Newcastle have six games to play next month, starting at Swansea on Saturday, and that’s tough game to start the month with, and the other games include the two legged tie against FC Anzhi Makhachkala in the round of the last 16 of the Europa League, and if we can get to the quarter finals the competition there are some good teams left, so we could get a plum draw in the quarter finals.
Rob Elliot – could be in goal for all six games
When Chris Hughton was managing the club with the help of Colin Calderwood, they used to break the season down into small groups of games, and have points targets for those games, and it’s something that Alan Pardew may also be doing through the end of this season – since it’s important to get as many points as we can in the remaining 11 league games.
We have four league games next month, and every one of them except perhaps the game at Manchester City is winnable – if Newcastle can keep up their excellent form of late.
Here are the six games we will play next month:
Sat 02 15:00 A Swansea City PREM Thu 07 17:00 A FC Anzhi UEFA Sun 10 15:00 H Stoke City PREM Thu 14 20:05 H FC Anzhi UEFA Sun 17 16:00 A Wigan Athletic PREM Sat 30 15:00 A Manchester City PREM
We host Stoke City a week on Sunday following our game in Russia, and it will be very important to win that specific game, as Stoke at the moment are 3 points above us in 10th position – and the Newcastle squad have shown that we can field two very good teams and get the wins in Europe and in the Premier League – as we did in our last two games.
Obviously the target for Europe is to get through to the quarter finals with the two games against FC Anzhi Makhachkala, and then anything can happen.
I’d like to think we can three wins out of the four games.
How many points do you think we will take out of out four league games?
Comments welcome.
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111 comments so far
Dannyo
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:31 PM
Comment #1Yes, 9 points out of the 4 league games is definitely possible. I expect at least 7.
obatoyou
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:31 PM
Comment #2would rather be paired with Chelsea, than Tottenham in the quarter final of the league cup~
mindshaft
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Comment #3Swansea will be a tough game away, although bindippers hammered them, you could see Swansea players were just thinking about cup final – if they play to form I think we’ll be lucky to get a draw
We should have enough to get past Stoke even after a europa game, Wigan will be tough as well, depends which team turns up – they hammered us last year – still think we should win tho
Man City – I think we’ll win, title will be long gone by then, they looked good against chelsea but were allowed to play the game they wanted, they looked terrible against saints who constantly pressed them
So I reckon 10 points at best 8 at worst – not a bad return – oh and I think we’ll beat Anzhi over 2 legs
obatoyou
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Comment #4lol Europa League… somethin wrong with me today…
haven’t had a drink for 4 weeks now, could have something to do with it~
toonLYF
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Comment #5Swansea – D
Anzhi – L
Stoke – W
Anzhi – W
Wigan – W
Manchester City – L
10 points, through the quarters of Europe.
toonLYF
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:46 PM
Comment #67 points, i meant.
pizzicatochan
Feb 26, 2013 at 5:57 PM
Comment #7The most important game is away @ Wigan. We need to push them down the cliff, but it would be tough.
mally72
Feb 26, 2013 at 6:05 PM
Comment #87 points and making the last 8 in the Europa would be a cracking month but im gonna put a cheeky fiver on us getting through the month without dropping a point it could happen lol
goommy
Feb 26, 2013 at 6:26 PM
Comment #9For me, 6 points from stroke + wigan and break through quater final of Europa will be good. And great if we can get more than 6 points from league game. 🙂
YankeeToon
Feb 26, 2013 at 6:49 PM
Comment #10Swansea on a emotional hangover week gives us an even better chance against them. I can see 6 points from this starting with a win at Swansea, travel to Russia then play Stoke (Draw, Loss), at Wigan (Draw, Win) so that sees 5-6pts from those three.
City? who knows where there head will be at considering the gap between them and The U, Away though I would think a draw would be like a win.
K T Cat
Feb 26, 2013 at 6:56 PM
Comment #11I’ll go for 9 points. This team is so much better than it was in late 2012. I think we’ll give Man City a hard time, but will end up losing to them. Other than that, I’m optimistic for a streak of wins. Not sure about the Anzhi games. It all depends on who plays.
toonaids
Feb 26, 2013 at 6:56 PM
Comment #12swansea – W
anzhi – D
stoke W
anzhi W
wigan W
man c D
Fostino
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:02 PM
Comment #13could be another shay given in the pipeline
http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2013/02/25/3778430/irish-abroad-rob-elliot-makes-premier-league-debut
Harley
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:06 PM
Comment #14I’d be happy with 7 points and through to the quarters.
JackButler
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:09 PM
Comment #15Stoke will probably be without Huth who has been charged by the FA for violent conduct which will help (and should be without N’Zonzi for that slap)
But with a fully fit squad we are a match for anyone
JackButler
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:11 PM
Comment #168 points and a place in the quarters
Novocastrian66
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:17 PM
Comment #17ToonLYF. Your predictions seem realistic . Toonaids; optimistic.
9
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:23 PM
Comment #183 out of the 4 League games are away. That’s quite an unusual run, so you’ve got to be pretty much of an optimist to expect many wins. But Swansea are unlikely to be giving 100%; I’m not worried in the slightest about Stoke, so that’s a fair start. We definitely owe Wigan one, what a funny team to read they are! They clearly can’t come close to matching our squad, but that was true the last time they smashed us so it’s a brave man who would like to predict that, either way. Similarly, I’m not all that worried about City, but history says we’ll get nowt. I don’t know much about Anzi except they have a left back who will turn 40 in a few weeks, so that’s a good start, and they looked deeply poor the one time I’ve seen them play on TV – there again, so have the NUFC in 90% of this season’s games – we all believe those days are over, with good cause, so I would hope we’ll pass through this round.
