It’s hard not to get too carried away with thinking about European qualification given that we are 5th in the league, but Spidermag is keeping his feet on the ground and believes that talk of Champions League qualification is potentially destabilising and dangerous to Newcastle United’s season.
Press, pundits and presenters have started to take a bit more notice of us in recent weeks, which I’m not too happy about. I know a few people whine on about us not getting any credit, but I quite like us going about our business quietly as the underdog. I do believe we don’t get enough credit for something, but I’ll leave that for another article…
Back to Jonas now, and this is what he told the Journal today:
“We are not thinking about the Champions League. We are just thinking about the next game,” he said.
“We are in a good position, but I think the team and all of the players, we don’t think about what the fans and the press are saying. We are trying to focus on the games that we have left. That is what has brought us success so far and that is what we must continue to do.”
“We know we are having a great season but we have to focus game-by-game and that means no thinking ahead of ourselves. We are thinking about Tottenham only – no one and nothing else.”
I like these comments. Focus, determination. It’s fine for fans to start getting a bit carried, but it’s good that the players are remaining grounded and are just looking to win each game as it comes.
There is still an awful lot of football to be played and things can go either way. If we get to say, the last five games, and we’re still in roughly the same position then perhaps we can take a look around us and see what the lay of lands is. It’s what I’ll be doing anyway. Until then, keep calm and carry on.
Keep it up boys!
On that note… another point from Spurs would be fantastic.
DJG(Quote)
This is one of the reasons why we’re doing so well. Grounded players. They take it Game by Game.
If we beat Spurs on Saturday are these so-called pundits going to wake up a realise that we’re in a challenge for a champions league position? ( I can dream but the players can’t 😆 )
Can’t wait to be booking flights to Milan 😉
nobby(Quote)
saying that if we lose on saturday we’ll still be in 6th at the worst.
happy days!
nobby(Quote)
Aye, 7th would still be a great season though and based on the squads we’re competing against we should logically finish there, but logic doesn’t always come into it. Ask Everton.
Stuart79(Quote)
I’m still dreaming of 3 points on Saturday
HTL
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Stuart79
Our three ‘4th spot competitors’ all still have the distraction of two cups though. We have not. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
Look Toonsy – I didn’t take a blind bit of notice of you’re article. 😆
nobby(Quote)
I’m not one of these ‘kiss ben arfas ****’ people but I think playing him this weekend is a bit of a must.
Spurs defense isn’t amazing, if Ben Arfa plays he normally get 3 players closing him down on the ball. That leaves Ba and Cisse in space so if he can find them whilst having 3 players on him then expect goals galore. 😈
I think if we manage to do the unthinkable and keep a lead until the last quarter of the game we can then take him off for Gabby who will frustrate Spurs’ tired legs.
Ba to score 2, Cisse to score 2 and Benny to score 1.
5-0 to the toon. 😆
nobby(Quote)
Nobby
To be fair Lee Dixon has just said that he thinks Pardew is doing an amazing job and Lawro has just said that he was wrong by predicting our form to slide after christmas. It doesn’t get much better than that from those sorts of people.
DJG(Quote)
Nobby, especially against Assou-Ekotto 😉
dan4toon(Quote)
Oooh, it seems as though Coloccini is a dreamer and Jonas is a negger! 😯 😉
Hope this isn’t causing as much division amongst the players as it is on the ‘blog. 😆
JJ(Quote)
Assou-Ekotto is probably one of the best left backs in the league…
JJ(Quote)
sh;t floppy chops got off
toonitis(Quote)
So it looks like Jonas is a realist! NOT A DREAMER! ***
Rabble rabble rabble…
Newkie(Quote)
Ah JJ you beat me to it… 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Not so worried about spuds if we lose we lose but im sure we will have a good go 😀
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Lets see if their defense can keep out the Demba boys for 90mins, won’t be easy.
DJG(Quote)
The dreamers are heading for a reality check on Saturday. Jonas is laying the groundwork.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Aye JJ, you beat me to it as well … was just about to say that Jonas must be one of those realists!!! 👿 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Will be interesting to see how much of the game Perch can get a hold on when he’s up against Parker…as long as we can get some supply to our forwards we’ve got a chance, but not hoping for much.
