Top Six Toon – What Next?
Posted on April 2nd, 2012 | 74 Comments |
It’s certainly put a little skip in my step on this particular Monday morning!
This isn’t a match report as such. It’s more of a “reflections” piece featuring a few random thoughts as we find ourselves in what the trendy commentators call the “business end” of the season – or what us ordinary folk call the “last ten games”. We’ve won the first 3 of those games, and when you win, it matters not what the chasing pack are doing.
Whether the “National” (read “London”) media care to admit it or not, it looks like they are going to have to start referring to Newcastle United as a “top six side” – or whatever the latest catchphrase is. Because, barring almighty intervention of biblical proportions (or Everton winning every one of their remaining games), this result is the one that pretty much establishes United in the top six. Not just because it was another 3 points taken from the club who were immediately below us, but also because the 3 points were taken from one of the so-called “Big Clubs” that the media keep telling us are erm “Big” – whatever that means. That sort of result puts us firmly in the headlines, and makes everyone else sit up and take notice.
But it get’s better. With 7 games to go, we’re neck and neck with moneybags (but smaller crowds) Chelsea – same number of wins, same number of draws, same number of defeats. Separated from fifth place only by goal difference. We’re also only 5 points behind (smaller crowds) Tottenham. And with 7 games to go, the siren voices earlier in the season that wailed “they haven’t played anybody yet” have gone strangely silent. I wonder what pundits such as Mark Lawrenson “Newcastle won’t finish in the top six” and Paul “Cudiccini” Merson “Newcastle are punching above their weight” were thinking as they were chewing on their cornflakes this morning.
Yesterday’s game might also have brought about a dawning realisation in the head of a certain Jose Enrique, the world’s newest goalkeeper, that maybe United aren’t as much of a “smaller club” as he would have himself believe? As his new club settle into mid-table oblivion and United consolidate our top six or top five place – a time for reflection by the spanish full-back?
I genuinely felt sorry for Andy Carroll yesterday. He’s a young Geordie lad and I’m still not convinced he wanted to leave, the 35 million £££ signs in Mike Ashley’s eyes still seems more of a plausible reason for that particular transfer – but we’ve debated that one to death before… more to the point – great stumble by Agent Andy when clean through, and that header he put over the bar from 2 yards was a peach, without making it too obvious to the watching cameras – well done that Geordie!
In some ways Ashley now sits at the crossroads. People like Graham Carr, Alan Pardew and his coaches have proven to be the right people to move the club forward. They have done so quicker than expected and have out-performed against their “top ten” target this season. Where does he want the club to go from here? If it’s not “onwards and upwards” – how will the likes of Carr and Pardew respond to that?
I’m hoping this season’s achievements will stir some realisation in Mike Ashley and his entourage about what this club is capable of. I hope it stirs some ambition in him. Mike likes making money, and it’s his prime motivation in life – that much is obvious. But he also likes to gamble and he also likes the sweet smell of success. It must have occurred to him that in the Premier League, the higher a club finishes, the more the prize money it gets. Also there is additional money to be made, and prestige to be gained, from taking part in European competition. To say nothing of more TV exposure for his T-Shirt-direct adverts plastered all over St James’ Park. We can only hope that he realises the potential for what could be achieved by keeping the core of the current squad together – resisting any overtures this summer from so-called “bigger” clubs and adding some quality to our defence. After all, the more successful the club is, the more value that can be attached to our players in the market.
It’s worth a punt Mikey-Boy, and apart from the buzz of the financial rewards it might bring, you’d also have potential success and a bit of fun along the way. Hell! win something and maybe you can start drinking in the Bigg Market again!
NUFCBlog Author: UTD111
UTD111 has written 59 articles on this blog.
Next season the pundits will only mention the top four.