Alan Pardew said Swansea won because "they had more experienced players" ... and Ashley's "we buy them young - not players with no re-sell value" ... backfired on Saturday.
Pardew wanted two world class international defenders in the summer transfer marker - Brazilian (Douglas pictured right) and French - but Ashley refused to pay the asking price.
He says now is not the time to focus on Newcastle United’s squad size - despite fan fears the Magpies look depleted after what has already been a long and hard campaign.
United were beaten for the second successive home game on Saturday after going down to Swansea City.
Alan Pardew: “There is nothing I can do until January anyway.
"We just have to get on with it.
“Since I have been here it is our first time we have had a difficult spell.
“So we have to keep our heads. We know we have to get it out there. That is the problem I have had.
“Apart from Sunderland away I have not had a full squad to pick from.
"The squad is being pushed to the limit, there’s no doubt about that.
“That is why we have a squad and we had a very young bench.
“You look around and those boys should be playing in the reserves and gaining experience, but we are asking them to do a job.
“We have Maritimo on Thursday and that is a tough game for us after two defeats now. We have to get a win there.”