But I’m sitting on the fence on any more than 6 or 7 points from the League matches.
mot7
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:31 PM
Comment #197 points and quarter final if we play our very best team in both games
DokToon
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:35 PM
Comment #20hell, then ill be the optimist… 12 full points, and a thrashing by toon on the away leg, so back to st james to rest for home leg and a spot in the quarters…
if im right, ill send you all the winning numbers in the lottery the next day 🙂
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:37 PM
Comment #21Dok…I’d say that’s the minimum we should accept or Pardew should be fired.
TyneValleyToon
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:40 PM
Comment #22I’d be happy if ToonYLF’s prediction came true But we have a terrible record at Wigan & you never know which Wigan team will turn up. Getting past Anzi would be massive, a couple more Sunday games would be nice for us that work Saturdays 🙂
Super Magpie
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:42 PM
Comment #237 points and a quarter final place would be a good return. Anything more is a bonus. We should be looking to beat Stoke and Wigan. A point would be ok at Swansea and anything at Man City would be welcome.
Stay in the leg going into the home game against Anzhi and we can go through that too.
aidantoon
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Comment #24Swansea_ draw
Stoke_ win
Wigan_ draw
Manc_ lose = 5 points.
We will also progress into last 8 of cup.
DokToon
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:51 PM
Comment #25ibiza,
methinks even if that were to happen, robin the muppet would still call for pards to get the boot…
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:54 PM
Comment #26Dok…I think Robins issue is that he doesn’t actually know how to read or write. I think he cut and paste a catchy comment from a few months ago and just keeps repeating it…bless.
Super…How great is it to be talking about getting to the quarter finals of the EL? Didn’t seem remotely possible a month ago.
yo-yo
Feb 26, 2013 at 7:56 PM
Comment #27Anything more than seven points would show we really have gone up a notch or two. Seven points would consolidate our current position.
I think AP will wamt the win at the Liberty, and not setle for a draw.
Advantages of away games are that we can set up counterattacking and having HBA back will give us a boost.
I’d love to see us play like WBA away last year at Swans bring them back down to earth.
bollance
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:23 PM
Comment #28Which team is best, this season or last season?
Last season
Krul
Simo – Taylor – colo – Santon
Tiote – cabaye – Guti
Hba – Cisse – Ba
Or this season
Krul
Debuchy – Taylor – colo – Santon
Tiote – cabaye
Hba – sissoko – Guti / gouffran
Cisse
Spuggy
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:43 PM
Comment #29Bollance
Add the depth – Anita, mbiwa haidara etc and we’re defo stronger. We just need a top striker and we are all set ( and replace anyone who leaves). A top winger/striker would be a bonus but not essential with Gouffran capable out there.
I’d rather a striker brought in to compliment Cisse and compete with sissoko, but someone who can also play up top. Then it’s just about the underbelly as pards calls it. 3-4 top youngsters.
Jayden
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:43 PM
Comment #30This season, by a country mile
Dagwoodz
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:45 PM
Comment #31Bollance, you really have to ask? This year’s team is considerably stronger, IMHO of course.
Sat 02 A Swansea City (1-1 Draw)
Thu 07 A FC Anzhi (0-0 or 1-1 Draw)
Sun 10 H Stoke City (win 2-0)
Thu 14 H FC Anzhi (win 2-1)
Sun 17 A Wigan Athletic (win 2 or 3-0)
Sat 30 A Manchester City (draw great result, but L 2-0)
Not incredibly sure about the EL games, but I think we’ll get a 7 point haul out of these fixtures this month, with 10 a possibility if we stay in form against Swansea and Citeh. If we get 12 and win both legs of the EL…well, one can dream. 😀
Ian Toon
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:49 PM
Comment #32Before the recent player infusion we were too one dimensional. Small squad very reliant upon Ba / Cisse to score. Now we have goals in prospect throughout the side. We now have the players that Pardew wanted at the beginning of the season when he spoke of being able to vary tactics depending on the opposition. Clearly the latter team which excluding Simpson and Williamson enables us to employ a fluid passing counterattacking style Swansea will be interesting good opportunity to gauge how far we have advanced .
aidantoon
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:51 PM
Comment #33Just a thought, who in the premier has a better midfield than us with
Hba, cab, sissoko, guffy?
Can’t think of many, maybe man city.
Ian Toon
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:54 PM
Comment #34Bollance- my team would have Yanga starting ahead of Taylor who I thought was our poorest player on Sunday. Fans tend to Overlook his shortcomings because he’s a local .
Ian Toon
Feb 26, 2013 at 8:54 PM
Comment #35Aidan – Tiote!,,
89Norcal
Feb 26, 2013 at 9:02 PM
Comment #36Unfortunately for us we’re getting Man City at a dire time for them again, which means they will throw everything they got at us. Dont expect a Soton style upset for that one. Actually they seem to perform best this season against mid table- upper table sides and poorly against lower table sides.
aidantoon
Feb 26, 2013 at 9:07 PM
Comment #37Ian toon
Aye tiote also, just thought as a midfield 4 not many teams better.
Top 4 next season with a few more good players coming in.
Ian Toon
Feb 26, 2013 at 9:12 PM
Comment #3889Norcal – We don’t play Man City till the end of next month. Or do you mean Stoke City our next home game. A lot can happen between now and 30th March – like Man Utd pretty much wrapped the PL up!
Ian Toon
Feb 26, 2013 at 9:14 PM
Comment #39Pushy- we have to be impressed watching Smith. Be a lot cheaper than AC and not such high maintenance.
nufc786
Feb 26, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Comment #40http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/02/26/3782236/-?
Asprilla set to join Newcastle as youth coach