Paul Merson expects Newcastle to lose 3-0 at Manchester City on Saturday, but claims we’d rather ‘win something and spend another season in the Championship than watch this every week’.
An interesting thought, but one that may split opinion amongst NUFC fans. Would you happily see us be relegated if it meant we won a cup? It’s short term success mixed with potential long-term suffering, but it seems Merson feels as though we’re suffering enough as it is.
Here’s what he’s had to say to Sky when asked about his thoughts ahead of Saturday’s daunting trip to the Etihad, feeling as though our approach to the Chelsea game was ‘bordering on atrocious’:
“You have got to feel for the Newcastle fans. Fifty-five thousand supporters turn up every week and now they’re out of the cup. Now it’s a long season for them – last week’s stats against Chelsea were bordering on atrocious. With 25 minutes played, it was 90 per cent possession to 10 per cent in favour of Chelsea. I’ve seen that in five-minute spells, I’ve never seen it in a 25-minute spell, ever.
“Newcastle will go to the Etihad and defend, but Man City will break them down, 100 per cent. It’s just when, and how many times.
“The Newcastle fans packed the away ends at Nottingham Forest [in the Carabao Cup], and they’re out of the cup already. I think they’d probably rather win something and spend another season in the Championship than watch this every week at the moment.”
Merson’s prediction: Man City 3-0 Newcastle
Do you agree with him here?
Some outspoken stuff (as ever), but I suspect there’ll be plenty fans who actually agree with his final line here..
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I’d rather go down and stay down for a little while and get rid of the fat ****** than fight for survival every year what’s the point
Jon Scott(Quote)
I’d love to know just how many NUFC fans Paul Merson has spoken to?.
No Paul, what NUFC fans would like is for our owner to invest enough money into our squad to enable us to compete in all 3 competitions.
I’m pretty sure that when Merson made that comment, he had the likes of Wigan and Birmingham in mind – win a cup, go down and stay down.
I personally would not want that for our club. What I want is good players competing week in week out – they will win, loose and draw games – but they will give it a bloody good go of beating whoever it is they face.
If Merson doesn’t see that our squad isn’t good enough to win 5 PL games in a row – let alone 5 cup games in a row (or however many it is to win a cup), then he truly is as stupid as he sounds every time he opens his mouth.
Sharpy17(Quote)
City fan in peace (Newsnow brought me hear)
Expecting newcastle to go toe to toe with city or Chelsea is a hiding to nothing with the current squad, sure Rafa is trying to nick a point here and there and keep the GD down as by the end of the season that might be vital…
It’s also naive to think that the Carabao Cup is an ‘easy’ trophy to win, in the last 15 years it’s been won by a ‘top 6’ side no less than 13 times.
I’m sure Magpies would love and crave a tin pot, puts its not as simple as putting your best team out as Merson suggests. Hopefully you guys will have some investment when you can get shut of Ashley and then get some investment like we were so lucky to find and fulfil that craving for success.
Although I have to say I personally find it harder to watch a team that’s expected to win than one where the expectations are lower. I always still think we’ll find a way to mess any of our games up. Safe travels for the weekend chaps and looking forward to a good game regardless of how Rafa chooses to setup
Bluefen(Quote)
The only thing that can possibly be said in Ashley’s defence is that Rafa wanted Sandro, Jorgenson, Sturridge and Abraham. He also bought Sels, Lazaar, Hanley. He also let Daryl Murphy for free and replaced him with Joselu.
Benitez has not been backed….thats for sure and he has a right to be pissed off about it but we cant just forget about these things. Its a blessing we didnt sign any of those players and ridiculous to sign players who you have no intention of even naming in the squad. There have been one or two good Rafa signings but if he had his way we would have Jorgenson now or Sandro
Alex(Quote)
That is all true Alex but do you not think Rafa was clutching at straws trying to find a bargain with the money he was allowed to spend I am sure Rafa wanted differant players that these but had to buy what he could afford and hope for the best..
fj1200xxx(Quote)
Agree 100 % mate.
It’s a breath of fresh air when opposing fans see the big picture instead of absorbing the bile that’s been spouted lately of ” the great job Ashleys doing “. And Newcastle expect top 6.?.
All we want is an owner to invest when it’s needed and back Rafa.
I’m not even talking on the scale of the shell… just descent players who CAN compete. I’m a Geordie but live in mcr and all the family are blue. I remember when City were in our place not enough investment in any aspect of the club. Double relegation, poor results and poor morale.
Look at what real investment has done to city. Even the training pitch is premier league quality.
It’s been nice to see the rise of a sleeping giant putting smiles on the faces of the family.
Maybe we can follow suit a little when Cashley finally @#$%^ off.
Good luck on Saturday
3-1.
PL champions again ?????
Trugeordie(Quote)
Blue – how much are you’s loving Pep and the footy he’s got yous playing?. One question though – does Sterling have a twin brother that can’t play football – and is he the one Pep sends to the England squads?.
Don’t know if you wanted The Debate show after our game against Forest the other night – if not, and your interested, the bit I’m on about is on YouTube. Steve Howey summed it up for us perfectly. We don’t expect to compete with the top 6 (we’d like to, but don’t expect to). But the teams after that – 7-10th yeah we expect to compete with those – Everton, Leicester and a likes.
The likes of Merson, Wise, Andy Gray and Richard Keys – even the likes of Kieron Dyer and Craig Bellemy (who played for us so seem more believable) talk as if they have knowledge of what our expectations and ambitions are – they say it with such conviction that people start to believe them. It’s bollocks mate – but it’s still not the worst we have to deal with – no, that award is firmly in the grips of Mike Ashley’s chubby little hands.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Yeah of course I totally understand that but still his first choice targets have all turned out to be crocks or just garbage. He has signed some great bargains too but his first choice is questionable
Alex(Quote)