Great start for Toon star Smudge
Just as Newcastle United owner, Mike Ashley eased the tension on Newcastle United's incoming transfer tally by bring in Claudio Cacapa and hopefully Jose Enrique Sanchez Diaz - who watched today's 1-0 win over Sampdoria from the stands - the other Toon new boy Alan Smith cooled United fans worries down in the goalscoring department with a debut strike.
Smith's bullet header actually had a real Alan Shearer feel about it and going off his wild goal celebration towards the famous Gallowgate corner, it meant the world to him.
With Michael Owen struggling to be fit for Bolton next week, United need a striker who is up for the fight against the physical Trotters.
And in Smith they appear to have found one.
Both Smith and his old Leeds team-mate Mark Viduka were in fine fettle against Samp and both proved they can lead the line in real style.
United certainly have options up front now with Albert Luque not even getting a kick against Sampdoria and Oba Martins and Shola Ameobi restricted to sub appearances.
Now with new blood coming in at the back this week too, is it too early to ask, are things finally coming together?
True, the Kieron Dyer situation is nothing short of ridiculous.
With the deal looking like it was all sorted out, Dyer was back in Ipswich tonight licking his wounds.
No deal for now and one terribly unhappy player on Sam Allardyce's hands going into the new season when the feelgood factor should be on the way up and not down.
But let's enjoy the moment for now.
Smith showed some fine touches against Samp and with Viduka and captain Geremi looking on song against the Italians, any repeat performance at Bolton would be the perfect start for Big Sam.
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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Who can understand the Dyer situation?
What are the options?
Back to United - hardly possible after all what happened!
Another transfer - not likely to find anybody more interested than WHU
A loan deal - very risky when a player is easily injured and who will pay his large weekly salary!
Maybe MA wants to use him as a gardener on his estate? Making the flower arrangements for the house!
Being closer to his family?
Or is this to show that a signature on a contract has value and must be respected by all parties including the player.
A 6m issue that better be resolved soon,
we have the replacement and all are happy with that and money for money,
who would like to exchange Alan Smith for Kieron Dyer now?
Up to the new season with
the team we have, those to come onboard and all other ballast overboard!
And without throwing eggs?!
Worried about the Martin's situation with Arsenal sniffing.Can not understand the reservations that certain people have on him.Johnny Beresford couldn't help have a dig yesterday during the match yet for me we will lose a truly great asset should he leave.He has incredible power,speed and works hard when he hasn't got the ball.His only fault is he lacks experience.Sell anyone but him.
I agree with the Martins comments, thought we looked to slow in attack yesterday before he came on. Smith looked a lot better playing in a deeper role. If we get another couple of defenders in, get rid of Dyer ASAP & have a bit of luck on the injury front I think a top 6 place is up for grabs. On the other hand no defenders in, Martins out, Dyer stays & no luck with injurys it could be more like the bottom 6!!! Welcome to the crazy world of NUFC Big Sam!!
I believe Dyer has been Perswaded by the ex Newcastle rubish, to go to london down to the Hams. If he if he realy wants to go he Should pay the 2 million himself,he has soon forgot how FS and BR looked after him.we care but we are not a charity.
There's obviously more to the Dyer situation then we know and I personally trust the club to resolve that. The players who wore the black & white shirt yesterday were fantastic. David Rozenhal was fantastic along side Taylor and Geremi has been different class every time i've seen him & Smith is a winner & the fans will love him up here. With a hungrey Barton to come back & not forgetting Emre & Duff we look pretty healthy in that department when every one is fit. I'm wondering if Lee knows anything about the lad Enrique that he could share & the lad Drago? Cacapa will be some player if he like expected settles into premiership football & the pre-season performances of the sometimes critisized pair of Carr & Ramage have been very encouraging. All in all i'm a happy Newcastle supporter going into the season & i've not felt this good in a good few years, well done big sam.
There's obviously more to the Dyer situation then we know and I personally trust the club to resolve that. The players who wore the black & white shirt yesterday were fantastic. David Rozenhal was fantastic along side Taylor and Geremi has been different class every time i've seen him & Smith is a winner & the fans will love him up here. With a hungrey Barton to come back & not forgetting Emre & Duff we look pretty healthy in that department when every one is fit. I'm wondering if Lee knows anything about the lad Enrique that he could share & the lad Drago? Cacapa will be some player if he like expected settles into premiership football & the pre-season performances of the sometimes critisized pair of Carr & Ramage have been very encouraging. All in all i'm a happy Newcastle supporter going into the season & i've not felt this good in a good few years, well done big sam.
I think the new season will be great.
Starting Line up against Bolton: Given, N'Zogbia, Rozehnal, Taylor, Carr, Milner, Geremi, Smith, Solano, Viduka, Martins
Thats my idea. What you think.
I have just had an idea regarding the Dyer collapse.
What if Mort sent Dyer down to West Ham to keep West Ham from bidding for Smith. Allows Newcastle to sign Smith without West Ham charging in with an over inflated price which is what they have been doing pretty much the last two months.
