Todays Game and Prospects

been watching Sunday Supplement, as usual, and the cast this morning all seemed to have great sympathy and support for our predicament, as John Richardson and Neil Custis would naturally do. Custis tottered on the brink of bickering with Oliver Holt on issues concerning South Korea and Stockport County, but generally supported them in their views on Newcastle and what has happened since MIke Ashley took over.

They were saying that we need to win our 3 home games. While this is true, and remember that having won only 4 home games all season and 6 in total all season, this looks a tall order. Winning these 3 games would undoubtedly keep us up, but psychologically on a game by game basis, we can’t fall too far behind or we just won’t win them.

We could lose today, but whatever happens its absolutely critical we win next monday night or the game will be up and we wouldn’t recover.

If we draw today and win next monday, we could get above either Hull or Blackburn on goal difference, and that could be the momentum needed to take into the last few games.

This article is by LeazesMag and can also be discussed here :

http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3852

Current Situation

Mike Ashley and long term planning.

Do you think Mike Ashley was planning for the long term good of the club when he took it over. I think getting rid of our better players/higher earners [the 2 come cap in hand], ie 3 of them in the last 2 transfer windows, does nothing other than show his naivety/lack of genuine ambition.

I started to get the feeling a long time ago that he saw what he thought were guaranteed 50,000 crowds, and thought he would have that with minimum outlay and safety with an accompanied profitable company.

Unfortunately, he was wrong. We won’t get 50,000 crowds regardless. Maybe he now realises, maybe he doesn’t and the real shock will come when the season ticket renewals come through, especially if we go down.

On the basis that I think he has been naive/lacking ambition, I think a lot of what he has done has been reactive, and borne out of each event as they happened, and looking for a solution but is really out of his depth being a “businessman” first before a football club owner.

I don’t know if he rejected a reported offer from the Abu Dhabi Group, its not good reading if its true, and he may well now regret not taking it. Why he turned it down ? I don’t know. Maybe he still thought he could run a profitable club, maybe he DID ask for more money.

I think if you listen to the views of the NUSC, particularly the rally on saturday, the only thing they want is the best for the club. They are supporters. They want success. One thing was said which I thought was spot on, was that nobody is interested in how much money anybody is earning or taking from the club, we just want someone who will look after the club and give us a team to be proud of again, which represents the city and all of us, and giving it the best shot at being successful. They also said that all we hear from the club is talk about debts and what they inherited, but they never tell us about the Champions League qualifications, the expanded stadium, the top players, the capacity crowds, the Cup Finals, Semi Finals, the affection people had for us under Keegan and Robson ie 2nd favourite team. Etc etc. Absolutely nailed on, and as this is what I’ve been saying myself for ages, I am hardly going to disagree.

The fact that it took the Keegan departure to open some eyes is really just irrelevant now. He’s gone, we know he’s gone and we have to get on with it. This event which triggered the birth of the NUSC isn’t something to scorn it for, in time to come when all this is over, we will have a Newcastle United Supporters Club. When I was a kid, I was a member of something called the Newcastle United Supporters Club. They had a shop, sort of the equivalent of “the Back Page”, they organised away travel and sold lots of merchandise and lot of people joined it. Whats wrong with that ? Why don’t you give them a listen and see that they want the club to be successful, as supporters ?

Does anybody remember the Magpie Group ? Well , without the Magpie group we would never have got rid of the McKeags etc. Malcolm Dix was a fairly prominent businessman who held up the group and got a bit of publicity, but it needed John Hall to get into it to give them some added prominence and publicity. Don’t underestimate the part Dix played though, for me, he stuck at it and in the end we have to say we owe him a lot for what he did. Personally, I think now that the NUSC need someone of prominence to propel their message just like the Magpie Group got in the end.

We know that Ashley is far richer than the Halls, Shepherd etc were, and so he can stick it out longer, but he also doesn’t have the ties or attachment to the city, so is in that respect unlikely to stay where he isn’t wanted when he gets a good offer.

I would like to say, now I’m posting this, that I would have loved him to have succeeded as much as anyone did. I sold my shares to him – although I would have preferred to keep them – especially when Keegan came back. Actually when Keegan came back I wondered for a short while if I had been wrong and he would back him but it became fairly obvious soon that he wasn’t going to do it and I thought for ages before Keegan left that he wasn’t going to last the distance.

