Alan Pardew couldn’t have done much worse at Newcastle than he’s done in the FA Cup and in four FA Cup ties we have lost three and all three to clubs from the lower leagues – Brighton have beaten us twice and we also lost 3-1 at Stevenage.
A disconsolate Alan Pardew on Saturday
The only time we have won an FA Cup tie with Pardew is the 2-1 home win against Blackburn, and that was when a certain Ben Arfa scored the goal of a lifetime (he’ since done that a few more times), but otherwise it’s been depressing.
And the sad fact is the game at Brighton has been as dismal a performance as we’ve seen for a long time from any Newcastle side, and we were short of almost all of our starters.
Alan Pardew and the players will need to turn this thing around soon, and the game at Norwich City against a Chris Hughton managed side has a certain irony about it – as Chris was ruthlessly fired by Ashley and company in December of 2010.
But we’ll have to start wining games soon, otherwise the unimaginable is possible – and we could suffer our second relegation in four years – and we’ll have to sell some of our top players like Yohan Cabaye and Ben Arfa (as just two examples) in the summer.
Alan Pardew was interviewed in the Mail this morning and it’s another depressing interview:
“The Cup usually leads only to disappointment because, somewhere along the line, you get knocked out, but my record at Newcastle is awful.” “I never thought we would be in the situation we are in – I’ve got a united dressing room and I think the spirit is strong, but we need better players out on the pitch.”
“We’re down to the bare bones. We are in a difficult patch at the moment and we are very, very short. I think the board knows that.” “People talk about players taking responsibility, but that’s a difficult word to quantify.”
“They gave their full effort, but it’s difficult for young players who should be in our development side to produce their best for the first team with everything that’s going on.” “We are working round the clock to bring new players in and get injured players back, but I make no bones about it and there’s no hiding away from it.”
“We are fighting to stay in the Premier League, and we are not too good to go down.” “We have to dig deep and stick together.” “Last year we had new signings coming in and making a huge impact, but this season we’ve had everything going against us.”
The good news is we have brought Mathieu Debuchy in, and hopefully we can also sign Marseilles striker Loic Remy, and Steven Taylor and Yohan Cabaye are back in training, but whether they can play at Norwich City next Saturday we don’t know.
We are hoping Newcastle can bring in four new players in total in January, but the odds of the club being able to do that are low – for one reason or another.
One thing that is worrying is when you keep losing games – we’ve lost five of our last six league games and our goal difference has also plummeted to -12 – it impacts the confidence of the players and they keep finding ways to lose – and we’ve seen that over the last couple of months.
But we’ll just have to keep the faith and hope for the best.
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25 comments so far
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Comment #1More lies..
you havent even put a bid for Remy for God sakes
Jail for Ashley
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:44 AM
Comment #2Being covered in jam before a visit to an apiary (catchy,that’s a bee farm) is too good for Ashley .
yorkymag
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:48 AM
Comment #3Looks like all the effort is to no avail
Remy now favouringvQPR
They have made a massive bid with a release clause and . Golden exit if they get relegated,and are offering a staggering £50 k a week more.
We can’t compete if all this is true
But the old adage he who hesitates you muppets
Unless of course Remybwas only a smoke screen and I am so naive I can’t see it
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:48 AM
Comment #4I reckon they will put a 7 million bid for Remy
Indian Magpie
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:49 AM
Comment #5“The Cup usually leads only to disappointment because, somewhere along the line, you get knocked out,
Should have withdrawn then.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:51 AM
Comment #6We need bodies in fast, and first team ready bodies at that. I would have liked at least 2 in by Norwich, and may yet get that, but we need to get business done as the next three games are all against teams we can and should be beating if we are to move up the table.
On non NUFC news, Spurs could bring forward the signing of Lewis Holtby from Schalke to now instead of the summer for a mere 1.6million. An absolute bargain for a player of his quality.
TorqToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:51 AM
Comment #7Enough with the negativity lads! Drives me mad! :-/
I don’t actually believe Remy will go to QPR – regardless of the money on offer. As much as football is a business – Remy isn’t purely in it for the money unlike others at rangers.
He is down to earth and highly ambitious. Wants to earn a recall to the France side and has many friends already at the toon.
The only way he won’t come here is if we don’t follow up our interest with a firm bid !
yorkymag
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:52 AM
Comment #8Indian
That comment sums up Pardews whole ethos
Play not to lose not to win
And then get beat
TorqToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:53 AM
Comment #9Holtby is quality! A superb player who I only wish had decided to keep English nationality so we could have him represent us and not ‘them’!
Indian Magpie
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:56 AM
Comment #10Yorky mag
5 years in a row i have been looking Fwd to Jan only 2 b disappointed
Rotonda heights
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:58 AM
Comment #11I know Pardew points to injuries (no – really!!) but have people forgotten how poor we were when our players were fit, playing a negative, 442 hoofball with cisse and ba.
