And the most amazing thing is that it could yet still get worse! But let’s not think about that too much yet.
Somewhere, someone, something is to blame for it.
In truth it’s probably a combination of factors although there is always one which is the deciding factor in all of it. We’ve had injuries, continental competition, lack of investment, rifts within the squad (allegedly) and many more reasons presented to us, but what, for you, is the main one?
I’m going to outline some of the more common reasons I’ve read for our spectacular demise from Champions League contenders last term to teetering on the brink of the Championship this term. I’d like you to read about, think about it, then vote at the very bottom of this article. If you don’t think I’ve covered your particular base just vote “other” and make some time to explain what you think is to blame.
The manager
In one year Alan Pardew has gone from Manager of the Year to a guy who looks and sounds resigned to losing his job. I might be wrong on that of course, but his recent interviews just seem to have a hint of resignation about them.
There have been serious questions asked of him in terms of tactics and motivation of a team which, on paper at least, has the potential to be one of the best teams we’ve had in years but for whatever reason is under-performing to the point of needing four points from our last two games of the season to ensure mathematical safety.
The owner
Every man and his dog knew that the team needed bolstering in the summer yet we failed miserably to do so. Common sense should dictate that more games would mean we needed a deeper squad yet we failed to strengthen during the summer transfer window and, rather predictably, it came back to haunt us.
The idea was that players from the “development squad” would start to make the step up to the first-team but they proved that they just weren’t ready for it. I have little doubt that the ideal scenario was not to use them as much as they were used, but injuries to first-team players left us with little choice in that regard.
However, kudos to Ashley, he did actually do something about it in January as a whole clutch of Frenchmen arrived in the January transfer window. It should have been done sooner but we had a problem which was addressed at the next available opportunity. Which then brings me to my next point…
Team cohesion
It’s been said at times that we look like a bunch of strangers as a team, which is actually true in fairness, mainly because half of our team are a bunch of strangers! Trying to bed in so many new faces, all at one time when things aren’t going so well will be difficult, and so it has proved.
I’ve little doubt that our January signings will come good, but not all foreign imports hit the ground running and some need more time to adjust than others. It’s a new country, a new type of football, a new culture, and having to get all that right and maintain performance at a new club must be tough.
The players
Let me get this straight, the players SHOULD NOT be completely blame free in all of this. We all know they are better than what they’ve shown this season, both collectively and individually, yet not enough of them have shown it this term. Perhaps it’s a confidence thing? I mean those little flicks and passes come off when things are going well, but when the going gets tough things like that don’t work out. Is it the players who are to blame for this?
Injuries
I don’t like blaming injuries personally as all teams suffer from them at one point or another, but we have felt them this season more than most. Perhaps we felt it more because of a lack of investment in the summer, as mentioned previously? Maybe it’s our facilities, even though they have had a lot of money spent on them over the years and have come a long way since training on public pitches in the early days of Kevin Keegan. Maybe it’s the coaching?
You see there are many reasons you can pick for what has been a dismal season, and there is no doubt more than I have mentioned. So which one has had the most influence in your opinion? Take a vote and add your comment in at the bottom of the article.
[poll id=”77″]
To me, it has to fall to the manager. If you bring in a bunch of technically gifted players, but then push for an attacking style that’s focused on “power and pace,” you’re not going to get good results.
Continuing to play Jonas, Cabaye, and Tiote when they have been playing pretty poorly all season while Perch or Anita could do better jobs is infuriating.
Also, if our style of play is going to be like that, at least set the team up for it, not this 451 where skinny Cisse is left isolated 95% of the time.
Yes, Ashley and Llambias should have brought in more players during the summer. However, Pardew just does not know how to set a team up to attack. He can probably talk about organizing defenses and team shape all day long, but when it comes to playing some actually attractive football, the man seems totally lost. He was lost last year, but Ben Arfa and others were creating magic moments to get us the points.