Ashley has had opportunities to admit he got it wrong. Nobody wants him to make a public apology if he doesn’t want to, he only needs to make the right actions and decisions, and I for one, would have gave him every chance if I saw that he had seen all of this. At 54, I’ve more reason than most people to hope he was successful, or sells as soon as possible to someone who is.

This article is by NE5, you can comment on it here :

 

http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3829

Martins, Goals and Relegation

I’ve never thought Martins was a top player. Don’t get me wrong, his goals have probably saved us from going down for 2 seasons and scoring 12-15 goals is decent going [17 in the first season possibly ?] but scoring spectacular goals just doesn’t make up for missing the bread and butter ones through lack of composure, or his general inability to make the right decisions in team play.

He’s got his price which is one of the highest we have, but yesterday was a classic example. Start of the 2nd half, 2-0 up but Stoke putting us under pressure to get back into the game. Great chance to make it 3-0 and game over, missed and 30 seconds or so later its 2-1.

A GOOD striker, who gets the basics right, would have at least forced the keeper to save in that situation. Its not a one off, it just happens to often.

We have 5 or 6 good players at the club, but the rest of them are either hit and miss [Martins] or just not good enough and thats why we are in the shit and its also why we lost the lead yesterday, not really Kinnears substitutions, which were forced on him to an extent by having no options to speak of.

This article was by LeazesMag and can also be discussed at the following link

http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3777

Our Current Predicament

I always feel like I’ve detected where the club is going ie in the same way as when you see a player, you can sometimes tell instantly if you think he is good or shite.

I know the last board started to fuck up and ruin all they did from the day they appointed Souness, but when they came in the relief and excitement of finally getting change stood out a mile…..I always had the feeling that we are embarking on a great period ahead. I’ve just never felt like this about Ashley, ever. I don’t think he would ever be as bad as McKeag and all those tosspots, but never thought they were right for the club.

The problem is, who is going to be the right people ? Is it feasible for any new owners to bring Keegan in ? We would like it, but is it really sensible ? Has he made himself the great untouchable ie is his hold on the clubs supporters so great he scares off would-be buyers ?

I don’t think so, but maybe outsiders would get this impression ?

Football is a real sugar daddys game now. I said to my mate coming out of the ground yesterday, things were much better in the 1980′s in some ways. We knew we were shit, and didn’t expect anything, and enjoyed it, had a whinge, had a few beers and looked forward to bouncing back next week.

Since 1992, I’ve genuinely hoped that this would be our year, and so every year I’ve been ultimately more disappointed than in the years before that.

This is a real crossroads now. The club needs saving from itself because things could be about to get a lot worse than anyone ever imagined.

This post is by LeazesMag and can also be discussed at the following link :

http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3649

Why we could go down, or will we ?

Creativity gone. Pace gone. Its hardly rocket science that you need players to play to their strengths if you want to succeed.

Since TCA [change of tack from me here] was kicked out of the club, our style of play has changed noticeably. Its the right way to play, but is it the right way to play ?

How can you play effective football if you don’t have effective footballers ?

Think about it. Bolton were struggling early in the season, with their team trying to play “more football”. Since Gary Megson came in they haver – supposedly according to reports anyway – reverted to the style they used before which suited the players that were put together by Allardyce.

Result = better results and movement up the league.

The football we played was crap, but we had a team of predominantly scrappers, Allardyce was building a team to play his style of football.

Now, we are trying to play with flair but don’t have it. Our results are not going well. True nobody expected to get anything against Arsenal twice, but the disastrous 2nd half at Villa has set the alarm bells ringing.

The glee among the southern manure supporting press at Keegan failing to recapture his old magic after 5 games is huge, probably heard all the way to Manchester.

Its not working. Or is it just that we have played good quality teams and lost accordingly.

We have home games against teams below us, its essential that we win those games, maybe not all 3 but certainly 2 and a draw are needed to keep daylight between us, and I’m not talking about the mackem derby game specifically, just a haul of at least 7 points out of these 9, with an away win thrown in for good measure.

Are we going to get these points by playing the way we are at the moment, or reverting to long ball and scrapping mode which is more in keeping with the limited ability of our midfield players.

Staying up, the only thing that matters now.

This article was written by LeazesMag and can be discussed here or on the link

 http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3340

Allardyce Needs Time – or does he ?

