We never ever said it was easy to be a fan of Newcastle United Football Club – in fact the club may be one of the hardest clubs to support in the world.
Fact.
Ashley and LLambias – fix things this summer – please!
Newcastle have become the perennial under-achievers in football, having not win a trophy since way back 1969 – and when we looked like we were putting a decent side together – like it looked like we were doing last season – we get a season like this one.
Let’s face it, we’ve lost most if not all of the credibility we built up for our great exploits last season – and we are almost back to square one. And to think we thought it was going to be great being back in Europe and fighting again for a top six position.
How wrong can you be?
Yes – we’ve had a lot of injuries this season – far too many – and yes we played 14 games on a Sunday following a Thursday night game in Europe – often in far away in places like Moscow and the Ukraine.
But that is what the top clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have done for most of the last few decades – and that’s what you do if you are a top club.
And I just watched Lee Ryder on his video in the Chronicle today talking about last night, and he’s 100% correct and speaks for all Newcastle fans when he says we shouldn’t have to rely on teams like Wigan losing to save our skins – it’s simply not good enough.
So we are still fighting relegation with two games to go – and we had to rely on Wigan Athletic to lose – so we are now three points clear – and remember – it was nothing Newcastle did to save themselves, and a Wigan win would have seen us 3rd bottom today.
And after we were fighting for a top four place last year at this time.
But thank goodness the season is nearly over and this morning I woke up feeling a lot lighter and seemed to have lost some weight overnight – but then remembered what happened last night – a lot of Geordie fans will be feeling a lot lighter today too.
We have one big job still to do before the end of the season – and that is to ensure our safety – and maybe – just maybe – our team can actually get a win (remember what they are – you actually get 3 points from them) on Sunday against an already relegated and supposedly despondent QPR side.
And if we can do that – then great – really great.
But then Mike Ashley must clear out the dead wood, decide which manager he wants to lead Newcastle forward, and then build up our squad this summer.
A club that has average home gate of over 51,000, deserves a better team than that which is fighting relegation right now and over the last four games have been smashed 3-0 by Sunderland – and 6-0 by Liverpool – and at the Cathedral on the Hill too.
Fact. 🙁
My father will be turning in his grave.
But hope springs eternal – and we already have high hopes for next season – always assuming we are still in the Premier League.
Howay The Lads!!
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341 comments so far
Transfer Sage
May 8, 2013 at 7:43 PM
Comment #41mojo
sorry buddy, i wasn’t too clear with that on target comment, i didn’t explain myself.
I mean it’s hard to say where was the shot from. Was it a free header 2 yards out where the keep makes a blinding save or a defender blocks it or was it a shot from25/30 yards hit tamely down the middle right at the keeper. I just think you can’t see that from those stats.
If you have 10 really good chances, clear cut, you should easy score 4/5 of them, if they are pot shots you’d be lucky to get one goal.
and that table does show some pressure. Take it back a month to when we played west ham/swansea (and a month/two after villa home) then it looks like this and we are sat in 10th pretty safe at the time.
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/2012-2013/table/2012-11-10
Transfer Sage
May 8, 2013 at 7:44 PM
Comment #42mojo
My point is that we don’t create clear chances, a lot of our shots are from outside the box and very unlikely to result in a goal.
papscrunt
May 8, 2013 at 7:44 PM
Comment #43Basic science tells you every action has equal reaction. If you are putting a team out to be negative every game. Then that is what you’ll get. Was in Glasgow last night to see The Trailer Park Boys live. Didn’t know the score until we got back to the hotel. I could have killed the missus when she said ‘Ooooooh’ before she told me the score.
MrMojoRisin76
May 8, 2013 at 7:44 PM
Comment #44Sparky
That a good point,but if we attack too much we might get beat and have to get something at Arsenal or do we play it safe and hope Arsenal beat Wigan,if we play it safe we might end up conceding.Jesus,glad i don’t have to make the decision.
daztoon-anti christ is that the time
May 8, 2013 at 7:45 PM
Comment #45@MrMojoRisin76
How does having a lot of shots mean we were attacking most could have been from the 11 corners we had
sparky55
May 8, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Comment #46correct Ruddy…no bottle and no tactical nouse to react to going one down…if you set up not to lose you always have no answer to going one down and then you always lose…but pardew seems to think he can even though hasn’t come from a goal down all season…tit!
yo-yo
May 8, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Comment #47Ruddy
Which is close to what I’m trying to say @12 above.
