We’ve struggled to get wins against those at the bottom of the league yet we’ve managed to be somewhat of a pain in the **** to most of the sides at the top of the table at some stage or another. It’s not supposed to be like that, but that is how it’s worked out which has left us nervous and delighted at various points throughout the season.
The saying is that you must beat the teams around you, which we’ve done, especially in the second-half of the season. If you do that then you’ll generally be good enough to survive. However it’s been our results against some of the leagues brighter lights that have perhaps been one of the most impressive aspects of this season.
Only one of the top six sides has managed to do the double against us. That side is Manchester City, and they only managed to do that after nobbling one of our players and reaping the benefits of a blind referee at the City of Manchester Stadium earlier on in the season.
The rest have been stung by us at various stages throughout the season. When the odds are against us we seem to be able to pull something out of the bag, which was kind of typified by the weekend game against Chelsea. So how have we fared against the current top six? Let’s take a look.
Man Utd 3-0 Newcastle
Man City 2-1 Newcastle
Arsenal 0-1 Newcastle
Newcastle 1-1 Chelsea
Newcastle 3-1 Liverpool
Newcastle 1-3 Man City
Tottenham 2-0 Newcastle
Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham
Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal
Newcastle 0-0 Man Utd
Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle
Chelsea 2-2 Newcastle
That’s 11 points from our 12 matches against the top six sides in the league. Quite simply we’d be relegated without them points in the bag so they have proved to be vital. Five defeats in 12 games against those sides is not bad at all when you consider that many of us wrote off our chances before we kicked a ball, including me.
All of those points dropped at home to the likes of Blackpool, Stoke, Blackburn and Wigan have been balanced out by our points gained against the so-called big teams, or Sky TV’s Super Six if you prefer. Without meaning to sound greedy, imagine what could have been if……. Ah well, this season has been good enough for me anyway.
It seems odd that we’ve managed to be a pain in the backside to the majority of the top six. I enjoy it as I’m surrounded by glory fans of those clubs who have to ask me for directions to their own home grounds. In some cases I even have to inform them when they are playing 🙄
So the aim next season is to do the same against these teams. Get into then, f**k them up, and prove a point to the doubters. The other aim is to gain points where we’ve lost them this season – against the “weaker” teams, which I’m sure we will.
Howay the lads!
That’s what i said yesterday.
This season huge unexpected success most of it down to the team wins against Top Clubs or draws. 😐
I don’t expect this in next season though. 😉
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Its about respect i think.
The top teams didn’t give us any and to their detrement.
The lower teams new they would be in and around us thru out the season and gave us the respect and prepared accordingly.
Its going to be much tougher next season.
We need to get our home form sorted, especially against the teams around us.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
And one more odd reason why we are so successful is because of two managers in the season.
CH,the manager who helps the team win against top clubs,yet keep losing to clubs in mid or bottom table.
Then comes Pardew,
The manager who brings the “sligt norm” back,beating clubs below and mid,and start losing to top clubs.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
There’s a lot to happen at the club before next season and the thought of beating the big teams again.
Can’t wait for the transfer window to see which direction we are heading.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
One slightly good news. 🙂
The uncapped Spaniard, a 2007 signing from Villarreal, is reportedly stalling on an extension offer to his contract, which expires in the summer of 2012.
Liverpool are believed to be keen on his services with the Reds in the market for more width to provide service for towering centre-forward Andy Carroll.
Carroll and Enrique combined to good effect when together at the Magpies, but the left-back has denied holding talks over a prospective move to Anfield.
“Liverpool is a big club but I am not negotiating with them at the moment, I am calm at Newcastle,” he told Radio Marca.
‘Dream’
“My dream is to play for the Spain national side and I think that I have a chance.
“I have improved as a footballer since my arrival to England. The Premier League is more competitive than La Liga and I have not received offers to return to Spain.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
AOD – I’m not convinced Hooters could have done much better than what we’ve got, but we’ll never know now and really its time to move on and stop bringing it up all the time.
