Should Newcastle United Make Major Changes or Minor Tweaks This Summer?

It’s been a season of radical change for Newcastle United.

Having sat back in the summer while their Premier League rivals strengthened their squads, the Magpies were caught out as they entered the season with a squad that was incapable of competing both domestically and in Europe.

Only a frantic January transfer window—which saw five new players arrive at St James’ Park—saved Alan Pardew’s side from a relegation fight more serious than the one that they flirted with at the turn of the year.

The window was undoubtedly the turning point of the season for the Geordies, who are now fourth in the form table, having won four of their last six games. Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Mathieu Debuchy have all been regulars since joining from their respective French sides and have sparked Newcastle into life.

They now have genuine hopes of finishing in the top half as the season’s end draws closer. Who’d have thought that when they had slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Brighton in early January?

As the Premier League enters its final nine games, Newcastle are simply counting down the days until they can start again. The new-look, French-tinted squad is improving week after week while key players are all back from injury—another factor which had severely affected the season.

Yohan Cabaye is showing why he was sorely missed in his 13-game absence and seems even more buoyed by being handed the captain’s armband in place of the injured Fabricio Coloccini. The added bonus of five goals has also helped, as the likes of Papiss Cisse continually misfire.

After January provided manager Alan Pardew with a deep, quality-filled squad, the Magpies’ boss now has a decision to make in the summer months. Does he make more major changes or tweak the squad that he has?

One thing is for sure, Pardew and chairman Mike Ashley will not make the same mistake as they did last summer. There will be a comprehensive review of the playing squad with new players being brought in to replace those who depart and to plug any potential gaps in the first-choice match day squad.

It would be surprising to see Newcastle dive into the market in a similar way as they did in January, purely because most of the work was done at the start of the year. The five new arrivals have given the squad real quality, meaning Ashley’s chequebook will have a much quieter summer.

Minor tweaks are certainly expected, though, such as replacing the players who are likely to depart at the end of the season. Danny Simpson’s contract runs out, and with Ryan Taylor’s injury record, a replacement could be brought in.

Coloccini is also expected to leave Newcastle to return to South America, so another defender could be on the cards.

Pardew could also be tempted into buying another striker, with many names being linked already. At the minute, only Shola Ameobi is cover for Cisse, so another option is expected to challenge for a first-team berth.

To answer the question that we set out to find a solution to, minor tweaks are certainly the way forward for Newcastle this summer. The hard work was done in January, and the squad has the quality to push for a European place next season, provided they continue to gel and improve at the rate that they are at the minute.

Should the Geordies start next season in the kind of form that they are enjoying now, a top-six finish will surely be the target for Alan Pardew’s side, as they look to recover from one of their most disappointing campaigns in recent history.