders to relegation battlers in the span of one season, producing some ugly soccer along the way. Pardew's backers would point to the club's lack of investment and an outrageous run of injuries, while his detractors would cite his inability to come up with the tactical formula to generate fluent play and overall predictability.

Wherever you fall on the Pardew debate, though, let's all give him some credit for Newcastle's 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. His choice of formation — the same 4-3-3 he used for an impressive stretch in the second half of the 2011-12 season — was aggressive, particularly for a road game.

It worked. Loic Remy pummeled Villa down the left time after time early on, and once he grabbed the opposing backline's attention, Hatem Ben Arfa took over on the right side. Ben Arfa is playing as well as he ever has for Newcastle, and considering all the difficulties he's had with managers during his career, Pardew's relationship-building efforts merit serious praise.

Perhaps Pardew should have gone back to the 4-3-3 sooner, though he's never really had the ideal personnel to make it work. With Remy inching closer toward being able to play a full 90 minutes and Ben Arfa at his best, Pardew finally has dangerous wide forwards at his disposal.

When Remy tired and faded in the second half on Saturday, Pardew brought on the diligent Yoan Gouffran, who gave Newcastle fresh energy and anticipated a rebound opportunity for the decisive goal.

Pardew also resisted restoring Cheick Tiote to the starting lineup in place of Vurnon Anita, a move that would have fallen under the "predictable" critique. Anita responded with an efficient and steady performance, before Pardew lifted him for Tiote late in the second half to reinforce the midfield.

Anita was, of course, joined in the midfield by Yohan Cabaye, who made his first start of the season after allegedly going on strike in the wake of interest from Arsenal. It's impossible to know all of the effects of Pardew's decision to bring Cabaye back into the starting lineup, rather than use him off the bench and force him to play his way back in. The implications of the manager's handling of that situation will likely show up over the coming months; one would have to think the rest of the squad, particularly the French contingent, was paying close attention. But, while Cabaye didn't stand out on Saturday, the midfield mix was right. Cabaye, Anita and Moussa Sissoko effectively stifled Villa and kept the ball moving.

And suddenly, Newcastle's backline looks well-drilled and organized. Villa's monstrous striker Christian Benteke may have scored off a corner kick, but he was otherwise shackled. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has settled in at center back alongside Fabricio Coloccini, Mathieu Debuchy has recovered from an opening game abomination, and Davide Santon looks markedly more composed defensively.

The players deserve the bulk of the credit — they're the ones actually scoring the goals, winning headers and making tackles. But if Pardew is ripped when the attack isn't generating chances and the defense is leaking goals, then he certainly is worthy of commendation when his team looks threatening going forward and stingy at the back.

For one game at least, that was the case.

Three Points: Aston Villa Win

Three takeaways from Newcastle United's encouraging 2-1 road win over Aston Villa at Villa Park:

The power of positivity
Alan Pardew's pre-game quotes about being content with his squad came off as obnoxiously positive, considering how trying the past year has been for Newcastle fans. Not to mention how Pardew spent the summer campaigning for another attacking signing.

But wouldn't you know it, Pardew's troops went out and backed up their manager's talk with one of their better all-around performances in quite some time. Loic Remy and Hatem Ben Arfa gave Newcastle balance on the flanks, Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko and Vurnon Anita solidified the midfield, and Fabricio Coloccini and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa were oustanding at the back. And when you thought Newcastle might crumble after conceding the tying goal, it showed some backbone.

Remy and Ben Arfa will understandably grab most of the attention, but Coloccini and Yanga-Mbiwa's center back partnership continues to look better with each passing week. Villa's monstrous striker Christian Benteke scored — on a corner where Sissoko failed to mark the Belgian, Yanga-Mbiwa didn't track Libor Kozak and Tim Krul couldn't reach the ball — but didn't shake free too often in open play.

Gabriel Agbonlahor should have scored for Villa early in the second half, but the hosts didn't create many other threatening chances (Newcastle finished with an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal).

One good performance doesn't negate fans' concerns over the lack of summer additions — the quality of Newcastle's depth will still be tested at some point — but it does reaffirm the widely-held belief that Newcastle's starting lineup is at least pretty good.

Lovem or Hatem
Ben Arfa can test observers' patience with his decision-making and over-dribbling. He can make you question whether his skill and creativity outweigh the deficiencies. But one thing is clear: He can make the difference between a loss and a tie or a tie and a win.

