First off I have to say Saturday’s result wasn’t unexpected, though I had hoped we’d scrape a draw. We started brightly enough with Anita putting some tidy runs and crosses into the box and Rivi’s run and assist for Perez’s goal was sublime, though he faded badly as usual.
As we have seen too often this season when we concede we fall apart, heads drop and the pace drops to a jog then a stroll. It was refreshing in that first half to see us closing down the oposition, taking the game to them and giving them no time. Alas, we soon slipped into our old routine in the second half along with our old friend lack of concentration.
I must mention Siem De Jongs effort second half, to score after not long coming on when the game was lost was good to see and shows his commitment to the cause. This brings me to the point of this article. We simply don’t have enough players pulling their weight at the moment. Now whether this is lack of talent or lack of desire and care for the club is open to question, one thing is for sure though and that is they have no excuse.
No excuse not to get stuck in, no excuse not to fight and scrap to the 90th and beyond and no excuse to simply not try. I watched that match and actually felt sympathy for John Carver, he must be pulling his hair out at what he’s watching. The defending was dire, how the players can justify just standing and waiting for a team mate to deal with it is beyond me, what happened to collective responsibility? God above, you wouldn’t want that lot alongside you in the trenches would you? Carver has his detractors and rightly so, to not have attempted to try and change the set piece and corner routine by now is remiss and borderline negligent but he obviously has his reasons, though I can’t for the life of me fathom what they are. Ex pro’s say he’s an excellent coach, I’m not so sure I go along with that, but I’m sure he’s not as poor as the 7 straight losses show. I think he’s been hamstrung by a shocking injury list, the loss of our very foolish striker Cisse for 6 games and what would seem a game changer in De Jong and possibly young Aarrons.
Plus a very greedy and short sighted owner who likes to gamble with the clubs status.
With all that said, there are players in this team who simply do not fight enough and also aren’t good enough, it’s like watching our relegation run in all over again. Too many want away and don’t care enough for the club and it shows big time.
We will do well to avoid relegation this season make no mistake, and it will likely be because the teams below us have worse run in’s than us and play one another. We probably need a couple more points to be sure but where will we get them?
When this season ends whether we go down or not, there has to be a mass clear out of the dross and can’t be bothered’s. Some quality, not afraid to get stuck in lads need to be brought in. We need a good coach too as I fear John Carver is struggling.
Now all of this will cost a pretty penny and I know the club has said they intend to spend in the summer. The figures being bandied about though aren’t enough in my opinion. It’s going to take a fair wedge of cash to build a team to truly compete. Even at a mid table level, because we have slipped so far behind now through gross mismanagement.
In short, forget the figure you set mike, we’re gonna need a bigger cheque! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTRbQMLiJLY
By Kimtoon
Prem @448, well said. I’ve been reading, in too much dismay at the point-scoring to write, for a while now, and am glad you’ve come back on with some sanity. Relegation would be disastrous – MIkey is far more likely to cut to the bone in that event, and still won’t sell up at a loss, while the current squad has far less ability than the one relegated at VIlla, and, it turns out, even less guts. If we can get a decent left back fit, it would help a lot, since it will stop the slow and calamitous Colo and Willo getting pulled apart so easily. With Dummy, De Jong and Cisse coming back, we ought to be able to get the two points we probably need. Terrifying as next season already is, relegation won’t be the fun holiday of away wins in the sunshine it was last time around.
GTE(Quote)
Yeah, tend to agree with all those thinking relegation would be bad. As much as it would be nice to see us win more often than not I just don’t see Ashley leaving so easily..
Newkie(Quote)
I agree with Dave. I feel Cisse can pull goals out the bag and the team has sorely missed him. Daft undisciplined tw@t.
I had a good time playing pool with him for a couple of hours last year. Great lad like.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
We just have to stya up, Newkie – Ash aint going anywwhere whatever happens, so only reasonable scenario is to scrape survival – he’ll be furious that his assethas been as such risk, which a) kills any chance of Carver keeping the job and b) probably squeezes out just a bit more money for the rebuild. It’ll still likely be a hard season next season, given the extent of the rebuild needed, although I remain one of those that thinks the need is for a few really good,players, including one or two proper leaders, and that a lot of our mob are not bad players, just sheep, needing much stronger leadership.
