Liverpool have surpassed any pre-season expectations and still maintain a slim chance of picking up the Premier League trophy should West Ham beat Manchester City and the Reds manage to overcome us.
To be perfectly blunt I cant see that last part being an issue for a Liverpool side who are searching for their 100th Premier League goal of the season against a side who has struggled to keep them out at the other end.
It also gives United fans another chance to show their displeasure at how things are going for Newcastle. Momentum seems to be building regarding banners and the like and I’ve already seen a few good ones on Twitter which actually highlight our plight and give an insight as to what our issues are. And our issue is NOT that we aren’t challenging at the top of the league Mr Pardew!
We’re likely to wave goodbye to a few faces today, certainly on the playing staff anyway. Loic Remy is unlikely to be seen in a United shirt as his loan deal ends and as we’re well aware each player has a price so who knows who else could be heading for the exit. I’d be surprised if one of those was the manager though, unfortunately.
Liverpool:
Jordan Henderson is available for selection once more after missing the last three games through suspension. Brendan Rodgers has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game. Former Mag Jose Enrique has been out since November with a knee injury.
Newcastle:
Papiss Cisse would have been out anyway but the news that he will now miss a few months and is unlikely to be fit for the start of the new season isn’t exactly welcome. Davide Santon also misses out while Adam Armstrong is away on international duty and Hatem Ben Arfa is also unlikely to feature.
Previously…
Newcastle managed to salvage a draw at home to Liverpool and perhaps could have done even better if they managed to retain eleven men on the pitch. Yohan Cabaye had given United the lead before Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa gave away a penalty and earned himself a red card allowing Steven Gerrard to equalise just before half-time. Paul Dummett restored the lead for the home side before Daniel Sturridge nodded in from close range to ensure the points were shared on the day.
That was a rare bright spot for us against Liverpool. Generally we’re awful against them, certainly in recent years, and who can forget that 0-6 loss at St James’ Park just last season? It’s been twenty years since we last won at Anfield in the league and I can’t see that changing today.
A total of 166 games games have been played between the two sides with Liverpool winning 79 times compared to 47 wins for United meaning that the other 40 meetings have ended in a draw. Of those 166 games, 77 have been at Anfield and United have won just 11 times with Liverpool racking up an impressive 51 victories.
Stats and facts…
Newcastle have only won once away from home on the final day of the Premier League. That was last season against QPR.
United have lost all 13 of their league matches this season when they have been losing at half-time – the worst record in the division.
In 39 Premier League meetings between these sides, there has never been a goalless draw.
Liverpool have scored three goals in four out of the last five times they have played Newcastle at Anfield.
Final thought…
As much as this season has turned sour when it could ave been so different, and as frustrated as I’ve been with, I’m still sad to see the season coming to an end. It’s football, our bread and butter, at the end of the day. Fortunately we have a World Cup to keep us occupied whilst we await the flurry of new signings at St James’ Park over the summer. Ahem…
I look at Liverpool and wonder what could have been. In no way could we have challenged for the title like they have done so admirably, but at one point we were doing rather well and could perhaps have started to look at European qualification.
How things have changed since then though. Starting with the sale of Cabaye and failure to replace the wheels have steadily come off and we are now faced with a squad low on morale and confidence, a manager who has very little backing from the fans, rumours of dressing room bust ups and everything else that we’ve heard about. What could have been eh?
My only hope is that we give it a real good go today. The likelihood is that we’re going to get beat and if you sit off Liverpool they’ll just come back at you and break you down eventually, so why not give it a go first and at least try and attack. We won’t though. I think we can all see what is coming already.
Howay the lads!
Date: Sunday, 11th May, 2014
Time: 3pm
Venue: Anfield
@bigdave
The manager is the most important individual at the club.
If you think Mike Ashley is incapable of bringing in a better manager, why would you think he would bring in a better striker than Shola?
There is no logic to it.
KK(Quote)
KK IMO it’s simple really, he could bring in a better manager but he doesn’t want a better manager because the manager he has does exactly what he wants.
As for a better strike it wouldn’t be too hard to bring in a better one than Strolla
Big Dave(Quote)
Another one of Pardews lies. Shola got sent off after we were losing NOT before although Pardew seems to have been watching a different game.
