It was really a shocker yesterday for us to lose to Reading at home, after winning all seven of our previous games against them at St. James’ Park – but it was almost a perfect storm – everything that could go against us went against us, and some were self-inflicted, and to be fair to the lads, in that first half we looked a good side with Yohan Cabaye nothing short of superb.
Yohan Cabaye – this lad is simply simply world class – fact!
And if we can keep Yohan fit – the good news is that groin of his seems okay – and maybe get Ben Arfa back – these two lads can help us escape from yet another relegation struggle, although we may still find it difficult to keep them in the summer.
But there are some good points coming out of the game yesterday – in retrospect – even after being completely shocked by yesterday’s result.
Here are a few of them:
- Yohan Cabaye looked a world class player yesterday – and was easily the best man on the park followed by goalkeeper Adam Federici, who saved Reading in that first half – if we can keep Yohan fit he will be a huge player for us in the final 15 games of the season
- Sylvain Marveaux is looking like the player we thought we had signed eighteen months ago, and this lad has now been one of our best players over the last coupe of months – and he deserves enormous credit for his creative play in a black and white shirt of late – one of the few players available who has creative talents
- Papiss Cisse looked sharp in the first half, and could even have had a hat-trick, as he did everything with on three different occasions, only for that Federici guy to make some great game-saving stops
- Mathieu Debuchy looked a class act at right back, and he will quickly become a top right back in the Premier League and along with Davide Santon we had two excellent full backs on display
But it’s also true that Alan Pardew probably cost us the win yesterday, but now’s not the time to gang up on the manager.
Now’s the time when the support of our fans is more important than ever – however difficult things are right now, and to be honest – yesterday’s result was really hard to bear.
And it’s time for Mike Ashley to step up to the plate too, big time, and he has to do the following in the next 11 days to give Newcastle a fighting chance of survival
- Keep Coloccini at the club – just tell him tomorrow that’s not way he can leave before the summer – period – sorry – but that’s the way it is
- Sign Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa of Montpelier and Nancy left back Massadio Haidara as soon as possible so they have at least a week to train with the Newcastle side before our next game a week on Wednesday at Villa Park
- Bring in a top striker – even Danny Graham would be a good signing right now – but we must bring in in another goalscorer to soften the blow of losing Demba Ba and one goal from a midfield in the three games since Ba left for Chelsea pinpoints a huge weakness in the Newcastle side
- Bring in another central midfielder since that’s been a weakness since Cabaye has been out – somebody like Moussa Sissoko would be a decent buy
We know it’s in vogue to put up votes about should we keep Alan Pardew as manager, (as if we didn’t know what the result will look like after such a dreadful and painful defeat), and yes he needs to start getting results – that’s very true – because we cannot keep losing games.
But it’s the stability at the club right now, which is one of the big differences from four years ago – and one of the few positives.
Things are hardly in a good state results wise, but we can still avoid the drop and quite honestly right now we’ll be very pleased (make that ecstatic), if we can finish 4th bottom of the league in May.
It’s a hell of a lot better than finishing 3rd bottom – and then we can really strengthen the squad in the summer – even if we lose some of our best players in the process.
Things are bad – but we still have hope – so lets at least try to keep the faith – however difficult that looks right now – for the sake of the club.
And whoever said it was easy supporting Newcastle United?
Certainly not me.
Howay The Lads!!
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288 comments so far
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:40 PM
Comment #41Lol
Darren bent!
Rather have emile heskey than the ex scum striker whos on about £80k at villa and he’s not the sort to take a pay cut
hotdog
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Comment #42TOON1978 – Believe it when they are holding the shirt up, not before, as last weeks events proved!
LESH – Never get the boo brigade and the people that shout “SHOOOT” when a player is 40 yeards out ie Debuchy yesterday. I dont think ive heard that at any other ground but its crept in a few times @SJP
Sir Braveheart
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Comment #43Hooper from Celtic anyone? 18 goals this season including a couple in Champions League. Used to the cold weather up North and wants a move to the Prem. Might cost us 7-8m but think he’d hit the ground running and pick up 8-10 goals before the end of the season.
ToonIcon
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Comment #44There is no way MA will sanction a bid for Bent too old too lazy too much wages no resell value
if we do sign a striker it will be from France or Holland
newcastle10
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Comment #45rumors circulating on twitter that pardew has been sacked. 1/2 fav with sky bet might be sumting in it
Toon1978
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Comment #46hotdog
I know mate. Arsenal fans doing their nut about Mbiwa. Bunch of brats imo. Thinking they are entitled to all the best players. He still could go to them that’s how much LITTLE faith i have in Llambias and co.
JTOONJ
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Comment #47I just can’t believe we’re in this position, i honestly wish we had just bought debuchy in summer and this defender and i honestly think we could of been comfortably in top 10!
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:47 PM
Comment #48Sir braveheart
Yes! Ive been saying hooper for days!
