The first few games of the season look really tough for Newcastle, with the first four games being Southampton (H), Swansea (A), Manchester United (A) and Arsenal (H), before the International break, and that’s followed in a few games by Chelsea coming to St. James’ Park and a trip to the Etihad against Manchester City.
So we hope that spurs Newcastle in the transfer market this summer to really strengthen the side.
Steve McClaren – first four games are key
Here’s the first tough eight games of the season for Newcastle.
Saturday, August 8
Southampton (H)
Saturday, August 15
Swansea City (A)
Saturday, August 22
Manchester United (A)
Saturday, August 29
Arsenal (H)
Saturday, September 12
West Ham United (A)
Saturday, September 19
Watford (H)
Saturday, September 26
Chelsea (H)
Saturday, October 3
Manchester City (A)
Steve McClaren talked on the Newcastle web-site about the games:
“Last week I was appointed head coach and that was a great moment, but when you get the fixtures through it really hits home and creates that extra buzz and excitement.” “We have a home game up first, which is always good.”
“It is a home game against a top-eight side and a very good team. Southampton had a tremendous season and probably over-achieved from what they thought at the beginning, so it is certainly an exciting fixture for us.”
“You want to test yourself against the best straight away, especially if you are ready.” “The first four games are key. Then the international break comes along, so you can have a breather and a break and have a look at things.”“But to have last season’s top four inside those opening couple of months is going to be a real test, but one we will relish.” “It gives us a real edge going into our pre-season schedule, knowing that the work every day is vital and you have to be ready.”
“I experienced the local derbies of Sunderland against Middlesbrough, but this is a little bigger and will be great to be a part of.” “I had a good record against Sunderland but that is not important now. It was a while ago. I am now head coach of Newcastle, we have lost the last five derbies and it is about time we reversed that.”
“I used to work out points for certain games and months, but not anymore.” “Instead, you have to go into every game preparing to win it and believing you can get three points every time you set foot on the pitch.”
“If your preparation is right and you get the results then you move onto the next game and don’t look any further forward than that.”
“It’s a cliché but we will take each match one at a time.” “The next thing to look forward to is the players coming back for pre-season and then we can really get going.”
That’s a good point that it doesn’t mean much to have targets for each game, with the main thing being to prepare properly, and concentrate on the next game and what the game plan is.
Then the lads have to try to execute the game plan perfectly, and if that happens we’ll get more wins than losses next season.
And yes, there’s a little bit of hope in that statement too – but Newcastle really need a season where we can be in the upper half of the table all season.
It’s not good fighting against relegation.
Steve should be fairly close to announcing his backroom staff before the end of the week, and it would be good to get our first signing completed fairly soon.
Comments welcome.
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127 comments so far
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:07 PM
Comment #1I love it when someone talks about spending other peoples money…all reality goes out the window! 🙂
Ibizatoon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:10 PM
Comment #2A game against a top 8 team.
I have no words Steve.
BandB
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:10 PM
Comment #3Welshie,
So just disown him.
Cut him down to size with your famed wit.
Instead of asking innocently if he has said anything that bad?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:10 PM
Comment #4…it’s nothing but emotions and what the heart wants! The head had absolutely no say 🙂 gotta love it!
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:11 PM
Comment #5Ibiza
Ground control, Mike’s rocket is too heavy to take off
jane
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:11 PM
Comment #6has the new finance director who will be on the board been appointed yet anyone know?
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:12 PM
Comment #7Has the bid for Paul Scharner been made?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:13 PM
Comment #8Haven’t heard anything as of yet!
Our Toon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:14 PM
Comment #9I’m sick of interviews being conducted daily, shut the fcuk up and start making bids. Then when you’ve signed good enough players I may want to hear the constant drivel that’s put out to the media but only at press conferences to unvail a new player!!
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:15 PM
Comment #10sorry slightly off topic, I know I’m on extra strong pain killers but was Welsh arguing with himself on the last thread?
jane
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:16 PM
Comment #11could have been home to Huddersfield in the first game.
Bambams
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:17 PM
Comment #12I have heard we have spent a fortune on Evergreen 4 in 1 repair fertiliser for the pitch.
Big chunk of the kitty gone but it will be worth it in the end and SJP will have daisy and clover free pitch
Krul To Be Kind
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:18 PM
Comment #13I’ve got it now… All this public speaking this summer by macca is to ready the September excuse.
Signings, what signings? I was clearly too busy doing bloody interviews!
It’s in the book by Frank Partnoy called Wait: The useful Art of Procrastination
BlacknWhiteBarmy
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:19 PM
Comment #14This boy is a genius – Carver would not of worked that out and he is the best coach in the EPL. Problem is the other 34 games are vital as well – and as for his comment of playing the top teams …. finishing 15th means there are a lot of clubs above you i.e. better than you
welshgeordie9
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:19 PM
Comment #15ToonFromLeeds
No i was not arguing with myself.
