Still a baby-faced assassin?The predictable platitudes are already forthcoming from within, as Chris Hughton seeks to demonstrate how hurt Newcastle players were by last night’s heavy defeat to Derby County. Despite being denied an apparently legitimate goal in the second half and with some dubious decision from the officials, Hughton refused to blame anyone but the collective in black and white.
Having watched Derby categorically destory our impressive record-breaking unbeaten run in the league, supporters were given a reminder that the Cardiff demolition was perhaps a distraction from the otherwise inauspicious form leading into and out of the Christmas period.
However, Hughton was keen to point out that the results perhaps flattered the hosts, saying:
“It’s a very hurt changing room. The manner of the defeat has hurt them and I’m quite sure there’ll be a desire to turn this around.”
“It’s certainly a big blow. We’ve done something that we haven’t done all season and that’s concede three goals. If you do that then there’s a good chance you’ll lose football matches.”(more…)
This may or may not be the Derby goalscorers...Andy Carroll was already there after being formally charged for assault on Monday but his Newcastle team mates joined him in coming back down to earth with a bump, as our apparent bogey team Derby County turned us over convincingly. After the Friday night demolition of Cardiff, hopes were high of more of the same but Geordie expectations couldn’t have been more spectacularly wrong, with Derby running out 3-0 winners in front of a bumper and boisterous crowd.
Like many, I was restricted to radio commentary and Deb, who was unfortunate enough to be there, will provide us with the gory details all in good time, though some of us may not have the stomach for it. Hughton named an unchanged side, much to the delight of supporters who thought he might revert to a more defensive formation and there was undeniable confidence that we could do some real damage but it all went horribly wrong. (more…)
Locking horns with The Rams.After the great performance from the lads against Cardiff City on friday, the Toon are off to the East Midlands this evening, visiting Pride Park to take on Nigel Clough’s Derby County. With the Rams attracting the second highest average attendances in the Championship it should be a good sized crowd and a decent atmosphere.
I think we’re all hoping for a repeat of the performance against the Taffs last week, with us coming out to play good attacking football with virtually the same team that played last Friday. However our away form has not been brilliant to say the least. The positives are we have only lost one of the last six, but too many draws have seen us losing out on points which were very achievable. I’m hoping that the positive noises from Chris Hughton wanting to see more of the same type of perfomance we turned in against Cardiff means he may field an unchanged side, although with Smudge now recovered from his injury he may be tempted to slot him back in the team. Certainly, with two good attacking wingers in Gutierrez and Routledge, we should look more balanced and be able to switch the play a bit down both wings rather than the over reliance down the left we have seen most of the season.
The new additions to the team have done well. Like many of you probably, I was worried about the effect on the defence of three missing first team regulars, but the new lads have coped admirably so far and the new back four of Simpson, Hall, Williamson and van Aanholt have been solid. (more…)
NUFC Blog have scoured the length and breadth of YouTube to track down a video of new Toon signing, Jóhan Símun Edmundsson in action. Well here he is playing for the Faroe Islands against Russia Under 21s and scoring the winning goal with a very decent header (he is No.17 playing in white).
In the wake of Toon’s January transfer bonanza comes news of the club’s latest youth signing. 18 year old Jóhan Símun Edmundsson, a striker who can play on the flanks has arrived on loan until the end of the season from Faroe Islands giant, B68 Toftir. He has also been capped by the Faroe Islands national team. (more…)
So who fancies living up to this then?A topic doing the rounds at the moment with regards our beloved club, is something that’s been mooted all season by Newcastle fans. One of the most revered privileges bestowed upon many a Tyneside legend, is to wear the No.9 shirt and to experience the adulation of the black and white masses.
Of course wearing it, is only part of the ‘legend’ process, the striker has to perform and hopefully do what No.9s do best and that’s score goals. We haven’t always had someone to fill the shirt, and in days before squad numbers, the like of Rob McDonald and Frank Pingel were blessed with the opportunity to say they wore the famous shirt. And as we pretty much all agreed in the our recent review article, we’re struggling at the moment for somone to do it justice.
It seems like Chris Hughton also agrees and the absence of the No.9 shirt at the moment is a conscious decision on his part. According to him: (more…)
