We watched the Liverpool – Manchester City game on Sunday – and what a game it was, with Liverpool again looking great – especially in the first half when they went 2-0 up, but Manchester City came roaring back to make it 2-2 in the second half before a mistake by all people – City skipper Vincent Kompany – allowed the impressive Philippe Coutinho to get the winner.
Steven Gerrard – could win Premier League for the first time
He’s won everything else with the Reds
And Liverpool now have the chance – it’s a certainty if they win their last four games of the season – to become Premier League Champions for the first time in their history, and that would be the 19th time they have won the English League title, the last one being back in 1990.
And to think Newcastle finished in 5th position two years ago with 65 points, and Liverpool were languishing in 8th position on only 52 points – one place behind Everton – and then last year they were 7th and Newcastle were 16th – but the Reds were still one place behind Everton – but this season they could become the PL Champions for the first time.
So what’s happened in the last two years at Newcastle?
Last season could be put down to the rigors of the Europa League, and we just didn’t have a big enough squad and of course we lost Demba Ba fifteen months ago.
And this season was going to be a recovery season, and through the end of last year we were doing well, but then we sold another of our best players in January – Yohan Cabaye.
Once contrast with Newcastle is that Liverpool don’t sell their best players, and they were determined to keep Luis Suarez – and that’s paid off for them big time this season – he’s the leading scorer and also has the most assists in the Premier League.
It’s this year that things have fallen apart for Newcastle following our disastrous previous season in the Premier League, and we are on this terrible league run of 11 defeats in 16 league games.
And we’ll now be lucky if we can finish in 9th place, and if don’t get a couple of wins in the last four games, Stoke City could even pip us to 9th place.
Of course two years ago Liverpool fired Kenny Dalglish and appointed Brendan Rodgers as their new manager, and he has them playing some wonderful stuff.
And Everton appointed Roberto Martinez last summer (he would have been great at Newcastle), and he has Everton in 4th place and playing some terrific football too.
We’re sure a lot of Newcastle fans are looking at these two appointments and thinking if Newcastle could appoint the right young manager, then we could be quickly flying high too – but of course it doesn’t always turn out that way.
It hasn’t worked for Sunderland appointing Gus Poyet earlier this season, and it now looks like they will be relegated, unless they can get say three wins in their last six games.
I’m meeting my friend Peter for lunch in an hour or two at an Irish pub over here, and Peter was born and bred in Sunderland, so he’s not too happy right now with his team. 🙁
We suppose there could be some changes made by Mike Ashley if Alan Pardew cannot turn this thing around before the end of the season, but if that doesn’t happen, then we hope that Newcastle will do a reset, and bring in six or seven top players over the summer months, and let some of the fringe players leave – and then we’ll hope for the best.
But we are also concerned that the negative press on Newcastle over the last few weeks, will not help us in recruiting good players this summer.
The bottom line is that in the seven years we have had Mike Ashley running the club, we’ve had only one season when the side has finished in the top ten – and this could be the second season.
But this season feels nothing like being a success, but it’s still the second best we’ve done under Mike Ashley – and of course it’s nothing like the nirvana the Liverpool fans are experiencing right now.
What do you think?
213 comments so far
Marty-Toon
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Comment #121Fair play to Liverpool and Rogers,
I don’t like Liverpool but love the way they play.
It’s almost like a Keegan team only they defend better.
Rogers has done a great job with players like Hendersen,Sturridge,Flanagan and Sterling.
But in all honesty if they hadn’t Suarez then they wouldn’t be where they are.
He works harder than any other CF in the world I’d say,he harries defenders to the end.
Defenders are scared stiff of him,he’s a bit of a cheat but his link up play,runs off the ball,ability and assists are worth every penny of his contract.
MA could take note that if he can buy a top striker at a decent price,give him the 80,000 it’ll take to get or keep him and the team flourishes around him just as at Liverpool.
Sturridge at Chelsea just looked uninterested and lazy,yet when he teamed up with Suarez and Rogers got them playing like they do,he’s turned into a striker of another caliber.
Still though,the key to their success is Rogers and Suarez although it helps to have a Coutinho,Skrtel and Gerrard in the team too 😉
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:21 PM
Comment #122the truth will out
Crissakes..Your going through it .. I will listen for you on the 2m freq you mention …Do you need any help om ?
Marty-Toon
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:23 PM
Comment #123It wasn’t like Liverpool had a bad team when we finished above em two years ago,they just didn’t have Rogers and the finished article(few additions)
Marty-Toon
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:24 PM
Comment #124Will Big Andy kick Arsenal a new one tonight?
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:26 PM
Comment #125the truth will
I got something but its just a buzzing sound, exact freq ..will just go elevate… clark scam..(secondary mast.)
welshgeordie9
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:29 PM
Comment #126I want swans to win because I don’t want them relegated, and if they some how score 2 or 3 then it’s bye bye pardew
Transfer Sage
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:30 PM
Comment #127Jail
By chance I was reading a running forum the other day, doing the GNR this year so looking for some good kit….karimor was always a good brand but everyone said sincce SD bought it the quality, like everything else he owns has plummited
the truth will out
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:32 PM
Comment #128selling a glider
Transfer Sage
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:33 PM
Comment #129Marty
I’ve been saying that for a season now…you can cut corners and scrimp on most areas of the team but buying a quality striker is key.