GTE(Quote)
Of course relegation would be bad. It would be disastrous for Jabba! But for supporters? Really?
Still nobody has answered my question; What is the difference between watching NUFC in the Championship than in the PL?
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric are you saying journalists aren’t allowed to write opinion pieces now? He thinks that’s what NUFC should be doing and I think the whole point of his article is that would be one way of the club reconnecting with its supporters.
Do I think it will happen? Not a chance but he’s right to give his opinion on what he thinks would solve a lot of problems.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart. If you want to watch championship football that’s great. But are you seriously suggesting that watching the players from Rotherham or Brighton compares to watching players of the quality of Hazard or Rooney for example.
Premandup(Quote)
Just a thought that if we had fit players then what we really need are defenders. Oh and Klopp of course. And a clear out of the rubbish and a bit more strength in depth. But a bit more belief would go a long way.
Premandup(Quote)
GTE – Ideally he would realise the money that he saved on getting shot of players has now evaporated because of us falling down the league, but that has happened before so I doubt he’ll learn much from it. But maybe, just maybe he will give the club the shakeup it deserves. Clearing out the coaches, get some cheap Polish ones on 0 hour contracts, he has expertise in that area 😆
Stuart – well we’d be watching oruselves play Rotheram rather than Chelsea or Man City and I don’t tend to get the same kind of buzz for those matches.
Also if we get relegated along with Sunderland we’ll continue to lose every derby every year, whereas if they get relegated and boro come up we can pretend that this is the derby that matters, and who knows, might even win the odd match 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Stuart: I think The Chronicle’s chief sports writer wrote a fantasy piece as click-bait. It was a waste of time for him and all who read it. What exactly was his opinion, that NUFC should be going after Klopp but he is out of our league? Thanks, Lee and if Real sack Ancelotti in the summer we wont get him either.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why stop at the Championship, Stu? Why not go all the way to the Conference? Have a derby with Gateshead. It’d be great.
brisvegas(Quote)
Oh, and for those interested, the Fantasy table looks like this (top 8)
1 Stripes and no stars 78 (1,872)
2 Solano’s Trumpet 75 (1,958)
3 Haven’t Got a Kalou 64 (1,907)
4 Newbriscastle Roar 61 (1,716)
5 Newkie’s Ale Stars 57 (1,726)
6 Inter Yasista 57 (1,714)
7 WHY SO SERIOUS ? 56 (1,791)
8 Niknak Utd 56 (1,636)
And the others:
9 Newclear Attack 52
10 Joshua 51
11 WaWa Toures 51
12 Natalie Sawyer No.1 51
13 Dubai-Toon United 50
14 Moveover Rovers 49
15 Aussie Magpies 46
16 Mugs11 44
17 Back to Besic 43
18 Surrender Monkeys 29
19 Surrender Monkeys 24
20 Surrender Monkeys 16
brisvegas(Quote)
Premandup
April 30, 2015 at 10:46
So it’s not NUFC you watch, it’s the brilliant players of the opposition?
In the Fizzy we will be competing for something, not just there to make up the numbers and that’s what sports all about, not watching the opposition players.
Stuart79(Quote)
Ah Bris you jammy git, I thought I’d have jumped you next week but I see you snuck a win!
Newkie(Quote)
Stuart – under Ashley we’d be competing for 10th in the fizzy. I can handle getting stuffed by City etc but Rotherham on a wet Tuesday night?
georgio(Quote)
Stuart – as Georgio says, what makes you think we’ll be competing? We certainly won’t be winning the CC at a canter like last time, it’s far harder and we’ll definitely be a worse side. Maybe we’d scrape a play off, but with less players, and the same manager (or the same level, as who would want to join us being in the championship AND having no say on transfers on an event more limited budget) we’ll get nowhere.
Our second string sides have at least beaten Man City or pushed them hard in the last two seasons in the cups. Imagine our cup record in the championship..
Newkie(Quote)
Some on here should go get season tickets for Man City or Chelsea as it’s obviously their players you pay to watch at SJP.
What a pathetic existence we have just being wheeled out every week to be the opposition for the normal football clubs and by normal I mean every other club than us as they all at least drive for some achievement.
