Newcastle have performed miracles since the takeover in early October 2021.
As well as avoiding relegation rather easily last season, Newcastle are now miraculously in 3rd place in the Premier League and have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
Who would have thought that last August?
Not many.
But there seems to be a renaissance happening in the Premier League, with Brighton and Aston Villa both having excellent seasons, also under new managers – much like Newcastle.
Brighton under the very impressive Roberto De Zerbi are in sixth position and have qualified for the Europa League for the first time in their history.
The Seasiders should be able to maintain their presence near the top of the league as long as they can hold onto their top Italian manager.
We expect some big clubs to be inquiring about the 43-year-old manager in the summer.
And Newcastle’s first choice as manager 18 months ago – Unai Emery – the 51 year-old – has had an excellent season since taking over Aston Villa from Steven Gerrard last October.
Emery has already managed some big clubs like Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Seville, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Villarreal, and now Aston Villa.
Emery has also already won the Europa League 4 times.
He was appointed as head coach of Aston Villa on 24 October last year, and Villa paid a buyout fee of around €6 million (£5.2M) to Spanish club Villarreal.
The team has climbed the Premier League since then and are currently in 7th position.
They should be a lot better next season and, like Brighton and Newcastle, should remain a power in the Premier League.
It really is a breath of fresh air with new clubs like Newcastle, Brighton and Aston Villa upsetting the apple cart (and big money) of the top six clubs, the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham.
We love it.
Here’s the current league table with our final game on Sunday afternoon.
| Club | Matches | Goal Diff. | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 38 | 61 | 89 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 38 | 45 | 84 |
| 3 | Man United | 38 | 15 | 75 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 38 | 35 | 71 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 28 | 67 |
| 6 | Brighton | 38 | 19 | 62 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 38 | 5 | 61 |
| 8 | Tottenham | 38 | 7 | 60 |
| 9 | Brentford | 38 | 12 | 59 |
| 10 | Fulham | 38 | 2 | 52 |
Comments welcome.
166 comments so far
ToonDarnSarf
May 25, 2023 at 8:59 PM
Comment #121AnyToon – a lesson to learn for next season for sure! Sometimes those little details can make the difference.
ToonDarnSarf
May 25, 2023 at 9:01 PM
Comment #122I know it would be nice to get 3rd place rather than 4th but I honestly can’t get too emotional about that. Getting top 4 is such a big deal this season that there’s no way I can even feel slightly upset if we don’t get 3rd. Especially after we battered Leicester but just couldn’t score meant it wasn’t in our hands any more.
AnyToon in Indiana
May 25, 2023 at 9:05 PM
Comment #123yeah…I just hit the transfer buttons for two on the bench next week and was like….oh….that’s how you do it. hahahaha…. Need to spend this off season learning from some top managers….the dark arts and stuff you know 😉
AnyToon in Indiana
May 25, 2023 at 9:09 PM
Comment #124hahaha…..and Shaw is off. Those 9 points of Tripps is killing me…another shot off the post
Novocastrian66
May 25, 2023 at 9:12 PM
Comment #125Clint; with regards to the Major League Cricket, I read that Jason Roy has been realised from his ECB central contract to allow him to play in the tournament.
Bigjim67
May 25, 2023 at 9:20 PM
Comment #126Chelsea have been poor all season and looking the same here.
Would’ve liked a draw in this one but as TDS has said, can’t get upset at all, hopefully we can get the win against these on Sunday, but if not its still been a fantastic achievement to finish where we will.
HWTL
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
May 25, 2023 at 9:24 PM
Comment #127The thing about Poch is he hasn’t been great for a few years now
I have a few friends who are Spurs fans and said the champs League run totally covered up his league form where it looked like he was running out of ideas
At PSG the football was awful didn’t work out great if it doesn’t start well at Chelsea their fans will give him no leeway because of his Spurs connections also
When he was Spurs manager his style was new and fresh but the Premier league has severely upped the quality since he last managed
An interesting appointment but i can see him getting sacked before the years out
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 9:29 PM
Comment #128Dazzler,
Yeah, some of the thoughts on that Man U thread are just bizzare. When did they go out and severely outplay/outscore anyone? If we are so boring to watch why is our GD so much better than theirs?