Newkie(Quote)
I would have given us a fighting chance with Tiote and Cabaye.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Gutierrez comments about Santon…
“He loves to get forward,” the 28-year-old noted. “However, he sometimes has to know the moment to go and the moment to stay back.
“But he is young and he will learn that. He has too much energy and maybe he just wants to show what he can do.
“For me, that is incredible. With an offensive player you just have to give him the ball and he will do the rest.
“I don’t mind sharing the defensive responsibilities with him. I like helping him. When we have to defend we try and hold it all together. But I think he’s a really, really good player.
“He is only really young. The Premier League is very tough – it takes a long time for you to get ready for it. But he has made a very good start.”
DJG(Quote)
Yeah I don’t want to be captain negative but I fancy we will struggle against Spurs like. Parker and Modric will make life difficult for Perch and Guthrie and Bale is always a real threat.
I think in Ba and Cisse we are good for a goal tho.
I’d take a draw or a smash n grab 1-0 win
Sharpy17(Quote)
looks like guttie is on troys reality train 😉
batty(Quote)
Assou-Ekotto is one of the best left-backs going forward but defensively is very suspect.
dan4toon(Quote)
Agree with Jonas..
We can’t expect any games to be easy and we have to focus on one match at a time!! well said Jonas..
Are Tottanham still battling with injuries?? quite a few players out of the Liverfoool game.
DanishToon(Quote)
We have a chance if spurts injury situation doesnt clear up. A point will be a great achievement down there.
B1GSTEVE(Quote)
Good words from top grafter Jonas.
I wonder if we’ll play 2 forwards v Spurs or go a bit more defensive. Pards has said we’re going there to win (im sure I read somewhere) & I feel more comfortable getting at teams instead of sitting back trying to defend.
mark(Quote)
They are also gonna be on a high cause Arry got off.Reckon that will have a positive effect on the team.
kimtoon(Quote)
Pressure is all on Spurs, we have nothing to lose as the pundits are all consumed by the Redknapp love in, no one will give us a chance which is perfect i would say.
Robert(Quote)
Think it would have been worse if floppychops had gone down, spurs looked a bit knackered against liverpool so hopefully they’ll be even m,ore knackered against us
Santon is a worry, he’s great at getting forward but all to often is out of position wo if a counter attack comes down our left, collo is pulled out of position to cover which invariably leaves a massive hole for attackers to run into – still think he’ll be a great LB next season and an okay one this season
stevep(Quote)
Mark – I really hope he goes with Ba and Cisse up front. He tried the defensive thing at Liverpool and we looked second best from the kick off.
Got to start with our strongest 11 then if he wants to defend a lead or draw with 20mins to go fair do’s but go to get something
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good words from Jonas, and honest about Santon. Much to learn, but soooo much talent.
As for Saturday, I have a lot of respect for Parker, and think he should get the England captaincy. Sadly, I can see him beating Perch, although there’s no disgrace in that.
That said, Guthrie is snapping at his heels and I think will be a better player eventually. There’s no way they’ll keep Ba and Papista out for 90 minutes either.
1-1 would do for me. Spuds are, like it or not, 3rd for a reason.
Whumpie(Quote)
It’s going to be a very difficult match, but if they have to field the same team as they did against Liverfool then we have a chance. Using the same tactics but having a significantly better strike force than Liverfool we should be able to capitalise on any chances we do create.
Would take a draw before a ball is kicked mind, no Tiote and no Cabaye is a huge bonus for them.
EvilFranky(Quote)
@sharpy
I agree m8, we also went with one up front for the 2nd half v Fulham to protect our lead. The toon definately look better attacking and with our front two we should feel confident taking the game to them.
mark(Quote)
@Whumpie
Parker looked great v Liverpool, their midfield is miles better than the days of Huddlestone and Jenas etc..If we had Tiote and Cabaye available I would be confident of at least a draw.
mark(Quote)
Evilfranky, Spot on, Liverpool didnt give Spurs any time on the ball and thats the way to play them and our front two will cause them some grief given the chance.
Robert(Quote)
Yep! Modric hates it up’um so get Perch to go in hard to shake the pug faced **** up in the first 10 mins. Then just make sure you hound them down like we did against Man Utd at home.
Defo possibility to take points there.
