Fulham got their first win since last October against a Newcastle side last night in London, and the Magpies at the moment seem able to do nothing right, and although we came back well in the second half last night, we could have been two or three goals down in those first 30 minutes, when we were overwhelmed by a side who had not won in their last seven games.
Alan Pardew – a big job on his hands at Newcastle
How we would have fared against a top team in good form last night – we dare not even imagine.
The five defeats we have had in the last seven a league games have come against middle of the table sides, who are unlikely to finish in the top six, so how we’ll do against a good side, like Manchester City on Saturday afternoon – we have no idea – but it’s a daunting task.
Let’s face the fact we are in trouble right now, and unless we can get a string of wins together soon, the future looks a bit dismal, as we have to face both Manchester United and Arsenal away before the end of the year.
And it’s unlikely to be a Merry Christmas for Newcastle as we travel to Manchester United on Boxing Day and then travel to Arsenal just three days later, and pure logic would say we’ll be lucky to get anything out of those two games – although you never know.
And there are good reasons why we are in this predicament, with the main reason being that we penny pinched too much in the summer, and brought in only one player in the transfer window, Vurnon Anita.
And yes we’ve had a lot of injuries and we have Ryan Taylor, Haris Vuckic, Dan Gosling, Yohan Cabaye, Steven Taylor and Gabby Obertan still out – but that’s why teams need a big squad when your are in Europe – because injuries become more likely with the extra games.
And the third reason is that some of our top players like Cheick Tiote and Papiss Cisse as just two examples, are playing nowhere near the form they showed last season.
Add those three reasons up and it spells big trouble for Newcastle this season.
There’s just no getting way from it – and we’ll not even mention that Demba Ba may leave the club in January via that release clause of his, and he’s scored 10 of the 16 league goals Newcastle have scored this season.
It doesn’t look good at the moment – and we’ll not sugar coat it – it’s the truth.
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52 comments so far
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #1Would i still be slaughtered if i said Shola is not Good enuf for NUFC.
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Comment #2The Cynic in me says, NUFC deliberately held up cabaye’s surgery so that they did not have to buy a new player
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Comment #3Indian.
I think it was more the frequency you complained about him that was an issue.
I don’t think he is good enough though….nobody would take heskey at the club and he has a much better redord playing the same role in a team.
I just like shola….he is a player that loves the club so obviously won’t move unless he absolutely was forced too…also it’s not his fault he gets new contracts and selected.
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Comment #4Transfer Sage,
I love the club, I am sure you Do, I am sure Millions of others do too.
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Comment #5The team is very dijointed….we have no fluidity but also lack a definite shape…especially defending.
We are just making it too easy for the opposition to play.
Changing formation in the middle of every game can’t help….it causes problems for man city and they have a much moretalented side that us.
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Comment #6Indian
I accept that…its not a defence for playing bad….it’s just why I like his as a player. You can almost see shola is annoyed at himself that he isn’t able to do better in games to help the team.
woolerbill
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Comment #7Shola his brother are just not premership players, never have and never will along with four of the squad. You can’t pay pennies and expect bound players.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Comment #8With my pessimistic leanings
We’re in a Relegation Battle -big style
Perm any 3 from the bottom seven:
Newcastle
Southampton
Aston Villa
Wigan
Sunderland
Reading
QPR
Played 5 out of the six below us
1 win
3 draws
1 loss
6 points out of 18 and totally outclassed by Southampton, scraped a point at Reading and home to Villa and got 3 against 10 man Wigan.
Doesn’t look good
Never mind look on the bright side: Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal and Everton to look forward to in the next few weeks
AND
could it possible be QPR get their first win of the season at SJP
ARGGGGHHHHH
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Comment #9I think we have an advatage over QPR, villa, reading, sunderland, southampton in that we have 2 good goalscorers…one of which is in form.
That’s what will keep us safe.
When we went down we may have had a decent team but we lacked a goal scorer.
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Comment #10TS
Just to come back on shola, I dont know how you will see it but i would rather have Jason Roberts than him.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Comment #11Transfer Sage
Agree 2 good goal scorers – but they need the ammunition
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Comment #12Who Thinks on 1st Feb we will hear the following.
“we did not want to pay over the odds”
sirtoongospel
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Comment #13Let’s be honest, Shola is the least of our worries!!! He hardly plays so is not impacting our performances.
The defence is not good enough as a unit. And the midfield aren’t either. Our strikers have scored 14 in what is a poor poor team.
Says it all, and our midfield has to take a huge part of the blame. Takes them forever to pass. The strikers have made runs and either have to stop, or are caught offside. We have no quick thinkers or vision. Shite.
