I've Found Newcastle's Biggest Weakness.....

[00:00:00]So there's something about Newcastle's transfer policy that just doesn't add up.

[00:00:07]Every day we are linked with another player, whether that's Lucas Bergvar, whether that's James Trafford, the various midfielders, the various goalkeepers.

[00:00:16]But when you strip it all away and actually look at the squad that Eddie How has available to him today, much bigger issues appear. And this isn't about whether the players Newcastle are targeting or have signed are good enough. It isn't about whether Eddie How is the right manager. It's about whether at the end of this window, Newcastle will have a squad that has enough depth and enough balance over the next few seasons to push for European competitions.

[00:00:50]For me, I don't think it does. I'm Adam.

[00:00:53]This is Two for Joy. If you're new around here, get down there, like, subscribe, hype. Hit me up in the comments with what you think. Otherwise, let's have a look at the squad we have available today.

[00:01:11]So, let's start off with the goalkeepers. Obviously, you Jawan coming in as our backup goalkeeper. I think this is a good signing. I like the profile. I like the style of the keeper. I think he's got great potential, but he's way too young to be dropped in as a first team goalkeeper for Newcastle United. And Nick Pope, he's been a steady Premier League goalkeeper for us. He's done really well under Eddie How, and I take nothing away from him, but the injuries have started to catch up with him. The performances have dipped. He's now past his peak. And this is vital that we look at a profile of a signing with high potential at the right age profile that can come in and be a number one keeper.

[00:02:01]And I can understand once again going for James Trafford. Everybody knows Eddie how wants James Trafford. But is 45 to50 million pound the best use of Newcastle's transfer budget? Yes. The goalkeeper needs improving, but it's not the biggest weakness in my opinion of this squad.

[00:02:26]There are experienced goalkeepers available for considerably less money.

[00:02:32]Is this where Newcastle should be spending our biggest sum?

[00:02:38]And then when we come to the defense, I'll go through what I believe is going to be the starting back for next season.

[00:02:45]Tino Livermento, Malik, Chaos, Fen Botman, Lewis Hall and the depth for this position is obviously Leo Shahar is going to come in this season I fully expect as a right back cover.

[00:03:00]Fabian Shah and Dan Burn in the middle and Alex Murphy at left back. Now my thoughts of this realistically I think Alex Murphy and Leo Shahar still need developing. They're still at an age profile where it's too much pressure to put on them to be first team regulars and Newcastle inherently have injury problems with this backline. We all know it. Whether it's Sven Botman, whether it's Dan Burn, whether it's Fabian Sha, whether it's Tino Liverna who clearly can't stay fit for a season. So there's a big weakness here.

[00:03:39]Whether that's a fullback, bringing in a fullback that can play both sides, there's a definite lack of depth in left back. Um, if Lewis Hall gets injured, I don't want to see Dan Burn going out. Who naturally replaces him? Dan Burn's the only profile we put at left back. This has to be addressed. A versatile fullback capable of playing both sides is a priority. a big priority for Newcastle this summer and it doesn't look like we're in that market. And then when we come on to midfield, obviously in my opinion, our first choice under Eddie this season will be Bruno, Joel Linton and Lewis Miley with our backups of Shaun Stur, Jacob Ramsey and Joe Willick.

[00:04:31]My thoughts on this midfield is Joe Willick. The injuries have disrupted his Newcastle career.

[00:04:40]I'd be looking to move him on and move him on as quickly as possible. The links we've had Manzambi being hijacked and going to Aston Villa.

[00:04:51]Lucas Bergval. This absolutely crazes me because if you're going to go into a transfer window and demand 100 million pounds for Sandro Tanali and then a month later turn around and go back to Spurs and say, "Oh, we'd like to sign your midfielder. Here's 46 million." And they reject it.

[00:05:16]What did you expect to happen? They are now gonna force your hand to pay big money if you want a midfielder back from them after you force their hand to sign Sandro Tali.

[00:05:31]I have major concerns over the way we're doing business.

