Is it quality or quantity? We won't know until the season starts.
Scraps from the 'Bargain Bin', or the "marquee signings" Pardew has promised us for the last year?
Alan Pardew: "I think we have done some terrific business this summer. It must please the Newcastle fans that we have signed some exciting, offensive players.
"And, for me, I feel far more comfortable with the team and that we can play a brand of football that is expected of us.
"It is very difficult for the likes of the teams outside of the Champions League money to compete. But we are trying to do it in an educated manner.
"We've been accused of not spending the money we bring in, but now we have spent it and we can hope to get as close as we can. Certainly, offensively we are definitely stronger. There is no doubt about that.
"We have always maintained that we will watch the window right up until the last hours."
Remy Cabella
Jack Colback
Siem de Jong
Facundo Ferreyra (loan)
Daryl Janmaat
Ayoze Perez
Emmanuel Riviere
Jamaal Lascelles
Karl Darlow
SCHALKE 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 3
Remy Cabella scored his first Newcastle goal but teenager Rolando Aarons stole the show in a 3-1 win over Schalke on Sunday.
Rolando Aarons
Attacking midfielder Cabella, signed from Montpellier in July, had made his first appearance in a Magpies shirt in Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Malaga before coming off the bench for Sunday's final game of the Schalke Cup.
Pardew's team made an encouraging start as they forced two early corners and they were in front after 18 minutes.
Emmanuel Riviere opened the scoring after a great run and cross from young midfielder Aaron in the first half. But the header from Riviere was superb, clipping the ball past the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
Academy product Aarons then scored when his cross fortuitously looped into the far corner after he had shown another sharp turn of pace.
Ferreyra and Cabella replaced Riviere and Yoan Gouffran just before the hour and the duo made an impact 18 minutes from time in Newcastle's third goal. It was Ferreyra who won possession then Cabella did the rest as he raced into the penalty area and kept his composure to apply a clinical finish.
Teenage striker Donis Avdijaj pulled a goal back for Schalke but the final whistle was blown straight afterwards as the Bundesliga side suffered a second defeat in as many days, having previously lost to West Ham on penalties..
Newcastle keeper Tim Krul made his first appearance of pre-season but the Netherlands international was rarely called into action before he was replaced by Rob Elliot at half-time.
UNITED: Krul (Elliot 46), Anita (Campbell 73), Coloccini (Yanga-Mbiwa 46), Williamson (Streete 73), Dummett (Perez 79), Obertan (Vuckic 73), Sissoko (Satka 46), Colback (Abeid 46), Aarons (Armstrong 68), Riviere (Ferreyra 57), Gouffran (Cabella 57).
MALAGA 3 NEWCASTLE 1
The Toon took an emphatic 3-1 defeat to Spanish side Malaga in the opening game of the Schalke 04 Cup in Germany.
The first half was a disaster as Alan Pardew's men were luck to leave the field only 3-0 down.
The horrors of last season returned, although how much importance can we put on a friendly?
Gabriel Obertan
Only four of the starting line-up will expect to line up against Man City in the opening fixture of the season, and three may not be at the club by the end of this transfer window.
The Magpies conceded three first-half goals as they were distinctly second best before the interval, and while Gabriel Obertan pulled back a consolation goal, Alan Pardew's side deservedly suffered their second pre-season defeat (the other was at Oldham).
Newcastle handed summer signing Remy Cabella a maiden start in a wide-left role, but fell a goal behind in the 25th minute when Sergi Darger drilled home via the post.
Malaga doubled their lead seven minutes later, with Samu Castillejo converting Jesus Gamez's cross at the back post.
And the Spaniards were at it again before the interval as Newcastle's defensive deficiencies left some gaping holes at the heart of their back four. Castellijo cut in from the left and drilled an angled drive past Rob Elliot.
Obertan, of all players, crashed home from distance following a well-worked short corner routine.
But while the Magpies were much improved after the interval, they never really threatened to get back into the game.
NEWCASTLE: Elliot, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini (Williamson 74), S Taylor, Haidara (Dummett 67); Sissoko (Aarons 46), Abeid, Colback (Anita 67), Cabella (Obertan 46); Perez (Riviere 46), Armstrong (Gouffran 46).
TRIBUTE TO NEWCASTLE FANS
Alan Pardew: "None of us would be sitting here without the fans.
"Owners and managers come and go, as do players, but the fans are always there, and these two guys in particular, to go to the lengths that they did to get out here, has brought home just how important supporters are to us.
"Sometimes when you lose lives in that manner, it puts into context what we do.
"This season we want to give their families something to remember them by, by having a successful season.
"It's important we represent ourselves in the right manner, especially after losing John and Liam.
"We have to conduct ourselves well on and off the pitch and get some strong results."
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