Of the three teams vying for that 4th position in the Premier League this season, Newcastle are the team in form, with five wins on the trot.
Yohan Cabaye – staying focused
Chelsea are coming into some decent form lately, since Swiss-born Roberto Di Matteo took over from Andre Villas-Boas, but they have at least 7 games to play in the next 27 days.
The run-in for Newcastle is not easy, with games against Stoke(h), Wigan (a), Chelsea (a), Manchester City (h) and Everton (a) but this weekend Tottenham and Chelsea face tough games at QPR and Arsenal respectively.
Yohan Cabaye qualified with Lille last season for the Champions League, when Lille were French Champions, before opting to leave to join Newcastle in the summer.
The deal was made long before the end of the season, and it’s good that the French International is today keeping his feet firmly on the ground:
“We have to stay focused only on us, on our games and our results. We just need to keep playing. Just leave Chelsea and Tottenham – they aren’t our problem.”
“We all have goals and objectives. Yes we have targets. We are in a good position but we have to stay focused on us.” “We’re winning games and that’s all we can do.”
“We can score with Papiss, with Demba, with Hatem or Shola as well.” “It’s really important to have so many options. With Cisse and Hatem in the team we’re in really good form.”
“Our next game against Stoke is going to be difficult but we are at home.” “If we win against Stoke we will see what is happening in the table.” “We want to keep looking forward.”
“We don’t want to stop the progression we are making.”
Stoke City are always a tough side to play, and it will hardly be easy on Saturday, but if we can play somewhere near our best form, we have a chance of winning that game.
Then we’ll have to see how Chelsea and Tottenham fare, but whatever happens on Saturday, Newcastle’s aim will be to win the next game at Wigan Athletic – and then the game after that, which is Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Howay The Lads!!
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27 comments so far
ArtyH
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #13-0 for us against Stoke.
jayphoto
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Comment #2really surprised no1’s that hot on the idea of signing Alderweireld. Personally think he’s the best centre half in the dutch league, reminds me a lot of liverpools Dan Agger! Makes a lot less errors than Vertonghan (who i think is a better full back) and is a lot cooler headed than Douglas who will notch up red cards and takes physical risks with his style of play!
pardew no 1
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Comment #33-1 to us demba ba gets 2 for redemption and cisse for 1 coz he is scoring happy
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Comment #4Ha! Well done Ed! Been saying that for weeks!
We should,nt be fussed about what the rest are doing aroud us and just win every game we play!
This Cabaye lad really knows what he,s on about!!!!!
LGFUAD21
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Comment #5We can do it. Take each game as it comes. Tiote is back, hopefully, to boss these games.
Ba has been crucial this season. It’d be a shame to lose him but I think everyone agrees its a team not a set of individuals.
Just a shame to know we would have to pay about £10m for a striker as good as he is.
He’s scored 1 goals since ACON and is still 4th top scorer in the prem. Thats impressive.
Ashley Young is a disgrace. I think they should come down hard on divers (3 match bans). Totally not on when they gain game changers from it.
At least we are almost secure in Europe. We have done really well this season. Its now a question of can we really get that bonus of a top 4 finish.
Even if we finish 5th, the fact we would have wrestled either Tottenham or Chelsea out of that place is a massive triumph.
Hope we can see the egg on Carroll, Enrique, Lawrence, Hansons face at the end of the season. And all the other, largely Liverpool supporting, pundits that have consistently refused to give us our dues this season.
LGFUAD21
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Comment #6HAH. Just read a rumour that the Scum are after Karl Henry.
Would love that to happen. What a sh!te team
stk85
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Comment #7i think wigan could be our toughest game, they’re on fire at the minute.
hey Ed, I been thinking about you alot recently as I’ve had my own medical issues to deal with plus my grandparents, and i visit this site daily and i just wanted to wish you all the best and says thanks for your contribution to the nufc blogosphere.
i sincerely wish you the very best
LewSpi
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Comment #8Jayphoto, I agree mate.
For me, at the end of this summer I’d like to see (this is the first and only time I’ve done this)..
—————————–Krul
Santon—Alderweireld—-Colo——Pieters
—————————-Tiote
—————Cabaye————Martin
——Ben Arfa————————-Ba/Johnson/Belhanda
—————————-Cisse
Or more defensively…
—————————–Krul
Santon—Alderweireld—-Colo—–Pieters
——————Tiote———Douglas
————————–Cabaye
——Ben Arfa————————-Ba/Johnson/Belhanda
—————————-Cisse
That would be ideal for me next season, it would mean buying 5 or 6 first class players.