“Whether it was sarcastically I don’t know but Shola said: ‘You are going to send me off!’ And he did.”That’s sort of explanation that Phil gave me. So I think he should have managed that far better than that.”
It was shame.
Liverpool then got two goals but with 10 men it was always going to be difficult.”
KK(Quote)
KK – it’s not that he is incapable of bringing in a quality manager. But just that he wont. He doesn’t want any better than Parsnip. He has zero ambition for this club. A new or better manager doesn’t fit with his agenda.
So long as he gets 50k fans attending every other week, why would he want more.
This is as good as it gets mate.
Minimal investment this summer to keep us mid table. No more, no less.
Percy is safe as long as he achieves this goal every season.
Dreaming of better is futile.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
@bigdave
Shola also does exactly what Mike Ashley wants. Plus he’s cheap & won’t cost a penny in transfer fees.
So surely you shouldn’t expect a new striker because your logic suggests that we won’t get one because of Mike Ashley.
I want Pardew replaced just as i want Shola replaced just as i want Ashley replaced. They’re not bad humans but they aren’t good enough at this level.
It’s only logical for Ashley to get the most out of the club for every £ spent & Pardew isn’t doing that.
KK(Quote)
BB @ 304 spot on
Big Dave(Quote)
KK – You have said it above. Ashley won’t sack Pardew because Ashley knows Pardew is the only manager who would put up with the ***** that comes with Ashley’s NUFC.
Stuart79(Quote)
@bb
At the very least Mike Ashley wants to make as much money as he can from ‘player trading’.
Pardew isn’t able to deliver on this especially in terms of improving players.
Mike Ashley wants someone like Wenger but he knows so little about football that he’s too scared to replace Pardew. It’s up to us to force Ashley’s hand.
He might hire someone rubbish but we’ll just call for him to be replaced too after seeing the performances.
If this keeps happening then eventually we’ll end up with a decent manager – it’s inevitable as long as Pardew is replaced.
If Pardew is not replaced then nothing changes. Same sh*t next season.
KK(Quote)
🙄 😆 in the words of Peter Jones im out 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
@stuart79
No i didn’t.
There are plenty of managers that have worse owners & put up with more sh*t & there are plenty that would gladly put up with Mike Ashley just for the chancd of managinv NUFC.
KK(Quote)
KK 😆 Oh god love you. So you’re blaming Goof not scoring on Pardew not believing in him? You really are insane 😆
And you can’t tell the difference between Ashley maybe getting a good player in as opposed to a good manager? How about a good player might bring in 30 million in transfer fees and good profit whilst a good manager will achieve pretty much **** all-maybe an extra 3/4 mil in league placing? But will demand higher wages and constant backing in the market, which ashley is unwilling to provide. Soccernomics. Simples.
Newkie(Quote)
I’m off too 😆
KK(Quote)
@newkie
You were late coming to the party & i’m about to head off.
Gouffran didn’t score because he hasn’t been put in those situations often enough. He is constantly played on the left wing.
If he was played up front through the middle he would gain more composure through experience.
There is a reason why Stevie G can take good penalties under pressure – he’s done it many times before & has the experience. It’s not like you need fantastic technique when it’s 1 vs 1.
Gouffran just needs the experience & he’d get that if Pardew had more faith in him & wasn’t trying to turn him into a left back.
A good manager would achieve fu*k all? Just like Rodgers, Klopp, Simeone, Martinez etc?
Most other seasons Everton would have enough points for champions league footies
KK(Quote)
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/early-doors/overreaction-theatre-tweet-lands-coleen-rooney-hot-water-195023646.html
Someone comparing Shola’s sending off in possibly his last game to that of Zidane’s final game. He did go out in a spectacular two yellow’s in 10 seconds move. He always gives us talking points.
funkyjesus(Quote)
so I’m hearing NUFC lost £1.2M for finishing 10th instead of 9th.
You would think this would **** Fatty right off, but No.
Our only hope is that fatty raises the bar next season from top 10 to top 8.
Parsnip will have to ‘up’ his game considerably to achieve this.
