Given the amount of injuries to key players that we have at the moment, I think that perhaps Europe could be out of reach for this season, but it still doesn’t mean that European qualification is completely out of the question.
In a way it’s testament to how well the squad have done so far this season. Most of us realised that the squad had limitations before the season even started, so it would be fair to say that they have done well so far as they look odds on (fingers crossed) for survival.
Still, Pardew is mindful of the fact that we could do more than just survive and admits that the season can go a number of ways from this juncture.
“Our season is very much in the balance,” Pardew told the Daily Star. “A win at Fulham and a good result against Arsenal would be really big for us.”
“There’s no reason why we can’t get to 35 points quickly. And then we can start looking at finishing above Sunderland and threatening a European place.”
I have to agree with what he is saying to be honest. A couple of good results and we can keep on looking up, but a couple of defeats and we are looking down. It could be the difference between settling for safety, mid-table security, or challenging for Europe. Heaven forbid eh?
Right now we sit in 9th place in the table, but if we can win our game in hand we can move up to 7th, which could potentially be good enough for a European spot. On the other hand, we are still only eight points clear of the bottom three, so you can see that things are still finely poised as it stands.
We are at a crossroads at the minute to be fair. If we can maintain a decent run of form then I see no reason why we can’t at least have a little flirt with European qualification. However, if our form dips we could well find ourselves spending the rest of the season trying to avoid trouble.
On a more selfish note, Pardew’s words have given me a nice little chance to reinvigorate the poll that has been running on here for a week or so as it seems rather relevant to this piece. If you’ve already voted then fair play and thank-you very much, but if you haven’t, please vote now.
[poll id=”4″]
Its a daft question really.
They are 9th with a game in hand.
I would be fizzin if they weren’t aiming for Europe . .
I’m not saying we’ll qualify but surely that’s their aim.
Harry Redknapp didn’t really expect his team to challenge for the title this season but stated he was going for it.
Reach for the stars and you might reach the moon! If not you remain rooted to the ground.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Think maybe ‘shoot for the moon and if you miss you’ll hit the stars’ is more relevant for Arry Redknapp.
No business is going to not want to exceed expectations and hit targets. Ashley will run the football club in that fashion and you just know him and Pards will have a cheeky wager on it….
Moreno(Quote)
Optimistic at best considering the injuries we have.
You need strikers who can score regular to get into the top 6 and without Carroll it doesn’t look like we have one.
We could of course bring in a couple of players in the next couple of days and things may change.
Stuart79(Quote)
yes stu but its good hes not just saying our aim is too stay up like clueless used too 😀
batty(Quote)
I’m fine with what AP is saying, as long as he means “aim for Europe” and not that he is planning or making decisions based on it.
Example: If he really is planning for Europe, he probably needs to spend a lot of money on a poor-value striker in the next 2 days.
For me, that would be a very bad idea. We will need that money in the summer, when we can get a lot more bang for our buck and when we know who’s staying, who’s going and who’s available.
But as long as all his decisions are based on this season’s target – ensuring survival – the idea of going for it with what we’ve got is a no-brainer.
(Although I’d rather finish 8th with the mackems 9th than 7th with them 6th!)
Whumpie(Quote)
I have missed the European games, mind… 😥
Whumpie(Quote)
Some reet plonkers that follow the official nufc facebook page like, anyone read the comments under the post about the box office improvements? Lol
Ross(Quote)
someone on mad is saying puncheon was spotted in the toon last neet..
hitman(Quote)
hahahahaha boro are looking at xisco
pearceet(Quote)
see Birmingham have signed Martins!!
We’ve got to play them twice as well don’t we. Watch him be immense for them, Owen gets a lot of stick but for me Martins disapeared in our relegation season.
I Love Mike(Quote)
I for one wouldnt loan Xisco to them, If the boot was on the other foot, Like plenty predicted, Them coming back up and us “doing a Leeds” they would twist the knife at every opportunity, Not help us out of the ****.
Let them rot and go into admin ‘kin kunts… 😈
CC(Quote)
– the heed v afc wimbledon – the neet @ 7.45 kick off
instead of cowering over ya computers why dont you come along & see some – proper footy – & meet some – proper footy fans – followed by a good couple of hours in the bar. 😉
be there or be square !!!
roy cropper(Quote)
Oba signed for the blues…
Hope he’s still **** like in the relegation season
Brettoon(Quote)
Martins would have been great, if…
1. He’d only re-discovered how to hit a barn door at two paces
2. He wasn’t a good example of the over-paid, under-achievers that took us down.
Nice guy, fun to watch, but no thanks.
