Premier League Preview: Can Newcastle United find stability off the pitch?

After a solid tenth-place finish last season, Newcastle’s hopes of climbing higher in 2014-15 rest on their displaying stability both on and off the pitch, something that was lacking at times last season.

Midfield lynchpin Yohan Cabaye was sold to Paris St. Germain just six months after the former Lille man openly affirming his commitment to the St. James’ Park outfit. Once Cabaye left, Newcastle were bereft of a creative force in the centre of the park, despite trying to make arrangements to sign one almost immediately: Clement Grenier was the target in January but Olympique Lyonnais turned down the Magpies’ bid.

Nevertheless, Newcastle managed to achieve mid-table safety, a marked improvement over their campaign during their previous year, when they finished 16th after being involved in a relegation dogfight for much of the season.

Managerial controversy

Manager Alan Pardew will also have to be careful after finding himself in a spot of bother on more than one occasion last season.

Pardew had words of a rather salty nature for Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini during his team’s defeat at St. James’ Park after the hosts had a goal disallowed. He later apologised for his behaviour, claiming it was a heat-of-the-moment incident.

But Pardew let his temper once again get the better of him when his team won 4-1 at Hull City. The 52-year-old headbutted opposition midfielder David Meyler when he tried to retrieve the ball from the visitor’s technical area, and was fined £60,000 and banned for seven matches by the FA.

Pardew was not the only member of Newcastle’s managerial staff that had problems. Former Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear, whose controversial solitary season at St. James’ Park meant he was remembered with little fondness by the club’s fans, was appointed Director of Football.

Kinnear lasted less than six months on the job, during which time he infamously got several facts about his career wrong, and mispronounced the names of several prominent Newcastle players during an interview.

The club’s supporters had long harboured distrust for Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, and marched in open protest over his poor management at the club. The club’s administrators will need to run things smoothly behind the scenes this season if they want to see further improvement.

Tailing-off

Once Cabaye had returned to France, Newcastle’s form began to suffer rather badly. The Tynesiders only won five of the second half of their Premier League fixtures after winning 10 and drawing three of their first 19.

Boos at St. James’ Park following the final whistle were quite common during the second half of the season and Newcastle have moved quickly in an attempt to rectify that this season.

To replace Cabaye, the club have signed fellow France international Remy Cabella from Ligue 1 outfit Montpellier Herault, who famously won the French title in 2012. He will be joined at Fryneside – a portmanteau of ‘France’ and ‘Tyneside’ – as the press call it, by striker Emmanuel Riviere, who joins the club’s large French contingent from AS Monaco.

Loic Remy was the North Easterners’ primary scorer of goals last season with 13 to his name and having returned to parent club Queens’ Park Rangers this summer, has been replaced by Dutch striker Siem de Jong, who spent last season on loan with Newcastle from Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach.

To replace Mathieu Debuchy, who moved to Arsenal over the summer, the club have brought in Dutchman Daryl Janmaat from Feyenoord, following his consistent performances for the Netherlands during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

To increase the club’s attacking options, Newcastle have brought in Spaniard Ayoze Perez and Argentine Facundo Ferreyra and have signed ex-Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback on a free from the Magpies’ arch-rivals. Building for the future, Pardew has also drafted in the talented Nottingham Forest duo of goalkeeper Karl Darlow and defender Jamaal Lascelles.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Tim Krul, Rob Elliott, Jack Alnwick.

Defenders: Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon, Ryan Taylor, Mike Williamson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Massadio Haidara, Daryl Janmaat, Steven Taylor, Curtis Good, Paul Dummett, Shane Ferguson.

Midfielders: Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Jack Colback, Rolando Aarons, Jonas Gutierrez, Remy Cabella, Harris Vuckic, Cheick Tiote, Hatem ben Arfa, Gabriel Obertan, Mehdi Abeid, Gael Bigirimana.

Forwards: Papiss Cisse, Siem de Jong, Yoann Gouffran, Ayoze Perez, Facundo Ferreyra, Sammy Ameobi, Emmanuel Riviere, Adam Armstrong.

Transfers:

In: Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Remy Cabella (Montpellier Herault SC), Siem de Jong (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ayoze Perez (CD Tenerife), Facundo Ferreyra (Shakhtar Donetsk, loan), Emmanuel Riviere (AS Monaco), Jamaal Lascelles, Karl Darlow (both Nottingham Forest).

Out: Dan Gosling (AFC Bournemouth), Steven Logan (Annan Athletic), Jonathan Mitchell (Derby County), Conor Newton (Rotherham United), James Tavernier (Wigan Athletic), Romain Amalfitano (Dijon Foot), Mathieu Debuchy (Arsenal FC), Jamaal Lascelles, Karl Darlow (both Nottingham Forest, loan), Sylvain Marveaux (En Avant Guingamp), Adam Campbell (Fleetwood Town, loan), Shola Ameobi, Brandon Miele, Michael Richardson (all released).