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
Tom_Toon
Jan 3, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Comment #41buy a fookin creative midifielder and a right winger: Arshavin nd Nicolita (yes he can can cross) 🙂
iain
Jan 3, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Comment #42to suggest sam tried what weve been asking for last night is not true.
he came close with 2 dfmf and the zog at lb.
but by the time emre/enrique got anywhere near the team we the game was over.
oba even though he missed chances should of stayed on with owen. the lads confidence must be rock bottom thanks to sam.
Jamie
Jan 3, 2008 at 1:13 PM
Comment #43Attack is the best means of defence – Please Sam put more focus on attacking the opposition, scoring some goals and get the team more confident again! I mean how good do the defenders have to be at Newcastle? We have Beye, Taylor, Cacapa, Enrique/Rozy. you put that defence in the Man Utd team with their attack and they will still win as many games. We need to get real and start playing football on the positive. Without goals you dont win games, bring back Keegan mentality!
thelongshanks
Jan 3, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Comment #44The issue we are not addressing is making this club attractive to players we are interested IN.What if owen,nzogbia and martins leave at the end of the season among others,because we are not performing.I know arsenal have been chasing nzogbia for the last year and if wenger did approach what would be the outcome.
Some of the players allardyce wanted were worried cause of lack of european football and it looks like we are headin down that road again.What i wouldnt give for solanos crosses in the box and roberts long range free kicks.
Bottom line newcastle are an attacking team,always have been.fair enuf we would let in two but we would score four.I think formation and general approach of a game is what we lack.We have good players and we cant contain teams if we dont look dangerous in front of goal.
So change it sam,your stubborness is killing our team.
Jamie
Jan 3, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Comment #45Completely agree mate
TOONNUTTER
Jan 3, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Comment #46I Think we can talk and talk and talk on this.
This season does not make for the 50 odd that had gone before when we have won nothing.
So whats new.
I hope and know what I saw last night was something that I have not seen all season and that was a team that give it all but good not kill of a team.
We need strikers and a creative midfielder and if he does not want to play the young spanish lad at left back then get someone in who can bloody play at that postion and get charles playing in the right postion.
I aint no states man, but playing players in the wrong position does not make a balance team.
I killed myself laughing on saturday when sky were saying that charlie was in the chelsea penatly areae and he is playing like a winger. ( the fact is he is a fcuk winger) its BSA who want to play him somehere he does not want to play .
get 3 players in of good quality and if you want to push the boat out get players in to cover those who have to go and play in the ANC.
It just bemuses me that somthing that happens in Africa can further fcuk up our season, when I saw small signs of improvement last night.
Everyone keep your heads up !!!
We are the best supporters around !!!
ObaFan2
Jan 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Comment #47My expectations: BSA would be a good manager.
Lowered……………. well.
He wasn’t my choice but I honestly thought he’d do better than he has done, we thought we had trouble with Boyer, Bellamy etc and dressing room unrest, I don’t see much difference atm.
First half was good to watch with Duff running the show with great support by Faye n Zog, Butt even made some good passes to the left especially, Milner again his work rate is excellent but he cannot cross the ball fgs, he’s a winger who cannot cross !!!!!!!!!
Feye again was best defender but I think if anything our defense has improved in as much as it’s not the weakest area of the pitch for us now, midfield is.
Oba ran his heart out and tracked back and worked harder than I’ve seen before but isn’t getting the goals 🙁 , Owen had 1 great chance and was unlucky.
The season is nearly a right off and by February we could be fighting relegation. I hope not but with this form it’s looking that way.
Keep with the 442, If we had from the start of the season we’d be performing much better as a team now and maybe things would be so much different.
Chicken
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Comment #48Ed – it would be interesting if you could dig up that poll you did at the start of the season about where everyone thought we’d finish. Most plugged for top4-6 I think.
Seems laughable now. I was a bit more realistic by going for a top 8 finish. I still don’t think that is out of our grasp and would be a significant improvement on the last few seasons. What people don’t seem to realise is that the Prem is much more competitive than ever. People seemed to think we had a god given right to finish above Pompey, Everton, Aston Villa, Blackburn etc. But all of those teams, and many others, have significantly strengthened their squads – and, more importantly, they’ve all had a manager in place for a few seasons.
As much as I am dismayed with BSA tactics and selections I honestly don’t think we will move anywhere but backwards if we sack him now.