Ben Arfa tortured Villa left back Antonio Luna by not only cutting inside, but darting to the byline. After scoring a rare tap-in for the opening goal, his shot set up a straightforward finish for Yoan Gouffran on the rebound for the go-ahead strike.

Ben Arfa also tracked back as well as he has in any game since arriving in England. At this point, the biggest concern with Ben Arfa is whether Newcastle is overly reliant on him to generate offense.

And then there's Cisse ...
All players go through slumps, particularly strikers. But at what point does an extended slump reveal that the player simply isn't that good? And have we reached that point with Papiss Cisse?

Cisse wasn't downright terrible, but he still failed to provide Newcastle with any sort of a presence in the center of the attack. Ben Arfa put in several dangerous crosses that a Premier League-level, out-and-out No. 9 should have turned into scoring chances. Cisse couldn't get to them.

Cisse is looking more and more like the sort of poacher who could and should be an impact substitute off the bench when Newcastle is chasing a goal. He simply doesn't impact the game in enough ways to justify trotting him out for starts week after week.

Which brings us back to the transfer complaints. Imagine if Newcastle had brought in a more well-rounded striker? Or a left winger who would allow Remy to play through the middle?

Yes, Newcastle paid a fairly substantial fee for Cisse. And yes, Cisse started his Newcastle career by firing in goals left and right. But at what point should he be judged by his current play? I'd say it's about time.

A Tale Of Two Turds: Taylor vs. Williamson

In a moment of frustration during last week’s podcast, I angrily proclaimed that I’d rather play Mike Williamson than Steven Taylor. It was less of an endorsement of the oft-criticized, immobile, passing-challenged Williamson than a dig at Taylor and his continued nonsensical antics and bizarre positional sense.

My comment drew some good-natured ribbing on Twitter from friend of the blog @LeeSibbald and podcast contributor @ToonArmyMIA, and our ensuing debate prompted fellow podcast contributor Phil Lavanco (@Lavanglish) to spend his day inputting names and scores into a spreadsheet that chronicled each Newcastle United game and center back combination since the club returned to the Premier League for the 2010-11 season.

That data (every Premier League match from the start of 2010-11 through the Aug. 31 win over Fulham, plus last season’s Europa League results; Phil decided to eschew domestic cup matches because of the mashed up lineups that tend to be deployed in them) would allow us to at least see how Newcastle had fared as a team with each player — along with anyone else — at center back over a substantial time frame. Before digging into the numbers, I told Lee, Barry and Phil, “basically we're arguing over two turds and debating which one looks tastier.” So which turd would turn out to be the tastiest? Follow me into the toilet bowl …

The most basic measure of a team’s success with any given player in the lineup is points collected. Simplistic, yes, but still worth examining. So without further adieu:

Much to my dismay, the combination of Fabricio Coloccini and Taylor has been more effective in securing points than the more-often-used (thanks to Taylor’s frequent injuries) duo of Coloccini and Williamson. Overall, Taylor also averages .09 more points per start at center back than Williamson.

Obviously that’s just a first glance at the turds, though. Let’s reach below the surface of the water and look at how each center back combination has performed in terms of goals for and goals against.

The overall numbers for Taylor and Williamson are incredibly close. Williamson’s average goals against is .013 higher than Taylor’s, while the unexciting big man (Seriously, does anyone actually know anything interesting about Williamson? He seems like the most bland player in the Premier League. Imagine if he grew a mohawk or something. Anything.) boasts an average goals for that is .1467 higher than Taylor’s.

True, 78.7 percent of Williamson’s starts have come next to Coloccini, compared to 61.8 percent for Taylor, but Williamson’s goals against is actually higher with the Argentine captain than in small samplings with Taylor, James Perch or Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

The biggest surprise is that Newcastle’s average goals for is higher with Coloccini-Williamson in the center than with Coloccini-Taylor. Taylor is better on the ball than Williamson, so it’s only logical to think that Newcastle would be able to build from the back and generate more scoring chances with Taylor next to Coloccini. Williamson can be a nuisance on set pieces, but he still has never scored since joining Newcastle, and Taylor had shown a nose for the goal before the past two seasons.

Still, the Coloccini-Taylor combo is a net positive in goals, while Coloccini-Williamson is just barely negative. Advantage, Stevie boy.

I know what you’re thinking, though — I want to know more about these turds! Show me more details! Well, alright. Let’s take a look at the highs and lows of all of Newcastle’s center back combinations: clean sheets and implosions.