With a bit of luck he will get the WHam job and good luck to him.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
However,it seems Jonas have other aims in future. 😯
“I would love to play in Italy. It would be good to go back to Argentina in a few years and say I have played in the best three leagues in the world.”
Jonas Gutierrez on wanting to play in Italy
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
@Beardsleys Boots: what i was saying is that two managers have help to contribute to this season success in different ways. 😎
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Me to BSn9.
Its going to be an interesting summer, one way or the other.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
And about 30 different players too.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
36 to be precise. 36 😯
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I am expecting to be totally underwhelmed when the transfer window closes.
I can’t see us spending anymore than £10m on player purchase’s.
There will be no “Wow” signings’s a la Gameiro/Gervinho/Sow etc etc etc Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The recruitment will be suplemented with a couple of freebies i.e Ed’s love child Larsson and possibly Elmander (who is very average).
Expect a couple of CCC players i.e. Gradel/Puncheon.
I agree with most that we have an opportunity to progress this summer, however I wait with bated breath.
Remember we are dealing with Mr Ashley and his Gimp 👿
Hope I am completely wrong 😕
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Whats the craic for Sunday
Who’s showing up?
Is there any plans to meet for a jar before the match
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
The rag that is called the Mirror links us again with calton cole.
Please god of all the players linked with I hope Konchesky and Cole come knowhere near this club. Please sign for the mackems
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
TGS, I don’t think it will go like that nor do I think we will go for Gameiro or Sow but players who a lot of us haven’t heard of.
The likes of Matuidi and Sako at Ste Ettienne or Wijnaldum at Feynoord spring to mind and I can see already people moaning if/when we sign these players even though they haven’t heard of them…
dan4toon(Quote)
Strong rumours this morning have re-surfaced regarding Carlton Cole. What you guys think about him?
Moreno(Quote)
Reading the Journal today, part of the Carroll 35 m will be spent on Tiotes new contract, Irelands wages and any new contracts that are awarded but i dont suppose the saving on hs wages will go back into the pot.
Back to the thread, it certainly is a case of what might have been and if we had had a forward line that coplimented the rest of the team instead of frustrating it, we would certainly have turned narrow defeats and draws into wins.
bobby(Quote)
Moreno, honestly I wouldn’t mind him if the price was right, not for the £7 million that’s being mentioned but for around £4 million I don’t think you can go wrong.
He would get us about 10 goals a season.
dan4toon(Quote)
West Ham are where they are for a reason. Cole has done absolutely nowt in the last two seasons picks up injuries easily.
If ten goals a season is what you’re wanting stick with Shoala and save any transfer
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
I wouldn’t touch Cole with a barge pole, he is no better than Shola or Besty.
We need a striker who will score MORE than 10 goals a season.
Cole is worse than Heskey FFS. 👿
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
I’d be surprised if pretty much all our signings weren’t from the French/Dutch leagues in anyways.
dan4toon(Quote)
Decent read here about this journalists favourite ever goal:
http://www.sabotagetimes.com/football-sport/the-greatest-goal-i-ever-saw-newcastle-united%E2%80%99s-paul-gascoigne-vs-chelsea/
It was scored by Gazza when he played for the toon. I was only a wee bairn then so don’t recall it myself 🙁
Toon Chicken(Quote)
TGS@20
Totally agree.
Moreno(Quote)
Carlton Cole is decent on his day. The trouble is, those days are few and far between.
I’d still back him to the hilt if we bought him.
Toon Chicken(Quote)
Agree, Cole is no better than shola, who should only be a squad player next season. Keep Cole away!
AndrewT(Quote)
BBoots @2
I look at it differently actually. The reason the big clubs win so many, especially Manchester United, is because they push themselves to win every game. The attitude is very different. They have to win every game to remain at the top of the table.
