And the type of player he is looking for is a new Kevin Nolan.
Which poses the question - why did we get rid of him in the first place?
The answer - because Nolan was one of the "Rat Pack" who had spoken out about Mike Ashley's lack of spending when the team needed rebuilding.
Alan Smith, Andy Carroll, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan - the players who were "vocal" against Ashley.
And one-by-one, the Toon owner kicked them out of Toon.
Alan Pardew: "We will, certainly at the end of the year, have a discussion about where we are going to trade, where is best for the group.
"I think one of the problems I faced in this group, if I am honest, is not a language problem, not a cultural problem it's been inexperience.
"We still have a lot of inexperience on the pitch.
"Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is playing his ninth Premier League game on the trot. As (Fabricio) Coloccini found when he arrived, and he has been a great player for us - he gives us a seven, eight, nine every week when he's playing - but when he first came he wasn't like that.
"Hopefully in the next three games we can get performances that are more eight and nine, than six.
"What Kevin Nolan has is a real knowledge of how to win games in the Premier League.
"As Sam Allardyce does, and that's what we are up against on Saturday.
"James Collins, Mark Noble these are players who I know very well who are very experienced in the Premier League. (Joey) O'Brien and (Matt) Jarvis have played a lot in the Premier League and they have nous.
"That's a word I used a lot about Kevin as Kevin used to find positions on the pitch just through his own nous, he is sniffing chances out.
"He is a worry for us on Saturday. In terms of leadership in the group we have got leadership but in a different ways.
"I wouldn't say Colo is like Kevin, I wouldn't say (Yohan) Cabaye is like Kevin, or Shola (Ameobi) is like Kevin but they are kind of our leading group and we look to them now."