I began this exercise figuring Williamson would look like the more steady player, and Taylor more volatile, mostly because that’s how they perform on the field. Williamson just plods along, while Taylor bounces between making a goal-saving block and hammering an opposing striker in the face.

But wouldn’t you know it, if we look at Williamson, Taylor and Coloccini, Big Mike is the player most likely to have been on the field for a clean sheet — and also for a total meltdown. Taylor, meanwhile, has the highest percentage of starts that result in one goal allowed or less. The Coloccini-Williamson combo has been central to some of Newcastle’s best victories in recent seasons — clean sheets at Arsenal in 2010-11, vs. Manchester United in 2011-12 and at Chelsea later that same season — but has had an alarming number of total collapses. Think at Bolton in 2010-11 or at Fulham, Spurs and Wigan in 2011-12.

Coloccini-Taylor, it would seem, is the safer play, while Coloccini-Williamson has the potential for the greater payoff. Weird. Or, to stick with my analogy, Taylor is your standard, multiple-wipe turd, while Williamson is the rumble in your bowels that might either result in a clean, no-wipe special or a piledriver that might plug the office toilet. Wait, I thought we were talking about the tastiness of the turds, you’re thinking. Thankfully, I don’t know what turds taste like, so I can’t come up with any metaphors. Sorry.

Of course, any stats are framed by one condition: the quality of the opposition. So let’s see how they compare when we look at strictly Premier League opponents.

On average, Taylor has faced opponents sitting one place better in the table than Williamson (also, poor James Perch!). So, to circle back to the first table, Taylor is picking up slightly more points against slightly better opposition. Seems straightforward enough, then.

And yet, when we examine how the various center back combinations have fared against the Premier League’s top five teams over the past three-plus seasons — Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham — Coloccini-Williamson has been Newcastle’s best bet for picking up points.

So what does it all mean? Which turd is tastiest? Taylor’s numbers when paired with Coloccini, both in terms of goals allowed and points gained, seem to give him the edge. It’s also worth noting that his overall numbers are slightly skewed by his disastrous partnership with Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa last season (18 goals allowed in nine games!). So, while I suspect Williamson’s clean sheets and performance against the top teams might surprise some fans, I’ll concede defeat on this one.

With any luck, this debate will be rendered largely irrelevant this season: It’s still very early, but Coloccini and Yanga-Mbiwa’s partnership looks promising. Should Yanga-Mbiwa be unavailable, then Taylor deserves to get the call while Williamson sadly dreams of long, looping free kicks toward the back post. And what if Coloccini goes down? Then, we all run to the bathroom.

Lineups Vs. Villa: Unleash The New Front Three

At the end of the Fulham match, Loïc Rémy and Yoan Gouffran came on the field, and as Alan Pardew described it, Newcastle "looked a bit of a powerhouse." In the two weeks since, Rémy's fitness should have improved enough for him to earn his first start for the club.

I think Pardew was a bit elusive in that post-match interview, and not just about the future of Yohan Cabaye ahead of the transfer deadline. He's had better attacking options all along, as I've tried to point out in my previous lineup posts. Most of you seemed to side with the manager in this case - at least until Shola Ameobi and Papiss Cissé demonstrated what I'd been trying to explain. But Rémy's return to full health should remove any remaining excuses Pardew has for not employing a more suitable style. It's time to unleash the new front three against Aston Villa tomorrow.

As always, I'll pick the starting XI that I would prefer, then end the post with a prediction of the actual lineup tomorrow.

Back five: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon

Since the opening-day disaster, it's been two straight clean sheets in the Premier League, with this defense playing both matches. Steven Taylor was also suspended. As we discussed on Monday's podcast, that's not a coincidence. If Pardew starts Taylor ahead of Yanga-Mbiwa at center back, I will fly to Newcastle and scream at him in person. It would be that ridiculous. But I really can't imagine it happening, either.

Midfield: Vurnon Anita, Moussa Sissoko, Sylvain Marveaux

This is exactly where Marveaux can be at his most productive, as I explained yesterday. He'll have three forwards ahead of him, hopefully moving from left to right and finding space, and two midfielders behind him for defensive cover. I must admit that I wasn't convinced that Anita and Sissoko would be stout enough defensively to play together, but they've both been effective two-way players the last two weeks.

