Newcastle: 10 Major Mistakes Pardew Has Made In 2014

7. Not Working Harder To Get A Centre-Half In

There are inevitably suggestions every time the transfer window opens that Alan Pardew has absolutely no control over who is bought and who is sold for Newcastle, but the official club line reads that Pardew works with Graham Carr and Lee Charnley to identify targets, and run the rule over those that are presented by the scouting team. If that is indeed the case (and who knows if it is, really) then you have to question why Pardew didn't have a centre-half at the top of his agenda: he should have stated in no uncertain terms that he wanted additions to the back-line. Yes, Jamaal Lascelles was signed, and he is a major prospect, but sending him out on loan for another season, and generally relying on a Championship player to make an imemdiate impact in the Premier League was not the only answer Newcastle needed. Apparently, Newcastle did try to get another centre-back in, but were too late, which is frustrating consider there were suggestions that both Yanga-Mbiwa and Steven Taylor were available for transfers at one point this summer. If that really was the case, then more should have been done to bring in more cover, or even a first-teamer, considering Newcastle currently have only two fit.