Pienaar would seal more of the same but 2 more would take us to the next level

[evertorial]

When the inevitable Pienaar deal is concluded then I believe our squad will more than likely finish around about the same as the previous few seasons, between 6th and 8th. I dont think its a case of starting well and then we will finish well because I feel that if we start well we will probably then end up having a bad end to the season.

If you look at the final tables from the past 3-4 seasons, teams generally end up in positions depending on the quality at their disposal. With Pienaar added to the squad we are probably the 7th strongest in the league, I believe behind Liverpool but still stronger than Newcastle. We still lack that little bit extra which will take us above that and battle for 4th which is where we need to be to go to the next level. In order for us to do this we need 2 more signings of players who will be first team players. Naismith is a squad player and although I dont know much about him he is not going to be the same level as Pienaar or even Osman, at least not in his first season.

Its easy to throw around names of players that we need but any two players of Pienaar's calibre would raise us to this level. If you think back a couple of seasons, we went into the season with the most optimism that we had done for years, the season where we started with the 1-0 defeat at Blackburn. I believe we were stronger at that point in time than we are now as we had Arteta, Pienaar, Fellaini an awesome back 4, Cahill in form and Saha and Yakubu looking good. We are now slightly worse off than we were then so we really do need to add if we want to be competitive for 4th place. That team that season really did underachieve and should have picked up 10-15 points more than they did.

I think we are sound at the back, but we just need to add one more young creative type midfielder (very difficult to find for cheap) and possibly one more striker as an injury to Jelavic would leave far too much weight on the shoulder of Vic and Vellios. I think Magaye could be influential for us this season and so could Barkley but you cant rely on youth and they should only be rotation players.

[chicoazul]

It's just a massive shame that were a couple of decent players away from troubling the top four but we'll continually miss the boat as we don't have the funds. That's what will define these last five years or so.

Everything will be about our start, if we get off to a good start then we'll do well. Not top four well but well enough. I reckon Naimsmith will surprise one or two of us as well. We've got a goalscorer now and that's the key. We will gain points we were missing prior by not making our dominance in some games count.

Seventh place it is.

[evertorial]

well Moysie loves a loan deal and if he can get a couple of quality players in that way then it could be the answer.

[Brennan]

How are we stronger than Newcastle but weaker than Liverpool ?

On paper Newcastle have a stronger team than Liverpool, imo.

[evertorial]

How are we stronger than Newcastle but weaker than Liverpool ?

On paper Newcastle have a stronger team than Liverpool, imo.

no chance lid

[helarney]

We need a winger and a class one I believe that's what drenthe was, he had pace, skill, not afraid to shoot and took players on but he was inconsistent, had he not of been a tw@ I think he may of solved the problem especially with moyes getting the best out of him, but its these kind of players that will take us up a notch

[TheFinnFan]

Would be great if we would sign one or two new guys before season starts.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Moyes will wrap atleast one up

[ah11984]

Over the course of a season i still believe we are a fair distance from challenging for the Top 4. A couple of loan deals is not going to change that, but lets have a decent start for once and see where that takes us.

[Brennan]

no chance lid

Newcastle: Demba Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Coloccini, Tiote, Krul

Liverpool: Suarez, Skrtel, Agger, Carroll, Enrique, Downing, Henderson

Yeah. I'll take Newcastle's best players thanks.

[Username]

How are we stronger than Newcastle but weaker than Liverpool ?

On paper Newcastle have a stronger team than Liverpool, imo.

I agree mate, much stronger.

[AndyGray]

Over the course of a season i still believe we are a fair distance from challenging for the Top 4. A couple of loan deals is not going to change that, but lets have a decent start for once and see where that takes us.

I cant argue with that.

7th again, I believe.

[harryjam]

Newcastle: Demba Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Coloccini, Tiote, Krul

Liverpool: Suarez, Skrtel, Agger, Carroll, Enrique, Downing, Henderson

Yeah. I'll take Newcastle's best players thanks.

You just left out erm, Steven Gerrard there.

[evertorial]

Newcastle: Demba Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Coloccini, Tiote

Liverpool: Suarez, Skrtel, Agger, Carroll, Enrique, Downing, Henderson

Yeah. I'll take Newcastle's best players thanks.

The last thing i would ever want to do is stick up for the kopites. but demba ba and cisse will be found out this season, ben arfa is an incosistent player who's attitude holds him back from being a consistent quality player. newcastle's defence is ****e as well, as proven with their last 2 away games leaking 7 goals. and you left out reina and gerrard

[Brennan]

The last thing i would ever want to do is stick up for the kopites. but demba ba and cisse will be found out this season, ben arfa is an incosistent player who's attitude holds him back from being a consistent quality player. newcastle's defence is ****e as well, as proven with their last 2 away games leaking 7 goals. and you left out reina and gerrard

Gerrard the 32 year old who hardly looked impressive this season bar his games against us.

And comments like 'They will be found out this season' are totally meaningless, going on the performances given in the season that just went i would much rather have Newcastle's best players than Liverpool's.

[zed]

i`m not impressed by tottenham- too inconsistent.
Das Shiitezer - meh!
newcastle - jammy as f*ck last season, wont happen this time
4th or 5th for da great big blue boys. barkley, rodwell, jelavic, pienaar all with a chance to play loads of games more than last season.



























its on

[Joao Moutinho]

I think Newcastle and Liverpool will suffer because of Europe this season, not majorly but enough for us to top them in the table. If we start well, 6th place it is for us

[toffeejack]

Gerrard the 32 year old who hardly looked impressive this season bar his games against us.

And comments like 'They will be found out this season' are totally meaningless, going on the performances given in the season that just went i would much rather have Newcastle's best players than Liverpool's.

totally agree with brennan here, newcastle's team and squad are way better, and they seem to be after good players in the transfer market as a result, whilst liverpool are looking at second rate players

[Brennan]

totally agree with brennan here, newcastle's team and squad are way better, and they seem to be after good players in the transfer market as a result, whilst liverpool are looking at second rate players

Liverpool have a strong core of 5 or so players, but when you have people like Henderson and Charlie friggin Adam playing a lot of games for you then you know your team isn't up to much. Newcastle have a stronger overall starting eleven.

[johnnydawg68]

Does anyone really believe if we'd had Pienaar the whole year we would have still finished 7th? Fair play if you do, but I don't. The FA Cup semifinal showed us just how important he is to us when he's in the side. We also didn't have Jelavic until January. If you tell me we're adding Pienaar, and get a Jelavic all year...we have plenty of upside from 7th. Add Donovan, and we'll win a cup, and probably finish top 5.

[Brennan]

Does anyone really believe if we'd had Pienaar the whole year we would have still finished 7th? Fair play if you do, but I don't. The FA Cup semifinal showed us just how important he is to us when he's in the side. We also didn't have Jelavic until January. If you tell me we're adding Pienaar, and get a Jelavic all year...we have plenty of upside from 7th. Add Donovan, and we'll win a cup, and probably finish top 5.

The thing is though mate, the other teams are strengthening too.