Would make for an interesting season.
Clearly investment in playing staff would preclude this.
Ho hum 😕
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
KK-Goof is 27 years old, composure is all about instinct. He’s played most of his life on the wing, not really anything new to him. KK-Those managers have also been backed and allowed to bring in players they want. Martinez was allowed to spend 20 mil to bring players over from Wigan, he was also allowed to bring on loan one of the best strikers in the league. I think you’ll find if he didn’t get that backing then Everton would have finished a fair bit lower down. Even good managers need support.
Newkie(Quote)
He’s scored some good goals for us, personally right now I think he’s our best left wing option. He could have a go up top if we buy a better winger of course, but I think getting a striker in has to be priority. Goof and Cisse up front wouldn’t fill me with confidence.
Newkie(Quote)
Great performance from Shola today till he got sent off. In fact i’d go as far as to say he was the best player on the pitch in the 1st half. Still hoping he doesn’t get another contract as he only performs this well about twice a season. Time for new blood.
paulos(Quote)
Hahaha. 😆
I have never heard so much dross coming from one persons gob. 😆
I’m still trying to work out how KK’s brain tocks. I’ve established it doesn’t tick. 😆
Can some explain how he comes to this conclusion. 😳 😛 ;
You think Mike Ashley won’t bring in someone better than Pardew…
Therefore you also must think that Mike Ashley won’t bring in someone better than Shola…or ever sell the club to anyone better.
So following your reasoning it suggests that you don’t expect or want anything to change.
—–_just where does he get that from 😛 Bloody hilarious how his mind tocks but doesn’t tick 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Read an article by Suarez on Rodgers the other days . He was saying he instils confidence in all of the players by the way he plays his football. Always looking to attack.
I doubt you’d ever hear a Toon player saying the same thing. As in Barfa case and others. they criticise his style for being to defensive.
I’d love to see a more attack minded manager here nxt season
mark(Quote)
@Mark
You can’t play attacking football when you have no attacking players.
Give Pardew Suarez, Sterling, Sturridge instead of Shola, Je Dong and Gouffran like we had yesterday and see how each manager would cope. Just imagine plonking our players into the Liverpool side.
Be realistic please. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy, We do have attack minded players available , Marvo, Benny and young Arma! , he just chooses not to play them 🙄 .
kIMTOON(Quote)
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/premier-league-club-earned-tvleague-placings/
kIMTOON(Quote)
Mark – Can I just ask how on earth do you expect Pardew to play the same way as Liverpool, with De Jong, Strola and Gouffran? Seriously, everyone is saying we play boring football but in the first half of the season we were playing great football and the season we finished 5th again it was great football.
As the sayings goes “you can’t drink champagne on beer money” and “you can’t make a silk purse out of a pigs ear”
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart , I have to disagree, I don’t think we have played ‘ great ‘ football for a long time. Yes we have won games but it hasn’t been great to watch imo.
kIMTOON(Quote)
I would love to be a fly on the wall at the meeting between Pards and Ashley, just to see the level of spending and type of players we are going for.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Kim you wouldn’t. Too depressing.
Like the link. Ta
Premandup(Quote)
@lee_ryder
#nufc spent part of last week nailing down pre-season plans with Pardew central to the organisation
@lee_ryder
#nufc likely to announce that Pardew will stay on as manager in coming days
How bloody depressing.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Deb, How to get the Monday morning blues 🙄 🙁
kIMTOON(Quote)
Prem, Aye mate, fair point.
kIMTOON(Quote)
He probably will stay which is depressing enough but if he continues with nonsense tactics the natives will revolt again, Ashley will have to sack him, the money will be spent and we’ll be relegated.
“In the last seven Premier League seasons I think I have won more points than any other manager, even this year.” AP’s quote today in the Journal. 😳
georgio(Quote)
GEORGIO
May 12, 2014 at 10:33
Pardew is right. This season is 2nd highest points tally in 7 years for NUFC yet still he gets slated. Go figure…
I ask the same question all the time and nobody answers it; Where should we be with this squad of players? I reckon we should be 9th so we missed by one place. Not bad i don’t think when you consider the ***** Pardew has to put up with from his boss.