Toby Alderweireld
Erik Pieters
Douglas
Marvin Martin
Adam Johnson or Younes Belhanda
jayphoto
Apr 16, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Comment #9Wigan away and everton away look the trickiest! Hoping Man utd wrap up the title before we play man city and chelsea have a lot else on theyre plate and a potential confidence killer away to barcelona!
pardew no 1
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Comment #10lewspi only one of your players is english why not play steven taylor
LewSpi
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Comment #11He would be my first choice, but no doubt he’d be injured.
bob
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Comment #12No time for bottlers they have their destiny in their own hands!
mallyonthetoon
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Comment #13Report from bbc sport
The FA has confirmed that a Chelsea v Liverpool FA Cup final now
opens up a place in the Europa League for the team finishing sixth in
the Premier League. With Liverpool already guaranteed a place in
the Europa League courtesy of their League Cup success, it means
sixth place will offer a route into Europe regardless of who wins the
FA Cup final
LewSpi
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Comment #14I would also like to see Jordan Rhodes here, have I missed something regarding him? He was a daily feature on the blog at one stage.
~Perchinho the Pheonix~
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Comment #15What happened to that Ryad Boudabouz fella?
achtoon
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Comment #16just looking at the fixtures and this weekend is massive for us. can’t remember when i was this exited. Manure vs everton and us playing stoke could effectivly seal our european slot. Chelsea at arsenal and tottenham at QPR could put us 4th with 3 points gap to 5th.
ToonAndy
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Comment #17On the Toby Alderweireld vs Jan Vertoghan discussion… Am I being too greedy by saying sign both?? Maybe we could get them for a good price for the two… We are in need of two new centre backs with European football looming!…
If we could only choose one I couldn’t decide… Both young, good defenders… Both a goal threat! (and not just to our own goal) … Check out the YouTube video of Toby Alderweireld goals… The lads scored some screamers!!
rich_toonfan
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Comment #18Regarding Ashley Young
He went down easy in both of the previous 2 games but there was some contact no matter how minimal therefore not diving but over exaggerating the contact.
Platers should not give opposition the chance to over exaggerate.
Tiote and Perch went down easy but in both cases they wouldn’t have if there was no contact from opposition players.
If you are stupid enough to swing an arm, throw your head in or leave a leg out and a player goes down you deserve what you get.
rich_toonfan
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Comment #19And I think if we could pick up either of them centre backs along with some decent free transfers like moses or diame (very good squad players who could challenge for a starting position) then add maybe a layer like marvin martin or benjamin corgnet we would be a great threat to the top 4 next year.
Yohan4
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Comment #20Rich – I would agree with that but in Youngs instance he apeared not only to go down easy but to also be the one that was responsable for the contact and the way his leg was, was such an unnatural movement he kicked the defender to get a pen and over played it. not the same as CT and JP
Yohan4
Apr 16, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Comment #21defenders leg was bearly extended from what I remember, poor bugar could do nothing about it and certainly not at fault
Macca_Geordie9
Apr 16, 2012 at 1:22 PM
Comment #22When did Tiote go down easily?
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Apr 16, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Comment #23Macca_Geordie9: Against the Scum!
geordiejamie89
Apr 16, 2012 at 4:00 PM
Comment #24Come on Arsenal and QPR. Do the job on Chelsea and Spurs, then hopefully we can do our best against against Stoke and have a points advantage.
Ketsbaia9
Apr 16, 2012 at 6:55 PM
Comment #25Glad we’re looking at the right type of players. Just imagine this team:
Krul
Santon Coloccini Vertonghen Cissokho
Ben Arfa Tiote Martin Hazard
Cisse Giroud/Ba
We obviously need to sign Hoilett, Diame and Rodriguez as squad players.
Ketsbaia9
Apr 16, 2012 at 7:03 PM
Comment #26Vertonghen and Alderweild would make good strikers. Both have great technical ability. Look similar typed players. Make Mike Williamson look ridiculous.
Macca_Geordie9
Apr 16, 2012 at 8:57 PM
Comment #27What you mean when Sessegnon elbowed him? I must be the only person that thinks Tiote was hit with some force them. It looked really forceful in the replays….