AndrewT(Quote)
Big Dave will blame the owner, when the blame for TEAM performance lies with the “FOOL” 😛 😛 😛
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
To be honest its a bit of everything but the majority of the blame falls at Pardews feet and for good reason. His excuse after excuse is really starting to **** me of to the point i don’t even want to hear from him or see his stupid face 😀
Can’t wait until he gets sacked!!!
Santii(Quote)
Up until January I would have said the owner was the biggest problem followed by his evil henchman Llambias. However Pardew’s performance in the last 3 months has been nothing short of dismal. Failed attempts to set the team up properly. A complete lack of any planning for set pieces. Corners are laughable. Using completely out of form players while others sit on the bench. Continually resorting to the same second half subs which have been dismal failures (I’m mostly referring to Shola here as we have so little else to offer in attack as a sub). Continually playing the blame game, now up to and including blaming the man who hired you Pardew! I realize Ashley actually is partly to blame but to bring that up with the press is unbelievable stupidity. The morale of the team has been destroyed mainly by its own manager. Leave the club the minute the last game is finished Pardew.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
ANDREWT
Here here, well said young man
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
So, the consensus is “PARDEW OOOOOOOOOT” 😆 😆 😆
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
@Geordietwo
I think that we already have a new manager lined up and Pardew has got wind of it somehow. So he just doesn’t give a fook what he says or does. There is no other explanation for how stupid he sounds and comes across.
Santii(Quote)
well right or wrong imo a decent manager should be able to handle most things you talk about in the thread thats what hes payed for,didnt expect much because of some of the reasons you talk about but not to the point of relying on other teams to get you out the ***** with a couple of games to go,hes just not good enough end of
icedog(Quote)
Toonsy
You forgot officials 😯 , the barstewards have been fecking us over all season 😥
I selected other because the weather has really affected our season. 😕 In all seriousness I don’t think it’s any ONE of those that is single handedly to blame, I mean it was a combination of all of the factors mentioned that have left us where we are and all have to be sorted out in the summer after we secure PL safety.
TGS and Dave
Granted Jonas hasn’t been brilliant and you say he should be dropped for the likes of Marv and Anita but have Cabaye and Tiote not be equally **** this season? I think so and the only difference between them and Jonas is that Jonas puts in a consistent shift.
Andymag(Quote)
And just to back my claim up @7
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10004456/Montpellier-coach-Rene-Girard-wants-move-to-a-Premier-League-club-after-discussions-with-Arsene-Wenger.html
Santii(Quote)
SANTII@7dont you go building my hopes up 😉
icedog(Quote)
The manager is ultimately always responsible for TEAM performance, the players always have and always will get away with it.
Pardew has been found out this season and has proved that he is incapable of moulding a TEAM despite the quality at his disposal.
The soundbites from the “FOOL” suggest to me that he is on his way oot. 😆 😆
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
TGS sorry to disappoint you 😉 but for me it’s not down to one reason I honestly believe that its all of the reason’s above
Big Dave(Quote)
Santii, I’m with you. I can’t stand to hear or read any more quotes from the man. It’s either lame excuses, or a seeming lack of passion for what’s going on at our club
AndrewT(Quote)
Aye Santii @7. I’ve said for a while that Pardew looks like a dead man walking. I would agree he already knows he’s finished with us and isn’t clever enough to keep his gob shut. All that’s left for him is to try and rescue some of his pride with a couple of decent performances in our last 2 games.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I’m at the point now with Pardew that I don’t even want him to be in charge of anything anymore. Sure, keep him around to help keep the defense tight, but outside of that, I would seriously let Carver or Cabaye set up our midfield and attack. These players know how to play the game well, they just need to have the freedom to do it.
AndrewT(Quote)
BIG DAVE
So far over 75% of voters blame the manager and only 10% the owner. 😉
DJG(Quote)
If we get relegated I can see Pardew racing off down the tunnel at the end of the last game at SJP never to be seen in Newcastle again. Will either Llambias or Ashley have the plums to show up for that last game?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DJG @ 17 and what is your point ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Toonsy – I’m always grateful for your articles mate. They are always well written and well balanced and always strike up a good debate.