Because Anita and Sissoko have been so good, there's no need to bring Cabaye back into the starting lineup. Obviously, we'll never know the exact circumstances that caused Cabaye to sit out the first two matches of the season. But it doesn't set an especially good precedent to bench a player who had been doing well for someone who wanted to leave. Pardew should take a stand and make him earn his place, rather than simply handing it to him.

Forwards: Loïc Rémy, Papiss Cissé, Hatem Ben Arfa

I gave serious thought to leaving Cissé on the bench, as he's continued to struggle at the start of the season. But he gets a reprieve, just to see if he can make something happen with a more suitable set of teammates. If he makes well-timed runs off the ball, Cissé should have plenty of chances to receive the ball at his feet in dangerous positions.

Should Newcastle continue to look blunt up front, I would bring Gouffran on for Cissé in the second half and tell him to continually swap places with Rémy and Ben Arfa. While he's not a great finisher (though not nearly as poor as fans think), his ability to create and find space is incredibly useful. Especially when he'll have two players with him up front with plenty of confidence to spare.

Who Pardew will choose: Krul; Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon; Cabaye, Sissoko; Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Rémy; Cissé

Exploring Marveaux's Creativity

In our most recent podcast, we examined Sylvain Marveaux's play by pointing out that he has created the second-most chances in the Premier League. Impressive stuff, considering Marveaux didn't even play against Manchester City. (Not that it would have added much to his stats if he did.) But to fully understand his contribution to the team, we need to dig deeper than the raw number of chances created. We also need to understand what creation means.

Any time a player sets up a shot, and would have gotten an assist if the shot went in the net, he is credited with creating a chance. Chances can be created through set pieces as well as open play. That's quite important in Marveaux's case, as he has been Newcastle's main source of set pieces the last two weeks.

Thanks to the charts at Squawka, we can see the location of Marveaux's created chances the last two matches. He created seven chances against West Ham, a truly staggering figure if maintained over a whole season. To put it in perspective, Marveaux led Newcastle last season by creating a chance once every 29 minutes, or about 3 per match. However, four of the chances against West Ham were via set pieces (three off corners, one through a free kick), and the other three resulted in shots from far outside the penalty area. In other words, he didn't produce a surefire goal-scoring opportunity in open play. Against Fulham, Marveaux created three chances: one via a corner, and two because of passes into the box.

What does it all mean? For starters, it demonstrates why I was frustrated with Newcastle's approach to the West Ham match, even if my co-bloggers were not as down about it. Playing a front two of the static Shola Ameobi and out-of-form Papiss Cissé means very little useful movement for Marveaux to play more incisive passes. Even when Newcastle dominates possession, it will still fall flat in the final third without good runs from its forwards. That, along with some typical selfishness from Hatem Ben Arfa, led to a fairly dour offensive display.

But at the end of the Fulham match, we saw what Yoan Gouffran and Loïc Rémy bring to Newcastle's front line - a fluidity that was sorely missing without them. Ironically, it took Marveaux being substituted for it to happen. But if he gets an opportunity to play behind Gouffran, Rémy, and any of the club's other forwards, expect the number of quality chances to go way up. Let's hope Alan Pardew sees it the same way as he thinks about how to attack Aston Villa on Saturday.

Fan Round Table: Buying Yanks And Jerseys

The first international break of a Premier League season is always obnoxious. The season is just building momentum, only for an empty weekend to slow the progress.

Not that we don’t enjoy watching international games. But the lack of Newcastle United action or news is a drag. So what to do? We’ve already podcasted, so why not debut a new feature?

Throughout this season, we’ll ask Newcastle fans from all over to discuss anything and everything concerning the club.

For our first round table discussion, Bob and I asked Rob Moyer (@yanknufc) from Toon Army Philly and Jared Stimson (@jaredstimson) from Toon Army America to talk potential American recruits, this year's jersey, Yohan Cabaye and the season thus far.

Join the debate — leave a comment with your answers, and we just might ask you to participate in the future.

The U.S. hosts Mexico for a World Cup qualifier tonight. We'd all love to see Newcastle sign an American player (other than Oguchi Onyewu). If you were in charge, which American would you sign?

Rob: While he would not address a real need, Michael Bradley would be my choice. A terrific box-to-box midfielder who does not mind doing the dirty work. He is about to enter the prime of his career and has a work rate that would make him a fan favorite.

Jared: Bradley has the greatest long-term potential, but it's the one position where Newcastle has enough depth. Jozy Altidore would be great considering our striker needs, but I'm still worried his form won't carry over into the Premier League. My second-tier picks would be Graham Zusi and Brek Shea, but they aren't good enough yet for our first team.

