The two wins against Liverpool and Tottenham probably gave us all a false sense of well-being around the Newcastle club over the last two weeks, but we came back to earth today a little bit when we could only draw 1-1 with bottom club Aston Villa and that was only their 7th point of the season and they are still 10 points from safety.
But it´s a game we have to win if we are to pull away from the relegation zone and the draw dropped us a couple of places in the league table.
Newcastle went to 17 points from 17 games, but with Chelsea beating Sunderland 3-1, Norwich winning 2-1 at Manchester United and Bournemouth beating 10 man West Brom 2-1 away, we dropped 2 points on all three sides and Chelsea and Norwich go above us in the league and we drop down to 17th – fourth bottom.
Mike Ashley – needs to splash the cash again next month
If Swansea beat West Ham at home tomorrow then Newcastle will be 3rd bottom at Christmas.
Here´s the current league table at the bottom.
UEFA Champions League Group F
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | GD | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dortmund | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
PSG | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
AC Milan | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 8 |
Newcastle | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1 | 5 |
Newcastle now need to ensure that when the transfer window opens in 13 days time we get as many as three good players in because we definitely need to strengthen the squad.
We need a top center-back, a top central midfielder and a top striker brought in next month.
That will help to stop the goals going in – we have conceded a massive 32 in our first 17 games – the second worst in the league.
It will also help us to score some since we have scored only 19 goals in our 17 games – the fourth worst in the league.
We have three games through January 2nd when we must try to get some wins – so we can at least be clear of the relegation zone before the transfer window opens up – when we need to attract some good players to the club.
With two games to go before we reach the half way mark the best we can do is 22 points if we beat both Everton and West Brom and that will be 4 points behind where were last season when Alan Pardew left us at the end of last year.
Here are the next three games
December Sat 26 17:30 H Everton Mon 28 15:00 A West Brom January Sat 02 15:00 A Arsenal
It´s just amazing that we seem to be in yet another relegation struggle this season after spending over £52M on new players last summer – the 5th most of any club in Europe.
We just have to hope things will start to get better soon.
Comments welcome.
38 comments so far
GeordieTwo
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:44 PM
Comment #1They were booing because of the poor effort in the second half toontaff2. That Villa side is abysmal. We should have dominated them throughout and won be at least 2. Dropped points against sides like that are season killers.
Belfast
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:45 PM
Comment #2Sorry to break the bad news Ed….
The whole budget is being spent on upgrading the drainage system.
expatmag
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:45 PM
Comment #3In my opinion, this was 2 of the 3 relegated sides on display today along with that lot down the road regardless of Ashley spending.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:45 PM
Comment #4Ed…every time we doesn’t win you out out a “Newcastle has to spend big in January”!
…we have to do that regardless 😉
GeordieTwo
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:47 PM
Comment #5Our team still needs a good cleaning out. And about 5 top players in. It needs a lot of money spent and then we can judge McLaren again at the end of the season.
manxpie
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:47 PM
Comment #6manxpie // Dec 19, 2015 at 8:45 PM
the tactics that won us the game jesper
you say he isn’t clever tactically so again explain
and btw that doesn’t explain anything on colback he breaks up play harries and annoys players all game long so how can you say he’s negative
wat if he doesn’t make one of them runs and we concede?
sing in the corner
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:48 PM
Comment #7Jesper
The point is there are a number of other players who are below par,they get less stick. This is clear. Colback is vying for most consistent player at the club with Mbemba in my opinion.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:50 PM
Comment #8Manx…what break up play? What games are you watching?
You need alot of explaining today…
You do know that 3 points doesn’t mean you were tactically spot on right?
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:52 PM
Comment #9Winbar theorem people. I tried to massively over-hype it before the game so I’d fall flat on my face when we won, but the theoretical gods had other ideas.
Predict a defeat and we will win. it’s a simple way to win games it really is.
Ron Knee
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:52 PM
Comment #10G2
Yes, but what are the chances of that happening?
expatmag
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:53 PM
Comment #11SITC
Spot on. Colback and Dummett are the main whipping boys but Perez and Gini both could have won it near the end and Mitro was lethargic to ssy the least.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:54 PM
Comment #12Sing…as it seems so far Colback, Dummett and Cisse have been our worse players. I don’t see the point in not saying that as they tend to get games.
We also have players you would expect alot of either because of merit or their price tag. Siem need to step up his game no doubt and Thauvin hasn’t really delivered yet.
If Colback was shown a place on the bench then he wouldn’t get so much stick I am sure.
