This season is quickly turning into a nightmare for Newcastle fans.
Chairman Chris Mort – disappointed himself with results so far this season
We now have taken just 26 points from our first 21 games, and it we continue like this we’ll end up with about 51 points, which will have us in the lower half of the league table, with no chance of qualifying for Europe.
In fact, if we don’t show better form rather quickly, the possibility of us qualifying for Europe will be slim indeed, although we all know that strange things can and do happen in the world of football.
But this is not where we expected to be in early January this season is it? A run of 12 games where we have dropped 27 points, is not what we expected to have to ensure, to say the least. A good season would have seen us high enough in the league so that we could have qualified for the EUFA Cup competition, and that had to be our target this season.
But with our poor form of late, the Newcastle fans may have to tone down the expectations, and be satisfied with a mid table spot at best this season. As we said, strange things can happen, but right now it doesn’t seem we’ll be able to achieve some of our hopes of early in the season.
What do you think? We know last night’s result was hard on the Geordie psyche, but let us know what you think. Can we still turn this around this season? Will we turn it around this season? What will it take to still qualify for Europe?
Your Comments and opinions are always welcome.
59 comments so far
Hammy
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Comment #1Hmmnnn don’t like the tone of this one……
should we be happy with a top four spot in the championship? Bobby Robson was sacked for finishing 4th and 5th respectively, we have went backwards and wasted millions since, expectation goes hand in hand with investment and we have certainly “invested” plenty in players, what have the fans got in return?
nowt……For a team collectively earning about a million pound a game we can’t string five passes together…….I’m shite fu***ing sick. We are abysmal, I wish it was May.
LeazesEndLoyal
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Comment #2We have to lower our expectations? Why should we? If we have to lower expectations, they should lower prices!
What a defeatest attitude!
Marguerite
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Comment #3My expectations are zero. My fear is relegation Someone cheer me up.
LeazesEndLoyal
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Comment #4http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html
The current form table!
Black Caesar
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Comment #5What can I say, Eriksson is a top manager! 6 months in charge at City and he has transformed them from relegation battlers to Champion’s league contenders!! No nonsense talk like players need time to adjust to the PL and he’s new to the job so he ll need time to build his team – Rome wasnt built in a day nonsense. Proof indeed, if one were ever needed, that you can build Rome in less than a day in football if you re a good manager!!!
Anyway, I still retain some hope for the future, and it is that NEWCASTLE FANS will finally learn their lesson and stop clamouring or championing mediocre managers like Allardyce. Newcastle is a big club and we the fans should think along those lines – we should demand a world class manager, and stop silly talk like Shearer for manager. At best, Shearer at NUFC will only be another experiment.
We should go for proven quality. I advocated Capello before he went to England, and now I champion Hitzfeld! Such a man would eat his own intestines rather see his team languish in midtable, something which Allardyce and co. accept too readily.
I said I was optimistic for the future, but as long as we have fans like DRAGONER on co., if indeed he is a fan at all, in our midst, am afraid we ll continue to be mediocre like we currently are!
thelongshanks
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Comment #6this is freddy sheppards fault,he should have never sacked bobby robson.Never should have bought owen which i think has crippled us financially along with others eg. luque and boumsong.This is prob worse season and i think souness and rodoer did a better job.at least thier teams had wingers and at least one attack midfielder.
Sry day for the toon when u seen comments like these.
Hammy
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Comment #7LeazesEndLoyal
At least we are not in the relegation zone…
yet.
steve
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Comment #851 points – no chance!
My expectation is 14th-16th spot, if I lower them any further we’re relegated, maybe thats the plan, at least we’ll be the biggest club in the Championship
Kash2
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Comment #9Erriksson has kept his football very very simple, wingers with pace and flair get down the wings and get the ball into the box. What more do you want from a team? BSA has tried to be complicated and it hasn’t worked! Play players in correct positions, buy players for positions we’re lacking and please please please please please buy some flair players who go and create for strikers and win games for us!!!!
Tom
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Comment #10Its not a good day at all, i fully expected us to take something from last nights game with city’s poor away form. Its getting pretty desperate and the next 4 games dont look too promising either, Man United will probably turn us over, as will Arsenal, Stoke wont be easy at all (whether Fuller plays or not), and Bolton will have a point to prove. Will be interesting to see if we do bring anyone in over the course of this month. Ben Haim and Wes Brown are a must!
