It appears like Alan Shearer will be experimenting with his team in almost every game through the end of the season.
Joey Barton – can this man help save Newcastle?
Alan is desperately looking for players who have the mental strength and capacity to perform well in the final four crunch games of the season, and it looks like Alan Smith met that test on Monday night with a solid performance in midfield.
Shearer has shown that nobody is safe from the chop at Newcastle, with both Kevin Nolan and Ryan Taylor not even making the bench on Monday night.
Alan may also turn to Joey Barton, but we have to make sure Joey is fit and doesn’t immediately break down again, which has happened to both Steven Taylor and Jose Enriqaue in their recent come-back games from injury.
Alan talked about Joey Barton:
“Joey will have a full week’s training and could be involved at Anfield. He has not had many training sessions but we could have played him against Portsmouth on Monday night for 10 or 15 minutes if it had been necessary.”
Joey will play some part in Sunday’s game, but we’re not sure he should start, but maybe playing the last 30 minutes would be good for him.
And of course all is not lost yet, and maybe Newcastle should take heart from what happened this week here in the USA. It is the Stanley Cup (ice hockey) playoffs and our local side, The Carolina Hurricanes were in a 7 game playoff series with the New Jersey Devils.
The team was 3-2 down in games, and the odds are very low they can survive when that happens. However, on Friday night in the 6th game, Carolina won 4-0 at home, here in Raleigh, to force a 7th game in New Jersey.
That game took place last Monday evening and with 80 seconds to go in that game, they were losing 3-2. All over right?
Wrong, the team scored with 80 seconds left on the clock and then their best player, Eric Stahl, got the winner with 36 seconds to go to win the series, and get through to the next round – and this was all away at New Jersey.
As we’ve often said you have to expect the great players to come through when it matters most, which is why we’ve been so disappointed in Owen and Martins in the last several games – and that’s why they are paid the big bucks – to produce.
But nothing is ever over until it’s over, as the former New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra said, and we notice that Alan Shearer has already been using that phrase – and he’s right!
Yogi had some great statements he used to make like – “nobody goes to that restaurant any more because the lines are too long.” That ranks near Brian Clough’s great statement – “Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I wasn’t on that particular job.” 😀
Well, Newcastle still has a decent chance of surviving, but it will take the players to lighten up, and produce their best form in the last four games, and it’s been a long long time since we’ve seen the team actually play anywhere near their potential.
Comments welcome.
33 comments so far
Craigg
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Comment #1My head says were down but my heart says Hull and Sunderland are unlikely to pick up more than a couple of points between them.
If we can keep our superior goal difference and win our home games were probably safe but can these overpaid losers do it…
Neil A H
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Comment #2I was just thinking the other night that if Newcastle had a fraction of the Hurricanes’ heart we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Anyways, I think Joey as a sub against Liverpool and then maybe a start against Middlesbrough.
Dragonera
Apr 30, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Comment #3Craigg
Same. Well i have kind of ruled out Sunderland dropping, but Hull are not going to win another game this season.
Craigg
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Comment #4Now i see what you mean The Carolina Hurricanes, I didnt read that part
I thought you meant that cartoon football team!!
Spitfire
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Comment #5Maybe there is an argument to flood the team with scousers. So Barton, Ryan Taylor, even Nolan ( he’s a scouser isnt he ?) Owen ……… oh on second thoughts forget it . I’m clutching at straws.
Lets go down fighting though.
Macas35
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Comment #6I dont know why everyone assumes Hull won’t win another game, they could quite easily beat Stoke and Bolton who may well have nothing to play for. I wouldn’t put it past them getting something from the Villa game too. We just have to pray that we can win our games and hope they collapse in theirs.
geordie jock
Apr 30, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Comment #7Sorry everybody but the team hasn’t got enough skill to stay up, in fact they are just f*cking shite. The team is full of heartless, spineless overpaid useless b*stards who should have their wages stopped. From a crap goalkeeper to a disgraceful excuse for a striker you all make me f*cking sick. Then we have an owner ( who i have wasted too many words on ) who makes my stomach turn. My god does it get any more depressing.
I would like to thank Ed for all his efforts in running this blog as i might not have the heart to come back on.
batty
Apr 30, 2009 at 1:01 PM
Comment #8Craigg comment 1 iam the same m8
lesh
Apr 30, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Comment #9Let’s hope Joey gets himself back to Newcastle straight after the game – we know what he’s like when there’s a Barton family reunion!
AndyT
Apr 30, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Comment #10I really hope that Barton can show that same passion and skill that he shone earlier this season.
Tom_Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Comment #11/
Tom_Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 8:24 PM
Comment #12//
Rodzilla
Apr 30, 2009 at 9:27 PM
Comment #13///
Rodzilla
Apr 30, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Comment #14…would absolutely LOVE to see Barton back. Despite what any cotton-wool fans may say about his anger management and jail term, we’ve seriously missed him all season. I don’t advocate violence, there’s never a winner, but this lad realises he’s been an @rse in his younger days (as a few of us no doubt have too) and more importantly wants to repay us, the fans.
Personally I think the gobsh1te that he put in hospital most probably goaded him beyond the extreme before regretting it. Unfortunately in this day and age the cameras (CCTV and Paps) are focussed in on Premier League stars 24/7.
Try to tell me that footballing legends of the 70s and earlier never had scraps. B0llocks. Yes, players are expected to play ‘by their wages’ these days, Joey should’ve known better than to smack some irritating little tw@t outside McDonalds. But he did the crime and served the time. End of.
…sorry for that mini out of the blue-rant, he’s just a player I’m gagging to see play.
I’d agree with Ed on the last 30 mins at Anfield. Let’s face it, the smoggies is the game we’ll need him for. Give him a run out on Sunday. A draw would be a fantastic result but I won’t hold my breath.
I’m sure he would slot STRAIGHT in on Sunday – he scored a penalty on his first game back last time ’round. The lad needs no kick up the arse – unlike a fair few I could mention.
…damage limitation on Sunday; let’s try and keep our superior (!) goal difference – and unleash him against the monsters from the smog.
HOWAY THE LADS!!!!!!
batty
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Comment #15Rodzilla tottaly agree m8
Tom_Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:36 PM
Comment #16.
batty
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Comment #17;
Tom_Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Comment #18stop
Rodzilla
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:50 PM
Comment #19i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop
the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie
to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
Rodzilla
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Comment #20_
Tom_Toon
May 1, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Comment #21–
Rodzilla
May 1, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Comment #22o;o
Tom_Toon
May 1, 2009 at 1:00 AM
Comment #23Stop it now please.
22 is a good number.
Rodzilla
May 1, 2009 at 1:07 AM
Comment #2423 is better – it’s a cosmic number
Rodzilla
May 1, 2009 at 1:25 AM
Comment #25…come back to me with one of those lovely punctuation marks Tom_Toon, go on , phwooar….
Tom_Toon
May 1, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Comment #26#
Tom_Toon
May 1, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Comment #27##
Rodzilla
May 2, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Comment #28&
Tom_Toon
May 2, 2009 at 2:23 AM
Comment #29#####
Tom_Toon
May 2, 2009 at 2:23 AM
Comment #30##############
Rodzilla
May 2, 2009 at 3:07 AM
Comment #31…and
Rodzilla
May 2, 2009 at 3:34 AM
Comment #32…turn around, touch the ground, isolated forever.
batty
May 2, 2009 at 7:39 AM
Comment #33.