Another game and another inadequate performance from the Newcastle players, and today seems like déjà vu – all over again.
Alan Shearer – wonder if he really wants this job?
Yes we heard all the players last week say how it was a must win game, and that Shearer had instilled belief in the team and the club, and they knew what they had to do last night, and nothing but a win was acceptable – they knew all that.
And what did they do? Went out and gave another relegation like performance.
If we cannot win against Portsmouth at home – who can we win against? Surely not Liverpool away on Sunday afternoon – but it will something like that to convince many Newcastle fans that these players are not a lost cause.
We could possibly beat WBA at home, but they would need to send their Reserve side, just to make sure we could win that game.
Yes, the Newcastle players right now are hopeless, and they are proving that with almost every game they play – they seem to be a lost cause. Where’s all that pride?
And poor Alan Shearer has to look after these little babies, and we don’t envy his task one little bit, but we would have had the whip out before now to these overpaid stars – but that may not be allowed these days.
With Newcastle now on 31 points after 34 games, after having 22 points after 18 games, there seems no way the team can get anywhere near 40 points.
Remember that 43 points we ended up with last year, was the worst ever points total in the Premier league for Newcastle, but now we can only equal that if we win our last 4 games, and we will not do that.
Alan seems to have lost hope in his maths, as he professes he doesn’t know what points total will be enough to stay up. We have to hope that both Hull City and Middlesbrough are even more inept than we are, but that’s asking a lot.
But if those two sides would promise not to win any more points this season, we would still stay up.
Our game plan we had for last night didn’t work, although everything worked exactly according to plan – but for some unknown reason, Portsmouth goalkeeper David James never threw the ball into his own net – if he had done that, just once, we would have won the game – what a spoil sport David has become in his old age!
Alan talked to the Evening Chronicle today and was asked how many points he thought the lads needed to stay up:
“I don’t know, I really don’t know.” “I don’t know what is going to be enough to stay up.” “I would dearly love to think we could go there and get something.” “We will be trying to do that.”
The disappointing thing about this run-on is the inept way in which our players are approaching the task. They seem like men totally bereft of any direction or spirit, or of any hope – it just seems all too much for them.
When you are pampered from the time you are a small boy, because you are so good at football, you lose the chance of developing as men, and it looks like we have a lot of overpaid and immature players at the club – and far too many for our liking.
Alan went on:
“Everybody will write us off for Liverpool. And I understand that.” “But we’ll go there prepared and see what happens.”
“They are under pressure too, they are going for the title.” “I saw them at Hull, and they didn’t play particularly well but won the game.”
“You never know in football.”
It’s hard not to criticize the team too much (although we are doing a good job of it in this piece), because we still have a chance of staying up, so we shouldn’t be too critical.
We have to hope Middlesbrough and Hull produce the goods for us, and don’t win a single point from now until the end of the season – work it out – if that happens we stay up.
As Jim Carey once said in the movie when he was told by the girl, that even if he was the very last man on earth, it would still be a million to one chance – Jim uttered with some delight – so I still have a chance!
While it may not yet be that bad – it’s getting that way – and the players are hardly giving us anything to be hopeful about, are they?
We’re ready for the stories this week that we can get something out of the Liverpool game away, after failing to win against Portsmouth at home – but hey – pull the other leg – it’s got bells on – no way Jose – not with this bunch of players at any rate.
And if they do win at Liverpool, we’ll issue a public apology to the Newcastle players.
Comments welcome.
151 comments so far
Isaac Hunt
Apr 28, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Comment #81Will this madness ever end?
http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/18706/Newcastle_forced_to_pay_%C2%A352m_for_Gutierrez.aspx
jimiley
Apr 28, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Comment #82What is the difference between Shearer and Hughton? None. They both select old has beens and crocks. Youth never gets a chance. Selecting the same old crap players who got us in this mess. And Shearer is getting 100K a week to select a crap team. He is too close to his old muckers who he will not drop. Heading for the fizzy.