It’s fair to say that quite a lot of people were more than happy with the appointment of Sam Allardyce. Equally, there were many people who never wanted him through the door. I wouldn’t say they will be happy that at the moment, as they look to be correct, but it would be nice to know why they opposed his appointment.

Was it because they thought he would play shit football ala Bolton style, ugly and flairless ?

You can count me out of those particular group. I admit I wanted Sam. I also recognised that Bolton weren’t the best team to watch. But I was one of those who thought he had attributes to manage Newcastle and would be adaptable to managing superior players, after all hasn’t he managed players such as Anelka, Gary Speed, spitting Diouff, to name 3, better than most ?

This was his biggest and single attribute.

The biggest mistake he has made so far, is going into games against the lower teams in the league where he appears to have adopted the mentality that we have to avoid defeat before winning. The selections he has made, has mirrored this thought process.

He still has the Bolton mentality, instead of the bigger club mentality.

Can he adapt, will he become a “Newcastle manager”. I think it would be a great shame if we didn’t give him time and he went somewhere and did – for a bigger club than Bolton – what we all hoped he would do for us ie be better for the experience and learned the hard way how to step up in his mindset.

Typical Newcastle though. As Nicky Butt says today in the press, he’s been here for 3 and a half years and Sam is the 4th manager he’s played for. This is clearly a ludicrous state of affairs.

This is why I say we should stick with him, for now. We can’t afford to keep changing managers.

In my opinion, they need to get together with Sam, and find out where he thinks that the problems are, and what he thinks needs to be done about it. His future at the club probably depends on the outcome and his evaluation, because if he still thinks that new defenders are the most urgent priority then he has got it all wrong. Only Mort and Ashley can do this. If they want to avoid a freefall into the relegation zone, they may have to do this, and soon, because we are now in the transfer window, and come the end of january we have to stick with what we have until the end of the season.

One particular thought is that at Bolton he was making the best use of a limited group of players. Not many people have expressed this, but just now he may have exactly the same at Newcastle ?

This article was written by NE5.

Comment on this article on this site, or here.

http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3256&st=0&

What Was That All About Then

I’m writing this the day after our best players in this country failed to qualify for next years Euro Finals.

Am I bothered, are you bothered ? I’m not sure how much I’m bothered. I was glued to the telly, getting slightly worked up when the 2^nd goal went in, hoping they would get a 3^rd and so virtually put us through, so maybe I was more bothered than I think.  I used to watch England a lot, when I worked down South, in the late 1970s and early 80’s, and saw them as a 2^nd club, after NUFC of course, but not getting anywhere close to NUFC which goes without saying. I enjoyed going to Wembley watching England, who played good football, with flair and intelligence, under Greenwood, and led by Keegan and Brooking. Greenwood may not have been the best choice, but he did a good job, although he bottled it when it came to the big tournament in Spain by reverting to a more negative line up. Things are different now though, very different, so far as England and their players are concerned.  What I despise about the current England team, and some of the players, is the way some of them tell us every other week it seems, that they are sorry for letting us down, must make sure this doesn’t happen again, appreciate the loyalty of the “fens” and ask us to “get behind them”. And other such stuff. I also despise the southern press for their hypocrisy – I won’t even go near their natual hatred of NUFC, borne out of a fear that we one day get our act together and beat all of their own particular southern darlings.  Think about  the way they way they slated Keegan – how dare they – for “walking out” of the England managers job, yet scream out on their back pages for Eriksson, Smuggins McLaren, Hoddle etc etc to go when they cling on like grim death to the job. What would you prefer ? A man with integrity and the balls to stand aside hopefully for someone better, or one who clings on until he is sacked despite the realisation that they know deep down they are not getting anywhere, or have lost the plot, or the support of the fans, or any other reason ? Can you imagine what it must take to stand in front of a camera and tell the whole country that you feel someone else can do better than you as manager of England ? McLaren after the match was reported as saying he had no intention of walking away, I didn’t see the interviews, I went straight down to the pub. The FA took the matter into their own hands, good for them, for once.  See McLaren last night ? The idiot repeated what he did with the smoggies ie played a negative “system” then reverted to a positive line up that he should have started with, except last night he didn’t get out of jail like he did managing the smoggies in europe and reached the UEFA Cup Final. Such actions only admit he got it wrong in the first place. And credit even to the smoggies, even THEY had the brains to boo the hopless smug knacker. He said after the Russia game he should be judged after 12 games, not 10. Well you were judged after 12 games Stevie lad, close the door on your way out.