Cabs was played way too deep, benny stuck on a wing and Jonas getting piloried by everyone.
Could we go with something like this at Norwich
Krul
Debuchy Colo Mirin??? Santon
Anita Cabs Marveaux
Benny?? Cisse Obertan
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:58 AM
Comment #12I know I might sound like a broken record, but why didn’t this work start in December?
…they should know by now who they are after!!! (and if they are available or not)
canada_nufc
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM
Comment #13Been following this blog for several years…lifelong NUFC supporter.
Our team has so much potential – but we are very poor in some key positions. Obviously CB and RB has been talked about – I agree Williamson isn’t even Championship level, and Debuchy hasn’t been great either.
But people don’t mention the importance of the wingers enough. Prem. teams need fast, skilled wingers – this is where so many goals come from, and how you break down defensive-minded teams (Get to the byline and cut it back, or play in cross)
Newcastle have Gutierrez (slow, loses ball often) and Obertan (plays like a chicken with its head cut off – although is improving slightly.)
Id argue that if we’d started the season with another relatively good CB, 2 good wingers (fast and skilled – like Junior Hoilett last year)), and a top Striker, we’d have been a top side this year.
———Krul——–
Debuchy-Good CB-Collocini-Santon
Fast Winger – Cabaye – Tiote – Fast Winger
————–Ben Arfa———————-
————–Cisse———————-
yorkymag
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM
Comment #14Torq
I hope you right, and you are right we should be positive especially at the start of a new week .
This week will bring a new centre back ,a front man and a central midfield dynamo
And we will give Norwich a beating
come on
thai-mag
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM
Comment #15why would we try to sign remy, all we need in our squad is another injury prone frenchman
Williamsonsuks
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:01 AM
Comment #16Starting really doubt Pardew. Thought he would tell laurel and hardy to buy up, but spends all his time covering for them. Not one mention of a CB, realistically, we need 2. Fair enough it is only the 7th of Jan , but cant see us buying them. Our defence has more holes than an afghan.
canada_nufc
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:03 AM
Comment #17oops by “Debuchy” hasn’t been great…I meant to say “Simpson hasn’t been great”.
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:06 AM
Comment #18@3:
Show me one shed of evidence to even Suggest that Remy is favouring QPR?
Plus any release clauses just should not be permitted, at all! I would rather not sign anyone at all if we have to start pissing about with release clauses every time a window comes around!
There have also been alternative names to Remy doing the rounds in the last few weeks ! But no-one knows 100% sure of just what is going on!
A lot of it is just Bullshit, everyone knows on here what is needed, and i believe that the club is busy in the Transfer Market? But all the negativitivity is just too much for me!
Am trying to contemplate / think about the next game against Norwich!
TorqToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Comment #19Thai mag – You think Remy is ‘injury prone’ ?!
south coast toon
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:19 AM
Comment #20you can understand why everyones getting pissy west ham have 4 in nearlly,in the first week,and we still have not surposedly put an offer in for remy.we need these players now, i really dont understand why we havent got a cb signed already.carr must of identified loads its easy .you want a player you put offer in.god this lot would never buy a house theyd all be sold. i just cant belive how slow we are.just a cb in pronto.surely we can act quicker than west ham. how many cb are they that would improve our first team surely its that easy can we have him no can we have him then,we all know we arte in trouble but does it matter to ashley and mr 8 yr pay off if they sack me what happens to the club, cause even my mrs says why havent you got a centre back if you need at least 1.i really think players should be in quick we need to beat these teams in janurary to get the pressure off the team.sign some players quick or loose the ones we,ve got
q8igeordie
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:21 AM
Comment #21Williamsonsuks … could you be more racist
Williamsonsuks
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:36 AM
Comment #22Q8. Probably, plenty of Brits have been shot as well. Was a figure of speech!
bambams
Jan 7, 2013 at 9:40 AM
Comment #23I love this comment ……
“We’re down to the bare bones. We are in a difficult patch at the moment and we are very, very short. I think the board knows that.”
THINK, THINK the board knows that !
Well here is hoping Pards, maybe we should text Ashley just in case he has not realised.
Sav
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Comment #24How long is Simpson out with the broken toe for?
Debuchy could probably play in front of him at RM until Ben Arfa is fit. Sammyobi and Ranger should be packed off to SPL instead of sitting on Tyneside as cover for a paper-thin squad. It has done Dummett a world of good.
zeetoon
Jan 7, 2013 at 3:38 PM
Comment #25‘We are in a difficult patch at the moment and we are very, very short. I THINK the board knows that.’
Same old Pardew. Never sure whether the board has his back