Why Carver’s Newcastle is the worst Newcastle team in the Premier League ever
Posted on May 23rd, 2015 | 29 Comments |
Worse than Alan Shearer and Iain Dowie’s catastrophic eight games in charge when the club were relegated in 2009.
As bad as the team were back then, they were better than the current side, winning an average of 0.62 points per game under Shearer. This compares against Carver’s 0.5 points in his games. Where Shearer got at least one win in those eight games, the current side managed to lose eight in a row, the worst losing streak since PE teacher Richard Dinnis led the side to 10 consecutive defeats in 1977. However unlike Carver, Dinnis actually had a very good spell with the club, finishing fifth in the old First Division and qualifying for the UEFA Cup as Caretaker Manager in the previous season.
Worse than nearly all the teams who have been relegated from the Premier League
If Carver’s form was spread over a whole season of 38 games, Newcastle would only have 19 points now, about the same as the third worst Premier League finish ever, 19 by Sunderland in 2003. Even if the side finish the season on a win, Carver’s record would still be only be about the same as that of Shearer and Dowie (0.65 points per game). If that form was extended over a season, it would only amount to 24-25 points and once again, an awful total that would mean certain relegation. To put it into perspective, even the two worst teams this season, QPR and Burnley have managed 30 this season with one game still to play.
The case for the defence
Much criticism has been pointed at the defence for the late season fiasco, and indeed it’s true that Newcastle United have the second highest goals against in the Premier League this season with 63. HOWEVER, in defence of the defence, Carver’s record for letting in goals has actually been significantly better than it was with Pardew earlier in the season. The 30 goals conceeded by Carver’s 19 games would translate to only 58 goals in 37 games, not 63 as it actually is. Hence, the defence has actually improved from earlier in the season. Even Tottenham have let in 53 so far this season.
No, as far as the really bad form goes, the problem for Carver has definitely been more at the other end. Without Cisse for most of the time, Newcastle’s attack has been absolutely pitiful, with only 0.72 goals per game to 1.5 against. Newcastle’s poor attacking play under Carver has also had repercussions for the defence. Misfiring attacks have turned all to quickly into counter attacks, leaving the side on the backfoot for much of the game. Without denying that the defence have made blunders under Carver this season, they have been under the kind of pressure which would make most teams’ defences make more mistakes on average. Under those circumstances, the defence still hasn’t been great, but with such a hopeless attack leaving the team almost permanently up against it, it could have been even worse.
We shouldn’t blame Carver though, it’s hard to blame him for taking the job. The blame for our previous relegation, a 16th didn’t lie with him. The blame for that and possible relegation again lies with Ashley himself for a series of ridiculous appointments in the most senior positions at the club, Manager and Managing Director. If you keep appointing people who are compleltely out of their depth to save money, it isn’t their fault.
Having written all that, here’s hoping for a win against West Ham, and that Geordie Special Agent, Steve Bruce comes though for us once again!
NUFCBlog Author: workyticket
workyticket has written 1096 articles on this blog.
There’s truth to the fact it’s not entirely Carver fault, I’m not letting him off the hook though, as his efforts both as a tactician and a responsible person in charge were for the most part woeful.
Letting anger and frustration dictate his behavior, the result of which will become obvious as I doubt his tenure will last much beyond he final game on Sunday.
As for his future employment prospects, it’s doubtful any PL side would now hire him, the best I can see, is a job with a lower league side, but he was given his opportunity and failed.
Following Pardew’s quick duck out the back door on his way to Palace, I had thought perhaps there could be an improvement both tactically and by letting the flair players off the leash, which would both raise the entertainment value and hopefully gain a few positive results.
It seemed to be working for the first few games, except for the positive results, then I guess frustration set in and face it, he had neither the answers nor the horses.
On examination, it’s mostly about the lack of quality in the squad, it still belies belief that we would get rid of what were our top players, blame has to be jointly shared by Pardew, the selling off of players who had no place in his tactical plan and with Ashley who probably thought why am I paying top earning players to sit on the bench.
As for Santons release, I just don’t get it, gotta be about money.
It was the blind leading the blind, Pardew believing he was the best manager in the league (as did his protégé)with his psychobabble from self help books and an outdated tactical approach.
Ashley in turns believing that he could change the way a football club operated, which was and probably is still his belief (hard to change a hard wired policy).
Fact is the club was run by Ashley, who had the final say on everything, though he knew next to nothing about football, there was division and hard feelings between Carr and Pardew, one who found (on ashleys orders) cheap youngsters with certain potential, which for the most part were not wanted by Pardew, as a consequence Joe was brought in to settle the dispute, but only added fuel to the fire, it made the club the laughing stock of football.
Regardless Ashley continued and will probably stick with his overall plan, to run the club in the same manner, that of his retail business, wilfully disregarding the evidence he faces.
Hopefully his intransigence will become apparent, if it already hasn’t and he will realize successful clubs are
well managed sides and you get what you pay for.
On the other hand if it’s a question of will’s his against the worlds, then the club is in danger.
This is not only my opinion, I read to-day where the BBC’s result’s predictor Mark Lawrenson stated, if people want to look at how NOT to run a club that’s NUFC.