Newcastle sit in 7th place in the table having played 23 games, which could turn out to be a European spot comw the end of the season.
Dare I say it? Should we be aiming to stay there and try to bag a European place? Surely not. That would be preposterous, off with my deluded head and so on. Am I really being too optimistic though?
I don’t think I am to be honest. We are up there in the table so why not try an make hay while the sun shines? We have some key players to come back, and we have a run of fixtures now that doesn’t incorcorporate many of the teams that are currently above us. If we can keep doing what we are doing then why couldn’t we get that extra European spot?
Being realistic though, it would be a big ask, and it would be a massive achievement if we could pull it off. I’m just looking at our fixtures, and looking at the players we have to come back, and also the attitude of the team at present, and wondering whether or not we could actually do it.
The priority at the start of the season was to avoid relegation, and it still is I guess. I think we will do that, although nothing is certain of course, but the quicker we can achieve that the quicker we can push on and see just how many points we can actually achieve this season.
Europe may be too soon for us, but the fact that we are at least in with a shout for a late season push towards it is a fantastic sign. We have a team that can beat anyone on their day, and despite missing some key players, has been denied six points from two top six sides by last gasp equalisers. That isn’t bad at all in my opinion.
Once you add Andy Carroll and Cheik Tiote back into the team we will look a lot stronger, plus we have Hatem Ben Arfa and Dan Gosling to come back into contention. Gosling may be a bit of an unknown quantity at the moment, but we know what the other three can add to the team, and all of them will improve it.
It may be too soon for us to talk of Europe, but given that we find ourselves in 7th place it would be a shame if we were to start slipping down the table. If we just avoided relegation I would be pretty disappointed. Not because our season would have been a failure, but because we could, and have, done so much better.
What do you think?
[poll id=”4″]
to good for the Championship, doesn’t cut it in the Premiership.
Just wish Routledge would play with this much confidence and belief in the Premiership, been fantastic today like
I Love Mike(Quote)
HITMAN your reet m8 aboot 1100quid at mo not pan like,when punters have bought them they will bring ones oot without glasses,then bring the wireless ones oot,all mongs
icedog(Quote)
If wayne subs off,then QPR concedes,i will Laugh.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Haven’t seen the game at all, but was Routledge passing & crossing well, or just skinning defenders?
He runs well with the ball, but I’ve always thought his passing was the problem.
Maybe this will do him some good… for us when he comes back. He’s on loan with them, right?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Okay,QPR won. 😛
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
FSOTC – A bit of everything really. He was brilliant today.
toonsy(Quote)
routledge dusent seem that happy 😥
batty(Quote)
FSOTC aye m8 loan to buy at end of season i belive
icedog(Quote)
BATTY nee good comments aboot the snide today m8 😉
icedog(Quote)
He seemed really conflicted in that interview.
Do we know Pardew’s intention on this? Does he want to sell eventually? I suppose he does.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
aye just wish routy could do it in the prem,i think he has found his level in the championship,he was **** hot the day
hitman(Quote)
14.15 Joey Barton is on the verge of signing a new contract with Newcastle United after agreeing to take a drop in wages at St James Park. 🙄 🙂
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
just noticed in the replay as well, for Routledge’s goal, another assist for Taarabt.
Fantastic ball, sign that guy up!
I Love Mike(Quote)
with Barton it well might be his wages will be lower, but he will be given a longer contract, so the money still ends up the same if he was on the same contract as now
I Love Mike(Quote)
That’s what, 13 goals and 11 assists for Taarabt now? A lad on mad is saying he’s been involved in 30 of their goals this season.
Ross(Quote)
And that is a wonderful ball for the Routledge goal. And a fantastic first touch and finish from Wayne.
Ross(Quote)
ILM – Spot on.
It would be a win-win for everyone.
Ashley would get his wage savings per week….
Barton would look like a good guy whilst not losing out financially…
The fans would win because we have him on a long term deal, so if he can keep up what he is doing it would be brill…
toonsy(Quote)
sell the git
icedog(Quote)
Taarabt would be a cracking signing for us,but carnt see qpr letting him go when they look odds on on winning the league..
hitman(Quote)
See also that Redknapp confirmed yesterday Kranjcar wants out of Spurs and would be allowed to leave?..He apparently said Kranjcar doesn’t want to play on the right, he wants to play on the left but wont get in ahead of Bale and can therefor find first team football elsewhere.
Ross(Quote)
If barton deal is done.
We only left with Steve Harper,”El Toro”,Danny Guthrie,Peter Lovenkrands,Alan Smith,Foluwashola Ameobi . Whose contract ends 2012.
Shane Ferguson ,Ole Soderberg ,James Tavernier,Brad Inman,Fabio Zamblera Samuel Adjei . Whose contract ends 2012.
Opinion on who shall be the next one getting re-contract? Shola and Smith,Does these two derserves a re-contract soon? 😎 ❓
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
HITMAN aye m8 think toon tryed to deal with the rout deal and they wouldnt be on 😡
icedog(Quote)
AOD – Out of all of those it has to be Enrique. The rest can be replaced fairly easily. Jose can’t.
toonsy(Quote)
@Toonsy: How about Harper? U think he should start to retire? 😯
I think Guthrie should be re-contract soon too with Enrique.
I feel that maybe give Harper a scouting role for Potential young Gk’s? Or maybe Coaching/Player.
As for those youngster,i hope those can get new contracts with NUFC.Especially Brad Inman whose Contract ends This season i suppose. 😯
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
The young’uns aren’t that important. New deals can be done for them at any time really as it’s unlikely that any other club will be in for them as they are unproven. They need to show their worth first.
Guthrie is 50/50 for me. He has been good for the last two games, but he was shyte before that. I need to see a bit more from him before thinking of a new contract.
Jose is likely to be attracting interest, and the last thing you want is to let his contract run down. The club have been doing well with tying people down, so hopefully they will continue that. At least that way, if he does end up gong, we will get top doller for him.
toonsy(Quote)
icedog
Posted January 23, 2011 at 3:16 PM
BATTY nee good comments aboot the snide today m8<<<< dog i think mr pardew is doing a stirling job 😉
batty(Quote)
BATTY just roy c. says your snuggling up to his *** noo
icedog(Quote)
BATTY likes ashley noo cleans his car too, so dave telt me 🙂
icedog(Quote)
dog iam not struggling ,its them who think its ok too ***** on king kev and sir alan shearer and say nowt , but when it comes too ashley shiting on clueless chris who couldnt jump into bed quick enough with fatty every 1 starts too hissyfit ,well not me glad hes been replaced by mr pardew ,were playing better footy
batty(Quote)
BATTY 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
dog is cluelesses father 😀
batty(Quote)