JAMSHA
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #14BRING BACK KK
catchy in norway
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #15Transfer Sage
shola, is a parasite, a leech, that should have been moved on a long time ago
if he loved the club that much,, he would try running, moving would be a good start
just because someone does his best , does not mean his best is good enough,
that is pardew,
shola
obertan
perch
willamson
simpson,,
the manager is out of his depth
i never watched the man manc game, just seen what G Nevil was saying yesterday,, SAF targeted there right back, something like55% of all there attacks came down man u’s right side, normally its even across L C R,
our manager thinks lump it long, or give it to HBA,,
tactics ,, we all new on thursday when we seen marv playing in europe, he was not starting against fulham
if we can read pardew like a book, all the othe amangers can
ppl talk about stoke wiggan games and its improved,, how where, we played poor, won one and lost one, but wigan down to 10 men still thoght they could get something out of the game and attacked us
possesion was 50-50 over 90 mins we had an extra man for 80 of those
bills-son
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #16We effectively played Fulham with nine men last night.
Cisse especially and Guti (with the exception of the last 10 minutes) were totally ineffective as they have been for a few games now. This ‘nine man team’ cannot go on.
I heard John Anderson last night repeating the old chestnut that “players win games not formations”. Wrong. Players AND formations win games. Ba and Cisse do not work in a 442 or 443. End of. If Pardew continues playing them together we will get slaughtered against the like of ManU and City never mind being outplayed by Fulham. As for Guti, he hasn’t been doing it for weeks now. He looks two yards slower than last year and hin and Cisse gave Santon and Simpson no protection at all last night.
Pardew cannot keep hoping and praying that one day Ba and Cisse will gel. They’ve been given long enough, nearly a year. Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.
It’s insane continuing with Ba and Cisse. If Pardew does that against Man City my estimation of him will plummet.
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Comment #17Indian
I think they are much the same player
hold up the ball well, have a bit of skill, have a decent shot…..unfortunately thats only 10% of the time.. the other 90% is just bad touches and bad decisions.
kimbo
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Comment #18I have just completed my predictions for the games to the end of the season and going on current form the best we can hope for is between 11 and 15 points so do I need to say more.
JAMSHA
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:59 AM
Comment #19BIGGEST MISTAKE GIVENG PARDED THE 8YR CONTRACT…INSTED USE THAT MONEY AN SIGN UP BA AN REMOVE THE CLAUSE
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Comment #20catchy
Shola isn’t good enough as a prem striker….not for a top half side anyway…he is a reasonable squad player for a team near bottom of the league….same as jason roberts.
My point isn’t because he loves the club or gives his all he is good enough to stay. It’s that it’s not his fault he gets a contract and game time.
If you were offered a contract for NUFC I bet you would take it even if you knew you weren’t good enough just because you want to play for your club.
Marty-Toon
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Comment #21Shola would be better at CB than our weaping Willo
FrankfurtMag
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Comment #22The problem with our in-form goalscorer is the speculation surrounding his imminent departure.
Guess we will know where we stand after a nail biting January.
sula
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Comment #23KING KEV FOR LIFE. gone are the days of sexy football those days are long gone. This team could learn something from the past players played with heart and love for the club.
croftus5678
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Comment #24i thought we played well last night and cisse and ba played great together we was unlocky not to have atleast 2 more goals cleared off the line and hitting the woodwork and krull would have saved there first goal if willo had not deflected it in 🙁
think it was as pards said willo and collo lost us the game but all the good stuff collo has done for us i think we can cut him a little slack but we definatly need a better cb.
and erm thats prob the best i have ever seen simpson play in a toon shirt aswell ….he makes a half decent rb on his day
Rotonda heights
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Comment #25I find it incredible some people are so in denial. Supporting NUFC and being peed off about the manager’s tactics, dismal form and endless excuses aren’t mutually exclusive.
You can still support your team but recognise a very limited, stubborn and at times just plain loopy manager.
Fulham were bottom of the form guide and hadn’t scored 1 goal in 5 hours, but 33 year old Berbatov owned us.
Alarmingly there just seems to be a willingess by some to accept the status quo of mediocrity that now exists and just hope the situation will reverse itself of it’s own accord.
We have some great ball players. It’s so easy to correct what is wrong now.
1) Perch in for Willo. Hopefully M’Biwa / Douglas in Jan
2) Alternate Ba and Cisse as the central striker. This may be resolved sooner than we think if Ba goes and I believe Remy if he comes, can play left of a front 3 so maybe happy days again.
3) RB or LB desperately needed. I can not bear seeing Simmo crossing to no one and any attacks breaking down time and again. So either Santon RB and a new LB
or vice verca.