Rodzilla
Apr 28, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Comment #83AlexanderNUFC21 —78
…no probs, I agree with what you’re saying mate. And the Xisco conundrum really has baffled me beyond belief. I can’t work out why we paid so much money for him and he can’t get a game, when the current strikers we play can’t score for toffee.
Isaac Hunt
…yeah, only at NUFC mate. Mind you, I know he has his knockers (as does bennytoon) but I’d still say he’s worth 5M.
IrishMan
Apr 28, 2009 at 10:55 PM
Comment #84Isaac Hunt,
Good God – 2.6 M for his agent. What kind of world are we living in?
Isaac Hunt
Apr 28, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Comment #85My posts aint getting thru. Has Ed banned me?
Isaac Hunt
Apr 28, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Comment #86Oh dear. Ed is banning the use of certain words. He must be anti-semantic,
http://www.totallyjewish.com/football/pro_soccer/c-11697/les-reed-named-head-coach-at-maccabiah/
🙂
Isaac Hunt
Apr 28, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Comment #87Ed. Why are you banning the use of a certain word? Are you anti-semantic? 🙂
Isaac Hunt
Apr 28, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Comment #88Not much of a story, but let’s try this one to see if Ed allows it:
http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/29/stories/2009042956871800.htm
AlexanderNUFC21
Apr 28, 2009 at 11:51 PM
Comment #89Rodzilla
Do u have an aim mate? I need to have a convo with sensible ppl (Not that there isnt any here on this blog) The fact that Owen is overpaid and does nothing but lose the ball and complain, while Martins and Viduka work there socks off trailing back, im sorry but butt has had his best time behind him. Im even think of letting the young guns play at least they are winning games.
Zangwill_Ho
Apr 29, 2009 at 4:54 AM
Comment #90Must lose…………..
Ashley Hole
Apr 29, 2009 at 5:23 AM
Comment #91Liverpool-Newcastle 5-0
Newcastle-Middlesbrough 3-1
Newcastle-Fullham 2-1
Aston Villa-Newcastle 1-2
NicoGF
Apr 29, 2009 at 6:21 AM
Comment #92Let’s get real… 3 wins in a row Ashley?
that’s why we need to get something out of the ‘Pool game. We need Nacho for that. Otherwise it is a sure loss.
Let’s stop seing things as we want them to be.. let’s see them as they are.. we won just 1 game of the last 19.. now we will win 3 of our last 4..? OKEYDOKEY
Meli
Apr 29, 2009 at 6:45 AM
Comment #93Want to see nacho in the starting eleven against ‘pool as well!!
lesh
Apr 29, 2009 at 8:27 AM
Comment #94Re Turkishmagpie @44 and
“So basically 2 home wins and we’re safe
1 home win and 3draws and we’re safe!”.
Phew, is that all? I feel so much better now!!
sirjasontoon
Apr 29, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Comment #95Ed Keep the Blog going for 1 more season as we may get a few wins in the championship that are worth getting out of bed for..come on you know it makes sense Mr Harrison : )
lesh
Apr 29, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Comment #96Re Moondust @ 70….
C’mon man, come out of your denial….. the ‘mob’ as you’d have it, did not appoint Wise who in turn and as the who in practice was the one in charge of player recruitment and sales!
He sold some real quality and replaced e’m with mediocraty.
He clearly didn’t listen to advice on strengthening certain areas of the squad hence we’re left with a bunch of players who are unable match the needs of the squad and seemingly, unable to play as a team!
Sawdust, open your eyes man. Read this Torygraph article and you may agree that it manifests the mess that MO and Wise have left this club in!
Expensive misfits? Probably, and sorry for repeating the record, but MO must ask himself who has had responsibilty for player recruitment and sales. A monumental disaster which will cost the club dear.
A crying shame, an expensive one at that.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/newcastle/5226516/Outlook-bleak-at-troubled-Newcastle.html
Thanks guys, you’ve really made an impression in the area!
lesh
Apr 29, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Comment #97Sorry guys, for MO read MA!