And it’s almost risk free, strikers rarely drop in value (unless you pay 50mil for torres), heck even cisse will still return around 5/6 mil I’d guess and he hasn’t hit the goal consistently for nearly 2 years now.
Take lukaku as an example, 20 years old, buy him now for 20mil, get 4/5 years of him doing a lot for the team then double your money when he hits his prime.
the truth will out
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:33 PM
Comment #130i cant get out without a licence still in development hf good tho
geordie157
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:34 PM
Comment #131Bet west ham play better football tonight than us.
the truth will out
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:35 PM
Comment #132selling up fearing the worst
the truth will out
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:35 PM
Comment #133@131 with a bit more grit and balls i bet
Transfer Sage
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:36 PM
Comment #134toonking
everton have played really well though and still did ok when without lukaku for that month or so.
Everton are a long way from title contenders but they certainly play some very good football, work as a team in attack and defense and generally would be worth paying the £500+ for a season ticket to watch.
Obviously europea will hurt them if they don’t increase the squad size (and can’t keep barry and lukaku) but martinez is happy to use some of the kids they have.
Transfer Sage
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:38 PM
Comment #135@131
Yeh they will, it might not be pretty and easy on the eye (neither are we) but there will at least be shape to the team and a plan to score, even if it is a long ball into carroll.
guvnor
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:38 PM
Comment #136Pardews under scrutiny now and he’s cracking up the cockney windbag.
guvnor
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:44 PM
Comment #137Pardew is beginning to resemble Gullitt when he was going mad and blaming everyone, before old Freddie sacked him.
welshgeordie9
Apr 15, 2014 at 7:50 PM
Comment #138guvnor
Do you think he will get sacked if newcastle lose this weekend
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Apr 15, 2014 at 8:00 PM
Comment #139We can always hope 😉
toonking
Apr 15, 2014 at 8:02 PM
Comment #140TS
The thing about pardew and the kids is the threat it could pose in the summer. we know, the media know and pardew hiself knows this team needs to bring a number of strikers in this summer but when you ashley here you can’t even expect a striker to arrive when we have lost one. he said in the winter that our squad was decent so what did ashley do he took it to far and decided to see cabaye thinking we didn’t need a replacement We talk about when ashley will start making less mistakes, maybe now pardew will stop making the mistakes he usually makes and one of them mistakes is making the squad look or sound like it doesn’t need improving, if ashley sees pardew now playing armstrong every week and if ashley hears stories of armstrong getting lots of praise then he will consider that as one less striker to be signed in the summer.
also pardew has played youngsters this season ie dummet for instance and now everyone seems to be getting on dummetts back.
lesh
Apr 15, 2014 at 8:08 PM
Comment #141Aye Online, think you’ve realised that some if your questions were a tad hostile to MA and therefore referred to the Forum where they wouldn’t be answered.
Give it time and let him know that you’re not a threat to him, not an extension of a certain group that have been barred from the Forum and that fans would like constructive dialogue, not hostility.
MA’s obviously a delicate soul who would love to work with fans, if he felt he could trust them.
Hey ho.
jazzyp
Apr 15, 2014 at 8:22 PM
Comment #142Get French Football ?@GFN_France · 3 hrs
TRANSFER ZOOM: Remy Cabella: Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid have all invited his agent for talks: http://goo.gl/qEyoY0
Another one bites the dust gents………if he was ever a target in the first place
Transfer Sage
Apr 15, 2014 at 8:26 PM
Comment #143toonking
I agree there is politics at the club and pardew must play his part, but Ashley does like football so he isn’t a total moron, he can see the squad needs more to kick on, the problem is in my view is that Ashley doesn’t want us to kick on, just hover where we are (I may be wrong, just the impression I get).
I believe everton have better youngsters (although some on loan), stones, lukaku, deulofeu, etc but he martinez plays them in the right position.
Dummet has been used correctly (and is beginning to struggle) but armstrong was used a little bit too wide, same as campbell when used last year….any kid will struggle in a team, especially a losing team and even more so when not played in the position they know.
Santon was a solid fullback for inter under mourinho, a manager who can organise and drill a team, even senior players look well out of position under pardew….they can’t all have dropped their standard individually….Pardew is the common denominator.
Just my take on the matter anyway.
Transfer Sage
Apr 15, 2014 at 8:28 PM
Comment #144Jesper
sorry never replied earlier, just spotted the comment now.
Yes, I remember it well…Pardew was still well thought of and seen by the media to have done a very good job in difficult conditions.
Now he is seen as a hot head, not wanted by his own fans, unable to motivate players and seen to be a man who will blame anyone to save his own skin…..the tide is turning on him all because he tried to ride his luck.