The other angle of course is Mort has reviewed the Barton situation and feels there is a real possibility he could be jailed and so doesn't want to sell Dyer while uncertainty exists.
My anger of last week has slowly subsided. Well done Ashley/Mort for opening the cheque book and getting some much-needed reinforcements. The squad Sam has assembled looks very encouraging and I see even Mr Oliver is warming to it. Personally I'm taking us to pip Spurs for 5th this season (Darren Bent is NEVER worth ã16.5m) and be less than six points off Arsenal in 4th. Big Sam has signed winners, hopefully some silverware wont be far off
I posted a while back to say how disappointed I was in the lack of support shown by Ashley and Mort in the clubs efforts in the transfer market. This week has changed my mind. We look in good shape for the new season. With Owen and Martins both staying I think we can say we have had a successful close season. As far as the Dyer situation goes, I am 100% behind Ashley; nice to see us demonstrating a bit of backbone in the transfer market. Is this not the good business sense we were hoping for? Sod West Ham, why should we let Dyer go for six million? Look at what Sven is paying for un-tried players from the continent. Inconsistent he maybe, but Dyer is also an England international. Would rather have him on our subs-bench than playing against us.
TEAM TO FACE BOLTON, SHAY(IF FIT) CARR,NZOG,ROZENHAL,TAYLOR,MILNER,GEREMI,SMITH,LUQUE,MARTINS,AMEOBI
Although nothing is certain until the new season starts, Sam looks to got a squad that has a mixture of flair, pace and a guts.
You can have all the flair in the world, but without players like Barton, Butt or Smith who are willing to battle for the ball, you are going nowhere. Hope it all works and we are no longer a soft touch for the likes of Everton and Wigan.
I cannot believe Dyer is still at the club, I'd have ripped their hands off at 6m quid, to think of all the problems he's caused and we won't just get rid of him! Shocking.
i would like to congratulate sam on his signings so so far.the arrival soon of a couple of new defenders is making that department at long last looking solid. i think rozenhal looks pure class.we have potentially the best forward combination of any team in the league the only thing that is missing is the wizard in central midfield who can bring it all together and make this team
feared in the premiership.it may cost a lot of money but we are still waiting for that speciasl player promised by mike !!
Reading between the lines it looks like MA has found out, in the final hour that West Ham may have been illegally offered Dyer a better contract well before permission was granted, probably via one of our ex players, which is what really prompted Dyer's sudden home sickness,
Maybe Lee Bowyer was more desparate for a re-match that we expected? ;)
Maybe the ã2M valuation hike come from a ã2M improved contract that Dyer had on the table?
Only right if he quoted his reason for deserting us to be closer to his family that he doesn't 'coin it in'.
The Dyer situation does leave a bad taste in the mouth as he's no good to anyone in his mental state, but Mike Ashley's definitely flexed his muscles on this one. The six mill. is no big deal to him as opposed to the mysterious principle involved in his scuppering a nailed - on deal. Was Dyer illegally tapped, was the family excuse just that ? It's great being a supporter, not needing or receiving the truth on club politics, it gives us plenty to waffle about over our pint in the Strawberry. I still don't know why Keegan left when the club was on the up and up, apart from some daft conspiracy theories about......well, better left eh ? Anyway, Smudger looks the biz with Viduka and our host of other great strikers, midfielders and defenders. I'm still pinching myself at the prospect of 12 free points from our local premiership rivals ( tee-hee ). This is the best pre-season feeling I've had since going up in Keegan's first premiership season, bring it on.
Ashley apparently was wound up at the races when west ham representatives goaded him about stealing Dyer for six million, he reacted and chucked two million on ....Regarding the match yesterday i sat in the east stand with my pie and Bovril and didnt expect to much of the game but i was impressed by the captains performance of Geremi and thought the centre half pairing looks good , Smith and Viduka looked dangerous but i will stand corrected on Nicky Butt and thought the bloke was outstanding and on that form would be hard to leave out of the starting eleven. Butt for captain ? ....Jackie
Im sure I speak for every fan, if Dyer wants to go then he can pay the ã2m difference in the transfer fee.
I've heard he's worth a few bob.
Im delighted with the attitude of Alan Smith, although this was never in question.
Maybe behind the front two is his position and we can expect diciplined but combatitave performances from him through 2007/08.
With Enrique and Cacapa en route, we look stronger all over the park than ever before. Paul
We will keep the Toon (Jersey flag flying high),
Come on lets have it.
See yous at the Villa game.
We all follow "UNITED", I Oh, I Oh, we are Joe Harveys Boys.
I'd just like to say as a lifelong Leeds fan and huge Smudger fan I'm glad hes finally left the Theatre of Nightmares and gone to a club that's finally on the up after a rollercoaster few years. I always enjoyed watching him play with Viduka and obviously its nice that he's linking up with one of his best (fellow Yorkie!) Leeds pals in Milner. The only way is up
if Dyer is so keen to be closer to his "partner" (twee, poncy word) and children why doesn't he move them all up to the North-east? There ARE houses on Tyneside I seem to remember. and going on his reported salary I expect he could afford a decent one.