Sorry but existing is not my way. Competition is what gets the heart racing and Adrenalin flowing, not just being fodder for someone else.
Stuart79(Quote)
No Stu, we just don’t wat to see our team disappear into League One or even further. Relegation would mean that Ashley tries to sell, doesn’t get his price, so jettisons as many of the squad as he can, with no time to build a replacement Champo side = struggling in the Champo at best. Where are the Bartons and Nolans in this side?
GTE(Quote)
Stuart You are as usual totally misinterpreting what I’m saying. It would be like me suggesting that if you like lower league football so much you should go and support Gateshead.
I enjoy watching football, especially when played by the best players. I get that when I support a premier league club. From both teams.
Again I could interpret your desire for competition to suggest that you should go and support a competitive team rather than one where competition is handicapped. But I don’t I understand your view.
Premandup(Quote)
Sorry meant that I DO understand your POV
Premandup(Quote)
GTE – If you think Ashley would be happy to just let us rot away into oblivion I really don’t know what to say.
It’s currently like having a business that sell Rolls Royces but not selling one single car. Then comes along an opportunity to sell second hand cars with you could actually sell. Would you refuse because you like the prestige of being a Rolls Royce company even though you have never sold one?
Stuart79(Quote)
relegation will not shift ashley,the only thing that will shift him is cold hard cash.
hitman(Quote)
Stuart please correct me if I am wrong, but you appear to be saying that you are happy to watch NUFC sink down the divisions until we find a level that we can compete.
Which again I may be wrong, is exactly the danger that I suggested might happen, as it did with Sheffield Wednesday
Premandup(Quote)
Riiight… 🙄
Maybe you should rethink your support as well then Stuart, if it relies solely on competing and winning things – most football clubs will never compete or win a thing but their fans turn up, but you’d rather see us, a once great club, compete for lesser honours rather than playing against the best in the country and supporting our lads through the bad patches?
Each to his own I guess.
Newkie(Quote)
Prem – Two reasons why that will not happen;
1) Ashley won’t allow it. He might cut his losses but not to the extent that he risks the clubs value being almost zero!
2) Any new buyer would have the finance to get us promoted (otherwise why buy the club) and with the fans back and cash it would be pretty easy to achieve it. Our turnover would allow us to totally outspend any club in the division so FFP would be ok also.
The Apocolyptic story that people peddle just wouldnt happen. Worse case Ashley stays and he woudln’t allow his asset to reduce further in value. It may make him change his approach however as it would show his business model isn’t working.
Stuart79(Quote)
NEWKIE – Please show me one post where I have ever said we should be winning things and it’s only worth being a supporter if your club wins something?
Stuart79(Quote)
his buisness model hasnt been working for 8 years,if he was going to change it he would have by now.
hitman(Quote)
Stu – so you want to see us compete and not win things, is that what you’re saying?
Newkie(Quote)
hitman
his business model is working perfectly for him – it’s just putting up with the irritation of the fans that doesn’t work for him.
roy cropper(Quote)
😯 😆
why would we want to see our club sink to the lower leagues. The prem is the place to be. Ask any suffering lower league fans where they want to be.
Relegation would really mess us up. We are not equipped like last time with the likes of Barton, Nolan etc to pull us out of the ****.
Gashley(Quote)
NEWKIE – Actually you know what I am saying but I will explain for you again.
I want us to be competing to win something. Will we be guaranteed to win? No, but I will guarantee you one thing; If you don’t want to compete you will never ever win anything!
Hitman – There’s nowt like a whacking great loss to make him realise it isn’t working. He could blame the last relegation on a blip, but not this one.
Stuart79(Quote)
I would also like to clarify, I don’t want us to go down. However I am saying I wouldn’t be particularly bothered if it happened as it would hurt Ashley more than me as I would still be a NUFC fan.
But I do honestly think it would be the fastest way to get rid of him and on that basis it would be worth it in my opinion.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu is getting rid of Ashley the quickest way to the club being competitive in the same way that getting rid of Pardew was meant to result in better football. ?
Premandup(Quote)
I didn’t say we should get rid of Pardew. In fact I knew nothing would change while Ashley remained the owner.
Ashley always was and always will be the problem.