But personally I wish this one was after the QPR game. I personally believe that the 2 main reasons our season has gone so badly has been – firstly, lack of investment last summer (so owner). Secondly, Pardew messing around with the formation that worked well last season which resulted in him putting players out of position (so manager). They are my main reasons but I also believe to a less degree that injuries and players under performing have played their part too.
However, I hope a full dissection of our season can take place once we have secured PL survival (fingers crossed icon)
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m looking forward to a fresh start next season with some excellent players. We may lose 1 or 2 but the core of the team should remain intact. I think those with pride will want to come back and play well next season. Many of them have something to prove now. We’ll all be pulling for them to put things right.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DJG what that says to me then is that 75% have laid the blame firmly at Pards door so they don’t believe that 1 The summer window and lack of strengthening has nowt to do with it 2 the injuries including our best player Benny has nowt to do with it either. so it’s all Pards fault, but if thats what 75% believe that then that is their opinion and I will respect their opinion and their right to form that opinion, and I won’t disrespect them by having a go at them for it so whats your opinion then do you believe that its ALL Pards fault and nowt to do with the 2 points I made above
Big Dave(Quote)
the only person to blame is the owner as he is the one who appoints the manager and the financial situation. pardew is not very good but the old saying springs to mind: you get what you pay for: and to say the least fatash has been very tight with his money at newcastle .how many of us with his money would have behaved as he has done, appointing poor managers and paying below the going rate for decent players.
marshy(Quote)
couldnt vote as injurys players out of form tatics of the manager and the actions of the fat fcker who owns the club are all to blame 👿
batty(Quote)
G2@21 what happens next season if pardew is still there yes there should be players in (i hope) but some will leave so what will diff be with pardews tactics with the same problems you get every season i just cannot see where we go from here if he stays and we stay up???
icedog(Quote)
Well, I voted other as for me its everything. If it’s Pardew then it’s still Ashley’s fault for appointing such an unsuccessful manager to the post in the first place, surely? Why did we get rid of Hoots again?
The fact we didn’t strengthen in the summer meant that we have spiraled into a side with no confidence, Llambias under Ashley’s orders allowed a ridiculous clause in the contract of one of our best players and left us up **** creek.
Newkie(Quote)
Another excellent discussion on this post and the last lads and lasses. It’s a very difficult point in the season for us and tempers are bound to be on edge but I think the comments have been very interesting. I have a feeling much of it gets looked over by someone at the club which has to be a good thing from our point of view.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Dave and TGS
What are your responses to my comment @9
Andymag(Quote)
Ice @25 what I meant there is that I think Pardew will be gone and we will stay up. The players will have a new manager with all that entails and it will be like a fresh breath of air. I feel sure many of them have a sense of pride in their profession and will want to show us what they can really do.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
To those who have voted ‘the manager’, I can understand why you have cast your vote that way.
However, to play devils advocate for a moment – isn’t ‘the manager’ the responsibility of ‘the owner’?. After all, isn’t HE the one that picked the manager and then chose to provide him and his coaching staff with a ludicrous 8yr deal?!. Shouldn’t HE have taken action long before now?!
Do we really believe that all of our troubles disappear with the departure of one Alan Pardew?!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Batty and Newkie welcome aboard 😉 😀
Andy I agree with you that Cabaye and tiote should have spent time on the bench the main difference for me is that we have a cracking player in Marv that is wasting away on the bench while Jonas runs around like a headless chicken on ******** 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
For me it comes down to… Owner, not good enough in the summer. Manager, not good enough in the first half of season. Owner, good in Jan. Manager, has turned top players into puddings. And the winner is… Parsnip. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
You’re definitely partly right Sharpy @30. Unfortunately the owner will be much harder to get rid of than Pardew and with the added risk of who might be the next owner. The oil money has brought a new era of uncertainty and instability into football with gross overspending threatening the future of clubs with less wealthy owners. My biggest fear is that Ashley sells up but to someone even worse than he is (hard though that is to believe as a possibility right now).