Small pacy proper little grafter and fighter and knows whete the net is could prob pick him for about £6 mil couple that with the fact celtic do buisness the way we like and want everything kept quiet until its done think he’d be a cracking signing!
Rossy G
Belhanda has gone to fenerbache hasnt he?
stuart no9
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:48 PM
Comment #49sorry ed but you’re wrong.- now is the time to gang up on our socalled manager, because if we dont we are down.
i dont want us to end up relegated again, but that is what will happen if he dosnt leave or get sacked. we have to save our season. sorry but the more abuse he gets the better, get someone in who understands the game a bit more – guide us to safety- then talk aqbout contracts when we are safe- but first we must secure safety – pardew out.
ToonIcon
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:49 PM
Comment #50i think the club need to send Carr and the scouts to the German and Belgium leagues some very good players in these divisions
hotdog
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:50 PM
Comment #51spurs 1-1 last minute of injury time – defo keegan years lol
Toon1978
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:50 PM
Comment #52ToonIcon
Belgium league has some quality players mate.
jayphoto
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:51 PM
Comment #53Ketsbaia 9, did you see the master class michael carrick put on today? remember you saying he was the poorest midfielder in the premier league the other day, couple of comments before you said xavi was average and overrated……
iggystinger
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:53 PM
Comment #54Hooper is not a grafter hes never in games we should be goin for better players than him
Joe Blog
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:57 PM
Comment #55Pardew’s sacking would breathe new belief into me, for one. With him at the helm, we’re pretty much already condemned and I’m resigned to Championship football – it can and will happen again if that incompetent remains in charge.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:57 PM
Comment #56Where are all these pardew sacked rumours? People saying its all over twitter but can only find something about him sledging? Dont get the point in making up B/S
Anyone fancy a laugh search @evilkagawa on twitter!
Iggystinger
Like who? Think hoopers a good player basically a none injury prone shane long
GeordieTwo
Jan 20, 2013 at 5:59 PM
Comment #57It was interesting to see the owl faced rat turd and his cunning boss at the match yesterday. I wonder what they thought of that magnificent performance? And that ingenious move to pull Marveaux off in the second half. Sheer brilliance. I can see pulling Cabaye off if he was injured but why Marveaux? And of what use was Shola in there? Again does Cisse understand the offside rule?
Ian Toon
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:00 PM
Comment #58stuar- I am with Ed. Your ill thought out course of action would most certainly get us relegated. Do you seriously imagine MA is going to find his cheque book to bring in the players wanted by Pardew at the very same time sacking the reigning Pl manager of the season. Wrong
Wrong wrong. The bookie odds are designed to suck in mug punters.
jayphoto
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:01 PM
Comment #59surprised we don’t have a european manager anyway, managers on the continent rarely get to choose players to sign or sell, that being left to a sporting director, instead they focus on tactics and coaching! A dutch manager like Koeman (although he’s too defensive) or Advocaat or even Lille’s Garcia will be well used to dealing with having their best players sold each season and having to deal with it and focusing on the players they have! Get the feeling this is the kinda manager our board would like, more of a head coach! If im honest would this be a bad thing? With Carr buying the players, a coach that focuses on being tactically astute and high level training might be a perfect fit!
Ketsbaia9
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:02 PM
Comment #60Still don’t rate Carrick. Too weak and doesn’t run with the ball. Glad he isn’t playing for us. Anita is a much better player.
iggystinger
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:02 PM
Comment #61Toonarydownsouth
i just dont rate hooper i live in scotland so i see him everyweek and he does’nt exactly play against top opposition i could play in the spl and bang in 30 goals i just think we could sign better
nufc1984
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:02 PM
Comment #62Newcastle10-don’t get your hopes up on pards getting sacked. Never happening pal. It’s Ashley’s mate. He’ll always be here hence the 8 year contract. I just wonder where we’ll be in 8 years. At this rate probably fighting to get out of league two with my other team york city
Banjo
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:02 PM
Comment #63Bookie odds are actually for the bookie to make the most money/ not lose money, they wouldn’t slash odds for fun, it’s probably without information though, just seen the disgrace that we’re in
Grafton83
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:03 PM
Comment #64Pardew has not been sacked yet, the players would have been told to meet early tomorrow if he had and that hasn’t happened + it would be all over twitter in seconds anyway and it isn’t. Stop getting my hopes up, he’s here for one more game at least.