Eve
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Comment #49Ah Johann there you are. I was getting a little worried..what am I saying, no I wasn’t. People don’t see that Harpers “better” cause, well, he’s not.
It’s so typical though, if a girl comes on and talks constantly about a player she most fancy him, you come on all the time and bitch about Given, complain when plays well, waits for him to make half a mistake and exaggerates things and crap like that, rants about him, clearly loves Harper and not a words said to you. Typical.
And what’s your problem with Given anyway, you seem to really like, dispise him. Did you cheer when he got injured at West Ham last season. Normally I wouldn’t ask cause no one, no matter how much they disliked a player would be happy with that but, did you cheer when he got injured, like yes a perfurated bowel, that should give Harper lots of time, kinda thing. Cause if you did, I’d be worried.
Andreas
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Comment #50I have to say that I have come to slightly change my opinion about N’Zogbia playing lb. In my opinion it seems that he gets more space and pose a bigger threat for the opposistion attacking from lb with Duff/Milner infront of him compared to when he’s on the wing (a question of him getting tighter marking in that position).
Hence, if we’re playing a attacking formation (hmm, well it’s not likely under SA but you know what I mean) I reckon N’Zogbia should play lb (with a free licens to go forward) ahead of Enrique. However, for games when we need a slightly bigger focus on the defence I reckon Enrique should play lb since i rate him as the better when it comes to defending. N’Zog can then be playing mf or be rested.
Andreas
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Comment #51Eve, I’m with you on this one. Given (when fit) > Harper (when fit), eos.
ObaFan2
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Comment #52Eve, I thought it was a little strange for someone to come on and criticize Given at this moment as there are alot more pressing problems with the Toon and imo Given is not one of them. Mr reliability and coming back from a horrendous injury.
We all have opinions and it surprises me sometimes to think we all seen the same game.
James
Jan 3, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Comment #53Lay off Given – if it wasn’t for him we would have been relegated last season. We finished 5 points outside the bottom 3 and thanks in large part to his amazing saves in big games.
Johann
Jan 3, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Comment #54As a footballer I don´t cheer when players get injured. Still please stop talking about we getting relegated if Given hadn´t been there. For crying outloud you are no psychics. We could just as easily say we would have been relegated if it wasn´t for Oba´s goals. My personal opinion is there are many good keepers who would have done more good than Shay last season. The goalkeeper role is not only to save it´s to inspire and make the defense work. And in case it breaks be there for the rescue.
And btw we really need a more commanding keeper, and hopefully we´ll get one soon.
Toon Barmy
Jan 3, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Comment #55It is sicking as a suporter of NUFC to hear comments like this from Mort for fans to lower expectations, I thought we were owned by a Billionaire who was apparently asking barca about the availability & price of ronaldinho when he took over as he wanted to make the rest of the footballing world stand up & take note…WTF has happened, our fairytale of challenging again has turned into a mare.. If you (Mort/Ashley) don’t think allerdyce is up to it & lots of fans don’t, sack him dont ask us to lower expectations because he’s shite it makes the Management of NUFC sound happy to settle for a relegation fight, were not we turn up every game & pay our money. The least we can ask is for the club to be ambitious, after the shit that we have had to put up with these last few years is a insult.
Did anyone hear Century phone in last night Bob Moncur saying he reckons allerdyce is playing for the sack, Super mac agreeing, Me too.
ObaFan2
Jan 3, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Comment #56Bobby Moncur tells it how he sees it so good for him, made me wonder too.
Given has easily been in the top 10 keepers in the world for years and maybe only second to Cech in the EPL. Shame he isn’t English.
Eve
Jan 3, 2008 at 4:47 PM
Comment #57Johann..last season, Given was injured, as we all know, when he was out we dropped dangerously low, just above the relegation zone, when he came back we moved up. And the fact that he did come back like, that took balls, he was injured like that and then the first thing he does against Arsenal was make a save right at the feet at one of the Arsenal players (also offside). Not a lot of players would have been able to do that.
You don’t like him whatever, but there’s more then one player on the team and cheering and being happy if he makes a mistake, which you said that you did, is just wrong, that’s not a real fan. Not ever have I seen you come on and not complain about Given.
buy arshevin
Jan 3, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Comment #58get arshevin in hes mint
AdamCF
Jan 4, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Comment #59What about Hutton from Rangers? A 23 year old Right Back. Or Kewell from Liverpool?