When you consider how well Newcastle played last Saturday, we suppose we should be happier than we are right now, but that defeat, however tough it was on Newcastle, has left us dropping one place in the Premier League and both Southampton and Aston Villa – two clubs who were below us in the league before the last round of games – gained 3 points on us. 🙁
Alan Pardew – we have a lot to look forward to
But it’s also true that we have teams very close together, and we’re 4 points out of 11th place and four points clear of 3rd bottom place.
So it will depend how many wins we can get in our next four games – Southampton at home, Swansea away, Stoke at home and Wigan away – 3 wins in those four games would see us on 36 points and in a decent league position after 30 games played.
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew knows that our Europa League opponents Metalist Kharkiv ate taking the Newcastle games very seriously:
“They are taking this seriously.” “To come over early shows that.” “We have gone up a level in terms of performance.” “We had the game where we wanted it at Spurs.”
“But Gareth Bale was the difference.” “There are a lot of things to be pleased about.” “We definitely look a stronger side, there’s no doubt it.” “We have a lot to look forward to.”
For the game on Thursday night we expect both French signings Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massadio Haidara to make their starting debuts for the club – so we’ll have a chance to see what these two defenders play like in a Newcastle shirt.
We need to win the game, and we can still get through this tie and get past the Ukraine side – but the Southampton game must still remain the top priority.
What do you think?
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18 comments so far
dannyboy
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Comment #1doesnt pardrew look so bloody smug in that picture , like a face youd love to punch!
JackButler
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Comment #2Hope M’Biwa has a stormer and stakes a claim for a starting place against Southampton
sirtoongospel
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #3We should play our very best team. But add Mapou and Haidara so they get their debuts.
But if we win by 2 or 3 then we can rest a few for the week after.
On Santon, he has been great, but is so predictable going forward, someone please teach him to use his left foot, he is a pro footballer after all.
dannyboy
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Comment #4sirtoon – i agree , i really think we should give this cup a real go , i know epl is priority but if we get near the 35 mark with a good few games to go , i think we should give it as good as weve got , no difference in finishing 8th or 17th ! I WANT TO GO TO AMSTERDAM! What a experience that would be . . . .
TorqToon
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #5On santon (prev post)
Been one of our top signings in recent times in my opinion.
Would still like him to be progressed into an advanced role with Massadio in behind him.
Nice to see GC turn down ‘the next big thing’ out of Asia…only for the Makems to make a swoop! Haha Clearly they followed Mr Carr over there…but didn’t read his report.
Plenty of NUFC scouts throughout Belgium so that’s the next league will be tapping into I think. Some top quality young players over there, like!
Transfer Sage
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #6sirtoon
Yeh I know, we need to make sure we give it a go…why even bother qualifying if you don’t take it seriously.
Agree on santon, sometimes the need to cut inside limits the first time cross he needs to deliver with his left foot.
TorqToon
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:18 AM
Comment #7If Yanga plays a stormer I wouldn’t be surprised to see him keep his spot! He is better than Colo, the only thing that would put colo above him in selection is his league experience in England and the captains armband.
rainrix
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #8Torq… Is haidara actually any good defensively? Ive kind of got this idea in my head that he’s like santon, good attacking but lacking in defence. Dunno why but its there 🙂
sirtoongospel
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #9Too right. Our best team should be able to get the 3 wins/2 draws we need to stay up, and also give the Europa a right go.
If I had to choose between 10th in League and last 16 Europa, or 16th and get to a semi/final, then I know what i would choose.
Being honest though, this squad can clinb the league and also do well in the cup. The home games are crucial. Smash teams at home and we will be laughing.
As for the league games, I feel that soon it will be Saylor and Mapou who are first choice.
dannyboy
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Comment #10repost on santon –
santon seems to be the fittest player in our team in terms of not getting injured and his no stop bombing forward ! he never seems to break a sweat , when every1 else looks shattered ! i do feel we miss enrique though , jose made jonas look good as spidey would hold up the ball pass back to jose who would whip a cracking ball in , its so obvious what santon is going to do and his crossing isnt great , i know it was a lovely ball for jonas against chealsea but i do feel he would be a great rb, he is so young and bags of potential
nufc 11
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Comment #11love to see Taylor and Yanga partner up thursday see what way they look together bcoz colo is out of here come summer time so they are the future CB pairing.
Transfer Sage
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Comment #12sirtoon
We matched spurs i thought on the weekend for large parts of the game.
They rotate 2-4 players for europa….thats what we should do in my opinion.
Tiredness isn’t the killer with europa, it’s playing 2 different teams so you lose the full week to prepare for the weekend game but by rotatin 9/10 players you lose rhythm in your play too…so there is no real benefit.
Play everyone fit….if somebody is clearly tired/struggling/tight then rest them but if not play them.
rainrix
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Comment #13By the looks of things we need 2 CBs in the summer. Mirin looks like one of them that should spell the end for willo. And in the highly likely case colo leaves we need another presumably alderwield.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Comment #14We certainly do have a lot to look forward to. It’s amazing really what a difference a couple of weeks can make in football.
Really excited about this EL game. I can’t see why we wont play a really strong team, there’s no travel, no PL game for 10 days and if we do well, he can rest them for the away leg.
Anyone know who is televising the game or will it be streams?
TorqToon
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:29 AM
Comment #15Rainrix – He is extremely defensive mate! What I would call a proper full back. Santon is very much in the winger / wing back mould.
He is a cracking signing mate. As I mentioned the other day, I watched Nancy play at the weekend (his old club) and they fell apart without him down the left hand side. Yes he is still young, but man that lad has presence and composure way beyond his years!
No7_Heaven
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:44 AM
Comment #16I wish Pardew would just shut up and concentrate on his job. He has yet to prove himself this season and blabbering to the press is not going to his case. Maybe after a few wins but we are not on a winning streak and still not completely safe in the Premier League.
Markaccus
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:48 AM
Comment #17Torq, I don’t doubt your judgement on yanga, but is it not more likely he will be rotated for taylor in the prem, for the rest of this season, until Colo leaves? Maybe give them a few games together near the end of the season, as they will be first choice pairing next year?
stuart no9
Feb 12, 2013 at 1:57 PM
Comment #18pardew is doing his usual in interviews- yes bale was good, but was he the only reason we got beat? na. pards reckons he was the difference. He was the best player in a mediocre spurs side, but their were lots of reasons why we didnt win- his tactics one of them, but that is pardew- trying to convince everybody , we were brilliant but bale was better. we wernt brilliant, spurs were there for the taking, pardew didnt see the opportunity.