On another note, I see that **** Merson has been done for drink driving. Sky should be sacking the **** now, bet they don’t.
EvilFranky(Quote)
@Evil Frank
I bet they do sack him m8 😀
I hate drink drivers as much as smokers smoking in cars with kids onboard 👿
mark(Quote)
@ mark
i hate celery
nobby(Quote)
Mark 😯 your comparing drink drivers to people that smoke in cars with kids on board 🙄
Big Dave(Quote)
Mersons a ***** and I hope Sky do sack him coz his crack on a Saturday afternoon is **** and I’m sick of him pretending that he can’t pronounce players names
Sharpy17(Quote)
the news is slow today isn’t it lads? i mean, Best out ‘for a number of weeks’ doesn’t really mean anything as that could be 1-500 weeks.
Oh well, Thursday tomorrow and by the afternoon we usually start seeing some match previews for the weekend.
On spurs – Pardew needs to tell Guthrie that this is is his time to shine. If he puts in a good performance against Scott Parker it might highlight him to Capello and I believe he deserves a chance to be at least on the plane.
When was the last time you looked at the team sheet before a match, seen Guthrie’s name and thought ‘oh f*ck’?
I hope he’s at newcastle for a long time. I’m a massive fan.
nobby(Quote)
Sharpy17 – Did you hear him say ‘Cinnamon Jackson’? what a fool.
nobby(Quote)
Big D, I know of a woman that set the back of her car on fire with a kid on board. Real nice that like. Plus if it gets lodged in the radiator of the next car you can set them on fire. Something to think about coz it happens a lot!
DJG(Quote)
Big D at 41
That’s for a whhhooole different blog! 😆
nobby(Quote)
OT I agree with Jonas we need to keep our feet on the ground.
If we don’t expect to get into Europe, and don’t well no big loss, but if we do qualify then thats a big bonus
Big Dave(Quote)
@Big Dave lol
no m8, I hate them both, I’m not comparing. obviously drink driving can seriously wreck lives.
both acts of recklessness and neglect.
I just especially hate the fact kids can’t stop the smoker but their lungs r possibly fu**ed when they get older. It should be banned
While im on one I hate ppl that dont pick up their dog **** 👿
rant over 😆
mark(Quote)
@nobby @44 I wouldnt mind a premiership footballers celery, theyre minted.. 😀 😯 🙄
mark(Quote)
Marveaux in the chronicle stating his season is likely to be over.
He failed his Liverpool medical.
He missed the second half of last season with Rennes with knee and groin problems.
He’s got the same groin problem now.
Worrying. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy – if we didn’t sign players coz they failed medicals at other clubs we won’t have signed Ba 😯
How much did we pay for Marv?
Feel sorry for him but if that’s the crack then I think we should take our time with him, don’t try and rush him to be fit for the end of the season. Let the lad build his fitness back up slowly so he’s fully fit and ready to go for next season. Then if he’s not, or he gets injured again between now and then … Throw the ****** on the scrap heap!!! 😈
Sharpy17(Quote)
Tastes good on the bun.
Rodzilla(Quote)
…’back-threading’, it’s the way forward.
Nee thread-spoiling and plenny of room te taak sheyt. 😛
hahahahaha, I’ll destroy your blog yet Toonsy you…..ooohhh, whHY I OUGHTA! 👿
Rodzilla(Quote)
hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 😛 😯 😳
Rodzilla(Quote)
Bacon lampost
Rodzilla(Quote)
(is ‘lampost’ actually a word?)
Rodzilla(Quote)
…guess I answered my own question there.
Rodzilla(Quote)
😯 😀
ROUND AND ROUND, AND BACK THEY GO!
….where they stop, nobody knows……
(hint: post 79)
Rodzilla(Quote)
eh?
Rodzilla(Quote)
I’m going for a win. 😛 2-1 perhaps?
I’m a realist, and I think that on our better days (even without Cheik & Yohan) we could have drawn with the Spurs. However, with the Demba Strikeforce (“Dembii”?) and a fast solidifying back 4, I think we can smash ‘n grab this one.
I aso like it that Perchy and Gabby are finding their legs. Benny needs a run too though. I always thought Benny thrived in high pressure games like this…
HWTL!
Danger Dom(Quote)