Newcastle’s next two games are at the two Manchester clubs, who happen to be the two clubs above them in the Premier League.
Alan Pardew – has done gerat so far at Newcastle
Both games are away so it’s hard to think of any more difficult games there will be for the lads this season.
But Newcastle will finish in the top ten or even higher, not if they can beat the top four or five teams in the league, but if it can beat the other 14 or 15 teams.
Newcastle have proved with their wins at both Sunderland and Wolves, who are two teams in the category of teams Newcastle should be beating, that they have improved this season.
And their home form has also been good so far, and they have wins against Fulham, Blackburn, Wigan and Everton at St. James’ Park.
So one way to look at Newcastle’s start to the season, is to say they are beating the lesser teams in the league, and the only time they have not won in the league at home this season is to top side Tottenham.
So that has to be very pleasing for Newcastle boss Alan Pardew, and even if the lads don’t get any joy out of their next three games at the Manchester clubs and Chelsea, all will not be lost – not at all.
Starting in the next game at Norwich, and then at home against Swansea and WBA, Newcastle should be able to take points off those lower league teams.
To finish off this year Newcastle are away to Bolton and Liverpool, and those are again games in which Newcastle can take some points off the opposition.
With Newcastle currently 3rd in the league, and 6 points above 6th placed Liverpool, the goal for the rest of this year has to be to pick up enough points to remain in the top six.
Then with say three or even more new players brought in during the January transfer window, Newcastle can bolster their squad for the remaining games of the season, and be better equipped to handle injuries and any loss of form to the starters at the club.
Oh yes, and there’s always the FA Cup.
The lads must have every chance to not only finish in the top ten, which is the stated goal of the club, but potentially finish higher than that.
So we all know the next three games are difficult, but even three defeats will still leave Newcastle in a good position in the league, and it will then be important for the team to to push on from there.
The team is getting some great write-ups worldwide, and there was an excellent article in the NY Times yesterday, where the writer talks about Newcastle being a special club, and how proud the Newcastle fans are about their team, and always have been.
So my point in this article is that even in the worst case, and we lose all of the next three games, all is not lost this season by a long chalk, and our lads must push on whatever happens.
Of course Alan Pardew is not only looking forward to the next three games, but he just cannot wait to pit his side against three of the best teams in Europe.
Somehow I don’t think our boys will lose all those games, and they could surprise us big time, like they have for most of this season, and make no mistake about it, it’s not an overstatement to say the world is now watching.
We’re proud of the team – very proud.
Howay The Lads!!
15 comments so far
Toon_Tom
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:09 AM
Comment #1I would love it, love it if we beat them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elb11
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:11 AM
Comment #2If we got 1 point out of the three games it probably should be seen as a success.
ogbell
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:11 AM
Comment #3Spurs and Arsenal…..
Toon_Tom
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Comment #4Great read from the NY TIMES 🙂
I just hope that if we dont pick up any points this month from the “Big 3” that we dont lose our edge and our confidence for the rest of the season. We are not expected to beat these 3 to get where we want to be come the end of the season, if we get a few points, whether its a sneaky win, 3 hard earned draws or even more it will be excellent. If we lose all 3, i really hope that when we play the following 4 games (Norwich, Swans, WestB & Bolton) we still have our confidence, resilience, skill, speed and technique to get maximum points and remain in the top 4/5/6/7 by January!
Azrail Malaysia
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:24 AM
Comment #5Highest point to achieve of these 3 games : 5 points.. Draw at Ettihad, Draw at OT & a win vs Chelsea at SJP. Worst 0 point.. But 3 points or more is good enough for me of these games.. just being modest!!
BigKirky
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:25 AM
Comment #6Gutted when I’ve just woken up cos in my dream I was having a kickabout with Messi and I was talking up Newcastle to him. Ha.
ramajama
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:26 AM
Comment #7Superb read that article from the NY times.
