Can we challenge again next season?

toonsy

Can this lot challenge again?
This season has gone way beyond the expectations of the vast majority of Newcastle United fans.

Personally I never subscribed to all the doom and gloom predictions from pundits and press at the start of the season and knew we wouldn’t be involved in any kind of relegation scrap like some had us down for, but equally I never expected us to be level on points with the 4th placed team heading into the last five games of the season!

The big question is now, can we keep it up and carry on punching our weight at the top end of the table? Can we do even better than that and challenge for Champions League places? Can we go further than that and mount an assault for the Premier League title? Probably not on the last one, but for the other two I see no reason why we shouldn’t be in and around the European places again next season.

Obviously much of that is assuming that we follow the transfer policy that has served us so well. That, unfortunately, means that it might be the end for one of our senior players, but it also means that we’ll get multiple replacements that will make our squad stronger and benefit us as a whole. Not just that, but those that do stay will have an extra year of Premier League experience and will have built up a chemistry which, hopefully, lead to better performances.

Of course it’s very likely that we’ll have the distraction of Europe to contend with next season, and we’ve seen just how a bit of fixture congestion can affect a season. Extra injuries, travelling, fatigue can take their toll on a squad. It’s also likely that we won’t be viewed as such a surprise package next season and teams will take us seriously from the word go, which is up to us to overcome of course.

It’s a fine balancing act, but if we carry on doing what we’ve been doing I see no reason why we can’t be up there again next season. Expectations will be raised and it’s up to the manager and staff to try and match them by showing that this season hasn’t just been a one season wonder.

Can we do it though?

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.

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491 thoughts on “Can we challenge again next season?”

  1. Kim – I’ve been arguing with them all day mate. Personally think it’s not good enough. Not that I’ve been in labour or owt, but I imagine it’s quite testing for the woman, so if she is knackered before the proper pushing starts what chance does she have?

    They started it off chemically and then bang on about “nature taking its course”. How?

    They know best apparently though so hey ho….

    Feel better or having a rant about it rather than having to be nicey nicey in front of the wife 😉

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  2. Toonsy thats a bit rough, but things can change in no time.
    My nephew got send home from the hospital at 2am lastnight because they told him that she would be hours of starting. But they phoned him a 3.30 to get back up to the hospital and he just made it to see his son being born at 4 15 😀 .
    So just relax but be prepared 😉

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  4. Toonsy ,I was 22hrs with the lass and 18 with the lad both times going nowhere got to 6cm then went ages in bad pain .Point is they broke the waters both times and both Babes were born REALLY quick like 10 mins after they did it, but they will leave you if they can. If she’s 6cm ask them to break the waters to speed it up.Good luck to you both.

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  5. frightening how well wigan are doing, hope there already safe by the time we play them haha.

    Fingers crossed for you toonsy everything will be smashing.

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  8. Toonsy – remember our first – similar thing, went on 35 hours and they sent me home to get some kip, I’d just got home to bed then they called me to come straight back in, 12 hours later wifey was induced and with the help of forceps gave birth to for jack – I were fookin knackered man, especially having to watch the forcep action………….. wife was tired as well 🙂

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  11. Toonsy if you can’t sleep and you want to some light reading and reassure yourself – read this NICE guideline on care women can expect in childbirth.
    http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/pregnancycareplanner/Documents/NICE_intrapartum_care.pdf If they are not being proactive enough kick them up the ar*e and make sure they do. I’m sure they will be doing everything right but this is where you can fight her corner especially when she is really tired. You being such a shrinking violet it will probably be hard for you 😆 Sure everything will suddenly speed up and your baby will be meeting the world before you know it.

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  13. Hi KimToon, I love the NHS, was a nurse some years ago and have worked with the NHS for years. Most of the time they do a great job but it never does any harm to make them aware you know what they should be doing and helps keep everyone on their toes. Some of them are threatened by patients and their families having too much info, but tough sh*t when it’s your family the feelings of the staff are not the priority.

