Ryan Taylor has been little short of a revelation this season for Newcastle.
A good action shot of Ryan Taylor
The Liverpudlian has so far played in both full-back positions, out on the right wing and last Sunday he filled in for Yohan Cabaye in central midfield, when the French International had to leave the field with an injured ankle.
Yohan will not make the game this afternoon at Fulham, and we have a sneaking suspicion that Alan may start the same side that played the last 65 minutes of the game last week against QPR, with Ben Arfa starting on the right wing.
There has been a lot of talk about Europe in the last week or so, following Newcatsle’s three wins in a row against Manchester United, Blackburn in the FA Cup, and QPR last Sunday.
But Ryan Taylor is not getting carried away and he’ll be happy to reach 40 points, which has been the points needed to stay in the Premier League for all but one season.
That’s when West Ham got 42 points under manager Glen Roeder in 2003, and were still relegated, being 2 points behind Sam Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers in 4th bottom place.
Ryan says he’s looking for survival first and foremost:
“We are looking for survival first. Who knows what else we can achieve? In the FA Cup we are in a great position, and hopefully we can get European football for next season.”
“We are not a bunch of lads who are going to start saying, ‘we are going to get into Europe’ but who knows, a cup final could be in the offing.”
“It is not a case of looking down the table but it is nice to get to that 40-point mark which will leave you safe.”
“When you get to that mark you can concentrate on looking up the table and kick on from there.”
For the record Ryan has played 22 times this season with 3 great goals, and he has 76 total appearances for Newcastle with 9 great goals, since signing on a four and half year contract back in January of 2009.
It’s not all that clear as to who qualifies for the Europa Cup these days.
The top four go into the European Champions League and fifth place gets an automatic Europa League spot.
But then it gets a bit murky and it depends on who wins the Carling Cup and FA Cup as to whether 6th and 7th place in the league get a Europa Cup position.
If the Cup winners have already qualified for Europe then lower placed teams then gain entry into the Europa Cup.
We suppose finishing in 5th place will take away any doubts at all, and if the lads can finish in that high position we’ll be in the Europa Cup next season.
But there’s also the FA Cup, and if Newcastle can win that for the first time since we thrashed Manchester City 3-1 back in 1955, we’ll also automatically qualify for the Europa Cup.
If Newcastle do qualify for Europe next season, then look for even more players coming in during the summer, because we’ll need a bigger squad for all the extra games the team will be playing.
Howay The Lads!!
65 comments so far
pardew no 1
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Comment #1think we need to win today it is important
pardew no 1
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Comment #2pardew interview on soccer am classic
Rosted Pork
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Comment #3gona b a tough game. il b happy with a point m afraid of Dempsey . 🙁 is he injured?
roshan MAGPIE
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Comment #4FGB i play DOTA not world of WARCRAft
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Comment #5Hi folks .. can some let me know wt happens to the runners of the FA cup .. if the top 4 teams win the cups .. then the 5th team qualifies for europa.. ok .. now does the next spot go the Runner of FA cup or the 6th plasce team in the prem .. i understand one Spot is also reserved for fairplay team .. so how does it work out ???
zaktoon_swede
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Comment #6a win today would do my hangover a world of good, i really cant see us getting the though…fulham have some classy players, hope they prove me wrong.
Solaidback
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Comment #7Lets just take it one game at a time & not get deluded because we’ve sign some great players… we’ve still got 18 games to play & if after that we’re in a position to play in Europe, then all well & good… 😉 if not, then there’s always next season or the one after that.. don’t expect the club to run before we learn to walk..
nufcfoxy
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Comment #8hello dudes. Predictions for todays game?
2_goal_tino
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Comment #9I’m not thinking about Europe – but is it really worth it? I genuinely don’t think getting in the europa league means you can get better players. If we get in we’ll inevitably focus on the league and the club will complain about too many matches with a small squad. I’d love a few europrean away days, but don’t know if qualifying is worth much other than being able to say you’re in europe.
Rosted Pork
Jan 21, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Comment #10any 1 has fifa 12 save file with everytng unlocked?
Crawfordladd17
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Comment #11@Lachu I this is how it works. As u asked what happens if the runners up of the FA Cup isn’t in the top 7 and the champions r in the top 4 then the runners up get into Europa League, that’s how Stoke qualited losing 1-0 against Man City who finished 3rd. Then for example if it is like that 7th place doesn’t get into Europa league, and if Palace/Cardiff win the Carling Cup 6th don’t either but if City do then 6th get into Europe but if Liverpool win it and come 1st-7th there is no change but if they r 8th then only themselves 5th and FA Cup(not in the top 7) runners up and maybe if england get a fair play league which i dont understand really
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Comment #12Some to say Europa is a distraction is totally off the mark.. Europa is the next level for a club like ours .. we should again be a european elite , that increases our clubs prestige , finance and pulling powers on players and you are going to mix it with the likes of Valencia, Benfica, leverkusen,Napoli ,Juventus PSG, Eindhoven to name a few
Toonboy_84
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Comment #131-2 the TOON today. Shola and raylor to score. HWTL
roblee7
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Comment #14Does anyone know how it would be possible to write to Alan Pardew, i.e. an address? My wife Jane is a biro artist and is thinking of drawing an NUFC themed drawing to donate all proceeds to charity, anyone any ideas? She has an exhibition next year and thought Mr Pardew might like to see her work
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Comment #15thnx Crawfordladd17 .. i guess i understood that .. lol
NottsGeordie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #16So if Man City win the FA Cup and the Carling Cup, then we finish 7th would we get into Europe?
