Testing times ahead for Toon – Again!
Posted on November 7th, 2011 | 21 Comments |
At least we’ll have a couple of weeks to try and get over some of them. All the while attempting to ready ourselves for the next round of tests. Next up will be the Manchester’s of City and United. With City returning to the place where Hatem Ben Arfa was so cruelly hacked down and the Lads were cheated out of a result with ref decisions, what with a dodgy penalty for them, and a clear one for us turned down. Citeh have spent even bigger since then and it’ll be one tough game. Of course the ‘pundits’ will at least be satisfied that we’re being tested properly for once. If we get an better ref, who knows what can happen?
I saw enough of Man City’s game at QPR to suggest that if you have a go at them, goals are available as their back line looks a little suspect at times. It’ll be interesting to see if Hatem Ben Arfa gets to play this game, and it would be even better if he did and made them pay for last seasons debacle.
However we could be going there without the services of Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan and Leon Best. It could be a case of ‘irresistible force, meets immoveable object’ in so far as they are scoring goals for fun and we have the best defensive record in the Premier League, if not the whole of Christendom.
Man U away is always a tough game, but I think there’s as much weakness in this Man U side as I’ve seen in quite some time. They could only manage a skanky one nil at home to the Tramps, an own goal at that from agent Brown. Their midfield is well below par with seasons gone by and if we can get our midfielders back off the physio table, again, who knows? 2 points from these games would be a moral victory, 3 and I’d be bouncing off the walls. Although 0 would be hard to take, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. If we can apply ourselves and keep the goals against minimal, there will be chances in these games.
One thing to take into consideration should be the fact that most of the Manchester team’s players will be involved in the international games, whereas most of ours won’t. Their players will be flying around the world when most of ours will only have to pop over to France.
Next will be the visit of Chelsea to Saint James’ Park, at last a home game again! While they are just behind us in fourth place in the league, it’s been a mixed start to the season for the Blues. Chelsea manager, Andre Villas Boas, looks a little under pressure and with some of the John Terry controversy flying around them, things aren’t going quite as smoothly as everyone thought it might.
We have been known to get something out of Chelsea at home and this fixture does stick out as the most winnable of the three. While I’m not expecting that it could be the one targeted for a points return. Obviously, how things go in the previous 2 games could colour this match.
Make no mistake, this is gonna be our toughest test yet. We will be playing the 3 pretenders / contenders for the title and they are not easy games. Alot will depend on what team we can muster and the teams they can or choose to put out. Man City have players to burn, Man U and Chelsea, not so much. You never know, the international friendlies might just help us out for a change.
No doubt the ‘pundits’ will be saying: “Newcastle’s season starts here” ‘Cos we haven’t played anyone yet!
Right, no football for a couple of weeks, as you were!
Howay the Lads!
NUFCBlog Author: CLiNT FLiCK
Cut me in half & it'll say Newcastle United F.C. just like a stick of Black 'n' White rock!
CLiNT FLiCK has written 42 articles on this blog.
“I saw enough of Man City’s game at QPR to suggest that if you have a go at them, goals are available as their back line looks a little suspect at times.”
Aye Clint, lightbulb heed was suspended and he’s a much underrated part of the Man City machine with all those fancy names upfront grabbing the attention. He was only suspended for one game though. :-(