Aside of that, Croatia were the best team, they are a quality team, and the way they play, forcing their own pace, keeping their composure, shape and their instant control, was great. As we have nobody to support next summer, I would consider hoping they would win this cup next summer, if they didn’t play in red. So. What does this have to do with Newcastle ? Well, our manager in waiting – so we are constantly being told – was reported last week as saying he would take the England job if offered. Is this a good thing or bad ? Does it mean if he does a great job then NUFC will never get the manager we’ve been waiting for for decades, apart from Keegan of course. On the other hand he could be an utter dud, in which case you could make the point that international football management is different to club management, if it suits you. Or Alan Shearer will disappear into the MOTD studios and the comfort of the TV studio like all the other failed and hopeless managers. Quite a lot of them are ex managers of ours.  Who said they were experts ?   Alternatively, as our current manager was very keen on the England job in the past, and is supposed to have got close to getting it,  will he get another chance ? A fair number of people of the black and white persuasion would like him to, it would seem. Shame as he’s only been here for barely half a season. Would Shearer step into Sam’s shoes if England come calling ? Will England even consider him if they look closely at the start he’s made at Newcastle ? Is Allardyce suited to international management, are his methods suited to international football ? Close scrutiny of his signings and strategy since moving into our own hot seat would give anyone misgivings. We are playing with a lack of flair, pace, and creativity. One thing I saw quite clearly from my days watching England, is that at that level, you play with intelligence, you move the ball, you hold your head up, you look around you, make good decisions, and have pace. Last year we had more of these qualities than now, but we have lost 2 players who were very important, and have brought in lots of defenders and midfield fighters and steady types. Does Allardyce have the footballing nous to bring in talented footballers, and get them playing high level quality football ? The higher you go, the more important this becomes. Long ball, physical stuff is extremely limited. It may be fine for clubs like Bolton – but won’t go down too long here, unless he is winning games. I’m not one personally for this “entertainment before winning” myth, but it has been proven to be the case that managers at Newcastle who bore the crowd don’t last, the moment they stop winning the crowd turns on them. See Kenny Dalglish for proof. We lost the FA Cup Final, and 2 league games later he was sacked.  What if we had won ? He wouldn’t have been sacked when he was, that is a certainty. There is a link between Allardyce and McLaren’s misfortunes. McLaren made a mistake from day 1, when he decided to assert his authority on his squad – nothing wrong with that – but he chose the wrong option. He binned Beckham. He should have binned fat arse Lampard. The effect would have been the same, he’d have stamped his authority on the team, shown he was his own man, but making the decision he did meant he carried on putting square pegs into round holes, in order to accommodate Lampard. His predecessor also played Gerrard and Lampard. These 2 just don’t work together, how many more well paid professionals won’t see what humble fans like us who know nowt, can see.  England’s best performances have been recently when Gareth Barry partnered Gerrard. Partnerships always work better than individuals. And playing Lescott at full back, whats that all about ? Likewise, playing Carson in goal last night ? Robinson – and James – may not be the best keepers England have had, but to choose to play Carson in such an important game, with such high stakes ? It could have worked, but such decisions for such games is madness, and rebounded on him big style. I feel sorry for Carson, he deserved better treatment and a better chance on a different occasion to stake his claim. What was that all about ? Allardyce has played Milner and Zoggy on opposite flanks, now what’s THAT all about ? The first time he did it, I thought they would at least spend the game alternating, but they didn’t. Is there something I’m missing here ????? Zoggy is our only midfield player with pace and dribbling – not a good situation in itself – but playing him at left back when he’s paid 6m quid for a left back, what about all that too  ? He needs to pull his finger out, and fast. I personally would give him time, but I won’t deny I have found some decisions worrying, and some of his buys worrying, particularly when we let Dyer and Solano go on deadline day and went ahead with the bringing in of 2 more defenders and no more forwards to replace Dyer and Solano ? What was that all about then ? A mistake, without a doubt, that he and we are paying for now. The situation needs to be rectified in January, if we are to have any hope of a season which started with such new enthusiasm isn’t to end long before we have got used to in recent years.  Finishing off, after the Blackburn game, an improved performance, but another defeat. A performance and positive approach like this in some of our earlier games could have paid dividends. It is all too late ? 

NE5

This article can be discussed here on the following NUFC message board :

 http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=3210