SuperShearer
Jan 3, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Comment #11I agree that looking at our situation at the moment this season is a write off. But lower our expectations….sorry but F**k off. We’re Geordies for crying out loud. Under Robson we finished top four. How in the hell have we come down so far. Shepard has to be the obvious answer. My concern is that people are saying we need continuity and I agree with that but is Sam the continuity we want? He hasn’t exactly inspired much has he, the football is dull, the fans are angry, the players don’t like the tactics and yet he still plays people who don’t earn the shirt. Milner, Taylor and N’Zogbia should be the only untouchables in our side. They are the only ones ho seem to play with any passion and energy. As a fan I’m depressed, if I was Mort….I’d be outright stumped as to what to do next. Sorry Sam but you just haven’t shown us one ounce of anything to tell us you are the right man for the job.
UTD111
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Comment #12Given our record so far, I dont think expectations are that high for this season anyway Ed. My thoughts are – rebuilding takes time and doesnt happen overnight (people are pointing at the Errikson turnaround of Man City but he didnt inherit a team with such a thin squad as ours where we had to play kids at centre half and Carr at left back!!).
However – we should rightly expect to see improvement and better results between now and the end of the season, building a foundation for a few more signings in the summer to be in a much stronger position to compete with the top teams next season.
Thats when Sam should be judged – not through the current press hysteria which is just undermining the clubs efforts or by the knee-jerk reaction to every adverse result we are seeing from some fans at the moment.
Cheers
Kash2
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Comment #13Even if we went and signed John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole and Micah Richards, we still wouldn’t improve our form. We’re defending far too much which is due to lack of possession play and hardly any attacking play. Whats the point of buying more defenders if we can’t create chances or score goals? We don’t need world class strikers to put away half chances, we need creative players to create clear cut chances! Milner is RUBBISH, Barton is a CRIMINAL, Emre is INCONSISTENT, Duff needs TIME, N’Zogbia is played OUT OF POSITION!
doc
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Comment #14We have no class strikers
Europe, no chance, hope to avoid relegation
Lower our sights, hmmm
Derby 1 Toon 0
Wigan 1 Toon 0
Toon 2 Derby 2
if we get any lower we will be playing leeds
Its easy for the tv pundits to say we have to be realistic, but our players are some of the top earners in the league, because they are supposed to be top performers week in week out
go buy me crouch, lend ben tal hiem, and sidwell,
duff will save the day
Kash2
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Comment #15Sign a good Left Back and 2 Creative players with pace and accuracy of final ball, and play them in the correct positions! I can guarantee if this is done we’ll start winning games witha bit of style. However, the heart wrenching feeling is that BSA won’t do this and he’ll keep playing rubbish football! SICK
Graham
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Comment #16I for one never expected a European spot when we played Bolton back in August – hope, yes but not expectation.
What I did expect was unity and solidity – somthing which was promissed from Allardyce from the begining of his reign. Unfortunately neither of these have materialised, and if anything, we are a less united squad than this time last year – at least the players who weren’t playing were injured and not spending Christmas and New Year at Her Majesty’s pleasure.
So, my expectations now – i honestly just hope we dont get dragged into a relegation battle because we simply don’t have the passion within the players at this moment in time to start fighting with the Wigans, Boltons and dare i say it… Sunderlands of this world.
James
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Comment #17Owen was class last night. He looked like Torres coming on to play for Derby. His positional play, link up play, and working the channels for the team was an example to every other striker at the club.
TOONNUTTER
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Comment #18Last nights football was the best I have seen NUFC play all season.
Its the finishing that is poor, we need better providers and better finishers.
I was impressed with Faye, but he is now off to the ANC, so that light is out for a month or so.
He needs to bring in a striker or two and it was very good to see we had wingers playing last night .
Looked like we have some sort of formation .
It look like we are now going in the right direction its just going to take time and plenty of it.
I just wish it did not take time and we had the success that city are now having.
Lets just battling away and supporting our team.
Good article Ed, but lets look up not down .
We are used to been disappointed so , lets aim high and see what happens.
Happy New Year
Hammy
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Comment #19did he score?
Hammy
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Comment #20Toonnutter…you trying to cheer us up?
wsq
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Comment #21this reflects the exact attitude in the player’s mind..
we are so typical of a mid table team.
fact is: we are mid table team
Doesn’t mean we should change our expectations. So what if I expect my team to win the premier league or whatsoever.
What’s important is what the players think they should be able to achieve as a team. Do they languish in mediocrity and pick up their wages or fight for honours?