jayphoto
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:03 PM
Comment #65on that thought, i’d want Rene Girard to take over! Plays very very good football and is renound for his coaching of young players and bringing them through aswell as having to sell top players alot and replace them successfully with cheaper alternatives! As montpellier manager he won the league with the youngest squad ever and made superstars out of non entities Yanga-Mbiwa, Giroud, Belhanda etc
Ketsbaia9
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Comment #66Spurs didn’t field the best line-up today. They also need 2/3 new strikers. If we signed Sissoko, Mbiwa and Gomis, we’d be on a par with Spurs. Man Utd are only better than us in the striking department. We have better and younger players.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Comment #67Iggy
Fair enough
Who would you like too see brought in, realistically
GeordieToon89
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Comment #68I’ve got a feeling we’ll announce these new players and then sack pardew and then my dream then is we announce Blanc as manager and give him a week to prepare for Villa
jayphoto
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Comment #69Not sure where people have got the idea that Pardew and Ashley are friends from….. theyre not! They have mutual friends who strongly recommended Ashley hire pardew but they are not the best of friends that people on here seem to think! One of my biggest clients met Ashley last year, my client is a massive stoke fan, box holder etc, good friends with their owner and he said Mike Ashley was football mad and was winding him up about the football stoke play! Said he was very passionate about newcastle and good football and that he was looking forward to toon pushing into the top 4 this season……
Rossy G
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:10 PM
Comment #70BELHANDA is still available fene move fell through.
If I had to pick 3 right now on realistic and quality it be Mbiwa, Haidara, and either Alessandrini or Mertens …….we will probably end up with Hadaira and Conor Salmon…….a Wigan reject like sibierski.
We made more money in player sales in the summer than we did on purchases….if Ashley had a clue he’d give Pardew a proper warchest now to bring in 4 or 5 top players rather than go after Ben Sherman!
Belhanda 8m, Alessandrini 7m, Mbiwa 7m, Haidara 2.5m
25m ……take about 5m off for Ba………and we are talking 20m kitty noting we also made money in the summer and never spent the Carroll money I think that’s a small ask.
geordie157
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:10 PM
Comment #71Get Mbiwa and the left back in, at a striker who can also play on the left or right of a front 3 and sissoko, sorted. Sounds so easy.
Ian Toon
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:12 PM
Comment #72The fans need to get behind the manager and team. I agree with Pardew that booing for whatever reason and whom ever was not helpful. He’s acknowledged that it was a mistake to sub Marveaux. Let’s leave it and constant talk of the QPR recent signing. I am looking forward to 2-3 signings within the next week. This will provide the impetus to repair long recognised weaknesses in the defence. As I said earlier whether Coloccini stays or goes I would favour Cabaye as Captain. He has the respect and influence which has been lacking from Fab for some time. Jonas on the bench helping to close games down is a better prospect going forward. Always assuming the mentioned players do come in.
Rotonda heights
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:12 PM
Comment #7384
i’m clinging to the thought that ash is a ruthless business man and will put not losing out on all that tv money above keeping his ”tame manager ” mate.
Jay
I’v always thought we needed a foreign continental coach to improve our technical skills.
GeordieTwo
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:13 PM
Comment #74Just can’t see how this can end well for Pardew now. He was hanging on by the skin of his teeth. We beat Wigan when we had to at home and QPR as well (just barely) but now we lose a crucial game against the 19th place side at home with poor results from previous matches and difficult games to come. This is a real test of Ashley now. Is he ready to panic yet or will he wait until we slide into the drop zone? It seems only a matter of time. He will be getting no decent advice from owl faced rat boy who is clueless so who does he turn to? Probably another drinking buddy.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:13 PM
Comment #75Rossy
Ah didnt know that
Think i would rather martens than allessadrini
The £5 mil for ba went straight on debuchy
Big Pappa Cissé
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:13 PM
Comment #76It would break my heart to see this side go down because I know the likes of Cabaye & Ben Arfa will leave and I don’t blame them one bit. We are so close to being a great side and with 20 million we could be challenging for Europe with the likes of Spurs and Arsenal. Another relegation might be the breaking of me as an NUFC supporter as I feel this time we would not come straight back up.
ToonMauritius
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:14 PM
Comment #77hi lads
OUT – Cisse & Shola
IN – Benteke & Lukaku
what do you think
Lucky Les
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:14 PM
Comment #78Ketsbia
Apologies for failing to reply to your earlier post regarding Anita.Feel you are a little premature in saying he is a great signing as in my view he would not be in our first choice side when everyone is back.
The fact that he may be able to play as a full back may be useful but we have a few players already at the club who can do that.
Thank you for the post and joining in the debate.
ash1001
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:15 PM
Comment #79I do not know what other folks think, but I am sick of hearing Shola spout on to the press, his latest comment –
“But the fans have to keep believing because, as players, we are working as hard as we can. We are just not getting the rub of the green and that happens when you are down there”.
Just love the bit ‘working as hard as we can’, Shola are you in dreamland, sorry but I think at 73 I could work harder than you. Love the bit where we have to support the manager as well, like hell we have, he’s one of the major causes for where we are at present.
iggystinger
Jan 20, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Comment #80Toonarmydownsouth
dont get me wrong if we signed him after me slatin him he would probably bang them in lol thats what usually happens im not sure who id like to see someone like aspas from celta vigo good goal scorin record meant to be available for about 8m what u think