Newcastle dropped a lot deeper into relegation trouble when they lost to Arsenal 3-1 this afternoon at St. James’ Park, and now have just a single win in their last 14 games.
Newcastle were in the game in the first half, and after an opening 23 minutes in which nothing much happened, referee Mark Halsey did his best to help Newcastle as he gave a rather penalty to Newcastle, right out of the blue.
It seemed fairly tame stuff for a penalty after goalkeeper Almunia seemed to impede Ryan Taylor. It came out of nothing, but lo and behold Martins’ spot kick was just to the left of Alumnia, who saved with ease.
A gift was given to the team and we couldn’t even accept it, and it was a terrible miss by Martins, given the circumstances, and if we couldn’t even score from a dubious penalty, we knew it was going to be a tough afternoon, and so it proved to be.
Things were OK for almost an hour, but then Arsenal scored their first goal when 21 year-old Bendtner rose high to head past a helpless Steve Harper and we were behind.
But within a minute Newcastle were level, and it was a bad mistake from Gallas that let in Martins, who scored from 12 yards out, for his first goal since coming back.
But then 2 goals from the Gunners in just 3 minutes saw Newcastle off. The first one was after 64 minutes when Abou Diaby easily went past the Newcastle defense, with the help of Robin Van Persie, and smashed the ball high into the roof of the net, from just 12 yards.
The just 3 minutes later, Van Persie again made the goal, as he played in Samir Nasri, who controlled the ball well before shooting home from just 10 yards out. During the last 25 minutes it was Arsenal if anybody, who were going to add to their lead.
This was another lethargic performance from Newcastle, which was just not good enough, and if there are not serious and frantic meetings going on at the Tyneside club thsi weekend, on how to arrest this unbelievable run of poor form – there should be. We’re in extremely serious relegation trouble now, make no mistake about that.
We will likely also lose to Chelsea in 2 weeks, if something doesn’t happen soon, and then we’ll be in even more trouble – and it’s just not right to expect Joe Kinnear to come back into the hot oven, which is Newcastle right now, to try to fix it.
Mike Ashley needs to get in an experienced manager to inspire the players, because it’s obvious they cannot inspire themselves. They are hardly getting the job done, whatever positive interviews and the like they are giving to the press, before each game.
It also looks like Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood just cannot hack it – and that’s the truth – you just have to look at the facts – in the 10 games Chris has been in charge of Newcastle this year we have lost 8 and drawn 2.
Facts don’t lie.
We are now 3rd bottom, and 2 points behind the 4th bottom placed side, Blackburn Rovers, and our goal difference is steadily getting worse.
On a day which saw Tottenham, Portsmouth and Tottenham gain 3 points, and Blackburn, Bolton and WBA get a point we got none, and things are looking bleak indeed, with just 8 games left.
Newcastle are in deep trouble and could even now be one of the favorites for the drop – and with just 7 points from our last 12 league games, what else should we expect?
We would like to see Ashley get in an experienced manager right now, so he can work with the players before the Chelsea game, because with Chris Hughton in charge of the last 5 games we have just 2 points, although that’s 2 points better than his first 5 games in charge at the beginning of the season, before Joe Kinnear came in.
Mike Ashley is playing with fire, and the club is starting to get badly burned.
And let’s not even discuss possible transfer targets in the summer, because if there’s no vast improvement very soon, we can expect Coloccini, Gutierrez, Martins, Owen and others to leave in the summer, and we’ll be building a squad for the Championship come the end of May.
Comments welcome.
TEAMS:
Newcastle United: Steve Harper, Steven Taylor, Jose Enrique, Sebastien Bassong, Fabricio Coloccini, Nicky Butt (c), Kevin Nolan, Damien Duff, Ryan Taylor, Peter Lovenkrands, Oba Martins
Subs: Tim Krul, Habib Beye, Alan Smith, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Michael Owen, Geremi
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Abou Diaby, Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure (c), Samir Nasri, William Gallas, Robin Van Persie, Denilson, Gael Clichy, Andrey Arshavin, Nicklas Bendtner
Subs: Carlos Vela, Alexandre Song, Johan Djourou, Lukasz Fabianski, Emmanuel Eboue, Eduardo, Kieran Gibbs
294 comments so far
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:49 PM
Comment #41ryan i wouldnt be too confident
sirjasontoon
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:49 PM
Comment #42Barton..I love him but he has done nothing when he has played,I remember watching him play for CITEH when we played them away in a bar in barcelona and he was great..never found his old form for us.
sirjasontoon
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:50 PM
Comment #43People raving about Jonas as well..what has he done in the opposition half?
YAWN.
BASSKING-FUSE
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Comment #44Cmon give Oba a chance… Yes his penalty was the worst i’ve seen for a few seasons now. At least he still has faith and scored a pretty good goal from a half chance, created by himself. Also hes one of the only members in our squad who wants to be playing right now.
sirjasontoon
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Comment #45O’Leary is GASH.