The reality is that they are afraid of us now and are just on different levels of coming to terms with this simple fact.
Great isn’t it?
😀
Ace50
May 25, 2023 at 9:32 PM
Comment #129I said on here a little while ago…I wouldn’t be surprised if we finish 3rd…Fulham get a draw at Man U last day and we win. Only concern is if Eddie changes team a lot. We have already lost Pope for Sunday.
ToonDarnSarf
May 25, 2023 at 9:33 PM
Comment #130AnyToon – tough break it’s gone that way! Thought it might go down to the wire between us! Your only hope now is that Chelsea smash a few past Man Utd and de Gea ends up on negative points! Or de Gea gets sent off…
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 9:34 PM
Comment #131The plus side of tonight is that it guarantees Lpool no CL next season.
So in one season that is 3 of the “big 6” not doing what they are supposed to be doing. Next season will be brilliant for us no matter what happens.
Ace50
May 25, 2023 at 9:34 PM
Comment #132TTT…I love some of our games this year…some batterings of some teams. We play a real nice brand of football.
Novocastrian66
May 25, 2023 at 9:37 PM
Comment #133That penalty award was a joke.
CLINT FLICK
May 25, 2023 at 9:38 PM
Comment #134Novo
It’s probably because they pay better, maybe guaranteed sun, better quality of life.
Can you blame him?
Probably not!
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
May 25, 2023 at 9:40 PM
Comment #135@Taco
In much the same way that Fergie is constantly romanticised by them for always playing all out attacking football (which was bollocks especially their last few seasons)
They and Arsenal fans seem to think that we are essentially a “modern Stoke” who just bully teams and play negative football
All this is based on our away games against them when we were a tad more defensive but in both games if Joelinton finishes his headers in the first half we win both games
Also Man Utd seem to ignore the fact they have spent a fortune in the last decade and the Toon have caught up with them in a few decent windows
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 9:42 PM
Comment #136Ace,
My favourite was Spurs at SJP – they are one of very few teams that I really don’t like (such dislike is reserved for the Mackems, Man U and Bayern in my mind but each for a different reason)
We sent Spurs home in the first half. You cant buy memories like that!
🙂
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 9:45 PM
Comment #137LCBP,
True and the reality is that most of the people who moan about our style of play watched us 3 or 4 times all season and form their opinion solely on those games.
Ace50
May 25, 2023 at 9:46 PM
Comment #138Was there TTT and it will live in the memory forever. Was very impressed with our home wins v Villa and Brentford, and also away to West Ham and Everton.
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 9:51 PM
Comment #139TDS, so we go to the last GW for the superior position!!
Btw you should give your brother a ring, with some music in the background obviously!
ToonDarnSarf
May 25, 2023 at 10:02 PM
Comment #140Taco – champions league music I presume! 🙂
AnyToon in Indiana
May 25, 2023 at 10:02 PM
Comment #141team and “fans” gone already…..sad
ToonDarnSarf
May 25, 2023 at 10:04 PM
Comment #142Taco – I think you drop to 5th and I’m up to 4th. I can still get 2nd but need Steve and ZG to lose. I’ve had one hell of a 2nd half to this season though, was in the bottom half a few months ago!
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 10:06 PM
Comment #143Correct answer TDS!
check the toastie
May 25, 2023 at 10:09 PM
Comment #144One nil merchant at times Fergy, got lucky with a crop of great young players and one or two unbelievable pros.
Overrated git is Fergy. None of his ex players speak well of him.
Novocastrian66
May 25, 2023 at 10:09 PM
Comment #145Clint; He is still available for selection for England but he will be paid a skip load of coin for a maximum of 17 days graft.