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:54 PM
Comment #13TBF we should have buried a couple of them other chances at least. That header was an absolute stone wall cast iron nailed on dead cert silver platter golden goose.
manxpie
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:54 PM
Comment #14jesper no he didn’t he got it exactly right we won!!
we kept it tight and tired them out and then used the subs perfectly
ofcourse you set your team out to win but that is over 90 mins with the 3 subs included and away from home against the in form team of the season he did it perfectly
today it should have worked again until the weather and very poor finishing scuppered us
expatmag
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:57 PM
Comment #15I also think that McLaren made a mistake in bringing on Mitro for Cisse. In those conditions, tricky and pacy forwards. I would have brought Perez on for Cisse and left De Jong on.
manxpie
Dec 19, 2015 at 8:57 PM
Comment #16wat break up play!!??
seriously jesper!!?
how many games have you watched jesper? and be honest!
pawl250
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:00 PM
Comment #17Cannot understand how we drew the game today.
First off, chances missed not just Siems, but Mitrovic, Gini, Perez they were all bad misses in similar areas.
We were poor second half but I think we try to play football now and the pitch really allowed Villa to come back into the game as it just stopped any play we had. It was only towards the end when the rain reduced and pitch improved we started moving forward with purpose again.
I think Cisse, injured or not has to lose his place. He is awful.
Dummett, the guy is Pardews dream with hoof ball, and it’s clear as day why we prefer playing down the right side with both Sissoko and Janmaat comfortable with the ball.
Siem was one of our better players for linking play. Perez did nothing when coming on really, and at times he holds the ball too long. Siem passes first time without taking too many touches although yes he should have scored but so should have Gini, Perez and Mitrovic, or atleast test the keeper.
Overall I thought Mbemba was our best player today.
Mclaren put players who like to play football on the ground when the ground did not allow them so his subs were silly really. I think it was 2 points dropped.
Personally I would play Siem behind Perez next game. He’s the type of player Siem needs to play one touch passes to as Cisse requires a ball in the box to make an attempt and Mitrovic is too slow.
Thauvin was not too bad coming on, and should play when Mitrovic is on because he is probably the only person who can cross a ball in the air.
Everton next, suspect a loss. I would go, then if needed Mitrovic and Thauvin introduction.
Elliot
Janmaat – Mbemba – Coloccini – Mbabu
Anita – Colback
Sissoko – Siem – Wijnaldum
Perez
GeordieTwo
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:02 PM
Comment #18We probably won’t get 5 in Ron Knee mate. But possibly 2 or 3 (I hope). We’re dangerously close to the relegation zone nearing the halfway mark. And the matches ahead get tough again. If Mike thinks we’re a certainty to stay up he had better think again.
anthc
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:06 PM
Comment #19I thought de Jong was okay today as much as it pains me to say. Some nice passes and some good ideas which didn’t come off for him. Can’t put my finger on it but we still need a presence in midfield and a big strapping centre back. That gestede when he came on won every header comfortably causing colo and mbemba to panicked like out. A fair result imo but definately points we should be getting.
Ron Knee
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:07 PM
Comment #20G2
Perhaps this miserable draw will help concentrate what passes for his mind.
pawl250
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:08 PM
Comment #21People going on about new players we added new players this year and have looked equally as poor. And its not like we lost our best players.
We also spent 10+ million on 2 of them who warmed the bench at the start of the game tonight.
Maybe some people don’t seem to understand but a team like Leicester playing the way they are probably don’t have 1 player they paid £10m for in their entire squad.
Basically money and introduction is not the problem. You can see players can be bought cheap and come good.
Money is not the answer, it’s a good scouting system that is!
sing in the corner
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:09 PM
Comment #22I do agree with some criticism of De Jong and Thauvin though Jesper, seeing as you mention their names,mbut that is more justified because they haven’t done what it says on their tin, having arguably been at the club long enough to start showing signs of it. Colback does what he is designed to do,pretty competently, is all I’m saying.
manxpie
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:12 PM
Comment #23ya forgot banker,forgone conclusion,me mam could have scored that!!,if he got that on target it would have been a goal tang
expatmag
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:12 PM
Comment #24Before Ashley buys, he needs to sell.
It looks as though we already have 6 million quid in the pot for Cabella.
Hopefully, Williamson Gouffran Ferguson Riviere and Obertan can be moved on in some way to open up spots in the squad.
pawl250
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:12 PM
Comment #25Infact some of our best players bought in recent times tend to be the cheaper ones!