If he is the right man for us then he needs to be sorting out the longer term issues of leaky defence and consistency. No way should we be conceding more than 3 goals once or twice a season.
jonobbad
May 8, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Comment #48Mojo
Answer me this.
Do you think pardew has got the best out of what he has had at his disposal?
Forget league position, injuries or lack of investment.
toonluvva
May 8, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Comment #49Pardew will tell the players to take their time, don’t overcommit, defend deep, we start with a point and can defend it for 90 minutes.
‘arry will tell QPR that the Toon are fragile, likely to fall to pieces under pressure, only won one game away from home all season, to get in our faces straight from kick off, don’t let us settle, get a quick goal and look for more and more. QPR could even ensure that Newcastle go down with them. Look who you could have joined Remy etc etc.
Who disagrees with any of the above.
That’s why Llambias & Pardew must be sacked as soon as possible.
Transfer Sage
May 8, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Comment #50mojo
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/2/Seasons/3389/Stages/6531/TeamStatistics/England-Premier-League-2012-2013
scroll to the bottom of the page, the table headed ‘premier league positional statistics’ then click on the tab shot zones.
shows we have 3rd highest % shots outside the box and lowest % inside the 6 yard box. Probably why we don’t have a lot of clear chances but plenty shots as we shoot early in the build up of an attack as we struggle to gte many men forward.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
May 8, 2013 at 7:48 PM
Comment #51Sage/Sparky
We have one of the most attack minded squads since the Entertainers, we have players in this squad who would rival the best of them yet we’re playing some of the most negative stifling football I have ever seen from a Newcastle team.
Sage you’re spot on about the intent of the teams around us, Villa have really kicked into gear and play some excellent quick on the deck football, they have clicked at just the right moment, all because Lambert has been positive all season, and right now they are getting what they deserve.
Sunderland seem like more of an attacking threat, that could purely be down to PDCs passion instilled in them but they work harder for the win.
Wigan, if they weren’t so bad defensively, would be mid-table, but some of their football is excellent, and always has been for years. Their support from their wing backs shows that if performed correctly the flat back 3 with attacking wing backs can work wonders.
Not advocating a flat back three but at least they are adventurous, whereas we’re predictable.
Laurent Robert 32
May 8, 2013 at 7:50 PM
Comment #52Mojo, I can shoot 10 shots from the half way line and hit the target ten times. Means little, as the keeper will save 10 out of 10. The evidence is on actual result based stats. Assists create goals, not shots.
Marveaux has the most assists yet Pardew is always reluctant to play him. Yet Jonas who has zero assists plays. Jonas has only had 5 shots on target ALL season.
44 goals conceded in the second half of games to only 22 in the first half shows that we do sit back and are actually rubbish at it as we concede as well. As we’re defending, we’re not attacking. However, when you attack, you are defending.
MrMojoRisin76
May 8, 2013 at 7:51 PM
Comment #53Jono
I can’t answer that because those factors you mentioned are the biggest reason why i think we are in this mess,i will say this though,when your star players get injured is it the managers fault that the young players who are chosen to replace them haven’t stepped up?,that is all we had,young lads to replace star players because we didn’t invest enough in the squad in the summer
Sack Llambias
May 8, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Comment #54yo-yo
Just on my way out but I see the Pardew problem being having the ability to fashion a positive tactical approach. We have sufficient attack minded players to seize the initiative. Anita should start.
I also agree on your Beattie comments. He randomly insulted me when I was first on. To me it seems that he works hard with some posters to make his language conform to that of an intelligent person. Unfortunately it’s nothing more than crafted legalese. Inflated language to conceal the lack of having anything worth saying or of having a logical argument. He lacks empathy.
jonobbad
May 8, 2013 at 7:56 PM
Comment #55Mojo
That is the only question worth asking.
You can look to blame all the other influences but if you were honest, you would have said no.
