Newcastle have to grab the bulls by the horn and admit we are in a relegation struggle, but there’s still plenty of time to get to safety, if we only admit we are in trouble at the moment and start to fix it.
Jonas Gutierrez – been nowhere near his best form this season
When we were relegated almost four years ago, the press kept saying we were too good to go down, and if there was one striker in the team to help us get to safety – it would be Michael Owen.
But Michael was a disaster in the relegation fight, and didn’t even make the starting side once Alan Shearer was installed as manager at the club – even though Kevin Keegan had made him captain.
And what’s happened since he left Newcastle has shown the lad is a spent force, but Newcastle fans already knew that.
And after saying we were too good to go down the press then said in the summer of 209 that we’d drop down the leagues – much like Leeds United had done – but they were wrong on that one too.
We can go down, and if we finish in the bottom three that will be it, and we’ll be in the Championship again – so let’s not delude ourselves into thinking we are too good to go down.
And many players have been nowhere near their best form this season, and they include players like Cheick Tiote, Papiss Cisse and Jonas Gutierrez as just three examples, so if we are going to avoid the drop, then our big guns have to start firing soon.
We don’t want to have to go through another relegation struggle this season, the last one was tough enough – too tough – and we call on our players to fight like hell from now on – and who knows – with a bit of luck we could even get some wins soon.
Howay the Lads!!
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and +1 us on Google+:
You can also reach Ed at admin@nufcblog.com
=============================================
250 comments so far
Smithy
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Comment #41Oh yes am the great defender
Just watching the ball, bounce around
I try to run
Cant even beat my mum
I’m crap but Pardew cant tell.
Smithy
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Comment #42Oh yes am the great defender
Just watching the ball, bounce around
I try to run
Cant even beat my mum
I’m crap but Partpoo cant tell.
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Comment #43I still stand by an idea I put out a month or so ago.
If Pardew is ‘unsackable’ with his 8 year deal and the club wanting what some here regard as a yes man who wont ruffle any feathers in charge then why can’t we bring in a continental assisstant manager?
Man utd played some great football with carlos quiros (sorry on spelling) as assisstant manager.
Fergie always said he liked a different assisstant every few years to bring something new into the club. Surely if we get an assisstant who is remouned for attacking, passing football he will be able to instill some methods into pardew’s training and team selection.
I blame pardew for being too cautious but football is much more complicated than just saying, this is the formation now play good football. It is important these days to have players well drilled in little movements and to work on positioning as well as many other things.
Maybe Pardew needs a very good assisstant next to him who can offer something different and teach him a few things about other types of football.
Toon XI
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Comment #44While I don’t believe we will go down, I find it a disgrace that this squad is in the relegation fight this late into the season. Entirely unacceptable from all fronts (ownership, management & players). All levels are accountable for this poor showing to date.
Smithy
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:42 PM
Comment #45Oops phone kept coming up with error.
Tsunki
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Comment #46There are a lot of games to play.
On another note, our players can actually pass so why do they spend so much time doing long crossfield balls and Timmy-punts that reach nobody? And who has told them to stop pressing for the ball when we lose it? Its not exclusively tactics and management.
GEORDIE69
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Comment #47Phatoon, your dream team has 7 defensive players in it. Where would your goals come from? Would hate to watch that team.
GEORDIE69
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #48Phatoon, your dream team has 7 defensive players in it. Where would your goals come from? Would hate to watch that team. 8 including Krul.
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Comment #49Geordie
The full backs are attacking ones and Diame drives forward very well.
Is say you have 4 defensive in CBs, colo and tiote. 5 if you count krul.
Although I’d have Anita in that side ahead of tiote. And rather have colo as a CB and tiote as DM
Blaydon-Toon
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Comment #50And if the who ever is Messi / Ronaldo I would be fairly happy 🙂
check the toastie
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Comment #51There are loads of tickets left on general sale for Man City game.
This is a massive game close to Xmas ideal for a day on the Lep. Cant believe it wont be sold out, still a boat load of tickets for sale in the East Stand, unheard of.
Maybe some of you super fans who lick Pardumps arse might thinking of actually going to a game and seeing how shit it is in the flesh, might think a bit differently when yu cant switch the game off at half time.
PARDEW OUT – it will only get worse, nothing can save us from this curse he has unleashed upon us…..
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Comment #52tsunki
the thing I notice is we do try to pass…tiote, anita, ben arfa…they all try to pass the ball.
when there isn’t an option going forward all teasm go back, as do we, then the numpties at the back just hump it long.
instead of keeping the ball and trying to pick the defence apart and waiting for the right ball we inevitably go long which results in us either the CB winning the header or the ball going through to the keeper.
check the toastie
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Comment #53I have never joined in with the Willo bashing as he does his job of heading the ball away, however recently his football is getting worse and worse, he currently should be nowhere near the team, Perch or Tavernier should play instead. Not going to happen though.