Average_Contents
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:20 PM
Comment #16Ibizatoon
So that’s why we can’t compete with them. One season they’ve finished in the top 8 so therefore that makes them a consistent top 8 team and deserve to be labelled as such in shteve’s book. Perhaps the king was right after all 😉
jane
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:20 PM
Comment #17is the rugby world cup going to wreck the pitch?
Ibizatoon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:20 PM
Comment #18Jane @11…Some on here don’t realise just how lucky we are.
TFL…Strong painkillers you say. Enjoy 🙂
TBF, I can’t imagine it’d be Mikes weight that was the issue. It will be that he ordered the parts on the cheap. I mean, SD rockets?
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:21 PM
Comment #19I wasn’t trying to offend, these pills have knocked me for 6 and I thought I was hallucinating
BandB
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:22 PM
Comment #20TFL
Sorry to hear you are unwell?
Is Welshie arguing with himself?
I notice his holidays have ended on the same day as Jeff’s aliases have attracted massive scorn.
I know if someone was dragging my name through the mud with a dummy account I would take it up with him immediately.
Welshie hasn’t.
Of course he hasn’t.
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:22 PM
Comment #21lol Ibiza and the sondico drive plate has fallen off lol
BlacknWhiteBarmy
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:22 PM
Comment #22Jane – Finance Director rumoured to be Jack Warner
bettyswallocks
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:22 PM
Comment #23Expectations have certainly been lowered. We shouldn’t allow this mission to be accomplished.
The Ashley statement was a start but the question we need to ask is when the quest for success is going to start.
Back in promise land with no timescale on the impending hunt for a trophy means nothing at all.
This needs to be addressed at the forum if we ever get one.
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:23 PM
Comment #24thanks B&B on some knock out pills til surgery mate
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:24 PM
Comment #25blacknwhite isn’t Jack Warner Ma’s financial advisor?
Ibizatoon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:24 PM
Comment #26AC…It’s all rather confusing really. I seem to remember Pardew talking of consolidating our top 10 status after finishing 5th.
As I remember, that didn’t go to plan.
welshgeordie9
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:25 PM
Comment #27BandB
Why bother asking him/her it’s not going to change anything.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:25 PM
Comment #28Has the backroom staff been announced yet? I know Rome wasn’t build in a day and I should be more patient 🙂
BlacknWhiteBarmy
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:26 PM
Comment #29TFL – transport for london ?? YEP. Master of the brown envelope
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:29 PM
Comment #30bad news guys
https://nufcdigest.wordpress.com/2015/06/17/west-ham-tell-newcastle-diafra-sakho-is-not-for-sale/
BandB
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:29 PM
Comment #31jesper,
It took Caesar 10 days to build a bridge across the Rhine.
Belfast
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:31 PM
Comment #32The computer must support the mackems.
Our Toon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:32 PM
Comment #33Di Sakho aka bad back striker….glad he’s not for sale!!
Krul To Be Kind
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:32 PM
Comment #34Jesper Rome wasn’t built in a day, that much is true but it certainly wasn’t falling down after 8 years! ????
I’m caught in the euphoria of it all too at the moment, but a touch of frustration is setting in as potential targets get sought by others who just go in and buy! Ours is so protracted it’s worse than watching George Graham’s the boring, boring Arsenal!
Ibizatoon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Comment #35betty…What do you mean, expectations have been lowered?
Don’t you go pointing out things like back in January there was an overwhelming anti McLaren feel on the blog, yet now, after 5 months of the Carver experience, people are delighted with McLaren.
It’s all just coincidence.
Welsh…If I were you, I would confront him / her / them. What could go wrong, if you pushy for info, it may well come out. You never know.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Comment #36BandB…does that mean I can expect an answer by the end of the week?
Ibizatoon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Comment #37Damn aoto-correct…
push*
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:35 PM
Comment #38Krull…I never came out on the other side of frustration…so I guess I am all good 🙂 lol
Ibizatoon
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:37 PM
Comment #39Now would probably be a good time to ask.
I do understand that many fans have wanted to give this new era a chance and not appear negative for the sake of negativity.
But when it all appears to be like it has before, how long do we wait? Are we just waiting for a few signings to relax the nerves?
Does no one remember the summer we got Cabaye, Ba, Santon, Marv etc? They were exciting days. We even got 5th. I remember we were going places. It all went downhill pretty quickly.
It may be helpful if someone at the club explained why they thought that was. They always say they’ve learned lessons, but never tell us what lessons.
Personally, I think we as fans could probably learn some lessons from our experience.
Right. Time to stuff my fat face.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:37 PM
Comment #40I am not really delighted with McClaren if we are counting heads!