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  14. Woke up this morning to this:

    “Teenage Melbourne Heart defender Curtis Good is heading to England for a 10-day trial with Premier League club Newcastle United.

    The left-footed central defender impressed in his first season in the A-League after joining Heart from the AIS in February last year.

    Heart general manager John Didulica confirmed tonight the 19-year-old had left for a trial with the Sports Direct Arena club. Didulica tweeted: “Curtis Good left last night for a 10-day trial with EPL’s Newcastle United.”

    Good, a three-time Young Socceroo, stepped up to make 24 appearances for the Heart in 2011/12.”

    I haven’t taken enough notice of him to comment about him with any degree of confidence, but he seems to have had some good games. Still very young and raw. One of the coaches at the AIS thinks he is one of the young guys who could make a name for himself in Europe – although he thought he’d be better suited to Germany (but they all say that if the player has an ounce of ‘technical’ ability – if they say he has the ability to make it in the PL it means he is a big brick shithouse without a brain 😆

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  17. Wigan do this every year. I swear Martinez deliberately has them bottom at Xmas so they’re 10/1 to avoid the drop then wacks his yearly wages on them staying up. Everton are similar although never in threat of relegation. They usually always rack up the most points of anyone in the league second half of the season.

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  18. Good luck today Toonsy…. surely they must do something today, not Wednesday!! It will all be worth it x

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  19. Thanks wigan,knew they are gonna beat Arsenal to make the epl more exciting at the top. 🙄 😆

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  21. Bris…aye read summat on him yesterday, the lad who was commenting on him wasn’t sure he’d be good enough for the prem but I think I’ll trust the Toon’s coaching staff on matters like that 😀

    Toonsy… hopefully today’s the day mate, send your lass my best(still think she’s too good for you like 😉 )

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  22. Toonsy ,Off out for a time ,when I get back I’m hopeing to hear of about the new arrival 😀

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  23. Ive watched Curtis Good a few times playing for the Heart.. He is a solid player but he didn’t stand out as anything too special. 😕
    Be interesting to see how his trial goes… I can’t help but feel he will be another Kadar….

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  24. Richie it just goes to show you that theres someone for everyone out there 😀
    Kim I thought that as soon as I logged in we would have news, of an early bird arrival.

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  27. Aussie…Chances are nowt will come of it, they probably have kids on trial every other week, but you never know they may see something in him.

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  29. He has the right build to cut it in the PL as a full back. He is a big lad.. I hope he does well as the team could do with some culture and intelligence that only an Australian can provide! ( There you go Rich, I have left the door right open for you mate 😆 )

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  30. Aussie 😆

    I reckon the Madrid v Munchen game should be a cracker tonight….hopefully, Vamos los Blancos :mrgreen:

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  35. Aussie defender??

    Thats the last thing we need, they are reknowned for being terrible in the air, mainly because they usually have their heads stuck up their own ****… 😉 😆 😆

    Just joking Aussie…

    Although I do have one more thing to say…

    438… 😆

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  37. Lads doing good.

    Fit and healthy, craps in his pants, cries, sleeps, eats…

    He looks like his mom and acts like his dad. :mrgreen:

    Got his first Toon top, the away kit (which I don’t even have)…

    So when’s little Toonsy arriving?

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  39. Ice 😆 😆

    However I did hear that Rich was fading away to the side of a barn…

    JJ – Nice play on words 😯

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  40. That’s good mate.

    “little Toonsy” sounds such a contradiction 😆 …any time hopefully, gotta be a lass being this late 😉

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  42. and I won’t counter the head up the **** comment because I wouldn’t probably joking

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  44. AMF aye richie is doing well, thing is theres no weigh-bridges in spain to check his weight 😉

    come on toonsy we are waiting

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  46. yeah I know Rich 😕 … it still doesn’t mean anything to me on this forum…..