And no means he is not doing his job properly so needs to go.
Also back to a point I made earlier, we had most of our players available and new signings when we got hammered by scum and liverpool, so I dont buy it that it isnt his fault.
He should be getting more out of our squad of players.
Dont think anyone can argue with the last sentence.
sparky55
May 8, 2013 at 7:57 PM
Comment #56Ruddy…bang on the money…plain for all to see
papscrunt
May 8, 2013 at 7:57 PM
Comment #57Shots from distance tell you that your forward line is isolated. And you are unable to break teams down. Cisse hasn’t been great, but he’s not a back to goal striker at all. Our problem all season is no clear game plan. No clear tactical formation at all. We have no identity at all as team. If you said to a random person, or even a pundit. ‘How do Villa play?’ They say ‘The use Benteke to hold it up and use the pace of Agbonlahor and Wiemann to support on the break’ if you ask ‘How do Wigan play?’ They like to keep it in the middle and then attack using the width with McManaman and Beausejour’ And finally ‘How do Newcastle play?’ No clue at all. We sadly lack any direction.
jonobbad
May 8, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Comment #58Mojo
And I wasnt asking why you thought we were in this mess, just if pardew has got the best out of what he has.
Why can you not answer that?
Simple yes or no question and no other factors matter
yo-yo
May 8, 2013 at 8:03 PM
Comment #59Sack LLambias
I like Anita and think he could be a mainstay.
It really does look like Pardew’s own psychology is one of the key issues. He’s a bit Duke of York that’s for sure. And that isn’t good for the side.
I don’t like the Beattie OTT insults – it ruins some of the threads for me and detracts from his good points. Dunno what creates all those mood swings. He did mention he was Asperger’s several months ago but I have no idea if that is true.
daztoon-anti christ is that the time
May 8, 2013 at 8:03 PM
Comment #60@MrMojoRisin76
Look at the links Transfer gave you Marveaux on the bench and Sammy in the starting line up and another Anita and Marveaux on the bench so no injuries excuse not good enough
MrMojoRisin76
May 8, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Comment #61Lauren
Ok point taken,i just looked at the stats for a 0-0 draw and they were about the same as the stats for Spurs’s 3-0 win over Inter.If Marv had Jonas’s work rate he’d be playing every week,he’s getting better but Benny didn’t start regular until he started helping his full back out.
Transfer Sage
May 8, 2013 at 8:05 PM
Comment #62daz
see the link i posted for where we shoot from?
sums up why we dont have many meaningful chances even when we have a lot of shots.
Transfer Sage
May 8, 2013 at 8:06 PM
Comment #63mojo
what do you think to the link i posted where we shoot from?
think it kind of shows my point better about how a shot on goal can be a good chance or a very low chance to score.
Ketsbaia9
May 8, 2013 at 8:07 PM
Comment #64Exactly, Pardew only selects his favourites. If he would’ve selected the best players, we’d be in a european position by now.
JackButler
May 8, 2013 at 8:08 PM
Comment #65Ketsbaia9
I’d be happy just to beat QPR let alone thrash them. Three points is a must and I don’t care how we get them or how many goals we score, just get the points
Beattie25
May 8, 2013 at 8:10 PM
Comment #66For those who defend Pardew due to injuries, lack of investment and lack of luck I ask:
Why did he play Cisse RW?
Why does he continue to play Cisse as a target man?
Why does he play Cabaye as DM?
Why doesn’t he play Anita?
Why does he play Jonas at LB/LW?
Why does he play Goofy at LM?
Why does he continue to play Sissoko at CAM?
Why does he put Tiote straight back into the team regardless of form?
These and many more questions can be answered very easily. All have contributed to our current position and all have happened regardless of injuries, lack of investment and bad luck.
The answer is Pardew is clueless.
He copies Chelsea’s formation but goes ultra defensive.
It is like copying a Van Gough and using poundland felt tip pens.
MrMojoRisin76
May 8, 2013 at 8:10 PM
Comment #67Jono
Because it is not a simple yes and no question and other factors are massively relevant.Do you think it is his fault if he replaces star players with fringe youngsters because that’s all we had and they are not good enough yet?
