Smells like team spirit.

Can the team pull through?
One of the questions that has been asked since the departure of Andy Carroll has been regarding how the sale of the £35 million man will affect the dressing room.

Carroll seemed to be a popular lad in the dressing room and all, well most, of the players stood by him when he was going through his off the pitch troubles. You only have to look at the reaction that Carroll got from the rest of the playing staff in the aftermath of the Carroll/Taylor incident to see evidence of this.

Kevin Nolan kind of touched upon this earlier when he stated that he had not only lost a team-mate, but he had also lost a lad that he was very close to. That can have a deep impact on morale and team spirit, which are two things that have been key in our season to date.

The players looked dejected last night and I didn’t see the usual fight and desire that I personally have become accustomed to over the last 18 or so months. I hope that is just a one-off blip, because if we lose that fight and desire we could be in for a very rough ride until May.

No matter how spirited or determined an individual is, there comes a point where enough is enough. I’m not saying the players are there yet, or that they will even get to stage, but it can’t be easy to deal with the knocks that this team has had to take.

As mentioned earlier, Carroll was a popular lad, but now he has gone. The same can be said about Chris Hughton, and he has also gone. Both of those are widely perceived to have done rather well, better than expected in fact, but both of them have gone the same way. It kind of makes you wonder what the point in doing well is doesn’t it?

The most important thing now is for the players to maintain that fight, desire and never-say-die attitude that has served them all so well so far. If they can keep that then survival will come, although it could and probably should have been so much more comfortable.

It’s back’s against the wall time for the lads now, and they need to show that they aren’t a one man team. Most of us know that they aren’t, but they need to prove it to themselves and to the rest of the world.

Losing Carroll was a massive blow, but that’s life. People move on in football and I’m sure that the team knows that. What they mustn’t do is start doubting their ability or take their eyes off the prize. They still have work to do.

I’m fairly confident that we will come through this, and I’m fairly confident that players like Kevin Nolan, even though he is in my naughty book at the moment, and Joey Barton will do their utmost to try and keep things together.

The departure of Carroll has caused unrest, which is understandable, but it’s also worth pointing out that it wasn’t just Carroll who got us to where we are now. Nolan has been important, as has Coloccini, Enrique, Barton, Ameobi, at times, and even Leon Best has had his part to play so far this season, in fact most of the team have. They can continue to do that, of that I am sure.

Howay the lads!

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

58 thoughts on “Smells like team spirit.

  1. We’re not and haven’t been a one man team, and I’d certainly agree that Barton, Enrique, Nolan and Tiote have been just as if not more important. We’ve also had blips before this where we looked just as dejected and even more so-Bolton, West Brom, Stevenage. The performance at arsenal with Tiote back in the line up is crucial. Personally I think we’ll do alright.

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  2. Some good points as always Toonsy.

    Do you think the reason that we had an 11 day break also contributed to the rather below par performance last night.

    You could say we that because of the break the lads should have been nice and rested and raring to whilst Fulham had played 2 extra games in this period.

    I personally believe Fulham had tha extra sharpness and confidence about them after their performance & win over spurs whilst we lacked that cutting edge you can only get whilst playing games.

    I think these factors had a more telling contribution over last nights display by the lads rather than losing a mate, thats what i hope anyway

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  3. bovril
    aye I would have thought that too, we haven’t played in nearly two weeks when Fulham had 3 games in a week or something, thought they might be knackered and for the taking, how wrong I was.

    I watched their game against Spurs and obviously against us, and based on those games alone, Fulham should be higher up the table, hard working and technically sound team, got some decent players with good attitudes.

    Think we just need a shake or something, playing a very good side like Arsenal can do that, but they will be smarting from when we beat them and will be after us. Could be a long afternoon for us I feel.

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  4. Richie I would back him into the back of a Tanga then give him a good old fashioned hiding 😆 Actually I think Owl Heed is worse he deserves a good old fashioned knee capping 😀

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  5. Newcastle was in uproar earlier today as Sol Cambpell, sick of all the abuse, punched a supporter.

    Talk about the **** hitting the fan 😆

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  6. Dave…Lambsarse, is an embarassment and I joke and I look forward to the day when fat ash shafts him as well 😈

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  7. Ye dont call me Toonsy 😆 im just trying to draw 🙁
    Richie that c@nt Owlheed is the biggest problem with our club, and I hope MA shafts him big style

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  8. We looked ***** last night – tired, dejected etc – def need to get it out of our system
    Bizarre how sky showed me being a miserable get while motd showed me singing and dancing

    I kin hate Murdoch and his consumer driven ****

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  9. 4411 you were a right miserable get 😆 I even said to Batty lastnight look at that miserable ***** 4411 making us look like a bunch of grumpy gets 😉

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  10. right iam off too find another blog as told too by the long time blogger roblee,and no 1 stuck up for me ,friends who needs them ,sick of all the ***** gannin on anyway good bye

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  11. 4411…..Did you see that pub landlady who’s taken them to court over the right to show Prem league games on a greek satt tv channel? 😀

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  12. do we have a link to 4411, we should put up a rogues gallery, 4411 at Fulham, Toonsy at Peterbro, me at Boro, Ice on last of the summer wine 😀

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  13. Rogues gallery you cheeky sod. I thought I cam across quote well. Pissed but well. Mark is the scruffy ****** standing next to me I think 😆

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