GeordieTwo(Quote)
That is why Pardew is the winner in the blame game BIG DAVE and your team (the owner) has lost miserably. If you still need it explaining to you in further detail, just ask and I will kindly oblige. 😛
DJG(Quote)
Good comments @31 Big Dave. We have used Jonas far too often this season.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DJG so I take it your not one of the 75% then 😉 ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Sharpy-my point exactly. It’s also the owner who has decided to try and have a team who he wants to challenge for Europe left with about three coaches. It’s a fucking joke quite frankly.
Dave 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Dave
I understand what your saying but it seems harsh to discriminate against Jonas who works hard for the team but don’t suggest that maybe Cabaye should be on the bench instead of Marv or Anita should be on instead of Tiote. I am defending Jonas as I believe him to be a quality player who represents the team more than some of the homegrown boys but I am not placing him on a pedestal ahead of other under performing players as I believe they should recieve equal blame when they’re all out of form. Also “headless chicken on ********” is harsh and applies more to Tiote 😆
Andymag(Quote)
Well I actually surprised myself and voted other. Sharpy@20 Has summed it up perfectly ,he’s pretty much written what I would of written.
It’s a horrible thing to have to see a manager sacked and I don’t doubt Pards has real passion for the Toon ,you could see it when he ran to the fans ,but the fact is he has been far to negative and kept out of form players in the team .Yes he has undoubtedly been hamstrung by the club in the summer but having been bailed out by mikey in January he’s made a complete pigs ear of it. Last chance saloon tommorow ,all or nowt imo.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Geordie – I agree mate, however the question isn’t who’s the easiest to get rid of, the question is who’s to blame. As I said in my initial post, between the owner and manager is the bulk of fault. Pardew has got alot tactically wrong this season, probably as much wrong this season as he got right last season.
But as I say, I just don’t believe that the NUFC garden returns to being rosey if/when Pardew goes.
Sharpy17(Quote)
DJG make up your mind your all over the place @ 32 you say that Pards and the Owner are at fault, then your next comment @ 34 you say Pards is the winner in the blame game 😯 so which side of the fence are you on or are you not really sure so you want to sit on the fence ❓ 😆
Andy I have said several times that Cabaye needed to spend a bit of time on the bench, but I still believe he adds mor to the team than Jonas, as for Tiote I have made it clear loads of times that Tiote is a waste of space but you wern’t talking about them originally if im right you mentioned Jonas so I gave my opinion on him 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Andy , When I went to watch us at Reading I was really impressed with Jonas he worked so hard that day .I have always liked him and I believe he loves it at the Toon and always gives his all ,but in all honesty he’s been very out of sorts this season ,he’s lost a yard of pace . Having said that last couple of games he’s been better and looks slimmer ,so who knows ,I certainly think he’s putting in more effort than a few others out there.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim
I realise he hasn’t been brilliant this season but who has? I just think that in the team of the ‘out of form’ Jonas sticks out as he puts in a shift which has protected the defence and started attacks many times this season.
Dave
Last season/early this season I would have agreed that Cabs would be ahead of Jonas purely because of quality but I have seen very little of that this season whereas Jonas still works for the team and his overall contribution is more than Cabaye. Tiote isn’t the player he showed he could be in season 1 and at points in season 2 where Cabs and Toto were the best mid duo in the PL.
Andymag(Quote)
@BD
I’m with you fella. Its not one single thing. Its a combination of faults in different areas. The owner has to take a helluva lot of blame for not investing in the summer.
Injuries have crucified us and Ba was never replaced in January despite the fact they new last summer he would be off in January.
Of course Pardew has to take some blame for tactics. Also that he thought the youth would rise to the challenge this season yet they flopped.
I don’t believe Pards has had the quality in depth to resolve the problems and he’s tried desperately in the hope poor players would come good.
I don’t believe Martinez would make much difference. He has a horrific defence. Always has.