Btw,
our problem does not lie in defence, it’s our attacking impotence. cannot create leads, maintain leads by a strong midfield and finally no sharpness and confidence.
I personally believe in football a strong midfield will always win matches, a solid combative creative midfield wins matches.
For now, although we see nicky butt giving his all it just aint enough because we still have leave huge gaps and spaces for the opponent to exploit . I don’t mind him doing the sitting job, because he can do that successfully but when you ask for more from that guy you’re bound to get something in negative in return there are compromises.
With this defence, and last season’s attacking play, we’d be in a better position.
Graham
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Comment #22I’ve just had a quick look at our remaining fixtures – how’s this for lowering expectations based on our current form…
Man Utd (a) – 0
Bolton (h) – 1
Arsenal (a) – 0
Middlesbrough (h) – 3
Aston Villa (a) – 0
Man Utd (h) – 0
Blackburn (h) – 1
Liverpool (a) – 0
Birmingham (a) – 1
Fulham (h) – 3
Tottenham (a) – 0
Reading (h) – 3
Portsmouth (a) – 0
Mackems (h) – 1
West Ham (a) – 1
Chelsea (h) – 0
Everton (a) – 0
That gives us an extra 14 points leaving us on 40 and i fear with a large negative goals difference.
Things need to change and they need to change soon – whether its the manager or the players. But it has to happen quickly!
milner fan
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Comment #23Mayb we will finish in a shocking position this season. No different to last couple of seasons. i think BSA needs to get rid of Carr and other back up players who just collect wages and give nothing, until he removes them and brings in a quality mf to create chances for a full fit owen (i wissh) or maybe martins then we may start winning. Also i think we need another decent cb to go with Taylor and Faye.
steve
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Comment #24Ed – How can you even think about europe is beyond me, I think most people here are thinking of staving off relegation!
Neil A H
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Comment #25My expectations were lowered as soon as I saw Faye and Butt in midfield. Emre should be starting with Barton in jail. A UEFA cup place was definitely a reasonable expectation for the season. We are a bigger, and should be better, club than the likes of Man City, Aston Villa, West Ham, Blackburn, Portsmouth, and Everton. The reason all these managers support Sam is because they like us as the impotent club we currently are. It serves the 19 other teams in the league for us to keep Sam. What a pathetic two weeks!
Leo
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Comment #26am sick of having to lower expectations i lowered them enough already. we are still doing worse than i expected.
thelongshanks
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Comment #27given
beye,taylor,cacapa,enrique
faye
milner nzogbia
arshavin
martins huntelaar
Two signings and abit of a change around.
The reason we conceding goals is not just defense.if you attack it moves the opposite team back.With faye there it is great cover for the 2 centre backs.Enrique and beye get forward for support and with zog and milner we have attacking mids.
Arshavin will keep service to strikers and will get a few goals aswell.
Now whats the big problem?besides getting arshavin and huntelaar(i wish).
JoshI
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Comment #28Its gotta happen sooner or later, i am sure Sam will leave before the season is out.
Johann
Jan 3, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Comment #29Well here I go again. Been a bit busy in my personal life to criticize Given(to answer Eve) but god knows how much I could write. I´ve wondered a lot why people think he´s good at all. It´s though quite simple, given his judged on a different scale. When he makes a fantastic save it´s only a normal and a easy save for other big goalkeepers. I feel last game he could and ought to have done better. I don´t exactly think harper is world class but still he´s better than Given. It´s there for everyone to see. Just see the games Given has played. We have got a goal against us in every single one of them except fulham !!!! Who have no attack threat at all and we didn´t even win that game.
I just can´t see why people don´t see Harper is better. He´s not just that the whole team plays better. He gives clearly more confidence in the defense. Given for me is playing is own game and feels undroppable. I think it´s time to show him otherwise. Given has not given up, he just aint good enough anymore(if he ever was). We need a better keeper to every challenge to the top again, that´s very clear to me.
Second, now many of you were happy with the team last night, well hey we lost. So maybe time to realize it´s not that easy to be a manager. I´m all for givening Sam more time to get in better players. I don´t think he sees Butt as our midfield anchor. He´s not that bad though. He´s clever and set up Viduka with a clever pass. Butt just excells when we are attacking, that´s always been his game. Spreading passes with no pressure on him.
Kevin Lawson
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Comment #30We have 26 points so far this season. Last year we finished on 43. I actually expect us to pick up another 20ish points between now and the end of the season. Putting us on about 50 – 55 ish points. In my eyes that IS progress. The sort of sustainable progree that Sam has talked about.