Bob: I would've signed Altidore if a certain group of a-holes hadn't beaten us to him; he's exactly the sort of physical presence up front that NUFC has been lacking. With Jozy spoken for, I'd pick Zusi. His skill stands out every time you watch him, and his set-piece and corner ability would be a boon for Newcastle right now.

Tom: I love Zusi — I'm stunned no Premier League club has made a move for him yet. I think he's got the perfect nose-to-the-grindstone attitude for an American coming into a major European league and he possesses a versatile skill set that allows him to play all across the midfield. I'll echo Rob and Jared’s thoughts on Michael Bradley, and also toss out Omar Gonzalez’s name as a dominant aerial option at center back.

Have you bought this year's jersey? Are you planning to? Why or why not?

Rob: I have purchased this season’s home shirt, but I am, admittedly, a kit addict. I got Davide Santon’s name and number on the back of the shirt, so expect him to be gone from the club between now and this time next year.

Jared: I haven't yet, but not because of any Wonga-related angst. I wanted the members' halves kit, but didn't pull the trigger when the link was leaked and still regret it.

Bob: As I blogged back when the sponsorship deal was announced, I won't wear the Wonga logo. As an American I don't presume to know or understand some of the native fans' feelings about that company, but I've decided to err on the side of caution and solidarity. Also, I think that logo is ugly. I'm tinkering with the idea of getting the new home jersey but trying to block out the Wonga patch with a Northern Rock patch. If anyone has ideas on how to do that, I'm all ears.

Tom: I'll admit the whole Wonga issue makes me a bit uneasy. Beyond that, though, I don't really feel like supporting the current regime monetarily. Not buying a jersey is one of the few things I can do to express my frustration with the way the club is being run.

What will your feelings be toward Yohan Cabaye for the rest of the season?

Rob: I'm fickle. If he plays the way he did in the 2011-12 season, then I will jump back on the bandwagon. If he continues his form from last season, however, I will be quick to throw him under the bus. With it being a World Cup year, he certainly has enough incentive to go out and play well.

Jared: Our squad needs discipline and Cabaye is the place to start. Vurnon Anita should continue start if his good form continues and Cabaye only gets into the team through rotation, injury, or an attitude change. If Cabaye works his way back into the squad and actually plays up to his potential, I'll get over his transfer shenanigans.

Bob: My only personalized NUFC shirt thus far has Cabaye's name and number and I'll be fine with wearing it so long as he's in the squad. All professional athletes are mercenaries; club loyalty above a local or college level is mostly a mirage. I wish he'd handled it better, but I don't blame him for wanting to be on a bigger club. I expect he'll perform up to standard for Newcastle now that he's back to reality. Not supporting him doesn't help anyone.

Tom: I'm pretty disappointed with the way he handled the transfer saga. That said, I think the club's hierarchy badly wanted to sell him for a big profit, so it’s hard to definitively place 100 percent of the blame on Cabaye. I certainly haven't written him off, but I want to see him play his way back into the lineup and show the same mentality he did two seasons ago.

Are you encouraged or discouraged by the first three Premier League games?

Rob: Mixed. We have been absolutely non-existent in the attacking third thus far minus the #HatemBomb against Fulham. Still, we have four points through three matches and sit firmly in the middle of the table. There is room to improve for sure, but I am not yet convinced that it will happen.

Jared: Mostly discouraged. We look generally uninterested everywhere and completely lost in the final third. Our biggest issue is Hatem Ben Arfa is the Allen Iverson of the Premier League; one pretty goal in 13 shots (mostly from 20-30 yards out) doesn't make up for his wasteful play. The only bright spots have been some decent minutes from Sammy Ameobi, Loic Remy, and our defense has only completely given up once so far.

Bob: I'm mildly encouraged by the start. After the first match it could've gone even more sour and it didn't, which shows some resilience. And while it's early, there's marked improvement in some areas that have been a bugaboo in recent years: duels, tackles, interceptions. Even the corners are looking more dangerous. Am I convinced it's a trend and not a blip? Not yet. But I'm encouraged.

Tom: I suppose it’s been about what I expected. I still think Newcastle will finish comfortably mid-table … but I just don’t see the potential for this group to surprise anyone, and that realization has left me discouraged. I want to see the team respond to adversity — the way it repeatedly crumbled in crucial moments last season drove me nuts.