Toon Graeme
Apr 29, 2009 at 9:20 AM
Comment #98Sir Jason Toon –
I accepted your friend request on me facebook by mobile but got an error message. I will check when I get home (dam work internet security blockage) to make sure it accepted – if not I’ll drop you a mail.
ian
Apr 29, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Comment #99Stardust what complete and utter rubbish.
It is the board and the owner who have got us in to this position. They knew they were not going to spend so they should have come clean and then different players would have been bought.
I realised that they were nothing but liars early on, I said we should have sold Owen and bought Cisse, hell it looks like we could have had him on loan!! Look at the balls Cisse puts back in to the box for other players, Sunderland cant knock them in, but Martins and Carroll could, Cisse has more goals than Rooney and their fans want him to leave!!!!
When you dont have quality right through the team then you need forwards who can run half of the pitch and score to make up some of the weakness elsewhere.
We should have on that budget kept Milner and Zog and only spent money on a good solid central midfielder to play alongside Lua Lua (if four in midfiled)
It is Ashley and the board’s fault that rubbish was always spoken about what they were doing, Wise bought some appalling players, Jonas has a career history of only scoring once ever, otherwise he would have been a half reasonable player, we bought a donkey.
We sold good players brought in poor ones, Lovenkrands is the exception, we kept a player, Owen, who needs supply knowing we werent going to buy it, terrible.
The fans have nothing to do with this, the only troublemakers are mysterious people invading everywhere with strange board pro comments which dont fit in with what is said on the terrace.
We are in the championship next year, I hope we get a Newcastle Fan owner as I would rather be in the championship with real fans as being in the premiership with a complete pillock of an owner, the consolation from all of this is Ashley is going to lose a fortune, well I am not sorry because if he had listened to the fans who had thoughts over passion he may have noticed he was going wrong last Summer, pull all my comments back over the last two years and listening to them none of this is a surprise.
Toon Graeme
Apr 29, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Comment #100Ever wonder what and X thousand pound a week player does when he is not at training – Xbox.
Well Danny Guthrie anyway.
When I first saw the title about having being relegated on your CV – I was like hmmm thats a bit cheeky – but when you read the article its a bit misleading the title.
batty
Apr 29, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Comment #101AlexanderNUFC21 were you at the game on monday did you see how many times martins give the ball away m8
Stuart79
Apr 29, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Comment #102I’d like to pass a motion to stop Sawdust coming on here spouting sh1te!
He seems to be under the impression that supporters go out and play matches! Bizzare!
Barcalona have the most demanding fans in the world but it doesn’t seem to hinder their performances.
You need to be a special kind of player/person to play in front of demanding fans and unfortunately they cost money and we don’t spend any of that!
Sawdust I hope we go down and shake that big fat, tight, poor excuse of a owner out of the tree!
Oh and I hope he gets injured whn he lands.
Hopefull for him he’ll land on something soft like his heed!
Macas35
Apr 29, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Comment #103Stardust – complete and utter nonsense. Do you really think it’s down to the crowd why we have a poor home record this season? Er no, actually it’s because we have a small squad that’s very short on quality. The atmosphere was good on Monday night but the team still could not win, do you blame the crowd for that?? The fact is that since last season we have sold 2 of our better midfielders in Milner and N’Zogbia and replaced them with dross. I’m not saying that those 2 were world beaters, but they are a damn sight better and more creative than what we have left at the moment. Ashley suggested through Kinnear that we had £10million to spend in January, yet didnt spend a single penny of that and waited until we had money in for Given and N’Zogbia before trying to sign a quality player at the last minute which was obviously going to backfire. These people are clueless morons who don’t understand football. Their intentions might have been good but you can’t change from being an overspending club to one with balanced books overnight. You have to trim the squad slowly of the excess wage earners (most of which Ashley himself agreed to sign) or face troubles on the pitch, which is exactly what we are going through. We have failed to spend enough to keep us up and it is a short sighted philosophy as we suffer even greater financial problems by being relegated. This blind loyalty to Ashley is astounding. I think all of us realise he didnt intend to make this mess and wanted to get the club more financially stable, but he has gone about it completely the wrong way and almost every decision he has made has been the wrong one.