Stuart79(Quote)
“It certainly is. Despite having the second-lowest budget in the Liga—only behind Eibar—Rayo are on course to clinch survival for a third successive year under Jemez.
In 2012/13 his team broke the club’s own points record for a Liga season, and only missed out on a European spot due to the league’s financial regulations. Last season they finished 12th and currently sit 11th in the Liga table table on 35 points ahead of the visit of Madrid, having won their last four home games.
Working on a shoe-string budget is nothing new for Jemez, who has worked his way up the Spanish football ladder since taking charge of Alcala in 2007. He went on to coach Cartagena, Las Palmas and Cordoba before getting the job at Rayo, the club where he hung his boots up.
Working within Rayo’s financial constraints tests his capabilities as a coach throughout the season and especially each summer, when he is forced to radically reconstruct his squad when faced with players leaving en masse”
Sounds like a perfect fit for us.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – I think we both knew what each of us were saying but were being pedantic for the sake of it 😀
I see what you mean, and now that you’ve clarified you don’t actually *want* us to go down so we can be more competetive then I get your feeling. It’s probably the same kind of apathy I have along with most of us – if we go down it may not feel like that big a deal – I certainly won’t be as distraught as I was the last time. I just don’t share your confidence that Ashley will leave and sadly I think it’d just get worse for us – however mad that seems in the current situation..
Newkie(Quote)
Yes please….
http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2414597-paco-jemez-interview-rayo-coach-is-a-tougher-job-than-barca-or-real-madrid
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/meet-boss-whos-riled-real-and-should-manage-barca-one-day-probably-wont
MDS(Quote)
Looks like Cisse won’t play again this season,another nail in the coffin
icedog(Quote)
So Carver IS actually meeting those fans…really really odd. I suppose they might impart some wisdom…
Newkie(Quote)
Ice – what happened to him mate?
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie had minor knee procedure after getting suspended. Apparently the procedure was performed by Dr. Nick Riviera. 😉
MDS(Quote)
MDS cheers mate,aye he’s not even training with the group,getting no luck with players injury,still no news on Aarons come back we need his pace
icedog(Quote)
Ice if Cisse is done for the year I’ll start to worry about the “R” for the first time. I still think de Jong and Dummett will see us stay up. Would love to have Aarons back
Craziest season I’ve ever seen with all the injuries and suspensions
MDS(Quote)
The shields gazette have just done an article saying Cisse will play against West Brom if he proves his fitness this week.
Who knows, Its clear as mud
CC(Quote)
Hmm, doesn’t sound good but I think I’m with MDS, Dummet will make a real difference for me. The defence is our main issue, I’m confident Perez could grab a few in the run in….
Newkie(Quote)
CC I think the media latched onto the fact that he hasn’t trained with the squad yet. It sounds like he’ll be back
MDS(Quote)
Has anyone else noticed the huge change in Blackley and Brownlie lately? He’s a different man now. He realizes he made some serious errors in the past and wants to make up for them. I’m not making this up. And he wants to be allowed to return to this noble Blog and present his own case. What do you think Big Dave mate? Is it time to remove the Blog Hammer?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I sense a lot of you are a bit down about the season. A bit depressed. Well cheer up mates! We have a lot to look forward to! We have Cisse coming back to score goals! Oh….wait. I see. Ok we don’t have Cisse coming back to score goals. But we have many other exciting players on the bench! Oh…..wait. I see we don’t really have a bench. Well we have a tremendous manager to save us!…..No? Well then we have a very serious looking Geordie head coach to save us. Hmmm. This isn’t going quite as I intended.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Is anybody more cheerful yet? 😯
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2
Ask that question again on saturday afternoon
If we get a minimum of 1 point against Leicester you might find me a little bit more cheerful.
sidekick(Quote)
@GeordieTwo
are you serious about B&B? Is he really still banned 😆 😆 😆 For what heinous, despicable crime did he commit to be banned this long 😯
he done more time than Charles Salvador
Gashley(Quote)
@CC
Prove his fitness? He isnt injured, surely he hasnt been sitting at home on his ps4 serving his ban. He should be fit as a fiddle, determined to make amends, most likely paper ****
Gashley(Quote)
If Cisse doesnt play again the season then we could be fooked. Hopefully D Jong will save us 😯
Gashley(Quote)
@BD
Lift the banhammer you big spoil-sport 😉
we’re all grown men on here! most of the time 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Had to laugh earlier today when Blackley told a blogger that to explain the offside rule he would have to take them onto a football pitch with a ball and Cisse 😀
sidekick(Quote)
aye dave lift the ban on poor owld blackley,hes good craic.
