You definitely can't count Newcastle's transfer market mistakes on one hand. In truth, you'd probably struggle to count them on a centipede - but that's the nature of the business sometimes. Inflated valuations and duplicitous agents muddy the waters and make deciding what represents a good deal these days harder than getting Alan Pardew to admit that he played the wrong system. With the current boss complaining indirectly about the way Newcastle's summer signings have adapted to life in the Premier League and calling for "experience" rather than youth in January (it's a little presumptive to suggest he'll be here in November, let alone next year), we're reminded of the mistakes that not only he but other managers have made in the name of the club. And as fans are still haunted by the current regime's inability to sign a striker this summer, there have been darker days when players slipped through the club's fingers even as their grip closed. And it will continue. Officially, Newcastle haven't yet let Yanga-Mbiwa, Ben Arfa and Marveaux all leave permanently, since they're only on loan, but with Roma keen on a permanent deal, Ben Arfa's contract coming to an end and Marveaux unlikely to be happy after the way he's been treated, all will no doubt be off in the summer. And in all cases, the departures will be massive mistakes, but at least for a while Newcastle had them at the club. In the past potentially stellar talents have come to the club and unthinkably been rejected, before going on and embarrassing the club by being all brilliant and that somewhere else.