Rotonda heights
Apr 15, 2014 at 9:13 PM
Comment #145geordie 2
Mere mention of the now famous honey badger always cracks me up!!
toon kk
Apr 15, 2014 at 9:48 PM
Comment #146Transfer
your right MA probably knows what the team needs, but he simply doesn’t want all the expense, a midd table club with average player’s and the potential of a big sale is a far profitable 5 year plan.
Pardew is always passing this message on in around about way.
its been drummed into people time after time that the club can’t compete with the big clubs financially to get them to try and understand the lack of money spent. The idea is to try and get fans to agree with the running of the club.
Most are seeing through the bullsh.t.
toonking
Apr 15, 2014 at 9:49 PM
Comment #147TS
the trouble pardew has their is again ashley doesn’t give him the chance to get the type of players who should be played in them positons.
when santon first arrived we had no LB at the club because enrique was sold so the thing now was he has to either use a LW as a LB or he plays santon as the LB, had ashley and the scout got a LB then pardew would not have needed to use santon at LB because he would have had the proper man for the job but instead he was not given the LB so he was left having to use santon as LB and by the time hadaira was here pardew now had santon already adapting himself.
the winger part of the problem was down to fans unhappy with jonas and obatan because those are the only two players we have in the team who are proper wingers, the rest are considered by fans as no10 ie HBA marvo, strikers ie cisse gouffran and sammy or CDM ie sissoko. (not aiming it at anyone particular just in general really) so really pardew has no choice because no matter what formation we see their will still need to be an attacking player on both sides of the pitch that will make the crosses into the box for the strikers as attacks through the middle will be much harder to break down.
at this minute in time i’m not going to be too hard on pardew instead i’m just going to remain content.
the time i will really start judging him myself is once the summer window is shut because i expect to see a minimum of 6 attacking players to arrive this summer and that will show just how good or bad pardew really is and ofcourse if he doesn’t get the backing i expect then it proves that ashley was at fault all along and these performances are because the players just didn’t care about this club and want to be out.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:07 PM
Comment #148TS…I think you are right about that assessment!
manxpie
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:36 PM
Comment #149out of interest on the players out of position thing what are your teams and formation?
but remember ya can’t put players out of position
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:46 PM
Comment #150Just had a call that Krul and Ben Arfa are leaving, end of season . they are gone . hope the hell its wrong .
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:51 PM
Comment #151the truth will out
Sorry I disappeared , went out in garden to jack the
Clark scam up, got collared by the wife , she said I had promised to cook tonight ..
Iv just finished took me over 3 hour’s, crikey ..If you need any help give me a shout..Also don’t worry , Medical science is amazing today. take it easy.
manxpie
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:52 PM
Comment #152online call from who?
on a lighter note i chatted to mike on the phone earlier and he told me them shares he sold recently over 200 mil were all for this summer window!
i’ll fill you in at the end of the summer window and let you all know if he was speaking the truth!
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:53 PM
Comment #153OG…I don’t know about Krul, but I cannot see Benny wanting to sign a new deal and if NoNuts won’t let Parsnip go then I don’t see Benny being of any use…sadly 🙁
manxpie
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:01 PM
Comment #154on benny last week the report was that coz he slagged of pardew he wouldn’t play again this season
now its changed to he won’t start another game this season
so if he starts this next game wat have the press got to stir it?
oh yeah the collo story, and wats the bets he starts next game?
and both reports from a banned paper the mirror!
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:02 PM
Comment #155Jesper it look’s like Krul is leaving..
I can imagine him being sick with the lack of any , any! ambition ..what an amazing Football Club , we have been nullified AS a Football Club .
Good evening Manx,,,
watching Rick on TV yesterday ,,He’s looking well . tell him not to fasten that jacket right up though ,,the one with the three buttons.
manxpie
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:07 PM
Comment #156evening online so who was this phone call from then was it mike personally?
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:15 PM
Comment #157Manx,
I will never side with newspaper’s, its mostly fantasy and the result of someone’s lucid dream on a drink induced Saturday night, in particular.
You might get a grain of truth, then a dodgy thread weaved in to it thus misleading those that are easily lead
..I had a bust up with Piers Morgan one time, and another with the Yuk,.ahhughh awful ….John Gibson.
I do know 2 bloke’s that write for 2 nationals and they are decent bloke’s..they are 2 journo’s I trust, ..although prone to a little bit of sensationalist headline’s , time to time.
manxpie
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:20 PM
Comment #158piers morgan he was the mirror too wasn’t he?
you seem to acquaint yaself with some horrible people online
Online Guy
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:22 PM
Comment #159Manx, If you go back 2 days and go back over my posts you will see how my escapade developed..I reported it as it happened..look at my first post on this page for how it turned out.
manxpie
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:29 PM
Comment #160i did read it online
i was just wondering
how did you speak to mike and under what circumstances?
and if you spoke him why didn’t you ask him there and then a few questions?