Bambams
May 8, 2013 at 8:11 PM
Comment #68Against QPR we have got to start on the front foot….. This is a must!
I still believe we are in big trouble and those who think we are certs for the three points against the Rangers are delusional.
I hope Pards does not try for two draws!!!! We cannot allow this chance to slip away, get them on their back foot early and they will start thinking about they are already down ‘ bugger this’ …. I hope.
Bambams
May 8, 2013 at 8:12 PM
Comment #69What a goal Adebayor !
jonobbad
May 8, 2013 at 8:13 PM
Comment #70Lol @ 65
Coming up with some classics tonight.
Transfer Sage
May 8, 2013 at 8:13 PM
Comment #71mojo
jono’s question is a simple one though.
with the players available are we in the right position? or is pardew not getting enough from what he has had over the 36 games so far or has he got more than he should have from the 36 games.
jonobbad
May 8, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Comment #72Mojo
Its irrelevant.
I dont know how many times I can ask the same question.
He came out before last season and said our squad was big enough.
Regardless he has not got the best out of what he has had.
santonthenewmaldini
May 8, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Comment #73Also not having the whole Pardew having to play the youngsters he never had to play them for that many games and every game pretty much played them out of position and used long ball tactics which did not suit them either it was actually Pardews tactics and the senior players that let the youngsters down Shola and Williamson against Brighton and Bordeux were perfect examples of this
The Bordeux away game was a prime example Tavernier tried to get a passing game on the go passed it to Williamson the more experienced player who launched it long every time and then Shola could not hold it up what sort of examples did this set the youngsters??
Also out of the blue slaps Ferguson at left back against Man Utd next game out the team for 5 games and then plays him out of position?
Bigi always done well in central midfield if he had played more games would probably be as good as Tiote as he has quality on the ball which Tiote can only dream of
He has also had ample opportunity to try something new Anita and Marveux were fit for most of the season as has been Campbell but he has persisted with the same old shit
He needs to go in the summer especially if he wants players like Jay Spearing to come SHAG THAT FOR A LAUGH
papscrunt
May 8, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Comment #74Pardew will, and does try to play for draws. And guess what? We have the joint least amount of draws in the league!
MrMojoRisin76
May 8, 2013 at 8:17 PM
Comment #75Transfer
Sorry about that,if you look at the link though most of the teams from 13th down are involved in relegation.I agree with you that we don’t create enough chances but i think it’s a lack of consistent creativity in our team,our most creative players missing from the squad often,and you think it’s the managers decisions,i get were your coming from that he should do better with what he has got but if you take Benny and Cabs out of our team,just 2 players,we haven’t got much creative wise.
Jail for Ashley
May 8, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Comment #76If Wigan don’t beat Arsenal which is the most likely scenario then Villa are safe regardless,could we rely on Villa to do us a favour in the last game,I doubt it ,a win against QPR is essential.
rasul
May 8, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Comment #77TEAM VS QPR:
Elliot
Debuchy Colo Saylor Mbiva
Ben Harfa Cabaye Tiote Marveoux/Anita Gouffran
……………nr 9 . Cisse 🙂 …………………..
JackButler
May 8, 2013 at 8:20 PM
Comment #78Yes we’ve had a ridiculous amount of injuries this season and yes Ashley should have invested in the summer but a manager of any real quality would still find a way to get the players that were available to perform for him.
The fact that he is still blind to the obvious is frightening as he must be the only man in the world that see’s Cabaye as a deep laying midfielder, Sissoko as a No#10 and Jonas and Tiote of any worth to the side
papscrunt
May 8, 2013 at 8:20 PM
Comment #79@75 If Arsenal beat wigan, then a point against QPR is all we need. We’ll be four in front with one game to play.
Joe Blog
May 8, 2013 at 8:20 PM
Comment #80I’m pretty sure everyone is delusional on here now, the amount of times the word is bandied about.
I don’t think blogs, at least football ones, are for me, after observing for a while, absolutely nobody enters discussion entertaining the thought they could perhaps be wrong, so just end up butting heads with increasing force, until one side erupts and the profanities ensue. Rinse, repeat.
Sayonara.