Alan Shearer is considering which side to play against Liverpool on Sunday, to get some points for Newcastle, but with the form of most of our players right now, that could be difficult.
Alan Smith – played well on Monday night
It looks like Alan Smith will retain his place in midfield after a solid performance on Monday night, which Shearer enthused about this morning:
“I thought Alan was fantastic,” “He gave us everything he had and justified his place in the starting line-up.”
“I thought he worked very hard. We made five changes against Portsmouth, we just wanted to try to freshen things up – to try to change things around.”
“That was the only reason that we did it.” “Kevin Nolan wasn’t injured. We were just trying something different – his time might come again.”
Smith could well be in the starting line up in each of the last 4 games, since he is willing to give every game all he has, and that’s what the side needs right now.
We don’t need any players who are feeling sorry for themselves, or who have already made up their minds the side is going down. Middlesbrough and Hull City are both too bad for that to be true.
Alan Shearer is faced with the task of preparing the side to somehow get a win in each of our last four games of the season.
Every game is a new opportunity to turn things around, and while the games are starting to run out, it’s still not too late to survive, but we need a win quickly. Maybe Liverpool will not turn up on Sunday.
Comments welcome.
55 comments so far
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Comment #41im pretty convinced we will stay up to be honest, it will be a strugle against boro though.
we will need to cut out tuncay from the first minute, then after the game when we have won, tap him up to sign for us
Craigg
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Comment #42Spyro
I was so dejected the last few night but i keep looking at the fixtures and even though we are absolutely dreadful i just cannot see us not beating Boro and Fulham who i cannot get my head around being in the top 7.
I also just dont see us losing to Villa who despite a (Totally false) good positon have really rode their luck at times and I thought were totally outclassed at SJP earlier on this season.
stevep
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Comment #43@dragonera – agreed, I’m constantly told the fans are putting to much pressure on the team – good players etc etc – funnily enough they see about 5 mins on motd – we dont have good players, we have past it and never gonna make it players with the odd exception. It aint like we’re man u and can just drop an average player (i.e. fletcher) who actually looks good due to players around him – you need a team full of good players in order to field an average player. unfortunately we have a team of average players who drag the decent players down.
jeez I’m depressed again
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Comment #44i believe we could stay up on 35 points
Dragonera
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Comment #45Craigg
I, like many others, identified the key to defeating Villa all the way back in October.
Have the Full backs stay back. Simple
Villa have zero creativity in the middle and have no plan B once Milner and Young are nullified.
We certainly tactically outclassed them at SJP and i expect much of the same come the last game of the season. However, we will need to revert back to 4-4-2 for that match and have our wingers helping the full backs defend. Jonas and Duff need to start.
Fulham are exactly the type of side we are awful against. A hardworking side with a good counter attack. I hope the lads put in a real classy performance when they come to the SJP as they have a decent record at ours and i can see an upset on the cards if we aren’t at our best.
Boro are a good footballing side low on confidence. We need to exploit that by going at them from the off and making them panic. Much like United did to Arsenal yesterday. Also, Like someone said already, Tuncay will have to be marked out of the game that day. I think S.Taylor will handle Downing if he plays at RB.
All in all, i am reasonably confident going into these last few games. More confident than i was after the Pompy game anyway.
Craigg
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Comment #46“villa have zero creativity in the middle and have no plan B”
Sounds familiar, Although we with any luck will change that in a week or two.
Hopefully Barton and Guthrie can give us some creativity and Jonas and Carroll give us a plan B
Stuart79
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Comment #47I know there are a few on here who think we’ll stay up, but what happens then?
Our owner hasn’t got the money needed to get us away from the relegation zone.
Do you really want to go through this again?
If it means getting rid of Ashley then I want us to go down and rebuild with a owner who is willing to invest in the most important part of the club- the players.
Ashley is trying to put the roof on without the bloody walls even being built. Talk about cowboys!
He should be on rogue traders!
I believe we will look back in 5 years when Ashley and his cronies are gone and say that relegation was the best thing that ever happened to us!
Stuart79
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Comment #48ps
Only if it results in Ashley fckin off that is and I think it will.
Macas35
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Comment #49Dragonera – We have been awful all season with 4-4-2, Shearer tried to give us more firepower up front but still protect the back four by putting in 2 more defensive players in midfield. Losing Enrique was the biggest blow as we once again looked good on the left when he was playing. I myself questioned the tactics when i first saw who was in midfield, but when Gutierrez came on and Butt went off we fell apart and Gutierrez made little positive contribution. Also Guthrie’s passing was poor against Portsmouth, but the wasn’t the only one.
GEORDIE69
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Comment #50Dear Alan
I agree Alan Smith ran and ran all day he was great at that. What else was he great at exactly?
Regards BallsDeep
Toon_Factor
Apr 30, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Comment #51I thought he was awful
Tom_Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Comment #52He was our best player on the night.
Zangwill_Ho
May 1, 2009 at 5:23 AM
Comment #53Yes Smith’s performance had totally changed my mind. One word —– Good~
sohica17
May 1, 2009 at 6:58 AM
Comment #54Compared to Owen and Martins who wasted chances over and over again, Smith was much better indeed!
Tom_Toon
May 1, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Comment #55#