Toon Graeme
Apr 29, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Comment #104Ive got to agree that Stardust’s post is absolute crap.
Aye the fans are to blame my backside mate.
Use Monday as an example of how Stardusts logic is flawed – there was a shining example of 47K people getting behind the team – yet they still didnt win.
The team is the problem, the lack of creativity – the abundant sight of the lack of balls too! How many times did we let pompey run with miles of space and not one player went for the tackle or close them down – second half especially!!!
That team should have gone out and got into pompey – to a degree they did and then they backed off! Not the crowds fault at all – its theirs.
MO had a face like a slapped backside and scarpered down that tunnel faster than you could blink – Nicky Butt and Smith were my players of that match.
stevep
Apr 29, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Comment #105dear me – you couldnt make half this stuff up
Nacho – wtf! he’s been out with a stubbed toe all season, played absolutely jack all football and people seem to think he’s now the bee’s knees and gonna somehow save us.
Xisco – dropped by all managers we’ve had (KK, JK, CH and AS), these guys they see him every day in training so something aint right – lets just face facts – we’ve been sold yet another turkey
Shearer picking his favorites – errr we don’t actually have anyone else to pick, people crying out to put all the kids in just don’t get it – no manager in thier right mind would suddenly turn to the kids to get us out of this mess, he’d be crucified
We should have picked an experienced manager! … like who, how anyone thinks a decent experienced manager would come to toon is beyond a joke, we couldn’t get anyone at all when KK left – how do you think we ended up with JK
Anyway despite all that I’ll gladly stop watching the premiership if we’re relegated, next year will no doubt be the same four teams fighting it out with 2 or 3 teams fighting for europa and the rest fighting relegation, it’s almost pathetic – sooner they bring in spending caps the better in my book ( however when I’m making my way to Plymouth etc -insert almost any championship team I’m not so sure I’ll feel the same way 🙁
ian
Apr 29, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Comment #106The daft thing about this season is, even with our early striker problems and now with Martins playing injured and Owen note being able to hit a barn door or even be near the box when there is a possibility of scoring, no-one has tried Nile Ranger we could have a Drogba in the reserves and we wouldnt know it because we havent tried him, even for the first 15 minutes in three games to waste a sub, how anyone thin ks they can judge all players by the training field is beyond me, 30% training performance 70% performance on the field.
If Owen signs for Portsmouth next season I will be alittle more than agry or any of the relegation zone teams, either he is playing injured and wont tell anyone to get a contract, or he has a place for next season now and isnt trying.
Craigg
Apr 29, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Comment #107Stardust:
That is the biggest pile of shit ive read in ages
The fans gave it their all to inspire the players on monday and it still didnt work, If an atmosphere like that and passionate characters like Shearer and Dowie cannot get a reaction then 75% of the team shouldnt be anywhere near a football club.
Can you imagine how Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal would play with that backing they play in souless pits yet the players still do the business week in week out.
Sadly none of the squad other than Steven Taylor, Guthrie, Jonas, Butt, Smith, Duff, Carroll, Edgar, Barton, Bassong, Harper, Enrique and Beye deliver or look interested.
If it was up to me these players along with our reserves and youngsters would be the only ones considered for selection.
The rest of our players do not seem to care less what happens to this once proud football club that in the not so recent past have played in FA Cup finals and beat Barcelona and Juventus in the champions league.
The sickening thing is that players like wonderful loyal players like Given who never wanted to leave the club or area even had to say enough is enough and wiped his hands of the whole shower.
Players like Milner and Ramage who despite not being world beaters, Gave everything they had and were booted out of the door to accomodate the spineless mercenaries who are trying the very best to destroy our club.