[00:05:37]But these attacking midfield profiles leaves me with a concern in itself and that is who plays deeper. And obviously Lewis Miley I believe will be the main stay to take over the role of Sandro Tanali.

[00:05:54]But if we if we bring a creative midfielder in, and I can understand this, the role reversal will be that Bruno drops deeper.

[00:06:06]And in my opinion, Bruno is one of the only players in this team who can unlock a low block. He's the only creative. So, if we move Bruno back as defensive depth in this midfield, it leaves us in a position where we'll lose some creativity. And I think defensive midfield depth to cover Lewis Miley should be a priority position that Newcastle look at especially if we plan on playing the same system of football that we've played for the last four seasons under Eddie how and I can't see him deviating from his system. There's one process he believes in it and he'll stick to it. He'll die by it.

[00:06:56]um the attack and this again is a problem area for me.

[00:07:04]This is actually where I think Newcastle has one of its biggest issues.

[00:07:10]The front three I believe that Eddie Han will play will be Harvey Barnes on the left, Willis as the number nine and Jacob Murphy on the right.

[00:07:21]Does that front three consistently break down Premier League low blocks? No, not a chance.

[00:07:30]And the signings we have from last summer as backup cover, Anthony Elanganger, Johan Whistler, and Nick Volultard, huge money invested. It's 150 170 million pounds worth of players to be sitting on the bench.

[00:07:50]It's poor use of resources. And this is what worries me with Newcastle's transfer window.

[00:07:56]Those players have to become starters.

[00:07:59]We can't stick to playing the established favorites. And really for me, Jacob Murphy, I would move him on. He's been a great servant to the club. He's offered us some really great times, but again, I think he's passed his peak.

[00:08:17]I feel like Willisula could play a role on that right hand side.

[00:08:24]I feel that Nick Voltard and Johan Whistler, we have to get the best out of them this season up front. We have to play one of them as a nine and maybe possibly bring Volto in as a 10 should it be needed.

[00:08:41]But Newcastle really need to look at either signing a striker or signing a right winger and reinvigorating this front line. Um, obviously the left hand side we have Tore that's come in as a backup to Harvey Barnes and we have Parken Su who I believe is going to come through from the youth team and offer us something different. But in my opinion going through this team, an experienced goalkeeper, not necessarily Trafford, but someone that's proven, a left back or a versatile fullback to offer us strength in depth, a holding midfielder that can offer us balance and control and control a midfield and allow us to take possession, allows Bruno to play in his most effective position.

[00:09:35]and then a right winger or a striker depending on whether Willis changes role whether Whistler and Nick Voltmada can come good.

[00:09:46]So the conclusion of this my biggest concern isn't the quality of the players it's who Newcastle are targeting and it's whether they're solving the missing pieces to the puzzle. It's whether we're building a team that can consistently challenge for some form of European football. And this is about raising the floor, not raising the ceiling. It's about bringing in priority signings in positions that we really need to strengthen. So, what I'd like to leave you with is if I was to ask you, if you could sign three players to add to this squad, who would be the three players that you target as priority? What would the positions be and who would be your favorite players to bring into this squad? It is an interesting one.

[00:10:40]Obviously, we got still got plenty of time in the window, but when you see the likes of, and I'll use Aston Villa as the example, Aston Villa bringing in Manzambi before they've even sold Morgan Rogers.

[00:10:56]It's a great piece of business. You can see they've been clever in the market.

[00:11:00]They've got the replacement already.

[00:11:02]They don't need to sell. They can ask for what they want. compared to Newcastle selling Anthony Gordon, who I now feel we probably could have got more money for if we waited until the World Cup was over, selling Sandro Tali, and then people knowing that we've got money when we go in to sign these players leaves us in a very precarious position.

[00:11:26]If you've liked the video, give me a thumbs up, hit the bell notification, subscribe, make sure you hit me up in the comments.

[00:11:34]This is a great talking point. It's really interesting to hear fan opinion on where you believe Newcastle should be targeting their transfer kitty this summer. And otherwise, I'll see you in the next one.