4) Guti needs a rest. Marveaux needs games and to create as well as putting it all on Benny.
If we are changing to 433 or 4231 that’s great, but play the right people that can do the job. Not an ace goal poacher as a right winger!
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #26Kimbo
Just checked my predictions I did at beginning of season.
Games to come 26 pts
Would leave us on 43 pts – safe ????? – can’t see us getting to 43pts at the moment
theystillletmevote
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Comment #27Personal opinion – and good on catchy for supporting from Norway – is that shola doesn’t deserve to be called a leech or a parasite.
He is an injury-prone squad player of limited ability but he isn’t the reason the toon lost last night.
We were already 2-1 down when he came on for Ben Arfa (thought myself that Marveaux would have made more sense but again just my opinion) He won a few headers…but also fell over the ball at one point…and gave away a needless free-kick or two…unusually not for off-side.
His languid style is deceptive – he’s even slower than he looks but I like the guy…remembering his debut when he got stuck into the toxic midget Dennis Wise and his efforts against the mackems and in our promotion season show that he can contribute against poorer teams.
It’s NOT down to one player and – like or loathe him – it isn’t all Shola’s fault either.
HWTL
ash1001
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #28This might hurt a bit, but in my opinion its true:-
We have just about blamed everyone at NUFC on this blog for the position the club is in, YES they are to blame for some of the mess,
Ashley – brought into Rangers because he is a business man first and foremost. that’s what we are a business acquisition.
Llambias – ? other than a yes man to Ashley,
Pardew – a fully fledged BLINKERED manager, who does not have the skill to mix it with the big boys, likes to hear himself talk, one good season, Will not rock Llambias and Ashley boat. Clueless on how to vary tactics i.e Wiiliamson up corners (216 since we last scored from one) uses players who are not performing (Jonas & Shola for example), bought players who are not good enough.
The Squad – Simple truth some are pretty good and PL standard but they are playing along others that are championship standard at best – we all know who they are apart from club management.
And now to us the FANS – we are paying good money to line the pockets of others, but its a drug and until we break the habit we will continue to go back for more, it really is time we wakened up.
By the way, just to let you all know I am a pensioner with over 50 years of attending St James – this current team would be sent into oblivion by Keegans team ala Shearer, Ferdinand, Speed, Lee, Beresford, Barton etc.
jckie15
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Comment #29Bills-son – i dont agree ba and cisse cant play together…we played 4-3-3 last seaso nwith ba and left and hammered most teams counter attacking.
Bit long winded but bare with me.
I think we have a few problems:
Firstly – challenging for places, lack of depth in squad means players like guti and tiote know they are safe and dont give 100%, tiote makes himself ineffective becaus ehe wins the ball but his distribution is awful so gives it straight back to the oppostion
Secondly – Demba Ba, i agree he has kept us in the hunt with his 10 goals, however i think at times he is costing us fluent play and goalscoring opportunities, its clear to everyone that when cisse is in a goalscoring opportunity ba doesnt want to pass to him. He would rather take on the 25 yard grass cutter shot than play a through ball for cisse. We were effective last season with ba on left and cisse up top and HBA on the right, Cisse knows how to play that lone striker role on the shoulder of last man….ba doesnt, ba come deep to pick the ball up. Problem is pardew doesnt want to make BA unhappy by playing him wide left.
Thirdly – Pardew, pardew in tinkering the team too much. I know injuries force his hand but for example if tiote is injured instead of just sticking perch or bigi in he would rather move guti in and stick marv out left etc. he moves players out of position to accomodate one player. Its wrong. Not to mention when we have just won a game 3-0 first win in 5, why do you change the team to accomodate a half fit player, especially when the player you drop was outstanding in that game. i know HBA scored but whats not to say we wouldnt have created more with exactly the same team that beat wigan with HBA coming off the bench.
Next – midfield, from one of the best midfields last season to one of the worst this season. Gutierrez is horrific, not attack minded at all, either gives the ball away, waits for santon or falls to floor for a foul. Tiem to drop him, carried hi mtoo long. Tiote, as above, renders himself ineffective. HBA only creative spark. Anita, excellent i nthe forward position linking midfield to attack, but very average at defensive midfield. Marveaux needs games played excellent v wigan, played average v bordeaux due to the crap he had around him. Should have played last night from start. i’d sooner drop gutierrex play marv and beeny on the wings, both can cross both can take on the full back both can pick great passes, all of which guti cant do- and for any doubters of that, remember when we first signed him and got a 1-1 draw at man u, he ran the show, now look at him. he’s stale at best.