His Wigan finishes have been 15th, 16th and likely relegation. His goal difference prior to this season was -42!!! That’s terrible and they survived on the final day of the season.
Fulham, Southampton, stoke, Norwich, WBA, swansea have similar resources yet they have survived, some comfortably.
What’s this fascination with Martinez. I don’t get it.
Unless Ashley changes his policy and appoints a top manager who would want a top salary then I would rather stick with Pards this season to see if he can turn it round but that would require investment by the owner in the squad.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
What is our goal difference this season then Troy?? If we have such a defensive manager who commits so much time to defensive coaching and having an organized side with a strong defense, it must be good then!
DJG(Quote)
Evening all! Haven’t been on today – has anyone pointed out the advantages of the Villa game today?
Beat QPR and we’re safe, regardless of what Wigan do. That should be Pardew’s team talk. Just that.
blip(Quote)
It’s the same as Wigan… 😳 who have just won the FA cup 😳
DJG(Quote)
TROY
Why would a better manager than Pardew require a top salary? There is a guy in France who won the league with a mediocre team and wants to try his hand in England. In France they get paid a fraction of what they do here and they have a 75% tax on top earners compared to 45% here. So please enlighten us why Ashley would have to change his policy to get a better manager?
DJG(Quote)
i see toon have talked to remys rep about signing 😯
icedog(Quote)
I saw that too Ice.
I’m in two minds about it myself. I would have loved him here in jan when we first tried to sign him and before he got his head turned by the cash at QPR. Now though I can’t help but think we would be a stepping stone to bigger things.
Saying that as long as he worked his **** off while he was here I suppose I’d get over it. It’s the nature of modern football I suppose. Loyalty doesn’t really exsist these days!
Oblong(Quote)
He can go back on my summer wish list I suppose 😆
Carroll
Remy
Sinclair
Chung Young Lee
Siem De Jong
James McCarthy (if Wigan go down)
And replace anyone who leaves – that would be a canny summer 😆
Oblong(Quote)
Oblong Whats the most you would spend on Carroll and would you give him the reported £70.000 a week wage?
I really don’t like Sinclair Routledge is just as good as him. He has like one or two good games ever ten or so games and people seem to think he is good.
CYL is that the guy from HSV?
The others you have mentioned would be good buys though 😀
Santii(Quote)
Just thinking…..Could all this Remy talk just be us trying to unsettle QPR and Remy before tomorrow?
Oblong(Quote)
On Carroll -I wouldn’t go more than 12mil – Wages wise I have no idea I suppose he would have to fit into whatever structure we have now.
On Sinclair – I personally think he is a lot better than Routledge but I do see where you make the comparison. For me he brings pace, creativity, goals and skill from the wing which we lack when Ben Arfa and Marveaux are out injured. Plus PL experience.
Chung Young Lee – Is a winger from Bolton. Again he brings pace and skill but he can also cross a ball….which again we lack. Wouldn’t cost a lot either. Plus PL experience.
Obviously just my opinion though 😆
Oblong(Quote)
We have the worst or 2nd worst defense in the league this season, so clearly we need defensive strengthening. We need another striker and a CAM, it seems too.
Osasuna’s Arribas or Frieburg’s Diagne as CBs?
PEA or one of the other targets mentioned as strikers? Jozy Altidore had a blazing season for AZ and won the Dutch Cup with them.
I dunno who for central attacking mid… But that Coutinho kid at Liverpool looks like the real deal. How’d they find him?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Oh, and what about a good defensive coach, someone who can coach us to scoring on the odd corner and maybe a fitness trainer, because our boys always seem to be dog tired.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Coutinho was well thought of at inter and was supposed to be the next big thing. His career seemed to stall there though…moving to Liverpool has kick started it by the looks of things 😛
I’m unsure we need defenders unless anyone leaves. M’Biwa and Debuchy need time to bed in and I’m sure they will come good. The same with Haidara if Santon is out.