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 10:11 PM
Comment #146As for FPL i will check – pretty sure it all comes down to the last GW between us…
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 10:19 PM
Comment #147I always wanted Fergie to choke on his chewing gum. Does that make me a bad person?
cleveleysbob
May 25, 2023 at 10:27 PM
Comment #148Quick question. On there being 5 places in CL season after next.
I thought the plan was Top 4 automatic but 5th going to team with best historical coefficient wherever they end up in league?
I know this was mooted, but didn’t hear if it’s to be implemented, or was it kicked out by FA’s around Europe so top 5 it is?
cleveleysbob
May 25, 2023 at 10:28 PM
Comment #149TTT, the answer to your question is no. He was a terrible person and choking on his gum is the least he deserved. 😉
Raj of Hailsley
May 25, 2023 at 10:29 PM
Comment #150cbob,
Sorry to let you down but it was never Mund’s links that bothered me, I actually really enjoyed ‘links’ it’s the ‘I’ve been told’ without any substance whatsoever, who told him, or anyone for that matter that we’d be getting new sponsors on so and so, date or Dan Ashworth is flying out to meet Paqueta, nobody of any note did so it’s no different to me telling you and you claiming ‘you’d heard’, Aye, that’s what used to irk me.
Scythe
May 25, 2023 at 10:30 PM
Comment #151I accidentally declared Ledges winner of the H2H league one earlier forgetting that Man U we’re playing today and the table wasn’t showing the points for GW37. Ledges can still be caught!
I’m currently third but will probably drop to ninth by the end of GW38 knowing my luck. It was fun flying so high for a while I suppose 🙂
Scythe
May 25, 2023 at 10:30 PM
Comment #152were not we’re
Scythe
May 25, 2023 at 10:33 PM
Comment #153Jail
Aye, that was slightly irritating. Instead of ‘I’ve been told’ I think it would have been more accurate to say ‘I saw some random bloke on Twitter say…’
Uncertain Toon
May 25, 2023 at 10:38 PM
Comment #154Taco,
It’s pretty obvious that Chelsea will come, you separate the wheat from the chaff.
That’s what Poch has been brought in for and that is what he’s been observing. Can’t be dismissed out of hand pal, just can’t.
The Taco Taker
May 25, 2023 at 10:48 PM
Comment #155Uncertain, I have not dismissed Chelsea out of hand. I just think they have more unknowns than knowns which does not lean itself to instantly competing toward the top. I could be wrong but with the possible exception of Spurs I see Chelsea as being worst placed to compete.
cleveleysbob
May 25, 2023 at 10:54 PM
Comment #156Haha Jail, I knew it was that, just having a bit of fun as Mund’s missing except at weekends these days. How’s Paris?
lochinvar
May 25, 2023 at 10:56 PM
Comment #157Must be galling for the Scousers to see that their goal difference is twice that of Manu and that although they beat us twice in dubious circumstances and have been gifted 9points by VAR officials they are not in the Champions League
Will also probably be irritated that Everton may survive and have a better stadium than tatty old Anfield.
There’s also a rumour that Klopps knashers are falsies.
Still, they hosted Eurovision.Thats of some consolation for them
cleveleysbob
May 25, 2023 at 10:57 PM
Comment #158Thought it was funny that BBC news have this week set up a “new” fact verification system!
It’s like they’ve woken up to the fact, they’ve been spouting lies for years. ycmiu. 😀
Raj of Hailsley
May 25, 2023 at 11:02 PM
Comment #159cbob,
Paris is everything I’ve seen on the tin, glad to get it off the bucket list and have enjoyed seeing it but much prefer City’s I don’t know much about and have been taken by surprise, Genoa and St Tropez off the top of my heed 🙂
Raj of Hailsley
May 25, 2023 at 11:09 PM
Comment #160UT,
Quote me on this but there is no separating the wheat from the chaff. He is foo#ed, how can he decide that Kante, Chillwell, Pullisic, Gallagher, Mount, Koviac, LRC and a few others I can’t think of need offloading and Mudryk, Cucarella, Lukaku, Sterling, PEA who Bohely signed, need keeping?