Chris Hughton has explained this morning that he sees things this season very like they were last season, after we were unluckily beaten at home to a late Blackburn goal, after we had dominated that game.
Chris Hughton – situation similar to last season
Of course at the time the popular press were having a field day with Newcastle, as usual, because Kevin Keegan had not won a game at Newcastle, since he had arrived back on Tyneside in mid-January.
When we played Blackburn the team played just great, but couldn’t get a goal, and were then caught upfield following a corner right at the end, and Blackburn did the proverbial smash and grab raid and won the game 1-0.
The following game was away at Liverpool and we were hammered 3-0, but then we went to Birmingham where Kevin tried the 4-3-3 formation for the first time.
After being a goal behind and not playing well in the first 45 minutes, the lads came fighting back to get a goal in the second half from Michael Owen, and probably should have won that game.
But they did just that against Fulham 2-0 in the next game, and Newcastle then went on a nice 7 game unbeaten run to save the season.
The game after Fulham was probably the best display of last season when we took Spurs apart 4-1 art White Hart Lane, and then hammered Reading 3-0 at home in the next game.
However, we finished up last season losing the last two games against Chelsea at home and Everton away, but we remember it all very well.
Chris thinks it’s a similar situation thsi season, as he told the Newcastle Journal this morning:
“I remember the Birmingham game very well last season and this is a very similar situation.”
“The week before that game (a 1-1 draw at St Andrew’s) we lost to Blackburn Rovers at home 1-0 to a late breakaway goal from a corner.”
“But the performance had been very good and I think we’re coming off the back of a good performance against Manchester United this time as well.”
“That result at Birmingham kick-started the tail end of our season and hopefully we can do the same sort of thing at Hull. It’s a very big game for all sorts of reasons.”
“A win would really give us a lot of impetus going into the end of the season.”
What Chris misses out is after the Blackburn game we were actually taken apart at Liverpool 3-0, but it’s true that last season at this time, we were not doing too well either.
Whether we should be drawing solace from that is another question of course.
And whether we can pull out of this nose dive we’re in this season, with only one win from the last 12 games, remains to be seen, but we have to pull our socks up and start winning, as draws right now will just not be good enough.
Comments welcome.
20 comments so far
Toon Sweden77
Mar 11, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Comment #1His face reminds me of Peter Beardsley…?
Ericles
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Comment #2We desperately need to win at Hull and that is it. We are in a relegation fight and what do we get? That gutter rag The Sun are trying to undermine our push for points by setting themselves up as unpaid agents of Arse and All. Typical of these sick journos to try and upset Bassong and the team when we least need it. Howay the lads – we ARE NOT going down whether the London press like it or not!
Robbanufc
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Comment #3Spot on Ericles! Keep faith lads! We will stay up!
coyote
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Comment #4the management have finally admitted they have made mistakes and thas a huge understatement!
we desperately need to beat Hull is also an understatement
It was worrying earlier in the week Steven Taylor saying that some of the players not realising how much trouble we’re in
If they don’t know by now somebody should be putting a spark up there a**e!
When we stay up(being positive here) it’ll p*ss the gutter press off so much
sirjasontoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Comment #5I am dreading the run in to the seasons end,if we go down the plus will be all the high earners will be gone which can only be a good thing.
The football has been atrocious for a while now if we be honest add to that seasons of injuries to key players it hasn’t been much fun.
We could still survive we will see.
bennytoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Comment #6Another good thing that will happen if you are relegated is that fair weather fans like ryantoon and sirjasontoon will go and support other teams meaning they wont come on here. I would love to see young tomtoon crying his eyes out on the last day of the season.
bennytoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Comment #7Another good thing that will happen if spurs are relegated is that insane fans like me will go support other teams like nufc. I’d like to see myself crying shit out on the last day of the season.
sahota
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Comment #8Hey Benny. I said it several times, don’t wish bad atleast for Newcastle. You come here make jokes, thats fine. Just stop wishing us going down. Just feel…Will you love it is SPUR goes down ? So just keep your mouth shut if you can not say anything positive.
sahota
Mar 11, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Comment #9ha ha Benny didn’t read ya last comment. I am just laughing and thinking what a day it will be Benny crying here and then supporting NU with all of us. 🙂 Brilliant
sirjasontoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Comment #10Benny before you throw stones you should sit down and do your homework.
I am from Newcastle and will continue supporting my hometown club whatever division we are in.
I first started supporting newcastle when the played in a tin shed many moons ago my friend when times where alot worse than now.
Now shut up you bore me.
sirjasontoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Comment #11I am actually enjoying watching you like a little girl trying to get attention…FFS you associate your silly self with Spurs that is what tickles SJT buddy.
batty
Mar 11, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Comment #12sahota IS that you on facebook?
sirjasontoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Comment #13Sahota is facebook
sahota
Mar 11, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Comment #14yes I recently added myself to this group…
bennytoon
Mar 11, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Comment #15sirjasontoon- are you on the facebook group. It would make my day to see what you look like. whats your name?
stevep
Mar 11, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Comment #16@sirjastoon – mate you should stop biting everytime bennytoon throws you a line, it shows you to be immature and uneducated.
If we get relegated then so be it, would be surprised if Geremi, Smith and some of the other high earners would be able to get other clubs to take em on anything like the wages we pay em so we’ll end up being stuck with players we dont want bleeding us dry whilst our better players will be off (Martins, Bassong etc)
Bill F
Mar 11, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Comment #17stevep, I think SirJay just likes a good argument and plays BT along. I reckon most of us find it amusing and it has to be good therapy for BT. They probably don’t let him out of the ward too often. Cmon show the poor lad some sympathy.
clinta
Mar 11, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Comment #18Sadly can’t see us getting 3 points at Hull on the weekend, we have an awful record against them recently, they are also in the relegation mix and have more fight than our lads do.
1 point perhaps, but i don’t think 3. Not real bothered whether MO shows up for the game either, prefer to see Martins running at players.
Am I the only one thats not jus resigned to losing Mo but actually hopeful he moves on?
Bill F
Mar 11, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Comment #19Clint, I agree that 1 point would probably be a good result. I feel we are more likely to pick up 3 points from the Arsenal game, another from Chelsea and we’ll have done good.
sahota
Mar 11, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Comment #20I think we should get 3 points from next three games. If we do that that will make sure then we will have good chances of survival as then some home games coming. be it 1 against Hull and then 2 against Arsenal and Chelsea or its 3 against HULL. I won’t mind 3 points from next 3 games. If we can get anything more than that that would be BIG BONUS. BUT BUT if we get ZERO from next 3 games then it will be trouble as losing 3 games in row won’t do good for confidence. Com’on guys show some guts and give us 3 points next game. Everyone be it player, coach/manager or supporters or even MA. Everyone needs 3 points. Hard thing is HULL game is not live on TV so might need to listen to radio commentary, which is heart breaking sometime. 🙂