If anyone’s interested in taking Xisco on anything like decent terms, for gawds sake ship him out. How many managers have been so underwhelmed by his showing in training and attitude now that he’s fifth choice behind a teenager and a guy from the championship?
Up there with Luque as one of the worst buys in club history.
Whumpie(Quote)
Loaning Xisco could do him some good and actually make him worth more for selling.
Or he could sell ice creams for them at half time…
Whumpie(Quote)
Can’t believe the amount of people on twitter saying they would have Martins back.
One trick pony, hit and miss, modern day mercenary, don’t care, over paid, couldn’t hit a barn door from two yards, couldn’t trap a ball, couldn’t pass to a team mate 4 yards away, disappeared when we needed him, when the going got tough ran away
That about do it?
I Love Mike(Quote)
ILM-wouldn’t surprise you would it mate, complete pants one season and has a blinder the next time he’s at SJP. He was very hit and miss but I did really like him because when he was a hit, he’d normally produce something canny impressive.
Ross(Quote)
Also, loving the fact the scum are seemingly looking at Fuller and Rodallega to replace Bent. If that’s how agent Bruce plans on spending his cash then he really is outdoing himself!
Ross(Quote)
Martins didn’t want to scrap for us when he went down yet he went down further than we did. Did Nowt in Germany and ended up in russia. Now 2 relegations in 3 years while we’re talking about possibly playing in Europe 🙄
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Also, ‘Arry Trotter has done a 180 on Kranjcar. Bremen made a bid but they couldn’t strike a deal as he apparently doesn’t want to play in Germany and Spurs are now saying they’re happy to keep him
Ross(Quote)
Loaning Xisco out would further weaken our depleted squad. We would have come through this window worse off and the likes of Stuart will feel vindicated.
lacedaemonian(Quote)
I don’t really feel that losing someone who’s had a total of about 30 minutes’ play this season is a significant weakening. It all depends on the deal on offer, I suppose. Even if they’ll only pay half his wages a lot of it’s money we can use elsewhere.
Whumpie(Quote)
One less senior player, Whumpie. Loaning Routledge made no sense.
lacedaemonian(Quote)
Agree with comments regarding Obafemi,
I used to like him as a character though, have a couple of great memories…
First one being that second goal against Spurs in the top left corner, the best goal I have seen with my own eyes since Tony Yeboah scored that rocket for Leeds (my dad was Leeds season ticket holder – got a lot of time for the Elland Road faithful)
Once we were in the directors box at SJP (obviously hammered) and we had just beaten someone 3-1 (can’t remember who, may ahve been Fulham). After the game we were the only people really left in the stadium (as you get to stay for about an hour after with the free bar). Oba Martins and his brother were walking along the pitch and we all started shouting ”OBA! MARTINS! OBA! GIVE UZ A WAVE!!!!”
He turned round with a big smile and started to wave and I shouted…..”WHY DIDN’T YA F*CKIN SCORE???”
Needless to say, he was gutted.
Moreno(Quote)
lacedaemonian – totally agree on Routledge. He was our only specialist RW apart from a very crocked Raylor. Xisco, however, is 5th in line for his spot.
I must admit, the Routledge thing has not inspired confidence in our new manager. He’s done ok elsewhere, but allowing Wayne to go makes no sense. I’m just hoping there was a reason we’re not privvy to…
Whumpie(Quote)
Moreno – so it was YOUR fault his confidence went and he had to leave… 😆
Whumpie(Quote)
on the subject of Europe I can categorically say that I would honestly love nothing more than for us to get back into that competition. Over xmas me an my old man were drinking in the local (Devonshire pubs consist of about 70% manu, 12.5% arsenal, 10% ‘pool, 7% spurs and 0.5% other, I’m sure Whumpie will back me up on this) and all the inbred regulars were tradtionally taking the **** out of our toon shirts. When we started talking about the Europa League the general consensus was ‘there’s no point in going for the Europa cos there’s no money in it.’ Noone seems to have any understanding of ‘glory’ anymore! Who cares if it’s not champions league? I’d take Shaktar Donetsk and Lille on a Thursday night over…well, nothing…who wouldn’t! I for one cannot wait to watch the team I love playing competitively against a European side again and wait in eager anticipation. Anyone who’s concerned with the financial shortcomings of Europa qualification seriously need to ask themselves why they’re fans of football, or, indeed sport in general.