Stuart79(Quote)
I do agree to some extent about Pardew’s negative tactics dragging us down.
I don’t think Marv, Benny etc are quite the saviours that some make them out to be, but they’re at least on a par with the likes of Jason Puncheon – and he’s been a regular in a Crystal Palace team that has played much better football than us this season.
I think our points tally under a more adventurous manager might wind up being similar to under Pardew over the course of a season, but I’m just bored to tears watching us at the moment… even when we win!
blip(Quote)
Please take not Ashley – Taken from the BBC. Another club who might now be bought by someone with a bit of ambition!
Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has announced that the Premier League club is being put up for sale.
The American assumed control of Villa in 2006 after a £62.6m takeover was agreed with the club’s board.
“I owe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job,” he said on Monday
Halftimebovril(Quote)
Blip ,Exactly, it’s not the points or position it’s the style of play, I don’t know why people keep missing the point.
kIMTOON(Quote)
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/league-table-premier-league-spending-5-years-nufc-come/ < discrace and fatty is the 23 richest man in the uk ,worth 3.7 billion and thats just what he has declared fat ****
batty(Quote)
Villa will likely soon be above us if they are sold, they are another sleeping giant just waiting to be awakened. God I hate them though.
kIMTOON(Quote)
@Stuart
Don’t expect miracles fella. 😉
Have you not learnt yet, those kind of questions are just ignored on here because to answer them truthfully will back us up and make a mockery of their whinging. 🙄
@Kim
You state the same thing over and over about Barfa. The lad has had ample chances. He chooses to be fat and lazy. The whole ground just groans after 5 mins of his introduction as he just gives it away or fails to put any effort in. You are looking at him through Rose tinted specs I’m afraid.
Do you only watch his highlight clips on YouTube? Try going to the games and watch his off the ball lethargy which isn’t picked up by the cameras. 😉
Anyway, good to see one of the founding members of the Reality Train back. Hello Batty. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
In the short term that isnt good news for Villa unless the sales lined up already (It doesnt sound like it)
As it stands they are in limbo ahead of next season. Hes been reluctant to bring in decent additions while he was apparantly committed so what hope have they got now hes trying to sell up. Big trouble for them if that drags on like Ashleys attempts to sell us did…
CC(Quote)
Good point CC, didn’t think of it that way. Lets hope that’s the case as i’ve taken pleasure in seeing them struggle last couple of seasons
Halftimebovril(Quote)
Im amazed they have escaped again, They have looked woeful for the last few seasons.
CC(Quote)
I think people should watch the video that Troy posted earlier again:
http://youtu.be/ENfD_z7yde8
Pardew isn’t a particularly well liked man. So why is it that Keegan, Shearer and most pundits and fans sympathise with him ❓
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I’m tired of hearing that we’ve never played attacking football under Pardew. When we finished 5th we only scored 5 less goals than Everton have this year.
We were in a similar position to that season this January.
In 11/12 we signed Cisse and finished 5th – and were still in CL contention on the final day.
In 13/14 we sold Cabaye and told our players that 10th place was job done.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
£62m for Villa. Makes you wonder how badly Ashley was done over when he bought the Toon.
Troy – your analysis of Benny isn’t the way most fans see him. Same with your view of Pardew.
georgio(Quote)
Ben Arfa has 12 caps for France – half of which came here.
Did Pardew ruin him? Or do fans see past the dross and understandably just remember the moments of magic?
Sylvain Marveaux has no caps and was linked to Norwich in January.
I know people claim that Liverpool were about to sign him but come on, this was the same year Liverpool spent £55M on Carroll and Downing ffs. Their transfer policy was ****.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/marveaux-mulls-over-options-suitors-6271220
Wow. The creative talent we have at our disposal consists of a ego-crazed chubster and a guy that was linked to a club relegated to Ligue 2 this year.
Why aren’t we scoring more goals 👿
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Solano-You forget, most of those goals were scored by Ba, or Cisse, or Ben Arfa or Cabaye, and they use individual skill or magic etc and so those goals don’t actually count as scored by us. Now I know Liverpool have Suarez and Chelsea have Hazard and Everton have Lukaku and Manu have Van Persie and Tottenham have Ade amongst any number of players who can score fantastic goals-but I am reliably informed that those goals are usually the work of their respective manager’s mind powers.