Oblong(Quote)
Ice
There’s a few stories out in the last hour or so, apparently Carroll will come back to us and take a 30k+ pay cut, with Benny supposedly going the other way 🙄 . Another article is saying that even if we stay up a **** load of our players will leave, apparently Cabaye’s off to Arsenal, Benny to either Spurs or Liverpool, Krul to AC Milan, Colocinni to San Lorenzo and Taylor off to Marseilles 🙄 .
However it made me think about the money we could get for them and the players we could bring in.
Sell Cabaye £18m buy Wigan’s McCarthy £9-11m
Sell Benny (to Liverpool) for £10-12m + Carroll
Sell Krul £18m – buy Reading’s McCarthy £5-7m
Buy N’Koulou for £5m + Taylor ( 🙁 )
Buy Williams for £6m + Williamson
Income £21m
Buy Pierre Emmerick-Aubameyang £14m
Buy Sinclair for £6m
Convince Colo to stay – increase wages and attempt to help him solve personal issues (£2m)
Sell the rest of the dregs (doesn’t mean get rid of all back-up) and invest that money into the development of youth.
Andymag(Quote)
I agree on the extra coaches. We seem to have less than other clubs.
I liked Altidore when he was at Hull. Very powerful. Great if you need a player to bully opposition defenders and hold the ball up.
Oblong(Quote)
Spent so long bloody trying to get signal that oblong beat me too it 😉
Andymag(Quote)
Oblong, our defense was wretched this season. And if Colo leaves, we’re even more effed.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Well it was worth the wait Andy! 😛
Oblong(Quote)
Jozy scored a heap of goals in Holland too–25 or so, I think. He’s improved a lot.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
I can’t argue that our defence has been awful. I’m hoping Colo stays because we need his experience. I can’t see us getting someone on his level on the cheap. Maybe we should look to replace Williamson with someone to challenge the first team instead of just being a 4th CB?
Oblong(Quote)
Cheers oblong 😉
Just realised that we’d then have
Colo
N’koulou
M’biwa
Williams
All fighting for two places, with all 4 fighting for a place in their national team I doubt very much they’d like to be on the bench. M’biwa could of course play LB but he’ll want to impress at CB to get into the team so this ridiculous hypothetical situation wouldn’t work. Also my plan involves ripping out the core of the team which would be pretty **** hard to repair.
Andymag(Quote)
Right I’m off, got to revise all tomorrow for history exam 🙁 , just 3 weeks and I’m free
.
Andymag(Quote)
I really can’t think or care about transfers this summer until 1. Safety is secured and 2. Pardew is out the door 😀
Then i will care what is going on in the transfer window.
Santii(Quote)
Santii – we will resume this conversation at around 17:00 tomorrow night then 😆
Oblong(Quote)
Ah, missed the Pardew out the door bit….not sure that’s gonna happen by tomorrow night!
Oblong(Quote)
I think the best purchase we could make in the off season would be to move Colo’s entire extended family to Newcastle and bankroll them.
Or to Spain–so it’s a direct flight and he can hang with them for a few days here and there.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
The only logical answer is Other, or All of the Above and more.
A whole lot of things have contributed to the downturn; the club as a whole has underachieved. Injuries haven’t helped and many crucial decisions on the field have gone against us. The Europa games, the French diet, the GFC, Pardew’s biorhythms, that ******* butterfly flapping its wings in the Amazon.
Everything is related. All is one. 😎
brisvegas(Quote)
You’re right. We should cut down the entire Amazon to remove that *******’s butterfly habitat. That winged ******.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
123 testing! I’ve tried posting 3 times but site seems to be stuck!
Jill(Quote)
Don’t know why i can’t post the quote but basically it says with proper refereeing decisions given we actually be in 9th position at the moment!
So my answer to the vote is BAD REFEREEING!
Jill(Quote)
Biggest game of our season 2day. this is where the doors of destiny swing one way or another..
if we stay up that Mcmanaman would do for me, not first choice but definitely for willingness and determination, canny little player too tho.
he’s defo a scouse, he looked the spit of Joey Barton in one shot off y’days game.
come on the lads!!!
mark(Quote)