We seem to have the team and the ability to beat / give a decent fight to most teams, but we lack the focus and determination to do it against teams we don’t fear.
It’s the job of Pardew and his team to motivate the players, to get them into this winning mentality. If the players had put in the same effort vs blackburn as they did vs man. city at city, and in every game, we’d be looking at a very different table right now.
I really hope the summer signings give this team more belief. It isn’t just about winning a few games once in a while. It is about this motivation to win every fu*king game we play. That is what separates Manchester United and Chelsea from the rest. Someday, we’ll have that too. I really think we will.
hydeous(Quote)
The Cole thing is total garbage; we should know that by now. And just as well; he’s exactly what I think we don’t need.
As many have said – including AP – we’ll see as many exciting, fringe prospects as can be tempted to the UK by Carr and co, plus some more younguns from the CCC and various academies and reserves.
If they can do that, I’m happy. No more famous names, please. Loven’s scored more than Torres or Carroll since January. You need more evidence?
Bollocks to known players; give me more Bennys and Cheiks, please. And some Fergies for good measure.
Whumpie(Quote)
hydeous – I agree with your point, but I think you have to temper it with this: Manure et al perform up to their target. So do we. When our target goes up, so must our resources and the attitude to match – but you don’t win cups by attitude alone. Manure’s wage bill is probably four times ours.
Whumpie(Quote)
Looks like Bassong is leaving Spurs. I would certainly welcome him back but sadly, I don’t think he has a place in this team…
sunlounger(Quote)
Hmm, we would have an awful lot more competition at center back and cover for left back if bassong returned
AndrewT(Quote)
No doubt some of the bigger teams will show us more respect next season, Arsenal away is a big example, they thrashed us 4-0 at home and they thought they’d take us apart again, silly gooners 😀
Still there were plenty of those matches where we should have got more, we should have held vs spurs, should have had a pen/red card against city and technically should have beaten arsenal 5-4, but you can’t have everything. The pleasing thing is the spirit we should in basically all of those matches, and when we get a bit more squad quality and start beating on the lower teams we can really push on.
NewkieBrown(Quote)
I think the reason for the different results between the the top six and rest is we don’t have a really creative team or a bunch of class finishers, so we struggle against teams who “park the bus” because we can find the goals. Generally the big teams go after it so opens the game up more and we have more success finding goals. The only team of the top who also parks the bus is citee and interestingly they are also the only team we didn’t take any points from.
On the previous article, Fraser said the same at the end of his time with Norwich bar the Europe comment, so I wouldn’t read too much into it. Thinks he’s just smart enough to leave on good terms.
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
And even though the club have denied it, I still think Danny Graham might be a possible target for us this summer. Probably a third or fourth choice, but on there nonetheless.
With more quality players in the squad, I think/hope that that attitude and drive to win every game will start to blossom for us
AndrewT(Quote)
Good points newkie about teams parking the bus or going for it. That’s actually why I’ve been so surprised that we didnt totally destroy blackpool and west brom this season.
Hopefully we can stick it to west brom this weekend, although they have been much more disciplined in the back since Woy awwived
AndrewT(Quote)
No thank you on bassong. Don’t think he’s that good and certainly doesn’t deserve to wear the black and white again.
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
I mean jersey, whoops 😯
AndrewT(Quote)
I think Bassong and NZogbia would certainly add to the squad and quality, but I think Bassong would have to eat alot of humble pie and I wonder what sort of reaction there would be with people like Nolan and smudger. Collo and Bassong at CB would be good.
Graham wouldne be such a bad shout, if we managed to get him at 4 million and perhaps a bigger name like Gervinho at £12 million then I would be happy with that.
raffo(Quote)
RAFFO,if we went for a c/h my no 1 pick without a shaddow of doubt would be samba of blackburn,hes single reason they have stayed in PL imo
icedog(Quote)
……..if they stay in Ice 😉
richietoon(Quote)