Particularly Brendan Rodgers. He can actually will the ball into the back of the net, he made Suarez what he is.
Or something 😐
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie
****. I’d forgotten about that. Some people harp on about the 15 clean sheets as well as if the fact that we had Simpson, Willo and Santon and nothing to do with it 🙄
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
And congratulations go to Solano Trumpets, official winner of the blog fantasy league! Brisvegas was a notable runner up and blokes like Richietoon basically propped the table up! Solano, your fabulous prize is in the post….honest 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
And in the Predictor League out of the names that frequent the blog(or at least the names I know,soz if I missed anyone: 1st Bris, 2nd Newkie, not sure where Aussie came as I got sick of scrolling down 🙄 Bris I gave your fabulous prize to Aussie to post 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Are you still banging on about that predictor league! 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
No Cuda, but I did predict you’d say that 😉
richietoon(Quote)
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/newcastle-lose-matches-last-2-years-89-91-clubs/
kIMTOON(Quote)
Also I dont think empty sangria bottles are a fablous prize mate, you cant expect me to send them onto Vegas! 😯
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
alreet troy 😉
batty(Quote)
Time to move onto transfer season. It isn’t hard to figure out our needs….
______
_______ _______ _______
Tiote Sissoko
Santon Collo Mbiwa/Willo Debuchy
Krul
MDS(Quote)
MDS, here’s a couple we are supposed to want.
http://www.nufcblog.com/2014/05/12/newcastle-target-two-more-players-for-the-summer/
kIMTOON(Quote)
Thought NUFC ending up below stoke was an embarassing enough until ive just seen Richie finished 5 places above me in the prediction league… 😉
CC(Quote)
Kim, the running list of links so far are Delph, Weimann, Colbeck, Shelvey, Cabella, Rodwell, Zaha….(of course lord knows if the club are actually interested in any of those players )
MDS(Quote)
Kimtoon 353 thanks for the link. There are also a couple of other stats where we are 3rd bottom of the entire football league in a few different areas. Can’t remember what they are, wiill try to find them when i get a minute.
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/pardew-campaign-lost-causes/
The thought of him being let off the hook again is vomit inducing.
Stuart it is not about the league place – please see attached article.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Aussie 😆
CC…You should have predicted that…. well if you weren’t so bad at it that is 😉
richietoon(Quote)
MDS, The world cup should give us a little respite from the constant links to players at least. 😉
kIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – it’ll only last a week and don’t kid me that you’ll not look for Toon rumours every day first 😉
georgio(Quote)
Agreed Kim. Was just looking at the TV schedule and don’t think I’ll be making any plans on Saturday the 14th with Columbia-Greece, Uruguay- Costa Rica; England-Italy and Ivory Coast-Japan all on right in a row (plus third round coverage of the U.S. Open) 🙂
MDS(Quote)
Georgio 😆 Am I that transparent 😉
kIMTOON(Quote)
It’s nice to hear Ashley’s getting 78.8 million this season. We have got to spend 4 million wisely or else.
stem(Quote)
MDS, you’ll have square eyes after that lot.
kIMTOON(Quote)
And an aching liver:)
MDS(Quote)
Stem £4m 😯 😆 you been on the sauce again, what makes you so optimistic ❓
kIMTOON(Quote)
MDS 😆 No sympathy from me, self inflicted mate.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Stem- by my count with the Cabaye sale the club will have 57M above what it had last year. No excuses this window
MDS(Quote)
Kim@365 – yes. 😛
georgio(Quote)
Is it still the case that whoever wins the FPL league is automatically always right? 😆
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Thought Haidara looked the part yesterday and is way better than Dummett. Rumours though that we’re doing a deal for De Jong. The biggest donkey I’ve ever seen in a b/w shirt bar none. Pardew is rubbish and I dread to think of the mess left when Ashley finally pulls the plug.
georgio(Quote)
I see Cabella has said he has played his last match for Montpellier…..
MDS(Quote)