DevonMag(Quote)
DevonMag. I agree. would love nothing more than the return of European nights with the Toon.
The other [positive is that it will force the club to address the lack of depth…
MDS(Quote)
Based on Pardew’s comments, it looks like they shopped Xisco to half of Spain with no takers…
Or maybe a poistion change is in order?
“If he’s prepared to change things a bit, I’m prepared to as well.”
MDS(Quote)
Spot on, Devon. It says a lot about the mentality of Manure ‘fans’.
Other fans watch games to see their team win, they watch to see the other team lose. Sad, unbearable, gloaty fuknuggets most of ’em.
The irony is that for the globe’s biggest collection of glory-hunters, they’ve got no grasp of the concept of glory at all. They’d rank Chelski buying the Prem title a few years back above Stevenage’s win over us. How wrong can you get??
Last European game I remember was against Heerenveen. Their fans were good value on the razz that night, too; excellent lot. Daft accents… 😛
Whumpie(Quote)
I like what AP has said about Xisco – sounds open and pragmatic. He’s giving the lad a chance and showing some understanding. Can’t do more than that.
Whumpie(Quote)
Ross
Posted January 28, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Some reet plonkers that follow the official nufc facebook page like, anyone read the comments under the post about the box office improvements? Lol<<< yes m8 i was telling toonsy the other day 😆 proper divs
batty(Quote)
agree on Pard’s words about xisco…I think there’s go to be something we don’t know about him cos five managers just haven’t seemed to rate him.
Yeah Whumpie, almost every fan I encounter when I go home ritually takes the p*ss out of me for supporting a team I’m actually emotionally and historically attached to, and completely fail to grasp the emtiness of supporting a team from a city which in all likelihood they’d fail to point out on a map! Hearing Man United ‘fans’ take the **** out of Spurs ‘fans’ for not winning the premier league is particularly annoying- these are fifth generation farmers who could trace their roots back to the Westcountry for the last 500 years!
DevonMag(Quote)
Fair play to Pulis for his comments on Fuller. Very respectful saying how if he wants to move because the money benefits then they won’t stand in his way as he has done wonders for Stoke City.
toonsy(Quote)
#nufc close to confirming another signing has just checked in at Jesmond
from twitter, and I know it’s not ever that reliable but it’s a pretty firm statement of fact. Apparently it’s not Muntari either, player’s been checked in by NUFC. Will have to wait and see
DevonMag(Quote)
well i hope its not fckin fuller dirty frekin perv
batty(Quote)
toonsy just woke up then 😉
batty(Quote)
a take it no f’ckers coming te watch the heed the neet then ?
roy cropper(Quote)
why do so many people keep waxing lyrical about Martins? Overpaid mercenary
geordie deb(Quote)
deb this is a footy site – you must’a took a wrong turn pet..
here..
http://www.lovetoknow.com/top10/cooking.html
😆 😆
roy cropper(Quote)
Sorry Roy, was doing women’s stuff cooking, cleaning, hoovering etc must have pressed the wrong button…. 😆
geordie deb(Quote)
😆
roy cropper(Quote)
We’ll have to ge Mr Geordie Deb to tighten the lead. That’ll put a stop to that
toonsy(Quote)
Yep need to be taken in hand 😉
geordie deb(Quote)
Seriously Toonsy, he had to seriously take me in hand last weekend. We bought first car for my daughter from a dealer who turns out to be a right conman. Paid market rate, got home (180 miles away), did an HPI check found out it was cat c write off. So P*ssed off that we were so impetuous after eventually finding the bloody car – right colour, make, mileage etc and handed over the readies. Now it seems highly unlikely will get cash back so £4k may as well took a match to it. Law is an absolute joke, so spent the past week wanting all bad things to befall him. Bairn really upset so could rip his head off… you live and learn
geordie deb(Quote)
Roy@46 😆
richietoon(Quote)