Newcastle boss Alan Pardew knows where the squad he recently inherited needs to be reinforced. With the winter transfer window due to open in little more than a fortnight, Pardew has used his first full week at the helm to run the rule over what he already has and get an idea of what he may need to add to his resources.
Pardew said: "I think I am pretty clear in my mind of a couple of areas that need strengthening.
"As a general rule, you get a feeling about who is going to fit the right criteria to play for this big club.
"It's a big club. You bring professionals here and you are in danger of the club being bigger than the individual, and you have to make sure that the character of the players, first and foremost, can carry the shirt.
"It's a heavy shirt, the Newcastle shirt. I am looking at the group and you can take it as read that the Bartons and Nolans, it fits comfortably, and Andy Carroll, his shirt fits and has got a big number nine on it, which carries its own weight.
"That's something that when I sit down with Derek and the chief scout and all my staff to talk about the January window and the window going forward, that will be top of the list."