Team for Saturday for sure
Krul
Simpson Willo Collo Santon
Ben10 Tiote Anita Jonas
BA Cisse
Shola half time and Jonas playing in about 4 different positions.
This post could be a copy of previous posts over the last 12months before games. Ridiculous how we have gone nowhere but backwards.
Blaydon-Toon
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Comment #54Ts agreed on that but we do not have the right players at the back who Re comfortable look at the other night Simmo got caught out and nearly cost us a goal and Williamson is a car crash waiting to happen I get so nervous when he has the ball ! Collo and Santon are cool under pressure so if we had a complete back 4 with debuchy and CB the team ad a whole would benefit !
XabbaR
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Comment #55Does anyone have Pards number? I want to call him and ask why he keep playing Jonas. Seriously. Because of his defensive capabilities? Well, that don’t seem to work very well does it…
sirtoongospel
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Comment #56Pardew……”We must attack Man City”.
F*** me Alan, we havent attacked a single team this season. We have been on the back foot since match 1. Still, might as well pick a poor team to have a go at eh?
We will not have a go at City, we will be defensive from the start, and be 2 nil down before we have a go. I anticipate a 3-1 defeat and an even second half after a shocking first half.
Yet when i get th the game on Saturday I will have my usual bets. 4-0 and 4-1 Newcastle!!! lol. Might as well burn my cash.
Phatoon
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Comment #57@GEORDIE69
To elaborate a little:
As TS said those fullbacks are very attacking, so when they are, Colo can hang back and you have 3 CBs.
Having 3 “CBs” on the pitch gives you help in offensive and defensive corners/free kick.
Coloccini I think is sometimes a bit wasted at CB. As good as he is there, he has a good shot and pass on him. His general positioning is good, he just lacks speed.
Against Fulham he had 2 really good goal attempts (header and shot). He seems to like getting forward if possible so why not incorporate that into the team. I think he could get 5 or 6 goals a season if he did.
Diame and Tiote are both good on the ball, are both absolute tanks and both have a fierce shot on them. They would provide a covering wall to allow Coloccini to get into attacking/defending positions and aid Coloccini in wiining midfield headers.
Those 3 would allow Cabaye to be completely free to be offensive and he, Ben Arfa and another can work some magic up front, with the aid of the full backs and the odd late run from Diame/Tiote.
Anita and Sissoko can fill in to any of those midfield positions also.
Still just a dream though…..
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:12 PM
Comment #58Blaydon
True but as I have said before we all know they are bad on the ball so surely pardew does too.
He need to manage this situation. Get more players around them, have Anita and tiote even colo move across when they have the ball to give them an easy pass.
I don’t expect them to be like xavi but no reason they can’t play it simple if we give them enough options.
funguswatty
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Comment #59where Everton not like us last season and then second half of it climb the table up to 7 or something like that i sure we can do the same with some new face in Jan #keepthefaith
geordie157
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Comment #60Guthrie’s reading career seems to be over already, he can come back for free in Jan
rahulmagpie
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Comment #61indianmagpie i am doing M.A in political science, we should catch up for NUFC games
Rotonda heights
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:26 PM
Comment #62check @ 53
Some good managers have a plan A, B, C and D. pardew barely has A.
Yes players may have underperformed but man management and motivation was meant to be pardew’s strong poing because tactical genius he most definitely aint.
can’t believe we are worse than stoke and pardew would love to have carroll back when we would have the ball sailing over benny, cabaye and anita’s head all day long!!! When i see the ball go to Simmo in an attacking position I almost have to look away in despair. Why the hell can’t pardew coach short passing and over lapping etc?
he’s very luck to have the players we have and has wasted them totally all season, blaming everyone and everything but himself and his stupid stubborness.
Beattie where’s that manager list again, not that it would do any good with MA!
Spoof
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Comment #63Phatoon, if Colo does ever get the chance to play in midfield I will just hope and prey that he is a better midfielder than what he is a defender, as a defender he has got to be one of the most over-rated that we have ever had, some describe him as being world class, he is not good enough to be second class, never mind world class, Williamson as most of us would agree is not the best defender in the league, in fact some would say he is one of the worst, but Colo is no better than Williamson, we only have one decent centre half and that’s Taylor, sadly he is injury prone, Colo and Williamson are very poor.
Rotonda heights
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Comment #64spoof
i think the only reason we have more time for colo is that he is actually a ”footballer”. williamson by definition clearly isn’t
Indian Magpie
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Comment #65Rahul Sure,
When do you suggest
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:42 PM
Comment #66Pardew quote of the day:
“…. unfortunately we have to start winning games.”
