Well done Levy and co.

[rossdapep]

I've been a little concerned with not having a ball-player in cm, having said that it's clear to see what Poch is doing. He is adding steel, power and pace, especially in midfield, making us a tough team to crack and outfight. With the addition of Sissoko, he is trying to create a faster transition from defence to attack, therefore I am not so concerned about the lack of a ball-playing midfielder now. The intention seems to be move the ball quickly with Sissoko's pace and power freeing space for our more creative players.

I like the look of N'Koudou and it is another position accurately identified for improvement but the mis-judgement of N'Jie has made me a little skeptical. Hope he can kill that skepticism.

 

[Helstorm]

Sell two ( mason and chadli ) get one free . What an upgrade ( sissoko ) though it's still questionable as to how to get him performing optimally on a consistent basis . Still sad to mason leave though .. Always is when it's one of our own

 

[Donki]

Sissoko hasnt played as CM for years even at the Euro's he started playing better when he was further out wide on the right wing, last season he played in cm, once in a 6-1 defeat

I'm interested in where Poch will play him but at 27M and in his late 20s he is a Poch signing, in Poch I trust.\

 

[Tom Pops]

I was getting annoyed that we were going to go in to the season with a thin squad again but I'm really glad to be proven wrong.

 

[TommyGee]

Dembele
Alli
Dier
Sissoko
Wanyama
Winks

That midfield depth is comfortably one of the best in the league... even after the "suicidal" squad clear-out.

I'm very happy with this window

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Strengthened in the areas that were most needed with quality, pace, strength and guile. One forward, one left wide player, and two additions (Sissoko and Wanyama) that along with Dembele and Dier will give Poch so many options in our four competitions, plus a keeper.

Cracking bit of business and a headline grabbing last minute buy, well done Danny Boy!

 

[jolsnogross]

The OP is a bit over the top, but you have to be satisfied if our bench is now brimming with 1st-team-ready players across a range of positions. We've looked sluggish in the opening three games, and there's nothing like strong competition for places and game-changing options on the bench to shake that off. We've probably overpaid for Sissoko, but I'd much rather have him in our tent than in Everton's or Newcastle's. Same goes for Son staying - making a profit on him after 1 season isn't going to improve our chances of winning something this season.

 

[Twizzle]

at the end of the day we have improved our squad

I think Sissiko and GKN will be a work in progress for a bit till they learn Poch's way

 

[yankspurs]

So instead of 2 short, we're 1 short and asking Sissoko to be a CM/AM. We've strengthened. But not by much imo. And we've only strengthened because Levy matched a tremendous overpay at the death because Poch was seemingly desperate for the player. Kudos to Levy though for the backing. But maybe next time we can do it earlier in the window and spend the money wisely on a better player? Oh well.

We're still desperately lacking someone to push Eriksen. But we've managed spend ~£80m on 3 right sided players in 4 years, when the first one we purchased has become imperative to our teams success. Shocking business, IMO.

Very meh about this window. Obviosuly not as bad as it could have been but considering we're in Champions Leangue and the best player we could come up with was Moussa Sissoko is disheartening, to say the least. Really wish Isco would have decided to come.

No you cant fault Daniel for trying for these guys. But you can fault Daniel for, yet again, leaving it extremely late to the point where its way too late to find another option. And considering how Isco was apparently supposed to be in addition to Sissoko, its really baffling why we waited so fucking late when obviously the money was available. So frustrating. But its not surprising.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I wonder if on Newcastlecommunity there's a thread bigging up Mike Ashley for out levying Levy. Probably not, they proper hate him up there don't they?

But fair play to Ashley, he stuck to his guns, played the game and won. In this instance you can't really blame Levy for it happening so late in the day IMO.

 

[SPURSLIFE]

No one is going to chose Liverpool over us if we both get bids accepted unless they blow us out of the water with wages. I don't get the impression his wages at pool are exorbitant, and i don't recall hearing anything about us putting in a bid.

Why is " nobody is going to choose Lverpool over us " They have a big following in World football and have been much more successful than us over the years. So your comment is a little bit arrogant don't you think?

 

[spids]

Overreact much? I just don't see how we've improved our starting eleven from last season, how is that such an unbelievable opinion to have that it merits such a reaction from you?

I like both Wanyama and Sissoko as players but how are they better than the regular central midfield we had last season exactly? You're actually saying it yourself that our midfield was really fucking good last season. I'm the one who should WTF your post, not the other way around.

Now we have strength in depth. Last season we might have won the league if we'd not hit the wall last 4 or 5 games. This season we have cover all over the pitch. Awesome window!

 

[panoma]

It's not only about improving our first eleven (allthough all of our new players could easily start ahead of Dier, Alli, Kane, Eriksen) but having a squad of capable players.

Now we can field Vic and dembele in a PL game and Dier and Sissoko in a CL game. That 's something else than starting Mason and Carroll.

 

[onthetwo]

Honestly, I am not convinced we are ready to compete. Not with the 1st team squad we have. Those other players are great players but I don't know if we can compete against the Madrids or even the hard defending PL teams. We needed a player with the qualities of Hazard or Mane and instead we got something else.
We have improved our strikeforce yes, we have kept our defense, yes, but I really don't believe we've added that creativity and guile needed to open teams up, break them down and dribble through them. That's my worry.

1 question.
Can someone tell me why we didn't spend 6M quid extra and get Mane instead of Sissoko at the end of the season?
Poch talked about needing a player like Mane the other day, drooling over him and describing him like he really wanted him, (i really think he did) yet with all our clout, money, Mitchell and future potential we decided to stick instead of twist at the time.. and then when we did twist we got a player who - imho - in nothing like Mane. I say that based on what Mane offers vs what Sissoko offers.
Mane is a dynamo, with speed, skill, guile, tenacity and a good eye for goal as well as great with assisting - whereas the other is a big lumbering no nonsense player.

That to me is not competing - its trying to match brain with brawn. Skill with power. creativity with no nonsense.
Sorry but we aren't ready to compete, just yet.

Not ready to compete with whom?

 

[Xeeleeyid]

I'm 34 and I agree, it's the best squad I can remember. So young as well. Even the Bale, VDV, Modric squad had some very average players past the starting XI.

There isn't a single glaring weak point in the squad and there is a very good blend now of power and pace (Walker, Rose, Sissoko, Wanyama, NKoudou), leadership and calmness (Alderweireld, Dier, Vertonghen, Lloris), guile (Eriksen, Lamela) and goals (Kane, Janssen, Son)

 

[Shadydan]

Not ready to compete with whom?

Barcelona

 

[Gbspurs]

I think we have a stronger alternative XI than this time last year which is good.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Sissoko is 27. £30M!

Blimey. Surely that money could have been spent on better!

 

[Xeeleeyid]

Sissoko is 27. £30M!

Blimey. Surely that money could have been spent on better!

You have to move with the market to an extent and when Bolasie is a £27m player, Newcastle are entitled to stick to their valuation.

 

[Speedy]

Just woke up and seen we spent £30m on sissoko.

What the actual fuck.