Sorry to ramble on but thats my beliefs, al lthis has seen us melt down, i am a die hard geordie but can honestly see us battling to stave off relegation for the rest of the season if they dont come out on 2nd of january against everton at home with a new winning mentality. get back to passing the ball instead of hoofing it forward and give it a good go.
responses welcome, no aggro, just opinions.
Cheers HWTL
wynsleap
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #30Newcastle were beaten last night because they only had eight effective(?) players performing.
Williamson is so bad it’s a joke, Gutierrez has lost any threat he had going forward and seems to be half the player he once was and Tiote (however much he is idolised by fans on here) is, in my eyes, a liability. The foul he gave away leading to the second goal was stupid and unnecessary and his dallying on the ball in dangerous positions gives me palpitations.
One positive seems to be the growing performances of Anita. At least last night he showed plenty of endeavour and some encouraging signs of creativity which, apart from Benny, we severely lack.
Shola’s cameo proves he should be put out to grass permanently. I quite like the idea of buying two central defenders which someone suggested as I would like to see Colo in a more central role in midfield. His header and brilliant shot both deserved more reward and he is quite dangerous when moving forward. Perhaps he could take Tiote’s place?
The time has come for Pardew to get a grip of this team and for Ashley to back his manager big time in the transfer window. If neither are capable of doing those things one or both should remove themselves and let others come in to do the job.
oldbobaycliffe
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Comment #31if pardew had at the beginning of the season decided to play a system whether it was 4.5.1 or 4.3.3 as have liverpool under rodgers by now we should be seeing an improvement it is obvious that cisse and ba cant play together so stop trying stop the big hoof play passing football.however pardew is stuck with 4.4.2.anita has now shown why he was bought as he is playing in his preferred position so stop playing cisse or ba out wide
miggy
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Comment #32what we miss this season that we didnt last season is solid defensive performances so the rest of the team can take the game forward on the pitch with confidence.we should of strenghthened these positions in the summer but MA obviously thought otherwise so here we are in lumber never the less we have more games and injuries this season so its down to the board for this mess and its down to them to get us out of it thats all folks
Pushy Pardew
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Comment #33Pushy- If Hangeland and Berbatov had been on our side we would have won comfortably. If only Berbatov it would have been a draw.
Pushy Pardew
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Comment #34Sorry muggy
Pushy Pardew
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Comment #35I mean Miggy – Lol
miggy
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:58 PM
Comment #36pushy pardew i agree w ur comment its just wot i was saying anyway if we strenghthened the defence last summer then we wouldnt lose as many games keeping clean sheets breeds confidence for the team thru out the whole team i dont like to blame the players or pardew altho sum of hes substitutions leave alot to be desired at times but he can only work with what hes got so blame ashley for not strenghening lets hope he realises penny pinching is not the answer and he buys well in the jan transfer market cmon big mike splash out a little
nufcusa
Dec 11, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Comment #37There are a lot of people on here who are the reason blogs get bad press. I’m not naming names as that would draw up arguments which nobody needs.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I am not saying mine is always right, but opinions should be formed through thought and intelligence and not via an emotional reaction to a bad result or another post.
Ed does not help things by posting essentially the same story under 4 different headings. If you think we are in a relegation battle, played badly, and want to compare this season with the relegation season why do we need 3 blogs. Stop filling the sure with half arsed rumblings which fuel more lazy comments.
The team overachieved last season, we all know that, and even with 3 additional signings I don’t actually believe we would be top 5 again. We should be doing better and it’s easy to point fingers. The fur nation and personnel used is the key debate. I would play the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 every game but pick the right players. Those players can not be the same as the formations require different responsibilities.
We will pick up 5 points out of the next 15 leaving us on 22 from 21 games. Not great firm but considering our run of 5 defeats and our next 5 games would not be terrible providing we start to find consistency in performance and line up.
It’s to early to panic and last years manager if the year needs our support.
mark -ee- j-a-y
Dec 11, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Comment #38ash1001
could not agree more with your post, especially the last comment about keegans team with shearer etc
Anybody who thinks we are not in a relagation battle needs 2 wake up. Serious transfer business is needed in january, with defence being the priority.
if we are still in this league come may, its down to the fact that there other clubs that are even worse than us, not down to us turning it round after january
JARRAMAG
Dec 11, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Comment #39I have an awful feeling that if we get a good beating on sat then Pardue will get the bullet from Ashley.
We are going to be in the bottom 3 come January and i dont think Ashley will wait that long.
Goodbye Pardue
FrankfurtMag
Dec 11, 2012 at 3:10 PM
Comment #40@ JARRAMAG #39
“I have an awful feeling that if we get a good beating on sat then Pardue will get the bullet from Ashley.”
Not with the compo payment from an 8 year deal he wont. Pardew will be here for the long haul.