4. Goals? What Goals?
The Tynesiders really struggled to score goals in last year's campaign, netting a mere 45 goals. Only relegated QPR (30) and Reading (43), along with Norwich and Sunderland (41 each) scored less than the North-East giants. 13 of these goals came from the now departed Demba Ba, with Papiss Cisse managing just 8 goals over the course of the season, and Yoan Gouffran mustering just 3 goals. Shola Ameobi, while a loyal servant to the club, hasn't ever delivered the kind of goal return required of a Premier League striker (1 goal from 23 appearances last year), and
he has been stoking rumours of a possible departure from the club. Things don't look much rosier on that front as things stand. Cissé looks the best of the lot up-front, but he's unpredictable, and can go months without scoring. Loic Rémy has been signed on loan to replace Demba Ba but
with a court case pending over his involvement in an alleged gang-rape in London, there's been a less than warm reception to the Frenchman on Tyneside. Aside from that, things don't look promising. Cabaye (6) and Ben Arfa (4) didn't score much last season from midfield, and with the
Gormis transfer in trouble, it's hard to see where the goals will come from for Newcastle this season.