RyanToon
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Comment #46sirjasontoon
jonas or duff
NO BRAINER MATE
RyanToon
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:53 PM
Comment #47so is hughton
Toon Graeme
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Comment #48Where did David O’Leary come from?
SJT – wish I could say somit mate but Im fresh out of anything positive.
That penalty shot from my view was terrible.
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Comment #49🙁
geordie jock
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Comment #50Come on you pro Ashley fans tell us how this wonderful man is going to save us from hell , if you have the guts to speak.
Toon Graeme
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:57 PM
Comment #51Im betting the injuries thing is gonna be todays excuse.
Welcome back beye.
BASSKING-FUSE
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:57 PM
Comment #52well said GEORDIE JOCK
The Arse Needs To Go Away And Eat His Own Fat.
Also shut down his exporter of Diadora Donnay and all things crap. Basically the world would be a better place without you. Bring back the death sentence for these obese TWAT….
Cheer Me Up.
tommy boi
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:59 PM
Comment #53ashley is a great man, has great knowledge of the football game. And loves our club.
BOLLOCKS!
sirjasontoon
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:59 PM
Comment #54Stardust haha he is swallowing Ashley’s Sword.
Rodzilla
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:00 PM
Comment #55ALL for one AND one for ALL, Muskerhounds are always ready
Toon Graeme
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:00 PM
Comment #56Geordie Jock – dont think there is owt ashley can do apart from get in a manager – no way Kinnear should be back so soon.
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Comment #57tg
the injury will also be an excuse for relegation aswell thankyou for your welcome i went to watch lesbian vampire killers(i would highly recomend it) and just as i came out icould see every 1 flocking to the stadium i wanted to go myself but i was with a mackem:(
tommy boi
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Comment #58Anyone wanna hear a joke????
Mike ashley
sirjasontoon
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Comment #59Toon in Championship fk me
These Chumps will struggle down there as well..No Pride-No Fight.
heavyhittas
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Comment #60And when I thought it couldnt get any worse the rumour is that imbecile O’ Leary may be coming to the club, he has a great track record destroying clubs. I still think we will miss relegation by the skin of our teeth though.
Toon Graeme
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:04 PM
Comment #61We need a manager in now. F**King hell Im peeed off tonight.
BASSKING-FUSE
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:04 PM
Comment #62So lets set up a sniper team next time in SJP.
Targets…
1. Mike Ashley- Fat Greedy B*st*rd
2. Denis Wise- Not Wise Enough
3. Owen- 110k I wouldnt pay a tenner.
Another option is to bomb the boardroom.
RyanToon
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Comment #63pogooooooooooooooooo if ya love the toon
RyanToon
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Comment #64just thought id be cheerful for a min
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Comment #65go on then ryan be cheeerful
Californication
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Comment #66Not sure what people were expecting from this game to be honest, this and our next match were always going to be right-offs.
Rodzilla
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Comment #67SHOES OFF IF YE LOVE THE TOON
Toon Graeme
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Comment #68Ryantoon –
Aye that was fun earlier tonight.
The crowd are giving 150% – it was awesome when for a brief moment the whole stadium was singing in time “Hello Hello we are the Geordie boys”.
What else can we do? Frustratingly annoying is a way to describe it.
ObaMartins
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Comment #69i cannot wait till the away game at Blackpool next season, should be a Good day out, may even take the kids with me..
Toon Graeme
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #70Californiacation – the probelm is we were the better team in the first half and then age kicks in and you can see it in the second half.
ObaMartins
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #71I new tune should be…..Going Down With The Boro…..
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Comment #72toon toon black n white army
UTD111
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Comment #73Where are you Stardust?
I wanted to ask what you and your hero Cashley make of 1 win in the last 14 games?
Does the T-shirt expert still think Jokin Here is gona take us into the top 6?
Are you tosspots still blaming Sir Kevin for having the courage to walk away when told he had to do what a little scumbag like Wise told him to?
ObaMartins
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Comment #74Lets face it, O’leary cannot be any worse than Joke Kinnear and the Chuckle Brothers….
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Comment #75hard to believe the north e ast use to be the hotbed of football
UTD111
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Comment #76Where’s Stardust – I’m sure he has all the answers
Idiot
RyanToon
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Comment #77signed on a free from germany. peter lovenkrands! 😉
dcbashore
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Comment #78I live in the US, so I’m not threatening Ashley or anything, but if he was worried about his family’s safety after the Keegan incident, he’d best not come to any more games this season unless we somehow become mathematically safe before the end of the season. To quote the Kaizer Chiefs, I predict a riot.
beyethegreat
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Comment #79hark now hear the geordies sing as sunderland ran away and we will fight forever more because o f new years day
Californication
Mar 21, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Comment #80UTD111- Courage to walk away? If he loved the club to the extent that that he professed to, he would have put the best interests of the club and its supporters in the forefront.