Elb11 – i agree mate, a point should definitely be viewed as a success because as we all know, despite Man Utd and Chelsea not quite playing their best atm they can just ‘flick the switch’ and start playing very well.
How good is it when its happy days at the club 🙂
Brings a few lads in at January and stay top 6/7 and il be stoaked, any better and il be in lala land.
hwtl
ArtyH
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:29 AM
Comment #8The next three games is for me not about points, it is about how we play and how we react after the games.
In all honesty I dont think many NUFC fans thnink we will win any of the games except for Chelsea as we are at home. I would say a draw at Manure is a posibility as the dark side put up a good show last week, and if they can do it, we can do better.
The future looks good from where I look, and dare I say it I am starting to have some respect for the fat controller. Well done to all at the toon.
bambams
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:35 AM
Comment #9We have done so well this season, the next three games have us all wondering but i genuinely believe it will also have our opposition wondering. Cant remember the last time i was actually looking forward to playing the top teams in the league.
We can go to these battles with confidence, I cannot see us getting anything at city but the other two games……
I just hope at the end of the season we do not throw all the good work away, we can prevent this by buying the players we need in January, we are now starting to pick up injuries and this will be due to how many of our players have played nearly every game and muscles do become tired and thats how we get strains.
Brilliant so far, long may it hopefully continue
toonashwin
Nov 9, 2011 at 9:43 AM
Comment #10swans and norway are not easy target they win or they lose
they give a run for money to every team and could surprise nyone in league on their day
so pls dont underestimate them or overestimate nufc !!!
we should get as many point from nyteam whether they are
manshiter boys or chelsucki
we can beat them ,so saying “will be happy if they lose by less margin” is absolute crap, dont underestime our lads (nufc)
go for kill lads
!!!!!!!if they r good team with great players, then we are great team with good players !!!!!!!!!!
HWTL
Trent Toon
Nov 9, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Comment #11Sounds like a Kiwi Toon!! 🙂
Great article from him!
Gee i love love love this club!!
Decided I’m getting a tattoo!!
Karltooon
Nov 9, 2011 at 10:27 AM
Comment #12@10 – Just a couple of things.. When do we play Norway?
“pls dont underestimate them or overestimate nufc !!!”
manshiter boys or chelsucki (brilliant)
we can beat them ,so saying “will be happy if they lose by less margin” is absolute crap, dont underestime our lads (nufc)”
So if we dont overestimate or underestimate.. Can we still just estimate?
lesh
Nov 9, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #13How modest you are Ed…… c’mon, own up…. you’re our stateside publicist/ PR guru aren’t you?
First the Wall Street Journal and now the NYT…. quality press, not red-tops!.
But, you’ll no doubt be on the case to give the NYT a geography lesson…… or tell the burghers of Newcastle upon Tyne that we’re now in County Durham!
toonincheek
Nov 9, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Comment #14ArtyH @ 8 –
Agreed – it’s how we perform against the top teams, and how they play, that matters.
I think they will respect us for what we have achieved and ‘turn up’. Usually they only ‘turn up’ for European matches.
That makes those matches tough, but at least we’ll see how we compare.
Problem – if they ‘turn up’, and play the way they can, pundits will say “I told you so” and if they don’t ‘turn up’, pundits will just say just that, and still write us off.
So, let’s not worry about the pundits.
If we play well and do well in these matches, then the opposition ‘not turning up’ is down to us for not letting them ‘turn up’.
Sav
Nov 9, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Comment #15Must admit, its not the 3 new players the club COULD be bringing in in January that bothers me but the reality that our ‘Euro-Free’ players could be picked off by bigger clubs with Ashley taking the coin.
Somehow, it seems to me that if we can get a draw away to either one of the Mancs it proves that we could not only be among the best of the rest, but could even kick on, as long as Ashley doesn’t look at Tiote, Cabaye or Coloccini and see a big bag of cash,