Also please people dont turn on Shearer because it seems absolutely impossible to inspire these gold diggers the fire has to be within the belly from birth and it clearly is not, I doubt Alf Ramsey, Brian Clough, Joe Harvey, Jackie Milburn, Martin Luther King, Winston Churchill or Barrack Obama could do any better.
Craigg
Apr 29, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Comment #108Ian
With Portsmouths finances, I read somewhere they were losing £1m a month, I doubt they will be paying wages the players (Rob Dogs) like Owen will want.
They will be booting out he big earners like we have too regardless of the seasons outcome.
Campbell will probably move out on a free and theyll more than likely sell Crouch, Johnson and Kranjkar.
Stardust
Apr 29, 2009 at 12:25 PM
Comment #109All – One swallow doesnt make a summer – too little too late – the Mob and Fickle fans have undermined the very fabric of confidence needed.
You quote you “supported” v Portsmouth – agreed – for the first half anyway until the nerves kicked in.
Yet where has the support been the rest of the season – you twisted, whined and undermined at every turn, people couldnt do right for doing wrong – owners, players, stand in managers etc etc.
Some of you dont deserve the right to watch the team – let alone “support” it. As I have said before – “leeches” is far more apt.
Stuart79
Apr 29, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Comment #110Stardust // Apr 29, 2009 at 12:25 PM
The only monkey I want shaken from the tree is Fckin Mike Ashley!
If that means relegation well I think that’s a price worth paying!
Fans don’t score goals or let in goals!
Players with pace and technique replaced by slow and technically inept players leave the team 3rd bottom of the league!
Shake that tree!!!!!!
Stardust
Apr 29, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Comment #111“Stuart79 // Apr 29, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Fans don’t score goals or let in goals!”
No but they can and have ruined our season when they forgot to support, and hated one man instead of backing the team.
As I say they arent supporters and we need all those Morons, Monkeys, Mob Members and Leeches gone.
Stuart79
Apr 29, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Comment #112Stardust
I’ll put it another way so you can understand, lehmans terms you might say-
You sell premier league players and replace them with championship players you end up playing championship football.
That’s what happened and it’s all coming home to roost!
I hope Ashley loses everything he has ever had for being so fckin pig headed and ruining our club!
That includes losing OUR club!
Macas35
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Comment #113Stardust – I dont think anyone has twisted or whined on this blog more than you. And as for judging people on here for having a go at players, you total hypocrite. Or am I wrong in thinking you abused and slagged off Steven Taylor at every possible opportunity, even if it was Colocccini making the mistakes! The support was good against Portsmouth and if things were a bit tense later on in the game then what do you expect?? The crowd demonstrated against Ashley for a few games but for the majority of them the support has been quite decent considering the dire standard of football being served up. The reason we are in this mess is because we have a substandard squad lacking in flair and invention, a problem that should have rectified in January with the addition of another winger and a creative midfielder, but your beloved Ashley decided to gamble. It hasn’t paid off and it’s time you took your head out of the sand, as this mess has nothing to do with the fans.
Stuart79
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Comment #114Stardust
I would like to as you one question-
If we had a debt of approx 80m when Mike Ashley bought the club, why did he decide to pay all of the debt off?
Wouldn’t it have been better to say I’ll pay 50m off the debt and you can have 30m to spend on players?
I don’t think we would be on the verge of losing 50m a year then.
I think everybody would agree that would have been better.
Ashley has been lining this club up to be sold since he bought it.
It would be hilirious if it wasn’t NUFC he was fcking about with!
What do you think?
Craigg
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Comment #115Stardust
The fans did their part in the Man City, Villa, Man Utd, Arsenal or portsmouth matches.
Which matches have been easy to watch this season Stoke, West Brom, West Ham, Wigan, Bolton, Sunderland, Hull, Blackburn ??
Usual home bankers but this season is different because the players subdue the crowd by giving the ball away, not finishing off chances, Stupid defensive errors and by sitting on the edge of their own box inviting pressure, If the players sense the fans nerves it is their own doing.