RobertNufc25
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #17Would be nice to qualify for europe,But I think we would struggle in the league next season.
Thursday,Sunday,Thursday,Sunday etc etc.
Squad aint big enough…
roblee7
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #18toonboy_84 – yes, iv got a feeling shola will score today. it would be typical him, just when everyones excited bout cisse n ba, he’ll remind us that he does offer something after all. i know he doesnt have best goals-games ratio, but he has scored important goals for us in the past, n a couple in the champions league when he was young under sir bobby if i remember rightly!
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Comment #19notts mancity cant win the FA cup until next year
NottsGeordie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Comment #20Oh yeah aha
Fine if Man U win the FA Cup…
ross armstrong
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Comment #2136 points already and 17 games to go , hmmm i say if we can get another 6 wins and a few draws that will take us to close to 60 pts which will defo see us in contention with a european place!!! i think it will be a big lift when demba and tiote come back so lets scrape a few more points till the boys come back!! if we have got 40 points by the time we play spurs on the 11th february then i will be delighted!! a sneaky draw or win today please – my prediction fulham 1 – 1 newcastle , best for us
RobertNufc25
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #22Im gonna go for a draw today. 0 – 0 boring match… 😉
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #23but i guess if both the mancheste clubs pick up the cups and we dont and finish n 7th we do qualify .. still have a doubt if palace or cardiff will get it or us ?? Crawfordladd17 wt say ??
Solaidback
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #24I think this is how the Europe places are decided:
PL 1st – CL
PL 2nd – CL
PL 3rd – CL
PL 4th – CL Qualifiers/Europa League
PL 5th – Europa League
PL 6 th – Europa League if any top 5 win FA or League Cup, also by winning FA or League Cup, also by FA Cup Runners up slot.
PL 7th – Same as 6th
check the toastie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Comment #25Shola should come on as impact sub after 60 mins, hes pretty good at that.
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #26Does Carling cup runner up also Count ???
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Comment #27Fulham is a very organised and tough to break down side and good link up between mid and forward .. only benny can surprise them and get us 3 point .Pards please start him ..dont leave on the bench and take the Papiss outta me ..lol
jimmymagpie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #28Sitting in my daughter’s house in Chiswick, and we’ll be off for lunch and then the game in a few minutes. I do wish Pardew would keep quiet about player’s injuries until he bloody well knows how bad they are. He talked garbage about Cabaye all week, because Cabaye was never going to play at Fulham, and is already rated doubtful for the next two games at Brighton and Blackburn. Guthrie is also carrying a knock, but should play today. He’s very injury prone that lad. Hope Pardew sticks to the formation and personnel that improved things last week after Cabaye went off. By the way, the southern press are reporting that we are about to put in an offer for a young Watford centre half, whose name escapes me for the moment.
Solaidback
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #29Carliing Cup runners up don’t qualify for Europe, even if its won by a top 5 team, onlythe winners!! 🙁
Lachu
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #30oh , cool, then we dont hav 2 worry abt palace or cardiff
Ponderous Pardew
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Comment #31Shouldn’t be awkward when Joey Barton walks into the QPR changing room today…… what a pillock.
A win today for us and we’ll be really worrying the teams around us!
jimmymagpie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #32The Watford defender’s name is Adrian Mariappa – 25 years old. £2m.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Comment #33@jimmy hope not really dont rate that lad
NottsGeordie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #34Yeah thats right. 3 teams get in the Europa League every year from the PL. 4 if we get the fair play league.
Last year Tottenham came 5th, Birmingham won the league cup and Stoke were runners up in the FA Cup.
So if if we come 7th, a top 6 team wins the League Cup and a top 6 team wins the FA Cup playing another top 6 team in the final, we will be in Europe! Lets hope this happens. European matches are so fun!
JackButler
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #35If the two clubs that reach the League cup final or the FA cup final have already qualified for Europe then an extra Europa league spot is added, also there is a fair play spot offered as well, but the team that gets this spot has to qualify like Fulham had to this season, which mean their first game is played at the end of july
JackButler
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Comment #36Anyway we’ll make Europe when we lift the FA Cup 🙂
jimmymagpie
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:37 AM
Comment #37Toonarmy – don’t know anything about him to be honest. In the southern edition of the Independent, so God knows’. Been told to log out, as we’re off to lunch and then Craven Cottage. Here’s hoping – HTL.
Dannyo
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Comment #38@JB
The best way to enter Europe would be to win the FA Cup, atlast some proper silveware in the cabinet 🙂
Would also be a great way to end a good season, a high point for AP, and a marking of us entering this new era.
Marty-Toon
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Comment #39Looking forward to Ben Arfa against Riise,he should have the beating of him.
Danny Murphy is a great player so our midfield will have to keep a good eye on him.
Hope Guthrie is fit,he has a great motor and passing ability and knows how to push the team forward.
Howay the lads
Marty-Toon
Jan 21, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Comment #40Most pundits saying were gonna lose today,time to prove em wrong.
Eurosport in Norway is showing the Senegal game at 11:30 this evening.
Recording it so I can see it as me n the mrs are out,looking forward to seeing the new toon partnership