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  47. Aussie

    Gi’ us a smile! 😀

    Right, I’ll stick to insulting you Richie… 🙄

    Anyway, if we beat Stoke on the weekend, and Chelsea draw with Arsenal, I’m going to start to get real optimistic about a Champions League place 😯

    Although, we still havn’t really been tested yet… I mean, we’ve only played the easy teams.

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  48. By the way, how big a game is Saturdays now? If we win, we go fourth and within 2 points of third!

    The big question is will we be able to handle the pressure as now it’s a real possibility we will be under pressure.

    Exciting times. Some may even say we’re favourites for a top four finish now?

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  49. Stuart, I don’t think you can say we are favourites considering we are still behind and we have a hell of a tough final three games.

    But… I actually think the pressure is a good thing. I don’t think there will be a more motivated team than us… and that is a huge advantage. If the Spuds slip out of the top five, that will be a huge loss to their already sinking morale.

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  50. all good JJ 😀 …. but at least make your comments sound like they are in jest mate.. if you have to explain that your are only joking… then you may have to reword them.. I have no problems with people taking the **** out of me but if it sounds like an insult then that’s another matter… 😕

    Hang on…. I may have to have a word to Ritchie as well 😆

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  51. depends if Ashley will gamble on selling our big stars hoping to get decent replacements on the cheap (its worked before, will it again?). I still think hes after selling so it would make sense to keep a decent team which would be more attractive to investors.

    Good luck Toonsy, get beyond the shitty nappy fingers, spew, sleepless nights, depressed wife, being totally skint and growing real moobs the best days of your life are just starting 😉

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  53. Aussie… 😆

    JJ….those were insults? I just thought you were one of the more polite South Africans 😉

    Reet off in to town to do a few things….hopefully followed by a pint and a Chinese :mrgreen:

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  56. Apologies for the lack of an article today. Got called back to hospital at 4am. Still nothing but she is now in proper labour, about 8cm, and the midwives are even saying today is the day.

    Mini toonsy will be here soon. Its already had its first poo inside his mum. Nice 😆

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  57. Great stuff Toonsy – It will definitely be today if she’s 8cm. Get ready for the pain – yours – as she squeezes your hand, arm or whatever really really hard until it’s almost blue but just grin and bear it, no complaints. Good luck

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  58. Toonsy It’s like transfer deadline day, keep logging in to see if there’s any news.

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  59. 281

    Probably says something about my maturity that I’d probably be in tears if a midwife ever described that to me. 😆

    Good luck Toonsy! Future no.9 is on its way! 😉

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  60. I voted for Newcastle United 4-4 Arsenal from 2010/11

    I voted for Temuri Ketsbaia’s goal celebration from 1997/98

    I voted for Alan Shearer’s goal from 2002/03

    I voted for Shay Given’s save from 2001/02

    😉 😉

    Guys,go vote!!!~~

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  62. Good news Toonsy, it’ll all be over before you know it!

    Go easy on the Entonox though 😯 …you don’t want to miss too much 😉

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  64. What a joke no Solano, Lee or Speed on the list, But Darren Anderton (**** off) and Steve Stone (Who i voted for more down to his NUFC coaching not his playing ability)

    Voted for every NUFC link possible even fat sol at centre half 😯 😆

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  65. Good luck with the bub Toonsy.. I hope everything goes as it should. Have you found out who the father is yet? 🙂 🙂

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  66. If there is any doubt Toonsy I would be casting some suspisous glances at Ritchie. 🙂 🙂 He was saying your missus was too good for you earlier on 🙂

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  67. AMT,kna mate wouldnt be richie owr much like hard work for him,anyway you cannot drag him away from grub 😉

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  74. Witters 😆

    Mind the one thing in that article-did those kids get given those Northern Rock shirts? Pretty fckin stingy if they did like, sounds like Ashley to me 😆

    Might just be their own shirts though I suppose…

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  75. Newkie….they might have their own shirts purchased before virgin cane along. I suspect the orange top is from papiss

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