We didnt beat portsmouth because they sat in front of the ball and we neither had the skill or the composure to break through, They saw the game out the way we should have aginst Wigan, Stoke and Man City which would have had us a couple of points away from the 40 point mark.
Why is that not the situation because the players are not good enough they cannot ease the fans anxiety by keeping the ball against poor opposition they boot the ball down field and invite it back.
The players we lack are the ones that Kevin Keegan desperately wanted Modric and Warnock and the one he didnt want to sell Milner, We have no creativity in the side and despite everyone moaning about Milners crossing he has managed to create and score a bundle for Villa, Modric would have given us the player we are screaming out for someone who can see a pass and who can retain the ball and Warnock would be playing at Anfield next weekend instead we will have Ryan Taylor or David Edgar or even Bassong shunted to left back.
Why have we not got these ?
Your guess is as good as mine with regards to Modric as he had allegedly agreed to join the club but suddenly backed out after spending some time in Ashleys company.
Warnock never came off because some clown the club employed offered a ridiculous £2m for a player who has improved drastically and been capped for England in the last couple of years, Instead of say £6m that Blackburn more than likely would have taken, But that £6m funded the Xisco deal and thats worked out a treat so thats OK.
As for Milner, Ashley the man with a dream to have the best young team in world football solda potential top winger to get a quick buck and then to top it off sold our other talented young winger and replaced him with shite as well.
Ask any fan what the would have wanted last summer and they would have said a creative midfielder and another left back.
Dont blame the fans its down to Ashley and the average players he has brought to the club.
Stuart79
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:27 PM
Comment #116craigg
Here here!
Micky Toon
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Comment #117Craigg – post 115. Can’t argue with that. I was someone who was willing to give Ashley a chance and I didn’t buy into all the bull that was floating around for the best part of last year. I still don’t believe Ashley is only in it for a profit, every man and his dog knows you don’t get into football to make a profit, unless you are buying ManU.
I still don’t think that this mess lies only at Ashley’s door either.
However, I don’t subscribe to the thought that the fans have brought it on themselves. I didn’t agree with the Cockney Mafia and the Boycoutt beadsheet brigade, but to say that the fans inside the ground are to blame for us being where we are is rediculous and sends out signals that the person saying this is just trolling to try and get a bite. 51Times was half way to being a decent troll, bennloon/beamish/ao is rubbish, but Stardust and his alter ego Troy seems to be the most consistent at trying to get a wind up while pretending to be a fan. Funny how Troy is only there to rebuff stardust when stardust is around. They apparently know each other. Two wind up merchants trying to get a bite. It’s that or Stardust is mentally challanged. Even the most fencesitting fan can see that the team is useless, the management structure is useless and the owner hasn’t got a clue.
I still think Ashley had all the best intentions when he started out, but he fell at the first hurdle as he didn’t know what it takes to run any football club, never mind one like NUFC.
I’ve resigned myself to going down. The Championship is not where I want us to be, but it’s a damn more exciting that the PL. Atleast everyone has a chance there and it’s not the same faces at the top year after year. I’m as jaded with the PL as I am with NUFC. I won’t miss the PL for what it is, but I will miss being in the top flight of english football.
Stuart79
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Comment #118Micky Toon // Apr 29, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Agree with the bit about stardust being mentally challanged lol
I will certainly miss the quality players that come to SJP every other week.
But like I’ve said before if relegation in any way will get rid of Ashley that is a price I’m willing to pay for long term success
Macas35
Apr 29, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Comment #119Micky Toon – I wondered that about Stardust/Stavers myself, neither post for ages then suddenly both are on the same article. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was the same person. In some ways agree about going down too, we havent had good football to watch for years, hopefully if we get a chance to rebuild that will change, although obviously I wish it was in the Premiership.
Troy Stavers
Apr 29, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Comment #120To the tune of Toni Basil’s song!
Hey Mickey What a pity you dont understand,
Its guys like you Mickey, you Mickey, youre paranoid Mickey!!