Ba, Cabaye, Debuchy, Janmaat, Perez, Tiote
Not sure what to expect from our club but as I said the days when £20m buy a guaranteed quality player are long gone!
We need to be looking at players like Dier, Deulofeu, Marhrez.
These are players with low risk for value. It’s harder which is why I say scouting is the issue.
pawl250
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Comment #26Siem missing a chance doesn’t mean he is bad a player. He missed a chance.
Not the first and won’t be the last sitter I see in from a Newcastle player. As I said a good handful today, albeit his was the easier chance but atleast he made contact unlike Mitrovic miss kicking, Wijnaldum tangling his legs, Perez then skied his shot.
He certainly isnt the only reason we drew today. He actually provided some of our best creative moments especially in the first half when the ball moved more fluently.
GeordieTwo
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Comment #27I wouldn’t count on it Ron Knee mate. If he had a clue it would have been obvious by now. Hires the wrong people constantly, and doesn’t have the cojones to fix anything.
GeordieTwo
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:18 PM
Comment #28The miss doesn’t mean he’s a bad player pawl but he’s a player who can’t seem to get fit. That’s shocking at his level. He should be in his prime at his age. Wasting his best years is what he’s doing.
cyprus
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:19 PM
Comment #29Seven out of nine points can’t be bad. They were fighting for their lives and before the pitch was ruined we were all over them.
SDJ should have scored but I won’t criticise any of them. They tried in sxxxe conditions, which evened the playing field.
manxpie
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:19 PM
Comment #30pawl nah its a good set up from top to bottom without any doubt at all
look at villa with there CO saying how good there deals were and profits and shite!
total disreguard for the actual football side of things which is the most important part bar none
managers see the squad every minute of every day so know wat they need and want but don’t get the final say in many squads at this time its ridiculous full stop
manxpie
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:20 PM
Comment #31oh and more and more non football people are getting in them positions which makes it even more ridiculous!!
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:21 PM
Comment #32/Just got in from match
Don’t know what to make of today’s game.
Two poor sides on a bitch of a pitch with the heavy rain.
Should of won with chances missed.
If Winji watched the ball instead of expecting where it should of been on a waterlogged pitch and Ding Dong had not closed his eyes when heading the ball then we would of won
would of brought on Perez for Cisse tho. Mitro looked like he was treading water.
Yet Elliot kept us in the game with a string of excellent saves – I would give him MotM for the TOON.
Gonna be a cold cold Christmas with the games coming up. as expat said earlier could of seen two of the three teams going down playing today
cyprus
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:21 PM
Comment #33Predicted a draw…
martoon
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:23 PM
Comment #34I am disappointed with the result but I suspect the pitch was a great leveller. The players certainly tried and on another day SDJ’s header goes in and we win comfortably. As I say disappointing but not the end of the world – if you had offered most of us 7 points from the last 3 games then I think we’d have taken it!
pawl250
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:25 PM
Comment #35GeordieTwo
This is his first string of games in nearly 2 years. I am sorry but you cannot say he is injury prone when his injury was a collapsed lung.
I am sorry but it’s not just a small hamstring strain like a certain Mr Owen.
And when you have not played in 2 years, had no pre season it’s natural it will take time to get match fit. If you think otherwise then you havent a clue about football in general, he is playing week in, week out against players at their peak in fitness levels.
You could argue you won’t see the De Jong of old until maybe next year with a full pre season under his belt. Hopefully he doesn’t getting injured this year as he is worthy of a squad place even half fit, epsecially when is competition is Obertan, Riviere and Co.
cornishman
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:31 PM
Comment #36Only poor finishing stopped us from an easy win. If Siem had buried the sitter and the other misses had gone in we would have walked it. The doggy pitch did,nt help and made it a lottery at times. At least we created the chances and if we keep doing that we will be fine. Andros Townsend a C/B and a left back would surely fill the void. Keep the faith.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 19, 2015 at 9:43 PM
Comment #37Manx…I am just given critique were it’s due
The overrated Frenchman
Dec 20, 2015 at 3:28 AM
Comment #38It’s really going to be a lottery (again) whether we stay up or drop. I reckon we would currently be deservedly favourites with Villa and the mackems to go down. The “football board” is an assortment of losers and I have no confidence in their ability to turn things around in the second half of the season. You could give Graham Carr £500 million to spend in January and he’d waste it – how many more French toy-boys can we possibly sign? Jail for Ashley. The “football board” out. Renewal by relegation is probably the best option.