as the norm from his scouting department. That's not the modern game though, Cabaye-type deals are great, but they are the exception to the rule and need to be complemented with signings made at market price -- otherwise, in all probability, there will be no improvement in a squad. Look at the players who appear on Newcastle's bench every week: there's a huge drop-off in quality from the first-team. If Hatem Ben Arfa gets injured, Gabriel Obertan isn't capable of providing anything like the same production. Likewise, that Shane Ferguson started the game today is a clear indication that there's not enough depth for Pardew to work with. Compare Newcastle's squad today with West Ham, a newly-promoted side -- Allardyce's range of options was probably more numerous, despite them playing Championship football last season and the home side having finished 5th in the Premier League. It just seems a shame that, given how talented certain areas of this team are, that it hasn't been reinforced or added to. We've all heard Derek Llambias talk about the commercial structure of the club, and use his rhetoric to justify controversial decisions, but Newcastle have made a lot of money over the last two years -- through player sales, gate receipts, prize money, and sponsorship -- and it seems as if he and Mike Ashley are determined to reinvest as little as possible of it back into the team.