Sunderland have lost all their four Premier League games this season at the Stadium of Light, and we have to hope that record continues on Sunday afternoon.
Alan Shearer – they are bottom of the league for a reason
Alan Shearer played in quite a few Newcastle-Sunderland derbies, and after the pitiful display by Newcastle in April, when we allowed the Black Cats to beat us 3-0 at the Cathedral on the Hill, this is a huge opportunity to put things right.
This is what Alan told the Chronicle:
“The memories of the last game will still be bitter and raw, particularly with Pardew and his players.” “This is a great chance to go out and change all of that.” “You can’t really get rid of that memory until you go out and get a result and beat them.”
“What you have to be careful of is that you don’t kick-start their season.” “Let’s be honest – it got Paolo the job full-time when he beat us so convincingly at St James’ Park last season.” “That kick-started their season and probably kept them up.”
“You have to be careful that it doesn’t happen again.” “They are bottom of the Premier League for a reason.” “We have to make sure that they stay there.”
We’re not sure what Alan means about the result getting Paolo the job full-time because he signed a two and half year deal in late March to become the permanent Sunderland manager.
Newcastle are the better side on paper, but we were in April too, and Sunderland had drawn four and lost seven of their previous 11 league games, and who would have thought they would beat Newcastle on that day in April?
The answer is – not many.
So Newcastle have to go into this game as we did the last two games at Cardiff and against Liverpool, and play at the highest level we can – and get some revenge for that huge defeat last season.
If Newcastle play anywhere near their best form we should be able to win this game.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
80 comments so far
cyprus
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:12 PM
Comment #41Wolf,
here’s your last incisive remark to re-excite the conversation 😉
“i cant believe we can lose the team are in a different place fewer key players out injured no european distractions and a striker in form a fit confident squad makes a big difference we look like the team that finished 5th even with a lemon of a manager as the haters would have us believe haha”
Off for now.
wolfshead@toon
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:26 PM
Comment #42cyprus
ooh ur so hurtful lol
Ciaran
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:46 PM
Comment #43Good job the grammar Nazis are nowhere to be seen.
On topic, yes Shearer, they are bottom for a reason, but just like we strolled into last season’s game thinking it was a done deal it would be criminal for our team to think the same. Whatever inspiration Pardew gave our team to atone for the 6-0 last season seemed to motivate them to do better last weekend. Roll out the same team-talk, change the details and we should be on to a winner.
Just letting people know well in advance that if we do not win on Sunday, I will be an intolerable tosser 😉
wolfshead@toon
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:49 PM
Comment #44ciaran
no change there then haha 😉
Ciaran
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:54 PM
Comment #45Wolfs
Didn’t take long for someone to bite haha
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Comment #46not a fan of video replay…sometimes even 30 mins debating and people can’t agree on a decision so leave it to the on field ref…video only for definites like goal line tech
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Comment #47gmorning all…
TDs… for shame, ‘They seem to be obsessed with high scoring games with regular excitement rather than the build-up of the more British sports.’
i for one, enjoy the game the way it is… if goals were more forthcoming, it takes away the importance of scoring them, doesnt it?
i am disappointed in you sir 🙂 you are now off my xmas card list lol…
wolfshead@toon
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:56 PM
Comment #48ciaran
yes but it came from a good place m8 haha
Ciaran
Oct 23, 2013 at 4:58 PM
Comment #49Wolfs
I’d say it does, you should be happy though, that post was more to do with the football side of things 😛
Ciaran
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Comment #50Eh, what’s up Dok? 😉
How’s things other side of the pond buddy?
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:01 PM
Comment #51TS…I’m with you. Goal line technology gets the thumbs up from me as it’s a definite decision on a real game changing issue.
Most other issues on the field can be argued that they would lead to a goal, but not with any certainty.
Whether the ball actually crossed the line seems a simple and important enough issue to deal with.
Outside of that, I quite like the drama and the debate that follows.
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:02 PM
Comment #52dok
all the more confusing why the like thier football where 7 seconds of play follows 5 minutes of setting up
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:04 PM
Comment #53ciaran, good to see ya….all is well except that im a bloody american whos obsessed with high scoring… that may be the case in the bedroom, but not where football is concerned 🙂
anyone know the trix rabbit commercials, where the kids say, ‘silly rabbit, trix are for kids”? should amend it to , ‘silly mackems, wins are for nufc”…
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:05 PM
Comment #54ibiza
yeh…if the technology is good enough then it is a decision which can be made with 100% of 99.9% accuracy
other decisions like fouls are really down to the law but the opinion also…too many variables between refs so not right to stop the game.
plus football doesn’t have natural stoppages…can be 2/3/4mins continuous play
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Comment #55Dok…Re the trix adverts….I like it.
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:08 PM
Comment #56TS…Agreed.
On your last point, does anybody know the record for longest time of continuous play in a PL game?
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:14 PM
Comment #57ibiza
no idea…i just know if the refs have the chance to review things they will quite often (happens in cricket, every time a run out umpires review to be sure even when clear….so n reason to think footy refs wouldn’t stop the game to check).
seeing as a lot of goals are scored on counters when teams are out of shape having these stoppages would reduce the flow of the game and these type of goals
and if you waited til the ball went out of play to check a decision you could be waiting minutes where anything could happen…bad tackles, elbows, goals, etc which would all need to be ignored if the original foul was over turned.