What a whopper.
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:44 PM
Comment #67colo can’t be that bad…he was in premier league team of the year with vincent kompany
clearly not very good is he
Ketsbaia9
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Comment #68Coloccini is a very good defender. He saved us a couple of goals last monday. He also made a mistake. If I was Alan I’d sell and buy these players:
Sell :
Tiote – £16m (Man Utd will be interested)
Gosling – £3m
Tavernier – £1m
Williamson – £750k
Simpson – £2m
Sammi Ameobi – £2m
Shola – £1m
Sign:
Diame – £3.5m
Sissokho – £2m
Debuchy – £6m
Alderewerield – £6.5m
Boudebouz – £5m
Remy – £10m
Zarate – £7m
Net total = £4.25m
Job done.
Sign these players in the summer:
Douglas – Free
Denswil – £2m
Sulejmani – £4.5m
Spoof
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:47 PM
Comment #69RH, Colo is cultured and pleasing on the eye when we are dominating a game, against Sunderland this season with very little from them as an attacking outfit he looked superb, really classy, but when it comes to defending he is hopeless, slow, weak in the challenge and poor in the air, seeing as he is a defender he should be judged on his defending, and as a defender he is very poor.
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:48 PM
Comment #70no big club will pay 16mil for tiote..it won’t happen
mfarmer85
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Comment #71I think Colo is one of our most consistent players this season. He maybe getting on a bit, but without him or Santon this season, we’d be a lot worse off.
In my mind, a CB, RB and a striker are a must in January, otherwise we will get left behind again.
Transfer Sage
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Comment #72spoof
his defending isn’t very poor….his positioning is good, he has a standard level of strength for a CB, he reads play well, covers for others quite well
When paired with Saylor he is very good…they compliment each other well.
When saylor or colo play with williamson they both struggle.
rahulmagpie
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Comment #73whenever u are free, if u want u can give me your mail id, or facebook name we can sty in touch
geordie157
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Comment #74Kets, not sure on zarate, think like taarabt he has the skills but games Wii pass him by.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Comment #75Kets…I would probably have to say that I disagree completely, but you might be right that a restructure of our team is due. But try and keep perspective.
My take on our to sell-list:
Tiote – I wouldn’t mind selling him if the price is right
Gosling – out injured and we won’t get £3M
Tav – loan deal
Willo – would have to go eventually
Simmo – see above
Sammy – out on loan
Ameobi – won’t happen
I would add:
Jonas – getting older and lost alot of pace
Obertan – if he doesn’t start to deliver soon
My take on our to buy-list:
Way to many MF
Too many FW
Alderewerield – Ajax won’t sell for that amount
Dreamboat – always welcome (would take Lucas Digne as well)
Basically we need a CB, RB and a FW; maybe even a CM. That’s without selling any.
geordie157
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:58 PM
Comment #76Has there ever been a poll on who in the current first team squad is our worst player. I have a top five, 1. wilo, 2. Shola, 3. Jonas, 4. Simpson, 5. Obertan.
Gosling is worth a mention too
Ketsbaia9
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Comment #77Even if we get £8m for Tiote, we can still sign Sissokho and Diame for a combined total of £5.5m. Like Pardew says, if one player goes out, two come in. We’d be bringing in two better players and therefore strengthening the squad.
We definitely need at least another striker. Ba and Cisse can’t play together. We need to drop one of them based on performances.
Spoof
Dec 12, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Comment #78TS, last season we finished 5th and got praise that wasn’t really warranted, the protection given to the defence by Tiote and Jonas was superb all season long and we had arguably the best keeper in the league in Tim Krul, Fulham and Spurs found us out, there were many others who should have, QPR should have had half a dozen at least, yet we kept a clean sheet, it was one of those seasons were things just kept on going our way, and for whatever reason it was Colo who was getting the praise, but if you think back our defence started to show cracks as soon as Taylor was injured,for some reason everyone blamed Williamson saying Colo had to carry him, sorry, but thats wrong, it was Taylor carrying Colo
Joe Blog
Dec 12, 2012 at 2:03 PM
Comment #79Kets is making a semblance of sense 😮
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Dec 12, 2012 at 2:04 PM
Comment #80Kets…your last post I agree with. We need another striker, since Pardew wants to play with to forwards side by side – we say against Fulham what happens when trues to play a stiff 4-3-3 Benny on the wrong side and Cissé out of position…NOT pretty!
…okay I am not going to go into the Fulham game, cause that was a case study in how not to play a 4-3-3 formation (God Tiote is bad these days…)