hitman(Quote)
What did B&B do? Lol I didn’t realize he was banned
MDS(Quote)
Credit to Carver for arranging to meet the 2 fans he had the run in with. But I do wonder whether he is prioritising popularity over success?. Not deliberately of course, but is the right time to meet these fans the day before what could be an 8th defeat in a row?!. Can he be completely focused on the game if he’s chewing the fat with fans?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – exactly.
Newkie(Quote)
I see McClaren came up this week to see Derby reserves thrash us 0-4 and had a good conversation with Carver apparently. Well I hope he had chance to take a couple of training sessions.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy: I would love it if one of the fans would wear a wire. Where is The News of the World when you need them?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Carver is talking to McClaren now. This after invoking the name of Bobby Robson numerous times (he’s probably hearing voices) and talking with Pardew. Next he will be talking to Nigel Pearson before this weekend’s match 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
last time I looked SM’s derby team have only won 3 out of their last 17. loads of goals scored but a canny few draws. 😕
Gashley(Quote)
It looks like a canny few people cancelling their season tickets. Will need a few thousand to do that if its to make Jabba take notice. Need attendances to be down at 25,000 in PL for him to realise he’s ****** this up.
Stuart79(Quote)
Carver said that McClaren said to him that he was doing a good job when they were standing on the sideline of a reserve game. Seriously, what was McClaren supposed to say with Carver looking at him like a lost little school boy “Nah, you’re ***** John. You have the worst record in the premier league this year”. Carver is just pathetic now. It is like kicking a mangy dog having a go at him, and yet he still thinks he is in “pole position”. God Help Us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric @ 515 😆 😆 😆
Stu I think getting ST down to 25 might be asking too much mate
Big Dave(Quote)
Eric – It is unbelievable really that Carver still thinks he has a chance and even worse he probably does still have a chance! What other football in the world would this happen?
Dave – That’s why as long as we are in the PL Ashley will stay.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu unless they keep Carver on Then they might see the ST drop drastically.
My guess is the Regime will make a lot of empty promises to try to listen to the fans more, they will say they are going to start taking the cups serious etc, and they will try to bring in 1 or 2 good players to try to give the fans something to get excited about
Big Dave(Quote)
Carver is ****..agreed…but he didn’t say he was in pole position or thinks he is in pole position. He was basically saying was that he wasn’t going to turn to Steve Mc and say “Hey, I’m in pole position” because they were both linked with the job..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
G2 @ 497 😯 what big changes have you seen ? I haven’t seen any change in him, as for realising he has made serious errors ? Well it doesn’t stop him from ranting and raving about me being the big bad boy for banning him, and that I only done it to side with Troy, he has been coming of with the same stuff as always.
B&B was given countless chances to wind his neck in but decided to keep pushing and pushing.
Big Dave(Quote)
Carver told the Chronicle: “I am in the pole position at the moment – until I am told otherwise then nothing is going to change. Whether that happens next week, the following week or the end of the season, whatever happens I am in the pole position and that’s how I look at it.”
That’s pretty unequivocal, Aussie.
Stuart79(Quote)
fair call, I just had a deeper look on news now… It was an edited conversation that I read this morning, I just read the whole thing… i retract my statement the guy is a delusional idiot!
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Carver just needs to shut up.His quotes are getting worse by the day and the local journos are just loving such tragicomical stuff. Give us all a break lads and instead concentrate on five things we need to do today or link us No 217 potential signing. By the way the previous 7 in a row lost included cup ties so Carver has the worst in league history record. He’s in pole position 😀
georgio(Quote)
Correct
Stuart79(Quote)
G2
Why is B&B so desperate to come onto this blog?
He knows I’m on and hasn’t spoke to me for over 2 yrs over blog issues. That’s his own brother. YCMIU.
Troy Stavers(Quote)