I don’t care how we play this year (long ball, long pass, dirty football, etc) all I want to see is more points on the board. It can take a long time for a manager to stamp his mark on a team and the way they play.
Sam still does not have his players out there. Please we’ve got to learn to be patient and not sack our manager every year. We will never get anywhere doing that.
Bobby Ollox
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Comment #31Dont think Mort has really picked up on the passion of the supporters with comments like that.
For some people winning at the weekend is everything – it changes their outlook on the entire week ahead – the mood of the entire region is influenced by how the team played.
To say lower your expectations, he might as well tell the tide to not come in.
Whumpie
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Comment #32I think you’ve got a point, Ed. Last night we weren’t far off being a decent side (first half, anyway), and the comments above cover off what’s needed pretty well to make up the difference. But we have to accept that BSA did pretty much what we’d been clamouring for, and it still didn’t work. Painful, but it shows that there’s a lot more to it.
So here’s my take on this season:
Continue to get the backroom stuff working, the scouting network and academy building our future properly, and bring some consistency to the defence. Do all that in one season, while avoiding relegation, and I’m happy. Next season you then go for a European spot.
The likes of City started with some basic but easily rectified problems given some dosh and a competent manager. The same can be said of some of the other teams above us. Our problems are far more engrained and while we may be getting some terrible results on the field, other things (like our injury record) are improving dramatically.
This season is a write-off. I’m not convinced that BSA will be here for another one. But I also believe he is doing a good job on the behind-the-scenes stuff.
Steeley
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Comment #33Well, we’re going to have to lower our bloody expectations arent we!? Was it too much to think that we could have at least finished in the top half??
Well, to all you Big Sam supporters, I’m sorry, but he’s not good enough! First season or not, there’s no way we should have done so badly! It’s only our negative tactics that have got us here, and it’s all Sam’s fault!
He needs to go, before we end up in a relegation scrap!!
Hammy
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Comment #34Hey Ed, can’t you e-mail this site to Chris Mort?
I’m sure this site with over 2 million hits may just nudge him in the right direction? hint hint.
Bosck
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Comment #35I have been a strong defender of allardyce for some time, but my patience is rapidly starting to wane, though i still hope he can come good.
However if things don’t improve by the end of the season, but hopefully we avoid relegation then there is one bit of very interesting news today, albeit in the star so reliability is an issue.
It appears that Ottmar Hitzfeld will be leaving Bayern Munich at the end of this season when his contract runs out. Seeing as this is the man that i and i think many newcastle fans wanted ffs to go after when he appointed roeder this could be very interesting news indeed.
If i am not mistake, at the time Hitzfeld did suggest that he might be tempted by the job but Shepherd failed to do anything about it.
If we are still in the premiership, and Allardyce is to be sacked at the end of the season then for me there is only one man to replace him and would also be available – Hitzfeld.
Mourinho would be great but unlikely and personally i’d still prefer OH. Though i will be trying to stay in support of SA for the rest of the season if possible.
Whumpie
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Comment #36Ok, here’s a bit of optimism: Sam tried what we’d all been asking for last night, and for a while we looked good. Credit to City – they were excellent, expecially in defence, and snuffed out over a dozen good chances. Richards in particular was amazing. If we’d played like that against Derby, Wigan, or even Chelski, we’d not even be having this discussion and we’d have a lot more points on the board. Things change, even if the points tally doesn’t show it sometimes.
So – what if Smith comes back, but (and I’m probably dreaming here) BSA sticks with the attacking formations and the sensible selections?
It could happen…
Whumpie
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Comment #37Ooh, interesting one, Bosck. Get BSA to do all that back-room stuff he’s good at, then get in the tactician to turn it into results. I’d settle for that…
I_McP
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Comment #38Given
Beye Taylor Hyypia Enrique
Faye
Zog Duff
Arshavin
owen crouch
Milner didn’t look good last night, and would love to see crouch and owen as it helps england too!
stjames
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Comment #39Ed as ever the positive one. Maybe not always realistic, but positive.
We made 17 points from our first 10 games. We got 9 points from our last 11 games. How is that for statistics. I think most of us are not expecting anything spectacular this season Ed, but we are going down at this rate of “improvement.” 🙁 🙁
Steeley
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Comment #40stjames – we are also only 9 POINTS OFF THE DROP!! If we remain on this form there is a real possibility of relegation!!