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:15 PM
Comment #58TS…
the reason for the stops in american football, well, some of the players are like 350 lbs, so it takes time to get them lined up lol…
Munster Mag
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:16 PM
Comment #59Howdy lads. Missed the Liverpool game and couldnt see it saturday nite as Sky obviously didnt have it. How good were we in terms of possession etc ? Our best display under Pardew some said? Can I have some insights ? Appreciated…
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:18 PM
Comment #60dok
i had never watched it until the superbowl abbout 5/6 years ago, few friends were having a party for it so thought i’d go along….i found it terrible.
picked up the basic rules ok as the bbc had good coverage but its a slow paced game.
I guess, having seen baseball, basketball, ice hockey…it would have some pace to it as they like that sort of thing but it was very tedious….so long between each play then a play might just last a few seconds.
I appreciate some of the players are very skillful and tactically it’s quite interesting to see…but its more like a game of chess between 2 coaches than a sport of two teams.
Ciaran
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Comment #61Dok
We don’t have Trix here, but I’m familiar with the advert, odd. Haha
Well I’m not sure how bedroom activities are done over in America, but over here we tend not to have an impartial referee keeping score…haha
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Comment #62munster
kept possesion and played nice in ours and the middle third…struggles in the final third but liverpool have had a good defence this year…we lacked a little creativity but in general the passing seems to be getting better….we are more patient which seemed good, happy to go back instead of a hump long.
we battled well when we went to ten men also and limited them to as few chances as we had basically….very even game so a draw was about right.
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Comment #63TS…Get that and completely agree.
Munster…Insights? You sure you’re in the right place?
I missed the first 30 odd minutes, which I understand is when we were playing our better football.
There were still some sloppy moments, but what impressed me was the spirit and fight in the team.
Not sure I’d say our best display under Pardew, but certainly a reminder that we can put in a good display under Pardew. It wasn’t expected when Yanga got his red, so fair play to Pardew and the players.
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:21 PM
Comment #64DokToon
I think you’re agreeing with me aren’t you?? 🙂
My point was that American sports have loads of goals and frankly I find that a bit dull. I went to a basketball game with my girlfriend a couple of years ago and it was really boring up until about 3 minutes to go.
Football is so exciting that you wait 89 minutes and then a screamer from 30 yards sends thousands of fans into ecstasy!
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:21 PM
Comment #65TS, on behalf of the unied states, i apologize for our crappy sport… 🙂
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:22 PM
Comment #66TDS
basketball is quite good but like you say its just taking turns to score and then the final few minutes are often where you see the tension as points are too cheap
i like that goals in football are usually hard to earn and take something creative/special to score, not just expected on every attack like basketball
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Comment #67Ciaran @61 🙂
TS…I completely agree with you on American football. I have tried countless times to get in to it, but I find it tedious in the extreme.
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Comment #68TDS…
hence why im a newcastle supporter… 🙂
btw, i got an email from IIToon,hes here inhouston and were making plans to watch a match together,so now i am not the only nufc supporter here 🙂
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Comment #69dok
it’s not crappy…just very different to sports i normally watch…interesting for different reasons, but suppose depends what you grow up watching determines what you prefer normally.
somehow i got into cricket despite nobody in my family liking it…now that is slow paced, but somehow compelling as each ball can change a game entirely.
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Comment #70Dok…Are you starting a list there? 🙂
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Comment #71ibiza
it’s something i really want to be able to like, especially now sky push it quite a bit over here…just not for me i’m afraid.
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Comment #72ok ok ok.. enough bashing americans, thank you!
american football is very exciting, plus we dont wait til halftime to get our beers, plenty of stoppages, lol…
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:26 PM
Comment #73dok
always look to the positives…you’re a good man
Ibizatoon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Comment #74TS…I think we’re starting to upset our resident Texan (“I’m a New Yorker dammit!”)…but yeah, 100% with you .
Dok…Not bashing Americans, I don’t like to start something I don’t have time to finish 😉 Only playing, love the states, in fact, heading back over in December, can’t wait. I wont be taking in any “football” games mind.
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Comment #75to be fair, most americans want things “right this minute” in sport… most do not or cannot appreciate the buildup each goal has… most have no patience to sit thru, as TDS says, waiting for that one goal to go crazy… i love soccer in that one goal can and does decide it…
i have followed “soccer” most my life , as well as football and baseball and hockey… and i can appreciate each different sports nuances…
Transfer Sage
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Comment #76dok
yeh, i find being able to play the sport helps build my interest and we dont really have that many american football teams locally where i am…just a couple i see….so not sure who they play.
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:38 PM
Comment #77I think American football is quite interesting to watch but basketball and baseball don’t interest me really. I would quite like to actually go to a baseball game for the atmosphere but I certainly wouldn’t watch it on TV.
I also don’t get how American sports fans are so obsessed with stats. Imagine our discussions on here talking about our player’s pass percentages, average distance per dribble or average speed of shot…booooooring….
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Comment #78i know you guys arent bashing me, playing the poor amercian today 🙂
but let me put it this way… my son who is 7, is in his 3rd year of soccer…. does that say anything abou tmy passion for the game 🙂
and he wil be up at 6am with me watching the derby, and cheering toon army…
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Comment #79DokToon
I love it when I’m travelling and I see someone in a Newcastle top. Often they’ve never been to Newcastle let alone seen a match so they love hearing stories!
DokToon
Oct 23, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Comment #80come to houston TDS, im usually wearing one of my many nufc shirts at my local 🙂